The capital city, the residence of the Marquis of Zhenbei.

Luo Qingrou frowned slightly as she looked at the letter she had just received from her husband, Lu Zheng, her eyes filled with undisguised worry. Besides reporting that he was safe and sound and discussing military affairs, the letter also subtly mentioned that their eldest son, Lu Xiao, seemed somewhat "restless" and his behavior was "occasionally abnormal." Although not explicitly stated, the worry in the letter did not escape the mother's notice.

“Mother,” Lu Qi’s voice sounded at the door. He had grown into a tall, handsome young man, with a calm demeanor and sharp eyes. He entered the study and saw the letter in his mother’s hand and the worry on her face. “Is it a letter from Father? Is my brother… doing well in the northern frontier?”

Luo Qingrou sighed and handed the letter to her son: "Read it yourself. Your father said that Xiao'er... seems to have something on his mind, something's not right. I'm really worried about him."

Lu Qi quickly scanned the letter, his brows gradually furrowing. He put down the letter, pondered for a moment, and a knowing glint flashed in his eyes: "Mother need not worry too much. My brother is resilient; perhaps he has simply... encountered some troubles." He recalled the scattered rumors about the mysterious military doctor "Anping" in the Imperial Academy, and the unusual tone in his brother's letters when he occasionally mentioned this person; he already had some guesses in his mind.

"Trouble?" Luo Qingrou asked, puzzled. "What trouble could Xiao'er possibly have?"

Lu Qi did not answer directly, but instead asked, "Mother, do you still remember Cousin An'an from the Jing Prince's Mansion?"

“An’an?” Luo Qingrou was taken aback. “Of course I remember! That child was gentle and quiet, and her medical skills were also good. It’s a pity…” She sighed as she recalled that An’an had left home for the northern frontier and her whereabouts were unknown.

“When my son was at the Imperial Academy, he heard that there was a young military doctor in the Zhenbei Army with superb medical skills, who used the alias ‘Anping’,” Lu Qi said slowly, his eyes sharp. “This person’s origins are unknown, but his medical skills are superb, especially in the treatment of external injuries. His temperament is… aloof and cold. In your letters, you mentioned this person several times, and in your words… you seemed to care about him quite a bit.”

Luo Qingrou was incredibly intelligent and instantly understood her son's implication. Her eyes widened suddenly: "Qi'er, you mean... An'an... is in your father's army? Under the alias Anping? And Xiao'er, he..." She recalled the "restless" and "abnormal behavior" mentioned in the letter, and a bold and shocking thought emerged—could it be that Xiao'er was interested in that "Anping" military doctor...?

Lu Qi nodded, confirming his mother's guess: "Although there is no conclusive evidence, all the signs suggest that it is highly likely. If that is the case, it is not difficult to understand your brother's worries. Facing a 'military doctor' with a mysterious identity, who is very likely an old friend, but who presents himself as a man..." He paused, a meaningful smile curving his lips, "This is probably quite a problem."

Luo Qingrou gasped, a complex expression welling up in her eyes—worry, surprise, and a strange glint. She paused for a moment, then abruptly stood up, her expression resolute: "No! I have to go to the Northern Frontier! Xiao'er needs me! If An'an is really there… I want to see with my own eyes whether that child is doing well! Qi'er, you…"

“Mother,” Lu Qi also stood up, his face showing a composure and decisiveness rarely seen in a young man, “I have mastered the essence of the Imperial Academy’s curriculum. Theory alone is insufficient. The northern frontier is a man’s true battlefield. I… should also go to Father and my elder brother’s side.” A confident light shone in his eyes, “There are some mysteries I will solve myself; there are some situations I may be able to assist my elder brother in.”

Looking at her second son, who was already showing promise, Luo Qingrou felt both proud and heartbroken. She took a deep breath and held her son's hand: "Good! Good boy! Let's go back to the Northern Frontier together!"

Life in the military camp returned to a superficial calm. Anping remained busy in the wounded soldiers' camp, treating wounds, preparing prescriptions, and researching how to better utilize the newly harvested snow-seeing grass. She was still the taciturn, highly skilled "Little Divine Doctor An."

But some things are different now.

Lu Xiao would arrive at the wounded soldiers' camp every day on time to "change his dressings." His wounds actually healed very quickly, but he could always find an excuse—"The bandage feels loose," "It seems a little itchy," "Let Dr. An check on the recovery."

Anping knew perfectly well what was going on, but she no longer coldly chased him away as before. She simply conducted the examination and changed the dressing in a professional manner, her movements still efficient. However, occasionally when Lu Xiao gasped in pain, her fingertips would move even more lightly.

"Dr. An, is this Snow-Seeing Grass... really that miraculous?" During a dressing change, Lu Xiao looked at the silvery-white powder in An An's mortar and pestle and made conversation.

"Mm." An'an responded, focusing intently on grinding the medicine. "It stops bleeding and promotes tissue regeneration, and its effects far surpass those of ordinary wound medicine. Combined with Panax notoginseng and Bletilla striata, the effect is even better."

"Oh..." Lu Xiao nodded as if he understood, but his gaze fell on An An's slightly pursed lips and long, drooping eyelashes as she ground the medicine powder. He thought her focused profile was particularly beautiful.

"Anping! Quick! Someone in the Third Battalion broke their leg during training!" Wang Mazi's loud voice rang out from outside.

Anping immediately put down the pestle: "Coming!" She quickly packed her medicine box, said "Please do as you please, Your Highness" to Lu Xiao, and hurriedly left.

Lu Xiao watched her retreating figure disappear quickly through the doorway, not displeased by her hasty departure, but rather a slight smile played on his lips. He could sense that Anping was... less averse to him. Although still cold, that icy aura that kept people at arm's length seemed to be quietly melting. Especially when he thought of the warmth of her fingertips when she bandaged him that day, and her advice about "harming your health"... Lu Xiao's heart felt as if it had been gently tickled by a feather, both itchy and warm.

Anping strode towards the Third Battalion, her mind wandering. The focused look in Lu Xiao's eyes as he watched her grind the medicine... made her inexplicably uneasy. She shook her head, forcing herself to focus on the injured patient before her: "The broken bone needs immediate realignment and immobilization! Prepare splints and bandages!"

She directed with practiced ease, her movements precise and swift. But in the intervals between tending to the wound, the gruesome scar on Lu Xiao's arm would involuntarily flash through her mind—the one left for her. A mixture of gratitude, guilt, and… a strange, unspoken stirring within her, a feeling she herself didn't want to delve into, quietly took root in her heart, growing with each encounter.