Third Sister was carried away in a small sedan chair borne by two men.

Before getting into the chair, all the clothes she wore were only pink.

Zhong Xiuxiu, with a pair of swollen, red eyes, went to the college for class, a little absent-minded.

This was noticed by Chun Nuan.

"Zhong Xiuxiu, come to my study after class."

"Yes, Teacher."

In the study, Chun Nuan gently told her to sit.

"Have you run into some difficulty?"

For her disciples, Chun Nuan not only taught them medicine earnestly, she also cared about their personal lives and mental state.

In Zhao Minghua’s words, she was like a mother beast protecting her cubs, fiercely partial to her own!

No one was allowed to bully her disciples, not even their own parents.

"No."

"If not, why are your eyes so red and swollen?"

"It’s like this, Teacher..."

Some things might be family shame, but what could be hidden from others could not be hidden at all from Teacher.

To Zhong Xiuxiu, Teacher was even closer than her own parents.

So she told her about Zhong Xiuyao.

Chun Nuan listened for quite a while without coming back to herself.

As a woman, she felt heartbroken for Zhong Xiuyao.

Power crushes people, this shameless Old Man Lin, with the yellow earth already reaching his neck, still has the gall to covet a pretty girl of sixteen or seventeen—utterly shameless!

"Teacher, are all we women’s fates this miserable?"

You don’t get to choose your birth, you don’t get to choose your marriage.

"Since ancient times, marriages have been arranged by parents and matchmakers. There’s not much we can do about that."

Chun Nuan very much appreciated Zhong Xiuxiu’s conduct: "Using the knowledge you’ve learned to support the daughters of your family, that’s good."

"I only did it because I was desperate with no other way, hoping to help Third Sister... No, actually, I hope Third Sister will never need it. But if she does, at least I’ll feel a bit better."

"Yes, better to prepare for a thousand days and never use it than need it for one day and not have it." Chun Nuan said, "Fortunately, you have changed your own fate through your own efforts."

As a woman, being able to contribute to your family is a kind of talisman.

"For now, your abilities are limited, so protect yourself well. Only when you become strong enough can you protect the people you care about."

"Yes, Teacher, I will heed your teachings."

Zhong Xiuxiu felt very fortunate that she had made the wise choice then, coming to Chunshan Women’s Medical College to study medicine under Teacher.

Only after truly plunging into it did she realize the joy and happiness in it.

"You stayed up last night. Go back to the mansion early today and get some rest."

"I’m not tired."

"Go on, there are no new classes this afternoon." Chun Nuan said, "A teacher leads you to the door; the cultivation is up to each person. Learning medicine is not about a rush in the moment, but long-term perseverance and hard work. Only by taking care of your own body can you take care of those you care about."

"Thank you, Teacher!"

Zhong Xiuxiu thanked Teacher again, then returned to the mansion.

In the mansion, everything was just as before, as if the departure of Zhong Xiuyao had changed nothing at all.

This made Zhong Xiuxiu feel even more bitter inside.

"Fourth Young Lady, my mistress is already resting."

"No way, what time is it? How could Fifth Sister already be resting?" Fourth Young Lady Zhong Xiulan insisted on going in: "Don’t stop me, I have something to discuss with Fifth Sister."

She had waited the whole day, finally waiting for Fifth Sister to come back.

"I say, Fifth Sister is just learning medicine, but she acts like she really means to become a doctor. Does she have to work this hard and be this serious?"

She stepped past Qing Ju and was about to enter the room.

"Fourth Young Lady..."

Qing Ju was a bit fired up; what did this girl know, anyway?

Her own mistress hadn’t slept all night, and she still went to class this morning. Did Fourth Young Lady think everyone was as idle as she was?

"Qing Ju, let Fourth Sister in."

Zhong Xiuxiu knew this Fourth Sister was a brainless sort. Whatever she wanted to do, she would do, never mind whether others liked it or not.

If she wasn’t let in, there’d be no hope of getting any sleep.

"Yes, Miss."

Qing Ju was very displeased, but there was nothing she could do, so she had to let her into the inner room.

"Did you know? Luo Xia didn’t go; it was Luo Qiu who went with Third Young Lady to the Lin Mansion."

Fourth Young Lady’s maid Tang’er whispered gossip to Qing Ju: "Luo Qiu is really unlucky. Going to the Lin Mansion with Third Young Lady isn’t to enjoy a good life, it’s to suffer."

"How can you say that?"

Qing Ju had heard Madam’s words early that morning, so she already knew, but she wouldn’t tell Tang’er.

What could she say?

Like mistress, like maid. The Tang’er that followed Fourth Young Lady truly had exactly the same temperament as she did.

"We servants are supposed to share blessings and hardships with our masters. Do we get to pick and choose?"

"That’s not what I meant..." Tang’er hurriedly said, "I mean, Third Young Lady’s days surely won’t be easy in the Lin Mansion. Just think, how old is Lord Lin already..."

"Shut up. If you’re looking to die, don’t drag me down with you."

Qing Ju scolded her: "Since when have the rules in this mansion changed? We servants are allowed to gossip about our masters now?"

"I wasn’t, I was just..." Tang’er grew anxious. "Forget it, I won’t talk to you."

"You might want to talk, but I certainly don’t want to listen."

Qing Ju just stood there in silence.

She was telling the truth—Madam’s discipline in the household was strict.

Although there had never been beatings or scoldings of servants for no reason, if someone violated the house rules, they had only themselves to blame. At best, they’d be punished by the family law; at worst, they’d be sold off.

Aunt Qin was deeply favored by the Master in this mansion. Now that Third Young Lady had been sent by the Master to the Lin Mansion as a concubine, he surely felt guilty toward Aunt Qin and would only dote on her even more.

Tang’er was courting death by gossiping about Third Young Lady behind her back. If Aunt Qin got wind of it, there was no way she wouldn’t deal with her.

And Fourth Young Lady wouldn’t come out of it well either.

In the inner room, Fourth Young Lady Zhong Xiulan looked at Zhong Xiuxiu.

"Fifth Sister, what’s wrong with your eyes? Don’t tell me you cried them red because you couldn’t bear to see Third Sister go."

"What do you think?"

"Third Sister’s at the age where she should be getting married. There’s no need for you to be this sad."

Zhong Xiuxiu gave Zhong Xiulan a faint look. So in her eyes, all that Third Sister had sacrificed counted for nothing!

It was truly chilling.

"Fifth Sister, when Second Sister got married, Mother gave her twelve hundred taels as dowry. Third Sister got married with no dowry at all—what do you think Mother gave her?"

So she’d come to fish for information?

"I don’t know. Mother has always been fair in her dealings; whatever shares belong to Third Sister, she will naturally give."

"Sigh, now that Third Sister is married off, next it will be our turn..." Zhong Xiulan let out a sigh. "We women’s lives are like dandelion fluff—we go wherever the wind blows, without knowing what kind of husband we’ll meet."

Zhong Xiuxiu... she really knew how to dream.

Then again, people who aren’t very bright sometimes do have surprisingly good fortune.

At least, with her plain looks and lack of talent, the chance of her being picked as a concubine was much smaller.

"Fifth Sister, why are you looking at me like that?"

Seeing Zhong Xiuxiu staring at her, Zhong Xiulan asked in confusion.

"If Fourth Sister wants to get married, go talk to Mother. I’m still young, and I still have classes to attend. I’m not in a hurry." Zhong Xiuxiu directly spoke to send her off: "I’m a bit tired; please go back, Fourth Sister."

"Honestly, you’re just learning medicine, it’s not like you’re sitting for the imperial examinations. Why do you have to be so serious?"

Zhong Xiuxiu ignored her. How could a sparrow understand the ambition of a swan?