However, even though it sounded simple, the couple didn’t assume she was living a carefree life. As for the past and the future, they wouldn’t mention them here. As for the fact that she had gotten married, the couple’s focus was completely different. Wenren Taibo almost subconsciously felt that Xue Tingyu’s identity was problematic, but he didn’t ask directly at the moment. Meanwhile, Han Shi’s focus was on the fact that she hadn’t properly married her first husband, which meant that she could still arrange a good marriage for her daughter, and she was somewhat excited about this.

Xiao Cao didn’t know what they were thinking, but as parents, they probably just wanted their children to be well, so even if she knew, she would understand. Of course, whether she would accept it or not is another matter.

Xiao Cao had not wanted to go into details, and the couple had not asked any questions either. It was rare for parents to be so understanding, as many parents consider it their right to control their children. Therefore, Xiao Cao felt more favorable towards them.

Han Shi suppressed many emotions and smiled as she introduced the household to Xiao Cao. Several years ago, when his father passed away, as the eldest son, Wenren Taibo had naturally inherited the family business, but since his mother was still alive, he had not divided the property with his other brothers, so now the Wen family had five households.

Hearing this, Xiao Cao’s brain had already started to knot up. In fact, her life had always been quite simple, and the biggest problem she had encountered was probably Tingyu’s death, except for that, she had never encountered any major difficulties. The only other problem she had was that she was too good at studying, which made her a target of envy, and she almost fell victim to a plot, but her mentor was strong and unaffected by it, so the matter resolved itself quickly. As for Tingyu’s death, it did not make her life any more complicated except for the psychological trauma it caused.

As for the inner workings of wealthy families, Xiao Cao had some knowledge from her previous life. Despite her busy schedule, she had found time for other pursuits, occasionally watching period dramas or reading ancient novels, albeit for their artistic value. However, she had discovered that real life could be more intriguing than fiction. Once calm and collected, she now found herself a bit nervous.

Wenren Taibo, who was involved in officialdom, was naturally more adept at reading people and situations, and Xiao Cao’s mood change, though subtle, had been noticed by him. After a little thought, he had a pretty good idea of the root of the problem.

Without making a sound, he took over the conversation: “Since there are many people at home, we can take our time to get to know each other gradually when we meet. Regarding our family, besides what your mother said before, you have one elder brother and one elder sister, a twin brother, and a younger sister, making you altogether five children. They are all pleasant and easy to get along with. I’ve given them a brief introduction about you before, but couldn’t confirm things, so we hadn’t arranged a meeting. They were all happy to hear about you, and Xuan’er will surely get along well with them too.”

Xuan’er was a name that she reacted to half a beat later. However, all the children were from the main line, so it seemed that the couple’s relationship must be good. She smiled and said, “I suppose my brother and sister have gotten married already?”

“Yes, your elder brother already has two boys, and your elder sister…” Han Shi’s face briefly darkened with sadness, “Your younger brother and sister are already betrothed. Your brother will marry this autumn, and your sister, who reached the age of maturity last month, will have her wedding next August. These matches were carefully chosen by your father and mother. My Xuan’er…”

Wenren Taibo coughed lightly, and Han Shi stopped talking.

“Is father feeling unwell?” Xiao Cao immediately adopted a clinical tone from habit. As for Han Shi’s meaning, she didn’t understand it at all.

“No, it’s just a bit of dryness and itchiness in my throat. Xuan’er doesn’t need to worry.” Wenren Taibo said with a smile.

“Should I check father’s pulse?” Xiao Cao suggested.

“Sure,” said Wenren Taibo, nodding and stretching out his hand to adjust his sleeve. He then laughed, saying, “With Xuan’er here, we probably won’t need any need any doctors from outside in the future.”

The original intention of Wenren Taibo was to tell the Xiao Cao that he, as her father, did not mind her status as female doctor.

However, Xiao Cao did not understand this at all, and it was not because she was slow-witted. She knew that the status of a female doctor was low, but it was not something she was aware of in her consciousness. In fact, she never felt that there was anything wrong with treating patients that were in front of her, and she was genuinely happy every time a patient recovered under her care.

Han Shi looked at Wenren Taibo with a scowl and asked, “What did husband say?”

Wenren Taibo smiled and stopped talking.

Xiao Cao carefully checked his pulse, “Father must have been quite busy lately. Although it’s only early spring, this year seems to have rushed into late spring, and the nights are surprisingly cold. Father should wear more layers. There have been many cases of children coughing recently, and even father isn’t exempt.” Xiao Cao said with a gentle smile, “Father should also rest early when you’re tired. Inadequate sleep can lead to various illnesses and affect your health.”

When his daughter teased him, calling him a child, Wenren Taibo felt a little embarrassed. Yet, simply by feeling his pulse, his daughter could discern his recent condition—a testament to her advanced medical skill.

Han Shi was also aware of her husband’s recent condition, and naturally, she felt anxious, wondering if she hadn’t cared for him well enough.

Xiao Cao comfortingly patted her and said in a gentle tone, “Mother can prepare some foods that are good for the lungs, moisten the throat, and relieve coughs for Father. There is no harm in this even if he is not sick. If he is too busy in the evening and stays in the study, he can tell the attendant to look after him, so that he doesn’t forget to take care of himself because of his temper. Father shouldn’t take it lightly either. It’s better to take care of his body now, when he is still young and strong, rather than wait until he is old and weak.”

Wenren Taibo swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth. Although his daughter was speaking in a gentle and polite manner now, he felt that if he didn’t take her words seriously, the consequences might be serious.

Han Shi kept nodding in agreement on the side. “Xuan’er is right. Father will listen to you. Fortunately, this busy period is now over.”

Xiao Cao sat down, nodding with satisfaction.

Han Shi also nodded with satisfaction, and then covered her lips with a handkerchief and smiled, realizing it was almost as if their father-daughter relationship had been temporarily reversed.

Wenren Taibo was also a little slow to notice the strange atmosphere. Before he, as her father, could ‘teach’ her a lesson, she was ‘teaching’ him first.

He laughed and shook his head, “You little rascal, you are considerate of others, but you also need to take care of yourself. You’re eighteen now, and most women are already mothers. Even those who aren’t mothers have learned how to care for children, but Xuan’er doesn’t have any children, so her consideration is not for children, but for everyone, much like a doctor.”

Of course, children who grew up in difficult circumstances tended to be more mature and stable than those who live a privileged life. They were also less naive. This little episode actually made the atmosphere more harmonious and the people grew closer to each other.