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The next morning, Shen Yuhan sat at the breakfast table with Ah Zhu and Ming'er, lazily stirring her porridge. Suddenly, a spark lit her eyes—a mischievous glint that never bode well for others.
She set her bowl down with a soft clink and cleared her throat. "Ahem. Ah Zhu, Ming'er, hurry and finish your meal. We're paying a visit to Second Sister as soon as the physician arrives."
Both maids froze, spoons halfway to their mouths.
"…Visit the Second Young Miss?" Ah Zhu blinked.
Ming'er glanced at her nervously, then back at their young mistress. "Young Miss, are we… going out of concern or strategy?"
Shen Yuhan smiled sweetly, too sweetly. "Why, concern, of course. What else could it be?"
The two maids exchanged another silent look. Whatever it was, it wouldn't be boring.
And so, after breakfast, one mistress and two wary maids set off from Osmanthus Courtyard, heading straight for Orchid Pavilion—where a 'haunted' sister and an unsuspecting physician awaited.
As they approached Orchid Pavilion, the air grew noticeably still—no chatter of servants, no sweeping brooms, only the faint rustle of early spring leaves brushing against lacquered windows. Shen Yuhan slowed her pace just enough to enjoy the tension coiling in the air like a well-laid trap finally springing.
At the entrance, a maid scurried forward, eyes wide. All her previous attitude of being a maid from Orchid Pavilion long forgotten as she humbly bowed. "Eldest Miss? This... this humble servant didn't know you were coming—"
"It's quite alright. No need to fret," Shen Yuhan said magnanimously. "Is Second Sister awake? We came to visit after hearing she's been unwell these past few days. I believe Mother even invited a physician to see her." Her tone was impeccably polite, her hands folded with the grace of a noble young lady—as though she hadn't been accused of summoning ghosts just days prior.
"She is awake, Young Miss," the maid stammered. "But the physician is still inside. He arrived just a few moments ago."
"Perfect," Shen Yuhan replied with a pleasant smile. "Then we're just in time to offer our support. After all, family should remain united in times of… unusual affliction, shouldn't it?"
Ming'er coughed into her sleeve to hide a smirk. Ah Zhu lowered her gaze, but her eyes gleamed with silent amusement.
But the maid's expression shifted to one of alarm. Madam Su had given explicit instructions: no one was to enter Orchid Pavilion while the physician was inside.
"I'm very sorry, Eldest Miss," the maid said nervously, "but Madam instructed me not to let anyone in while the physician examines Second Young Miss. She said visitors might disturb his treatment."
Shen Yuhan raised an eyebrow. She knew that if she pushed too hard, Su Wanning might suspect she had come to stir trouble.
"That's fine," Shen Yuhan said gently. "We won't enter her chambers. We'll wait in the outer sitting room until the physician has finished his examination and written his prescription. That shouldn't be a problem, right?"
The maid hesitated. It would be unseemly if word spread that the Shen family's legitimate eldest daughter had been made to wait outside like a commoner. No matter how scorned she had become, Shen Yuhan was still the official heiress of the household.
"…Of course, Young Miss. This way, please."
They were led into the outer sitting room, where the air was thick with herbal smoke and faint traces of sandalwood incense. Behind a decorative partition, voices murmured—low, concerned, and tinged with irritation. Shen Yuhan stood still, listening.
"I'm not imagining things!" Shen Yulan's voice rose from behind the screen. "There were footsteps again last night! They stopped right outside my door!"
A beat of silence followed.
Then came the calm voice of the physician. "Second Miss, stress can manifest in many forms. Combined with the lingering incense in the air, what you perceive may not reflect reality. Your pulse is erratic. Your sleep, fragmented. These things can muddle the mind."
"Incense?" Su Wanning's voice sharpened. "What kind of incense?"
The physician lifted a small incense holder, bringing it into view. "This sandalwood incense is laced with a rare hallucinogenic blend. The scent is subtle—almost undetectable. If not for my experience, even I might have missed it. This is what's been causing the Second Miss's hallucinations. With just a little outside suggestion, her mind would easily conjure illusions."
As the physician spoke, both Shen Yulan and Su Wanning grew still, their anger simmering beneath the surface.
Shen Yulan clenched her fists so tightly her nails dug into her palms. Su Wanning's lips pressed into a thin, furious line.
"Shen Yuhan," they both thought bitterly, grinding their teeth in unison.
Right on cue, Shen Yuhan stepped forward. Her soft-soled shoes made no sound on the polished floor. The maid moved to stop her—but too late.
She swept into the room, hands clasped, expression a perfect blend of concern and sisterly warmth.
"Oh dear," she said softly. "Second Sister, you look pale. I came as soon as I heard about the physician's visit. I was so worried." Her voice was filled with the concern of an eldest sister but her amused gaze told an entirely different story.
Shen Yulan jerked upright on the chaise, her face a blotchy mixture of shame, panic, and rage for being deceived by this bitch.
"You—!" she started, but then caught her mother's sharp look from across the room.
Su Wanning sat stiffly beside her daughter, lips pressed into a line, eyes unreadable. The physician, a middle-aged man with a thin mustache and the air of someone who had long since learned not to be surprised by aristocratic eccentricities, bowed politely to Shen Yuhan.
"Eldest Miss," he said. "You are most kind to visit. I am just finishing my examination."
Shen Yuhan tilted her head, eyes flicking briefly to Shen Yulan, who was glaring at her as if her glaring could shoot arrows and kill the bearer.
Ignoring her, Shen Yuhan turned to the physician. "I hope it's nothing too serious," She said gently. "Second Sister has always been... sensitive."
There was an audible pause. Su Wanning's nostrils flared.
The physician didn't notice—or pretended not to. "It appears to be a case of mental strain," he said carefully. "I have prescribed calming herbs and rest. With a few days of peace, I believe she will recover."
"Ah, how wonderful," Shen Yuhan said, clapping her hands lightly. "Then we'll all do our best to make sure she gets plenty of peace."
Shen Yulan stared at her, trembling with rage.
"You…" she gritted her teeth. "You did this…"
Shen Yuhan blinked, wide-eyed and innocent. "Did what, Sister?"
Before Shen Yulan could answer, Su Wanning stood abruptly. "That's enough," she said curtly. "Yulan needs rest, not chatter."