Sophia immediately turned her attention to the girl.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“My stomach hurts,” the girl whimpered.
Sophia took her pulse and asked, “Is this your period?”
“Yes!” The girl’s mother quickly said, “Doctor Smith, I’m so sorry—I know you’re busy, and I don’t mean to cut in line, but my daughter is in unbearable pain. Every time she has her period, she’s in agony for seven or eight days, sometimes even trying to bang her head against the wall from the pain. She’s bedridden for days and even has to wear adult diapers. We’ve seen countless doctors, but no one has been able to help her. And this time, for some reason, the pain is even worse. She was throwing up this morning and couldn’t even stand. Painkillers don’t work for her at all, and I’m completely at a loss.”
Sophia finished taking the pulse and asked a few more questions before saying:
“Your daughter’s condition didn’t develop overnight. If she wants to be cured, she’ll need to take medicine for several months. But for now, I’ll stop the pain.”
“Yes! Please, do whatever you can!”
Sophia took out her acupuncture needles and swiftly inserted them into the girl’s abdomen.
At that moment, the old master’s eyes widened in astonishment.
He was completely stunned by Sophia’s needlework.
Even renowned national doctors like Mateo didn’t have such skill in acupuncture. In modern traditional medicine, no one had mastered the flying needle technique like this.
Yet Sophia, so young, had trained to such a level?
It was like watching a martial artist in action—before anyone could even see her movements clearly, the needles were already in place, precisely targeting the acupuncture points.
Throughout the process, she showed no hesitation, exuding an air of absolute confidence.
At this moment, the old master found himself unexpectedly admiring her.
And what was even more remarkable—within just one minute, the girl, who had been in such excruciating pain that she had wanted to bite her tongue off, suddenly calmed down. Her face relaxed, and all signs of agony disappeared.
“How do you feel?”
“Much better. Thank you, doctor.”
“Good. Now that the emergency is handled, please queue up in the back and respect the order.”
“Understood!” The girl’s mother beamed with joy. “Doctor Smith, you’re amazing! My daughter has never found relief this quickly before—not even with painkillers!”
Sophia gave a faint smile and then turned her gaze to the old master.
“Please, come with me.”
—
She led the old master to her home, where he stood in disbelief, staring at the mountain landscape.
“You planted all this?” he asked.
He remembered that this area had once been full of vegetable plots and wild, unused land. The Smith family never farmed extensively, though her grandfather had occasionally planted flowers. But there had never been anything like this.
Now, all the barren land had been reclaimed, not for farming, but for planting a vast array of flowers and herbs.
The garden was filled with clematis, roses, daisies, and wisteria—a vibrant display of colors, making the entire space exceptionally beautiful.
Even the house itself seemed to have been renovated, blending seamlessly with nature, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
Sophia said modestly, “Yes, I planted them, but I’m usually busy, so I only plant whenever I have time. I take care of them in the early mornings, but it’s not particularly well done.”
That was an understatement.
While the Scott family’s landscaping was meticulously maintained, this garden was different. It was clearly cultivated with love and care, making it feel far more personal than the cold, artificial perfection of the Scott estate.
The old master had been quietly observing Sophia. This was a side of her he had never seen before, and he was starting to reassess her in his mind.
To be honest, he had always liked this girl.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let Henry marry her in the first place.
But while marrying Henry had been acceptable, marrying Livinus was absolutely out of the question.
Livinus was the heir he had painstakingly groomed for years. And setting aside everything else—Livinus had never been married, whereas Sophia had been married and divorced.
“Sophia, let’s not beat around the bush. You know why I’m here.”
Sophia didn’t respond immediately. She poured him a cup of tea instead.
Her tea room featured a fine wooden tea table made from an old tree root, adding a unique character to the space.
The tea itself was of excellent quality, fragrant even after three brews. They each took a sip.
Even the old master had to admit that the tea was exceptional.
But he still had to say what needed to be said.
### “I want you to leave Livinus.”
Sophia smiled, unfazed. “You’re not the first person to tell me that.”
The old master frowned. “You know what I mean. Sophia, I don’t want to be harsh with you. You should know that I treated you well during your years in the Scott family. I never wronged you. But now, you want to marry Livinus, and I do not approve.”
“Old Master, you chose a time when he wasn’t here to speak with me—I understand your intentions. But some things are beyond my control.”
“If you want to, you can leave him.”
“You’re underestimating your own son. You know his personality better than I do. We’re adults, and we made our relationship public after serious consideration.”
The old master disliked hearing this.
### “Sophia, our Scott family values reputation. You were Henry’s ex-wife—how can you be with his uncle? If this gets out, it will ruin Livinus’s reputation. People will question his morals, and I cannot let my son suffer such disgrace.”
“You’re wrong, Old Master. I will never let him suffer, and as for what others think, I can’t control that.”
The old master was getting frustrated. “Aren’t you afraid of people accusing you of having had an improper relationship with Livinus before your divorce?”
Sophia’s gaze was unwavering. “I have no fear.”
“You…”
The old master closed his eyes, sighing heavily. Though he was dissatisfied with her response, he had to admit—seeing a woman love his son so fiercely gave him an odd feeling.
### “Fine, I’ll speak plainly. Leaving all else aside, you and Henry were married for years but never had children. How can I accept you?”
Sophia’s expression remained calm as she met his gaze.
“That’s easy to explain. My marriage with Henry was in name only.”
