Progress

"Come in."

At that invitation, Rong Shiyu hurriedly added, "Qingzhi, may I come in too?"

"Both of you, come in."

Tiptoeing into the medicinal room, Rong Shiyu was greeted by the potent smell of herbs, slightly bitter to the nose. "Qingzhi, when will you be done?"

Chu Qingzhi, busy with her medicinal concoctions, replied without looking up, "Not until tomorrow. Just speak your mind; I'm all ears."

With a troubled expression, Rong Shiyu got straight to the point. "Qingzhi, is there any way you can convince my dad to let me go on the medical volunteer trip?"

"Your dad's against it too?" Chu Qingzhi queried.

Rong Shiyu, baffled by her father's overprotectiveness, lamented, "Exactly, he's always fearing for my safety. But things are peaceful now; what could possibly go wrong?"

Chu Qingzhi empathized, "It's natural for parents to worry about their children."