“You really won’t go!” Zhou Zhen teased his younger daughter.

“I really won’t go!” Zhou Shaojin was very firm. “You take Elder Sister instead!”

Zhou Chujin actually did want to go a bit, but since Zhou Shaojin wouldn’t go, after hesitating for a moment, she also decided not to.

“Elder Sister,” Zhou Shaojin tried her best to persuade Zhou Chujin to go out, “Father rarely comes back. There won’t be another opportunity like this in the future. I truly don’t like going out that far. You should go out and enjoy yourself with Father! If you’re worried, I’ll tell Father to bring Madam along too. Now you can surely feel at ease, right?”

“What fun is there in being with her?” Zhou Chujin muttered.

“She’s pregnant, so she definitely won’t follow Father around everywhere. When the time comes, she can rest in the room while you look around with Father, and you won’t need to worry about me either.” Zhou Shaojin personally helped Zhou Chujin pack her things for the outing. Zhou Chujin couldn’t resist her, and in her heart she truly did want to go out with her father. After bringing Li Shi along and instructing Zhou Shaojin a thousand times over, she reluctantly got into the carriage.

Zhou Shaojin waved vigorously at her elder sister. Only after the carriage drove out the main gate did she turn back to the main house.

Chun Wan asked, “Miss, are we really staying home to do needlework?”

“Of course it’s real!” Zhou Shaojin teased Chun Wan as she took out tracing paper and spread it on the desk.

She had promised to draw swaddling cloth patterns for Cheng Xiao’s unborn child. Counting the days, Cheng Xiao should give birth in another month, so she needed to start drawing the patterns early so the needlework room could begin working on them soon.

Chun Wan was somewhat skeptical, but Zhou Shaojin sat at home without moving for an entire day. It wasn’t until lamp-lighting time, when Zhou Chujin returned with Zhou Zhen, that she finally rubbed her shoulders and put down her brush.

Zhou Zhen had taken Zhou Chujin to Jiming Temple, located at the northern foot of Jiming Mountain.

“It was incredibly magnificent!” Zhou Chujin seemed somewhat excited. “They say it’s even larger than Baoen Temple… You should have gone to see it too… I even saw a statue of Guanyin facing south while sitting north. The couplet on the shrine read ‘Ask why the Bodhisattva sits backward, sigh that sentient beings refuse to turn back’… Uncle Wang, who went with Father, said that besides Jiming Temple, only Longxing Temple in Zhengding has a similar statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva…”

She told her younger sister about what she had seen and heard at Jiming Mountain.

Zhou Shaojin listened with a smile, feeling she had also gained quite a bit today—she had finished drawing the pattern of children at play for Cheng Xiao’s child’s swaddling cloth. Once she returned, she could give it to Yuan Shi.

Li Shi, however, felt rather bored.

While Zhou Zhen composed poetry with others and admired the beautiful scenery, she could only sit waiting in a side room at the temple.

Zhou Chujin at least could follow along and look around.

Fortunately, from the next day onward, Zhou Zhen didn’t go out to enjoy himself with friends anymore. Instead, he brought Li Shi, Zhou Chujin, and Zhou Shaojin to visit several friends.

Only then did Zhou Shaojin learn that her father had quite a few close friends in Jinling City.

After a few days passed, it was already the sixth day of the month.

Zhou Zhen first went to Jiuru Lane to bid farewell. At noon, the family gathered together for a meal, and in the afternoon they began packing their luggage.

Zhou Shaojin gazed at the Xifu crabapple tree her mother had planted with her own hands in front of the steps, feeling very reluctant to part with it.

Zhou Chujin’s heart was also filled with the sorrow of separation. She put her arm around her younger sister’s shoulder and followed her sister’s gaze to look at the Xifu crabapple with its lush branches and leaves, remaining silent for a long time.

That evening, Zhou Zhen called his two daughters to his study. He wanted to say something, but looking at his sensible eldest daughter and well-behaved youngest daughter, he didn’t know what would be appropriate. He personally brewed a pot of tea and invited Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin to taste it with him.

On the morning of the seventh day, before dawn had even broken, the lights in the Zhou family ancestral home were lit one by one.

Li Changgui directed the servant women and young male servants to move Zhou Zhen and his wife’s trunks and boxes. Ma Fushan inspected Zhou Zhen’s carriage in the stable, while Ma Fushan’s wife helped the Zhou Shaojin sisters pack their things.

The dry rations had been prepared long ago. After Zhou Zhen finished his breakfast, Cheng Mian and Cheng Lu arrived.

They had come to see Zhou Zhen off.

The three men stood in the courtyard talking for a while. Several of Zhou Zhen’s good friends also came over.

As everyone chatted and laughed, the appointed time arrived.

The carriage stopped at the main gate, and Ma Fushan came over to invite Zhou Zhen to board.

Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin helped Li Shi onto the carriage. Zhou Zhen exchanged a few pleasantries with those seeing him off, then got into Li Shi’s carriage. Cheng Mian, Zhou Shaojin, and the others boarded sedan chairs and escorted them out of the city.

After Zhou Zhen bid farewell to his friends, he instructed his two daughters, “If anything happens, write to me. If you don’t have enough silver, tell Ma Fushan. Never shortchange yourselves. Once I’m settled there, if time permits, you can come stay with me for a while.”

Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but shed tears.

Li Shi quickly urged them, “Young ladies, don’t cry and ruin your makeup. In a while, you can come visit Baoding Prefecture.”

The Zhou sisters nodded and watched as their father and stepmother’s carriage gradually disappeared into the distance. Only then did they return to Jinling City with Cheng Mian, Cheng Lu, and several of Zhou Zhen’s friends.

Cheng Lu held the degree of Recommended Man and also managed the Cheng clan school. He was quite well-known in Jinling. Zhou Zhen’s friends were all scholars too—two of them were very familiar with Cheng Lu, while the others had either only met Cheng Lu a few times or had only heard his name. But with Zhou Zhen’s connection, everyone quickly became acquainted. Cheng Lu invited them to drink at Jiangdong Tower.

None of them were polite and readily agreed.

Cheng Mian needed to escort the Zhou Shaojin sisters back to Jiuru Lane, so he apologized with a smile, “…I’ll treat you another day.”

The group refused to let him off, urging him to go quickly and return soon, “…We’ll wait for you to come before opening the wine.”

Cheng Mian had no choice but to promise he would head to Jiangdong Tower right after seeing the Zhou sisters home. Only then was he able to take his leave.

Zhou Shaojin pressed her lips together and smiled.

Cheng Mian smiled and patted her head.

Upon returning to Wanxiang Residence, before they even had time to change clothes, Old Madam Guan, who had heard the news, came over supported by First Madam Mian.

“You’re finally back!” The old lady held both sisters’ hands and looked them over from left to right, saying repeatedly, “Is the new madam amiable toward people? Are you comfortable living at the Zhou household? What kinds of dishes does the kitchen usually prepare? Did you have breakfast this morning…” It was as if they had been gone for eight or ten years, or as if they had been mistreated by their stepmother.

Zhou Shaojin felt warmth in her heart. Smiling cheerfully, she hugged Old Madam Guan’s arm and said, “We’re all doing well. We just missed Grandmother and First Aunt very much.”

“Look at this little girl—she only knows how to sweet-talk people!” First Madam Mian said with a laugh, though the corners of her mouth couldn’t stop turning upward.

No wonder in her previous life, Fan Liushi always taught her to speak sweetly. Unfortunately, in her previous life, she felt that was servile behavior and didn’t listen to a single word. In this life, after heeding Fan Liushi’s words, she indeed made First Aunt Mian happy. When First Aunt Mian was happy, those serving her were also more cheerful, the atmosphere improved, and they were even more warm and attentive toward the sisters.

It seemed that sometimes one’s words really did need to be a bit sweeter.

Zhou Shaojin smiled and personally brewed cups of Yunlin tea for Old Madam Guan and First Madam Mian.

Old Madam Guan took a sip and said, “Not bad. I didn’t expect that after just a few days, our Shaojin has learned to brew tea.”

“I learned from Father,” Zhou Shaojin said with a smile, her eyes crinkling. “Father also had me bring back several packages, saying they’re for Grandmother, First Aunt, Uncle, and my cousins. I’ve already packed them up and will have someone send them over shortly.”

Old Madam Guan nodded with a beaming smile.

Cheng Jia came over.

“You left for several days,” she complained, “and didn’t think to invite me to sit at your house!”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I followed my father around visiting people every day—where would I have had time to invite you to my house! If you really want to go, my sister and I will be returning home to worship our ancestors on the first of the tenth month. You can just come along with us then.”

“You have to keep your word!” She wanted to pinky promise with Zhou Shaojin.

Old Madam Guan and the others burst into laughter, making Cheng Jia’s face turn red.

Seeing that they still needed to unpack, Old Madam Guan and First Madam Mian sat for a while before leaving. They told the sisters to come to Jiashu Hall for dinner that evening, adding, “Jia girl, don’t leave either. Come along later.”

Cheng Jia happily agreed and accompanied the Zhou Shaojin sisters in seeing Old Madam Guan and First Madam Mian out of Wanxiang Residence.

Zhou Chujin left the room full of trunks and boxes unattended and went to supervise the servant women in moving the plants.

Cheng Jia asked curiously, “What’s this? Did you move them from the Zhou house? You’re not staying here long anyway. Trees die when moved, people thrive when moved—why move the plants here?”

That’s why over all these years, Zhou Shaojin had never properly decorated the Wanxiang Residence where she lived.

“These were left by my mother.” She suddenly had an idea and said, “After my sister marries, she’ll take them to the Liao family.”

Zhou Chujin was greatly shocked. “How can that be acceptable…”

Before her sister could finish speaking, Zhou Shaojin interrupted her and said, “Why wouldn’t it be acceptable! These plants will definitely be better cared for in your hands than in mine.”

Although she was better at growing plants than her sister, her sister was more devoted to them than she was.

She gripped her sister’s hand tightly and said, “This matter is settled then. By the time I marry in the future, these plants should be ready to divide. When that time comes, Sister, just remember to give me a few pots.”

“Shaojin!” Zhou Chujin’s eyes reddened slightly.

But Cheng Jia exclaimed from the side, “Zhou Shaojin, you’re so impressive… talking about getting married without even blushing once!”

Zhou Shaojin was speechless.

The next day, she took two packages of tea leaves and the pattern of children at play she had drawn for Cheng Xiao’s child’s swaddling cloth to Hanbi Mountain Villa.

Old Madam Guo smiled and had Feicui put away the tea leaves, then asked about her daily life during these past days.

Zhou Shaojin respectfully answered each question.

Zhenzhu ran in and said, “Old Madam, the Master has returned!”

Both Zhou Shaojin and Old Madam Guo were very surprised.

Old Madam Guo quickly asked, “What happened? Why did he come back so soon? Didn’t he say he wouldn’t return until the tenth of the eighth month?”

“I don’t know,” Zhenzhu said with a smile. “I see the Master is all smiles, looking even more spirited than when he left. I suppose there wasn’t much to do there, so he came back early!”

Old Madam Guo nodded doubtfully.

Zhou Shaojin excused herself to the Buddhist hall.

Biyu brought over tea and refreshments to serve her.

Seeing a painting spread out on her table, she tilted her head to look, “This is… a pattern of children at play. It’s drawn so well… every child is holding a jade pendant… and these jade pendants seem to have patterns on them too…”

Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “It’s the pattern of immediate ennoblement. For good luck.”

“It’s truly beautiful!” Biyu praised it several times.

Zhou Shaojin then asked Biyu, “The Old Madam is talking with Cousin Xu right now, isn’t she?”

Biyu nodded with a smile.

Zhou Shaojin quickly folded up the pattern and handed it to Biyu, “Please give this to Madam Yuan for me. I need to go back now.” Then, ignoring Biyu’s attempts to make her stay, she hurriedly left Hanbi Mountain Villa.