Zhou Shaojin just smiled without saying anything.

Zhou Chujin took it as her sister being playful, nagged a few words, and then put the matter out of her mind.

In the afternoon, Zhou Shaojin went to Hanbi Mountain Lodge to copy scriptures. Biyu, Feicui, and the others were discussing what birthday gifts to give Old Madam Guo. Only then did Zhou Shaojin remember that the ninth day of the ninth month was Old Madam Guo’s birthday.

She should join in the celebration too.

Zhou Shaojin asked Biyu, “What does everyone usually give?”

“Small things like needles and thread.” Biyu said somewhat embarrassedly. “Old Madam is very considerate of us. The reward money she gives is even more than what we spend on birthday gifts, so we don’t feel right giving very expensive things.”

Zhou Shaojin recalled how Old Madam Guan had previously suggested she embroider a forehead band for Old Madam Guo, and thought about embroidering two forehead bands and two pairs of shoes and socks as birthday gifts for Old Madam Guo.

Zhou Chujin also thought it was good, saying, “The First Branch has everything. No matter how rare the things you give are, they won’t be rare to them. Making a few small things yourself shows that the gift may be light but the sentiment is profound.”

The Fourth Branch couldn’t be careless though.

Old Madam Guan said, “In past years when I celebrated my birthday, the First Branch’s gifts were always very generous. This year, with Shaojin copying scriptures at Hanbi Mountain Lodge and our two branches visiting more frequently than usual, the old woman’s birthday gifts should be increased by ten percent.”

Grand Madam Mian was somewhat troubled.

For Old Madam Guan’s birthday this year, the First Branch had given four sets of clothing plus a string of nanmu wood prayer beads and a sandalwood walking stick. If the Fourth Branch increased by ten percent, what should they add?

Zhou Chujin suggested to Grand Madam Mian, “Why not give a longevity screen? Last time when the great ancestor of the Second Branch celebrated their birthday, I saw a guest give a screen with an image of Pengzu paying birthday respects. We could give a screen with an image of the Longevity Maiden paying birthday respects.”

Grand Madam Mian thought it was good and called in a steward to find such a screen. Meanwhile, Cheng Xu was quite distressed.

When he went to Hangzhou Prefecture, he was still gloomy. Upon arriving in Hangzhou Prefecture, friends threw him a welcome banquet. During it, they discussed current events, with nothing more prominent than the court’s plan to dredge the Tongzhou River. Some said it was good, others said it wasn’t, and in the end no one could persuade anyone, so they made wagers.

Cheng Xu’s heart stirred at the time, thinking that if he wagered his future prospects with his mother… perhaps he could smoothly marry Zhou Shaojin!

The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. When he heard that Zhou Zhen would depart for Baoding on the seventh day, he could no longer sit still. He hastily took leave of his mentor and rushed back. Although he was ultimately late, he had made up his mind and wasn’t too disappointed. It was just that his heart felt like a little bird was jumping around inside, and he couldn’t help wanting to see Zhou Shaojin and speak a few words with her.

He hadn’t expected she would still avoid him as before.

Did Zhou Shaojin truly have no feelings for him, or was she mindful of propriety between men and women?

He felt he needed to find a way to figure this out.

But if she kept avoiding him, when would he ever get to speak properly with her?

Cheng Xu was restless at home.

Huanxi had always been skilled at reading expressions. He quickly figured out the source of Cheng Xu’s vexation and said in a low voice, “First Master, Old Madam’s birthday is approaching!”

Cheng Xu understood and couldn’t help being overjoyed. He patted Huanxi’s shoulder heavily, rewarded him with five taels of silver, and lay on his reclining chair thinking about what he should do when the time came.

All the branches began sending Mid-Autumn Festival gifts.

However, Duke Liangguo’s manor sent someone to Jiuru Lane to announce a death.

Zhu Pengju’s wife had died of illness.

Old Madam Guan couldn’t help but sigh deeply.

But Grand Madam Mian said alertly, “In past years, wouldn’t such matters just be handled by sending word to the outer courtyard steward? Why did they also send a death announcement to our branch today?”

Old Madam Guan’s expression gradually grew serious. She instructed Grand Madam Mian, “Have someone keep an eye on the outer courtyard steward, and also watch over Shaojin and her sister.”

Grand Madam Mian nodded.

A’Zhu sent a nanny over saying that with her sister-in-law’s death, the flower-viewing party they had planned couldn’t be held, and asked for their understanding.

Zhou Shaojin, her sister, and Cheng Jia all wrote letters to comfort A’Zhu.

Since there were elders present, Duke Liangguo’s manor only planned to keep the body for seven days before burial.

Cheng Jia spoke about it with Zhou Shaojin with some indignation: “…They should at least keep it for three times seven, twenty-one days, right? This is too hasty, isn’t it? Doesn’t Madam Zhu’s natal family have anyone to speak up?”

Zhou Shaojin comforted Cheng Jia against her conscience: “Perhaps it’s because Mid-Autumn Festival is coming. And after Mid-Autumn Festival, Duke Liangguo and his son will have to go to the capital, so presumably they’re not in the mood to handle funeral affairs.”

Cheng Jia still felt it was unfair and muttered, “Even so, don’t they have a senior secretary? Surely they don’t need the father and son to personally break the mourning bowl and keep vigil?”

Zhou Shaojin had to change the subject, saying, “I heard that Luoyang sent many festival gifts for Mid-Autumn Festival. Is that true?”

Cheng Jia nodded disinterestedly and said, “Cousin Li sent them, saying it was to thank us for our hospitality last time. He also said he would come visit again in a few days.”

Zhou Shaojin laughed inwardly.

Li Jing must have taken a liking to Cheng Jia, just like in her previous life.

If someone liked Cheng Jia, regardless of what happened later, at least she would have someone to rely on.

Thinking this way was somewhat selfish, but Cheng Jia was a companion she’d grown up playing with, while Li Jing was a stranger she’d only met once… May the Buddha forgive her favoritism!

Zhou Shaojin urged her sister to make mooncakes: “…We’ll send some to each household as a token of our regard.”

Zhou Chujin’s cooking and needlework in her previous life weren’t as good as Zhou Shaojin’s, but she made excellent pastries, especially seasonal items like zongzi, mooncakes, and spring rolls.

Her heart stirred.

In a couple of years she would marry out. If she taught these things to Zhou Shaojin, then in the future when Zhou Shaojin made them to give as gifts during festivals, she could win some favor from the elders and her life would be easier.

The sisters instructed Ma Fushan’s wife to buy ingredients. Five-nut crystal sugar filling, red bean lotus seed filling, preserved vegetable sesame filling, rose brown sugar filling… all sorts, they made a whole basketful. Then Zhou Shaojin drew a design of “Fragrant Osmanthus Tree” and had Ma Fushan’s wife print it on paper boxes. Besides sending portions to each branch, they also sent some to A’Zhu at Duke Liangguo’s manor and to Xiaoshan Conggui Courtyard.

Cheng Jia found them delicious and sent Cui Huan over to request the preserved vegetable sesame filling mooncakes.

Zhou Shaojin had Chun Wan pack a box for Cheng Jia.

Old Madam Guan sent Si’er to invite Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin to Jiashu Hall to talk.

“Do you know what it’s about?” Zhou Shaojin quietly asked Si’er.

Si’er smiled and said, “The Liao family from Zhenjiang sent festival gifts and said they’d pay their respects to Eldest Miss while they were at it.”

Brother-in-law’s family?

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but frown.

In her previous life, the people from the Zhenjiang Liao family who delivered festival gifts had never come to pay respects to her sister. Could something have happened there?

Please don’t let it be caused by her rebirth, or she would regret it to death.

Zhou Shaojin went to Jiashu Hall uneasily. After waiting a while in the side room, Zhou Chujin arrived with Grand Madam Mian.

Zhou Chujin had obviously dressed and groomed at Grand Madam Mian’s place. She wore a silver-red lake silk vest over a white silk embroidered skirt, with South Sea pearl earrings dangling from her ears. Her face was lightly powdered with rouge applied. Her originally lotus-like beautiful face had gained several degrees of radiance, luminous and dazzling.

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help smiling with pursed lips.

Good thing she’d been perceptive enough not to dress up, making the perfect foil for her sister.

Zhou Chujin’s face flushed red. She lightly pinched her sister’s cheek and said, “What are you smiling at?”

Zhou Shaojin playfully winked at her sister and said, “Sister, be careful. Sitting in the room might be a respectable matron from the Liao family, but who knows—there might also be rough servant women from the Liao family sitting in the tea room.”

Zhou Chujin’s face grew even redder. “So glib! Let’s see who dares marry you in the future!”

Zhou Shaojin giggled, taking the arm of Grand Madam Mian who was laughing continuously, and entered the hall.

Zhou Chujin had no choice but to follow.

Zhou Shaojin heard someone talking in the reception room and quickly released Grand Madam Mian to stand behind her sister.

Grand Madam Mian nodded approvingly and led the two sisters into the reception room.

Old Madam Guan sat on the daybed, with a woman wearing a parrot-green scorched cloth vest sitting below her.

Hearing the commotion, she turned her head.

Zhou Shaojin got a big shock.

It was actually Nanny Zhong, the most trusted person by her sister’s mother-in-law.

Seeing the two sisters, Nanny Zhong’s eyes lit up and she quickly stood.

Zhou Chujin guessed this was someone from the Liao family and couldn’t help giving her a once-over.

The woman was about fifty years old with a round, plump white face. She smiled before speaking, looking very amiable.

Her heart eased, and she and her sister bowed to Old Madam Guan.

Old Madam Guan pointed to Nanny Zhong and said, “This is someone from the Liao family. Her married surname is Zhong.”

“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare.” Nanny Zhong said repeatedly, curtsying to the Zhou sisters.

Zhou Chujin turned slightly to the side and nodded toward Nanny Zhong, completing the courtesy.

The Zhou sisters sat beside Old Madam Guan. Nanny Zhong chatted warmly with Zhou Chujin for a few sentences, then rose to take her leave.

Zhou Shaojin gave Shi Xiang a meaningful look.

Shi Xiang understood and followed out. After the Fourth Branch gave their reward, she approached and slipped two ingots of snowflake silver that Zhou Shaojin had prepared into Nanny Zhong’s hands, smiling and saying, “You’ve worked hard, Nanny. This is from our Eldest Miss to buy you some wine.”

Nanny Zhong didn’t stand on ceremony. She smiled her thanks and left Jiashu Hall with two servant women.

Zhou Shaojin asked, “Why did the Liao family send someone? Why did they leave just like that?”

Old Madam Guan chuckled and said, “They just came to see Chujin.”

“Why did they need to come see Sister?” Zhou Shaojin was somewhat puzzled.

“Silly girl!” Grand Madam Mian tapped Zhou Shaojin’s forehead. “When the Liao family is marrying a daughter-in-law, they always need to send someone to have a look, right?”

They didn’t send anyone to look in the previous life!

Zhou Shaojin muttered, “Didn’t they look when the betrothal was set?”

“How old was your sister then?” Grand Madam Mian smiled. “How old is your sister now?”

“You! Stop teasing the children.” Old Madam Guan laughed. Looking at Zhou Chujin but speaking to Zhou Shaojin, she said, “They heard from the Gu family that your sister not only has a good temperament but is also dignified and gracious, and very beautiful. The Liao family was curious and couldn’t resist sending someone to have a look.”

“Then this should be a good thing, right?” Zhou Shaojin sought confirmation.

“Of course it’s a good thing!” Old Madam Guan smiled. “Having a good reputation before even marrying in makes it easier to establish a firm footing in the husband’s family later.”

That’s good!

Zhou Shaojin smiled contentedly.

Feeling that since her rebirth, this was finally something worth being happy about!