Cheng Chi still had his eyes closed, yet seemed to see everything clearly as he said, “My hand is tired. Have a little maid fan me!”

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but smile as she pursed her lips, saying softly, “It’s not tired! You just rest well!”

In the dim lamplight, his features appeared even softer than usual, and his expression more gentle and warm.

Zhou Shaojin boldly studied him.

Cheng Chi’s eyelashes were thick and dense, making his eyelids look as though outlined with eyeliner, extending gracefully to his slightly upturned eye corners—utterly beautiful.

His nose was high and straight, what physiognomy books called a suspended gall nose.

The bridge was elegant and refined, the tip full and rounded.

It was said that men with such noses enjoyed glory, wealth, and prosperity, never lacking in money, and could marry virtuous wives and beautiful concubines.

Uncle Chi certainly had no worries about money, but his official career… as for glory and prosperity, at most he could only be an idle noble.

As for virtuous wives and beautiful concubines?

Thinking of the two young ladies from the Guo family… Zhou Shaojin simply skipped over it.

After all, Old Madam Guo had said that Uncle Chi had promised to marry and have children within these two years—weren’t there still two years left? Perhaps by then, young ladies even better than the two Guo daughters would appear!

Uncle Chi’s lips were rosy and lustrous, neither thin nor thick, with upturned corners as if he were smiling.

Zhou Shaojin’s face burned hot, and she quickly lowered her head.

Who knew her gaze would fall on his hand hanging by his face.

Cheng Chi’s hand was fair and slender, yet the knuckles weren’t prominent, his nails trimmed neat and tidy. They appeared pink, clean and spotless, looking like carved jade.

But she remembered that this hand had warmth.

When it touched her head, it was warm, steady, composed, and carried an ineffable tenderness that made her want to drown in it, making her feel precious.

Zhou Shaojin quietly smiled, slowly fanning him.

A cool breeze wafted by. A faint, delicate fragrance lingered at his nose, and a burning gaze intermittently fell upon him.

Cheng Chi vaguely felt something was amiss.

When Shaojin came to support him, he shouldn’t have coveted that soft feeling, that faint fragrance. Later he’d made mistake after mistake, allowing her to remain by his side.

To send her away now… he felt that wouldn’t be quite right either!

The little girl would surely think she’d done something wrong, and who knows how sad and upset she’d be!

Most importantly, the little girl was quite good at attending to people. She fanned at just the right pace, gentle and soft, just like her person, making him feel particularly comfortable.

Better forget it!

She was fanning him beside the bed—if she wasn’t looking at him, what else would she look at?

Perhaps he was being too sensitive.

After scheming and maneuvering for so long, he’d developed the habit of thinking the worst of everyone first.

Cheng Chi thought self-mockingly, his mood quickly settling as he said lazily, “Jinling’s summer is truly hot.”

What a pity that Cheng Jiashan was at Zao Garden. Otherwise he could take Mother and the little girl there to escape the heat. But with the little girl here, he’d better mention Cheng Jiashan less, lest the little girl feel uncomfortable.

He swallowed these words back down.

Zhou Shaojin also wasn’t accustomed to Jinling’s summer. Hearing this, she smiled and said, “Are you feeling feverish inside? Shall I have someone bring you a bowl of chilled mung bean water?”

In the past when Brother-in-law drank too much, Sister would prepare herbal tea for him.

Cheng Chi made a sound of agreement.

Zhou Shaojin gave the order.

Before long, the mung bean water arrived.

Zhou Shaojin attended Cheng Chi as he drank it.

Cheng Chi lay back down on the daybed.

Zhou Shaojin continued fanning him.

But Cheng Chi found himself unable to sleep, saying, “We should store some ice this winter. Then next summer won’t be so hot.”

Zhou Shaojin laughed outright, saying, “Last winter Jinling only had a light snowfall that melted as soon as it hit the ground. How could we store ice?”

Cheng Chi turned on his side to look at her, smiling as he said, “As long as it snows in Jinling this winter, it’ll work—I’ve had people store ice in the capital. They’ll transport it to Jinling before the Start of Spring in the first month, and we can use it in summer.”

In the lamplight, his gaze was clear and bright, like stars in the sky, shining brilliantly.

She knew Uncle Chi was handsome, but she hadn’t imagined he was this handsome.

Zhou Shaojin found herself momentarily dazed.

Seeing her stare wide-eyed at him foolishly, Cheng Chi thought she didn’t believe him and smiled, “You think it’s impossible?”

“Of course not!” Zhou Shaojin blurted out, coming back to her senses.

Uncle Chi never went back on his word.

“I just think—how much manpower and resources that must take!”

Zhou Shaojin’s worried frown pleased Cheng Chi.

In good spirits, Cheng Chi said, “It’s fine! We can use the canal transport, traveling through the night. At most ten days to reach Jinling.”

Zhou Shaojin asked, “Have you reconciled with the Canal Gang now? Does that mean Ji Ying can come out in the open?”

She didn’t know about Jiang Qin’s matter.

Cheng Chi had no intention of letting her know either, and simply sat up with a smile, chatting idly with her, “The Canal Gang has three chief leaders, and these three chiefs all have their conflicts. As long as they’re used properly, they won’t dare make a move.”

In reality, his people had crippled Jiao Ziyang, killed Jiang Qin, and cut off the Canal Gang’s contract to transport military pay this year. With subtle hints of supporting the Golden Sands Gang, the Canal Gang could only invite several martial world magnates to mediate, asking Cheng Chi to “have tea.”

Cheng Chi hadn’t yet decided whether to go.

Having the Canal Gang help transport ice was essentially letting them atone for their crimes.

The Canal Gang would run to do it eagerly.

Zhou Shaojin nodded repeatedly, believing Cheng Chi’s words without doubt, and instructed a maid to fetch a large welcoming pillow, saying, “Uncle Chi, you should lean against this while talking with me. It’ll be more comfortable.”

Cheng Chi complied and leaned against the large pillow.

Zhou Shaojin then asked him, “Does your head still hurt? Do you need another bowl of sobering soup?”

Cheng Chi smiled, “What do you think sobering soup is made of?”

Zhou Shaojin truly didn’t know.

She used to hate it when people drank alcohol. Even when Brother-in-law drank, she found it disgusting and could barely keep from throwing up. But Uncle Chi had also drunk today… yet she’d felt sorry for him and helped him inside, worried about his discomfort, bringing him water and fanning him…

Zhou Shaojin’s head buzzed, and she suddenly felt somewhat at a loss.

Fortunately, Cheng Chi didn’t notice her strangeness. He smiled, “Sobering soup either has lots of sugar added or lots of vinegar. Drinking too much of it doesn’t really help much…”

“Oh!” Zhou Shaojin responded absentmindedly, unable to help glancing at Cheng Chi.

Perhaps because he’d drunk alcohol, Cheng Chi’s complexion was slightly flushed, his manner very relaxed. Like someone who’d been traveling long distances finally getting rest, or like someone carrying a heavy burden for a thousand miles finally setting it down… Was this what people who’d drunk too much were like?

Those unpleasant memories from before surfaced in her mind again.

She quickly shook her head, burying those memories deep in her heart.

She tried to imagine what Brother-in-law looked like when he’d drunk too much.

But she would always avoid him on purpose… in her memories, she seemed to have no impression of Brother-in-law drunk.

Zhou Shaojin wrinkled her nose.

Cheng Chi’s heart stirred as he asked hesitantly, “Am I reeking of alcohol and bothering you?”

“No, no.” Only then did she notice Cheng Chi carried a faint smell of alcohol. After hesitating a moment, she said in a low voice, “It’s fine—Uncle Chi doesn’t smell very strongly of alcohol.”

Could it be that Cheng Jiashan had been drinking then?

That possibility was quite high!

Whether someone was trying to scheme against Cheng Jiashan or Cheng Jiashan needed liquid courage, alcohol would be involved!

But back then, even though Zhou Shaojin saw he’d drunk quite a bit, she hadn’t avoided him!

Cheng Chi’s feelings grew complicated.

The atmosphere suddenly turned somewhat cold.

Zhou Shaojin didn’t like it.

She remembered the purpose of coming here and quickly said, “Uncle Chi, today on the street I saw someone…” She told Cheng Chi about Shi Kuan, finally saying, “If Uncle Chi gets to know him, you can become acquainted with the Fourth Prince through him. The Cheng family might be able to avoid the fate of having their home ransacked and clan exterminated!”

Cheng Chi listened and shook his head with a smile, saying with emotion, “Shaojin, do you know who I was entertaining at Qingyan Tower today?”

Zhou Shaojin’s heart jumped. Her almond eyes widened.

Cheng Chi nodded, “It was precisely Shi Kuan.”

No wonder Shi Kuan appeared near Qingyan Tower!

Zhou Shaojin nearly jumped up, saying, “Uncle Chi, how do you know Shi Kuan? Then why was the Cheng family’s home ransacked in the previous life?”

Cheng Chi smiled, “After you told me the Fourth Prince would ascend the throne in the future, I had people watch the Fourth Prince’s mansion. That’s how I learned about someone like Shi Kuan. He’s from Gaochun, and was castrated and sold into the palace by his father as a child. His mother died two months ago. He came back to Jinling this time to pay respects to his mother. I heard he was always reading, so I approached him as an ordinary scholar. Unexpectedly, he felt we were quite compatible. When I invited him to Qingyan Tower to watch the dragon boat races, he didn’t refuse either. That he would ultimately become a favored minister before the new emperor… is somewhat beyond expectations!”

Zhou Shaojin took a while to react. She said confusedly, “Shi Kuan is from Gaochun? Could there be a mistake! I remember Lin Shisheng saying he was an orphan who didn’t remember where his ancestral home was…”

“Perhaps the childhood memories were too unbearable?” Cheng Chi said dismissively with a smile. But in his heart he was thinking about Lin Shisheng.

To know all this, it seemed Lin Shisheng had done quite well for himself!

“Uncle Chi, you’re amazing!” Zhou Shaojin said admiringly. “I was still regretting that you’d missed Shi Kuan, but who could have guessed you’d arranged everything long ago.”

Cheng Chi couldn’t help but laugh, “What’s so difficult about that? The Fourth Prince keeps such a low profile now that it’s easy to investigate his affairs.”

“But gaining Shi Kuan’s favor isn’t simple either,” Zhou Shaojin said. “Shi Kuan is very proud—he won’t even acknowledge ordinary people.”

Lin Shisheng had an aunt who was a Dowager Consort in the palace. When Lin Shisheng wanted to request a title for his eldest legitimate son, he went through Dowager Consort Lin’s connections to find Shi Kuan, but Shi Kuan hadn’t given him any face.

Cheng Chi smiled, “That’s the Shi Kuan after the Fourth Prince ascended the throne, right? The current Shi Kuan doesn’t yet have that confidence.”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t care about all that.

Uncle Chi had connected with Shi Kuan, so the Cheng family’s risks would be much smaller in the future.

She said cheerfully, “Anyway, Uncle Chi is very capable!”

Who talks like that!

Cheng Chi laughed heartily.

But in his heart, he couldn’t suppress a feeling of elation.

The atmosphere between them became pleasant again.

Zhou Shaojin suddenly exclaimed, “I almost forgot the important matter!”

So this wasn’t the important matter?

Cheng Chi thought to himself.

This little slip of a girl certainly had many things on her mind!

His eyes revealed a hint of amusement as he listened attentively.

With a completely serious expression, Zhou Shaojin told Cheng Chi about her discovery that Cheng Lu and Wu Baozhang were having an affair.

Cheng Chi was extremely surprised.

His expression also became serious as he carefully asked about the details of their conversation.

Zhou Shaojin answered each question.