Cheng Xu felt he knew.

Cheng Lu admired Zhou Shaojin, but under the elders’ arrangements, Zhou Shaojin was going to marry Cheng Yi. Cheng Lu felt aggrieved in his heart, which was why he’d come to drink with him and pour out his grievances.

But he couldn’t say this to Cheng Chi.

Cheng Chi’s temperament had always been unpredictable. He had no confidence that Cheng Chi would take his side.

He lowered his head even further, murmuring: “Fourth Uncle, my coming to find you is also related to this matter! From Mother’s tone, I gathered that Father hopes I can marry a daughter of the Min family of Fujian…”

Cheng Chi gazed deeply at Cheng Xu and suddenly didn’t want to hear him continue.

Some things—knowing and speaking them aloud were two different matters.

Cheng Xu liked Zhou Shaojin and didn’t want to marry a Miss Min. He knew this, but he didn’t want to discuss this issue with Cheng Xu, much less help Cheng Xu resolve this problem in his capacity as an uncle.

He immediately interrupted Cheng Xu’s words, saying sternly: “I’m asking you—do you know Cheng Lu’s true intentions?”

Cheng Chi’s voice was cold and merciless. Cheng Xu looked up in astonishment.

“You already have an official degree, yet how is it that your words and actions still lack any structure, like an unenlightened child!” Cheng Chi rebuked him without mercy: “Cheng Lu brought up Second Young Miss Zhou’s matter in front of you for no reason—didn’t you use your brain to think about it? You don’t think it was for romantic feelings, do you?”

Wasn’t it?

Cheng Xu looked at Cheng Chi, his expression somewhat confused.

Eldest brother gave birth to such a son!

Cheng Chi grumbled inwardly and said with a cold laugh: “Cheng Lu returned from Yuelu Academy without permission—do you know the reason?”

“I know,” Cheng Xu said quietly. “They say his mother was ill…”

“Filial piety is foremost among all virtues,” Cheng Chi said. “Even if the mother of the Chief Grand Secretary died, he would have to return home to observe mourning. Yuelu Academy is one of our dynasty’s four great academies, teaching the Way of Confucius and Mencius. If his mother was ill, how could they not let him return home to attend to her illness!”

Cheng Xu was momentarily stunned.

As soon as he heard that Zhou Shaojin was going to marry Cheng Yi, he’d panicked. Where did he have the state of mind to ponder such trivial matters!

Cheng Chi knew he was blinded by lust and said: “Second Young Miss Zhou was about to become engaged to Cheng Yi. If at this moment news emerged that you had your eldest sister-in-law prevent this marriage, tell me—what would happen to Second Young Miss Zhou?”

She would be cursed as fickle! A seductress! Rumors might even spread that her virtue was damaged.

Sweat broke out on his forehead.

Cheng Chi said: “Second Young Miss Zhou would be sent back to Baoding Prefecture.”

This way, Cheng Lu would have the opportunity to marry Zhou Shaojin.

How could he have believed Cheng Lu’s words?

Cheng Xu felt both regret and hatred, wishing he could run to Cunyi Lane right now to find Cheng Lu and get to the bottom of it.

He said to Cheng Chi in a hoarse voice: “Fourth Uncle, please don’t say more. I know I was deceived. That Cheng Lu hasn’t given up on Second Young Miss Zhou, which is why he devised this method to kill two birds with one stone…”

In the end, it was still about competing for affection!

Cheng Chi closed his eyes, suddenly recalling something his wet nurse had said when he was young—”Throwing flirtatious glances at a blind man!”

He completely lost interest in continuing.

That Cheng Lu had probably discovered that the person who’d spoken to Prefect Wu was himself, and assumed Zhou Shaojin had spoken ill of him, so he wanted to squeeze Zhou Shaojin out of Jiuru Alley. First, to prevent Zhou Shaojin from continuing to slander him before himself. Second, it would be best if he could expose Cheng Xu’s admiration for Zhou Shaojin, making the first branch wary of Zhou Shaojin. After sending Zhou Shaojin out of the residence, they would gradually distance themselves from her. This way, whether Cheng Lu wanted to take revenge on Zhou Shaojin or wanted to manipulate Zhou Shaojin and then negotiate conditions with himself, it would all be better than Zhou Shaojin staying so deeply sequestered at the first branch, never going anywhere.

Cheng Chi felt utterly weary.

He waved his hand and said to Cheng Xu: “Think carefully about whether what I said is correct.” After speaking, he strode out of the study without looking back.

Cheng Xu’s eyes widened. For quite a while he couldn’t recover his senses.

What was wrong with Fourth Uncle again?

One moment he was speaking perfectly fine, the next moment he stormed out… No wonder Third Uncle Yi and the others all say Fourth Uncle has a strange temper!

He sat disgruntledly in the armchair, thinking about his marriage.

Although Mother said that having him marry a Miss Min was Father’s intention, he didn’t believe it.

Father’s thoughts were all on official business. He left all household matters entirely to Mother. Having him marry a Miss Min was certainly Mother’s idea—she’d merely obtained Father’s approval.

He had originally wanted to ask Fourth Uncle to help speak to Min Jianxing on his behalf, to have the Min family voluntarily give up this marriage.

But from the current situation, Fourth Uncle was very difficult to talk to, and moreover was quite displeased about him breaking up Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Yi’s engagement.

By the time he persuaded Fourth Uncle, Zhou Shaojin would long since have married!

At this moment, Cheng Xu suddenly missed Cheng Lu.

Even if Cheng Lu’s intention was to make Zhou Shaojin unable to stay at Jiuru Alley, it was still because he admired Zhou Shaojin in his heart. Not having the ability to compete with him, he wanted to provoke a fight between him and Cheng Yi like a snipe and clam fighting, so he could be the fisherman benefiting.

When all was said and done, it was just about obtaining Zhou Shaojin.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone along with it either!

Should he tell Uncle Chi about this?

Cheng Xu stayed at Tingli Pavilion for a long while but didn’t wait for Cheng Chi to return.

He could only leave Tingli Pavilion awkwardly and turn toward Yunzhen Hall.

Mother had broken faith with him. He had originally planned to play dumb while fully aware, waiting until Fourth Uncle helped him reject the Min family engagement before saying anything. But now he could only speak plainly with Mother.

Who would have known that the attendant on duty at Yunzhen Hall told him: “Madam has gone to Hanbi Mountain Lodge.”

Cheng Xu’s thoughts became active again.

Perhaps if he stayed there for a while, he might encounter Zhou Shaojin!

Cheng Xu hurried in two or three steps to Hanbi Mountain Lodge.

Madam Yuan was telling Old Madam Guo about Cheng Chi’s affairs: “…I also know you feel for Fourth Uncle and want to find someone virtuous, obedient, and worthy of Fourth Uncle. But you must also help by looking around! I think there’s a young miss in the Min family who’s quite good. Her mother is a young lady from the Li family of Lujiang, her father passed both levels of the imperial examination and currently serves as Provincial Administration Commissioner of Yunnan. Her elder brother married a young lady from the Fang family of Shucheng, who is my niece. Though only three months older than the eldest Miss Min, by seniority she’s actually the eldest Miss Min’s aunt. Both her appearance and character are outstanding. If you think you could meet her, I’ll help arrange it.”

If she was truly that good, she’d probably have been selected as a daughter-in-law long ago. Or perhaps this Miss Min had originally also been a candidate for daughter-in-law, but ultimately wasn’t chosen due to this or that flaw!

Old Madam Guo thought sarcastically to herself and said: “Si Lang’s affairs—I’ll worry about them myself. You just take care of Jiashan’s matters! A marriage alliance between two families is a good thing. Why do I hear you’ve been keeping it under wraps? Does the Min family think our family’s status is too low? Or does Jiashan not agree, and you’re afraid he’ll make a scene that will be hard to resolve?”

Madam Yuan said awkwardly: “Isn’t it that this matter hasn’t even begun to take shape yet?”

Old Madam Guo said with a calm expression: “The son is yours. Although I warned you early on, whether you listen or not is your own affair.”

Madam Yuan replied with a flushed face. Then she brought up Cheng Xu’s studies: “At most two more days before the results are posted. Should we prepare some copper coins in advance?”

It was an unspoken rule among large households in Jinling—when someone in the family achieved an official degree, they would carry baskets of copper coins and scatter money at the main gate.

“You can just instruct the stewards about this,” Old Madam Guo said. “No need to ask for my approval…”

To avoid Madam Yuan, Zhou Shaojin was hiding in Old Madam Guo’s inner chamber pretending to do needlework. Listening to Old Madam Guo and Yuan Shi’s conversation, her heart tightened anxiously, and her hand was pricked by the needle. Blood beads slowly emerged.

Zhou Shaojin quickly put her fingertip in her mouth, but her heart rose and fell like waves crashing on the shore.

The Min family of Fujian, the Li family of Lujiang, third-rank Provincial Administration Commissioner, the Fang family of Shucheng… and also the sixth and seventh young misses of the Gu family.

Elite clan daughters on one hand, modest beauties from small families on the other… What kind of wife couldn’t Uncle Chi marry?

What did she amount to?

Zhou Shaojin’s heart felt like it was being fried in an oil pan.

Had she known she would hear Yuan Shi say such things, when Yuan Shi came to see Old Madam Guo, she should have taken her leave instead of retreating to Old Madam’s inner chamber.

If she thought more deeply about it, she should have stayed by Grand Maternal Aunt Mian’s side and just sent Chun Wan to deliver grapes to Old Madam Guo…

She barely endured until Yuan Shi took her leave. She slowly walked out of the inner chamber and said to Old Madam with downcast eyes: “I’ll return to Jiashu Hall first and come pay my respects to you again this evening.”

Old Madam Guo smiled: “If you’re busy there, don’t come over. Your health is important. Don’t exhaust yourself!”

Zhou Shaojin nodded, but her eyes felt gritty.

If only time could stop right here, how wonderful that would be.

She was living as a dependent at the first branch. Uncle Chi had not yet married. Old Madam Guo treated her like her own biological grandmother…

Zhou Shaojin silently left Hanbi Mountain Lodge, her mind in chaos as she headed toward Jiashu Hall.

Huanxi grabbed hold of Cheng Xu, who, hearing that Yuan Shi wasn’t there, was turning to leave for Yunzhen Hall. She said with surprise and delight: “Young Master Xu, I, I think I saw Second Young Miss Zhou…”

Cheng Xu excitedly turned around: “Where? Where?”

Huanxi pointed to the red figure gradually walking away in the distance: “Look! Doesn’t that look like Second Young Miss Zhou?”

Cheng Xu’s eyes widened: “Let’s go! Since we’ve encountered her, we should at least greet her.”

Huanxi nodded repeatedly and followed behind Cheng Xu in pursuit.

Zhou Shaojin was absorbed in her own thoughts when someone behind her called out: “Second Young Miss Zhou, please wait a moment!”

She turned around and saw the breathless Cheng Xu.

Zhou Shaojin turned and ran.

Cheng Xu pursued from behind: “Second Young Miss Zhou, don’t run! I have something to tell you! Just one sentence. I mean no harm!”

Zhou Shaojin ignored him.

But in a few moves he blocked Zhou Shaojin’s path and said: “Second Cousin Zhou, I have something to tell you.”

Zhou Shaojin fixed her gaze on him.

Her beautiful eyes were like stars at the horizon, shining brilliantly.

Cheng Xu’s words froze.

Zhou Shaojin’s brows furrowed as she said: “If Cousin Xu has nothing particular to say, then I’ll go to Jiashu Hall—Cousin Gao is about to get married, and Grand Maternal Aunt is still waiting for me to deliver the accounts I’ve calculated.”

“Is that so?” Cheng Xu laughed awkwardly.

Where did he have anything to say to Zhou Shaojin? He hadn’t seen Zhou Shaojin for a long time and wanted to look at her a bit longer. What could he possibly have to say?

Cheng Xu struggled for quite a while before saying: “Have you eaten? Are you hungry?”

Zhou Shaojin had no desire to have any contact with him. She said seriously: “If Cousin Xu has nothing else, then I’ll take my leave first.”