When Cheng Chi walked into the Fucui Pavilion, he saw trunks and boxes filling the entire courtyard.

Standing beneath the camphor tree that remained lush and verdant, he suddenly felt breathing become somewhat difficult.

After such an incident, for Shaojin to continue staying at Nine Ru Lane wouldn’t be appropriate either emotionally or rationally.

He understood this clearly in his heart.

Yet in the flower hall, he had considered everything for her sake, but hadn’t given this matter the slightest thought.

And in his view, Zhou Shaojin was still young. Even if she had some awareness, given her timid and weak nature, she would surely need some time before gathering the courage to raise it with him… By the time she left, perhaps winter would have arrived.

But what he never expected was that she had begun packing almost immediately upon returning to the Hanbi Mountain House.

Cheng Chi’s gaze fell upon the potted ink chrysanthemum that Zhou Shaojin had previously placed in the corner but the maids had now moved under the covered corridor.

Shaojin clearly intended to take it with her!

She loved flowers and plants, loved the old things she had used, carrying them wherever she went.

He thought of the scene when she had first moved to Fucui Pavilion.

When watering the flowers, she would occasionally talk to herself while addressing the several pots of camellias she had planted, saying things like “we’ve moved to a new place again, are you getting used to it…”

Cheng Chi’s eyes felt as if countless tiny needles had fallen into them, stinging with pain.

Shaojin was truly like duckweed—from Wanxiang Residence to Fucui Pavilion, from Fucui Pavilion to Pingqiao Street, from Pingqiao Street to Baoding Prefecture… Perhaps she had never had a single place that was truly her home!

So she only grew flowers in pots, never planted trees in courtyards!

This was also good.

Zhou Dacheng was her father after all.

Didn’t someone once say that wherever parents are, that is home?

With her returning to her father’s side, she could barely be considered to have a home!

Cheng Chi departed from Fucui Pavilion as silently as he had arrived, heading to the main hall.

Cheng Xu was already awake, with Old Madam Guo sitting at his bedside with closed eyes, chanting sutras for him.

Hearing the movement, Old Madam Guo opened her eyes and said without surprise in a soft voice, “You’ve returned,” then stood up.

Cheng Chi stepped forward to support Old Madam Guo, and the two sat down together in the rest chamber. After the maids served tea and refreshments and all withdrew, Old Madam Guo asked, “Have matters outside been settled?”

“They’re settled!” Cheng Chi said softly. “I’ve set several small traps to make the second and third branches suspicious of each other and anxious. When we need to use them, we can deal with them then.”

Though his gaze remained clear and bright and his expression still gentle, he inexplicably gave the impression that his spirits were somewhat low.

Old Madam Guo couldn’t help but hesitate before asking, “Zichuan, are you very dissatisfied with Jiashan?”

Otherwise, why would he allow Ji Ying to beat Jiashan?

Cheng Chi neither confirmed nor denied this, saying lazily, “Don’t concern yourself with Ji Ying’s matter. If Elder Sister-in-law asks, just say I’ve already had her sold off. That will stop her mouth.”

Old Madam Guo nodded, not daring to pursue this topic further, and said, “Shaojin wants to return to Baoding Prefecture…”

Cheng Chi’s movements stiffened slightly. He said, “I heard before that Liao Shaotang wanted to go study in the capital. I’ll write a letter to Second Uncle asking him to give Liao Shaotang some guidance! Then I’ll see if there are any good estates I can purchase and register under Zhou Shaojin’s name.”

Hearing this, Old Madam Guo let out a long sigh and said, “It’s our Cheng family that has wronged her. You should look after her more!” Then, with a melancholy expression, she changed the subject. “What was the final word on Jiashan’s matter?”

Cheng Chi replied, “What else could be said—Jiashan was drugged by someone, lost his senses, mistook Ji Ying for Shaojin, and tried to drag Ji Ying here to you. Ji Ying thought Jiashan was taking advantage of his intoxication to molest her and accidentally struck him…”

He concisely told Old Madam Guo the course of events.

Old Madam Guo immediately followed Cheng Chi’s line of thinking and said thoughtfully, “Then the urgent matter is to investigate who drugged Jiashan. From the kitchen staff to the maids and servants serving tea and wine in the hall, everyone is under suspicion… Why not take this opportunity to dismiss a batch of people? Especially those around Second Branch’s Old Ancestor—after serving for so long, they’ve inevitably become slippery. Though such people are convenient to use, they also love to abuse borrowed authority, corrupting the atmosphere throughout the compound. I think that with Cheng Shi’s servant boy implicated in this drug matter, the second branch shouldn’t object.”

This way, they could take the opportunity to plant people in each branch.

Cheng Chi was clearly uninterested in these matters and said, “You can arrange it yourself.”

Mother and son talked for quite a while. Cheng Chi went in again to look at the sleeping Cheng Xu before finally returning to the Tingli Pavilion.

After practicing calligraphy for a while, it was time to rest.

But he didn’t feel the least bit sleepy. He simply took out a chess manual and set up an endgame position, playing left hand against right for quite a while. It wasn’t until Huai Shan came in to urge him that he finally, after dawdling for a good while, went to bed to rest.

The next day after breakfast, Cheng Chi was discussing matters concerning the Thirteen Hongs with Qin Ziping when Qing Feng came in to report, “Fourth Master, Steward Ma from the Zhou residence has arrived. He’s probably here to fetch Second Cousin Miss back to Pingqiao Street for a few days.”

Cheng Chi straightened his sleeves.

Huai Shan was greatly startled.

Whenever Cheng Chi made such a gesture, it was when his mood was very poor.

He couldn’t help but advise, “Fourth Master, regarding the cave incident, Young Master Xu was too reckless. You should speak well with him. As for Second Young Miss Zhou, having suffered such great grievance, why don’t you compensate Second Cousin Miss somehow!”

Listening to this, Cheng Chi glanced at him with a half-smile and said, “According to you, how should I compensate Second Cousin Miss?”

Huai Shan’s scalp tingled. In his haste, he had no time to think carefully and said, “Madam Zhou of Baoding Prefecture is Second Cousin Miss’s stepmother. I’ve heard people say that stepmothers and stepchildren are natural enemies—even if they’re affectionate, it’s only for appearances. I think you might as well let Ji Ying accompany Second Miss. First, it gives Ji Ying a place to stay; second, Second Cousin Miss will have a companion; third, if that Madam Li treats Second Cousin Miss disrespectfully, Ji Ying can help Second Cousin Miss stand her ground. In at most two years, Second Cousin Miss should be married, and then Ji Ying can return to Cangzhou with her mission accomplished.”

Cheng Chi stroked his chin and actually began seriously considering this matter.

While Cheng Chi wasn’t paying attention, Huai Shan wiped his forehead.

Qin Ziping’s expression became somewhat dazed as he lowered his head.

***

Zhou Shaojin went to bid farewell to Old Madam Guan, Madam Mian, and the newly married Madam Gao.

Both Old Madam Guan and Madam Mian knew the inside story. Each sighed and shed tears, stuffing her with red envelopes, saying it was spending money for her, and repeatedly instructing her to send someone to tell them once she’d set the date for going to Baoding Prefecture so they could come see her off. Only Madam Nuo still didn’t know what had happened, thinking it was truly just that Cheng Xu had been drugged and molested Ji Ying, which Zhou Shaojin had witnessed, and that to spare the first branch embarrassment, she had decided to visit Zhou Zhen in Baoding Prefecture.

Holding Zhou Shaojin’s hand, she said with some regret, “The very first day I married in, your Cousin Gao told me to treat you like my own younger sister. Thinking of that person as exquisitely refined as a jade carving whom I saw when the Cheng family came to present the betrothal gifts, my heart was already favorably disposed. I was just thinking about how to get close to Second Cousin Sister properly, but who knew that before you and I even had a chance to talk properly, you’re already leaving for Baoding Prefecture…”

Zhou Shaojin comforted her, “I just haven’t seen Father in a long time and want to spend New Year with him. I’ll also visit Elder Sister in Zhenjiang while I’m at it.”

Hearing this, Old Madam Guan quickly said, “Shaojin, you’re going to see your elder sister? Help me take some things to your sister!”

Zhou Shaojin smiled and agreed.

Old Madam Guan asked her to stay for lunch before leaving.

Zhou Shaojin politely declined: “I’m only going back for a few days. Who knows, I might come back to the mansion to see you in a few days!”

Old Madam Guan didn’t insist and personally saw her off to the covered corridor.

Madam Nuo saw Zhou Shaojin out on Old Madam Guan’s behalf.

Old Madam Guan watched the figures of the two flower-like young women disappear among the green trees and sighed, “It’s all that Cheng Jiashan’s fault for causing this trouble!”

Madam Mian didn’t make a sound, but thought to herself: If only they had kept Shaojin at Jiashu Hall back then!

When Zhou Shaojin returned to Fucui Pavilion, the trunks were nearly all packed.

She stood on the steps of the main hall, gazing toward the Tingli Pavilion and hesitating for a long while. Finally, she decided to go bid farewell to Cheng Chi.

Just this once!

She would look at him one last time!

From now on, she would keep him hidden in her heart.

If there was an opportunity to meet again, she would definitely treat him like her own uncle and never let her thoughts run wild again.

If there was never another chance to meet, when she recalled what clothes Uncle Chi wore, what incense he used, what words he spoke to her, what expressions he had… that would be enough for her to remember for a lifetime!

Zhou Shaojin changed into a pink Hangzhou silk jacket embroidered with broken-branch flowers, an oil-green plain-faced Hunan skirt, with a pink gauze outer jacket over it. She styled her hair in a twist, wore a pair of South Sea pearl earrings the size of mung beans, and went to see Cheng Chi.

Cheng Chi pointed at the gauze jacket she was wearing and asked, “Is this a fashionable style?”

Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded. Thinking that she didn’t know when they would meet again, and even if people had laughed at her, she wouldn’t know, she boldly asked, “Does it look good?”

“Not bad!” Cheng Chi looked again and said, “Like it’s veiled in mist—quite nice.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled with pursed lips.

Cheng Chi then said, “You’ve come at just the right time. You’re going to stay briefly in Baoding Prefecture, and I don’t know what sort of temperament that Madam Li has. If she mistreats you, you’ll have no one to confide in. I originally wanted to have Ji Ying accompany you to Baoding Prefecture, but she performed quite well this time, and I previously promised to let her return to Cangzhou. This way you’d have no one useful around you… I’ll have Nanny Shang accompany you to stay in Baoding Prefecture for a while. If you have any matters in the future, you can discuss them with her!”

“Nanny Shang?” Zhou Shaojin was astonished and said, “Then won’t you have no one to attend to you?”

“Don’t I have Huai Shan and Nan Ping?” Cheng Chi said matter-of-factly. “Nanny Shang is older and can handle situations better. She’s more suitable than Ji Ying.”

Zhou Shaojin lowered her head, tears swirling in her eyes.

In terms of status, Madam Li was after all her mother. Uncle Chi was afraid Madam Li would let her suffer losses, and that Ji Ying’s fiery temper couldn’t control the situation, so he had assigned Nanny Shang to accompany her to Baoding Prefecture, hadn’t he?

Why was Uncle Chi so good to her?

It made her feel both sad and distressed…

Seeing her head lowered and not looking particularly happy, Cheng Chi couldn’t help but walk from behind his desk to stand before her, saying warmly, “What’s wrong? Do you want Ji Ying to accompany you back? How about I also have Xiao Tan go with you to Baoding Prefecture? With her as company, you’ll have someone to talk to…”