Zhou Shaojin had no idea so many things were happening at Jiuru Lane in Jinling. The delicious delicacies, exquisite dishes, magnificent scenery, elegant music, warm conversation, and genuine concern made Madam Liao feel completely at home when she came to visit Yulian Alley that day. She praised Li Shi and Zhou Shaojin’s arrangements profusely. Because of Zhou Chujin’s connection, Madam Liao also intentionally elevated Li Shi’s status, and from then on their relationship became quite intimate.

Li Shi was perceptive and generous with her gifts. After just a few visits to Elm Tree Alley, the relatives who came to visit Madam Liao were all warmly calling her “in-law madam.” Li Shi couldn’t help feeling somewhat emotional, and privately said to Zhou Shaojin, “It really won’t do for a girl to marry without sufficient dowry. You must put away safely all those jewelry pieces Old Madam Guo gave you, and don’t casually reward them to people anymore. In a couple days I’ll take you to the jewelry shops to have some gilt gold and silver pieces made. If you want to reward people, use those.”

A few days ago she had seen Chun Wan polishing a jade-green jadeite bracelet. The quality of the jade was no less inferior to the jade pendant she herself usually wore. She had thought it was Zhou Shaojin’s, but Chun Wan said it was a reward from Zhou Shaojin. She feared breaking it and treasured it dearly, taking it out to look at during her leisure time. Moreover, Zhou Shaojin hadn’t only rewarded her with one jadeite bracelet—she had also given her a complete set of ginkgo flower hairpieces, several jeweled hairpins, two pairs of South Sea pearl ornaments… Even young ladies from ordinary wealthy families probably didn’t have jewelry as valuable as hers.

Zhou Zhen’s income was what it was. Although he had done his utmost these past years to prepare dowries for his two daughters, his means were ultimately limited. Most of these items were rewards from Old Madam Guo that Zhou Shaojin had then passed on to Chun Wan.

Just thinking about it made Li Shi’s heart ache.

Zhou Shaojin lowered her eyes submissively and agreed, not taking this matter to heart at all.

Having lived two lives, she naturally had her own measure of what was most important. The kindness Chun Wan showed her, the kindness Fan Liushi showed her—how could it be measured by a few pieces of jewelry? It was merely that when she had good things, she gave them to make them happy.

However, when she accompanied Li Shi to browse the jewelry shops, she still selected quite a few gold and silver pieces. Rewarding these items to Chun Wan and the others, they could pass them down as family heirlooms, serving as mementos for Chun Wan to leave to her descendants.

Thinking of this, she began to worry again.

Chun Wan would be getting married in a few years. In her previous life, she hadn’t managed this at all—what should be done about her marriage prospects?

While her expression was distracted, someone ran over calling out “Second Cousin Miss.”

Zhou Shaojin jumped in fright. Coming back to her senses, she saw it was actually Fang Xuan, whom she had encountered some days ago.

She wore a peach-red honeysuckle pattern vest and was smiling broadly as she looked at her, saying, “I thought it looked like you from afar just now, but Sister Jia didn’t believe me. It really is you! What a coincidence! The capital is so large, yet we’ve actually run into each other. Are you also here buying jewelry? This shop’s jewelry is quite good! People outside only know about Yongfu Prosperity, but actually this Hundred Treasures Studio sells even better items than Yongfu Prosperity. I didn’t expect you’d also know about this place.” As she spoke, she pointed upstairs and lowered her voice with a smile, “Sister Jia is getting married. My mother was entrusted by her mother to accompany her out to buy some small items, so I came along too.” She added, “My maternal grandfather and Sister Jia’s maternal grandfather used to be colleagues. My mother and Sister Jia’s mother grew up together from childhood, only separating when they each married. But they’ve kept in touch all along.”

No wonder the Fang and Min families were so close!

Zhou Shaojin smiled faintly, sensing a gaze from the second floor fixed upon her.

She had no interest in knowing who it was and didn’t even raise her head as she smiled and exchanged pleasantries with Fang Xuan, “I also heard from my sister that this jewelry shop makes very fine pieces…”

Had she known she would encounter Fang Xuan and Min Jia, she would have gone to Yongfu Prosperity instead.

In her previous life she hadn’t had the habit of shopping, but after her nephew Liao Chengfang was born, she had inquired everywhere about where the best longevity locks were made. Lin Shisheng, being an old resident of the capital, had recommended this Hundred Treasures Studio to her.

At the time she had also felt the Hundred Treasures Studio’s items were excellent.

Although Yongfu Prosperity’s items weren’t as delicate as these, they had more substance.

Since she was buying to reward people, naturally having more substance was better.

Fang Xuan’s eyes widened in surprise as she said, “Madam Liao only came to the capital before New Year’s!”

The implication being how could Zhou Chujin already know about every corner and cranny of the capital.

Zhou Shaojin had no desire to chat with her and excused herself saying it was getting late, parting ways with Fang Xuan.

Fang Xuan was somewhat displeased.

No matter what, they could be considered in-laws. Since Zhou Shaojin knew her mother was upstairs, by all rights and reason she should have gone up to pay her respects, yet Zhou Shaojin had simply left without a word, clearly not regarding their family as in-laws at all.

Fang Xuan had also grown up pampered. Since Zhou Shaojin was cold and distant toward her, she too had no interest in further contact with Zhou Shaojin and turned back upstairs to the private room.

Min Jia was also somewhat puzzled by Zhou Shaojin’s rudeness. She frowned slightly and said, “What’s the matter with this Second Miss Zhou? Madam Gu the Elder speaks so highly of her, yet she seems rather ignorant of proper social behavior…”

Perhaps there were other reasons!

She still remembered the amazement she felt when she first met Zhou Shaojin.

Supposedly she and her sister grew up at Jiuru Lane—who knew if she had ever encountered Cheng Jiashan… If she were Cheng Jiashan, she probably wouldn’t be able to forget such a “cousin” either… However, if she was as ignorant of social proprieties as her behavior today suggested, that would actually make sense!

Min Jia’s eyes flickered slightly.

Fang Xuan didn’t have so many complicated thoughts. She said carelessly, “Perhaps being newly arrived and not having seen much of society in her daily life, she’s timid and unaccustomed to interacting with us… Never mind her. If we encounter her again in the future, we’ll just greet her casually!”

Min Jia wasn’t as optimistic as she was. She said, “She grew up in Old Madam Guo’s quarters. You may not see her, but I cannot possibly avoid her!”

Fang Xuan felt Min Jia was overthinking it and said, “I heard she’s also nearly of age for the hairpin ceremony. In a couple years she’ll be getting married. So what if she grew up in Old Madam Guo’s quarters?”

Growing up in Old Madam Guo’s quarters meant that as long as Zhou Shaojin was willing, she could return to the Cheng family and visit Old Madam Guo…

This wouldn’t make sense to the carefree Fang Xuan, so Min Jia smiled and said nothing.

When Zhou Shaojin returned home, she gave the gold and silver jewelry she’d bought to Chun Wan to register and catalog, then opened the window herself and sat on the large kang by the window, rushing to make shoes and socks for Cheng Chi.

Li Shi brought in some mung bean soup and said with a smile, “Mind your eyes. It’s not like he’s waiting to wear them—why are you rushing so urgently?”

Whenever Zhou Shaojin thought these clothes would be worn by Cheng Chi, she felt she had inexhaustible energy and wanted to finish making them for him as soon as possible.

She set the clothes aside and accepted Li Shi’s mung bean soup with a smile, inviting her to sit on the opposite kang.

Li Shi smiled as she watched her drink the mung bean soup, then said, “Just now Madam Liao sent someone over to say that there will be a dragon boat race at Shichahai this year. At that time your brother-in-law will have a day off, and Madam Liao has invited us to go together.”

Zhou Shaojin was somewhat surprised and said, “What about Guan Ge’er then? And Youjin is still so small?”

Li Shi smiled and said, “I think Fourth Master’s method from last time was good. Before coming here, I asked Steward Xiang. He said those guards are all from Fourth Master’s Chaoyangmen residence. If we decide to go, he just needs to notify them.”

Women in the inner quarters rarely had opportunities to go out even once throughout the year. What’s more, this was in the capital—who knew if there would be such opportunities in the future?

In her previous life, Shichahai had also held dragon boat races, but she had never gone to watch them.

Zhou Shaojin could understand Li Shi’s feelings, but without Cheng Chi accompanying her, she felt that even at the feet of the Son of Heaven, even at a dragon boat race held at Shichahai, she had no interest.

“Then Madam should mention it to Steward Xiang and bring Youjin along when the time comes!” She smiled. “I’ll just stay home—the weather is so hot, I don’t want to go out.”

How could this be acceptable?

What kind of mother goes out to enjoy herself and leaves her child at home!

Li Shi refused to agree.

Zhou Shaojin spent a long time persuading Li Shi before finally convincing her.

Unexpectedly, the next day Cheng Zheng sent someone with an invitation card saying she had reserved a private room at a restaurant near Shichahai and was inviting her to watch the dragon boat race together.

Zhou Shaojin immediately felt somewhat hesitant.

Cheng Zheng was Cheng Chi’s niece, and moreover, when Cheng Chi spoke of her, he had considerable respect for her and she was quite friendly toward Zhou Shaojin as well. Should she go or not?

Zhou Shaojin found it difficult to decide for a moment.

After all, Cheng Zheng was more than ten years older than Zhou Shaojin. If Cheng Zheng had married early enough, to exaggerate slightly, she could already have a daughter as old as Zhou Shaojin. Moreover, Cheng Zheng ran her household strictly yet without losing warmth, so everyone in the Gu family respected her greatly, and she inevitably carried increasing authority. The servant woman thought Zhou Shaojin didn’t want to feel constrained before Cheng Zheng and quickly smiled, “Second Young Madam and Third Young Madam are also going together. Second Young Madam has even invited Miss Six from the Fang family!”

These occasions were like this—you invite your close friends, and those close friends invite their own close friends. Back and forth, what originally started as three or four people ends up becoming a roomful, most of them strangers.

Since Fang Xuan was going, who knew whether that Min Jia would go too?

Zhou Shaojin immediately declined politely.

The servant woman returned to the Gu residence surprised and disappointed.

Cheng Zheng was extremely astonished and somewhat incredulously asked the servant woman again, “You’re saying Second Miss Zhou declined my invitation after hearing that Miss Six from the Fang family would also be going?”

The servant woman thought carefully again for a long while and nodded very certainly.

Could it be because of Min Jia?

Cheng Zheng dismissed the servant woman and sighed deeply.

If Jiuru Lane divided the clan branches and the First Branch established roots in the capital, then Grandmother would inevitably move to the capital to live. Grandmother liked Zhou Shaojin so much, this young lady would certainly be very filial to Grandmother. By then she would probably often go to pay respects to Grandmother, and Min Jia was to marry into the Cheng family next February…

Just thinking about it gave her a headache.

She felt Cheng Xu was truly… utterly foolish!

※※※

After Zhou Chujin learned that Zhou Shaojin wasn’t going to Shichahai, she came personally to ask Zhou Shaojin. Seeing that her younger sister truly didn’t want to go out and bake in the sun, she finally abandoned the idea of persuading her, but still couldn’t help complaining, “You really are something! Such a rare opportunity—if you go ask around, who else is like you, unwilling to go because you’re afraid of the sun and because it’s too hot? Don’t regret it later!”

“I won’t regret it, I won’t regret it!” Zhou Shaojin was embroidering socks for Cheng Chi, her heart filled with infinite joy. What was there to see about dragon boats? It wasn’t as if she hadn’t seen them before when she was in Jinling.

She was staying home to make socks for Uncle Chi!