Zhou Shaojin’s small movements went unnoticed by others, but Old Madam Guo, who had been watching her all along, saw them.

She couldn’t help but let out a long sigh, yet still paid no attention to Zhou Shaojin, smiling as she talked with Grand Madam Liao and the others.

Zhou Shaojin felt she should take the initiative to greet Old Madam Guo, but looking at Old Madam Guo’s cool gaze, the courage she had finally mustered was like a punctured ball—it gradually disappeared bit by bit under Old Madam Guo’s disregard of her.

What should she do?

Zhou Shaojin felt somewhat awkward.

She seemed to have returned to her previous life, to those days when she was provoked by Yuan Shi and ignored by Old Madam Guo.

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but shudder. Her fingers twisted even tighter, but she kept warning herself inwardly—the previous life was the previous life, this life was this life. Uncle Chi wasn’t Cheng Xu either. And her relationship with Uncle Chi was inherently somewhat awkward—Old Madam Guo couldn’t possibly like her as she had before…

After quite a while, her mood gradually calmed. She mustered her courage again, and when a little maid came in to refill their cups, she took the hot water from the maid’s hands, brewed a fresh cup of tea for Old Madam Guo, and placed it at her side.

Old Madam Guo didn’t even glance at Zhou Shaojin, continuing her conversation with Grand Madam Liao. “…She almost married into the Shen family of Jinling back then. Who knew that before the two families formally raised the matter, that Young Master Shen drowned. Your fourteenth aunt was delayed all these years. Now hearing you say this—though she married in her hometown with a respectful husband and filial son, living an extremely satisfying life—this can be considered good things coming after hardships!”

They were talking about Grand Madam Liao’s aunt.

From their tone, Zhou Shaojin could tell this fourteenth aunt of Grand Madam Liao’s was quite familiar with Old Madam Guo.

She lowered her eyelids.

Deeply experiencing what her father had said.

The Zhou family had very shallow foundations.

She also deeply felt her father’s helplessness.

Zhou Shaojin had never been skilled at social maneuvering. With Old Madam Guo deliberately giving her the cold shoulder, she didn’t know how to break this impasse. She simply withdrew and continued sitting in the corner listening to them talk.

Second Madam Wei, however, quite liked this young lady who was like a flower bud—stunning to behold.

She quietly instructed the little maid serving her to bring an extra fruit plate and place it on the tea table beside Zhou Shaojin, smiling as she said softly, “Are you very bored? Elders always talk like this. Bear with it a bit, have some fruit. We’ll be having lunch soon. There’s a theatrical performance this afternoon.”

They had even arranged a theatrical performance!

Zhou Shaojin was somewhat surprised.

Such kindness felt even more heartwarming against Old Madam Guo’s coldness.

She smiled as she thanked Second Madam Wei.

Her serene, moon-like smile dazzled Second Madam Wei, who paused before smiling back at her and returning to her seat.

A little maid ran in, beaming with joy. “Old Madam, Second Madam, First Young Madam, Second Young Madam, and Third Young Madam have arrived.”

Cheng Zheng and the others had also chosen today to return to the residence?

No wonder Old Madam Guo had invited performers for a theatrical show.

Zhou Shaojin and the others went out to greet them.

Cheng Zheng wore sapphire blue, her hair in a peony bun, wearing pure gold hairpins with ruby phoenixes—graceful and noble. Cheng Xiao wore a pomegranate-red vest with her hair in a round bun, adorned with large jade flowers—her smile warm and approachable. Cheng Sheng wore a light green jacket with her hair in a slanted bun, decorated with twin lotus flowers—charming and adorable.

The three walked over with warm laughter, like a painting of beauties.

Grand Madam Liao was first to praise, “Old Madam’s family truly produces beauties! Look at these three young madams—they dazzle the eyes!”

Old Madam Guo chuckled.

Cheng Zheng led her two sisters forward to greet everyone, smiling. “You’re too kind! A few days ago at Commissioner He’s house, I saw Axuan—graceful and refined. That’s true beauty!”

Fang Xuan’s father was Grand Madam Liao’s younger brother.

And Commissioner He was Cheng Gao’s father-in-law, He Mianzhi.

After completing his mourning period, with Cheng Jing’s support, his official career had advanced even further—he now served as Commissioner of the Office of Transmission.

Grand Madam Liao quickly smiled and said, “She’s just too mischievous. How can she compare to your dignified and graceful manner?”

The group inevitably exchanged more pleasantries.

Another little maid ran in, saying, “Grand Madam Fang has arrived with Sixth Miss Fang.”

Fang Xuan?!

Zhou Shaojin frowned.

Grand Madam Liao smiled and said, “Truly, speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.”

Cheng Zheng remained silent.

She had just noticed a flash of confusion in Old Madam Guo’s eyes.

Could it be that Grand Madam Fang had come uninvited?

Cheng Zheng took a few steps back, standing behind Old Madam Guo like an attendant.

Grand Madam Liao and the others, however, went out to greet them.

Soon, the bejeweled Grand Madam Fang entered with Fang Xuan.

Fang Xuan wore a moon-white jacket with yellow-green piping and a green eight-panel Xiang skirt. Her jet-black hair was coiled in a bun, adorned with a pair of South Sea pearl flowers—refined and beautiful, very pretty.

Seeing Zhou Shaojin there as well, she appeared somewhat surprised, but still came forward with a calm expression to greet Zhou Shaojin.

Zhou Shaojin politely returned the greeting. Following behind everyone into the reception room, she heard Grand Madam Fang say with a smile, “…Her mother went to the Min family to help. When she heard you’d come, she insisted on kowtowing to you. She pestered me until I had no choice but to bring her. Old Madam, please tolerate this little monkey for my sake!”

Old Madam Guo smiled faintly. Before she could speak, Fang Xuan stepped forward and kowtowed three times to Old Madam Guo. Rising, she tugged at Old Madam Guo’s sleeve, saying, “When I was small, I accompanied Father to Jinling City and met Old Madam. You even bestowed a red agate bracelet on me—that bracelet still lies in my jewelry box to this day! I remember it clearly.”

Old Madam Guo laughed, appearing very pleased.

Inexplicably, Zhou Shaojin felt as if sitting on pins and needles.

Throughout the subsequent socializing, dining, and watching the opera, Fang Xuan remained constantly by Old Madam Guo’s side, and Old Madam Guo also kept her there.

Zhou Shaojin felt dejected.

Making an excuse about needing the privy, she sat on a stone bench under the large, thick-trunked locust tree not far from the flower hall to catch her breath. Thinking she’d been out long enough, she finally stood up and emerged from behind the tree.

Old Madam Guo, who should have been sitting on the arhat bed in the flower hall watching the opera, was instead standing with Grand Madam Fang in the corridor outside the flower hall, talking.

Both their expressions were somewhat serious.

Zhou Shaojin silently groaned, about to retreat. But both Old Madam Guo’s and Grand Madam Fang’s gazes turned toward her.

She could only steel herself and walk toward them with a smile, curtsying.

Old Madam Guo then said to Grand Madam Fang, “I understand this matter. I’ll have a good talk with Silang. I’ll let you know when there’s news.”

Grand Madam Fang’s face showed gratitude.

Old Madam Guo then extended her hand, indicating for Zhou Shaojin to support her.

Zhou Shaojin didn’t dare delay and quickly helped Old Madam Guo.

Old Madam Guo then said, “I need to visit the privy. You go back and watch the opera! I hear it’s some Evergreen Troupe that’s very famous in the capital. You rarely come to the capital, so just relax and enjoy yourself for a few days before returning.”

Grand Madam Fang smiled and replied, “Very well.” She instructed Zhou Shaojin to take good care of Old Madam Guo before returning to the flower hall.

The corridor to the privy twisted and turned, surrounded by tall boxwood trees. It was the lush season when branches and leaves grew abundantly, providing shade from the sun—a patch of deep shadow. As the two walked along, the occasional rustle of sleeves made the silence even more pronounced.

Old Madam Guo entered the inner room where the chamber pot was kept.

Zhou Shaojin helped prepare the cleansing beans for Old Madam Guo to wash her hands afterward.

Old Madam Guo stood at the dressing table washing her hands. Looking up, she could see Zhou Shaojin in the mirror.

She spoke coldly, “Shaojin, you like Silang, don’t you?”

Zhou Shaojin looked up in shock, her almond eyes wide and round as they appeared in the mirror.

Old Madam Guo casually picked up the handkerchief placed beside the dressing table, wiped her hands, turned around, and said, “I regard you as a granddaughter. If you’re my granddaughter, I’d be happy to marry you off in glory. But if you become my daughter-in-law, making my son carry the name of seducing his niece for his entire life—I cannot accept that.”

Zhou Shaojin lowered her eyelids, appearing somewhat uneasy.

Old Madam Guo sneered, “Did Silang tell you to play deaf and dumb, pretending you know nothing? He’s the one I gave birth to and raised—don’t I know his capabilities? Those tactics of his only work on outside stewards and managers, and even then only because they respect him as Fourth Master of the Cheng family.”

Zhou Shaojin quickly said, “No, it’s not…”

Old Madam Guo didn’t wait for her to finish speaking. She had already tossed the handkerchief on the dressing table and said in a somber voice, “Shaojin, do you know why Grand Madam Fang came to find me? Silang wants to marry you, so he incited Yuan Shi to divide the clan. The old ancestor of the second branch demanded that the first branch give the second branch three million taels of silver. The second branch then claimed externally that this was the result of negotiation between the branches. Yuan Shi now has the support of Uncle Yuan and has decided to sell the dowry she received from her mother—including the shares that went to her various uncles. Yuan Shi’s mother was a daughter of the Fang family. That property was part of the Fang family’s dowry. The Fang family uncles didn’t know what had happened and came to me… Shaojin, there are no walls that don’t let wind through. If Yuan Shi later learns that Silang agreed to divide the family in order to marry you, what will she think? And Jiashan—if you enter the family, how will you get along with him? What will happen to this family in the future? And your father—how will he address your grandmother when he sees her? How will your sister explain to Grand Madam Liao the relationship between you two? Will she call Silang ‘Uncle’ or ‘Brother-in-law’…”

Old Madam Guo’s words fell like hammer blows on Zhou Shaojin’s heart.

These concerns of Old Madam’s were exactly her own worries too!

The sweeter things were between her and Cheng Chi, the more she worried.

But she always thought that with Uncle Chi, he would surely find a way to resolve it… She had forgotten that he too was human, with matters beyond his capability.

Zhou Shaojin’s face grew somewhat pale.

Looking at Old Madam Guo’s resolute face, she said in a low voice, “Then… then what should I do?”

Old Madam Guo looked at her with a penetrating gaze, saying softly, “The matter between you and Silang—act as if it never happened. I will handle Silang’s side. In a few days, you’ll return to Baoding Prefecture. I’ll select a good husband for you from families like the Li family of Lujiang or the Yuan family of Tongxiang, and I’ll provide the dowry…”

Zhou Shaojin’s tears fell uncontrollably.

Old Madam was… refusing to agree…

Old Madam Guo lowered her voice, saying solemnly, “Think it over carefully. When you’ve thought it through, tell me. As for Silang, I’ll handle him!”

She turned and left.

Zhou Shaojin stood alone in the privy, dazed.

In the distance, the faint sounds of the performers’ singing drifted intermittently.

Her heart felt as if it had been hollowed out.