Old Madam Guo’s eyes brightened as she listened.

She fingered the prayer beads in her hands one by one, not speaking for a long while.

At Yuqian Alley, Zhou Shaojin had just finished washing up and was preparing to go to bed when Nanny Shang walked in carrying warm water with a smile, saying, “Second Miss, everyone is tired today. Let me take the night watch, shall I?”

Zhou Shaojin liked to be alone. The maid on night watch merely set up a pallet outside anyway. Hearing this, she didn’t think much of it and said, “Then just go tell Ji Xiang who’s on duty!”

Nanny Shang smiled and agreed. After Zhou Shaojin drank the water and got into bed, she helped extinguish the other candles in the room, placed the only remaining melon-shaped palace lantern on the small table beside the bed, then closed the door and withdrew.

Zhou Shaojin leaned against the headboard reading, but her mind was on what she had said to Old Madam Guo today.

The old madam was worried she wouldn’t be able to withstand others pointing fingers at her, wasn’t she?

Moreover, if she couldn’t endure it and left Uncle Chi, then all of Uncle Chi’s current efforts would become a laughing stock in everyone’s eyes.

As a mother, how could the old madam bear to see her son suffer such humiliation!

But what could she do to make the old madam understand that it wasn’t a momentary impulse, nor was it because she didn’t know how difficult the road ahead would be that she had said those words about not letting go as long as Uncle Chi didn’t let go?

Zhou Shaojin found it quite troubling.

She immediately wanted to go ask Cheng Chi about it.

But this thought flashed through her mind and she immediately extinguished it.

She couldn’t tell Uncle Chi about this matter.

He was a man—he wouldn’t understand a woman’s heart.

If she were a mother, she would probably do the same thing as the old madam. Given her temperament, she might not even handle things as thoroughly as the old madam!

Thinking this way, she became a bit anxious, wanting to quickly become familiar with inner household management. If she really married Uncle Chi in the future, Old Madam Guo would surely live with Cheng Jing and the others. Judging by Uncle Chi’s manner in buying property at Chaoyang Gate, and because of her, the Cheng family would most likely have them move out to live separately. Although Second Madam Wei seemed gentle and kind, from her bearing in dealing with people and affairs, one could tell she too came from a prestigious family and was capable of managing the inner household. It wouldn’t do if she turned out to be the worst, unable to even take care of Uncle Chi—the Cheng family members would only feel even more that Uncle Chi had gotten a bad deal…

Zhou Shaojin felt embarrassed.

Uncle Chi hadn’t even said when he would marry her, yet here she was worrying unnecessarily and daydreaming.

She covered her face with the quilt.

A man’s soft coughing sound echoed in the room.

Zhou Shaojin threw off the quilt covering her face and called out “Uncle Chi” with both surprise and delight.

Cheng Chi walked out from behind the screen with a smile.

He wore an indigo-blue fine cloth robe and held a large bunch of jasmine flowers in his hands.

A faint fragrance permeated the entire inner chamber.

Zhou Shaojin’s small face was jade-like and lustrous. She threw off the quilt wanting to rush forward, then suddenly remembered she was only wearing undergarments. She quickly wrapped herself up in the thin quilt and shrank to the corner of the bed, her face crimson as she murmured “Uncle Chi.”

Cheng Chi smiled at her, gentle, gracious, and warm, saying, “When I came in, I saw the jasmine flowers blooming beautifully, so I picked a few branches. Where is the flower vase? I’ll arrange them for you. Best to find a blue Ru ware bottle or one with Longquan ice-crack glaze.”

Zhou Shaojin had no idea what to say.

She mumbled instinctively, “The flower vase… should be in the trunk… that’s too much trouble…” Mainly it would disturb whoever was on night watch.

Zhou Shaojin’s eyes widened.

No wonder Nanny Shang had volunteered to take the night watch—she must have already received word that Uncle Chi was coming…

That scoundrel!

Zhou Shaojin’s cheeks burned like fire as she boldly directed Cheng Chi, “Just take the reward vase from the curio shelf. We can change it tomorrow.”

The curio shelf was in the rest room on the west side.

Cheng Chi crossed through the main hall to the west room.

Zhou Shaojin watched his light, quick steps and smiled with pursed lips.

Before long, Cheng Chi returned with a sacrificial red porcelain reward vase. He had even filled it with clear water, inserted the flowers into it, and placed it on the side table.

Didn’t he say he would arrange them for her?

Why didn’t he put it on the small table at the bedside?

Zhou Shaojin blinked.

Cheng Chi smiled and said, “Your constitution is too weak. If the flowers are placed at your bedside, they’ll be too fragrant and make you uncomfortable.”

Zhou Shaojin murmured her thanks bashfully.

Cheng Chi then unceremoniously sat on the edge of the bed, just smiling silently as he looked at her.

That gaze was very different from usual.

It carried some excitement, some relief, some joy, and some emotion… complex and difficult to understand. It made Zhou Shaojin’s heart pound, not knowing what he wanted to do. She stammered, “You… coming to find me so late… is there something wrong?” As she spoke, she couldn’t help but tighten the quilt wrapped around her.

Cheng Chi laughed, beckoned to her, and said, “Come here!”

Zhou Shaojin instinctively wanted to refuse, but thinking of how Cheng Chi looked at her—there was everything in that gaze except the kind of obscene expression that would make her afraid.

She bit her lip and, wrapped in the quilt, moved over.

Cheng Chi’s long arms reached out and pulled her into his embrace.

Zhou Shaojin was so frightened she didn’t dare move.

Cheng Chi laughed softly by her ear, gently kissing the top of her head, saying, “Shaojin, how can you be so adorable? What should I do with you?”

That helpless yet cherishing tone made Zhou Shaojin’s heart tremble, making her feel strange and afraid. She said evasively, “What are you doing!”

Her tone was dry and carried some fierceness, but spoken in her sweet, soft voice, it sounded like a child throwing a tantrum—completely without威慑力.

Cheng Chi laughed heartily and gently kissed her forehead.

His little girl… always brought him joy from time to time!

She was a guest in the inner residence, but his people had been watching over her all along.

When his mother suddenly asked her to accompany her to the privy, his heart had sunk with foreboding.

He had rushed over immediately.

But his mother had still acted before he arrived.

When he got there, his little girl was kneeling, begging his mother to grant them her blessing, even saying “As long as Uncle Chi doesn’t let go, I will never let go.”

Cheng Chi cupped Zhou Shaojin’s face and kissed her forehead hard again.

All this time, hadn’t all his hesitation, uncertainty, and wavering been because of her weak nature and gentle temperament?

He was afraid she didn’t like him enough—afraid that once he spoke his feelings, she would change her mind because of her sister’s persuasion, her father’s authority, or other people’s gossip.

Then he wouldn’t even have a chance to salvage things.

He too had fears in his heart.

He too lacked complete confidence.

Cheng Chi held Zhou Shaojin tightly, taking her earlobe in his mouth as he called her “darling.”

Since he knew his own heart, naturally he wanted to marry the woman he loved.

But one person’s struggle and two people’s effort were so different!

It was like when playing the flute, having someone beside you playing the zither in harmony, rather than just standing aside watching… having a companion, having someone with you… He kissed Zhou Shaojin’s cheek again.

Zhou Shaojin pushed him away forcefully, glaring at him indignantly with her large almond-shaped eyes.

He laughed softly and said, “Shaojin, don’t you have something to tell me?”

Zhou Shaojin’s heart skipped a beat.

Could he know about Old Madam Guo’s conversation with her?

On second thought, that seemed impossible.

Even if Old Madam Guo had planned to speak with her that day, the timing of the conversation was decided on the spot. Uncle Chi couldn’t have known in advance.

But what did he mean by this?

Zhou Shaojin was somewhat confused and said, “I don’t have anything to tell you. Has something happened? You might as well say it directly.”

Laughter gradually overflowed from his eyes.

His little girl—he worried she would feel wronged, but for the sake of those she valued, she never felt wronged at all.

“Shaojin!” Cheng Chi called her name gently, stroking her hair.

Zhou Shaojin quickly dodged Cheng Chi, moving backward and leaning against the bedboard, her face like the morning clouds as she said, “What? If you have something to say, say it quickly. I need to rest!”

Cheng Chi looked at her guarded appearance and laughed again.

Zhou Shaojin kicked at him with her feet, meaning for him to speak quickly.

“I just wanted to come see you!” Cheng Chi said with a smile, unconcerned by her actions.

“Well, now you’ve seen me. Hurry up and go rest!” Zhou Shaojin said with a red face. “Be careful not to get caught by curfew if you go back too late.”

Cheng Chi nodded and said, “I’ll leave once I’ve watched you fall asleep.”

Zhou Shaojin had never been able to out-stubborn Cheng Chi.

She hastily wrapped herself in the quilt and lay down, saying, “No need, no need. With you here, I can’t sleep!”

Cheng Chi actually agreed “Alright,” helped her tuck in the quilt corners, kissed her forehead, then stood up and left the inner chamber.

Zhou Shaojin was somewhat dumbfounded.

Uncle Chi was so strange today!

How did he leave so easily?

Usually he was quite domineering.

Zhou Shaojin bit her lip, put on her shoes, and crept to the window to look.

Cheng Chi left through the corner gate.

He really just left Yuqian Alley like that.

Zhou Shaojin was puzzled but couldn’t figure out why Cheng Chi would come to see her so inexplicably in the middle of the night.

She had Chun Wan go to Chaoyang Gate to inquire.

Chun Wan returned in great alarm, having taken it upon herself to dismiss those serving in Zhou Shaojin’s room. Nearly in tears with urgency, she said, “Second Miss, this is terrible! I went to Chaoyang Gate and heard that Jiuru Alley is dividing—the second branch will stay in Jinling while the first branch moves to the capital. All the communal property will be left to the second branch, and the first branch will also give the second branch a large monetary compensation. Because of this, all the first branch’s property in Jinling has been sold, including Madam Yuan’s dowry. Now many servants who once served the first branch are unwilling to stay at Jiuru Alley and want the old madam to take them to the capital. When I went, Sister Biyu had just received letters from her two sisters, hoping she could put in a good word with the old madam to bring their two families to the capital as well. Everyone is very anxious, not knowing what the old madam and the master will decide!”

So the matter of Jiuru Alley’s clan division had already surfaced!

Zhou Shaojin said to Chun Wan, “You don’t need to worry about this. Since they are hereditary servants of the first branch, if they want to follow to the capital, they will certainly be brought along. If we just left those people in Jinling, who would serve the first branch in the future? Even I understand this principle—there’s no reason the old madam and the master wouldn’t know it. When you go back, tell them this to reassure them!”

Chun Wan nodded repeatedly.

Li Shi burst in, her face slightly pale as she asked Zhou Shaojin, “I heard from my elder brother that everyone outside is saying Jiuru Alley is dividing the clan. Is it true?”