With Cheng Xu gone to Hangzhou Prefecture and Cheng Lu departed for Yuelu Academy, Zhou Shaojin felt even the sky had become a few shades bluer.

She hummed intermittent snippets of nameless tunes while rushing to make clothes for her father and stepmother Li Shi.

Chun Wan ran in cheerfully. “Second Miss, Second Miss, someone came from Master’s side saying Master and Madam will arrive in two days!”

“Really!” Zhou Shaojin was overjoyed. She dropped the needlework in her hands and asked, “Who came? Where are they? Does Elder Sister know?”

“It’s an attendant from Master’s side, someone called Li Changgui. First Master is questioning him in the study right now! First Master sent someone to inform Old Madam, saying he’ll go pay his respects to Old Madam shortly. They also sent word to First Madam’s side, so Elder Miss should know by now too.”

“Let’s go.” Zhou Shaojin hastily straightened her collar and said with a smile, “We’ll go see as well.”

Chun Wan acknowledged and accompanied Zhou Shaojin to Jiashu Hall.

Zhou Chujin and Madam Mian hadn’t arrived yet. Old Madam Guan was changing clothes. Seeing Zhou Shaojin, she smiled and said, “You’ve come at just the right time. I was about to send someone to fetch you—your father will arrive in Jinling City in two days. We’ll know the specific arrangements once your eldest uncle arrives.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled and agreed, then stepped forward to help the maids serving her grandmother with changing clothes.

Before long, Madam Mian and Zhou Chujin arrived.

Before Old Madam Guan could speak, Madam Mian was already beside herself with joy. “I heard Uncle will return in two days?”

Old Madam Guan instructed the maids to serve tea and refreshments, smiling. “We’ll know once First Master arrives.”

As they were speaking, a young maid came in to announce, “First Master has arrived.”

Everyone hurried to the reception room.

Li Changgui kowtowed three times to Old Madam Guan at the courtyard gate, which counted as paying his respects.

Old Madam Guan had someone reward Li Changgui with five taels of silver, and the head steward of the Fourth Branch saw Li Changgui out.

Only then did everyone in the reception room settle down.

Cheng Mian said with a smile, “Brother-in-law said they’ll enter the city on the morning of the second day of the month. After changing clothes, he’ll come pay his respects to you. He’ll probably have lunch here with us. In the afternoon, he’ll take Chujin and her sister home. The next morning they’ll perform ancestral rites, and on the seventh day they’ll depart for Baoding.”

Everyone was quite surprised.

Old Madam Guan said, “Won’t he stay home for the Mid-Autumn Festival? Wasn’t it said he only needs to assume his post by the end of the eighth month?”

“It seems something happened in Baoding.” Cheng Chi said with a smile, “Li Changgui couldn’t explain the specifics clearly. I thought since brother-in-law will be back in two days anyway, I didn’t ask much more.”

Everyone felt disappointed.

Old Madam Guan said, “At least we can see each other. I was worried before that he wouldn’t be able to return. As for the Mid-Autumn Festival, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.” The old lady instructed Cheng Mian and Madam Mian, “Prepare the lunch for the second day properly.” She added, “Did you sound out Li Changgui about whether Uncle wants to come for a simple meal or to formally visit the Cheng family? If it’s just a simple meal, Uncle has surely already prepared local gifts for the First, Second, Third, and Fifth Branches. We just need to inform them in advance. But if he’s coming to formally visit the Cheng family, we’ll probably need to invite the masters from each branch to receive him.”

Cheng Chi smiled. “I asked. Li Changgui said brother-in-law’s intention is that he hasn’t seen Chujin and her sister in so long, and you’ve raised them on his behalf all these years—a kindness as weighty as a mountain. He’s coming mainly to kowtow to you. After lunch, it won’t be too late for him to visit Old Ancestor and the various masters.”

“In that case, arrange dinner then!” Old Madam Guan said thoughtfully, “Let them return home after dinner.”

Cheng Mian agreed with a smile.

Zhou Shaojin and her sister held hands, unable to stop smiling.

Old Madam Guan scolded affectionately, “You two silly girls. Why don’t you go pack your luggage? Are you going to wait until your father arrives to pack your trunks?” As she spoke, tears already glistened in her eyes.

Zhou Shaojin had a sudden flash of inspiration and said cleverly with a smile, “We’re only staying home for a few days anyway, and we’ll be right back. We don’t need to pack so many things. What’s the harm in packing in a few days?”

Old Madam Guan loved hearing this. She pulled Zhou Shaojin into her arms and called her “my dear,” saying, “No wonder people say daughters are their mother’s warm cotton-padded jackets. Here I am in my old age, and I have two extra cotton-padded jackets.”

Everyone laughed.

But once back at Wanxiang Residence, Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin both began packing their luggage somewhat impatiently.

The fragrant soap she made herself, rouge from Yu’s shop, powder from Xie Fuxiang… she wanted to take everything, yet felt nothing needed to be taken back. Only then did Zhou Shaojin realize how many traces she had left in this small room.

No wonder in her previous life Lin Shisheng had said that whenever she recalled the past, it was all related to the Cheng family. The days at the Cheng family were when she was happiest.

Zhou Shaojin caressed the Eight Treasures glazed powder box from Xie Fuxiang. After a long while, she had someone open the trunk where she kept her embroidery.

She took out several sets of children’s clothes from inside. They were all made of the finest silk and satin—garments, shoes and socks, swaddling clothes, cloaks… everything was complete. Some were embroidered with auspicious clouds, some with xuancao grass, some with playing children—all exquisitely made.

In her memory, her younger sister Zhou Youjin was born at the end of this year.

By now, Li Shi should already be four months pregnant.

Father had been very disappointed. It wasn’t until March that he wrote a brief letter home mentioning it casually.

Neither she nor her sister ever got to meet this younger sister.

This time, she hoped to save this younger sister.

Perhaps then Father wouldn’t so easily accept Tinglan, and Li Shi wouldn’t resort to such extreme measures, provoking Father’s disgust and ultimately turning against Li Shi.

Seeing her standing by the trunk looking at children’s clothes, Shi Xiang said curiously, “Weren’t these made for Second Madam of the First Branch? Are you sending them over now?”

Zhou Shaojin smiled. “She only asked me to embroider a swaddling cloth for Cousin Xiao. I have another use for these.”

She put the items back in the trunk.

Cheng Jia ran over. “Shaojin, Shaojin, I heard your father is coming back. And he’s taking you sisters home to stay for a few days. You must be very happy! Can I come visit you then?”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

This Cheng Jia always thought about playing no matter what.

She smiled. “Aren’t you worried about the Duke of Liangguo’s Mansion anymore?”

A couple of days ago, the Duke of Liangguo’s Mansion had sent them things again.

Cheng Jia received a pair of revolving lanterns with glazed enamel flowers. Zhou Shaojin received a pair of rabbit lanterns that could be pulled along. Zhou Chujin received a pair of gauze five-pearl lanterns. They said these were Mid-Autumn Festival gifts.

Zhou Shaojin had accepted them graciously.

Cheng Jia whispered to Zhou Shaojin, “After hearing what you said, I went back and thought about it for several days. Then I found an excuse to go to Liuting Pavilion and told Cousin-in-law Shi about this.” She blinked proudly. “So Cousin Shi went and talked to my father for ages. Then my father issued a decree saying he’d marry me off to anyone but would never marry me to the Duke of Liangguo’s Mansion as someone’s second wife. You know my father—he usually doesn’t keep his word, but this time he was determined. He said if anyone dared to defy him, he’d ask Old Ancestor to step in and drive them out.”

Zhou Shaojin was extremely surprised.

In her heart, Cheng Jia’s father Cheng Lu was timid and weak-willed, someone who could be completely disregarded. She never expected him to have such courage when it came to Cheng Jia’s matter.

Or perhaps in her previous life, Cheng Jia being able to marry Li Jing was also Cheng Lu’s decision?

But Zhou Shaojin was still very pleased that Cheng Jia could find a way to escape her predicament after her hint.

Cheng Jia told her, “Anyway, no matter what my mother thinks, I can’t possibly marry into the Duke of Liangguo’s Mansion now. But I think we should pretend we don’t know and send Azhu a return gift.” She chattered on, “Send flower lanterns? She already sent us flower lanterns. If we use flower lanterns as return gifts, it would be too thoughtless. Sending gold and silver jewelry would be too vulgar… Sending things like fan paintings or writing materials doesn’t seem appropriate…”

“I’m planning to send Azhu a pair of handkerchiefs I embroidered myself,” Zhou Shaojin said.

Cheng Jia pouted in dissatisfaction. “You have no loyalty. How can you only think of yourself? What should I send?”

Zhou Shaojin suggested, “I’m sending handkerchiefs. You could send a pouch? You could also put some jade plaques or something inside the pouch—both valuable and understated…”

Cheng Jia began swatting at Zhou Shaojin. “You know perfectly well I can’t embroider, yet you’re telling me to send Azhu a pouch…”

Zhou Shaojin giggled and dodged to the side.

The two played and laughed in the room.

Zhou Shaojin waited in this warm and peaceful atmosphere for the second day of the eighth month to arrive.

Although she knew Father wouldn’t arrive until noon, the Zhou sisters still got up at dawn, washing their faces and changing clothes. They spent twice as much time as usual getting ready. When the sisters finally met up, Zhou Chujin kept asking Zhou Shaojin whether she had packed everything, asking if Dong Wan had brought the crabapple tea tray she mentioned yesterday, asking if Chi Xiang had packed all the reward silver… looking very nervous.

Zhou Shaojin felt more anticipation than anything.

In her previous life, she had been thoughtless and hadn’t properly honored her father. In this life, she hoped to make it all up to him.

She gripped her sister’s hand.

Her sister’s palm was sweaty and damp.

Yet Zhou Shaojin felt at peace.

After breakfast, they went to Jiashu Hall together.

Every corner of Jiashu Hall was spotlessly clean. Even the leaves on the flowering trees seemed greener than usual—clearly everything had been carefully swept inside and out.

Zhou Shaojin and her sister accompanied Old Madam Guan in offering incense.

The reporting servants came continuously.

“First Master has received Uncle!”

“First Master is accompanying Uncle to Pingqiao Street!”

“First Master and Uncle are coming this way!”

Zhou Shaojin and her sister exchanged a glance, unable to suppress the joy bubbling up in their hearts.

The last to report was Si’er, who said breathlessly, “Old Madam, First Madam, First Miss, Second Miss—First Master and the two young masters are accompanying Uncle here.”

Old Madam Guan, who had been sitting properly on the daybed, suddenly became excited and could no longer sit still. She stood up and walked outside. As she walked, she said, “Chujin, Shaojin, come with me to greet them.”

Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin supported Old Madam Guan lightly on either side and hurried outside.

Cheng Mian was accompanying a tall man toward them.

He appeared to be only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, wearing a sapphire blue lake silk robe with silk cords around his waist. His skin was fair, his features handsome, his expression gentle and warm, his gaze peaceful.

The brothers Cheng Gao and Cheng Yi followed respectfully behind them.

Zhou Shaojin was stunned.

This was her father?

Where was the beard she remembered?