Once a daughter married out, she belonged to another family. But a son had to support the household and manage family affairs, which would naturally create irreconcilable conflicts of interest with a stepmother.

Therefore, Nanny Li also felt her young mistress should endure. Things would be better once the two young ladies married out.

Before coming, she had mentally prepared herself. No matter what temperament the two Zhou young ladies had, even if they spat in her face, she would have to smile, endure, and respectfully serve the two young ladies without complaint.

Unexpectedly, both young ladies were proper young ladies of good families—everything they said and did was magnanimous and courteous. No wonder Master was willing to marry their young lady in—just based on these two young ladies’ bearing, they had more refinement than the typical daughters of provincial or metropolitan examination graduates. This couldn’t help but make her somewhat emotional.

After hearing Nanny Li’s words, Li Shi quickly said, “That’s natural. But I don’t know what the two young ladies like to eat. Go ask Ma Fushan’s wife later. She’s been dealing with the two young ladies for years. In the Zhou household, she probably knows them best.” Thinking for a moment, she added, “When you go, also take two gold hairpins. Courtesy costs nothing.”

The Li family was very satisfied with this marriage. The dowry alone was twenty thousand taels of silver, not to mention Father Li supplemented Li Shi with three thousand taels of silver in private funds each year—Li Shi never lacked silver. On this return trip, just for rewarding people, she had cast five hundred taels into silver ingots.

Nanny Li understood and went to Ma Fushan’s wife’s quarters.

Thus, after Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin had both settled in and washed up, the kitchen sent over rock sugar pear soup.

“The kitchen said,” Chun Wan, who brought in the rock sugar pear soup, explained, “it’s too late today. They’re afraid other things would be hard for the two young ladies to digest. Tomorrow evening they’ll change to lotus seed, lily, and red bean soup.”

Zhou Chujin nodded.

Zhou Shaojin picked up her bowl and drank several mouthfuls.

Her throat had been feeling a bit dry these past few days.

The rock sugar pear soup was sweet and clear, at just the right temperature.

“Delicious!” Zhou Shaojin praised. Seeing her sister sitting without moving, she said, “Elder Sister, drink quickly. Once it cools, it won’t taste as good as it does now.”

Zhou Chujin tapped Zhou Shaojin’s forehead with a finger and scolded affectionately, “You’re such a silly girl, wasting that clever face of yours.”

Oh!

Zhou Shaojin hadn’t heard her sister say this to her in over ten years.

In her previous life, whenever she did something wrong, her sister would always say this to her.

What had she done wrong this time?

Zhou Shaojin carefully reviewed today’s events. Apart from looking around the Second Branch like a country person entering the city when they visited there, she didn’t seem to have done anything wrong!

Seeing she still looked confused, Zhou Chujin sighed and shook her head. Seeing that aside from Chi Xiang making their beds, there was no one else in the room, she lowered her voice. “Think about it. We’ve only just returned, yet the kitchen already knows what we usually have. If Madam hadn’t returned with Father and Ma Fushan’s wife was in charge, this wouldn’t be surprising. But now that Madam has returned, Ma Fushan’s wife can’t make decisions, yet the kitchen reacted so quickly… This new madam of ours is probably not simple.”

Zhou Shaojin set down her bowl and smiled. “Elder Sister, set your mind at ease. As long as Father is on our side, Madam won’t cause trouble. Even if she does, between the two of us, are we afraid of her? Perhaps Madam just wants to get along well with us. Family harmony brings prosperity in all things. Who would want chaos at home? If she’s good to us, we’ll appreciate her kindness. Later, Elder Sister will go to Zhenjiang, and I’ll stay home at most two or three years. Madam is surely a sensible person.”

Zhou Chujin was stunned hearing this, then laughed. “I don’t know if you’re truly foolish or pretending. You’re right. We’re only spending a few days with her anyway. As long as we get along on the surface, that’s enough. We can’t let Father be sad.”

“Exactly, exactly.” Zhou Shaojin smiled sweetly and urged Zhou Chujin to drink the rock sugar pear soup. “This rock sugar is very good. Perhaps Madam brought it from Nanchang!”

Zhou Chujin took a sip. Sweet but not cloying—it was indeed excellent ingredients.

She instructed Chi Xiang, “I remember Grandmother had Eldest Uncle pack us two boxes of Suzhou-style pastries to bring back. Go give them to Madam. Say that we sisters thank her.”

Chi Xiang went with a smile.

Zhou Shaojin and her sister rinsed their mouths and retired for the night.

The next day, before dawn, Ma Fushan’s wife woke them. “You’re going to perform ancestral rites. The two young ladies mustn’t be late.”

Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin got up and dressed.

Zhou Zhen’s grandfather had bought a burial plot at the foot of Qinglong Mountain east of Jinling City. He had moved the graves of his great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents there, making it the Zhou family ancestral cemetery.

They had to first take sedan chairs to Baixia Bridge, then take a boat from Yanque Lake to Qinglong Mountain.

After breakfast, it was already light. Zhou Shaojin and her sister went to the study to pay their respects to Father and Li Shi.

Zhou Zhen was already prepared. He was chatting idly with Ma Fushan in the flower garden in front of the study while waiting for the sisters. Seeing them, he immediately smiled. “You’re wearing so much. Be careful not to get too hot later.”

It was now the season when mornings and evenings were cool but midday was hot.

One Zhou sister wore a blue-green jacket with four-persimmon pattern, the other wore a moon-white jacket with honeysuckle and grape pattern.

Zhou Chujin smiled. “Younger Sister has a weak constitution and can’t take the cold. We also brought vests to change into when it gets hot at noon.”

Zhou Zhen nodded. “Come, I have something to give you two sisters.”

Zhou Shaojin and her sister followed Zhou Zhen to the study.

Zhou Zhen took out two small boxes—carved from yellow pear wood with flowers, very exquisite.

Zhou Shaojin thought of the greeting gifts Li Shi had given her and her sister yesterday—one set of ruby jewelry and one set of sapphire jewelry. She couldn’t help but ask, “What is this?”

A hint of mischief flashed in Zhou Zhen’s eyes. “You two guess!”

Like a mischievous big child.

Zhou Shaojin suddenly felt Father was very approachable, instantly closing the distance between them.

She gently weighed the box, thought for a moment, and said thoughtfully, “Could it be a seal?”

In her previous life, she had heard someone say that Father seemed to like collecting seals and was skilled at seal carving.

Zhou Zhen saw her tilting her head, her large black-and-white eyes blinking—exactly like Lady Zhuang when she was thinking about something. He was already very pleased. Hearing her guess correctly and thinking of how Lady Zhuang had loved ancient bronzes and jade during her lifetime, his heart grew even happier. He picked up Zhou Shaojin in one motion and said, “You clever little thing, nothing can stump you. They are indeed seals. I carved them for you and your sister—one is inscribed ‘Duanyi,’ the other ‘Xiyan.’ For you to use in the future.”

In both her lives, Zhou Shaojin had never been picked up by anyone like this. Her body stiffened, her face flushed, and she didn’t dare move.

Fortunately, Zhou Zhen quickly realized it was inappropriate.

Shaojin was already twelve years old, not two.

He set Zhou Shaojin down.

Zhou Chujin watched and giggled, happily opening her box.

A chicken-blood stone seal with vivid crimson colors that looked splashed on, carved with auspicious cloud button. Engraved in Qin clerical script with the two characters “Duanyi”—the calligraphy was majestic, ancient, and gracefully flowing. Both the seal and the carving were extraordinary, very precious.

Zhou Chujin was extremely pleased and repeatedly thanked Zhou Zhen, holding it in her hands and examining it again and again.

Zhou Shaojin’s seal was the same as Zhou Chujin’s, except carved with the two characters “Xiyan.”

She didn’t particularly like chicken-blood stone, finding the color red like blood somewhat frightening. But the seal was perfectly square, only three fen long but two cun tall, reminding her of the personal seal Liao Zhangying wore on her person. She thought that if she ever published calligraphy like Liao Zhangying, she could stamp this seal on it, which would be quite nice. She also happily thanked Father.

Ma Fushan’s wife walked in. “Madam has finished breakfast.”

Zhou Zhen said, “Then let’s depart!”

Ma Fushan’s wife went to pass the message. Zhou Zhen led his two daughters out of the study.

Li Shi, supported by Nanny Li, stood under the corridor. Seeing Zhou Zhen and his three daughters approaching, she quickly stepped forward to curtsy to Zhou Zhen.

Zhou Zhen supported Li Shi and didn’t let her curtsy. “There are no outsiders. You needn’t be so formal.”

Li Shi smiled in acknowledgment, greeted the Zhou sisters, and with lowered brows and downcast eyes, followed behind Zhou Zhen to the sedan chair hall.

Zhou Zhen had been away at his post for years. Though the Zhou household had a sedan chair, it hadn’t been used in many years and had fallen into disrepair. He had originally wanted to hire several sedan chairs, but Cheng Mian had already thought of this and thoughtfully offered to have Jiuru Alley’s sedan chairs transport them back and forth.

Ma Fushan rewarded the sedan chair bearers.

Zhou Zhen asked Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin, “Will you ride together or separately?”

“Together, naturally!” The sisters answered in unison.

Zhou Zhen smiled again and instructed Ma Fushan, “Put the tiered food box I had you prepare yesterday into Elder Miss and Second Miss’s sedan chair.”

Ma Fushan’s wife cheerfully agreed.

They boarded the sedan chairs.

Once the chairs were lifted, Zhou Shaojin opened the tiered food box. It contained candied sugar, winter melon strips, honeyed dates, rice cakes, fortune persimmons, rose cakes… a full tiered box, all items from Qifang Studio.

Zhou Shaojin felt Father was truly… very good.

She lifted the sedan curtain and looked ahead.

Father’s green woolen sedan chair swayed along in front, yet it made her feel very secure.

Once on the boat, Zhou Zhen pointed out scenery along the way and told them historical anecdotes. Not only the Zhou sisters but even Li Shi listened with great interest.

Zhou Shaojin asked Father, “When you went to the First Branch yesterday, did you see Uncle Chi? Why didn’t he come for dinner in the afternoon?”

Zhou Zhen found it a bit strange that his younger daughter would ask about Cheng Chi, but thinking that his younger daughter had been copying scriptures at Hanbi Mountain Lodge these days and probably had much contact with Cheng Chi, he didn’t think much of it. He smiled. “I did see Chi Si. But Chi Si seemed very busy. After exchanging a few words with him, I took my leave. I didn’t expect you to spend so much time at the First Branch. I heard you even met Old Madam Guo?” He deliberately praised his daughter in front of Li Shi, smiling. “Old Madam Guo stopped receiving guests years ago. It looks like I’m benefiting from Chujin and Shaojin’s favor this time! Otherwise, how would I get to ride on such a nice boat?”

The boat they were on also belonged to the Cheng family.

Zhou Chujin saw through Father’s intention and smiled with pressed lips.

But Zhou Shaojin was wondering why Cheng Chi hadn’t attended the banquet at Jiashu Hall. Since Father hadn’t told her explicitly, she couldn’t ask again… No wonder in her previous life Cheng Chi was like an invisible person—she had lived at the Cheng residence for over ten years but had never encountered him.

Could he not attend ancestral rites either?

Zhou Shaojin thought about this and felt somewhat embarrassed.

The Cheng family’s ancestral rites had nothing to do with her, so naturally she wouldn’t know whether Cheng Chi appeared or not.

By the time they finished the ancestral rites, it was past noon. Zhou Shaojin and the others had a hasty lunch on the boat. When they returned to Jinling City, the sun was already setting in the west.