Zhou Shaojin felt Nan Ping was being too polite.

She smiled and said, “It’s fine, really. Miss Ji Ying just asked me to teach her how to make socks. It’s not really a disturbance.”

Hearing this, Nan Ping seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and said, “Second Miss has dealt with Ji Ying, so you know—she’s good in every way, just too straightforward in temperament and can’t bear the slightest grievance. But when people walk through this world, how can everything go smoothly? That’s why I had her help make some needlework for Fourth Master, to keep her occupied and prevent her from running around aimlessly—Fourth Master went to Huai’an and still hasn’t returned!”

Zhou Shaojin believed Nan Ping’s words, otherwise she wouldn’t have only asked Ji Ying to make four pairs of socks for Cheng Chi.

For someone who couldn’t do needlework, making four pairs of socks would be very difficult, but for someone who could do needlework, it would only take a day’s work.

Zhou Shaojin didn’t know what rift existed between Nan Ping and Ji Ying, but hearing that Cheng Chi hadn’t returned yet, she was somewhat afraid the two might start quarreling. After thinking for a moment, she said, “Why don’t you let Ji Ying learn needlework from me for a few days? When Uncle Chi returns, it won’t be too late for you to teach her yourself.”

Nan Ping knew she couldn’t order Ji Ying around. After thinking, she gratefully thanked Zhou Shaojin and said, “Then I’ll trouble Second Miss for the next few days. Fourth Master will return in three days at most.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded, seeing Nan Ping off.

Returning to the room, Ji Ying was there practicing with needle and thread.

Zhou Shaojin was very pleased to see this, feeling that although Ji Ying was arrogant, she was someone who took things seriously.

Ji Ying asked her, “Nan Ping left?”

“Yes!” Zhou Shaojin sat down and continued sewing socks. “She said she came specially to apologize because having you here learning needlework from me was disturbing me.”

Ji Ying snorted coldly and threw down the needle and thread in her hands. “I just can’t stand the way she acts. As if only she is utterly loyal to your Uncle Chi, and everyone else has divided loyalties.”

Zhou Shaojin thought carefully and indeed, Nan Ping and Ji Ying really were two different types of people. Perhaps this was the main reason for the conflict between them.

She finished sewing one sock and saw Ji Ying still sitting there in a daze. She couldn’t help saying, “What’s wrong? Is something not working well for you?”

“Oh!” Ji Ying came back to her senses. “Nothing’s not working well, I’m just not quite used to it.” As she spoke, she picked up the needle and thread and, following what Zhou Shaojin had just taught her, slowly sewed two scrap pieces of cloth.

Zhou Shaojin smiled slightly and quickly finished sewing the other sock.

She picked it up and examined it carefully, smiling with satisfaction.

Ji Ying leaned over and said, “You really can’t tell—just this tiny little change makes the socks look so much better.” She added, “You must really enjoy doing needlework, right? My father said that only when you like something can you possibly do it well.”

Zhou Shaojin was somewhat surprised and smiled. “Your father is quite insightful.”

“Of course!” Ji Ying straightened her back with some pride. “When my father was young, he traveled to many places. He even went to sea to search for Penglai Immortal Island. Though he didn’t find it…” As she spoke, she smiled faintly, looking mischievous like a little girl, with no trace of her cold and haughty demeanor.

Zhou Shaojin laughed too, growing even more curious about Ji Ying’s background.

She set the socks aside and said, “You practice first. When you’re ready, I’ll teach you how to do this cross-stitch.”

Ji Ying said, “I haven’t even learned this most basic running stitch yet!”

Zhou Shaojin smiled. “What seems simplest is actually the hardest to do well. Why do you think we chose cross-stitch to sew Uncle Chi’s socks? It’s because with cross-stitch, if there are any pulls or irregularities, they’re not very noticeable. It’s perfect for someone like you.”

“Really?” Ji Ying was somewhat skeptical but didn’t argue, lowering her head to continue practicing sewing.

Zhou Shaojin took out the unfinished forehead band to embroider.

Ji Ying asked her, “Is this for Old Madam Guo? It looks like a treasure flower pattern… but everyone else uses bright red, bright green, and royal blue. Why are you using lilac, yellow vine, and crow blue colors?”

“Colors should also suit a person’s age.” Zhou Shaojin smiled. “Look at Old Madam Guo. If you embroider a forehead band in bright red, bright green, and royal blue, do you think she’d like it?”

Ji Ying laughed, her expression losing some of its cold beauty and gaining more warmth.

Zhou Shaojin then asked her, “How come I haven’t seen Miss Ming He? Last time I went to the needlework room I met Ming He.” She recounted the incident and added, “I’ve been to Xiaoshan Conggui Courtyard two or three times and haven’t encountered her.”

Ji Ying said, “She’s about to become a bride, so these days she’s hiding in her room doing needlework!”

Zhou Shaojin was very surprised. “Ming He is getting married? How come I haven’t heard the people at Hanbi Mountain Lodge mention it? Who is she marrying? Where does he serve?”

“She’s a maid at Xiaoshan Conggui Courtyard. When she marries, naturally your Uncle Chi makes the decision. Why broadcast it for everyone to know?” Ji Ying said. “Your Uncle Chi betrothed her to a constable surnamed Shen in Huzhou. The Shen family has been constables for generations and has some family assets. It should be pretty good, I suppose? I haven’t met him.” She continued complaining, “If even Ming He weren’t so busy, I wouldn’t be in such a sorry state!”

Zhou Shaojin was speechless.

Why would Ji Ying need to meet Ming He’s husband?

She felt the more she interacted with Ji Ying, the more she found Ji Ying’s words and actions somewhat odd.

But for Uncle Chi to marry Ming He off to a constable… that was strange enough too!

The two chatted about various household matters. Sometimes Zhou Shaojin only asked one question and Ji Ying would rattle off a long explanation, while other times Zhou Shaojin asked for ages and Ji Ying dismissed her with a single sentence. But regardless of who spoke more or less, after several exchanges, Zhou Shaojin felt there was no burden in getting along with Ji Ying, and her impression of Ji Ying grew increasingly favorable.

Ji Ying’s temper, however, grew increasingly poor. She threw down the scrap cloth in her hands. “I need a break!”

Zhou Shaojin smiled with pursed lips and had Shi Xiang bring in a fresh cup of tea, saying gently, “Then have some tea!”

Ji Ying coldly acknowledged with a sound.

Zhou Shaojin continued embroidering her forehead band.

Ji Ying said, “Sew a few more stitches for me to see!”

Zhou Shaojin set down the forehead band, picked up the cut fabric, and quickly sewed the sole. She just needed to attach the leg and it would be another pair of socks. After a slight hesitation, she sewed on the leg portion too. Then she handed it to Ji Ying. “Did you see clearly?”

“I saw clearly!” Ji Ying said, picking up the fabric for the other sock and about to start sewing.

Zhou Shaojin quickly stopped her. “You sew a new pair from scratch—it’s just habit. The tension when sewing is also different. The other one… I’ll sew it.”

Ji Ying nodded without standing on ceremony and took a new pair of socks to start sewing.

Zhou Shaojin finished sewing the other sock.

Ji Ying had only just begun, and her stitches were crooked and twisted, very ugly, but the sequence of the stitching technique was correct.

Zhou Shaojin encouraged her, “Not bad! Keep working at it, and in a few days you’ll be able to rush through a passable pair.”

Ji Ying looked at the needle and thread in her hands, nodded with satisfaction, and said confidently, “I think so too.”

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but smile.

Ji Ying stood up. “It’s getting late. You still have to go copy scriptures at Hanbi Mountain Lodge this afternoon. I’ll leave now and come disturb you again tomorrow.” Finishing, she waved the sock in her hand. “I’ll take this back first to practice well tonight and try to get the hang of it quickly.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded, seeing Ji Ying out.

At noon, as she and her sister were having lunch with Old Madam Guan, word came from the Second Branch that Grand Madam Shi’s wife Zheng Shi had given birth to a son, six pounds six ounces, mother and child both safe.

In her previous life, wasn’t it born during crab-eating season? Why had it come earlier in this life?

Zhou Shaojin wondered inwardly.

Old Madam Guan was extremely delighted, continuously saying “Good,” and instructed Grand Madam Mian to visit Grand Madam Shi after lunch: “…The Cheng family’s line has always been thin. In your generation, only you and Grand Madam Hong have had sons in both births. Now Grand Madam Shi has made a good start. In the future, the Cheng family will surely flourish with descendants.”

Grand Madam Mian smiled and agreed, wanting to take the Zhou sisters to see the newborn baby.

Zhou Shaojin felt both the Second and Third Branches were hypocritical and didn’t want much contact with them. She politely declined and went to Hanbi Mountain Lodge.

Zhou Chujin, however, really wanted to go see and followed Grand Madam Mian to the Second Branch.

Along the way, Zhou Shaojin encountered several servant women who were overjoyed. Two of them were quietly discussing how the Second Branch would reward them when the Second Young Master celebrated his first month. From a distance, you could feel their joy. It had been so long ago that she couldn’t remember what the Second Branch had rewarded those servant women when Zheng Shi had her first child. But when she arrived at Hanbi Mountain Lodge, the courtyard was very quiet. No one was discussing Zheng Shi giving birth. Everyone’s expressions were calm, doing whatever they normally did. When they encountered Zhou Shaojin, they only nodded and smiled as usual, as if they didn’t know about Zheng Shi’s childbirth.

She hadn’t expected the relationship between the First Branch and Second Branch to have reached such a tense stage that they weren’t even willing to maintain appearances.

But this was also good—Uncle Chi wouldn’t fall for the Second Branch’s old ancestor’s tricks.

Zhou Shaojin smiled and entered the Buddha hall, washed her hands, and began copying scriptures.

But she hadn’t copied two pages when Xiao Tan ran in excitedly, saying, “Second Cousin Miss, Miss Xiao, oh, Second Married Madam, gave birth to a son. The Yuan family came to announce the happy news. They’re still talking with Madam Yuan. Someone has already run to tell Old Madam.”

Ah?!

Both families received happy news on the same day.

Zhou Shaojin hadn’t had time to say anything when footsteps were already heard outside.

Xiao Tan quickly ran out and soon returned, saying, “Second Cousin Miss, Madam has come.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled at her.

No matter whose family had a son, it had little to do with her. At most, when she went to take leave of Old Madam Guo later, she’d offer congratulations. When the First Branch sent gifts for Cousin Xiao’s son’s first-month celebration, she’d take out a set of children’s clothing from the bottom of her trunk as a gift…

She dipped her brush in ink and continued copying scriptures.

But before she could take leave of Old Madam Guo, the First Branch became lively.

Yuan Shi gave rewards to all the respectable stewards and nannies in the First Branch—five taels of silver each. Ranked maids received between three and one tael depending on grade, and ordinary maids, servants, and servant women each received five hundred wen. For servant women from other branches who came to offer congratulations, each received four hundred wen.

Before long, news came from the Second Branch that their rewards matched the First Branch’s.