Who would have known that as soon as Zhou Shaojin finished speaking, Ji Ying let out a cold “hmph” and said, “You’re just teasing me, aren’t you? How old are you this year? If one cross-stitch method took you three months to learn, learning a whole set of needlework techniques would take you seven or eight years, wouldn’t it? Look at what you make now—it’s practically on par with Nan Ping…” As she spoke, she held up what she had embroidered and examined it carefully for a few moments, then said with some pride, “However, considering the time I’ve spent learning needlework, I think I’m doing quite well!”

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

Ji Ying urged her, “Hurry up and cut out a pair of socks for me to try making!”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t stand on ceremony with her and said, “You still need to practice for a while before you can do that.”

“I can’t even make myself a pair of socks?”

“You can!” Zhou Shaojin said with a smile. “As long as you can bring yourself to wear them.”

“Why wouldn’t I be able to wear them?” Ji Ying said dismissively. “It’s not as if anyone is going to look at my feet.”

Zhou Shaojin giggled and cut out a pair of socks for her.

Ji Ying very seriously lowered her head to do needlework.

Zhou Shaojin also sat down with a smile to embroider the birthday gift for Old Madam Guo. With a turn of her head, she could see Snowball obediently lying in the basket, gazing at her with its big, glistening black eyes.

She felt nothing but warmth in her heart, and the smile never left her face.

Seeing her like this, Zhou Chujin knew she had reconciled with Ji Ying and was secretly happy for her younger sister.

Ji Ying had a straightforward personality—with such a companion, her younger sister’s temperament should become more cheerful.

She even specially chose a day when Ji Ying was visiting to go to Zhou Shaojin’s side chamber. She chatted with Ji Ying for a while and rewarded her with many candies and pastries.

Ji Ying was thoroughly polite and smiled charmingly, but somehow, Zhou Shaojin intuitively felt that Ji Ying didn’t much like her older sister. After her sister left, she asked Ji Ying, “What’s the matter with you? Did my older sister do something wrong?”

“No!” Ji Ying shrugged her shoulders and said helplessly, “Your older sister is very nice. But I always feel your sister is quite similar to Nan Ping. Both are too proper and rule-bound. I generally don’t get along well with people like that.”

“What kind of nonsense is this?” Zhou Shaojin glared at her and said, “Am I not proper then?”

Right in front of Zhou Shaojin, Ji Ying tore open the box of pastries that Zhou Chujin had just rewarded her, took a piece of crispy candy and stuffed it in her mouth, saying, “What you have isn’t propriety—it’s foolishness!”

Zhou Shaojin was extremely annoyed.

Ji Ying laughed heartily and said, “Haven’t you heard the saying ‘foolishness has its own blessings’? I’m complimenting you on being blessed!”

If she were blessed, how could she have been harmed so miserably in her previous life!

Zhou Shaojin felt awkward.

Ji Ying said carefully, “Are you angry?”

“No!” Zhou Shaojin said despondently. “I just thought of some things from the past and felt a bit emotional.”

Ji Ying pursed her lips dismissively and said, “Let me tell you a story.” Then, without waiting for Zhou Shaojin to speak, she continued on her own, “There was a child sitting sadly on some steps. A passerby saw him and asked, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ Guess what the child answered? The child let out a long sigh and said, ‘I’m thinking about things from when I was little.'”

What kind of story was this?

It took Zhou Shaojin quite a while to catch on.

So Ji Ying was making fun of her!

She couldn’t help pushing Ji Ying’s shoulder and saying, “How dare you! You’re actually making fun of me. I’ll never have the kitchen make those potstickers you like again.”

Ji Ying laughed heartily and said, “Your reaction is really too slow. When Cheng Zichuan told me this story back then, I caught on immediately… I say you’re foolish, and you still won’t admit it.”

Zhou Shaojin was stunned and said, “So this story was told to you by Uncle Chi. But why did Uncle Chi tell you this story?”

She couldn’t imagine what Uncle Chi looked like when telling stories.

At these words, Ji Ying’s face actually turned red. She coughed lightly and said, “Cheng Zichuan is someone who likes to jab at people at every turn. How would I remember it so clearly?”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t believe it at all.

If she didn’t remember clearly, how could she have used this story to make fun of her?

However, Ji Ying must have been quite embarrassed at that time.

Zhou Shaojin wasn’t the type who liked to expose people’s wounds, so she didn’t press further and just smiled with pursed lips.

Ji Ying let out a gentle sigh, touched Zhou Shaojin’s head, and said, “You really have such a good temperament. I wonder which young master will be blessed enough to marry you.”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t want to talk about this and changed the subject: “Uncle Chi should have returned from Huai’an by now, right? Did things go smoothly there?”

“When Cheng Zichuan personally handles something, how could it not go smoothly?” Ji Ying said carelessly, handing the sock she had sewn for about an inch to Zhou Shaojin to look at. “How is it? Not bad, right?”

Although the stitches were still uneven, they at least looked presentable.

Zhou Shaojin exclaimed, “You learn so quickly!”

“Of course.” Ji Ying said immodestly, “In the past… my hands were very steady, so learning these things is effortless for me!”

“Really!” Zhou Shaojin covered her forehead.

She really wanted to ask what had happened in the past that made her hands so steady, but after thinking about it, she still didn’t ask.

Ji Ying said, “Tomorrow I’ll bring you some tea rings to eat.”

Zhou Shaojin asked, “What are tea rings?”

“A snack from Huai’an.” Ji Ying said with a smile. “I think they’re quite good.”

Zhou Shaojin said with a smile, “Did Uncle Chi bring them back?”

Ji Ying curled her lip and said, “Do you think your Uncle Chi is the type to do that sort of thing?”

Not likely!

Zhou Shaojin shook her head.

“Exactly.” Ji Ying said, “It was Qin Ziping who brought them back. He went to Huai’an with Cheng Zichuan. Cheng Zichuan returned first, and Qin Ziping came back yesterday.”

Qin Ziping?

Zhou Shaojin asked, “What’s his relationship to Qin Zi’an?”

Knowing that Zhou Shaojin had met Qin Zi’an, Ji Ying said with a smile, “He’s his younger brother. There are three Qin brothers—the eldest is called Qin Zining, the second is Qin Zi’an, and the third is Qin Ziping. They’re the grandsons of Chief Steward Qin, Qin Shouyue.”

Zhou Shaojin asked, “Have you ever heard of someone called Qin Da?”

Ji Ying thought for a moment and said, “I haven’t heard of him. But if you want to know, I can help you ask around.”

Zhou Shaojin thanked her repeatedly and said, “I didn’t expect Qin Ziping to be so thoughtful—going to Huai’an and still bringing food back for you all.”

“He didn’t bring it for us. He brought it for Nan Ping.” Ji Ying showed no appreciation and said, “He brought back four boxes. Two of them were for Nan Ping, and the other two were for the rest of us to share.”

Zhou Shaojin was very surprised and said, “How old is Qin Zi’an? If he’s giving things to Nan Ping, does Uncle Chi know?”

Ji Ying laughed with a “pfft” and said, “Where did your mind go? Nan Ping is Qin Zi’an’s sister-in-law.”

Zhou Shaojin was astonished.

Ji Ying sighed and said, “Nan Ping and Qin Zining were childhood sweethearts, but unfortunately, not long after they were betrothed, Qin Zining passed away. Cheng Zichuan and Chief Steward Qin’s intention was that after a few years, when the matter of Qin Zining had passed, they would find a good family for Nan Ping. But Nan Ping was unwilling. She said she would remain faithful to Qin Zining. Your uncle couldn’t very well force her, so it’s just been dragging on like this. When the Qin family sees this, they naturally have to take care of her to some extent… Sometimes when I think about it, I feel she’s quite pitiful too. I should give way to her, but I really can’t see eye to eye with her. At most, we last three quarters of an hour before parting on bad terms.”

No wonder Nan Ping was so old and still hadn’t married.

Zhou Shaojin sighed inwardly, thinking that Ji Ying was already eighteen when she entered the household… She couldn’t help asking, “What about you—were you betrothed when you were at home?”

Ji Ying’s expression tightened, and the hand holding the needle trembled slightly. She said with a smile, “You’re just a young girl—why concern yourself with such matters?” But her smile was somewhat forced.

Zhou Shaojin vaguely understood.

Ji Ying must have been betrothed when she was at home. But she had to serve as a maid by Uncle Chi’s side for ten years… Even if the other party didn’t break off the engagement with her, they probably couldn’t remain chaste and wait for her for ten years… Although Ji Ying had volunteered to enter the household in her brother’s place, rational thinking was one thing, and emotions were another. Could it be that this was why she seemed so restless? Was this why she so strongly rejected doing what a maid should do?

Zhou Shaojin said, “Can’t you go back to visit in the middle? Among the maids by my side, except for those who were sold by their parents when they were young and have no idea where their homes are, or those whose homes are too far away and no longer have any close relatives, everyone is given a few days off each year to go home and visit their parents. Who manages the Small Mountain Osmanthus Courtyard? You could talk to them about it! If that doesn’t work, you could also talk to Uncle Chi about it. I don’t think Uncle Chi is such an unreasonable person.”

“You really are a foolish girl.” Hearing this, Ji Ying smiled and tried to pinch Zhou Shaojin’s face. Zhou Shaojin tried to dodge, but Ji Ying’s hand was as quick as lightning and caught her immediately. “If I could go back to visit my father whenever I wanted, what kind of wager would that be! You’re not planning to plead with Uncle Chi on my behalf, are you? When you barged into the Clear Sound Pavilion last time, you seemed quite righteous and confident.”

Zhou Shaojin angrily knocked Ji Ying’s hand away and said, “If you pinch my face again, I won’t save any delicious food for you in the future.”

Ji Ying laughed heartily and said, “Every time you threaten me, it’s about not giving me food. Can’t you change it up a bit?”

Zhou Shaojin felt awkward and said, “I’m not going to plead on your behalf! Ever since Uncle Chi took charge of the household affairs at Nine Paths Lane, life there has gotten better day by day. He must be a very capable person. Since he made such a wager with your father, he must have had his reasons. I won’t fall for your provocation!”

“I can’t tell—sometimes you’re actually quite clever!” Ji Ying teased her again.

Zhou Shaojin ignored her.

Ji Ying laughed heartily again, with none of the coldness and aloofness she had shown when she first met Zhou Shaojin.

Shi Xiang came in to change their tea and replace the fruit plate.

Ji Ying picked an autumn pear to eat.

Zhou Shaojin then asked her, “Can your father and brother come to visit you?”

Ji Ying was silent for a while before saying, “That depends on whether Cheng Zichuan is in a good mood or not…”

Zhou Shaojin really wanted to say that she should be more obedient and well-behaved—perhaps Uncle Chi’s heart would soften and he would let her go home to visit her parents. But as the thought crossed her mind, she stopped herself in time.

With Ji Ying’s personality, to make her act meek and submissive like those gentle-natured maids would probably be more painful than killing her, wouldn’t it?

Zhou Shaojin could only say, “How about you write a few more letters to your family… Writing letters should be allowed, right?”