Zhou Shaojin suddenly understood and said, “So Uncle Chi gave you the name Ji Ying?”

Ji Ying remained silent.

Which was tantamount to acknowledgment.

Zhou Shaojin thought of how unhappy she had looked just now and guessed that introducing her as related by marriage to the Cheng family must have hurt her self-esteem. She thus said, “Those are all just unrelated people. Why should you have to explain your background to them? When you meet someone on the street and they ask your name, must you tell them the truth?”

Ji Ying’s expression softened slightly.

Zhou Shaojin’s heart lightened and she smiled, saying, “Why did you come over? Are you here to offer birthday greetings to Old Madam Guo? How come I don’t see Miss Nan Ping or Miss He Ming and the others?”

According to propriety, the servant women who served the main branch should also offer birthday greetings to Old Madam Guo.

“Yes!” Ji Ying said. “They’re in that side room talking with Nanny Shi and the others. I was too lazy to wait around, so I came to see if you were here.”

Zhou Shaojin was somewhat surprised that Ji Ying would come to kowtow to Old Madam Guo.

Ji Ying said, “The grievance between my father and Cheng Zichuan is their business. Old Madam Guo hasn’t offended me, has she? She’s an elder, and for her birthday I naturally should come kowtow to the old lady!”

Zhou Shaojin smiled broadly and nodded repeatedly, feeling her mood improve greatly.

That Ji Ying thought this way showed that the conflict between her father and Uncle Chi wasn’t some life-and-death feud!

She said, “I already offered birthday greetings to Old Madam Guo just now. It should be your turn soon.”

Her smile was serene and relaxed, completely different from the polite and courteous manner she had displayed in the rest room earlier.

Ji Ying couldn’t help but say, “Did someone bully you? You don’t seem very happy.”

Zhou Shaojin thought for a moment and said frankly, “I’m just not used to the way they speak and conduct themselves.”

She told Ji Ying about all those young ladies’ behavior in detail.

Ji Ying listened very attentively and said, “When I was little, my father once told me a story.

“He said there was a household with two widows. One widow was surnamed Li, and one widow was surnamed Wang. Both relied on support from their clan. The widow surnamed Li was afraid of having no one to care for her in her old age, so whenever anyone in the clan had any matter, she was very enthusiastic about helping. Everyone liked her very much. They often gave her food, and her reputation in the clan was very good.

“The widow surnamed Wang was quite the opposite. Apart from the clan’s provisions, she planted vegetables in front of and behind her house and raised chickens. When she wanted to go out, she went into the city. When she wanted to be lazy, she went to the neighboring village to buy a couple of steamed buns. If people didn’t call on her when they had matters, she would absolutely not appear. Even when she did appear, she would first see what kind of family it was.

“In comparison, everyone said that this widow surnamed Wang was indifferent and didn’t know how to show gratitude. Everyone didn’t much like this Widow Wang, and over time, the clan members even began to distance themselves from her.

“Widow Li advised Widow Wang: ‘If you don’t try to please the clan members like this, aren’t you afraid that when you’re old and lying sick in bed, no one will take care of you?’

“Widow Wang replied: ‘You want me to spend decades currying favor with them just so they’ll look after me in those final few years? I don’t think it’s worth it. I won’t do it.’

“Widow Li just shook her head and left.

“Then Widow Li toiled her entire life. Her back became hunched, her hair turned white, and before her death, the clan members took turns caring for her. Everyone went to see her. Within a few days, she died.

“Widow Wang, however, lived freely her entire life. On her deathbed, only two people, on the clan leader’s orders, brought her tea and water. Not many people came to visit her. Within a few days, she also died.”

Ji Ying recalled, “I still remember—at the time, my father asked me whether I would learn from Widow Wang and live freely my whole life only to suffer those last few days, or learn from Widow Li and toil my whole life to enjoy those last few days of blessing.” She looked up at Zhou Shaojin. “I said I would rather be like Widow Li—endure those last few days of hardship to enjoy a lifetime of happiness. Miss Er, if you had to choose, which path would you take?”

Zhou Shaojin was extremely shocked.

No one had ever spoken to her like this before.

In all the teachings she had received, she was told how to be modest, frugal, courteous, and yielding in order to win others’ approval and gain their favor. To live her own life and let others talk… she had never even considered it.

Zhou Shaojin looked at Ji Ying, unable to speak for a long while.

But Ji Ying smiled and said, “Miss Er, what I want to tell you is that for some matters, even if you force yourself, others may not necessarily consider your feelings or appreciate your forbearance.”

Zhou Shaojin was lost in thought.

The copper kettle on the stove made gurgling sounds.

A pozi burst in.

“Oh my! Second Cousin Miss,” she said, wiping her forehead. “A little maid from Miss Biyu’s side spilled the hot water that had just been brought over. I had to send another kettle… I was afraid the water would boil over and extinguish the stove. Good thing you’re here…”

Ji Ying pushed Zhou Shaojin and smiled, “Let’s go! The banquet is about to start.”

Zhou Shaojin walked back to the hall with Ji Ying somewhat distractedly.

After Ji Ying and the others had offered birthday greetings to Old Madam Guo, presented birthday gifts, and received rewards, maids and pozis brought in tables. Everyone sat down according to hierarchical order. Old Madam Guo said a few words of thanks and raised her wine cup.

The birthday banquet officially began.

On the madams and mistresses’ side, Madam Yuan went from table to table urging drinks with warm smiles—quite lively. On the young ladies’ side, however, each one maintained her dignity, sitting properly and eating elegantly.

Zhou Shaojin thought about the story Ji Ying had told her. The more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that Ji Ying’s father was no ordinary person.

If there was an opportunity, she really should ask Ji Ying carefully about her family background.

After the birthday banquet, everyone followed Old Madam Guo to watch the opera.

Only then did Zhou Shaojin discover that there was an opera stage not far from the main hall.

Old Madam Guo had selected a scene from “The Sixth Son Visits His Mother,” starring Gao Huizhu from the Changgao Troupe.

His voice was like a silver vase suddenly breaking—high-pitched and clear. His appearance was handsome, drawing continuous applause from the old madams, madams, mistresses, and young ladies.

Zhou Shaojin found it too noisy.

When Cheng Jia, Gu Shiqi, and the others weren’t paying attention, she quietly squeezed to the very edge of the opera viewing area and gazed at the lush green scenery of the Hanbei Mountain Lodge, letting out a long breath.

Someone was talking behind her.

Her sharp ears caught them mentioning “Fourth Master” and “Young Master” and such.

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but prick up her ears to listen.

But the sound of drums and gongs from the stage drowned out their voices.

Zhou Shaojin turned around and saw that the speakers were two young ladies who had sat next to her during the birthday banquet, though she had forgotten their names.

She moved closer without drawing attention and heard one of them say to the other, “…I think Fourth Master is still better. Who knows what the results will be going through the autumn examination and spring examination one after another. Otherwise, why would Magistrate Liu’s younger sister be trying to please Old Madam Guo!”

The other scoffed and said, “If it were me, I’d rather accompany Young Master Xu through all the examinations than spend my days in a cold and cheerless household—when Fourth Master’s gaze swept over just now, I shivered. I always feel that someone of his age who hasn’t married must have some problem. Otherwise, why would Old Madam Guo make such arrangements?”

Zhou Shaojin was quite surprised.

She hadn’t expected that Uncle Chi appeared this way in others’ eyes.

She wanted to hear more of what the two young ladies would say when there was a burst of loud cheering from the stage—”The Sixth Son Visits His Mother” had finished.

Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief and returned to sit under the covered walkway. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Miss Liu sitting delicately and demurely beside Old Madam Guo.

Old Madam Guo and several old madams’ eyesight was no longer very good, so she was holding the opera program and reading out the names of the opera scenes for them.

The two Guo family young ladies sat on Old Madam Guo’s other side. One was about eighteen or nineteen, the other about sixteen or seventeen. Both were very dignified and beautiful.

Old Madam Guo seemed somewhat undecided and turned to speak a few words with the two Guo young ladies. The younger one remained silent, while the older one smiled and spoke a few words with Old Madam Guo, her expression very respectful. Old Madam Guo then handed the opera program to Old Madam Guo who sat beside her.

Old Madam Guo said a few words and passed the program to Old Madam Tang from the second branch…

Miss Liu Shijiu, sitting beside Zhou Shaojin, grew somewhat impatient and muttered in a low voice, “Isn’t this just wasting time? Why didn’t they select all the operas beforehand?”

Zhou Shaojin smiled faintly.

A pozi walked over with a smile, saying, “Old Madam, Fourth Master has come to pay his respects.”

Everyone was startled.

But Old Madam Guo remained unperturbed and said, “We’re all family here. Though he’s young, he’s still an elder. Let him come in!”

Several young ladies who had been preparing to withdraw could only blush and sit back down.

Before long, Cheng Chi entered.

His expression was relaxed and natural. Under everyone’s gaze, he remained calm and composed as he paid his respects to Old Madam Guo.

Zhou Shaojin was very impressed.

If it were her, she would probably already be trembling.

Old Madam Guo beckoned Cheng Chi to her side to talk.

Because they were quite far away and their voices weren’t loud, Zhou Shaojin couldn’t hear clearly what Old Madam Guo was saying to Cheng Chi. She only saw that even the dignified Guo young ladies showed somewhat bashful expressions, while the people beside her—whether trying to hear clearly what Old Madam Guo and Cheng Chi were saying, wanting to watch the excitement, or both—either craned their necks toward Old Madam Guo or pushed closer to her side.

Zhou Shaojin was nearly jostled.

She felt somewhat displeased and simply left the covered walkway.

Cheng Jia was still over there whispering to Gu Shiqi: “…Tsk tsk tsk, Uncle Chi has become the monk’s flesh from Journey to the West.”

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Looking up, she saw Ji Ying.

“Why did you come over?” She quickly walked over.

The servant women from the Xiaoshan Conggui Courtyard had left after offering birthday greetings to Old Madam Guo. Fortunately, Zhou Shaojin and the others had been in the rest room at the time. If Miss Liu Shijiu had seen them, there would likely have been gossip spreading.

Ji Ying said, “I came with your Uncle Chi.”

Zhou Shaojin said, “Then why are you standing here?”

Ji Ying sneered, “I’m just your Uncle Chi’s maid, not his bodyguard. Old Madam Guo asked him to stay and watch the opera. He wants to use me as a shield! If I shield him now, when Old Madam Guo wants to deal with me, who will shield me? I won’t do such a foolish thing!” She added, “Why are you here?”

Zhou Shaojin said, “I’ve always had trouble sleeping. With all these drums and gongs, it’s giving me a bit of a headache.”

Ji Ying smiled and said, “Then let’s go sit in the tea room for a while. Cheng Zichuan won’t return so quickly this time.”