“Don’t talk nonsense,” Zhou Shaojin said in a low voice. “This is someone else’s courtyard. What happens in other people’s courtyards has nothing to do with us.”

Shi Xiang fell silent.

In truth, Zhou Shaojin had also noticed it, but she always felt it was because there was no mistress in the Small Mountain Osmanthus Grove Courtyard—with attendants and servants entering frequently, the maids, servants’ wives, and elderly servants found it inconvenient to move about freely. But hearing Shi Xiang say this, she couldn’t help paying more attention.

Soon, Huai Shan returned. He said, “Fourth Master requests Second Young Miss to speak with him at the Standing in Snow Studio.”

Zhou Shaojin said “Oh,” stood up, straightened her garments, and followed Huai Shan out of the reception hall.

The Standing in Snow Studio was to the northwest of the reception hall, surrounded by box elder trees with gnarled trunks, lush branches and leaves in various forms—all ancient trees of considerable age.

At a glance, Zhou Shaojin could see high, upturned gray eaves appearing intermittently behind the three-bay side hall, indicating that the Standing in Snow Studio occupied quite a large area.

Huai Shan stopped at the curtain of the side hall, respectfully announced their arrival, and only after Cheng Chi said “Come in” did Huai Shan lift the curtain to invite Zhou Shaojin inside.

Like the Embroidered Pavilion Hall, the Standing in Snow Studio had door panels and window lattices inlaid with transparent glass, so the light inside was brighter than in ordinary rooms.

As soon as Zhou Shaojin entered, she noticed that Cheng Chi had changed his clothes.

The sapphire blue plain Huzhou silk robe had been replaced with a dark blue Songjiang three-shuttle fine cloth Daoist robe. The jade hairpin had been removed, his jet-black hair casually tied up. He wore a pair of blue coarse cloth shoes, looking both simple and comfortably elegant.

Was he not planning to go out again?

Then what about the opera stage?

Zhou Shaojin pondered this as she curtsied to Cheng Chi.

Cheng Chi smiled and said, “What did you want to see me about?”

He sat behind a large desk, with tall stacks of account books piled on both sides. One lay open before him, and on the pen rack to his right rested a lake brush dipped in ink. The dark blue Daoist robe set off his skin, which appeared as delicate as porcelain and smooth as jade—elegant and composed, without the slightest hint of worry or anxiety.

Zhou Shaojin suddenly felt she had been somewhat impulsive.

Uncle Chi was an adult who managed such a large estate as Nine Blessings Lane. What hadn’t he seen? What hadn’t he experienced? To put it indelicately, the bridges he had crossed were probably more numerous than the roads she had walked. Even if Ji Ying had disrupted his arrangements, with his capabilities, he surely had good ways to resolve it. As for herself, she believed every rumor she heard—hearing Ji Ying say that Uncle Chi was in trouble because of this, she had thought about coming to apologize to Uncle Chi… No matter what, she had been with Ji Ying at the time.

But looking at the situation now, Uncle Chi didn’t seem at all like what Ji Ying had described…

Zhou Shaojin’s face flushed crimson.

Cheng Chi smiled and said, “You’ve come to plead for Ji Ying, haven’t you?”

“No, no,” Zhou Shaojin said hurriedly. “Miss Ji Ying is doing quite well now. Since you’ve made these arrangements, you must have your reasons. I haven’t come to plead for Miss Ji Ying.”

Hearing this, Cheng Chi raised his eyebrows slightly, his expression somewhat teasing as he said, “You really haven’t come to plead for Ji Ying?”

Zhou Shaojin was instantly stunned.

The steady, dignified Uncle Chi… could also show such an expression?!

She shook her head, casting this thought aside, and said honestly, “I heard from Ji Ying that you’re going to the Gu family for dinner tomorrow. I thought we had caused you trouble and wanted to apologize…”

Cheng Chi was slightly taken aback, then laughed again and said, “So after seeing me like this, you’ve decided not to apologize to me?”

“No, no,” Zhou Shaojin’s face grew even redder as she said, “I still need to apologize…” But she didn’t know how to express it.

Cheng Chi laughed heartily and said, “I’ll handle this matter. As long as you don’t speak ill of me behind my back together with Ji Ying, that’s enough.”

Zhou Shaojin wished she could bury her head in the sand.

But Cheng Chi’s voice suddenly became as warm and gentle as a spring breeze. He said, “The opera will be ending soon. Go back quickly! Be careful that your sister doesn’t find you.”

Only then did Zhou Shaojin remember that the opera was still being performed at the stage. With an “Oh my!” she jumped up, frantically said “I’m sorry” to Cheng Chi, and fled in embarrassment.

Cheng Chi watched the stumbling figure disappear from view, couldn’t help but smile and shake his head. His mind suddenly recalled the scene of her sitting in the tea room, her small head tilted in confusion, her voice sweet and puzzled as she asked Ji Ying, “Could it be that Jiao Ziyang is the problem?”

The young girl was still too inexperienced. Just because he had extended his hand twice, she had begun to blindly trust him without even understanding what kind of person he was!

Trust!

Yet Qin Ziping, who had followed him for several years, thought he had separated Ji Ying and Jiao Ziyang… And Nan Ping, though she didn’t say it aloud, believed in her heart that what he did was wrong…

For one person to completely trust another person… was it easy? Or very difficult?

Cheng Chi gazed at the box elder tree outside the door that had been pruned into the shape of a crane, his expression stern.

※※※

When Zhou Shaojin hurried back to Cold Emerald Mountain Lodge, the opera had just ended.

Both she and Shi Xiang breathed long sighs of relief.

Cheng Jia linked arms with her, chattering in a low voice, “Gao Huizhu sang so well, and her appearance was lovely too. I originally thought he only performed martial roles, but I didn’t expect his young scholar roles to be excellent as well. I think in at most two years, the Changgao Troupe will replace the Ma Family Troupe as Jinling’s best…”

Zhou Shaojin listened in a daze and asked Miss Gu Shiqi, “I heard that Uncle Chi is going to the Guo family tomorrow as a guest. Is that true?”

“Yes!” Miss Gu Shiqi smiled and said, “It’s said that Old Master Guo hasn’t seen Fourth Uncle Cheng for some time and invited Fourth Uncle Cheng to visit at home.”

Should she go to Cold Emerald Mountain Lodge to copy scriptures tomorrow?

Zhou Shaojin decided to have Biyu help her ask later.

However, she ran into Yuhu, a maid from Cheng Xu’s quarters.

“Second Young Miss, Miss Jia,” she respectfully curtsied to Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia.

Zhou Shaojin’s eyes widened.

What was she doing here?

Yuhu smiled and said, “The Old Madam hasn’t entertained guests for several years. Today, with so many people arriving suddenly, Madam sent us over to help the first branch.”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t believe it at all.

Yuan Shi treated Cheng Xu like the apple of her eye. Even if she had transferred maids and servants’ wives from her own quarters to help, she would never move people from Cheng Xu’s quarters.

She became alert.

She stayed inseparable from Cheng Jia.

Several times when Yuhu looked over, Zhou Shaojin acted as if she hadn’t noticed.

She had made up her mind that no matter what, she wouldn’t be alone. Whatever scheme Cheng Xu was plotting would be useless.

But she felt somewhat agitated inside. After hastily finishing the birthday banquet, since Grand Lady Mian needed to help Madam Yuan see off the guests, Zhou Chujin decided to stay and return together with Grand Lady Mian.

Normally, Zhou Shaojin would have gone home alone. But today, having seen Yuhu suddenly appear in the afternoon, she decided to return together with her eldest aunt and sister.

It was just that she couldn’t help with seeing off the guests.

After Zhou Shaojin saw off Miss Gu Shiqi, she sat in the side hall waiting.

Watching the people in the side hall take their leave one after another, Zhou Shaojin began to feel anxious.

She asked a young maid who came to tidy up, “Where is Old Madam Guo?”

The young maid recognized her and smiled, “In the main hall.”

Zhou Shaojin asked, “Who else is in the main hall?”

The young maid replied, “Members of the Guo family.”

Then she should go there to avoid trouble!

Cheng Xu wouldn’t dare act recklessly in front of Old Madam Guo, let alone just Yuhu.

Zhou Shaojin headed toward the main hall.

Since lanterns had just been lit, near the steps of the main hall by a large tree, people were talking.

Their silhouettes were shrouded in the tree’s shadow, and one could only vaguely make out that the speakers were two women.

Zhou Shaojin paid no attention. Only when she drew closer did she hear someone say, “…In the past when I heard others say ‘The emperor loves his eldest son, commoners love their youngest,’ I didn’t think much of it. But when it’s your turn, you realize how true these words are. I should have pressured Fourth Son to marry years ago. Now that he’s older, he’s even less likely to listen to me.” With that, she let out a long sigh.

Zhou Shaojin was greatly startled.

She hadn’t expected it to be Old Madam Guo talking beneath the tree.

Who was the other person?

As Zhou Shaojin pondered this, the other person spoke, “Marriage is ordained by heaven. Perhaps Fourth Son’s fate hasn’t arrived yet. When he comes to my place tomorrow, I’ll have his eldest cousin have a good talk with him. He has always respected his eldest cousin, so he should be able to listen to at least some of his eldest cousin’s words.”

It seemed the other person was an old lady from the Guo family.

“Sister-in-law,” Zhou Shaojin then heard Old Madam Guo say, “I’m counting entirely on you all for this matter. I’m no longer particular about what family background or status the woman has—as long as Fourth Son takes a liking to her, I’ll turn a blind eye and let him marry her. At worst, I’ll prop up these old bones and teach her myself, hand in hand.”

“Don’t worry! Fourth Son knows what he’s doing,” the old lady from the Guo family laughed. “He’ll definitely marry you a satisfactory daughter-in-law.”

Old Madam Guo was not comforted by these words, but instead said, “What use is my satisfaction! If I weren’t afraid that Fourth Son would end up in a resentful marriage, I would have arranged his marriage long ago.”

Zhou Shaojin realized she had heard something she shouldn’t have and quickly tiptoed back to the side hall.

There were still four or five people sitting together talking in the side hall.

Zhou Shaojin chose a corner to sit down, thinking about what Old Madam Guo had just said.

Why wouldn’t Uncle Chi marry?

She wondered if he had found someone he liked this time?

Then she saw Yuhu walk in.

Zhou Shaojin felt a moment of panic.

But she quickly calmed down.

As long as she didn’t follow Yuhu, could Yuhu possibly drag her away by force in public?

Zhou Shaojin sat steadily in the armchair.

Yuhu walked over with a smile.

But Zhou Chujin appeared at the doorway: “Shaojin, we’re going home now.”

Yuhu’s smile instantly froze on her face.

Zhou Shaojin wanted nothing more than to embrace her sister and kiss her.

She eagerly took her sister’s arm and returned to Fragrant Orchid Residence with a beaming smile.

The next day, Shi Xiang told her, “Biyu says that Old Madam Guo will leave at the hour of chen (eight in the morning) and return around the hour of you (six in the evening). If Second Miss wants to copy scriptures at home, she’ll bring over the writing materials and scriptures shortly.”

That would be too much trouble!

Zhou Shaojin had Shi Xiang reply to Biyu, “…I’ll still come over at the beginning of the hour of yin (one in the afternoon). Tell her not to go to that effort.”

Shi Xiang smiled and agreed.

In the morning, Zhou Shaojin tried designing a new pattern. In the afternoon, she went to Cold Emerald Mountain Lodge.

Perhaps because the master was away, the atmosphere at Cold Emerald Mountain Lodge seemed much more lively than usual.