Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “That’s not a problem. Father has been serving as an official away from home for nearly ten years now. He must have adapted long ago. I’ll write Father a letter right away and have him transfer you to my sister and me. I’m sure Father will give my sister and me this face.” As she spoke, she had Madam Ma Fushan prepare brush and ink.

Lanting finally understood.

These sisters had already discussed it—no matter what she said, they were going to keep her in Jinling.

This must be Zhou Chujin’s idea!

She immediately knelt down and grabbed Zhou Shaojin’s legs, crying, “Second Young Miss, please send me back to Baoding! You don’t know how detestable that Li family is. They married Li Shi into the family not because they valued Master’s character and learning, but because they valued Master’s high position and authority, so he could help them establish connections in official circles and make their business grow bigger. They don’t care whether Master is put in a difficult position or whether this would harm Master’s reputation. They simply want to drain Master’s blood…”

But Zhou Shaojin was so startled by her pounce that her face changed dramatically. She stood up with a “whoosh,” but before she could avoid her, Lanting grabbed her firmly.

Looking at Lanting sobbing at her feet, Zhou Shaojin felt very awkward.

In two lifetimes, no one had ever cried before her like this.

She hurriedly said, “Whatever you have to say, stand up and say it, stand up and say it.”

But Lanting only hugged her tighter.

Madam Ma Fushan’s face turned red with anger. She stepped forward to pull her away: “What kind of behavior is this, crying and wailing before Second Young Miss?”

Her strength was greater, and she pulled Lanting this way and that, but Lanting wouldn’t let go: “Second Young Miss, I’m not doing this for myself, I’m doing this for you and Eldest Young Miss. You don’t know—as soon as that Li Shi married in, she put away Madam’s portrait. If Master hadn’t scolded her, she would have thrown it away. When Master said he wanted to bring you and Eldest Young Miss to his posting and had her prepare the residence, she was reluctant. Later when Old Madam Guan sent a letter wanting to keep you sisters there, it was Li Shi who encouraged Master to let you and Eldest Young Miss continue staying with the Cheng family. She’s trying to sever the father-daughter bond between you…”

Zhou Shaojin found this tiresome to hear.

Li Shi had selfish motives, but didn’t Lanting herself have them too? Since they were birds of a feather, why bother accusing others?

Seeing that Lanting wouldn’t let go no matter what, she had no choice but to put on a stern face and say, “If you continue like this, I’ll call someone in.”

Zhou Shaojin’s very nature exuded gentleness. Even when losing her temper, her every movement still carried warmth and grace, making it impossible to intimidate Lanting. Instead, this allowed Lanting to break free from Madam Ma Fushan in just a few moves.

Zhou Chujin walked out from behind the screen with an ashen face: “What are you trying to do? Force Second Young Miss to listen to you and act according to your wishes? If you’re a loyal servant, how could you do such a thing?”

Lanting looked at Zhou Chujin with fury in her eyes.

If she hadn’t been bought off by Li Shi, how could she have ended up in such a state?

She remembered clearly that Li Shi had sent the sisters nearly five hundred taels of silver in private money. With that dowry, an ordinary family could marry off even a crippled daughter to someone with all their limbs intact.

“Eldest Young Miss, you are only Madam’s stepdaughter after all,” Lanting looked at Zhou Chujin with eyes like a poisoned blade. “No matter what, this is Second Young Miss’s affair, Second Young Miss’s affair. You’d better keep your hands out of it.”

She knew that in the Jinling Zhou household, this Eldest Young Miss was in charge. She also knew she couldn’t contend with Zhou Chujin. But her situation had already escalated to this point—even if she wanted to retreat, she couldn’t anymore. She might as well take this opportunity to sow discord between Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin. She didn’t believe that two sisters with different mothers would have no rifts at all. Even if there weren’t any, with Zhou Chujin’s strong personality, Zhou Shaojin must sometimes feel wronged. As long as Zhou Shaojin thought of her words when feeling wronged, that would be enough.

Zhou Chujin’s face went white with anger. She ordered Madam Ma Fushan, “Call two matrons in and have this person bound.”

Madam Ma Fushan hurried out to call for help.

Lanting jumped up and lunged at Zhou Shaojin.

She wanted to grab Zhou Shaojin’s arm to hide behind her.

But in Zhou Chujin’s eyes, it didn’t look like that at all.

She thought Lanting was using Zhou Shaojin to threaten her.

Zhou Chujin was shocked and alarmed, crying out sharply, “Shaojin, get away quickly!”

Zhou Shaojin was already alert. Before Lanting could get close, she turned and ran to the standing pillar beside the armchair.

Lanting missed.

Zhou Chujin took two steps as one and blocked Zhou Shaojin’s path.

Zhou Shaojin hurried to pull Zhou Chujin: “Sister, Sister, I’m fine.” She wanted to pull Zhou Chujin behind her.

Zhou Chujin remained unmoved, sneering coldly at Lanting: “What? You want to hurt someone?”

A flash of vicious light crossed Lanting’s eyes, but before she could take any action, Madam Ma Fushan had already arrived with two sturdy matrons running at full speed.

Zhou Chujin’s heart skipped a beat seeing the light in Lanting’s eyes.

She shouldn’t have let Zhou Shaojin come.

Lanting was now like a cornered beast with no way out—she would fight back desperately.

Without thinking, she pulled Zhou Shaojin to hide behind the pillar.

Lanting pursued.

Zhou Chujin brought Zhou Shaojin to hide behind a flower stand, casually picking up a flower pot, ready to throw it if Lanting came after them again.

Seeing this scene, Madam Ma Fushan’s soul had already fled. Without regard for anything, she lunged at Lanting.

Lanting stumbled and was knocked to the ground.

The two rough-working matrons immediately ran over, bound Lanting, and stuffed her mouth for good measure.

Zhou Chujin trembled with rage. After a good while, she finally found her voice: “Call someone from the employment agency. Sell off this ungrateful thing.”

Zhou Shaojin was greatly startled. She quickly embraced her sister’s arm, comforting her: “Don’t be angry, don’t be angry. Be careful not to harm your health.”

But in her heart, she sighed quietly.

Things had still reached this point after all.

It seemed some things could be changed, while others could not.

Then could her fate, the Cheng family’s future, be changed or not?

At this moment, Zhou Shaojin felt somewhat lost.

But Zhou Chujin pulled away from Zhou Shaojin and examined her from head to toe, asking with concern, “Did she hurt you?”

Zhou Shaojin shook her head.

Zhou Chujin paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, “I know Lanting was someone Mother left behind, but you didn’t see her eyes just now… It made my heart run cold. It’s better to send her away.” She added, “After all, she served Mother and stayed by Father’s side for so long. I won’t treat her unfairly.”

Sister was afraid she felt uncomfortable!

“I know, I know,” Zhou Shaojin nestled against her sister, saying softly, “Sister needn’t worry about me. Deal with her however you should. Though I feel pity, I know the story of the ungrateful wolf.”

Zhou Chujin stroked her head and smiled with relief.

Over there, Madam Ma Fushan and the others had already bound Lanting. Hearing Zhou Chujin’s instruction, she hesitated: “Eldest Young Miss, really call someone from the employment agency?”

The Zhou family had never sold off anyone before.

Zhou Chujin nodded and said in a low voice, “This person cannot be kept.”

“Then let the two Young Misses go to the main hall to drink some tea and rest a while,” Madam Ma Fushan said. “Leave this matter to me.”

Zhou Chujin nodded and instructed her: “Find someone whose wife has died and who’s intent on remarrying. Regardless of how much silver she sells for, take out twenty taels to give to the buyer, saying it’s dowry I’m providing. If anything happens in the future, they can also come find you. But they must keep Lanting and live with her—don’t let her run away.”

Madam Ma Fushan acknowledged and left.

Lanting was pressed to the ground, whimpering and sobbing, staring at Zhou Chujin with reddened eyes.

Zhou Shaojin felt a chill in her heart watching this. She put her arm around Zhou Chujin’s shoulders and walked out: “Sister, let’s go to the main hall!”

Zhou Chujin also didn’t want her sister to see this sordid scene, so she followed Zhou Shaojin out of the main hall.

The two sat down in the resting room of the main hall. After drinking several sips of tea, their emotions finally calmed down.

Madam Ma Fushan had already brought someone from the employment agency and asked Zhou Chujin if she wanted to meet them.

“No need,” Zhou Chujin said somewhat wearily. “Just handle it yourself.”

Madam Ma Fushan acknowledged and withdrew.

Zhou Chujin said to Zhou Shaojin, “When I think about having to live this kind of life in the future, I feel marriage is meaningless…”

Zhou Shaojin was stunned.

In two lifetimes, this was the first time Sister had spoken such intimate thoughts to her.

She stepped forward and crouched before her sister, grasping her hands, saying sincerely, “It won’t be like that! Brother-in-law is a very good person. He’ll shield you from wind and rain. You and Brother-in-law will certainly have harmonious marriage and grow old together.”

Zhou Chujin’s face flushed red. She reproached bashfully, “Little girl, you dare say anything. Don’t let anyone hear you.”

Zhou Shaojin giggled: “If Sister doesn’t believe it, you can have someone investigate! Brother-in-law is a very good person.”

Liao Shaotang really was a very good person.

Before marriage he had a chambermaid. After the wedding date with Sister was set, he sent her away. Afterward, he was always good to Sister. No matter what the Liao family said, or later when the Cheng family faced trouble, Brother-in-law always protected Sister.

If they could have a child earlier, that would be even better.

Zhou Shaojin decided to embroider the Guanyin statue for Sister earlier.

If she was fortunate enough to accompany Old Madam Guo to Mount Putuo for incense next year, she would still offer scriptures to pray for Sister. As for herself… she was still young and would have opportunities later.

Zhou Shaojin smiled and stood up.

Madam Ma Fushan burst in.

“Eldest Young Miss, Second Young Miss,” her expression was somewhat panicked. “Please go take a look quickly! Lanting has started spouting nonsense again.”

The tea cup in Zhou Chujin’s hand clattered onto the tea table: “Then tell her, does she want me to give her a muting drug before selling her off? Or does she want to walk out of here whole and intact?”

Madam Ma Fushan’s lips trembled, but she stood there without moving.

Zhou Chujin raised her eyebrows.

Madam Ma Fushan stepped forward two paces and whispered in Zhou Chujin’s ear, “Lanting says Madam was killed by Cheng Bai.”

Zhou Chujin jumped up.

Zhou Shaojin didn’t know what had happened. She nervously grabbed her sister’s hand: “What’s wrong? What’s wrong?”

Zhou Chujin didn’t speak. Her gaze rested on Zhou Shaojin’s face.

She thought of how her sister looked all pink wrapped in swaddling clothes when she was just born; thought of how she smiled shyly at her when being scolded for doing something wrong; thought of how she sobbed softly nestled in her embrace when wronged… but even more, she thought of her sister making clothes for her, giggling while holding her arm, trying to shield her from Lanting’s harm.

Little sister had slowly grown up.

She knew to care for her, knew to be concerned about her.

Zhou Chujin’s eyes moistened. Her expression became slightly resolute as she said, “Shaojin, come with me!”