On the day of the Laba Festival, the weather changed abruptly, and a bone-chilling wind suddenly began to blow.

Cheng Jia came over wearing a gray squirrel fur jacket, her face rosy red. Instead of entering the house, she stood in the covered corridor, laughing heartily at the pomegranate tree’s withered branches swaying wildly in the wind. She asked Zhou Shaojin, who had come out to greet her: “Do you think it will snow this year?”

Zhou Shaojin’s memories were still lingering on the brilliant white snow of Beijing’s winters. Hearing this, she couldn’t help but pause in confusion.

Cheng Jia sighed: “It didn’t snow last year. I hope it snows today. Then we could build a snowman!”

At her age, still thinking about such things.

Zhou Shaojin quickly invited her inside: “…It’s too cold outside.”

“Cold is good,” Cheng Jia said with a smile. “When it’s cold, it’s perfect for drinking porridge.” She asked again, “What ingredients did you use to cook your porridge?”

“Lotus seeds, peanuts, red beans, dried longan, Job’s tears…” Zhou Shaojin said as she entered the house with Cheng Jia. “What’s the matter?”

Two braziers were burning inside the room, and the wave of heat hit them in the face, making Cheng Jia’s breath catch.

She exclaimed: “Why did you light so many braziers?”

“It’s too cold,” Zhou Shaojin said. “I have to huddle under the blankets for ages before there’s any warmth.”

Cheng Jia’s eyes widened: “Don’t you use a hot water bottle?”

“The hot water bottle doesn’t help either,” Zhou Shaojin said. “I just feel too cold.”

It wasn’t like in the capital, where the heated floor passages kept everything warm—wherever your hand touched was always hot.

Cheng Jia was somewhat speechless: “When is Ji Ying coming? When I left, Sister-in-law Shi was just delivering Laba porridge. She said it was made with glutinous rice, millet, fragrant red rice, black rice… eight types of rice in total, making it more refreshing than ordinary Laba porridge. I wanted to taste it before coming, but I was afraid you’d be waiting, so I rushed over without even getting a glance. If I’d known Ji Ying hadn’t arrived yet, I should have come later.”

Zhou Shaojin was exasperated.

Zhou Chujin walked in, untying her apron, and said with a smile: “I’ve already put the porridge to simmer on the tea room stove. When Ji Ying arrives, we can eat.”

Zhou Shaojin nodded.

Cheng Jia jumped up: “Didn’t you say you cooked the Laba porridge yourself? How is it that Sister Chujin was the one in the kitchen?”

“Do you know how to make Laba porridge or not?” Zhou Shaojin shot Cheng Jia a look. “Things like lotus seeds, red beans, Job’s tears—they need to be soaked the day before… I got up at the fifth hour this morning (note: 6 AM) and kept stirring the porridge with a spoon to keep it from sticking together. If I’d known you’d react this way, I should have worn an apron to greet you!”

Cheng Jia giggled and tugged at Zhou Shaojin’s sleeve, saying in a low voice: “At worst, I’ll treat you to horseshoe cakes from Qifang Pastry Shop.”

Zhou Chujin couldn’t help but laugh.

While the room was bustling with activity, Shi Xiang came in to announce: “Miss Ji Ying has arrived.”

“Please invite her in quickly,” Zhou Shaojin said. The door curtain lifted, and Ji Ying walked in by herself.

She wore a rose-purple embroidered vest over a willow-yellow Hangzhou silk jacket. Her jet-black hair was casually twisted into a bun, she wore a pair of pearl earrings, and she carried a gift box, looking as if she were going to pay New Year’s respects at someone’s house.

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but laugh with a “pfft” sound.

Ji Ying looked at Zhou Shaojin in confusion.

Worried that Ji Ying might think she was mocking her, Zhou Shaojin quickly said: “You look like you’re visiting neighbors in the neighborhood. New Year’s hasn’t even arrived yet! Even if it were New Year’s, sisters living in the same alley wouldn’t need to be so formal, would they?”

Only then did Ji Ying understand.

She immediately ground her teeth together: “Qin Ziping, just you wait—when I get back, I’m going to teach you a proper lesson!”

Zhou Shaojin asked curiously: “What does this have to do with Steward Qin?”

“This is what he prepared for me!” Ji Ying pointed at the gift box. “Eight assorted pastries from Qifang Shop. I said it wasn’t necessary, but he insisted on making me take it, saying this was the custom here!”

Everyone burst into laughter.

Zhou Chujin gently told her: “Courtesy costs nothing. However, today is just a small gathering among sisters, so there’s no need to be so formal. If you really want to bring something in the future, just bring whatever you like to eat or things that look nice to show them—that’s all.”

Ji Ying thanked her repeatedly.

Now Zhou Chujin had a clear picture.

Despite Ji Ying’s cold and striking beauty, she was like Zhou Shaojin—someone who didn’t overthink things.

She instructed Shi Xiang to bring in the porridge, and the group seated themselves around the round table in the hall.

Shi Xiang brought in the porridge and was saying auspicious words when Cheng Yi arrived.

“It smells wonderful!” He sniffed the air. “You’re all hiding here drinking porridge without calling me.” As he spoke, his gaze fell on Ji Ying, transforming from amazement to a fixed stare.

Ji Ying frowned.

Zhou Shaojin quickly coughed: “Cousin Yi, is there something you need from me?”

“Can’t I look for you without a reason?” Cheng Yi’s eyes seemed nailed to Ji Ying as he said absentmindedly, “You must have cooked more than just this bit of porridge, right? Give me a bowl to taste too! Let me see how it’s different from what my mother cooks.”

Cheng Jia couldn’t take it anymore and simply kicked Cheng Yi’s leg.

Cheng Yi clutched his shin, his brow furrowing. He was about to say something to Cheng Jia when his peripheral vision caught something, and he forcibly swallowed the words at the tip of his tongue. He then let go of his shin and casually brushed off the corner of his robe: “A good man doesn’t quarrel with women. I won’t stoop to your level.”

Cheng Jia’s expression changed.

Zhou Shaojin felt very awkward.

She had experienced this kind of thing herself before, so she naturally understood Ji Ying’s irritation. But the person doing this was her cousin with whom she’d played since childhood. Even if she drove him out, he would probably shamelessly refuse to leave, wouldn’t he?

Zhou Shaojin gave Shi Xiang a meaningful look and said in a low voice: “In a moment, tell him that grandmother is looking for him and get rid of him.”

Shi Xiang understood. She set out the bowls and chopsticks, lingered outside for a moment, then returned: “Second Master, the old lady is asking for you!”

Cheng Yi was quietly asking Zhou Shaojin who Ji Ying was when he heard this and said doubtfully: “It can’t be such a coincidence, can it?”

Shi Xiang said aggrieved: “Why would I lie to you? Sister-in-law Shi came over to deliver Laba porridge.”

Usually at this time, Old Lady Guan would distribute the porridge among them.

Cheng Yi reluctantly had to leave.

Ji Ying breathed a sigh of relief: “If it weren’t for the fact that he’s your cousin, I would have slapped him long ago.”

Both Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia smiled awkwardly.

Zhou Chujin couldn’t help but smile as well, feeling that Ji Ying was indeed, as her sister had said, very special.

Someone lifted the curtain and entered.

Ji Ying and the others’ expressions showed slight displeasure, but when they looked over following the sound, it was Chi Xiang.

All three of them breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Chi Xiang reported: “Chief Steward Ma sent word. The shipment of cotton from Jingzhou Prefecture will arrive at East River Bridge in another hour. He’s asking whether the eldest miss and second miss will wait at Pingqiao Street or come by when they’re free.”

The Zhou sisters simultaneously stood up.

Zhou Chujin turned and pressed Zhou Shaojin back into her seat: “Tell Ma Fushan that I’ll go wait at Pingqiao Street right away.”

Zhou Shaojin anxiously called out “Sister” and tried to stand up.

Zhou Chujin pressed down harder and pushed Zhou Shaojin back down, saying: “You stay home. When the time comes, just help me write a letter to Father.”

Zhou Shaojin knew she couldn’t go.

Never mind that Cheng Jia and Ji Ying were here—even if they weren’t, if the sisters kept going back to Pingqiao Street so frequently, it would certainly attract others’ attention.

She needed to stay to provide cover for her sister.

Moreover, today was the Laba Festival. Later she would need to pay respects to her grandmother. The sisters couldn’t both be away from home!

“Sister,” Zhou Shaojin looked up at Zhou Chujin, her clear and bright eyes full of concern. “Go and come back quickly. When Sister-in-law Shi delivers the porridge, I’ll save some for you.”

A flash of surprise crossed Zhou Chujin’s eyes.

She hadn’t expected her younger sister to actually understand her meaning.

Zhou Chujin couldn’t help but smile, saying gently: “I understand. You all drink your porridge—don’t wait for me. I’ll return as quickly as possible.”

The three of them rose to see Zhou Chujin out.

Cheng Jia then said: “Your family does cotton trading too? How come I never heard about it before? Shouldn’t these matters be handled by stewards? Why does Sister Chujin need to go in person? If you want, I can tell my brother and have him send a steward to check it out?”

Ji Ying, however, was deep in thought.

Zhou Shaojin knew Ji Ying was suspicious. She looked at her while answering Cheng Jia’s question: “Something temporarily came up at home. Sister going over is enough—we don’t need help for now. If we do need it, we’ll definitely ask.”

Cheng Jia nodded and sat down at the round table.

Ji Ying then smiled at Zhou Shaojin with understanding.

***

When Zhou Chujin returned, the lanterns had just been lit.

Unlike the last time when she received Ma Ci’s letter with indescribable joy, this time she appeared both furious and exhausted.

Zhou Shaojin firmly supported Zhou Chujin.

“It really was Xinlan who did it!” Her face was pale, but her cheeks were bright red as if rouged. “It was Cheng Bai who put her up to it… She thought Mother should marry Cheng Bai. That way she could serve Cheng Bai too… Cheng Bai promised to let her enter his household if she succeeded, so she did it… I want to flay her alive…”

Zhou Shaojin said nothing.

Her heart felt heavy and suffocating like waterlogged cloth, yet her legs felt weak and powerless as if stepping on cotton.

Just because she liked Cheng Bai, she could help Cheng Bai harm people!

She thought of Cheng Lu.

The hatred from her previous life seemed to travel through time and ignite in her heart.

How could people be so despicable and shameless? They killed her mother and then came to harm her!

And there was Lanting—since she had discovered Cheng Bai and Xinlan’s conspiracy, why didn’t she tell Father? She kept pretending not to know. Had Mother ever scolded her without reason? Had Mother ever punished her without distinguishing right from wrong? She showed no consideration for old affections and could actually watch Xinlan get away with it with a clear conscience?

What were their hearts made of!

“Sister,” Zhou Shaojin heard her own voice say sharply, “We must have the authorities properly judge them. We can’t just let them off like this! Mother died too unjustly!”

Zhou Shaojin thought of her mother, of whom she had no memory, and couldn’t help but feel her eyes moisten.

“I know. I know,” Zhou Chujin returned to her own room and collapsed on the bed as if all her strength had been drained. “To repay grievance with virtue—then with what shall virtue be repaid? If killing someone only requires putting down the butcher’s knife, only requires reforming, only requires crying and saying ‘I was wrong’ a few times to be forgiven, then who would obey laws and regulations? Tomorrow I’ll go find Uncle Mian. Father is too far away. This matter still requires the Cheng family’s intervention.”

Zhou Shaojin immediately said: “I’ll write the letter right away.”