Ji Ying didn’t understand and said, “What’s wrong with her?”

Zhou Shaojin felt embarrassed and replied, “It’s probably because she can’t go with us to Mount Putuo!”

Ji Ying nodded, not taking the matter to heart.

Even fellow disciples practicing martial arts together would still be ranked in order of importance, let alone Cheng Jia and Zhou Shaojin who were merely related by marriage.

She asked Zhou Shaojin, “Can you finish copying everything this month?”

“Yes!” Zhou Shaojin felt a bit embarrassed. She could have finished copying back in March, but she had deliberately slowed her progress hoping to encounter Cheng Chi. Now she had to rush to catch up—wasn’t this like lifting a rock only to drop it on her own foot?

She spent ten days and finally finished copying the remaining Shurangama Sutra. Not only that, she also copied a volume of the Maha Prajna Paramita Great Bright Mantra Sutra for herself, intending to offer it to Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Old Madam Guo was very pleased when she learned of this. She held Zhou Shaojin’s hand and kept saying she had worked hard, adding, “Your Fourth Uncle Chi really knows what he’s doing. After looking at the sutras you copied, he could estimate when you’d finish. We’ll set out according to the date he determined.”

Zhou Shaojin’s ears burned with embarrassment.

Could Fourth Uncle Chi have noticed something?

She didn’t dare think too deeply about it and asked Ji Ying to come help her pack.

“Bring several cloaks. The temperature on the river varies greatly. Although it’s summer, it still gets quite cold at night, but the scenery in many places is beautiful at night—perfect for standing on the boat and enjoying the view.” She went on and on, “Bring more undergarments too. Don’t think that just because you’re on a boat there will be plenty of water—there really isn’t much usable water, and it’s even harder to dry clothes after washing them… Do you have any fine cotton clothes? Fine cotton is best for wearing on boats—it’s more durable and easier to wash…”

Chun Wan and Bitao listened carefully, packing according to Ji Ying’s instructions.

Zhou Shaojin, however, called Shi Xiang aside and handed her a pouch, saying, “I don’t know if I’ll be back the day you leave the mansion. This pouch contains ten bank notes of ten taels each. Keep them with you. If I make it back in time, everything will be fine. If I don’t make it back, I’ll definitely come for a cup of celebratory wine at your wedding.”

Shi Xiang kowtowed to her.

Zhou Shaojin, Zhou Chujin, and even Old Madam Guo and Old Madam Guan had all given her rewards—enough for her to marry in style.

Chi Xiang couldn’t help feeling wistful watching this.

They had been like sisters. Once Shi Xiang left, who knew when they would see each other again.

After celebrating Old Madam Guan’s birthday, the evening breeze already carried a hint of coolness. Zhou Shaojin bid farewell to her maternal grandmother, eldest aunt, elder sister, and others, then set out with Old Madam Guo for Mount Putuo. Accompanying them were those who usually served Zhou Shaojin and Old Madam Guo, as well as Cheng Chi along with his attendants Ji Ying, Huai Shan, Qin Ziping, and several guards.

On the day of departure, the weather was clear with a sky as pure as freshly washed silk. People from all branches of the family came to see them off. Zhou Chujin held her younger sister’s hand all the way to the gangplank before letting go.

They first took a pleasure boat to Zhenjiang, then would transfer to a sand boat from Zhenjiang to Hangzhou.

Through the glazed windows of the pleasure boat, watching the people on shore gradually recede until they became tiny black shadows, Zhou Shaojin’s cheerful, anticipatory heart inexplicably became somewhat melancholy.

Fan Liushi, who was accompanying them, quickly comforted her, “It’s all right, it’s all right. We’re with Old Madam Guo and carrying letters of introduction from the Grand Master. With Fourth Master Chi accompanying us, nothing will happen.”

Zhou Shaojin nodded.

Biyu walked in with unsteady steps and said, “Second Young Cousin Miss, Old Madam asked me to check on you. Are you well?”

“I’m fine.” Zhou Shaojin smiled and collected herself, inviting Biyu to sit. “Is Old Madam well?”

“Also fine.” Biyu smiled. “Old Madam says she’s going to rest for a while and asks Second Young Cousin Miss to relax. We’ll gather again at dinner.”

The journey to Zhenjiang would take a day and a night.

Zhou Shaojin agreed and pushed open the window of the pleasure boat to look out.

They hadn’t been far from shore yet. Many boat-dwelling families lived along both banks, and many people stood on their boats pointing at their pleasure boat.

Zhou Shaojin smiled mockingly.

She remembered when they returned from Pukou, at the North Bridge, they too had pointed at others’ pleasure boats and drooled with envy. After just a few days, the situation had reversed, and now it was others drooling over the pleasure boat she was on.

After lunch, she closed the window and instructed Bitao, “I’m going to rest for a while too. Have a junior maid watch for any movement from Old Madam’s side. If Old Madam wakes up, wake me immediately.”

Bitao was the same age as Zhou Shaojin but half a head taller, with slender eyes and brows, fair skin, and a gentle, honest appearance.

She had just started serving Zhou Shaojin and already had the opportunity to accompany her to Putuo Temple to offer incense—even now it still felt like a dream. She respectfully agreed and turned to relay the message.

Zhou Shaojin slept until sunset.

Seeing the room filled with evening glow, she jumped up and complained to Chun Wan, who was on duty, “What time is it? Why didn’t you wake me? Has Old Madam woken up?”

Chun Wan smiled, “It just passed the hour of You (4 PM). Old Madam woke long ago. When she noticed Biyu peeking around, she specifically sent Nanny Shi to pass along a message—not to wake you, and to wait until you woke naturally before having dinner together.”

This wouldn’t do!

Zhou Shaojin quickly washed up and went to the middle cabin—Old Madam Guo occupied the middle, Cheng Chi stayed at the bow, and she stayed at the stern.

Old Madam Guo was talking with Nanny Shi. Seeing Zhou Shaojin wearing a plain pink Hangzhou silk vest, her dark hair loosely pinned up with a row of jasmine flowers inserted beside the bun, dewy and fresh, she looked pure, lovely, bright and clear.

“My goodness, where did these jasmine flowers come from, still with water droplets on them?” Old Madam Guo smiled with narrowed eyes, looking her up and down. “How beautiful!”

Zhou Shaojin smiled, “Elder Sister picked them early this morning, saying I should put them by my pillow. I saw there were quite a few, so I had Chun Wan put them in a bowl of water. Unexpectedly they all bloomed this afternoon, so I picked a few to wear.” She instructed Chun Wan, “Bring that bowl over. We’ll string two bracelets for Old Madam and Nanny to wear.”

She remembered that Hanbei Mountain Villa didn’t have a single flower, so she didn’t dare rashly send flowers over.

Seeing Old Madam Guo just smile without speaking, Chun Wan hurried to fetch the bowl with the jasmine flowers.

Nanny Shi extended her hand toward Zhou Shaojin and smiled, “My Second Young Cousin Miss, look at me—do I look like someone who wears flowers? Just string two for Old Madam. Our Old Madam, when she was young, loved those fragrant white flowers the most…”

Why didn’t she like them afterward?

Zhou Shaojin didn’t dare ask.

Old Madam Guo didn’t say either.

Chun Wan proved quite clever—she not only brought in the bowl but also a threaded needle.

Zhou Shaojin strung a garland of jasmine flowers.

Old Madam Guo thought for a moment and said, “Hang it on my clothes, won’t you? At my age, wearing it on my hand—wouldn’t that make the young maids laugh?”

“There’s no one else here!” Nanny Shi laughed. “And you’re still concerned about such things.”

But Zhou Shaojin understood.

Just like herself—even after two lifetimes, she still wasn’t comfortable wearing very brightly colored clothes. She always felt uneasy, as if they weren’t really hers.

She smiled and helped Old Madam Guo hang the jasmine flowers on her lapel.

Nanny Shi then said to Zhou Shaojin, “There’s still more than half an hour until dinner. Why don’t we keep Old Madam company playing leaf cards?”

Zhou Shaojin immediately broke out in a sweat and said, “I don’t know how!”

“It’s very simple.” Nanny Shi said enthusiastically, “I’ll have Feicui teach you.”

Biyu played leaf cards very well and often accompanied Madam Guo in games, so she would be at the table.

Zhou Shaojin said in a low voice, “I really don’t know how!”

“It’s just to pass the time,” Old Madam Guo said with a smile. “We’re not playing for stakes.”

The problem was she didn’t know how even if they weren’t playing for stakes!

But the table was already set up and the cards brought to the table. She really couldn’t refuse, so she could only steel herself and sit at the table’s edge, hoping Feicui could help her get through this half hour.

So when dinner was nearly ready and Cheng Chi came to invite Old Madam Guo to dine, he saw Zhou Shaojin sitting at the card table with a pale face and covered in sweat, staring intently at the cards in her hand, shuffling them back and forth but unable to discard a single one for quite some time.

Those who didn’t know might think she was trying to choose an auspicious time for reincarnation!

Cheng Chi shook his head inwardly with disapproval, but still couldn’t help walking over. He pulled out a card and tossed it on the table.

Zhou Shaojin quickly said, “No, no, that’s a Six of Bamboo.”

“So what about the Six of Bamboo?” Cheng Chi said calmly. “There are already two Five of Bamboo, four Seven of Bamboo, and one Six of Bamboo showing—who could claim it!”

“Oh!” Zhou Shaojin nervously watched Old Madam Guo, Nanny Shi, and Biyu.

Indeed, none of the three made a move.

Biyu, sitting to her right, drew a card, then discarded a Six of Coins.

“Claim it!” Cheng Chi said. “Discard the Seven of Coins.”

Zhou Shaojin hesitated for a moment.

She had one Five of Coins, two Six of Coins, and one Seven of Coins.

Discarding a Six of Coins would similarly complete a sequence.

Seeing her make no move, Cheng Chi glanced at her.

Her heart trembled. She quickly discarded the two Six of Coins from her hand and threw out the Seven of Coins.

Old Madam Guo across from her claimed it as a pair, then discarded a Nine of Coins.

“Claim it!” Cheng Chi called out again.

Zhou Shaojin no longer understood why she should play this way. Without thinking, she threw out the matching Nine of Coins.

Cheng Chi said, “Discard the Three of Bamboo.”

She obediently discarded the Three of Bamboo.

From the corner of her eye, Nanny Shi glanced at Cheng Chi. Her hand paused over the cards for a few moments before she claimed the Three of Bamboo as a triplet and discarded a Two of Bamboo.

“Win!” Cheng Chi declared.

That was it—she won!

Zhou Shaojin carefully examined all the cards in her hand.

She really had won!

Zhou Shaojin set down her cards.

Old Madam Guo looked at Zhou Shaojin’s cards unwillingly and muttered, “When Shaojin was claiming cards, I was ready to win… How did she end up winning first!”

“Card games naturally have winners and losers.” Cheng Chi smiled and had Biyu clear the card table. “It’s time for dinner. I specifically asked the boat family to prepare some river eel. Try it and see how it differs from what we usually eat.”

Old Madam Guo cheered up and, supported lightly by Cheng Chi’s arm, went to the adjacent dining room.

The dishes were already laid out—a full large table. Besides steamed river eel, there were drool chicken, fermented duck feet, squirrel fish, and other dishes with Jiangnan characteristics, incomparable to the simple meal they had on their trip to Pukou.

Old Madam Guo invited Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Chi to sit down for dinner: “…There are no outsiders here. You’re an elder, so we don’t need to observe so many formalities.”

Zhou Shaojin thought this made sense.

There were only the three of them as masters on the boat. If they insisted on eating at separate tables, they would each have to stay in their own cabins and never come out.

She expressed her thanks with a smile and sat at Old Madam Guo’s right hand.