After that, Ji Ying watched Biyu perform the massage a few more times, corrected several shortcomings in her technique, then rose to take her leave.
Zhou Shaojin personally escorted her out of the cabin, smiling as she said, “I never expected you to be so capable, even knowing massage and manipulation techniques to treat seasickness.”
“Fourth Master told me about it,” Ji Ying said with a smile. “My hometown is in Cangzhou. If you ask me what to do when a horse gets sick, I’d definitely know, but if you ask me what to do when someone gets seasick, I’m just as clueless as you—Fourth Master simply wanted to use my hands to teach this method to Biyu.”
Zhou Shaojin was even more surprised.
She hadn’t expected that Cheng Chi would even understand such things…
Ji Ying then yawned.
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong with you? You seem very tired? Can’t sleep well on the boat?”
Hearing this, Ji Ying grumbled internally: She could sleep well anywhere, but Cheng Zichuan had her patrolling the women’s quarters every night, and it was noisy during the day—how could she possibly sleep well?
“Yes!” She yawned again, feeling there was no need to tell Zhou Shaojin about these matters, lest knowing more would only make her worry. “I could ride horses at age three, but didn’t sit in a boat until I was eighteen.”
Zhou Shaojin understood and quickly urged her to go back and rest: “When the boat docks at the wharf tonight, we’ll have a proper chat.”
Ji Ying was truly exhausted. After exchanging a few words with Zhou Shaojin, she returned to her room.
Zhou Shaojin turned back to the cabin.
Nanny Lu had just been subtly rebuked by Zhou Shaojin earlier, and seeing that she could actually speak with Cheng Chi, didn’t dare play any clever tricks again. She had already told Zhenzhu about Zhou Shaojin pleading on her behalf. Zhenzhu struggled to get up to kowtow to Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin quickly gestured for Biyu to have her lie down, saying, “If you truly want to thank me, get better quickly. There’s no need for such formalities.”
Zhenzhu had interacted with her for some time. Thinking that she usually didn’t talk much but was willing to stand up for her at critical moments, she must be the type who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. So she didn’t stand on ceremony and obediently lay back on the bed, saying, “Second Cousin Miss, great kindness needs no words of thanks. I’ll persist with the massage and manipulation as Ji Ying instructed, and strive to get better soon.”
Zhou Shaojin wasn’t the type who liked to claim credit for herself.
She smiled and said, “This was all Uncle Chi’s idea. When you’re better, just go thank him.”
Zhenzhu responded with “Yes,” but thought to herself: Who knows how many people want to ask favors of Fourth Master, but how many can actually move Fourth Master to help? When all is said and done, Fourth Master did this out of consideration for you, Second Cousin Miss. The one who truly deserves gratitude is Second Cousin Miss.
Zhou Shaojin saw that the air in the cabin was circulating well, and that several young maids, to keep the cabin clean, had covered items like the basin Zhenzhu used with wooden lids. Feeling she had nothing more to instruct, she told Zhenzhu to rest well and returned to her room with Chun Wan.
Nanny Lu also took her leave to report back to Old Madam Guo.
She dared even less to conceal Cheng Chi’s kindness.
She reported the entire course of events in detail to Old Madam Guo.
Listening, Old Madam Guo couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows, saying, “You went to find Shaojin, then Shaojin went to find Fourth Son. Fourth Son sent Ji Ying, who’s by his side, to cure Zhenzhu’s seasickness?”
For now it was only somewhat improved.
Nanny Lu didn’t dare exaggerate.
Because if Zhenzhu couldn’t hold on, Cheng Chi had already said he would have Zhenzhu disembark when the boat docked at Changzhou.
She quickly said, “She’s much better than before. According to what Ji Ying said, it should be completely cured in about a month.”
Old Madam Guo somewhat absentmindedly said “Mm.”
A mother knows her own child best.
Her youngest son had been unruly and ungovernable since childhood. Although he now appeared to be a refined gentleman, deep down he was quite indifferent and cold. Even though he clearly knew Jiashan wasn’t a good candidate for clan heir, he was unwilling to put effort into cultivating Second Brother’s son Rang Ge’er… But this time, he not only accompanied her to Mount Putuo to offer incense, but also good-naturedly instructed Shaojin in card games, and now even had his own maid help Zhenzhu with her seasickness… He was being far too accommodating!
As the saying goes, unusual behavior indicates trouble.
Could something have happened on Fourth Son’s end? Or did Fourth Son have some plan in mind?
With matters on her mind, Old Madam Guo had no interest in playing cards.
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief, but noticed that Cheng Chi spent most of his time sitting on the arhat bed by the boat window, holding his teacup and staring into space.
He must be very bored too, right?
Zhou Shaojin speculated. After hesitating for two days, she went to find Cheng Chi to play chess: “Just to pass the time… the same as last time, playing gomoku!”
Cheng Chi looked at her.
Zhou Shaojin’s face immediately turned crimson.
She knew this suggestion was rather beneath notice, but aside from playing gomoku, she had no other way to make him happy.
Zhou Shaojin blinked her bright, expressive large eyes, looking at Cheng Chi full of anticipation.
Cheng Chi was suddenly reminded of nameless little pink flowers blooming alone beside an untraveled path, swaying in the spring breeze.
He called for Qingfeng to come in and set up the chess board.
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but smile.
Her sparkling eyes curved into crescents, the corners of her eyes and brows overflowing with joy.
She was this happy just because he agreed to play a few games of chess with her?
Cheng Chi wondered to himself in puzzlement, yet his mood involuntarily improved as if infected by her happiness, and even the corners of his mouth lifted slightly without him realizing it.
As before, Cheng Chi gave Zhou Shaojin a two-stone handicap and played ten games.
The result was the same as last time—Cheng Chi won nine games and lost one.
Zhou Shaojin was quite dissatisfied, but as it was getting late, she could only say, “We’ll play again tomorrow!”
Cheng Chi neither agreed nor disagreed.
Zhou Shaojin then asked him, “Does Uncle Chi have any chess manuals? I’ll cram tonight when I go back!”
Cheng Chi couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “Have you ever seen someone lend weapons to their opponent and then fight them to the death?”
Zhou Shaojin said righteously, “Even if Uncle Chi lends me weapons, I still can’t beat Uncle Chi, so why doesn’t Uncle Chi magnanimously guide me? You can win a good reputation and increase the fun of competition—that would be killing two birds with one stone!”
Who would have thought that this young girl, who usually seemed timid and quiet, had such a lively and active side!
Cheng Chi said straightforwardly, “No! I didn’t bring any chess manuals.”
Zhou Shaojin returned to the cabin with her shoulders drooping in disappointment.
After dinner, Ji Ying came to visit her and tossed her a copy of “Chess Manual” published by Baicao Hall, saying, “Qin Ziping said Fourth Master ordered it to be rushed over at full gallop from Changzhou—they nearly ran the horse to death. This is the simplest chess manual they could find. What do you need a chess manual for? You don’t actually think you can compete with Fourth Master, do you?”
“No, no!” Zhou Shaojin held the chess manual as if it were a hot potato, murmuring, “I, I just thought that last time Uncle Chi taught me how to play leaf cards, I understood right away… so I wondered if I could borrow a chess manual from Uncle Chi. Maybe I’d understand it at a glance, and wouldn’t always have to consult Madam Shen…”
Ji Ying sensitively detected the discomfort in her words and asked quietly, “Did Madam Shen give you attitude?”
“Of course not!” Zhou Shaojin quickly said. “It’s just that no matter what, I can’t understand the standard patterns, and Madam Shen doesn’t know what to do about it either. I don’t dare tell anyone else…”
“Aren’t you just making trouble for yourself?” Hearing this, Ji Ying rolled her eyes and said, “Why do you insist on playing chess with Fourth Master?”
Zhou Shaojin thought for a moment and said, “I have something very important to ask of Uncle Chi. I need to gain his trust first.”
Now Ji Ying understood.
Thinking this matter must be very important, she didn’t press Zhou Shaojin for details, saying, “Then study this chess manual well! I need to go patrol… I need to go back to my room. If you need anything, you can have Chun Wan call me.”
Zhou Shaojin thanked her repeatedly and spent half the night in the cabin studying the chess manual. She discovered that this manual was indeed, as Ji Ying said, relatively simple—at least simpler than those Madam Shen had shown her. After studying the first standard pattern for quite a while, she finally began to grasp it.
She couldn’t help but be filled with joy.
But thinking that this was found for her by Uncle Chi’s people, she became puzzled again.
They were on a boat, surrounded by water on all sides—how did Uncle Chi send someone to find this chess manual for her?
Zhou Shaojin thought about it for ages without figuring it out, and went to thank Cheng Chi the next day.
Cheng Chi was nonchalant, smiling slightly as he said, “Now I’ve lent you the weapons. Let’s see how you make me both gain a good reputation and add to the fun of competition!”
Zhou Shaojin was too embarrassed to look at Cheng Chi. She curtsied and fled in panic.
Cheng Chi watched her light, deer-like retreating figure and smiled mockingly.
Two days passed like this, and Zhou Shaojin felt her face wasn’t so hot anymore, so she went to find Cheng Chi to play chess.
Cheng Chi said nothing and had Qingfeng set up the board, still following the old rule of giving her a two-stone handicap for gomoku.
Ten games—Zhou Shaojin lost nine and won one.
She stared at Cheng Chi in astonishment.
Cheng Chi’s expression was calm as he collected the pieces from the board one by one.
Unconvinced, Zhou Shaojin went to find Cheng Chi to play chess again.
Still nine losses and one win.
Zhou Shaojin wasn’t stupid.
Her face like morning clouds, she stood up, wishing there was a crack in the ground she could crawl into. Head lowered, she said “I’m going back” and headed for the door.
Cheng Chi shook his head and said, “Come back.”
Zhou Shaojin stopped in her tracks, her head nearly touching her chest, and turned around sullenly.
Cheng Chi sighed, saying, “Is losing to me so shameful?”
“Of course not!” Zhou Shaojin quickly said. “It’s that I myself…”
“Then that’s settled!” Before she could finish, Cheng Chi interrupted her, saying, “Can a person become fat in one bite? You’ve only lost a few games of gomoku to me and can’t take it. When three people walk together, there must be someone I can learn from—if you don’t even have this much magnanimity, how can you learn go well? Go back and think carefully about what I’ve said.”
It’s not like I wanted to learn go in the first place.
Zhou Shaojin grumbled inwardly as she walked out of the cabin.
The oncoming wind hit her face, immediately clearing her head considerably.
Uncle Chi’s words made sense.
If she couldn’t even bear to lose to Uncle Chi, how could she learn go well?
When she was reborn, hadn’t she resolved to change her former weakness and timidity?
However, losing face in front of Uncle Chi like this still made her feel uncomfortable.
Zhou Shaojin spent ages encouraging herself before finally clenching her fists, turning around, and lifting the curtain of the study, saying, “Uncle Chi, we’ll play again tomorrow!” Then without even glancing at Cheng Chi, she scurried away.