The shopkeeper was enthusiastically introducing the shop’s fabrics to Old Madam Guo, but Zhou Shaojin wasn’t very interested.

She had plenty of clothing materials, and most were fine items her father Zhou Zhen had collected from various places, set aside as dowry additions for her and her sister. Her attention was drawn to the camellia plant in the courtyard. While Old Madam Guo was examining the fabrics, she walked over to take a closer look.

It seemed to be a pot of Eighteen Scholars camellia.

But she wasn’t quite certain.

She lowered her head to examine the potted flower carefully.

Over there, Old Madam Guo had selected a bolt of cherry-red butterfly brocade fabric, wanting to give it to Zhou Shaojin to make a winter cotton vest. Turning around, she discovered Zhou Shaojin crouching there examining the potted camellia. Old Madam Guo couldn’t help but laugh, calling to her, “Shaojin, come look at this fabric!”

Zhou Shaojin responded with a sweet, soft-voiced “Yes” and stood up.

The shopkeeper quickly said with a smile, “I didn’t expect the young miss to be an expert—this is indeed a pot of Eighteen Scholars. I bought it from a flower grower’s family at Tianmu Mountain, planning to raise it until the New Year for good fortune. I never expected the young miss to recognize it.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled slightly and said, “I thought it looked like one just now, and it turns out it really is. Where is that flower grower’s family you mentioned? Besides camellias, do they have any other rare varieties? Eighteen Scholars are not easy to cultivate. If they can raise such a fine specimen, logically they should also be able to grow two-colored peonies…”

Old Madam Guo said with pleasant surprise, “I never knew you actually enjoyed cultivating flowers!”

Zhou Shaojin said somewhat embarrassed, “I just grow them for fun. I’m not like whoever raised this Eighteen Scholars—that’s a true flower cultivator.”

Old Madam Guo nodded slightly and asked the shopkeeper, “What other flowers does that flower grower have?”

The shopkeeper said with a smile, “I never expected to meet two flower lovers today. That flower grower has a bit of fame here in Hangzhou. His surname is Miao, and he’s the fifth in his family, so we all call him Master Miao the Fifth. His family has not only grown two-colored peonies but also ink-black chrysanthemums. Right now is the season when chrysanthemums are in full bloom. If Old Madam and the young miss are interested, I’ll send someone over right away to see if Master Miao the Fifth still has any fine varieties for Madam and Miss to appreciate. It would add some scenery for the Mid-Autumn Festival.”

Old Madam Guo said with a smile, “Then send someone to check. If there are good varieties, have them delivered to the Yutai Money Exchange on this street.”

The shopkeeper quickly said, “I know, I know. Madam Wang from your esteemed money exchange is a regular customer here.”

How could Madam Wang dare claim wealth in front of Old Madam Guo? She quickly said with a smile, “If you serve our Old Madam and Second Young Miss well, those would be truly important customers! Why don’t you quickly send someone to inquire about those flowers?” By the end of her words, there was a hint of teasing in her tone, showing she was quite familiar with this shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper immediately called a young servant and gave instructions.

Old Madam Guo then held the fabric up against Zhou Shaojin, saying, “This color looks good for winter. Get several bolts of this cherry-red, jade-green, brocade-red, and blue-lotus colors.”

Not knowing who they were being bought for, Zhou Shaojin didn’t feel it was appropriate to say much. She let Old Madam Guo select a large pile of fabrics, which the shopkeeper inventoried and had sent to the Yutai Money Exchange. They simply went empty-handed to the next shop.

Old Madam Guo saw across the street someone carrying a shoulder pole selling rice cakes, with a crowd gathered waiting for the steaming hot cakes. She said to Feicui with a smile, “You go buy a few for Second Young Miss to try.”

Zhou Shaojin felt awkward.

Old Madam Guo was treating her like a child.

She quickly said, “There’s no need. I’m already this old. How can I compete with children for food?”

“It’s clear you still want to eat them,” Old Madam Guo said with a chuckle. “You’re just too embarrassed now that you’re older. Never mind, you’re with me. If you want to eat, eat. If you want to drink, drink. Don’t worry about such things.” After speaking, she signaled for Feicui to go buy them quickly.

Feicui went to buy the rice cakes with a complex expression.

Old Madam Guo led Zhou Shaojin into a silk flower shop nearby.

Madam Wang’s steps paused slightly. Walking alongside Zhenzhu who was following behind Old Madam Guo, she said with a seemingly casual smile, “I heard Second Young Miss is a relative from the Fourth Household’s side. I never expected she would catch Old Madam’s eye so completely—treating her like her own daughter.”

Zhenzhu didn’t like her saying this about Zhou Shaojin, as if Zhou Shaojin only had her current status because she had pleased Old Madam. Feeling displeased, she retorted, “That’s because Second Young Miss writes beautifully. Old Madam specifically requested Second Young Miss to help copy scriptures at Hanbi Mountain Villa. Only then did Old Madam An of the Fourth Household agree to let Second Young Miss accompany us to Mount Putuo.”

After Cheng Chi returned from Mount Putuo and began staying at branch offices in various places, they learned that Old Madam had brought along a young miss. But regarding this young miss’s background, after much inquiry, they had only discovered bits and pieces. Originally thinking she was sent by the Fourth Household to curry favor with Old Madam and serve her, after several days they saw that Old Madam treated this young miss with great affection. She didn’t seem at all like someone who came to serve Old Madam, but rather someone Old Madam valued highly and doted on wherever they went.

They rarely had an opportunity to curry favor with Old Madam. Since this young miss could win Old Madam’s favor, they naturally couldn’t neglect her either. Old Madam was worldly-wise, perceptive and shrewd. In earlier years when managing the Cheng family’s household affairs, she was someone who wouldn’t tolerate even a grain of sand in her eye. The older managers and shopkeepers still remembered this to this day. If they could speak to Old Madam through this young miss, that would be even better.

Madam Wang became even more enthusiastic toward Zhou Shaojin.

However, Zhou Shaojin had never been someone who enjoyed crowds. Moreover, she was clearly aware that others treated her this way only because she basked in the reflected glory of Old Madam Guo and Cheng Chi. Treating others with respect when they showed her respect, after the entire day, Madam Wang simply couldn’t find an opportunity to speak privately with Zhou Shaojin.

She felt somewhat discouraged.

Zhou Shaojin, however, was looking forward to admiring the moon at West Lake. That evening after returning, she rummaged through boxes and chests, deciding to wear a blue-green two-colored gold vest when going to admire the moon at West Lake, and pin a few glass bead flowers she had bought a couple days ago.

Ji Ying said with a laugh, “You’ve finally figured out your priorities—what’s so interesting about a temple fair? If you’re going to look at something, look at the scenery of the four seasons. Will you have another chance to come to Hangzhou in the future? Even if you come to Hangzhou later, will you have another chance to admire the moon at West Lake? Even if you can go admire the moon at West Lake, will it be with these same people?” As she spoke, she held up a red-gold flower hairpin inlaid with precious stones and tried it on her head, asking, “What do you think of me wearing this?”

“Not quite right,” Zhou Shaojin said. “You should wear that large kingfisher feather flower instead! This flower is too brilliant. Wearing it makes you look a bit vulgar. That large kingfisher feather flower has a cooler, more striking color tone—it would look better on you.”

On this point, Ji Ying trusted Zhou Shaojin’s judgment greatly—Zhou Shaojin herself was very good at dressing up.

She followed Zhou Shaojin’s suggestion and changed into a black brocade vest, arranged her hair in a hanging horse bun, wore the large kingfisher feather flower, and pearl earrings. Together they went to the courtyard to wait for Old Madam Guo.

Because today was the Mid-Autumn Festival, Cheng Chi had come early to pay his respects to Old Madam Guo. When leaving, he happened to run into Zhou Shaojin.

Seeing her dressed more brilliantly than usual, he couldn’t help but look a few extra times.

Zhou Shaojin noticed Cheng Chi had changed into a blue-lotus colored Hangzhou silk straight robe, with a jade belt at his waist, hanging a small seal and purse, dressed very formally. Knowing he was going out, after greeting him she couldn’t help but ask, “Will Uncle Chi join us in touring West Lake this evening?”

“Of course,” Cheng Chi said with a smile. “Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival after all! If I didn’t have business, I would have accompanied you to Lingyin Temple today.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled with pursed lips and said, “Then Uncle Chi must come back early. We’ll be waiting for you to eat mooncakes.”

Cheng Chi nodded. After thinking for a moment, he said, “That glass looks fine during the day, but at night it won’t look as good as gemstones.”

Zhou Shaojin’s face immediately turned rosy as morning clouds. She softly said “Mm.”

Cheng Chi smiled and lifted his feet to leave the courtyard.

Ji Ying snorted coldly and said, “How meddlesome.” She pulled Zhou Shaojin toward the tea room to talk.

But Zhou Shaojin felt what Cheng Chi said made a lot of sense.

She had originally worn this two-colored gold vest thinking that when touring West Lake in the evening, it would probably be brilliantly lit. Wearing brighter colors would not only look festive but also make her appear more spirited.

“You go sit in the tea room first!” Zhou Shaojin said. “I’ll go back and change these hairpins.”

Ji Ying’s eyes widened as she said, “You’re not actually taking his casual remark to heart, are you?”

“But I think what he said is right!” Zhou Shaojin replied. “Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Don’t we all want to be happy and cheerful?”

“Fine!” Ji Ying kept her eyes wide open for a long moment, then said dejectedly, “You go change your jewelry. I don’t really understand these things either. Maybe Fourth Master really did say something right.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled brightly as she escorted Ji Ying to the tea room before returning to her room to change her jewelry.

Chun Wan asked, “What should we change to? These glass bead flowers are delicately made, each only thumb-sized, which is why we arranged your hair in a hanging bun to wear the bead flowers… Why don’t we change your hairstyle? Even if it’s the coral flower hairpin Fourth Master bestowed on you, it would surely be very beautiful.”

“No!” Zhou Shaojin said. “That coral flower hairpin is what I’m preparing to give Elder Sister as a dowry addition. Today’s temple fair will surely have many people. If someone snatched it or it fell off, I would regret it endlessly. Besides, there’s no time now to restyle my hair…” She suddenly thought of the South Sea pearl hair ornament set Cheng Chi had given her and said, “Why not use the hairpins from that set—pearls are most brilliant and magnificent under lamplight.”

Gemstones still depended on the craftsman’s skill, but pearls only depended on their own quality.

What Cheng Chi had given her were genuine South Sea pearls. Even the slightest bit of light was enough to make them emit a luminous glow like the bright moon.

Chun Wan agreed with a smile, helped Zhou Shaojin change to the South Sea pearl flowers and hairpins, and went to Old Madam Guo’s quarters.

Elderly people all liked their juniors to dress festively, but because Zhou Shaojin had a tranquil disposition, she also looked very pleasing wearing more elegant garments. Now with deliberate adornment, she had a radiant, refined beauty. Old Madam Guo was also very pleased, especially with the South Sea pearl flowers in her hair that emitted a soft pearlescent glow—clearly not ordinary items.

She nodded with a beaming smile, stood up and said, “Let’s go to Lingyin Temple.”

***

Lingyin Temple was crowded with a sea of people. When the sedan chairs reached the foot of the mountain, they could go no further.

Madam Wang’s face was covered in sweat as she said, “Old Madam, please wait a moment. I’ll find a way to have people from the temple come receive you.”

Old Madam Guo hadn’t seen such a grand gathering in many years. She said with a smile, “Then we’ll wait for you here.”

Madam Wang wiped the sweat from her forehead, turned around and went to find someone.

Zhou Shaojin sat in the sedan chair waiting.

After a while, she inevitably became a bit bored.

She quietly lifted a corner of the sedan curtain to look outside.