How could this be?

Zhou Shaojin didn’t dare ask anyone.

She feared that her inquiries would make others notice Cheng Chi’s unusual situation, and also feared this was a trap Cheng Chi had set, that Old Madam Guo’s silence was to cooperate with Cheng Chi, and her rash actions would instead destroy Cheng Chi’s arrangements.

But which was it—the former or the latter?

What if it wasn’t what she thought at all, and Uncle Chi had actually encountered some dangerous situation?

Zhou Shaojin was so anxious she was nearly in tears.

Her elder sister’s return visit was approaching, yet there was still no news of Cheng Chi.

Now Zhou Shaojin was completely panicked.

Uncle Chi had never broken his promises to her.

He had said that if she was unwilling to stay at Jiuru Lane, he would find a way to get Grandmother to agree to let her go to Baoding Prefecture.

After her sister’s return visit, her own staying or leaving would have to be decided.

Uncle Chi still didn’t know she had changed her mind. If he didn’t act now, it would be too late.

He must have encountered some trouble… maybe even a life-or-death matter!

Zhou Shaojin paced anxiously in circles in her room. After much deliberation, she finally decided to visit Hanbi Mountain Lodge—if Old Madam Guo knew about this matter yet remained unmoved, it meant Uncle Chi wasn’t in danger; if Old Madam Guo didn’t know about it, even if it cost her life, she would work with Old Madam Guo to find Uncle Chi.

She hurriedly changed clothes and went to Old Madam Guo’s residence.

Old Madam Guo had a visitor.

Zhou Shaojin asked curiously: “Who is it?”

Manao told her quietly: “It’s Ninth Madam Gu.”

Zhou Shaojin found this even stranger.

The Gu family was still in mourning. Shouldn’t Ninth Madam Gu be observing mourning at home? Even if Gu Qingge needed to seek Cheng Jing’s help regarding his reinstatement, given the friendship between the Gu and Cheng families, he didn’t need to have his wife curry favor with the Cheng family like this. In the eyes of those with ulterior motives, this would be considered unfilial.

Manao looked around, lowering her voice even more: “It seems someone in the Gu family proposed dividing the family property. Ninth Madam certainly doesn’t agree and wants to ask the old madam to intervene.”

The Gu family had built their reputation on teaching and educating people, with brotherly respect, filial piety, and virtuous wives—their household traditions were upright. Since Gu Qinghong’s time, there had been no disputes, let alone talk of dividing family property.

Zhou Shaojin was startled and said: “That would be scandalous.”

“Who says it isn’t,” Manao sighed. “The old madam must have quite a headache right now. But we can’t worry about that. Second Cousin Miss, would you like to wait in the tea room first, or should I inform the old madam now?”

What she had to say was even more secret.

Zhou Shaojin said: “I’ll wait in the tea room.”

Manao smiled and led her to the tea room, instructing a young maid to bring out the cushion she usually used, asked what tea she wanted to drink, personally went to brew the tea, and brought over a plate of tea snacks.

Zhou Shaojin thanked her repeatedly and said politely: “How could I trouble you to personally brew tea for me!”

Manao smiled: “Second Cousin Miss is a gentle person. Even when the young maids don’t do things to your satisfaction, you never say anything. I sincerely invited you to the tea room for tea—how could I let you make do!”

Zhou Shaojin felt embarrassed.

Manao sat with her and started chatting idly: “…You haven’t come to Hanbi Mountain Lodge for several days. What have you been doing at home? There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you, but every time I saw you, you were busy with Eldest Cousin Miss’s matters, and I never had the chance!”

Zhou Shaojin smiled: “What is it? You could have sent a young maid to tell me.”

“How could that work?” Manao’s face reddened slightly. “Before New Year, didn’t you give each of us a red envelope? I just wanted to ask what the netting holding the red envelope was called, and who made it? I’d like to learn too…”

Zhou Shaojin laughed.

That was something she had figured out herself in her previous life at the estate in Daxing when she had nothing to do. It took longer to make, but was actually easier to handle than other nettings.

“I made it myself. The maids had nothing to do and thought it looked like plum blossoms, so they named it ‘A Spray of Plum Blossoms.’ If you think it looks nice, I’ll have Chun Wan teach you.”

Manao was delighted and rose to refill Zhou Shaojin’s tea.

A young maid ran in looking for her: “Miss Manao, Miss Biyu says the old madam sent word to take out the set of boxwood wine cups from the ‘Spring’ room in the ‘Ding’ storehouse—the old madam wants to give them to Ninth Madam Gu.”

Manao smiled apologetically at Zhou Shaojin.

Zhou Shaojin quickly said: “You go about your business. I’ll just wait here for the old madam.”

Manao said: “Alright, I’ll tell the young maids that as soon as there’s any movement from the old madam’s side, they should come tell you.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded.

Manao hurriedly followed the messenger maid out of the tea room.

Zhou Shaojin sat alone in the tea room, her thoughts wandering again.

By rights, the old madam was a very shrewd and capable person—it was impossible she didn’t know Uncle Chi was missing! Even if she had been too busy with other matters to notice at first, after all this time, even she herself knew. How could the old madam not know?

Could there be some secret involved?

She should have come to ask the old madam earlier.

The old madam was Uncle Chi’s mother—she couldn’t possibly wish him harm.

Even if something had happened to Uncle Chi, with the old madam helping search, it would be better than her secretly struggling alone.

But what if the old madam knew nothing—what should she do then?

Uncle Chi had repeatedly instructed her not to tell anyone about her rebirth, and to help her keep this secret, Uncle Chi had even concocted a story to deceive the old madam.

But she didn’t have Uncle Chi’s abilities!

If Old Madam Guo saw through her, how could she answer to Uncle Chi?

At the thought that Uncle Chi would be troubled because of this, Zhou Shaojin’s heart felt like it held a little rabbit, jumping up and down without any clear direction.

She sat in the rose chair in the tea room, wringing her fingers.

Suddenly there was a commotion outside.

But the commotion was very brief, and soon the surroundings returned to quiet.

What had happened?

Normally Zhou Shaojin wouldn’t have cared, but today her mind was heavy with worries, and she feared that Old Madam Guo had seen off Ninth Madam Gu and the young maids had forgotten to tell her. After hesitating for a moment, she lifted the curtain and left the tea room.

Who would have known that someone was just passing by the tea room at that moment.

Moreover, it was a tall man with a faint, pleasant fragrance about him.

Caught off guard, she couldn’t avoid him in time and nearly collided with him.

The man was also very surprised and quickly stepped back several paces.

When both looked closely, Zhou Shaojin cried out in surprised delight: “Uncle Chi!”

As if some precious treasure lost had been recovered, her emotions surged as she said urgently: “When did you return? Are you alright? How could you go out without telling anyone at home? I’ve been worried sick these past days!”

Cheng Chi smiled faintly.

His clothes were neat, his smile refined, his gaze bright. If Zhou Shaojin hadn’t been unable to find him these past days, seeing him like this she would have thought he had merely taken a trip to the front courtyard.

Or perhaps it was seeing Cheng Chi acting as if nothing had happened while she had been living in fear and anxiety—Zhou Shaojin inexplicably felt like a wronged child who had encountered their own adult. She grew sad, and tears fell uncontrollably: “Uncle Chi, why did you only come back now! I’ve been looking for you for so many days…”

Cheng Chi was stunned.

Although he hadn’t deliberately hidden his whereabouts, those who weren’t paying attention certainly wouldn’t notice.

Had Zhou Shaojin tried to find him?

Cheng Chi’s face showed apology as he said gently: “But I’m back now, aren’t I? I haven’t forgotten what I promised you. Your sister will return in five or six days—I remember. Don’t worry. Stop crying now, or your eyes will swell again…”

His not saying this would have been better—once he said it, Zhou Shaojin felt even more wronged.

She wasn’t afraid he wouldn’t return because of the Baoding Prefecture matter. She was afraid he had died outside like the second branch’s old master Cheng Li, and wouldn’t be discovered until much later, with no one even to prepare his body for burial when he died…

Zhou Shaojin’s tears fell even faster: “No one at home noticed you were missing… there was no news from Huai Shan either… the old madam seemed not to know either… and I didn’t dare ask others… afraid you had some important matter and had quietly gone out, wanting to hide it from the people at Jiuru Lane… and afraid you’d encountered some danger outside… I was scared to death, and you still say such things…”

She kept wiping her tears.

Cheng Chi’s expression was complex.

Not because of her own matter of going to Baoding Prefecture, but worried that he had quietly met with misfortune…

How many years had it been since anyone worried about him like this?

Cheng Chi was silent for a long while before slowly walking over.

“Shaojin, don’t cry!” he coaxed gently. “Look at yourself—you’re like a little kitten that fell into a mud puddle…”

She had been unable to eat or sleep properly these past days, yet he said she looked like a little kitten that fell into a mud puddle…

Zhou Shaojin was overcome with grievance.

How could Uncle Chi say such things about her?

Who didn’t want to appear bright and beautiful before others?

But she had been so worried—to pretend nothing had happened was something she truly couldn’t do.

Anyway, Uncle Chi already thought she looked like a little kitten that fell into a mud puddle—why should she keep pretending everything was fine?

Zhou Shaojin turned away and entered the tea room.

Cheng Chi stared at the swaying door curtain, unable to recover his senses for a long time.

This little slip of a girl actually dared to give him the cold shoulder.

However… considering how worried she had been about him… he’d let it go!

Cheng Chi thought for a moment and followed her into the tea room.

Zhou Shaojin was lying on the table by the window in the tea room, sobbing quietly.

“Shaojin! Shaojin!” Cheng Chi called awkwardly twice.

Zhou Shaojin didn’t want to acknowledge him.

Cheng Chi stood quietly beside her for a while, then said softly: “Shaojin, don’t cry. I’ll tell you when I go out in the future!”

Zhou Shaojin’s face burned with embarrassment.

Uncle Chi was a grown man—since when did men need to report their comings and goings to women and children?

Zhou Shaojin had grown up reading the “Admonitions for Women,” which taught that at home one obeys one’s father, and when married one obeys one’s husband.

Could Uncle Chi have misunderstood and thought she was forcing him to promise to always report his whereabouts to her?

She timidly peeked out from between her arms, showing half her face, and stammered: “No, no need. In the future, just don’t make it so people can’t find you… I was very frightened…”

Cheng Chi was exasperated.

Letting her be able to find him anytime was much more troublesome than just telling her when he went out… But looking at her wet eyes and red nose tip, he thought that since the two of them were allies after all, letting her be able to find him anytime was only proper… He involuntarily nodded and said: “Alright!”