Zhou Shaojin listened to the night patrol woman’s report and dejectedly let her shoulders droop.

Chun Wan laughed instead, saying: “See, I told you! It’s so late—how could Fourth Master have come to visit Second Young Miss? He must have talked with Old Madam and then casually walked around the courtyard, unintentionally stopping at our doorway.”

Is that so?

Zhou Shaojin’s mood instantly plummeted to the depths, feeling that her action of getting dressed had been foolishly naive.

Chun Wan, however, breathed a long sigh of relief and smiled: “Finally we can sleep peacefully.”

Zhou Shaojin’s face burned with embarrassment. She thought to herself that fortunately only one lamp was lit in the inner chamber—if the lights had been blazing brightly, she would have had to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Despite this consolation in her heart, when she encountered Cheng Chi the next day, she still couldn’t help blushing.

Seeing her embarrassment and thinking of yesterday’s situation, Cheng Chi also felt somewhat awkward. But having been out in the world, he quickly regained his composure and asked with a smile: “The weather has cleared today, and the flowers in the garden should all be blooming. You can go to the garden to enjoy the flowers today.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded. After Cheng Chi finished paying his respects to Old Madam Guo and left, she urged Old Madam Guo to go flower viewing.

Old Madam Guo was in an exceptionally good mood.

Her youngest son had previously said he would never marry, would never let his descendants walk his old path. But these past few years, she had nagged in his ear every few days, and this year he had changed his mind, saying he would definitely marry, but to prevent his descendants from taking over household affairs, he would marry later.

If she continued nagging in his ear, perhaps one day he would change his mind again and agree to marry first and discuss the rest later… and then, with her persistence, perhaps he would change his mind again and agree to have a child…

Old Madam Guo felt she saw a glimmer of hope in her life. Full of hope, things were turning in a good direction.

She not only wanted to live well to see her youngest son’s child born, but also wanted to help her youngest son care for his children, just as she had helped her eldest and second sons.

Thinking of this, she was filled with energy. Waving her hand, she said: “Today we’ll have lunch at Siyi Tower! Have the outer courtyard kitchen help prepare the midday meal.”

The Cheng family’s private cuisine came from the outer courtyard kitchen—they prepared banquets whenever distinguished guests visited the Cheng family.

Biyu and the others cheered enthusiastically.

Zhenzhu, perceiving Old Madam Guo’s fondness for Zhou Shaojin, ingratiatingly said: “We’re basking in Second Young Miss’s reflected glory!”

Old Madam Guo didn’t deny it, chuckling as she patted Zhou Shaojin’s head.

Old Madam and Uncle Chi both liked to pat her head, treating her like a child!

Zhou Shaojin smiled bashfully.

Biyu and the others either took Old Madam Guo’s token to order dishes from the outer courtyard kitchen, or opened the storeroom to fetch utensils, or retrieved cushions that had been packed away just days ago for Old Madam Guo and Zhou Shaojin to sit on, or went to instruct the rough-work women on duty at Siyi Tower… By the time Zhou Shaojin and Old Madam Guo finished their sutra recitation in the Buddha hall, everyone set off toward Siyi Tower in a grand procession.

Unlike previous visits here to watch opera or socialize, Zhou Shaojin was in a cheerful mood. Following Old Madam Guo as they walked and stopped to admire the scenery, she found everything pleasing to the eye.

The group stopped at a lakeside pavilion, where schools of red carp swam over, blowing bubbles at them.

Zhou Shaojin exclaimed in surprise: “Do these fish recognize people?”

She had previously raised a few goldfish at the estate in Daxing, and whenever she passed by, the goldfish would swim toward her. Nanny Fan said it was because they recognized her.

But these lake fish weren’t raised by her—why did they also swim over?

Old Madam Guo smiled: “Most likely someone regularly feeds these fish here. So when the fish see people approaching, they swim over.”

As she was speaking, two women walked over chatting and laughing, carrying baskets.

Zhou Shaojin was greatly impressed and said: “Old Madam, you’re truly remarkable. You can even guess this.”

Old Madam smiled: “Careful observation everywhere leads to knowledge. Some things can be understood without learning from books.”

Zhou Shaojin thought of her clumsiness in her previous life, lost in thought.

Those two women indeed came to feed the fish.

Seeing Old Madam Guo, the two women nervously came forward to pay their respects and diligently served Zhou Shaojin and the others in playing at feeding the fish.

Seeing that Old Madam Guo merely sat watching from the side, Zhou Shaojin quietly withdrew. After washing her hands, she accompanied Old Madam Guo in drinking tea.

A woman came running over breathlessly, saying: “Old Madam, the Old Madam from the Fourth Branch says she’ll come see you shortly.”

Old Madam Guo smiled: “Then invite her to have lunch together at Siyi Tower.”

The woman left with a smile.

Zhou Shaojin smiled somewhat embarrassedly: “It’s been several days since I’ve seen Grandmother too.”

Old Madam Guo smiled: “She’s most likely coming about the family banquet at Tingyu Pavilion two days ago.”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t understand.

Old Madam Guo smiled: “I didn’t attend. I didn’t even make an excuse, so someone must have sought out your grandmother to have her convey a message to me.”

Seeing Old Madam Guo’s rather dismissive tone, Zhou Shaojin worried that Old Madam Guo and Old Lady Guan might develop a rift because of this, and smiled: “Grandmother was probably unable to refuse.”

Old Madam Guo nodded in agreement with a smile.

They went to Siyi Tower.

In her previous life, Zhou Shaojin had never gone upstairs. Although in this life she had gone upstairs, she had never wandered around freely. Now she discovered that standing at the eastern railing of Siyi Tower, one could see most of the Cheng family garden, and the early summer breeze blowing gently carried a hint of coolness, dispersing the heat accumulated from walking over.

She breathed contentedly and invited Old Madam Guo to sit by the railing: “…It’s cooler here!”

Old Madam Guo walked over with a smile and sat down with Zhenzhu’s assistance.

The wind came in gusts—sometimes making their garments flutter loudly, sometimes disappearing without a trace.

Old Madam Guo beckoned to Biyu and the others who were arranging the dining table: “You all come rest too. It’s still early before lunch.”

Biyu and the others ran laughing to the railing, excitedly shouting “How cool!”

Xiao Tan even pointed westward, saying: “Look, isn’t that our First Branch over there?”

“How come we can’t tell?”

Biyu and the others crowded over, chattering excitedly.

Zhou Shaojin curiously walked over.

But she only saw an undulating sea of trees, couldn’t see a single pavilion or tower, let alone distinguish where Hanbi Mountain Estate was located.

Her heart stirred, and she walked toward the western railing.

Though that area was also obscured by towering trees, she was too familiar with the Fourth Branch. After looking carefully for a while, she could identify where Jiashu Hall was, where Wanxiang Residence was, and where Hanqiu Pavilion was based on the blooming flower trees and tall eaves. She even found the path leading to Hanbi Mountain Estate.

Zhou Shaojin’s heart sank slightly as she walked toward the eastern railing. As she walked, she said: “I remember Cousin Jia lives on the east side of Ninth Lane. Can Ruyi Pavilion also be seen from here?”

Old Madam Guo smiled: “Look carefully and see. It used to be easy to identify, but these past few years the trees have grown increasingly tall, making some places less clear.”

In other words, not only had Xiao Tan discovered this, but others also knew that one could observe the activities of each branch from upstairs at Siyi Tower.

Zhou Shaojin said nothing. She searched carefully and spotted a purple magnolia similar to the one in front of Cheng Jia’s room.

She pointed at the purple magnolia and asked Old Madam Guo: “Look, is it there?”

Old Madam Guo walked over for a glance and smiled: “You haven’t often visited the Third Branch, yet you found where Miss Jia lives at first glance. That is indeed Ruyi Pavilion.”

Zhou Shaojin’s emotions surged.

If someone stood here, could they observe the activities of each branch?

She was somewhat lost in thought.

Old Madam Guo, however, seemed to perceive her mood and smiled: “Unless one has a telescope at hand and is familiar with the layout of each branch, from such a distance, how could one see clearly?”

But what if someone did have a telescope?

Previously she had only thought about the vulnerability in the Fifth Branch, but if the garden incident had the Second and Third Branches secretly fanning the flames behind the scenes, wouldn’t Siyi Tower also be a vulnerability?

Zhou Shaojin decided to discuss this matter properly with Cheng Chi after returning.

Seeing Old Madam Guo’s enthusiasm had waned, she helped Old Madam Guo sit on the arhat couch in the open hall.

Before long, Old Lady Guan arrived.

She appeared somewhat weary.

Zhou Shaojin hurriedly went forward to support Old Lady Guan.

Old Lady Guan didn’t let her provide support but instead held her hand and walked smiling toward Old Madam Guo.

After everyone exchanged greetings and sat according to rank, Manao brought over the menu and smiled: “Old Madam, these are the dishes we just ordered, and these are what the kitchen prepared today. What else would you like to add?” She then explained: “We servants came quite early today. By the time we received word that you were coming, we had already arranged for the dishes.”

Old Lady Guan scanned the menu and smiled: “Quite good. Most are things I like to eat. I won’t add anything—this is fine.” Clearly she wasn’t particularly concerned about what to eat.

So she came to discuss matters!

Zhou Shaojin pondered Old Madam Guo’s words while keeping her ears open.

Who knew that Old Lady Guan would first bring up Cheng Nuo’s marriage: “Nephew’s Wife Wen came to my place last night carrying gift boxes, saying she had arranged with the Wu family for the preliminary betrothal on the second day of the fifth month. This matter should have been discussed with you earlier, but some days ago she was possessed and doesn’t know how she ended up coming to you. Now thinking back, she has no face to come see you, so she asked me to come tell you. She doesn’t dare invite you to the banquet, but only asks that when the bride enters the door, you give Young Master Nuo some face by allowing her and Young Master Nuo to come together to Hanbi Mountain Estate to offer you a cup of tea.”

Old Madam Guo raised her eyebrows and said: “She’s a junior, and her parents-in-law are no longer here—how could I hold it against her!”

Old Lady Guan couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

From this tone, Old Madam Guo should have forgiven Wife Wen.

Listening, Zhou Shaojin secretly marveled.

Old Madam Guo valued a person’s bearing most. If you did something wrong that angered her and personally apologized to her, she would likely forgive you. But if you avoided mentioning it, she would remember it forever. Especially with something like this with Wife Wen—she could have used Young Master Nuo’s betrothal as an opportunity to thank Old Madam Guo, but instead asked Grandmother to act as intermediary… Why had Old Madam Guo suddenly forgiven her?

Indeed, Old Madam Guo then shifted her tone: “However, since she made such a scene at my place, you should tell her it’s better if she appears less before me in the future. Young Master Nuo belongs to the next generation—I’m not senile yet. If his new wife has me, her elder, in her eyes and offers me a cup of tea, I won’t shortchange them or let them leave empty-handed.”

Old Lady Guan looked somewhat awkward and smiled: “That temperament of yours—after all these years you still won’t change it. The family banquet at Tingyu Pavilion a few days ago—how could you just not go? You embarrassed Second Sister-in-law so much she could barely stay seated…”