Old Lady Guan had always valued Zhou Zhen, this son-in-law. Hearing Zhou Shaojin’s words, she felt they made great sense. After instructing Wife Lu to grind ink, she said to Zhou Shaojin: “We won’t delay either matter. The letter to your father must be sent, and your eldest uncle’s residence must be built. In any case, nothing can be done until after the Dragon Boat Festival.”
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief.
She stood up to take the ink stick from Wife Lu’s hand—with a junior like her present, how could she let an elder do such work?
Seeing this made Wife Lu even happier. She said to Old Lady Guan: “What do you think about having Gao Ge’er and Yi Ge’er join us for lunch? The family can have a reunion meal. The cousins haven’t seen each other in quite a while.”
Thinking that Cheng Yi had been quite well-behaved these past days, Old Lady Guan smiled: “Then let’s have them both come join us.”
Zhou Shaojin immediately felt somewhat uncomfortable.
She thought she might as well go to Cheng Jia’s place—at least there wouldn’t be so many troublesome matters.
Si’er went with a smile to deliver the message.
Bitao was poking her head around at the doorway.
Zhou Shaojin’s eyes lit up: “Bitao, is something the matter?”
Bitao came in, greeted Old Lady Guan and Wife Lu, then said: “Xiao Tan sent a message through a young maid saying that Young Master Xu has already departed for Zao Garden.”
Zhou Shaojin immediately felt refreshed and clear-headed.
Old Lady Guan, however, said doubtfully: “What? Today is the day Xu Ge’er goes to Zao Garden to study? Why haven’t I heard any commotion? By rights, your Cousin Gao and the others should have seen him off partway.” She added in confusion, “Shaojin, why didn’t you go see off Xu Ge’er?”
Only then did Zhou Shaojin remember.
Studying for the examinations was a major family matter. Even in families like the Cheng family that had produced several presented scholars, when going away to study, they not only consulted the almanac but also asked accomplished monks to select an auspicious date.
Cheng Xu must have been casually sent off by Uncle Chi!
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but break into a joyful smile.
But this smile had barely bloomed at the corners of her mouth before quickly fading.
Wait, that’s not right!
If Cheng Xu had been casually sent off by Uncle Chi, how could Old Madam Guo have agreed?
Her heart suddenly felt as if being scratched by a cat’s paw. She wanted to ask Cheng Chi.
Wife Lu was also looking at her with a puzzled expression.
Not knowing what to say, Zhou Shaojin simply stated: “Uncle Chi said I didn’t need to see off Cousin Xu!”
Let them go ask Cheng Chi.
After all, this excuse was also Cheng Chi’s idea.
She didn’t care!
Zhou Shaojin smiled with pursed lips.
Old Lady Guan and Wife Lu, however, both fell silent at the same time.
Last night the First Branch had sent someone with a message saying Zhou Shaojin wanted to come see them… very hastily.
This was clearly somewhat irregular.
And when Cheng Xu left the mansion to study, the First Branch had definitely asked an eminent monk to select the date.
Could Zhou Shaojin’s presence conflict with Cheng Xu’s departure date for studying?
This was hardly a good thing after all!
If Zhou Shaojin’s presence conflicted with Cheng Xu’s study departure date, perhaps her eight characters also conflicted with Cheng Xu’s. Yet she was currently living long-term at the First Branch…
After a moment, Old Lady Guan finally smiled: “Since it’s Fourth Master Chi’s instruction, he must have his considerations. It’s fine if you don’t see him off. Just enjoy yourself here today.”
Zhou Shaojin nodded with a smile.
Using Uncle Chi as a shield really worked well.
But she had no intention of staying at the Fourth Branch for lunch—with Cheng Xu gone from the mansion, Jiuru Lane was now safe for her.
But what excuse should she use?
Zhou Shaojin was pondering this when a young maid hurried in, saying: “Old Madam, Madam, Xiao Tan from Second Young Miss’s room has arrived.”
Old Lady Guan, Wife Lu, and Zhou Shaojin were all very surprised and asked Xiao Tan to come in.
Xiao Tan respectfully greeted all three and reported: “Miss Jia and Wife Lu had an argument. Cui Huan from Miss Jia’s side came over asking Second Young Miss to quickly go mediate. Old Madam heard the news and told me to come inform Second Young Miss to hurry over.”
All three were startled.
Old Lady Guan even said: “Was the argument serious? Second Young Miss is just a child herself—would her going help?”
Xiao Tan smiled bitterly: “I don’t know either. But seeing how flustered Cui Huan looked, and with Old Madam specially having me come tell Second Young Miss, I’m afraid the matter isn’t so simple.”
Old Lady Guan didn’t want Zhou Shaojin dragged into these Jiuru Lane affairs. But with Old Madam Guo having spoken, she couldn’t very well keep her here by force.
“Shaojin, be careful.” She could only caution Zhou Shaojin. “Say what should be said, and don’t say a single word of what shouldn’t be said.” Then, thinking of Zhou Shaojin’s gentle nature, she added uneasily: “If you’re uncertain what should or shouldn’t be said, it’s best to say nothing at all.”
Zhou Shaojin nodded repeatedly, her heart also growing anxious.
Last time Cheng Jia had told her that if Li Jing truly valued her, he would come to the mansion to see her. Could this be about that matter?
With a grave expression, she went directly to Ruyi Pavilion.
Cheng Jia was sighing mournfully on the corridor, playing with a bird.
Seeing Zhou Shaojin hurrying in, she tossed aside the small twig in her hand and joyfully rushed to greet her: “Shaojin, I didn’t expect you to come so quickly! I thought you’d delay until this afternoon or tomorrow. I’ve been so bored—I was just hoping you’d come talk with me!”
Zhou Shaojin was dumbfounded.
She turned to look at Cui Huan.
Cui Huan looked completely bewildered, murmuring: “I only followed Miss’s orders to invite Second Young Miss over. Who knew Old Madam would instruct Xiao Tan to go to Jiashu Hall to find Second Young Miss…”
Could she really say that their young miss had no problems, was just confined by Madam and bored, wanting Second Young Miss to come chat?
What on earth was going on?
Zhou Shaojin’s mouth fell open.
Cheng Jia didn’t care about any of that.
She’d been bored to death these past few days.
Finally getting Zhou Shaojin here… who cared how she came!
She pulled Zhou Shaojin’s hand toward the room, walking while complaining: “You don’t care about me at all! You don’t even know what’s happened in our family! Old Lady Tang from the Second Branch wanted to matchmake for my eldest brother, saying she wanted to arrange a marriage between Eldest Brother and the second legitimate daughter of the Hong family. My mother was so delighted she couldn’t stop smiling, even thinking about whether Father should personally go to the capital to ask Great-Uncle Jing to be the matchmaker. Guess what happened…”
Zhou Shaojin stumbled along after Cheng Jia into the inner room, thinking: I don’t need to guess to know. It definitely didn’t work out!
Sure enough, Cheng Jia continued: “Who knew the Hong family would send word back saying their second legitimate daughter already had a verbal engagement with the Du Hanlin family in the capital, and they were just waiting for their daughter to come of age before the betrothal. But their fourth branch’s eldest legitimate daughter was of similar age to my eldest brother, so they could match their eight characters. When my mother inquired, it turned out the fourth branch’s eldest master was a scholar who had repeatedly failed the examinations. Moreover, he only had this one daughter. It infuriated my mother so much she chased me around beating me.”
Zhou Shaojin wasn’t like before, merely listening—now she knew to listen for implications.
She said: “What did you do again to provoke Aunt Lu’s anger!”
Cheng Jia pursed her lips and sat down with Zhou Shaojin on the lacquered bed. After the maids served tea and snacks and she’d even dismissed Cui Huan, she finally revealed a smug smile. Raising her wrist and gently shaking it, she said: “Do you think I’m so obtuse? Would I knowingly provoke her when she’s in a bad mood? Besides, she confined me! These past few days I’ve been obediently staying in Ruyi Pavilion without going anywhere!”
Zhou Shaojin didn’t believe it. Moreover, she was attracted by the bracelet on her wrist that looked like gold yet like stone. She couldn’t help grabbing her wrist: “What is this? It doesn’t look like something of yours.”
Cheng Jia didn’t like wooden or stone items.
Cheng Jia smiled cunningly: “Why wouldn’t it be mine? Someone gave it to me, so it’s mine!”
Zhou Shaojin stared in astonishment. Thinking of the joy Cheng Jia couldn’t suppress earlier, a thought flashed through her mind and she exclaimed: “Could this be from Li Jing?”
Cheng Jia’s eyes and brows smiled.
Zhou Shaojin jumped to her feet: “He, how did he get to see you?”
“Keep your voice down!” Cheng Jia pulled Zhou Shaojin back down to sit on the bed and whispered in her ear: “I haven’t told anyone. Didn’t my mother want to inquire about the Hong family? My father doesn’t know anyone—it was all uncertain, and it wasn’t appropriate to ask Uncle Chi. My grandmother only knows how to be happy.
“At most, the stewards could find out how many people are in the Hong family and their reputation in the neighborhood. The Hong family isn’t a declining household—it would be impossible to learn about their inner chambers. It just so happened that Li Jing obtained half a dao of Chengxin paper and sent it to my father.
“My father heard he’d traveled far and wide and had friends everywhere, so he tried asking him. Li Jing agreed immediately.
“This matter was what Li Jing found out. My mother, afraid others would know, received Li Jing in the inner courtyard…” She said this, gently leaning her head on Zhou Shaojin’s shoulder, her voice carrying a hint of dreaminess: “He said I hadn’t specified how to meet, only said to let him see me once. This way also counted as fulfilling his promise to me, so I should also keep my promise to him!”
She suddenly giggled inexplicably, her voice becoming soft and tender: “In all my life, no one has been as devoted to me as Cousin Jing. He said he couldn’t sneak into the mansion—that way I would look down on him, and if anyone discovered it, it would ruin my reputation…
“He also said that to find this half dao of Chengxin paper, he wrote letters requesting help from everyone he knew…
“His steward drinks with our household servants every day. All the respectable servant women in Jiuru Lane laugh at him for being obsequious—he’s become a social climber now… Finally learning my mother wanted to inquire about the Hong family, only then did he go see my father… He worried Father wouldn’t ask him to investigate, worried he wouldn’t find anything out, worried I wouldn’t be present when he came to see my mother… He was more nervous and afraid than when he first went into business traveling to the northwest.
“Shaojin, tell me, how can someone be so foolish, taking to heart everything I say?”
Is this foolishness?
Zhou Shaojin thought hazily.
Uncle Chi was like this.
Whatever she said, Uncle Chi would believe it, take it to heart, and help her accomplish it… She could worry about nothing, manage nothing, leaving everything to Uncle Chi… But Li Jing liked Cheng Jia!
No matter what Cheng Jia became, he still liked her!
But Uncle Chi… Uncle Chi…
Her heart pounded chaotically, her face burning hot.