Seeing this, Cheng Chi smiled and said to Old Madam Guo, “Mother, you see! Just because you’re not going over, even a little maid is deeply grateful. This shows that young girl is truly too tired to get up, otherwise why wouldn’t she come to keep you company?”

Old Madam Guo couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “Only you know how to talk!”

She didn’t know exactly what was wrong with that young girl, but at least on Mother’s side, with his few words, she had been reassured.

Cheng Chi smiled faintly and instructed the young maids to serve dinner.

After the meal, he accompanied Old Madam Guo in discussing matters concerning the Gu family: “…Why did they think to invite you over as a guest? Their family is still in the mourning period! I haven’t seen Jiu Nie in quite some time. Tomorrow, would you like me to accompany you?”

If he accompanied Mother to the Gu family, that young girl would have no concerns and could rest freely at home for the day.

Old Madam Guo asked curiously, “Eh?! Since when have you been interested in these neighborhood affairs?”

Cheng Chi smiled and said, “If it were other matters, naturally I wouldn’t inquire, but this concerns the Gu family. Setting aside my relationship with Jiu Nie, even the deceased Old Madam used to hold me and give me sweets when I was small. I don’t wish for her body to barely be cold before the younger generation stirs up such troubles and breaks her heart.”

Hearing this, Old Madam Guo could only sigh helplessly and say, “Actually, I support them dividing the family. Living together for so many generations like this, especially during weddings, funerals, and celebrations, when the public funds can’t provide much silver and each household feels awkward about privately contributing to make up the difference—these past few years, the Gu family’s sons-in-law and daughters-in-law are clearly not as accomplished or decisive as those from the previous two generations. This time when I go, I also want to discuss this matter with the Gu family—why not follow our household’s example: divide the family property but not the residence. This way, it preserves the Gu family ancestors’ good reputation while maintaining the affection of adding offspring to each household. It would be the best of both worlds.”

Whether this family would divide or not, and how it should be divided—in the end, it still required the agreement of the several old masters and masters of the Gu family. They were merely going over to listen to these people complain and vent their grievances.

Cheng Chi smiled and humored his mother, saying, “Your idea is excellent! If the Gu family still won’t listen, I think you shouldn’t bother anymore—just let them make a fuss. At worst, when the time comes, they can invite me over to serve as a mediator!”

Hearing this, Old Madam Guo laughed uncontrollably and said, “You certainly know how to climb up a pole—one moment saying not going to the Gu family would damage years of friendship, the next moment saying to let them make a fuss. What exactly are you scheming in that heart of yours?”

I’m afraid you won’t go out tomorrow…

This thought emerged from Cheng Chi’s mind without any warning.

He was slightly startled, but quickly gathered his composure and said, “Am I not caught between a rock and a hard place, both worried about the Gu family quarreling and worried about putting you in a difficult position?”

Old Madam Guo laughed heartily.

Cheng Chi, however, broke out in a cold sweat.

How could he have thought of sending Mother away too…

Cheng Chi could no longer sit still.

Mother’s smile made him feel somewhat ashamed.

He stood up to take his leave.

Old Madam Guo saw that it was getting late, and Cheng Chi hadn’t slept all of last night, and today during the day had only slept for two hours before the second manager of the Thirteen Hongs came with their head manager to pay respects to Cheng Chi. She didn’t keep him, only instructing him to rest early, and if he felt too tired, he needn’t accompany her to the Gu family tomorrow.

Cheng Chi acknowledged this and left the upper courtyard.

But when passing by Floating Jade Pavilion, seeing the pomegranate tree extending from behind the flower wall, his footsteps still faltered.

Inside Floating Jade Pavilion, all was quiet. Under the bright moonlight, tree shadows swayed, dappled and mottled.

He remembered Zhou Shaojin’s words: “Why can Four Fortunes Tower see the general layout of the Second, Third, Fourth, and even Fifth Households, but cannot see the First Household… When looking over, all one sees are densely packed trees?”

That was to prevent others from peeping.

So at night, the First Household didn’t hang lanterns under the eaves.

The young girl had been living here for so long—he wondered if she had discovered this peculiarity.

He remembered even more clearly how the young girl looked when she asked him.

Her fine eyebrows slightly knitted together, her large almond-shaped eyes seeming to hold a pool of clear spring water, gazing at him unblinkingly…

Cheng Chi recalled again the feeling of her in his arms.

Softly pressed against him, slender yet soft as if boneless, the faintly revealed curves, immature yet gracefully proportioned…

He gazed silently at those mottled tree shadows and smiled self-mockingly.

In the future, he should see her less often!

She was still just a young girl!

She didn’t understand anything…

Cheng Chi slowly returned to Listening to Orioles Pavilion and instructed Nanny Shang, “Go to Floating Jade Pavilion and ask what Miss Jia said to Second Cousin Miss this afternoon. Then come report back to me!”

Nanny Shang acknowledged and departed.

Zhou Shaojin had already undressed and gone to bed.

Chun Wan softly urged her, “Second Young Miss, you haven’t had dinner yet?”

“I don’t want to eat!” Zhou Shaojin said listlessly. “I’ll eat when I feel like it! Right now I just want to sleep!”

Chun Wan looked at her eyes, swollen like peaches from crying, hesitated for a moment, then said, “Then, you should at least tell us why you were crying. Did Miss Jia say something?”

She remembered that in the past when Zhou Shaojin went to Cheng Jia’s place and returned to Wanxiang Residence, sometimes she would also enter the room and throw herself on the bed crying silently like this. When asked a few days later, it would turn out to be nothing more than Miss Jia getting a new piece of clothing or saying something. But that was all in the past—why had the Second Young Miss started crying again?

“She didn’t say anything.” Zhou Shaojin wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief and said dully, “I just thought of Elder Sister. I don’t know when she’ll go to the capital? When I’ll be able to see her again?” She added, “Don’t worry about me. Once I’ve had a good cry, I’ll feel better.”

That made sense.

In the past, after the Second Young Miss cried, she would forget all about those matters.

She picked up the used teacup and smiled, saying, “Second Young Miss, tonight is my watch. If you need anything, just call for me!”

Zhou Shaojin nodded absentmindedly, and only then did Chun Wan withdraw.

After nightfall, the First Household didn’t hang lanterns in the corridors. The bean-sized lamplight inside made the room somewhat dim, but this dimness made Zhou Shaojin, huddled in the corner of the bed, feel very safe.

At the manor in Dahong, night after night, she had lain with her eyes open watching the sky gradually brighten.

Thinking of this, tears fell from her eyes again uncontrollably.

She didn’t know why she wanted to cry.

But she just wanted to cry.

As if this way, her heart could feel somewhat better.

But after crying, she felt even worse.

If only she could never grow up.

Then she could stay in the First Household forever.

Serving Old Madam, chatting and laughing with Uncle Chi… Old Madam wouldn’t grow old, and Uncle Chi wouldn’t marry and have children.

But if she truly thought this way, it would be too selfish.

Old Madam had been hoping for Uncle Chi to marry for who knows how many years.

Moreover, Uncle Chi was not young anymore.

Men his age already had children attending school, yet he still wasn’t married!

If Uncle Chi married an aunt, she would certainly treat her the same way she treated Uncle Chi.

Zhou Shaojin told herself this in her heart, then inexplicably couldn’t help but laugh softly.

She was always ordering Uncle Chi around—when had she ever been good to him?

If a new aunt came through the door, she probably wouldn’t tolerate her bossing him around like this!

Zhou Shaojin’s expression darkened again.

She couldn’t continue crying like this.

Although Old Madam said she was going to the Gu family tomorrow as a guest and told her she needn’t come to pay respects, she couldn’t allow herself to be so indulgent.

Others were good to her, so naturally she should be even better to them.

Tomorrow she would not only go pay respects to Old Madam, she would also dress up beautifully and accompany Old Madam to the Gu family to make Old Madam happy.

She called hoarsely for Chun Wan to come in and whispered, “Quick, help me get some hot eggs. Tomorrow morning I must go pay respects to Old Madam. I can’t let her notice anything wrong and worry about me.”

Chun Wan couldn’t help but feel delighted and said, “Second Young Miss should indeed do this! You see, as soon as you said you weren’t feeling well, not only was Old Madam worried, even Fourth Master sent Nanny Shang to inquire. Later, after Nanny Shang went back to report to Fourth Master, Fourth Master even said to have Nanny Shang fetch a physician first thing tomorrow morning to check your pulse, even if just for a wellness examination. Nanny Shang just left a moment ago.” As she spoke, she pointed to the water clock on the long table. “Look, what time is it now? Fourth Master’s side is still waiting for Nanny Shang to report back! According to Nanny Shang, last night Fourth Master calculated accounts all night long. This morning, before he’d slept even an hour, two managers from the Thirteen Hongs came to visit Fourth Master. They talked all morning, then kept the two managers for a meal, drank four or five jin of wine, and continued talking afterward. After finally seeing the two managers off, Manager Qin returned from Algae Garden and talked for a long while. Then he accompanied Old Madam for dinner… Until now he still hasn’t closed his eyes!”

Zhou Shaojin felt both guilty and heartbroken. She quickly said, “Why didn’t you urge Fourth Master to rest earlier? What could possibly be wrong on my side!”

Chun Wan said, “At Fourth Master’s side, am I in any position to speak? Besides, you say nothing’s wrong with you, but both Fourth Master and Old Madam are people who hold you in their hearts. Without sending a trusted person over to check, how could they feel at ease?”

“It’s all my fault, all my fault!” Zhou Shaojin was filled with regret.

How could she have been so possessed?

When Uncle Chi married a new aunt, she should properly respect and cherish her. How could she feel sad and hurt just because Uncle Chi would respect his new wife?

She couldn’t be that kind of selfish, self-centered petty person!

If Uncle Chi’s marriage was harmonious and happy, she should bless them!

She said she would shed no more tears, but no matter how much she tried to persuade herself, Zhou Shaojin, whose heart felt as if being carved by knives, still couldn’t help but let tears fall again.

Chun Wan told Zhou Shaojin these things precisely to make her completely cure herself of this crying habit.

They were living as dependents at Nine Fortunes Lane. If she quietly shed tears and was seen by someone with ill intentions, all sorts of gossip could be fabricated.

Seeing Zhou Shaojin crying again, she could only say, “Quick, stop crying. It would be terrible if you alarmed Fourth Master and Old Madam!”

Zhou Shaojin quickly stopped sobbing, biting her lip tightly, lying obediently on the bed while Chun Wan helped apply hot compresses to her eyes, not shedding another tear.

When Cheng Chi received word, he was told that Zhou Shaojin had merely been moved by the scene and thought of Zhou Chujin.

He couldn’t help but smile.

This young girl was indeed like one made of water.

Far too delicate.

Should he wait until autumn to prepare some blood-nourishing and qi-strengthening pills for her to take, or should he first have her take a few doses of medicine for nourishment? It would be better to wait until tomorrow when Lady Zhou entered the household to check her pulse before making plans.

Cheng Chi went to rest with peace of mind.

But when his back touched the bed, he suddenly remembered.

Even if she was missing her elder sister, Zhou Shaojin wouldn’t use tiredness as an excuse, even failing to go pay respects to Mother… as if she were afraid to see Mother.

This wasn’t that young girl’s way of doing things at all!

Even if Mother’s side didn’t work out, she would typically rush over to his side regardless of everything.