In the afternoon, Zhou Shaojin went to Hanbi Mountain Villa to copy scriptures.

Biyu and Feicui were busy directing several maids and women servants to move tables, chairs, bowls, and dishes.

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help feeling curious and asked, “Is someone coming?”

Biyu smiled and said, “The Third Branch’s grand lady has returned to visit family. She’ll be coming for dinner this evening.”

Just now she had so sincerely declined grandmother’s invitation… So it wasn’t that she had no time—it just depended on whether the time could be squeezed out or not.

Fortunately, having lived two lives, Zhou Shaojin had witnessed the coldness of human nature. Though she felt slightly uncomfortable, she wasn’t so upset as to glare angrily at Cheng Xian.

But such a person, no matter how amiable she appeared, was best kept at a distance!

She thought to herself, knowing Old Madam Guo wasn’t in the room, and took Shi Xiang to the Buddhist hall.

Unexpectedly, Old Madam Guo was in the Buddhist hall.

She sat upright beside the writing desk, turning page by page through the Buddhist scriptures Zhou Shaojin had copied.

“Old Madam!” Zhou Shaojin stepped forward to pay her respects.

“You’re here!” She smiled and set down the paper in her hand, indicating the armchair beside her with a very kind expression. “Sit! I didn’t expect you to copy so quickly!”

Zhou Shaojin smiled and sat down quietly.

Old Madam Guo nodded with satisfaction and pointed to several characters on the paper: “Look, this pause should be brought back decisively. This downward stroke is done very well.”

Zhou Shaojin obediently accepted the instruction.

Old Madam Guo had Zhenzhu grind ink and wrote several characters for Zhou Shaojin to see: “Look, doesn’t it look better written this way?”

Those characters leapt off the page like cavalry with iron spears… Zhou Shaojin felt that even if she practiced for another thirty years, she could never write characters like these.

However, people often said one’s character reflected one’s calligraphy. Old Madam Guo… had an extraordinarily strong personality!

She muttered to herself but kept nodding her head.

Old Madam Guo, however, showed a wistful smile and shook her head, saying quietly, “Your temperament is different from mine… I’m being too demanding…” As she spoke, she took a deep breath and immediately rallied her spirits again, saying, “Just take a look—you don’t necessarily have to write exactly like me. Everyone has different preferences. You can write according to your own preferences.”

Zhou Shaojin respectfully replied, “Yes.”

For some reason, she suddenly felt that Old Madam Guo seemed very lonely.

Zhou Shaojin took the tea from Xiao Tan’s hand and offered it to Old Madam Guo.

Old Madam Guo took a sip and smiled as she instructed Zhenzhu, who attended her personally, “Go wrap a few taels of the West Lake Longjing tea that the Grand Lady just sent and bring it here for Second Young Miss to make tea.”

Zhenzhu agreed with a smile and turned to leave the Buddhist hall.

Zhou Shaojin quickly stood up to decline.

But Old Madam Guo smiled and said, “I rarely drink green tea anymore, but you young ladies can handle it—it’s perfect for cooling off in summer.”

Zhou Shaojin had no choice but to thank her.

Biyu entered and said with a smile, “Old Madam, Madam has arrived.”

Old Madam Guo uttered an “Oh” and was helped up by Manao. After thinking for a moment, she said to Zhou Shaojin, “Stay and have dinner here this evening—I’m giving the Second Branch’s grand lady a welcoming dinner. The two Pan children will be here too. You young people will have things to talk about.”

But Cheng Xu would appear too, wouldn’t he?

Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “I already saw them at noon. I didn’t expect you’d be keeping them for dinner. I already promised my grandmother I’d return early. She said that with tomorrow’s birthday celebration, she wanted to give us some instructions.”

Old Madam Guo thought about it—this was indeed the case. She didn’t insist, and with a smile, surrounded by maids and women servants, left the Buddhist hall.

Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief, calmed her mind, and copied several pages of scripture. Thinking that since Cheng Xian was coming as a guest, perhaps Cheng Xu would arrive early, she decided to leave ahead of time.

Going to take her leave of Old Madam Guo, Old Madam Guo didn’t keep her. Biyu escorted her all the way out of Hanbi Mountain Villa.

Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief, but in the distance she saw two young men slowly walking toward her.

One was wearing jade-colored robes, the other bamboo-green. One looked spirited and animated, the other quiet and composed… It was actually Cheng Xu and Pan Zhuo.

How had these two gotten together so quickly?

In her past life, she didn’t recall hearing that Cheng Xu and Pan Zhuo had a good relationship. However, in her past life she hadn’t understood Cheng Xu at all—perhaps the two were close friends and she simply hadn’t known…

Zhou Shaojin saw that if they kept walking forward, they would definitely meet face to face. She signaled to Shi Xiang with her eyes, and the two hid behind a banyan tree thick enough to require two people to embrace.

Neither Cheng Xu nor Pan Zhuo noticed anything amiss. Talking as they walked, they approached.

“…Uncle Yi has many social obligations outside. Matters at the clan school are managed by Scholar Zhang. He passed the provincial exam in the Xinmao examination of the fourteenth year of Zhide, the same year as my Fourth Uncle. He was teaching at the clan school when he was still a scholar. His learning is solid—you should ask him for guidance often.”

Pan Zhuo nodded repeatedly and said, “With the prefectural examination coming up soon, Father originally wanted me to stay home to study. But Mother said that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. She said the Cheng clan school has produced countless scholars and provincial graduates, and wanted me to come and gain experience. It’s just a pity that tomorrow we must celebrate the Second Branch’s Old Ancestor’s birthday. Otherwise, if I attended a few classes with you, I would surely benefit greatly.”

“Studying isn’t something that can be accomplished overnight. Don’t be too anxious…” Cheng Xu comforted Pan Zhuo, and the two walked past the banyan tree where Zhou Shaojin was hiding.

Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief.

The Pan family’s ancestral home was in Yangzhou. If Pan Zhuo wanted to take the examination, he would have to return to Yangzhou. Fortunately, Nanjing wasn’t far from Yangzhou. If arranged properly, it wouldn’t delay Pan Zhuo’s imperial examinations.

In her memory, Pan Zhuo and Cheng Lu had both passed the scholar examination in the same year, and the Third Branch had made quite a show of celebrating it.

If nothing unexpected happened, both Pan Zhuo and Cheng Lu would likely join the ranks of scholars.

She quickly left the grove.

The clothing and accessories to wear for the birthday celebration had long been prepared. When she returned to Jiashu Hall, Old Madam Guan couldn’t help showing surprise and said, “Why did you come back so early today?”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t want to create complications and smiled, saying, “I was thinking about tomorrow’s birthday celebration, so I came back early.”

Old Madam Guan didn’t suspect anything and said, “That’s good too. I happen to have some things to instruct you about.” Then she had Si’er call Grand Madam Mian and Zhou Chujin over and told everyone, “The female guests are arranged at Siyi Pavilion, and the male guests at Jifu Hall. Before the birthday banquet, Old Ancestor will come to Siyi Pavilion. At that time, the Second Branch’s Old Madam Tang will lead us to celebrate Old Ancestor’s birthday and present gifts. After that, Old Ancestor will go to Jifu Hall. When you return shortly, go through the gifts you’ve prepared again to avoid any mistakes. Performances have been arranged at both Peony Terrace and Tong Flower Pavilion—we’ll be at Peony Terrace, they’ll be at Tong Flower Pavilion. Don’t go to the wrong place, and especially instruct the maids and women servants not to wander off and go to the wrong place. Offending distinguished guests is a small matter—losing face for the Cheng family is a big one. Have you all remembered clearly?” By the end of her speech, her tone had become quite stern. This was very unusual for Old Madam Guan.

Zhou Shaojin and the others solemnly replied, “Yes.”

Old Madam Guan’s expression softened slightly. “You may go now!”

Zhou Shaojin and the others filed out of the main room. Grand Madam Mian gave them a few more instructions like “Don’t be afraid—as long as you stay with the elders and don’t wander around, nothing will happen,” and only then did everyone leave Jiashu Hall and disperse.

Zhou Chujin couldn’t help feeling somewhat worried.

But Zhou Shaojin was unconcerned.

The arrangements were the same in both her past and present lives. In her previous life, she had obediently followed the elders’ arrangements and nothing had happened. How much more so in this life, when she had already resolved to live quietly and inconspicuously, attracting no attention?

She washed up early and went to bed.

She slept very well at night, dreamless until dawn. When she woke up, she was full of energy, her face glowing with health.

As Shi Xiang helped her dress, she couldn’t help saying, “Second Young Miss’s skin is truly wonderful. This rouge and powder actually make Second Young Miss look common.”

When others wore powder she would wear powder; when others went bare-faced she would go bare-faced—never trying to be unique or stand out.

Zhou Shaojin said, “On such an important day, how can I not use some rouge and powder? Just help me dress as you normally would.”

Shi Xiang felt it was a pity for a while, but seeing Zhou Shaojin had made up her mind, she didn’t try to persuade her further and applied light makeup for Zhou Shaojin.

Zhou Shaojin looked at herself with satisfaction. After having breakfast with Zhou Chujin, they went to Jiashu Hall.

Old Madam Guan and Grand Madam Mian had already finished dressing. They sat there chatting idly while waiting for them. Seeing the two sisters—one wearing a crabapple-colored vest with magnolia blossom border trim, the other wearing a snow-blue vest with subtle victory pattern—standing side by side, one elegant as a lotus emerging from water, the other delicate as still flowers reflected in water, looking indescribably beautiful, both their eyes lit up. Old Madam Guan even turned to Grand Madam Mian with a smile and said, “Look at these two sisters of ours—they’re truly beautiful! When other people are complimented, it’s just said for the occasion!”

Everyone in the room covered their mouths and laughed.

The Zhou sisters blushed bright red with embarrassment.

Grand Madam Mian said, “You can only say such things in private—don’t let it get out, or people will say you’re playing favorites!”

“I won’t say it, I won’t say it.” Old Madam Guan chuckled. “I’m not a child—don’t I know what can and cannot be said?”

Everyone laughed again.

Old Madam Guan stood up with Nanny Wang’s support and said, “It’s getting late. Let’s go!”

Everyone smiled and agreed, clustering around Old Madam Guan as they headed out.

A young maid came running over to report, “Grand Madam Bo has arrived.”

Grand Madam Bo—Cheng Lu’s mother, Dong Shi.

Zhou Shaojin was quite surprised.

In her past life, they had seemed to go directly to Siyi Pavilion, where they encountered Dong Shi and Wu Baozhang and others who had come to celebrate the Second Branch’s Old Ancestor’s birthday.

Why was it different this time?

She paid close attention. Seeing that both Old Madam Guan and Grand Madam Mian were quite surprised and exchanged glances, Grand Madam Mian said, “Please have her come over—we’re about to go to Siyi Pavilion. Any later would be somewhat late.”

The young maid understood and ran out.

Before long, Dong Shi, attended by two maids, walked over.

“Old Madam!” She greeted Old Madam Guan and Grand Madam Mian somewhat awkwardly. “Our Grand Madam Wen can’t leave just yet. I walk slowly and was afraid of missing the time, so I specially came to your side to see. I didn’t expect you’d already left. Perfect—I’ll just go with you!”

“Your Grand Madam Wen can’t leave just yet…” Old Madam Guan said thoughtfully.

Dong Shi looked even more embarrassed. After a long pause, she said quietly, “They say Grand Master Wen has misplaced the Lantian jade Maitreya Buddha that Grand Madam prepared as a birthday gift for Old Ancestor…”