As the saying goes, a thousand flatteries can pierce through anything except flattery itself.

Moreover, Zhou Shaojin spoke with utter sincerity.

Grandmother Guo couldn’t help but laugh heartily: “When I was young, I could have lived up to those words. But when the old master was alive, he constantly complained that I liked to stir up trouble and meddle in others’ affairs. I even had a big fight with him over it. Now that I’m old and lacking in energy, I often forget things when doing tasks. Even if I wanted to meddle, I couldn’t, and I’m too lazy to bother. This shows that everything in this world is ‘now versus then.’ What once seemed like momentous matters, when you look back after a few years, you’ve gotten through them. Look back after a dozen more years, and it’s really nothing much. So people should broaden their hearts and live happily.”

Zhou Shaojin felt Grandmother Guo’s words were extremely reasonable.

In her previous life, she had experienced so much and constantly thought about dying.

But later, afraid her sister would be heartbroken and bear a bad reputation, she slowly endured, got through it, and lived more than ten additional years.

After chatting with Grandmother Guo for a bit, Grandmother Guo urged her to attend to her own matters: “…That girl Jia made such a scene—she surely wants to find someone close to confide in right now. Go keep her company and settle her heart. Tell her not to keep recklessly jumping around everywhere like this. This time she was lucky, but one can’t always rely on luck. Convey these words of mine to her too. Whether she listens is up to her.”

The old lady was truly the typical type—cold on the outside, warm on the inside.

Zhou Shaojin’s heart warmed. She naturally grew closer to the old lady, hugging her arm and softly saying “mm,” then: “I’ll go and come right back.”

The old lady was accustomed to being strong. Having no sons, though all three granddaughters grew up at her knee, Cheng Zheng was dignified, Cheng Xiao was proud, and Cheng Sheng was charming—not one was as endearingly simple yet pitiable as Zhou Shaojin. She couldn’t help but pat her head, having Nanny Lü see her out.

Nanny Lü’s smile toward Zhou Shaojin grew even warmer.

Only the lady managing the household provisions had the status to have her escort guests. Second Miss Biao was merely going to see Miss Jia, yet she was assigned this task. Previously, only Miss Zheng had received such treatment—now Second Miss Biao had caught up with Miss Zheng.

She personally held the curtain for Zhou Shaojin.

Zhou Shaojin paid it no mind.

Her mind was entirely occupied with Cheng Jia’s matters.

Should she tell her about Li Jing’s plans?

Would she be unable to keep it in and expose everything after knowing?

If her illness still required continued treatment and Li Jing left her in Jiuru Lane to recuperate, would it delay things and allow Cheng Jia to become betrothed to that prefect’s son?

If the betrothal was set, how would Li Jing untangle that knot?

Zhou Shaojin felt her temples throbbing faintly. She only hoped Cheng Chi would return quickly.

Once Uncle Chi returned, she wouldn’t need to worry about this matter anymore!

The maid on duty at the entrance lifted the curtain to serve her into the Third Branch’s resting quarters.

The side room had three sections—one main room with two side chambers. One side housed Old Madam Li, the other housed Cheng Jia and Jiang Shi. Since the courtyard was full of female relatives, Cheng Lu rested elsewhere.

When Zhou Shaojin entered, Cheng Lu and Cheng Jia had just finished quarreling. He sat in the grand armchair in the main hall with an iron-gray complexion, while Jiang Shi sat opposite him with red eyes. Seeing Zhou Shaojin, Cheng Lu nodded at her with effort, while Jiang Shi said somewhat uncomfortably: “Thank you for coming to see her! That girl Jia isn’t feeling well and just fell asleep…”

This was clearly meant to send her away.

Zhou Shaojin’s face flushed red.

Cheng Lu made no sound.

Perhaps they feared Cheng Jia would spill everything embarrassing before her like beans from a bamboo tube?

If it were usual circumstances, Zhou Shaojin would definitely have turned and left immediately. But thinking of Li Jing’s request, she steeled herself to stay where she was, saying seriously: “Since Cousin Jia is sleeping, I won’t disturb her. I wonder how Cousin Jia’s injury is? Does she need to continue taking Master Shi Hui’s medicine?”

These questions carried some deeper meaning.

Both Cheng Lu and Jiang Shi assumed Grandmother Guo had sent her to inquire.

Jiang Shi said: “That girl Jia is already fine. Master Shi Hui just came to examine her and prescribed another dose of medicine. He said after taking this dose, she’ll be well. Your Uncle Lu is preparing to discuss with the old lady about returning to Jiuru Lane the day after tomorrow.”

This was good!

Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: “Then I’ll return first!”

But just as she finished speaking, Cheng Jia’s voice came from the inner room: “Shaojin, I’m already awake! Can you come in and chat with me?” She added, “Shaojin and I are as close as sisters, and we live in the same courtyard. You can hide it for now but not forever. What’s the point of this?”

“You…” Hearing this, Jiang Shi was about to jump up, but Cheng Lu grabbed her, saying: “Say less!”

Jiang Shi indignantly turned her head away.

Cheng Jia lay quietly on the bed, her complexion waxen yellow, looking very haggard.

She smiled bitterly and turned to Zhou Shaojin: “You must think I’m very foolish, right? I never imagined I’d do such a thing. But whenever I think about marrying someone else and living with someone else, I can’t stay even a moment longer. Even if you asked me to climb a mountain of knives or descend into a sea of fire, I’d be willing…”

Zhou Shaojin slowly walked over and sat on the brocade stool by the bed, instructing the attending young maid to fetch a bowl of iced mung bean soup: “…The weather is too hot!”

It was just a matter of relaying a message at the door.

The young maid suspected nothing and left with a smile.

Zhou Shaojin said urgently: “Li Jing wants to take you away, but he’s afraid your illness can only be treated with Master Shi Hui’s medicine. Find a way to get the medicine, and I’ll notify Li Jing.”

Cheng Jia’s eyes immediately brimmed with tears. She tightly grasped Zhou Shaojin’s hand: “Shaojin, I’ll be grateful to you my entire life!”

Zhou Shaojin smiled faintly but couldn’t help asking: “Is it worth it?”

“Worth it!” As Cheng Jia spoke, her originally sallow face seemed glazed over with radiance. “Even if I’m heartlessly abandoned later, at least I’ll know his feelings for me right now are genuine.”

Zhou Shaojin, having lived two lifetimes, had never possessed such burning passion.

Or rather, she had never had such bold ideas.

She thought again of Ji Ying’s words.

Should one pretend for appearances and live out one’s life, or follow one’s heart and live freely…

Zhou Shaojin began feeling somewhat dazed again.

The young maid who went to relay the message returned, smiling: “Second Miss Biao, the mung bean soup will arrive shortly.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled: “I almost forgot—the old lady instructed me not to eat iced things in summer. Never mind then.”

She didn’t want to stay long in Cheng Jia’s room.

Presumably, Li Jing would act as soon as he received the news. If she stayed too long, Jiang Shi would inevitably suspect her afterward.

She wasn’t afraid of Jiang Shi suspecting her—she feared implicating the First Branch.

Zhou Shaojin rose to take her leave.

Cheng Jia grasped her hand and pleaded: “Please take care of Cui Huan for me!”

She was still bedridden. Li Jing managing to spirit her away would be impressive enough—he couldn’t possibly take Cui Huan too.

Zhou Shaojin wasn’t a poor relative lodging with the Cheng family. She had the Zhou family’s hereditary servants attending her, making her better able to protect Cui Huan.

Zhou Shaojin nodded and returned to the side room where she and Grandmother Guo were staying.

Grandmother Guo was speaking with Old Lady Guan: “…Regardless of how that girl Jia’s illness is, I’m planning to depart and return home shortly. Their constant quarreling gives me a headache.”

Old Lady Guan also wanted to extricate herself. Grandmother Guo’s words suited her perfectly. She quickly said: “I’ll return with you!”

Grandmother Guo nodded.

Zhou Shaojin stepped forward and paid respects to Old Lady Guan.

Grandmother Guo said: “Your timing is perfect. I’ve already had the maids and servant women go pack. Go once more to the Third Branch and bid them farewell on my behalf.”

This way, the Third Branch would be even more convinced that Zhou Shaojin had come to inquire about Cheng Jia’s condition at Grandmother Guo’s behest.

Zhou Shaojin’s eyes stung slightly. She quietly responded “yes” and went to the Third Branch.

The Third Branch people indeed thought exactly this.

When Zhou Shaojin and the others finished packing, Cheng Lu and Jiang Shi personally came to see off Grandmother Guo’s party.

Grandmother Guo said little and directly boarded the carriage.

Zhou Shaojin, Grandmother Guo, and Old Lady Guan set off to return home.

The next afternoon, Cheng Lu, his face pale and legs trembling, burst into Hanbi Mountain House and knelt before Grandmother Guo: “Great Aunt, please quickly have Zichuan return! Cheng Jia is missing! Li Jing is missing too! That lecher Li Jing must have tricked Cheng Jia away. We can neither make this public nor report it to the authorities. I can only beg Zichuan. He’s managed the household affairs these years and knows people from all walks of life. Our Third Branch will pay—could you have Zichuan help me find Cheng Jia? I only have this one daughter…”

Grandmother Guo glanced at the composed Zhou Shaojin and said: “Rise quickly. I’ll send word to Fourth immediately!”

Cheng Lu nodded but couldn’t stand for a long while. Only when Nanny Lü helped him up did he stumble out of the main room.

Grandmother Guo sighed: “How pitiful are parents’ hearts!” She had Biyu fetch her token and asked the outer courtyard steward to arrange for someone to deliver a message to Cheng Chi.

But what no one expected was that a day later, Li Jing actually sent a matchmaker to formally propose marriage to Cheng Jia.

The matchmaker’s respectful attitude and the richness of the betrothal gifts astonished even the usually wealthy Third Branch.

Jiang Shi flew into a rage and stood up abruptly to throw the matchmaker out.

But Cheng Lu, though keeping a stern face, retained the matchmaker and accepted Li Jing’s horoscope card, saying to the matchmaker: “If he wants to marry our daughter properly, have him find a pair of wild geese for the betrothal gifts.”

Wild geese had become increasingly scarce, so marriage proposals now used domestic geese as substitutes.

The matchmaker was overjoyed.

Young Master Li had said that regardless of whether the marriage succeeded, merely making this trip would earn her a reward of ten taels of silver.

Jiang Shi couldn’t accept this.

As soon as the matchmaker left, she started quarreling with Cheng Lu.

Cheng Lu’s eyes reddened: “Then what do you want? Would you have that girl Jia become his concubine?”

Jiang Shi froze.

Old Madam Li, who usually stayed out of matters, heard the news and hurried over. Seeing Jiang Shi’s state, she smiled coldly with bitter sarcasm: “Do you despise Li Jing himself or despise his background?”

Cheng Lu shot her a cold glance.

Jiang Shi shivered.

She knew the situation was lost.

Her reason for opposition had always been Li Jing’s background. But Li Jing was precisely the mother-in-law’s grandnephew. Saying her mother-in-law’s grandnephew had poor origins—wasn’t that saying her mother-in-law was no good?

She collapsed dejectedly into the grand armchair, feeling she had raised a daughter for nothing.

That very afternoon, Li Jing sent over a pair of wild geese.

Three days later, the two families formalized the betrothal, and Jia was sent back home.