Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help becoming cautious.

Mian’s First Wife, however, acted as if nothing had happened. She put her arm around Zhou Shaojin’s shoulder and first exchanged pleasantries with the two young ladies from the Guo family, then made small talk with the young ladies from the Gu family: “Are the various madams and young madams in your household all well? I heard that several old masters in the family have built huts beside the ancestral fields. Who’s managing the household affairs? Will anyone from your family be participating in this autumn’s provincial examinations?”

Miss Seventeen Gu was the oldest among the sisters and responded with a smile: “Thanks to Buddha’s blessing, everyone in the family is well. With the old masters not at home, the household affairs are still being handled by Nineteenth Uncle. Although we grandchildren and great-grandchildren are out of mourning, the elders in the family are still observing it, so for the time being, several of my cousins don’t have the heart for it—they probably won’t be participating in this year’s provincial examinations.”

She spoke clearly and methodically, and being the eldest among the Gu family young ladies, Mian’s First Wife knew this was Miss Seventeen Gu, the one Cheng Jing had arranged the match for.

Mian’s First Wife couldn’t help but sigh secretly in her heart, thinking that prejudice could kill. If this young lady truly became her daughter-in-law, she mustn’t take out her frustration on her just because they couldn’t keep Zhou Shaojin. After all, this young lady would be the one spending her life with her younger son. No matter how wonderful Zhou Shaojin was, she would be another family’s daughter, another family’s daughter-in-law…

She consoled herself, took a deep breath, and only then suppressed the distress in her heart, carefully observing Miss Seventeen Gu.

Miss Seventeen Gu wore a moon-white Hangzhou silk tunic with a silver-red scorched cloth vest over it, and below was a moon-white Hangzhou silk embroidered skirt of the same material. The collar was fastened with Chinese frog buttons, her hair was styled in double spiral buns, and she wore a gilt silver pearl flower hairpin. Small silver clove earrings dangled from her ears. Beyond these, there were no other ornaments. Though she looked clean and tidy, neat and crisp, the slightly yellowed color of the embroidered skirt, the symmetrical and orderly pleats, and the outdated Chinese frog buttons at the collar revealed a hint of modest circumstances. The gilt silver pearl flower and silver clove earrings also revealed some of the clever thoughts of a young lady.

As for her appearance, compared to Shaojin, there was a vast difference—no comparison was even necessary.

Fortunately, her eyes were clear and bright, her manner composed, and her bearing generous. She was indeed a young lady raised by the Gu family, a family that had passed down poetry, books, and proper etiquette for generations.

Mian’s First Wife calmly withdrew her gaze, feeling somewhat regretful in her heart after all. She retreated behind Old Madam Guan to attend to her.

Old Madam Guo smiled and stood up, saying, “You all go play. Otherwise, we old ladies being here will make you uncomfortable.”

Everyone politely tried to make them stay.

Old Madam Guo and the others still left the waterside pavilion.

Everyone then began chattering away.

Miss Seventeen Gu, however, kept watching Old Madam Guo and the others leave. Seeing them go to a pavilion atop a Taihu rock hill not far from the waterside pavilion, she couldn’t help pulling Zhou Shaojin aside to whisper: “Why did the Old Madam and First Wife of the Fourth Branch come? Their expressions seemed a bit off to me!”

Zhou Shaojin said, “I also felt it was somewhat strange. However, last time when my grandmother came over, she said she felt uncomfortable inside and wanted to have a private conversation with the Old Madam. Later she also sent someone to Pukou. I suspect there might be some difficulty with Cousin Gao’s wedding.”

Is that so?

But the way Mian’s First Wife looked at her was somewhat strange.

Miss Seventeen Gu looked toward the pavilion.

She saw Old Madam Guo and Old Madam Guan sitting around a stone table talking, with Mian’s First Wife, Nanny Lu, and several little maids attending beside them.

Since there were attendants nearby, they weren’t having a private conversation.

Miss Seventeen Gu felt she might have been overthinking and put the matter out of her mind.

Old Madam Guo and the others, however, were paying attention to the activities at the waterside pavilion from the pavilion.

They saw that when boating, Miss Seventeen Gu was the last to board the boat and the first to disembark. When eating, she sat in the spot closest to the door, instructing maids to pass handkerchiefs and washing water. When the sisters were playing, she looked around in all directions, afraid of losing sight of anyone… She helped Zhou Shaojin while not stealing the spotlight from the hostess.

This was exactly the kind of second daughter-in-law their Fourth Branch needed.

Mian’s First Wife had to say in a low voice, “Mother has such good judgment after all…”

Old Madam Guan looked at Zhou Shaojin with her radiant smile, her tone also somewhat melancholy: “Everything in this world must be appropriate. When it’s appropriate, people are comfortable and everything is fine. When it’s not appropriate, even if it’s inlaid with gold and jade, it’s still uncomfortable.”

Mian’s First Wife nodded in agreement.

Old Madam Guan then turned to look at Old Madam Guo and said, “Please convey my thanks to Elder Master on my behalf.” Since the betrothal was still only in its earliest stages, and with attendants nearby, she said euphemistically, “When I have time someday, I’ll have Yi Ge’er kowtow to Elder Master.”

Old Madam Guo secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said seriously, “Have you decided? This is no trifling matter—once decided, it cannot be changed.”

Old Madam Guan nodded and said, “Decided! I trust Nephew Jing’s judgment. He arranged the match for Chujin’s marriage, and Chujin and her husband are doing very well.” Now Cheng Yi’s match was also arranged by Cheng Jing. “Speaking of which, our Fourth Branch owes so much to Nephew Jing—he thinks of us in everything. When he returns someday, our Elder Master must properly invite Nephew Jing for drinks!”

Old Madam Guo said modestly, “He’s the eldest son of the First Branch. When there are such appropriate opportunities, he naturally should take care of clan members!” She then brought up the Fourth Branch’s Second Master, Cheng Wen. “After the New Year, the court will conduct evaluations, won’t it? Tell Nephew Wen to strive for a superior rating, so that when the nine-year comprehensive examination comes, he can also be transferred to a better place.”

This meant that Cheng Jing would continue to help Cheng Wen in the future.

Old Madam Guan naturally thanked her repeatedly, yet her heart was concerned with another matter.

She dismissed the attendants and said to Old Madam Guo in a low voice, “It’s just that Shaojin’s marriage… I’m afraid we’ll have to trouble the Old Madam…”

“Don’t worry,” Old Madam Guo said. “After the provincial examinations in the ninth month are over, I plan to go stay in the capital for some time. I’ll personally select a good match for Shaojin then.”

Only then did Old Madam Guan feel at ease.

A few days later, news spread of the alliance between the Cheng and Gu families.

Cheng Yi was extremely surprised.

Wasn’t it said that Shaojin would be betrothed to him?

Although he had previously felt this was a bit awkward, thinking it over carefully, they had grown up together like childhood sweethearts, so if they became husband and wife it wouldn’t be bad. Moreover, Shaojin was so beautiful—whether pouting or angry, she looked like a painting. Just looking at her made one’s heart comfortable… But now it had suddenly changed to someone else… Who had Shaojin been betrothed to?

Did his uncle not approve?

His heart felt awkward again.

Finding a time when no one was around at noon, he quietly went to Hanbi Mountain Manor.

Fucui Pavilion wasn’t like Wanxiang Residence where he could come and go freely. Moreover, that wicked woman Ji Ying lived in Tingli Pavilion, not far from Fucui Pavilion.

Just thinking about it made his head ache faintly.

He coaxed Sier to go call Zhou Shaojin while he himself sat by the lake next to Hanbi Mountain Manor waiting for Zhou Shaojin.

Zhou Shaojin was also extremely surprised to hear the news of Cheng Yi’s engagement to Miss Seventeen Gu.

She thought of that time Cheng Chi had asked her who she was closest to… Could it have been brought about by that offhand remark of hers?

Zhou Shaojin then felt she was overthinking.

Though Uncle Chi was good to her, how could such a marriage alliance between two families be decided by one sentence from her?

She wanted to use this opportunity to see Cheng Chi, but then felt that seeing him would only make her more attached to him. She was pacing around in her room when she heard that Cheng Yi wanted to see her. She immediately felt relieved, changed her clothes, and hurried to the lakeside.

Cheng Chi had not been home these past few days—he had been at the main office of Yutai Bank divesting shares from the Wei-character firms of the Li family. Having finally gotten the matter mostly settled, thinking that it had been some days since he had dined with Old Madam Guo, he deliberately rushed back at noon, planning to take a nap after the meal. But he heard Nanny Shang, who was bringing him tea, say with a smile: “Second Master Yi is still like a child—if he wants to find Second Young Miss, he should just find her. Instead, he pulled Miss Sier from beside Old Madam Guan to invite Second Young Miss, while he himself squats by the lake waiting…”

Cheng Chi glanced coldly at Nanny Shang and said, “They’re cousins who grew up together. Now that Yi Ge’er has become engaged, he’s naturally very curious about his bride. Finding Second Young Miss to talk about what’s in his heart—this is only human nature. What’s so strange about it?”

This was his true thought.

He hoped Shaojin would live happily, like wildflowers and wild grass by the roadside, growing freely, rather than raising her in a cage where she needed his approval for when to eat or when to sing.

However, since Cheng Yi had come to find her, they would probably talk for a while. In this hot weather, having rushed back from the shop covered in sweat, he might as well take advantage of this opportunity to bathe. By the time he went to his mother’s quarters, she would probably have finished talking and returned.

Cheng Chi instructed Nanny Shang to have water brought in.

Nanny Shang’s heart trembled from that glance from Cheng Chi. She carefully attended to him, yet couldn’t help feeling puzzled.

If Fourth Master wanted to make Cheng Yi leave, he need only find an excuse to have Ji Ying call Second Young Miss over, and Cheng Yi would be scared enough to run away quickly.

Could she have guessed wrong?

Otherwise, why would Fourth Master have her watch Second Young Miss?

She didn’t want to express the wrong sentiment.

After withdrawing from the study, she went to find Huai Shan: “…What do you think Fourth Master means by this?”

Huai Shan didn’t know either.

But he knew well that when Cheng Chi didn’t speak, he truly didn’t speak, but every sentence he did speak had meaning.

“Has Fourth Master told you that you need not watch Second Young Miss anymore?” he asked in a low voice.

Nanny Shang felt suddenly enlightened.

A defeated opponent—no need to fear!

No, Cheng Yi wasn’t even a defeated opponent.

He simply wasn’t on the same level as Fourth Master. If Fourth Master took him seriously, wouldn’t that lower his own character?

Nanny Shang felt at ease again.

Here, Cheng Yi, having seen the graceful and beautiful Zhou Shaojin, didn’t know what to say. His face red, he threw stones into the lake.

Zhou Shaojin’s heart skipped a beat. Taking the initiative, she said with a delighted laugh, “Congratulations, Cousin Yi! I’m acquainted with Miss Seventeen Gu—she’s very nice. Cousin Yi has married a fine wife.”

Cheng Yi’s face grew even redder. After mumbling for a long while, he said, “Second Cousin, your, your marriage—has it been settled?”

Zhou Shaojin immediately thought of Cheng Chi.

Her bright eyes dimmed instantly as she lowered her head and said, “No, it hasn’t!”

Cheng Yi’s whole being relaxed.

His mind had never been as clear as this moment.

If Grandmother had proposed marriage to Uncle and Uncle was dissatisfied with him but didn’t want to offend the Cheng family, he could only use Second Cousin already having a verbal marriage agreement with another family as an excuse and would quickly arrange an engagement for Second Cousin. Even if he didn’t arrange an engagement, he would at least mention it to Second Cousin.

Since there was nothing, then Uncle wasn’t dissatisfied with him—rather, the elders felt that Miss Seventeen Gu was more suitable for him!