Wu Baozhang’s eyes darted about.

Who would have thought that Cheng Xu was quite alert—when blocking Zhou Shaojin’s path, he brought his personal attendants, not afraid they would spread word. But if anyone gossiped about it, he could make excuses that it was a chance encounter!

This matter was truly interesting!

So Cheng Xu liked Zhou Shaojin.

She wondered if the Zhou family would agree to this match—after all, Zhou Shaojin had grown up in the Cheng family and now lived in Hanbi Mountain House. If she married the eldest grandson of the main branch, Zhou Shaojin would essentially be the Cheng family’s child bride. To be even harsher, one could say Zhou Shaojin had cast flirtatious glances and seduced Cheng Xu.

Thinking of this, Wu Baozhang couldn’t help but snort coldly in her heart.

Didn’t Cheng Lu harbor some feelings for Zhou Shaojin? If he knew Cheng Xu liked Zhou Shaojin, what would his expression be?

No, rather—if Cheng Lu knew Zhou Shaojin had been secretly meeting with Cheng Xu, what would his expression be?

The more Wu Baozhang thought about it, the more wonderful this matter seemed.

With a smile playing at her lips, she lifted her skirts and tiptoed away from the holly hedge, then hid behind a large locust tree thick enough to require two people’s arms to encircle it. She watched Zhou Shaojin leave while Cheng Xu reluctantly punched the air a few times before turning back toward the opera pavilion.

On stage, singing filled the air. Below, Madam Yuan sat nobly in the central position, surrounded by two or three richly dressed women chatting with Grand Madam Yi.

Madam Zheng, wife of Shi, stood smiling behind her mother-in-law, constantly serving tea and water. The atmosphere was excellent.

Only Grand Madam Jiang of the third branch, Madam Lu, sat alone to one side watching the opera, her expression somewhat unpleasant.

Wu Baozhang had already heard that Cheng Jia had married a merchant.

Her own mother-in-law, Grand Madam Wen, was leaning close to Grand Madam Mian saying something. Grand Madam Mian listened with a smile while her mother-in-law spoke with a face full of sorrow.

Her mother-in-law was surely complaining again about how terrible her father-in-law was and how seductive that concubine was, wasn’t she?

Wu Baozhang curled her lips dismissively in her heart.

Unable to control her own husband yet blaming other women—she had seen too many of these deep-courtyard women and looked down on them most!

But she still restrained her emotions and approached with a smile to curtsy to Grand Madam Mian and Grand Madam Wen.

Grand Madam Wen frowned and said: “Where did you run off to again? Jiuru Lane isn’t the rear courtyard of Jinling Prefecture’s government office, nor is it your Wu family home. If you want to go somewhere, have a servant woman who knows the way accompany you. Without any attendants and dressed so plainly, people who see you might think you’re some branch’s housekeeper, needlessly inviting contempt.”

Even though Wu Baozhang had mentally prepared herself when she married in, Grand Madam Wen’s humiliation still made her tremble with anger, unable to speak for a long while.

Grand Madam Mian could only shake her head. Thinking that regardless of what Wu Baozhang had been like before, she was now a daughter-in-law of Jiuru Lane, and on the fourth branch’s territory, they couldn’t let Wu Baozhang be too embarrassed, she smiled at Grand Madam Wen to help smooth things over: “Young people nowadays don’t like having a large entourage following them. Don’t always restrict her with old rules—you should be more progressive.”

In front of everyone, Grand Madam Wen hadn’t sincerely intended to embarrass her daughter-in-law—it was just her nature to like criticizing others. Seeing Grand Madam Mian speak up for Wu Baozhang, she said nothing more and lightly nodded, letting the matter pass.

Wu Baozhang looked gratefully at Grand Madam Mian. Thinking that Zhou Shaojin had grown up in the fourth branch from childhood, that such a weak and incompetent person could win the favor of Old Madam Guan and Grand Madam Mian, her heart filled with mixed feelings and discomfort. She couldn’t help but bite her lip and smile: “Second Cousin Zhou has always loved tranquility, but where is Sister Jia? Doesn’t she love watching opera most?”

Grand Madam Mian smiled: “Our Old Madam arranged a banquet to entertain several old madams. Second Girl and Girl Jia are both serving there!”

Since it was a joyous occasion, the old madams who were widows hadn’t appeared at the feast for propriety’s sake.

Hearing this, Wu Baozhang smiled: “No wonder just now I saw a figure flash by the holly hedge. That silhouette looked very much like Second Cousin Zhou. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but it really was her!”

Today’s female guests were in the inner courtyard’s waterside pavilion, male guests in the outer courtyard’s flower hall. That holly hedge was originally an obstacle meant to distinguish the inner and outer courtyards.

Zhou Shaojin was serving several old madams in Jiashu Hall’s retiring room. If she was sent on some errand and passed by there, it would be quite normal.

Grand Madam Mian didn’t take it to heart and smiled: “What were you doing over there? That area is very close to the flower hall. If you have any business, it’s best to have a servant woman make the trip.”

Wu Baozhang was taken aback, then became extremely angry.

This Grand Madam Mian didn’t ask what Zhou Shaojin was doing over there but questioned her instead?

She had truly lifted a rock only to drop it on her own foot!

Yet she couldn’t not answer.

Otherwise people would think she had some improper relationship with men from the outer courtyard!

Worse still, her mother-in-law wasn’t helping, asking with an idiotic expression: “Yes, what were you doing over there?”

Since opera was being performed on stage, Grand Madam Wen’s voice was a bit loud. Madam Yuan and several others looked over.

The finest silk gauze handkerchief was crumpled into a ball in Wu Baozhang’s clenched hand.

She endured and endured again before smiling: “I wandered there unintentionally…”

But before she could finish speaking, Grand Madam Wen had already said with displeasure: “Didn’t I tell you to take a servant woman who knows the way when you go out? You just wouldn’t listen! Now look—you got lost… I really don’t know what to say about you!”

No one paid any attention to Zhou Shaojin’s whereabouts at all.

Wu Baozhang’s hands clenched into fists, her head buzzing.

※※※

Zhou Shaojin was also extremely angry.

This Cheng Xu—why couldn’t she make him understand?

If he had the energy to act crazy, she didn’t have the energy to keep him company!

She took a deep breath and entered the retiring room where several old madams were being entertained with a smile.

Old Madam Guo smiled and beckoned to her: “Has that fan handle been repaired?” Then she frowned slightly: “Fourth Son isn’t the harsh type. If the fan handle broke, just replace the fan. Why must Nan Ping rush to repair it and even borrow a crochet hook from you to help her look at it? You too—when she asked you to go, you just went… In the future, such matters need not concern you. That’s her business, not yours.”

From her tone, she even seemed somewhat dissatisfied with Nan Ping.

Zhou Shaojin quickly explained: “You’re wrongly blaming Uncle Chi. Nan Ping saw that Uncle Chi rarely has things he likes. Hearing she should repair it, she racked her brains to handle the matter properly. She’s completely loyal. Uncle Chi just thought the netting on the fan handle looked nice, not knowing the netting is extremely complex to make. Ordinary people have no idea where to begin. Nan Ping was afraid of not handling it well, so she came to find me.”

Old Madam Guo said nothing more.

Zhou Shaojin thought the matter had passed like this. Who knew that upon returning to Hanbi Mountain House, Old Madam Guo called her into the inner room and after hesitating for a long while said: “Shaojin, Nan Ping is keeping vigil as a widow waiting for her betrothed. Qin Zining died for Fourth Son’s sake. I originally thought that she was young, suddenly lost her companion, and pledged chastity in her grief—such things are common. But it’s already been five years, and she’s still wearing plain clothes. Just thinking about it makes me feel uncomfortable. Since you can talk to her, help me test her attitude to see if she’s softened her stance. Then I can make arrangements.”

Nan Ping’s betrothed, Qin Zining, had actually died for Uncle Chi’s sake!

Zhou Shaojin was very surprised.

Old Madam Guo nodded and said in a low voice: “When your Uncle Chi was doing business outside, he encountered a group of bandits. He died protecting your Uncle Chi.”

Zhou Shaojin felt very sad.

In her previous life, her heart like dead ashes, she too had kept vigil, yet still felt the days drag endlessly.

For someone like Nan Ping keeping vigil with someone in her heart, the days would probably be even harder to bear.

She sat beside Old Madam Guo, took her arm, rested her head on Old Madam Guo’s shoulder, and murmured: “Don’t worry. I’ll definitely help you sound out her feelings. If she doesn’t want to marry, just let her continue staying with Uncle Chi—at least she’ll have a home!”

Old Madam Guo sighed and gently patted her hand.

Zhou Shaojin then hesitated for a moment and said: “Old Madam, actually I didn’t see Nan Ping at all!”

Old Madam Guo was stunned.

Zhou Shaojin sat up straight, lowered her head, and said: “That little maid does serve Nan Ping, that’s true, but on the way there I encountered Cousin Xu… He, he blocked my path and spoke for a while… I was frightened and ran back… I didn’t repair Uncle Chi’s fan handle…”

Old Madam Guo’s blood rushed to her head, her hands trembling.

Zhou Shaojin was terrified that Old Madam Guo would be angered into an accident. Her voice changed in fright: “Old Madam, Old Madam…”

“It’s fine! I’m fine!” Old Madam Guo took a breath of cool air and couldn’t help but scrutinize Zhou Shaojin carefully.

The young girl was badly frightened, looking at her like a pear blossom in rain, eyes full of terror.

Old Madam Guo laughed with a “puchi” sound.

What was she thinking?

Others looking at Cheng Xu might think of him as the legitimate eldest grandson, the newly appointed jieyuan, and consider him a golden son-in-law. But this child Shaojin was pure and wouldn’t necessarily think of such things!

She pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to Zhou Shaojin, saying gently: “Don’t be afraid! I know now! Such things will never happen again!”

Zhou Shaojin let out a long breath of relief.

Counting the days, even in her previous life, the Cheng and Min families had begun marriage negotiations around now.

In this life with Uncle Chi present, the families’ marriage negotiations would surely be earlier than in her previous life. Otherwise the Min family wouldn’t have sent servant women to inspect him.

By telling Old Madam Guo about this matter, Old Madam Guo would certainly stop it.

With Old Madam Guo intervening, even if Cheng Xu had clever schemes, she believed Old Madam Guo had ways to stop him.

Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief. She sent a maid to ask Nan Ping if Cheng Chi truly had a broken fan handle.

The maid returned saying: “There was a broken fan handle, but Sister Nan Ping had already woven a new one and replaced it long ago.” The maid also asked Zhou Shaojin: “Has something happened?”

Only then did Zhou Shaojin’s heart completely settle.

The next day when attending Cheng Gao’s wedding, she stayed close to Old Madam Guo every step of the way.

Seeing this, Old Madam Guo became even more satisfied with Zhou Shaojin, taking her everywhere.

This scene, falling into the eyes of those with ulterior motives, made them grind their teeth.