Zhou Shaojin quickly turned her head aside but still couldn’t escape Cheng Chi’s finger.

She couldn’t help but complain, “How can Uncle Chi do this? It really hurts.”

“Really?” Cheng Chi said with a smile, cupping her face. “Let me see if it really hurts!”

His bright eyes were clear as water, clearly reflecting her appearance.

Only then did Zhou Shaojin suddenly realize how intimate their actions were.

Her face immediately flushed like sunset clouds as she pushed Cheng Chi away.

Knowing when to advance and when to retreat would allow the young girl to feel both secure and face the changes between them.

Cheng Chi smiled and obligingly released her, brewed fresh tea for both of them, and said, “Come, taste how this brew is.”

Zhou Shaojin felt uncomfortable.

Just now when Uncle Chi cupped her face, his fingers were slender and warm, his expression sincere and… carrying a hint of deep affection…

She recalled what Cheng Chi had said that day.

“I simply couldn’t help myself…”

Couldn’t help what?

Cupping her face like this?

Zhou Shaojin’s face felt hot, but where Uncle Chi had cupped it still retained that warm feeling…

She sat on pins and needles, hurriedly drank a cup of tea, then stood up. “It’s getting late. Uncle Chi still has to go out tomorrow. I won’t disturb you anymore. Please rest early!”

Having said this, she fled as if escaping.

Cheng Chi watched her flustered retreating figure and laughed soundlessly.

Change was good!

What was worrisome would be if she remained oblivious and unaware.

He suddenly thought of the term “gradual encroachment.”

Indeed, very apt!

Cheng Chi walked back to his room with his hands behind his back, completely satisfied.

※※※

Zhou Shaojin ran all the way and only remembered when she reached the covered corridor of the main house that Huai Shan was still leading people to lay the “bricks” in the inner chamber.

She secretly regretted this a little.

She shouldn’t have run to the main house—she should have gone to the back building to squeeze in for a night with Chun Wan and the others.

The thought flashed through her mind, and she mentally scolded herself with a “ptui.”

Since Uncle Chi had given this residence to her, then it was hers.

Her own residence—why should she run away? Why should she go squeeze in for a night with Chun Wan?

If anyone should squeeze in, it should be Uncle Chi!

She immediately thought of how Cheng Chi was now already squeezed in together with his servants. Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but let out a “pfft” of laughter, completely free of her earlier heartache.

The door curtain of the main house lifted, and Chun Wan walked out.

She smiled and said, “What’s wrong with Second Young Miss? You’ve returned but aren’t coming in? Xiao Tan and I were just discussing whether we should go look for you.”

Had those people laying the “bricks” left?

As soon as the thought arose, Zhou Shaojin scolded herself.

Since they were secretly hiding things in her room, naturally no one should be told. Of course they had to avoid Chun Wan and the others. Wasn’t it normal for the few people serving her not to know?

Zhou Shaojin still had some doubts in her heart. She spoke a few absentminded words with Chun Wan before entering the inner chamber.

The inner chamber was exactly the same as when she had left it. The floor was neat and tidy, clean without even a speck of dust. If Zhou Shaojin hadn’t been certain that Cheng Chi had put things inside, she would have thought the scene she saw earlier was just a dream.

Chun Wan was still chattering away. “Nanny Shang said that Steward Xiang, knowing that Miss grew up in the south, specially sought out several silk quilts and called Xiao Tan and me to choose. I chose a two-catty one for Miss—perfect for this season. Steward Xiang also bought one-catty and three-catty ones. He originally wanted to buy several four-catty and five-catty ones, but since it’s spring, the shops only have stock left, so he didn’t get them. He said he’d look again in autumn…”

Zhou Shaojin nodded randomly. She hastily washed up and got into bed.

Perhaps because it was already April, the bed frame of black lacquer inlaid with mother-of-pearl had blue water-ripple gauze curtains hanging from it. The glimmering candlelight shone through, making those water ripples seem to come alive. She felt as if she were lying in tranquil lake waters.

“I simply couldn’t help myself…”

Cheng Chi’s voice was low and mellow, like aged wine, echoing in her ears with laughter… She still clearly remembered the feeling of his warm breath against her neck…

Zhou Shaojin felt half her body go numb and tingly. Then, inexplicably feeling shy, she buried her head in the large pillow and rolled over on the bed while hugging it.

Uncle Chi said… he couldn’t help himself!

Did that mean he also liked her a little?

Zhou Shaojin thought of his unobtrusive protection in the Three Branches Studio, his quiet smile in the Buddhist hall at Hanbei Mountain Lodge, his silent tolerance on the Qiantang River beach… and his indulgence when playing chess with her… the way he looked at her just now… Her face grew hot.

Uncle Chi must like her too!

But was this kind of liking the same as her kind of liking?

Or… was it just seeing her pretty face and a momentary impulse?

Didn’t Uncle Chi also say to not take that matter to heart?

He definitely didn’t want to mention it again.

Zhou Shaojin’s face paled. She suddenly sat up, hugging the large pillow and staring blankly at the flickering water ripples on the curtains, her heart in turmoil.

But she also liked him—what should she do?

She didn’t want Uncle Chi to forget about this matter… but if he didn’t forget, what then?

Should she indulge Uncle Chi in doing such things to her again?

Never mind that they were separated by a generation—even if they were of the same generation, knowing that Cheng Xu had liked her, would Old Madam Guo allow her to marry Uncle Chi?

No, wait—if she and Uncle Chi were of the same generation, then Cheng Xu liking her would be Cheng Xu’s fault, and naturally she could marry Uncle Chi… In her previous life, she wouldn’t have been violated by Cheng Xu… She could have happily married Uncle Chi… Now Uncle Chi knew everything about her—would Uncle Chi still want her?

The more Zhou Shaojin thought about it, the sadder she felt. The more she thought about it, the more desperate she became. Tears began falling down her face.

※※※

The next morning when Chun Wan lifted the bed curtains, she saw Zhou Shaojin, who had cried almost the entire night and whose eyes were so swollen she could barely open them.

She was terribly frightened. She straightened up and was about to go call Nanny Fan.

Zhou Shaojin grabbed her at once and said, “Don’t make a fuss. Be careful not to let others know. Just go boil me an egg to help compress my eyes.”

Chun Wan didn’t dare let anyone else in. She instructed Ji Xiang at the door to boil an egg, while she herself took a cold cloth to compress Zhou Shaojin’s eyes, speaking as she did so. “If Second Young Miss has something unhappy, even if you don’t want to tell this servant, you could tell Nanny Fan! Look at you, crying like this. What will happen when you meet Madam at breakfast and she asks about it?”

Fortunately, Madam was a stepmother. If this were her birth mother, all the servants around them would probably be scolded.

Zhou Shaojin had cried until her head was dizzy and muddled. She didn’t want to say a word and just let Chun Wan chatter away.

Before long, Ji Xiang brought in the egg. Chun Wan applied it while it was hot for quite a while but saw no effect. Just then, someone from Li Shi’s side came to ask where breakfast should be served. Chun Wan became anxious. Zhou Shaojin simply said, “Go tell Madam that I went to bed late last night and haven’t gotten up yet.”

Chun Wan couldn’t think of any other solution, so she could only reply to Li Shi’s maid as instructed.

Li Shi smiled and said, “After all, it’s her own place—when she first went to Baoding Prefecture, she couldn’t adjust to the bed and didn’t sleep well for several days. This is only her first day moving in, and she’s already sleeping so soundly. I didn’t fall asleep until the latter half of the night myself!”

Nanny Li smiled and said, “Fourth Master Cheng truly dotes on Second Young Miss. Look at what’s arranged and used in this residence—even First Young Mistress’s place can’t compare. I heard from the little maids that there’s even a Western clock in the main hall. It ticks and tocks chaotically, covered with a glass case, and the inside is made of gold. Such items weren’t even taken away. Who knows what Fourth Master Cheng left in the main house.”

Because of this remark, Li Shi, to avoid arousing suspicion, warned her people that without her instruction they were not allowed to go to the main house. If there was any activity there and Zhou Shaojin’s people didn’t summon them, they were not allowed to go over.

She glared at Nanny Li and said in a low voice, “You can only say such things in front of me. If you say this in front of others, you’d better return to Baoding Prefecture first!”

Li Shi had never spoken to Nanny Li this way before. She was startled and didn’t dare mention it again.

After breakfast, Zhou Chujin came over.

Li Shi was quite surprised and repeatedly instructed the maid, “Hurry and invite First Young Mistress in—she’s only just completed her month of confinement!”

The little maid ran off in a flash. Li Shi quickly tidied her clothing and hair and had the wet nurse carry Zhou Youjin to greet her.

Both in the same city, yet her sister was staying elsewhere—how could Zhou Chujin be at ease?

She had waited with difficulty until daybreak, hastily finished breakfast, and came over. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Li Shi, Li Shi accompanied her to the main house.

Seeing Zhou Shaojin staying in the main house, Zhou Chujin was very surprised.

Her sister wasn’t this type of person…

Li Shi gave her a look and said in a low voice, “We’ll discuss this matter later.”

Seeing that Li Shi showed no sign of resentment, Zhou Chujin felt relieved and entered the hall together with Li Shi.

Zhou Shaojin had received notice at the last minute and couldn’t avoid them. She ran right into Li Shi and her sister.

“What happened to you?” Zhou Chujin took two steps at once, rushed forward, and embraced Zhou Shaojin. Barely restraining herself from looking at Li Shi, she said, “Let me see quickly!”

Zhou Shaojin covered her eyes, not letting Zhou Chujin see, and said, “I don’t know what happened either. I woke up like this this morning…”

Li Shi, being somewhat older than the two of them, said, “Could there still be the smell of fresh lacquer in the room?”

Zhou Shaojin quickly said, “That’s probably it! I was fine before I went to sleep!”

Zhou Chujin immediately instructed Chun Wan, “Quickly go tell Ma Ci to fetch a physician.”

As in the previous life, Ma Ci ultimately followed Zhou Chujin to the Liao family as part of her dowry. But unlike the previous life, Ma Ci received Zhou Chujin’s trust even before going to the Liao family, and after arriving became Zhou Chujin’s right-hand man, not only managing Zhou Chujin’s dowry but also managing the properties Liao Shaotang’s parents had gifted when he married.

How were they going to handle this when the physician arrived?

Chun Wan was secretly anxious but didn’t dare show it on her face. She hurried out of the hall with quick steps.

Zhou Shaojin invited Li Shi and Zhou Chujin to sit.

Zhou Chujin kept examining the furnishings in the room and even went to look at the inner chamber before finally feeling relieved. She smiled and asked, “Who decorated this room? If you planted a magnolia tree at the door, it would be seventy or eighty percent similar to your room at Wanxiang Residence.”

The pomegranate tree planted at her door had already formed buds, some already showing fire-red petals.

Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “Northern magnolia flowers are different from our southern ones—they bloom large but aren’t fragrant. It’s better to plant pomegranates!”

Li Shi smiled and said, “Planting pomegranate trees is good! Magnolia flowers fall with the wind, but pomegranate flowers bloom increasingly vibrant.”

They also symbolized many sons and much fortune.

It’s just that this couldn’t be said in front of the unmarried Zhou Shaojin.

Zhou Chujin understood, glanced at her sister, and laughed heartily.