That’s right!

Wu Baozhang had indeed come by invitation, but if she didn’t have her own little schemes in mind, why would she have accepted the invitation?

Zhou Shaojin glanced at her.

Her gaze was cool and detached, carrying a trace of contempt, then looked straight toward Min Jia.

Min Jia’s eyes narrowed.

Cheng Xu sensed the abnormal atmosphere.

Following Zhou Shaojin’s gaze, he looked over and saw Min Jia standing beneath the pomegranate tree.

The corners of Cheng Xu’s mouth slowly curved upward, revealing a mocking and disdainful smile.

Min Jia’s expression changed dramatically.

What did Cheng Xu mean by this?

She was his wife—how could he show her such disrespect in front of so many people?

Their marriage concerned both families’ futures and wasn’t an ordinary alliance. They should respect each other. If they couldn’t even do this, what else was there to talk about?

Min Jia’s expression became fierce.

However, Cheng Xu didn’t spare her another glance.

He stepped forward several paces until he stood before Zhou Shaojin, then respectfully performed a deep bow to her, saying in a solemn voice, “Everything that happened in the past was my fault. I wronged you, and I hope you can forgive my transgressions!” With that, he bowed deeply to Zhou Shaojin again.

Zhou Shaojin was stunned. Then her eyes stung with tears that streamed down her face.

Two lifetimes of being human, so much pain, so much grievance, so much resentment… In the Cheng family, from Cheng Xu, this was the first time anyone had apologized to her.

Saying it wasn’t her fault!

Saying he had wronged her!

She turned away, covering her mouth as she wept silently.

Cheng Xu’s eyes immediately filled with tears.

Ever since Zhou Shaojin left Jinling, he had thought about many things.

He thought about his love at first sight for her, about his pursuit and fondness for her, about his inability to have her despite his desires… and about the harm he caused as easily as going with the flow!

Just as his grandmother had said, when he could have seized the opportunity, he didn’t. When he had no standing, he forcefully demanded—he was destined never to get his wish.

Instead, he dragged her down with him.

He owed her an explanation.

But she had already become his aunt, and a insurmountable gulf had been drawn between them. In the future, unless there were special circumstances, even if they met, it would be impossible to speak.

Since he had encountered her this time, he would do as his grandmother said—be an upright, indomitable man for once and do what he should and could do.

Only then would he truly let go.

She would walk her path, and he would cross his bridge, with no more attachments.

Cheng Xu straightened his body.

Since the garden incident occurred, this was the first time he discovered how vast the sky was, how broad the earth was, and that the road ahead of him was wide and long… He still had far to go.

He smiled faintly, looking straight ahead as he turned around, brushed past Min Jia, and strode out.

Min Jia’s face couldn’t have looked worse.

She was the one who had called Cheng Xu in, Wu Baozhang was the one who had called Zhou Shaojin out, but she hadn’t told Cheng Xu to disregard privacy and apologize to Zhou Shaojin the moment he saw her! She had even less expected that Zhou Shaojin would be unable to contain herself and burst into tears.

Sorry?

How had he wronged Zhou Shaojin?

Was it because his marriage to her had let Zhou Shaojin down?

If so, if he had already wronged her, why would Zhou Shaojin still marry into the Cheng family and marry Cheng Xu’s fourth uncle, Cheng Chi?

Min Jia considered herself someone who had experienced things, yet she was still so angry it made her liver hurt.

Wu Baozhang’s eyes widened, her face full of disbelief.

Cheng Xu… had actually apologized to Zhou Shaojin!

That favored son of heaven, Cheng Xu who regarded no one else with respect, the eldest young master of the Cheng family of Jiuru Alley, the only son of current Cabinet Minister Cheng Jing, Cheng Xu whose maternal family was the Yuan clan of Tongxiang—he had actually apologized to Zhou Shaojin, this cousin who lost her mother at a young age and lived under the care of the Cheng family’s fourth branch!

Why?

Why was Zhou Shaojin so precious while others were just mud beneath her feet?

Heaven was unfair!

Wu Baozhang felt resentful.

She couldn’t help but laugh coldly, saying, “I really never expected that Cousin Xu and our young aunt would be so familiar and understanding of each other. A seven-foot-tall man actually having to apologize to young aunt…”

Having cried her tears, Zhou Shaojin’s emotions felt as if they had been washed clean by clear spring water—calm and peaceful.

She turned around calmly and composedly, using her handkerchief to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. Glancing at Wu Baozhang who was eagerly ready to stir up trouble, fearing nothing more than chaos, she said to Min Jia, “Nephew’s Wife Xu, I can see you’re an intelligent person. Don’t always follow others’ lead and listen to people’s nonsense. If you have concerns in your heart, why not go back and ask your mother-in-law? Jumping up and down like this, being used by others is one thing—it’s just that people’s hearts aren’t what they used to be, unable to distinguish right from wrong. What’s truly frightening is causing trouble and making a spectacle of yourself, losing face yourself and bringing shame to the Cheng family. Today is A’Sheng’s happy day, and you’re her sister-in-law. Don’t make A’Sheng lose face along with you. Quickly put away that fierce expression and come inside with me to accompany our in-law’s grandmother and aunt-in-law in conversation—that’s what matters.”

Having said this, she turned and entered the house.

Min Jia’s face alternated between green and white, yet she couldn’t utter a single word of defense. She looked deeply at Wu Baozhang, took two deep breaths, turned, and entered the hall. There she heard Zhou Shaojin saying with a smile to Nanny Lu who served beside Old Madam Guo, “Something just got in my eye when I went outside. Please help me look—is there anything there? It hurts terribly!”

Hearing this, Old Madam Guo and Madam Peng immediately stood up and came over to look, both asking with concern, “What happened? Is it serious?”

Zhou Shaojin shook her head, saying, “It doesn’t hurt or itch anymore.”

Madam Peng quickly ordered someone to bring a lamp over. She personally examined Zhou Shaojin’s eye repeatedly, and worried that her own eyesight wasn’t good enough, called over her fifteen-year-old daughter to help examine Zhou Shaojin’s eye thoroughly. Seeing that aside from some redness and swelling, everything else was fine, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. She ordered someone to bring a cold compress to apply to Zhou Shaojin’s eye for a good while before finally setting her mind at ease.

Watching this, Min Jia stood frozen for a long time.

Someone like Zhou Shaojin—this was what a daughter-in-law who made her mother-in-law happy looked like, wasn’t it?

She didn’t move, but her white silk handkerchief was crushed into a ball in her hand.

Watching this, Wu Baozhang couldn’t help but smile silently.

Back then, Cheng Chi from the first branch had tried every means to suppress the matter and married Zhou Shaojin as his wife regardless of everything, thinking that way the matter could pass. She wanted to see—now that the matter was laid bare before Min Jia, how would they continue to perform this act!

※※※

When Zhou Shaojin returned home, Cheng Chi had already finished his official duties and was waiting to receive her and Old Madam Guo at the ornamental gate.

“It must have been very lively there today, wasn’t it?” He personally stepped forward, helping Old Madam Guo down from the carriage while smiling and saying, “Are you tired? Would you like me to massage your legs?”

Old Madam Guo was very pleased. She smiled and said, “Why would I need you to massage my legs? I have maids and servants to attend to me! You’ve also been busy all day. Shaojin is tired too. You two should quickly go back to your room and rest! You still have to go to the government office tomorrow!”

Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Chi still escorted Old Madam Guo back to Tingxiang Courtyard and attended to her as she settled down to rest before taking their leave.

But as soon as they left Tingxiang Courtyard, Zhou Shaojin hugged Cheng Chi’s arm.

Cheng Chi was somewhat surprised.

Although they had been married for some time, this was the first time she had so actively clung to him like this outside, in front of so many maids and servants.

He thought for a moment and smiled, saying, “Did something happen when you went to A’Sheng’s place?”

“Yes!” Zhou Shaojin nodded happily, saying in a low voice, “Today I encountered Cheng Xu, and he apologized to me. He also said that everything in the past was his fault…”

She told Cheng Chi about what had happened.

Cheng Chi was astonished and said with some emotion, “Jiashan is, after all, more like a Cheng family member!”

Zhou Shaojin nodded.

Cheng Chi then embraced her, saying, “Shaojin, you’re truly magnanimous to forgive him just like that!”

Zhou Shaojin giggled and said, “That’s because he’s your nephew!”

If it weren’t for Cheng Chi, how could she have let it go so quickly?

Cheng Chi smiled indulgently and pinched her cheek.

Zhou Shaojin laughingly dodged but couldn’t bear to let go of Cheng Chi, so she leaned back against him.

Cheng Chi laughed softly.

The two held hands as they walked toward the main house.

Zhou Shaojin said, “That Wu Baozhang is truly detestable! Even if this matter wasn’t her idea for Min Jia, they’re definitely in cahoots together. Otherwise she wouldn’t have repeatedly lured me outside. Cheng Xu must have been led there by Min Jia… I don’t know what Min Jia was thinking, why she didn’t ask Cheng Xu directly but instead believed Wu Baozhang. Today I gave her a good talking-to…”

She recounted what happened afterward.

Cheng Chi couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “Well done! In the future, if anyone dares to treat you that way again, just scold them thoroughly. At worst, we’ll face them together!”

“This isn’t a street brawl!” Zhou Shaojin laughed as they entered the courtyard.

Looking up, she saw Huai Shan.

Zhou Shaojin knew he wouldn’t appear here without reason. She smiled and greeted him before entering the house.

Shortly after, Cheng Chi returned.

He appeared to be in a very good mood.

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but smile and ask, “Is there some good news?”

“There’s news about Cheng Lu,” Cheng Chi said. “He’s staying at a small inn, destitute and sick. The innkeeper, afraid he’d die there, threw him out. He shouldn’t have gone far yet—Huai Shan went to find him personally.”

Hearing this, Zhou Shaojin’s heart stirred. She hesitated, wanting to speak.

Cheng Chi smiled and said, “Do you perhaps have some idea?”

Zhou Shaojin asked, “If you find Cheng Lu, what do you plan to do?”

Of course, he would make sure Cheng Lu could never appear before Zhou Shaojin again.

But he couldn’t say this in front of Zhou Shaojin.

Cheng Chi said, “Find a way to warn him thoroughly, then have someone keep watch on him.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “Why not let a scoundrel deal with another scoundrel instead!”

Cheng Chi looked at her with interest.

Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “Isn’t Cheng Lu destitute? He definitely won’t be content to remain in such a wretched state. Rather than finding him and giving him a warning while leaving behind a lingering threat, I think it would be better to find a way to lead him to Wu Baozhang. Given his character, he’ll definitely seek Wu Baozhang’s help, and given Wu Baozhang’s character, she most likely won’t help him. But Cheng Lu isn’t someone to be trifled with either… Just let them tear at each other. It’ll also save Wu Baozhang from having nothing better to do than cause trouble for me all day.”

Cheng Chi burst out laughing.

He affectionately kissed her cheek and said, “My little girl has grown up and knows how to use her brain now. This is an excellent idea. Let’s do exactly that!” With that, he called loudly for Qingfeng and had him go relay the message to Huai Shan.