Hearing Fan Qi’s words at this moment, Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat, several clouds of doubt arising in her heart.

She dismissed Fan Qi and hurriedly went to Hanqiu Pavilion.

Zhou Chujin was helping Great Madam Mian check the Dragon Boat Festival gift list. Seeing Zhou Shaojin, both were quite surprised.

Great Madam Mian quickly asked: “Has something happened?”

“Nothing major.” Zhou Shaojin said, glancing at her sister. “I just came to see what sister is doing.”

At this hour, Zhou Shaojin should have been at Hanbi Mountain House copying scriptures.

Great Madam Mian understood immediately. She ordered the maids to serve tea and refreshments, then excused herself to check the festival gifts in the storehouse, leaving the sitting room to the Zhou sisters.

Zhou Shaojin pulled Zhou Chujin aside and asked quietly: “Sister, do you still remember that year when the Zhuang family aunt came looking… I pushed dealing with aunt onto you…”

“I remember!” Zhou Chujin said alertly. “Why? Have they come looking for you again? Don’t pay them any mind—just tell them to come find me! Father already had someone send over the official yamen judgment documents. Even if they want to make trouble this time, we’re not afraid.”

“It’s not about that.” Zhou Shaojin hesitated. “I just suddenly remembered and wanted to ask how that matter was handled back then.”

Her younger sister was growing up now, developing her own feelings. Moreover, the Zhuang family was her sister’s maternal family by blood—perhaps she couldn’t quite let it go.

Zhou Chujin speculated, thought for a moment, and ultimately suppressed her words of advice, saying with a smile: “Back then, the magistrate of Jinling City was Father’s classmate. I wrote to tell Father, and Chief Steward Ma took Father’s name card and requested the yamen to intervene. That’s what finally intimidated Uncle Zhuang.”

Zhou Shaojin asked: “So, did the Zhuang family’s old residence end up being sold or not?”

“That I don’t know.” Zhou Chujin was somewhat puzzled and said tactfully, “Whether it was sold or not, those things were divided to Uncle Zhuang, so they belong to Uncle Zhuang. Even if we’re unwilling, it’s not appropriate for us to interfere. Has someone been saying something in front of you? Do you want to know about Mother’s past affairs? You don’t need to worry about that. Everything Mother used, Father had retrieved back then. They’re now kept at the Zhou family ancestral residence. Father has a list, Chief Steward Ma has a list, and Grandmother also has a list. When you marry, Father said he’ll give them all to you to handle. If you want to take them with you, take them all. If you don’t care for them, leave them with Father. When Father passes away a hundred years from now, Father and my birth mother’s coffins will be buried together according to propriety, and Mother’s things will be placed in Father’s coffin as burial goods. Father has made all these arrangements.”

As Zhou Shaojin listened, her heart suddenly ached and her eyes moistened.

Father treated Mother… even better than he treated her sister’s birth mother… The things she had done in her previous life must have broken Father’s heart…

Her tears fell uncontrollably.

Zhou Chujin took a handkerchief to wipe her tears, saying gently: “What’s wrong? Do you miss Mother? Father actually loves us very much. He just has no way to keep us by his side. Don’t blame him. Although Father is also a fourth-rank official, the Cheng family has served as officials for generations since the previous dynasty. Being the granddaughter of the Cheng family with an official father gives one a distinguished enough status…”

“I know!” Zhou Shaojin took the handkerchief from her sister’s hand and hastily wiped her eyes. “I don’t blame Father. I still have you, sister! I’m just a bit sad.”

Zhou Chujin occasionally felt sad too.

She just chose not to dwell on it.

“Yes!” She embraced her younger sister. “You still have me, and I still have you!”

The sisters were melancholy for a while, then Zhou Shaojin suggested visiting the Zhou family ancestral residence some day: “…I just want to know what Mother left for me.”

In her previous life, Father had also sent someone to deliver her birth mother’s belongings to the capital, but they were all antiques, calligraphy, and paintings. There wasn’t a single piece of gold or silver jewelry she had worn, or cosmetic cases, zithers, or flutes she had used. The person who delivered the items left as soon as they were unloaded, and she hadn’t dared to ask. In this life, she wanted to see her mother’s belongings.

Zhou Chujin said: “Don’t be anxious. I’ll arrange it.”

Grandmother and Great Aunt had raised them—if they constantly dwelled on their birth parents, what would Grandmother and Great Aunt who raised them think?

Zhou Chujin was very attentive to these details. Normally she tried not to mention her own parents and rarely brought up the Zhou family.

Zhou Shaojin understood this. She said: “I can go anytime. Sister needn’t force yourself.”

“I understand.” Zhou Chujin said. “If we can find the time, we’ll go together.”

Come to think of it, adding her previous and current lives together, she hadn’t returned to the Zhou family ancestral residence in at least twenty years. If she could go with her sister, that would naturally be best.

Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded. The sisters talked for a while longer before the maids came in to serve tea and refreshments. When Great Madam Mian arrived, Zhou Shaojin rose to take her leave and went to Hanbi Mountain House.

After all, she had things on her mind. That day, though she spent the entire afternoon there, she only copied half her usual amount of scripture.

Old Madam Guo said nothing. After she returned to the fourth branch, however, she summoned Xiao Tan: “Do you know what has Second Young Lady so distracted?”

“I don’t know.” Xiao Tan lowered her head and said obediently, “Second Young Lady usually speaks very little. She grinds ink and spreads paper all by herself. This servant only stands at the door to announce visitors or helps Second Young Lady run errands and fetch things.”

Old Madam Guo didn’t ask further. She dismissed Xiao Tan and instructed Feicui: “Pay attention.”

Feicui respectfully acknowledged the order, but her heart was churning like turbulent seas.

What kind of person was the Old Madam? Only Young Lady Sheng and Master Xu and the others could gain such attention from her. When had Second Young Lady Zhou also caught the Old Madam’s eye?

She thought of Cheng Xu’s actions… yet the Old Madam had only exempted the young master from morning and evening attendance.

Could it be the Old Madam had some other intention?

Ever since the second branch old ancestor’s birthday that day, Feicui had been somewhat avoiding Zhou Shaojin.

At this moment, she couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

How should she treat Second Young Lady Zhou in the future?

Feicui returned from the main chamber with a heavy heart.

Zhou Shaojin knew nothing of this.

When Zhou Zhen’s Dragon Boat Festival gifts arrived, the Zhou sisters finally found an opportunity to return to the Zhou family ancestral residence.

Old Madam Guan kept instructing them: “No one has lived there for a long time. I’m afraid it’s full of mosquitoes and insects. You two stand in a high place in the courtyard and watch the servants clean the rooms properly, then come back. I’ll be waiting for you sisters to have dinner.”

As for ancestral worship, since the Zhou sisters were both girls, it wasn’t their turn.

“Don’t worry.” Zhou Chujin said with a smile. “Ma Fushan’s wife will be accompanying us. Nothing will happen.”

Even so, Old Madam Guan still saw the sisters all the way to the door.

The Zhou family ancestral residence was located on Pingqiao Street in Taiping District in the southern part of Jinling City. It occupied only four or five mu, yet had small bridges over flowing water, winding paths leading to secluded spots, pavilions and towers, lush flowers and trees—the scenery was quite beautiful. Taking a sedan chair from Jiuru Lane required passing through Jinling City, a journey of half an hour.

Outside the sedan chair, the sounds of hawking, bargaining, shouting, and talking… the clamor was endless.

Zhou Shaojin sat inside the sedan chair. In the past, she would have lifted the curtain to peek out curiously. But now, she not only had no such mood, but also felt a strange timidity, as if separated by a lifetime.

If everything was as she suspected, what should she do?

Zhou Shaojin twisted her handkerchief until the sedan chair stopped in the courtyard of the Zhou family ancestral residence and she heard Ma Fushan’s respectful voice. Only then did she come to her senses and, supported by Shi Xiang, descended from the sedan chair.

The stone pavement at the entrance was smooth but pitted with indentations. The black six-panel lattice doors of the front hall were inlaid with transparent glass. The ancient locust trees on both sides had canopies like umbrellas, blocking more than half the building. Even the sunlight at the si hour—ten o’clock in the morning—couldn’t penetrate. The black lacquered incense table, armchairs, and tea tables in the hall were not very clear. Instead, the painting of an immortal pointing the way hanging in the central hall became the most conspicuous object in the room due to its large blank spaces.

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but take a long, deep breath.

The courtyard was filled with the fragrance of monthly roses.

Her heart inexplicably became settled and joyful.

This was her home. What did she have to fear?

Zhou Shaojin followed behind her sister, listening to Ma Fushan respectfully yet attentively telling her sister about the household income during this period, the distribution of Dragon Boat Festival gifts, Father’s instructions in his letter, the sewing of the servants’ summer and autumn clothing… But her eyes kept looking around, as if it were her first time here.

Zhou Chujin was amused by her behavior. Having matters to discuss with Ma Fushan and fearing she might be impatient, and wanting to let her view Zhuang Shi’s belongings alone, she instructed Ma Fushan’s wife: “You accompany Second Young Lady to look at Mother’s storehouse—Second Young Lady needs to find some things. Chief Steward Ma and I will go to the accounting room to talk.”

The Ma Fushan couple respectfully acknowledged. One accompanied Zhou Chujin to the accounting room, the other accompanied Zhou Shaojin to the storehouse.

The three-bay side room had been opened up, with trunks, tables and chairs, screens, and so on neatly and orderly stacked inside.

Ma Fushan’s wife led Zhou Shaojin to the pile of trunks on the west side: “These were left by the Madam.” She pointed to the red labels on the trunks. “These are the fur coats and fur skirts the Madam left behind… These are the writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones the Madam left behind, along with a zither… These are the calligraphy, paintings, and antiques the Madam brought from her natal family…” Finally, she took out a string of keys from her bosom. “The gold and silver jewelry the Madam left behind are in my keeping. I’ll go fetch them for Young Lady right away.”

“No need.” Zhou Shaojin wasn’t here to look at these things. She said: “I’ll look at these slowly myself. Are there any old servants in the household who served Mother? I want to ask about Mother’s affairs when she was alive.”

When children grow up, they naturally seek their roots.

Ma Fushan’s wife suspected nothing and said: “There is one. She originally served in the Madam’s quarters. After the Madam passed away, the Master showed mercy and released all who had served the Madam. She had nowhere to go, so she stayed. Her husband’s surname is Yu, so we all call her Nanny Yu. She now tends to the household flowers and plants exclusively. Her hearing and sight are fine, and her speech is clear. I’ll go call her over right away.”

Zhou Shaojin nodded.

Ma Fushan’s wife turned and led in an old woman wearing a blue coarse cloth jacket.

The old woman was about to kowtow to Zhou Shaojin, but Zhou Shaojin quickly supported her, saying: “You served my mother—you mustn’t treat me with such ceremony.” She then instructed Shi Xiang to set out a seat for Nanny Yu. “I’m just taking advantage of my sister having business to discuss with Chief Steward Ma to come look around. Don’t stand on ceremony with me!”