Zhou Chujin nodded with a smile, proudly embracing Zhou Shaojin, and asked Mian Grand Madam with rare playfulness: “Does it look good?”

“It looks good, it looks good!” Looking at the two girls before her, bright as pearls and fresh as morning dew, Mian Grand Madam couldn’t help but show a joyful smile. “Girls really do transform at eighteen. Our Chujin and Shaojin are growing more and more beautiful!”

Zhou Chujin had asked about the clothes, but Mian Grand Madam praised them instead. Both Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin smiled shyly.

Nanny Wang lifted the curtain and came out, greeting them with a smile, saying: “The Old Madam heard the commotion and asks Madam, the young ladies, and the two young masters to come in and talk.”

Being a widow with elders present, though it was a birthday celebration, it was kept quite low-key. Madam Guan wore a dark blue Hangzhou silk robe with gourd and treasure vase patterns. Her hair, mixed with silver threads, was styled in a round bun, adorned with a pair of silver-set jade double longevity hairpins. She sat smiling on the arhat bed in the reception room with two little maids fanning beside her.

Seeing her daughter-in-law, grandsons, and granddaughters, Madam Guan’s smile grew even brighter. She quickly asked if they had eaten breakfast. Learning they had all eaten, she called for little maids to bring fruits, saying: “My birthday isn’t good, being in summer. Not like the Old Madam of the first branch, whose birthday is in autumn when you can admire flowers and eat crabs. I’m making you all suffer along with me.”

Mian Grand Madam quickly said: “Listen to what you’re saying. A birthday is part of one’s destiny. Just look at how filial the two masters are. I think your birthday is wonderful.”

Although Second Master Cheng Yuan was at his posting, he had sent birthday gifts early. Medicinal ingredients for health occupied most of them, while clothes and shoes made by Yuan Second Madam’s own hands took up a small portion. As for Cheng Mian and Mian Grand Madam, they had gone to great lengths to find a piece of yellow stone and carved a Guanyin statue for Madam Guan.

All the children were filial. On this point, Madam Guan agreed.

She nodded continuously, her eyes narrowing together in a smile.

Several wives of estate managers came over from the guest rooms.

Madam Guan and the others moved to sit in the reception hall.

Just as they sat down, several family friends of the fourth branch arrived.

People came intermittently.

Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin both helped Mian Grand Madam receive guests.

In the past when Madam Guan celebrated her birthday, Zhou Shaojin stayed at Wanxiang Residence and only came over when the birthday ceremony began. This year she followed behind her sister, occasionally watching over the maids serving tea and refreshments. Inevitably people asked who she was.

Mian Grand Madam would smilingly push her before the guests and introduce her.

Everyone who saw Zhou Shaojin praised her beauty. Those who were prepared gave meeting gifts, while those who weren’t would still hold her hand and chat about everyday matters. Some noticed Zhou Chujin’s clothes, praising how beautiful they were and asking who made them. Zhou Chujin pushed Zhou Shaojin forward without thinking, earning another round of praise. Some asked where she got the patterns, while others quietly inquired about Zhou Shaojin’s age and whether she was promised to anyone.

For a time, Zhou Shaojin found herself quite busy.

Cheng Lu’s mother Dong Shi and Cheng Ju’s mother, Yu Grand Madam, arrived.

Dong Shi had changed from her former intimate warmth, appearing somewhat awkward as she stepped forward to greet Madam Guan. Yu Grand Madam, on the other hand, maintained her usual appearance of smiling before speaking, being smooth and tactful. After greeting Madam Guan, she began catching up with familiar female relatives.

Madam Guan treated them the same as before, calling Mian Grand Madam over to entertain them.

Zhou Shaojin pretended not to notice and continued talking with the guests. Zhou Chujin, however, went over to curtsy.

Soon, the first, second, and third branches all arrived.

After greeting the elders, Zhou Shaojin was pulled aside by Cheng Jia, who pointed at Pan Qing and said: “Look at her!”

Pan Qing’s jet-black hair was styled in an extremely difficult peony coiffure, adorned with kingfisher feather flowers and pearl hair circlets. She wore a blue-green Hangzhou silk robe with phoenix tail and cluster flower patterns, and a moon-white embroidered skirt. Her skin was like snow, her face like peonies—she was very beautiful.

Zhou Shaojin recognized that Hangzhou silk robe. It was new fabric from Jiaxing Prefecture this year, twelve taels of silver per bolt. In her previous life, Zhou Shaojin had also owned such a robe, though she bought it the following year. At this time it would be even more expensive.

Pan Qing really had put effort into dressing up.

Zhou Shaojin smiled and said: “We’ll act according to circumstances later!”

Cheng Jia nodded. Her gaze suddenly fell on Zhou Chujin, and she said admiringly: “Sister Chujin looks so beautiful today! Look at that skirt. I’ve never seen such elaborate and gorgeous yet still dignified and elegant decorative borders… Shaojin, why didn’t you make yourself one like it?”

When Sister first married into the Liao family, being the eldest daughter who had lost her mother and the future clan matriarch, she had suffered quite a bit. Zhou Shaojin hoped that before Sister married, she could build a widespread reputation for virtue among relatives, so life would be much easier after marrying into the Liao family. But what she hadn’t expected was that everyone would be interested in the clothes she made, and Sister took the opportunity to push her forward.

This wasn’t her original intention.

Zhou Shaojin decided to stay with Cheng Jia later and appear before relatives as little as possible.

“We sisters can’t wear the same thing!” she smiled. “I think this outfit of mine is pretty good too.”

Cheng Jia laughed twice and said: “It is pretty good. But not as beautiful as what Sister Chujin is wearing.”

This was exactly Zhou Shaojin’s purpose.

To make Sister the most eye-catching person in the room.

But before she could feel pleased with herself, she heard Madam Guo say: “Eldest Miss’s skirt is really beautiful. Which embroiderer’s handiwork is this? Where did you get the pattern? It doesn’t seem to be our local style…”

Zhou Shaojin realized things were going badly. She pulled Cheng Jia and left the reception hall.

Cheng Jia didn’t understand and said: “Why are you so flustered?”

“It’s nothing,” Zhou Shaojin explained. “The reception hall is full of elders and guests. I feel a bit uncomfortable.”

“I feel uncomfortable too,” Cheng Jia said delightedly. “Then let’s go to the nearby water pavilion to feed the fish! Last time I came, I discovered your family has a very large koi. But Cui Huan insisted it wasn’t a koi and might be a catfish. But it had just rained then, and the water was a bit murky, so I couldn’t see clearly…”

The water pavilion was beside the reception hall, with beauty’s leans where one could admire fish and chat.

Zhou Shaojin thought hiding there wasn’t bad. She left a little maid here to tip them off and took Shi Xiang, Cui Huan, and others to the water pavilion.

The sun had just risen, and some sunlight still shone into the water pavilion. Fortunately, the servants had hung bamboo blinds around the water pavilion early. Shi Xiang and the others lowered the bamboo blinds. The breeze blowing from the water surface was cool. Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia sat in the water pavilion watching the maids prepare fish food, very pleasant indeed.

Not far away came footsteps and cheerful male voices.

The people in the water pavilion looked toward the sound and saw a group of men passing by on the corridor ahead.

There were Cheng Shi, Cheng Zheng, and also Cheng Xu, Pan Zhuo, Cheng Lu…

Cheng Jia exclaimed: “What are they doing here? Isn’t it not time for the birthday ceremony yet?”

Zhou Shaojin remembered the schedule stated that the feast would begin at noon (12 o’clock), with the birthday ceremony starting at the hour of the snake (10 AM). Cheng Mian would lead the grandsons and servants to pay respects first, then Mian Grand Madam would lead the female relatives to pay respects afterward. It was just the hour of the dragon (8 AM) now—why had Cheng Shi and the others come?

She quickly had Shi Xiang go inquire: “…Is there some change?”

Shi Xiang returned and said: “There’s no change. Young Master Shi and the others came early, so First Master had someone lead the young masters to sit in the study beside.”

Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief. Afraid that Cheng Shi and the others would wander over to the water pavilion out of boredom, she discussed with Cheng Jia: “We should return to the reception hall instead, to avoid running into Cousin Shi and them again.”

After the music competition last time, Cheng Jia ground her teeth at Cheng Shi and the others. Hearing Zhou Shaojin’s suggestion, she immediately agreed. The two went toward the reception hall together.

Halfway there, commotion arose behind them.

Zhou Shaojin turned back and saw Cheng Shi and the others heading to the water pavilion.

“Thank heavens, thank heavens,” she couldn’t help saying. “Otherwise we would have met them head-on.”

Cheng Jia complained: “Why are they always wandering around the inner courtyard? Isn’t there any place in the outer courtyard for them? Even if not, they’re men—they could go to some temple or Taoist monastery. Why compete with us for space?”

Zhou Shaojin laughed and said: “You can’t blame them for this. If today were Uncle Mian’s birthday, they wouldn’t come in.”

Hearing this, Cheng Jia immediately pulled her close and said in a low voice: “Have you noticed? Fifth Aunt Wen still hasn’t come yet. Do you think she’ll come today?”

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t guess.

If it were herself, clearly knowing she shouldn’t lose momentum, she should come. But her self-respect wouldn’t allow it, so she definitely wouldn’t come.

Cheng Jia said smugly: “I guess she’ll come today—if she doesn’t appear before Madam Guo and the others again, I’m afraid Madam Guo and the others won’t even remember her.”

“Not to that extent, surely?” Zhou Shaojin smiled. “After all, she’s the madam of the fifth branch!”

Cheng Jia said dissatisfied: “Can’t I exaggerate a little?”

Zhou Shaojin smiled helplessly.

Cheng Jia suddenly pulled Zhou Shaojin under a nearby pomegranate tree and said in a serious voice: “Look, Pan Qing!”

Zhou Shaojin looked over and saw Pan Qing standing on the steps of the reception hall. An unfamiliar-looking little maid was whispering in her ear.

She nodded slightly. As she straightened up, the little maid scurried away.

Pan Qing stood there thoughtfully for a moment, then rose and returned to the reception hall.

Cheng Jia said: “What do you think she’s planning to do?”

“Never mind what she’s planning,” Zhou Shaojin said. “Just have someone watch her.”

She instructed Shi Xiang: “Find a clever little maid, preferably eight or nine years old, to watch Pan Qing.”

Shi Xiang left at once.

Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia entered the reception hall.

Madam Guo sat beside Madam Guan, while Madam Tang sat below Madam Guan. The female relatives were gathered around the three of them talking.

Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia quietly slipped behind everyone and stood by the screen near the curtain.

Wen Grand Madam from the fifth branch arrived.

Her face was heavily powdered, rouged, and lip-sticked. She wore a lotus-colored Hangzhou silk robe woven with hundred treasures pattern, with black medicinal patches on both temples, her expression stiff.

Madam Guo couldn’t help but frown.

Madam Tang from the second branch, however, smiled like a Maitreya Buddha.

Jiang Shi and others who knew her greeted her one after another.

Wen Grand Madam responded listlessly.

Zhou Shaojin noticed Pan Qing quietly leaving Cheng Xian and exiting the reception hall.

She waited calmly for a while.

Shi Xiang walked in.

“Second Miss, Miss Pan seems to have gone to the water pavilion!”