Zhou Shaojin gently shook her head, refusing Cheng Chi’s proposal.

Since she was leaving, she should leave cleanly, without any further entanglement with Uncle Chi.

She feared that she would end up thinking of the person whenever she saw objects, never able to suppress her love for Cheng Chi deep in her heart for the rest of her life.

Seeing this, Cheng Chi was somewhat surprised, but said nothing. After brief consideration, he nodded in agreement.

Zhou Shaojin took her leave of Cheng Chi.

Cheng Chi saw her to the study door.

Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “If Uncle Chi passes through Baoding Prefecture, remember to come visit our home!”

“All right!” Cheng Chi smiled and agreed.

Zhou Shaojin crossed the courtyard of Tingli Pavilion at an unhurried pace.

The early winter sun shone warmly upon her, yet her hands and feet felt somewhat cold.

She had said she didn’t need anyone sent to attend her, and Uncle Chi hadn’t insisted… In his heart, she was just an ordinary relative by marriage, wasn’t she?

Zhou Shaojin’s heart felt dull with pain, and tears nearly fell.

But in the next instant, she laughed softly.

She had clearly been the one to say she didn’t want Nanny Shang and Xiao Tan to serve her, and when Uncle Chi agreed, she blamed Uncle Chi for not coaxing her… Where in the world was there such a temperamental person as herself!

Zhou Shaojin understood this in her heart, yet that inexplicable and futile heartache somehow couldn’t be suppressed.

She exchanged pleasantries with smiles and brimming eyes with Old Madam Guo, Old Madam Guan, and others who came to see her off, and returned to Pingqiao Street all the way in tears.

The ancestral residence on Pingqiao Street still stood there quietly as before, but Ma Fushan’s family, having received word yesterday, had already cleaned the rooms thoroughly. After she finished lunch, her belongings were all placed in their proper positions according to her habits.

Chun Wan urged Zhou Shaojin, “Second Young Miss, you barely slept last night. Please rest now. I’ll wake you when it’s time for dinner.”

Accustomed to Old Madam Guo’s Buddhist hall, accustomed to the secret joy of waiting for Uncle Chi, accustomed to the laughter and play of Biyu and the others, the Zhou family ancestral residence now seemed empty and desolate.

She nodded slightly and slept deeply until she was in a daze.

The next day, Old Madam Guo sent Nanny Lü to see if she was settling in well. Zhou Shaojin kept her for conversation and rewarded her with two bolts of moon-white Songjiang cloth for making inner garments. Before she had even seen her guest out, Nanny Wang from Old Madam Guan’s side also arrived.

She spent quite some time receiving them. It wasn’t until the third day that things finally quieted down.

The trunks Zhou Shaojin had brought back weren’t completely unpacked, and the flowers and plants she had brought were moved into the warm house to be temporarily cared for by Nanny Yu.

With everyone rarely having leisure time, they did needlework together.

Half a month passed this way. Zhou Zhen’s personal attendant Li Changgui arrived in Jinling City carrying Zhou Zhen’s letter.

Zhou Zhen instructed Zhou Shaojin to depart as soon as she received the letter, without worrying about auspicious or inauspicious days. As for Nine Ru Lane, he would handle it himself.

Holding the letter, Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but feel tears welling in her eyes. She asked Li Changgui, “Did my father have any other instructions?”

Li Changgui replied respectfully, “The master had me bring some local gifts. After visiting Nine Ru Lane tomorrow and delivering the gifts, we can depart.”

Zhou Shaojin had Ma Fushan accompany Li Changgui to the market and then withdrew, storing the letter in a box.

Was she really leaving Nine Ru Lane where she had lived for fourteen years, leaving Jinling City where she was born and raised?

Zhou Shaojin stood under the covered corridor of the main hall, gazing toward Nine Ru Lane. Her mind was blank, unwilling to think about anything.

The next day, carrying the local gifts her father had sent, she went to Nine Ru Lane to bid farewell.

Old Madam Guo received her in the hall.

She encountered neither Cheng Chi nor Cheng Xu.

But she still went to Tingli Pavilion and saw Ji Ying.

Though Ji Ying was said to be confined, her spirits were very good. Learning that Zhou Shaojin was going to Baoding Prefecture, she said happily, “In a few days I’ll be going home too. Cangzhou is very close to Baoding Prefecture—I’ll come visit you then.”

Seeing that Ji Ying was perfectly fine, Zhou Shaojin felt relieved and went to the fourth branch.

Old Madam Guan saw her to the entrance of Jiashu Hall.

Madam Gao He Fengping and Cheng Jia accompanied her all the way to Wenchuan Lake outside Jinling City.

Though Zhou Shaojin was traveling on Zhou Zhen’s official boat, in her box she carried the calling card of Cheng Jing that Old Madam Guo had given her before departure.

Compared to the panic and fear of going to the capital in her previous life, she was both calm and composed now.

She smiled at Madam Gao and Cheng Jia who had come to see her off, “You should head back! I’ll write to you after I see Elder Sister!”

She would first take a boat to Zhenjiang to visit Zhou Chujin, then go to Baoding Prefecture.

Madam Gao repeatedly urged her to be careful on the journey. Cheng Jia, however, embraced her and began crying, “Shaojin, you must be well! After I’m married, I’ll bring you to Luoyang to visit. Then we sisters can do as we please, and no one will dare give us any trouble!”

Zhou Shaojin was touched and laughed, “Then you must treat Li Jing well! If I come and you two aren’t getting along, where would I have a place to stay?”

Cheng Jia burst into laughter through her tears, saying, “Why are you so mischievous? I haven’t even married yet and you’re already hoping we’ll quarrel.”

Zhou Shaojin laughed heartily.

The Gu family’s Seventeenth Miss and the young ladies of the Guo family also sent their personal matrons to present her with gifts.

Zhou Shaojin boarded the official boat under everyone’s reluctant gazes, waving farewell to the relatives and servants who had accompanied her for many years.

The official boat departed slowly and sailed out of Wenchuan Lake.

Zhou Shaojin stood at the ship’s rail, watching Jinling City grow smaller and smaller in her vision.

Her tears fell unceasingly.

“Second Young Miss, Second Young Miss.” Chun Wan was also very emotional. She brought a handkerchief for Zhou Shaojin to wipe her tears. “The wind is strong outside—be careful not to catch cold. Let’s go back to the cabin and rest.”

Zhou Shaojin returned to the cabin in low spirits, opened the window, and sat down on the embroidered stool by the window.

A little maid came in and said softly, “Second Young Miss, the weather is too cold. I’m afraid the cold wind will penetrate to your bones, so I’ve made some ginger tea for you. Please drink it while it’s hot!”

Zhou Shaojin looked up in astonishment, “Xiao Tan?”

Xiao Tan tilted her little head and smiled, her face full of pride. “Fourth Master said that seeing how I conduct myself with some sense, and that you were short a few attendants, he sent us to you. Before dawn today, we rose from bed and were sent onto the boat…”

“Us?” Zhou Shaojin’s eyes widened even more. “Who else?”

Xiao Tan looked toward the cabin entrance.

Zhou Shaojin saw a matron wearing a parrot-green Luzhou silk jacket standing quietly at the cabin door.

The silver hairpin on her head sparkled with bright light in the sunlight, and her face, bearing a faint smile, looked gentle and kind.

“Nanny Shang!” Zhou Shaojin exclaimed.

“Indeed, this old servant!” Nanny Shang smiled and stepped forward to curtsy to Zhou Shaojin. “Fourth Master said that Second Young Miss is surrounded only by young girls, without a single mature matron, so he sent this old woman to look after Second Young Miss…”

In other words, Uncle Chi still cared about her quite a bit!

Thinking of Cheng Chi’s coldness and distance that day, Zhou Shaojin’s heart felt both sweet and sour.

Uncle Chi had still taken care of her affairs after all!

She quickly asked Nanny Shang to rise and said, “Is your lodging arranged?”

Nanny Shang nodded with a smile. “It’s already arranged. Right next to Second Young Miss. I can hear any movement from your side.” Then she said tactfully, “The boat has already departed. Second Young Miss can’t very well send us off the boat now. Otherwise, being unfamiliar with the place and not knowing our way around Jinling City, we’d probably end up homeless on the streets.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled with pursed lips.

Suddenly she felt the sky was vast and the earth was wide, with an indescribable sense of comfort and security.

She instructed Chun Wan, “Have Ruyi attend to Nanny Shang!”

Ruyi was a hereditary servant of the Zhou family. This time going to Baoding Prefecture, Ma Fushan had temporarily selected two little maids to make up her numbers—one called Jixiang, the other called Ruyi. Both were only eight or nine years old, with clear eyes, obviously quite clever.

Chun Wan agreed with a smile.

It was clear she was also very happy.

Everyone was all smiles.

The atmosphere on the boat immediately became warm and lively. It felt like everyone was back at the Hanbi Mountain House.

Zhou Shaojin ate lunch peacefully on the boat and took an afternoon nap.

Xiao Tan and Chun Wan brought in her favorite lotus seed, white fungus, and lily soup, while Nanny Shang sat at her bedside inquiring about the Zhou family situation.

After traveling for seven or eight days like this, they arrived at Zhenjiang Prefecture.

The Liao family had already received word and sent a steward and capable matron to wait at the dock the day before.

Zhou Shaojin wore a veiled hat and was helped onto the Liao family’s sedan chair by Nanny Shang.

On the way, she quietly lifted the sedan curtain to observe Zhenjiang City.

Colorful shop signs, streets crowded with people, one hawking call after another—it was even more crowded than Jinling City, but lacked that sense of restraint and grandeur that Jinling possessed.

She smiled and lowered the sedan curtain, entering the Liao residence with a joyful heart.

Elder Sister was already showing, and her figure was slightly fuller than before her marriage. Chi Xiang led seven or eight maids and matrons clustered around her as she stood waiting at the second gate. One matron even said solicitously, “Eldest Madam, you should sit and wait! You’ve been standing for nearly a quarter hour!”

Hearing this as she stepped out of the sedan, Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but laugh.

Elder Sister never had such a grand display at Nine Ru Lane.

From this appearance, one could tell that Elder Sister was living very well in the Liao family.

She smiled as she descended from the sedan chair.

Zhou Chujin was already walking over with tearful eyes, “Shaojin! I’ve been longing for your arrival!”

Zhou Shaojin threw herself into her sister’s arms.

That matron was so frightened her face turned white, and she quickly said, “Young Miss from the in-law family, please be careful, please be careful—our Eldest Madam is with child.”

“I know, I know!” Zhou Shaojin nestled in her sister’s embrace for a while, then said with a delicate laugh, “I won’t hurt Elder Sister!”

Zhou Chujin also scolded the matron for being meddlesome, saying somewhat helplessly to Zhou Shaojin, “Don’t blame her either. Mother-in-law found her to look after me, so she’s inevitably overly cautious!”

Zhou Shaojin nodded with curved eyes and brows, instructing Nanny Shang, “Reward her with ten taels of silver!”

The surrounding air stilled.

As if unaware, Nanny Shang smiled and handed a purse to that matron.

The matron came to her senses and quickly knelt down to express thanks.

Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “Everyone gets a reward.”

A whole group knelt down with a rustling sound.

Zhou Chujin frowned secretly. With a crowd of servants present, it wasn’t convenient to say anything to Zhou Shaojin, so she could only say, “I’ve already prepared a room for you. After you wash up, I’ll take you to pay respects to the Old Madam.”

The Old Madam of the Liao family was the great-grandmother of brother-in-law Liao Shaotang.

His grandmother had already passed away.

In her previous life, after the Zhou family’s troubles, it was this great-grandmother who had wanted to divorce Elder Sister Zhou Chujin.

She smiled and took her sister’s hand, asking about her health.

“I’m very well.” Speaking of this matter, Zhou Chujin’s face immediately gained additional radiance. “The child neither fusses nor makes trouble. I can eat and sleep well, just like usual. If Chi Xiang and the others hadn’t reminded me, I still wouldn’t have known I was with child…”

Zhou Shaojin’s expression darkened.

In her previous life, it was precisely because of this that Elder Sister had miscarried her first pregnancy.

Later when she was carrying Chengfang, she also had no symptoms.

And she herself… was the same…