It had been two years since she’d seen Song Sen. She wondered if he had become more mature.

And Old Master Song—she wondered if he had adapted to living in the capital, whether he was traveling around everywhere.

Many thoughts flashed through Zhou Shaojin’s mind. She smiled at her sister: “We’ll know when we meet them.”

Zhou Chujin nodded with a smile and had Mama Yang invite the Mama from the Song household in.

When the Song family’s mama came in, the two of them looked and found she was actually an acquaintance.

When Madam Song had stayed briefly at the Cheng family residence that time, this Mama Huang was one of those accompanying her. Since Madam Song’s maiden family was also surnamed Huang, she must be one of Madam Song’s trusted people.

Zhou Chujin gave Chi Xiang a meaningful look before exchanging pleasantries with Mama Huang.

Mama Huang said: “Our madam only learned a few days ago from the Grand Master that First Young Madam and Second Miss had entered the capital following the Cheng family’s Fourth Master. Madam says that First Young Madam and Second Miss have just arrived in the capital, and the Cheng family gentlemen in the capital haven’t brought their womenfolk to the capital. If there are any inconveniences among the womenfolk, you certainly can’t go asking several maternal uncles for help, so she specifically came to visit. If First Young Madam and Second Miss have any matters, just send someone to tell our madam. Please don’t be polite.”

Zhou Chujin expressed thanks repeatedly, accepted the calling card, and invited Mama Huang to stay for a meal.

Mama Huang said Madam Song was still waiting for her reply and politely declined.

Zhou Chujin didn’t insist and instructed Chi Xiang to see the guest out.

Having received Zhou Chujin’s hint, Chi Xiang gave Mama Huang a double portion of reward money.

Mama Huang often moved about inner residences and naturally understood propriety. Though she didn’t show it on her face, in her heart she had a very good impression of the Zhou sisters. After returning, she naturally praised the two sisters repeatedly.

Madam Song smiled: “Did I need you to tell me that? If they weren’t温良敦厚之人 (warm, kind, sincere people), I wouldn’t have taken this trouble upon myself.”

As they were speaking, Song Sen ran in.

He burrowed into Madam Song’s embrace and started clamoring: “Mother is going to see the immortal sister but won’t take me—I want to go too! I want to go too!”

Madam Song said with disapproval: “How old are you now? Still acting like a rogue. Be careful or your father will beat you when he returns. Stand up straight. Have you finished memorizing the books the teacher assigned today? How many sheets of large characters did you write?”

Upon hearing this, Song Sen straightened up and said proudly: “I finished memorizing the books the teacher assigned long ago, and I’ve finished writing the large characters too. Don’t think you can pressure me with schoolwork. I want to go see the immortal sister too. If you don’t let me go, I’ll sneak over. Either way, I’m going.”

Madam Song simply had no way to deal with this devil incarnate. But taking Song Sen to visit young ladies in their boudoirs—she would never agree to that no matter what.

Song Sen’s eyes rolled around, and he left Madam Song’s inner chamber with a dejected expression.

Watching him, Madam Song felt somewhat alarmed. She instructed those around her: “Watch the young master carefully. If he runs off again, don’t blame me for turning my back on you.”

The servants responded fearfully.

The next day, Madam Song, adorned with pearl hairpins and jade ornaments, went to Elm Tree Alley.

Zhou Shaojin supported Zhou Chujin, and together with Li Shi and Zhou Youjin, they welcomed her at the second gate.

As soon as Madam Song descended from her sedan chair, she smiled and greeted Li Shi: “You must be Master Zhou’s wife? This is our first meeting—I didn’t expect Madam Zhou to be so beautiful.” She also played with Zhou Youjin behind her and gave Zhou Chujin a hollowed-out gold-inlaid bracelet from her hand as a greeting gift.

Li Shi repeatedly said “I wouldn’t dare” and exchanged polite words with Madam Song. She had Zhou Youjin thank Madam Song and stepped aside.

Madam Song then took Zhou Chujin’s hand and said intimately: “You’re pregnant now—why did you come to the gate to greet me? If there’s anything, just have Shaojin do it. Shaojin came all this way to the capital with you precisely to take care of you, didn’t she? You don’t need to be so polite with her!”

She teased the Zhou sisters.

Li Shi and the others laughed appropriately.

Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin exchanged a glance.

It seemed Madam Song still didn’t know about Zhou Shaojin leaving the Cheng family.

Of course, they wouldn’t be so tactless as to bring it up.

After all, Zhou Shaojin leaving the Cheng family wasn’t such an honorable matter. Mentioning it would damage Cheng Xu’s reputation. These marriage relatives would likewise be laughed at.

The group, smiling, welcomed Madam Song to sit in the hall.

Li Shi sat down with Madam Song.

Madam Song looked around at the furnishings in the room and nodded with continuous smiles: “This hanging scroll of peach and plum blossoms is quite appropriate.”

Zhou Chujin smiled: “It’s an old work by Shi Yuxi. My father gave it to me when I married.”

Shi Yuxi was a master of bird-and-flower painting from the previous dynasty.

Zhou Shaojin took the teacup the maid brought over and placed it before Madam Song.

Madam Song took the teacup and sipped some tea. She had just said “Your father really thought of you thoroughly, preparing such a complete trousseau” when suddenly there came a commotion from outside.

Li Shi’s face immediately darkened. Zhou Shaojin had already said with a smile: “There must be something going on. Shall I go out and see?”

Madam Song had come personally entirely because she remembered the connection of having shared a boat with Zhou Shaojin. Moreover, since she had come, she was prepared to visit with the Zhou family womenfolk, so naturally she wouldn’t fuss over such things.

She nodded with a smile and even gave Zhou Shaojin a way out: “When there are many people in a household, matters get complicated. It’s inevitable to have some conflicts.”

Zhou Shaojin gratefully responded “Yes.” She turned to go out, and as the curtain was raised, she saw a boy in sapphire blue clothes burst in. He grabbed Zhou Shaojin around the waist, calling out “Immortal sister,” and said: “I knew sister was the best—you knew I was coming and came to greet me!”

What was this all about?

Zhou Shaojin broke out in a cold sweat.

Looking closely, who else could it be but Song Sen?

It was just that they’d both aged two years, and embracing like this was somewhat inappropriate.

She touched Song Sen’s head and smiled: “Let go quickly! You’re squeezing me so tight I can’t breathe.”

Song Sen said “Oh” and hurriedly released Zhou Shaojin.

Madam Song’s face had already turned white with anger.

She sternly said to Song Sen: “What are you doing running into the inner residence?”

Song Sen knew his mother cared about face and wouldn’t do anything to him in front of everyone, so he pouted: “Who told you not to let me see the immortal sister?” He didn’t mention that he had secretly followed Madam Song.

The corners of Madam Song’s mouth trembled.

Li Shi and the others all saw that Song Sen had sneaked over and hurriedly helped Madam Song save face, saying: “Although the saying goes that a seven-foot boy shouldn’t enter the inner chambers, our two families’ relationship is different from other families. Madam needn’t be so harsh on the young master.”

Zhou Chujin also smiled: “The young master must regard Shaojin as a sister. Madam needn’t mind.”

Madam Song gave everyone an embarrassed smile.

Song Sen seized the opportunity, pulling Zhou Shaojin’s hand and repeatedly calling her “sister.”

Zhou Shaojin also had no way to deal with him. Seeing that Madam Song still had some displeasure between her brows, she simply smiled at Song Sen: “Today the kitchen made water chestnut cakes—my favorite. Do you like them? How about I take you down to have some pastries?”

Song Sen naturally clapped his hands in approval.

Madam Song was also afraid he might do something else mischievous and hastily agreed.

Song Sen then went with Zhou Shaojin to the tea room to eat pastries.

While Zhou Shaojin was brewing tea for him, he quietly asked: “Sister, are you engaged yet? My elder brother isn’t engaged yet. Do you want to marry into our family? My brother is a very good person. Even Grand Secretary Yuan praised him highly when they met. My father is still worried about what to do when my brother takes the metropolitan examination. My brother will definitely become a provincial governor in the future. If you marry my brother, you definitely won’t suffer any loss. Even if my brother can’t become a provincial governor, I can become one. Then with me as your brother-in-law, others will still have to respect you and curry favor with you wherever you go.”

This child!

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but laugh.

Song’s father was a grand secretary. If his son achieved top honors in the examinations, it would inevitably invite gossip.

But for a father who was already a grand secretary to resign from office just for his son’s title of presented scholar—that also wouldn’t make sense.

It was indeed a difficult situation.

She smiled and placed the teacup before Song Sen, saying gently with a smile: “Marriage must follow the parents’ decree and the matchmaker’s word. This kind of thing isn’t something we can discuss privately. If others heard, they’d think your brother and I had some secret understanding. You mustn’t do something bad with good intentions and harm both your brother and me.”

Hearing this, Song Sen’s little face fell, and he said with darkened spirits: “But what if I want you to come to our family?”

Zhou Shaojin patiently asked him: “Why do you want me to go to your family?”

Song Sen said excitedly: “Then I could see you every day! And I could call you sister. If anyone treats you badly, I could stand up for you and protect you…”

Zhou Shaojin smiled: “But even if I went to your family, you couldn’t see me every day! There’s a distinction between inner and outer. At most, you might occasionally encounter me when you go to pay respects to Madam Song. If I married your brother, you’d see me even less—uncles and sisters-in-law must avoid each other. As for calling me ‘sister,’ haven’t you always been calling me ‘sister’? If someone bullies me, you can still stand up for me!”

Song Sen thought about it and agreed.

He said happily: “Then you shouldn’t marry my brother after all! Just be my sister. I’ll come see you and talk with you whenever I’m free.”

She had really gotten herself a little troublemaker.

But at least he wasn’t clamoring for her to marry his brother anymore, so this was barely a good thing.

Zhou Shaojin nodded with a smile.

Song Sen happily went home with Madam Song.

As soon as Madam Song returned home, her expression changed and she grabbed Song Sen to beat him.

Song Sen ran to his eldest brother Song Mu’s place to hide, as usual.

Madam Song could only gasp in anger and have a maid guard the second gate, instructing her that when Song Jingran returned, he should immediately be asked to come to the main room.

Song Mu was both annoyed and amused. He twisted Song Sen’s ear: “What trouble did you cause this time? Copy the ‘Three Character Classic’ ten times for me.”

Song Sen wailed and rolled around on the heated platform: “I won’t copy the ‘Three Character Classic.’ Can I copy the ‘Great Learning’ instead? I can already recite the ‘Three Character Classic’ backward and forward…”

He had been clever since childhood—he learned everything as soon as it was taught, so he was most impatient with doing things repeatedly.

In his view, copying a book he had already memorized ten times was more painful than making him stand in the corridor for an entire day.

Song Mu was unmoved.

Song Sen copied the “Three Character Classic” while muttering gleefully: “I was going to introduce you to the most beautiful wife, but it’s good I didn’t put in too much effort. Otherwise, I’d be regretting it now… Your wife is gone… The immortal sister was right—if she married you, I’d be her brother-in-law… Women are partial to outsiders. Once a woman marries, she always sides with her husband. If you punish me like this, at most she’d just bring me a cup of tea… But if I went to see her with red knees from kneeling, she’d definitely feel sorry for me and give me pastries to eat. She might even rub my knees…” As he spoke, he grew excited and called loudly for his attending page: “Do you have any way to make me look like I’ve been punished with kneeling?”