The next day at noon, Zhou Chujin sent Zhou Shaojin to deliver a letter to Cheng Chi.

Zhou Shaojin clutched the letter without moving, her eyes rolling around as she said, “If Elder Sister tells me what Uncle Chi discussed with you yesterday, I’ll go deliver the letter to Uncle Chi.”

Ever since Cheng Chi left yesterday, she’d been pestering her sister with questions, but her sister remained unmoved, keeping her lips sealed.

“You’re bargaining with me!” Zhou Chujin laughingly went to pinch Zhou Shaojin’s nose and said, “You don’t want to go, is that it? Then I’ll have Chi Xiang go instead! After all, it’s just delivering a letter. Having you go is merely to show our respect for Uncle Chi…”

An opportunity to see Cheng Chi and talk with him—how could Zhou Shaojin give up such a chance!

She tilted her head away, dodging Zhou Chujin’s hand, and pouted as she muttered, “Fine, I’ll go! How can Elder Sister be like this! If you squash my nose flat, just watch—I’ll cry for you to see!”

“I’ve only heard of noses being smashed flat from collision, never heard of anyone’s nose being pinched flat.” Zhou Chujin couldn’t stop laughing and said, “Who told you to talk so much just to deliver a letter?”

Zhou Shaojin just wanted to know.

She had a vague feeling this matter concerned her.

Otherwise, Uncle Chi wouldn’t have gone to see Elder Sister.

She charmingly hugged Zhou Chujin’s arm, calling out “Elder Sister” repeatedly.

Seeing the time was about right and fearing that prolonging the suspense would backfire, Zhou Chujin pretended to look helpless and said, “It’s about Cheng Lu. Your Uncle Chi told me not to tell you. Go ask him yourself.”

Hearing this, Zhou Shaojin’s eyes lit up and she said, “So Uncle Chi was behind Cheng Lu’s matter?”

Zhou Chujin smiled and nodded, saying meaningfully, “Your Uncle Chi does everything for your good. From now on, you must be more obedient in front of Uncle Chi!”

Zhou Shaojin nodded with a beaming smile and said cheerfully, “I’m already very obedient. What more does Elder Sister want from me? To not fight back when hit, not talk back when scolded?”

Seeing Zhou Shaojin’s manner, Zhou Chujin knew Cheng Chi must dote on her greatly, which was why she wasn’t at all afraid of this uncle who managed Nine Ru Lane’s affairs.

“That works!” She joked with her sister laughingly. “When Uncle Chi hits and scolds you, you’d better endure it. Don’t come back crying.”

“Are you even my sister?” Zhou Shaojin put on an indignant expression and pushed her sister, then ran out of the inner room giggling.

When Li Shi came in carrying crucian carp soup, she only heard Zhou Shaojin’s cheerful laughter scattering everywhere.

She couldn’t help laughing too and said, “What happened? Second Miss is so happy?”

Zhou Chujin’s face couldn’t hide her joy. She smiled with pursed lips and said, “Nothing. Just exchanged a few jokes with her!”

Now wasn’t the time to discuss Zhou Shaojin’s matter. After a while when her sister returned, she’d know how things went.

She took the large bowl from Li Shi’s hands and smiled, “You’ve worked hard these days too. In a couple days when my confinement month is complete, I can do some things myself and you can rest!”

Thinking of her sister marrying into a good family, Zhou Chujin’s expression became much gentler.

Li Shi felt overwhelmed by the favor and repeatedly said she didn’t dare.

Zhou Shaojin returned to her room and changed into a moon-white Hangzhou silk jacket with hidden square-victory patterns and a rose-red Xiang skirt with jade-inlaid flower-and-border patterns. Her jet-black hair was styled in a tilted bun with only a comb inlaid with South Sea pearls inserted, making her face appear even more fair and soft. She wrapped the one-hundred-eight-bead aloeswood Buddhist bracelet around her wrist. After checking the mirror, she left the back chamber with smiling eyes and brows and got into the sedan chair.

This time Cheng Chi was actually waiting for her in the reception room. But she had just handed the letter to Cheng Chi when Old Master Song arrived.

Zhou Shaojin pouted.

Cheng Chi smiled bitterly and said, “Old Master Song has important business with me—His Majesty has been summoning ministers these past days to discuss Yellow River governance. Old Master came to find me to help him write a governance plan together. I originally thought it was for Grand Secretary Song to use, but who knew that when Grand Secretary Song submitted it to the palace, he wrote my name on the memorial. My eldest brother was there at the time. You can imagine that scene. Yesterday Eldest Brother called me over and gave me a severe scolding. Early this morning, Shuangyu Alley also sent word for me to come over… I was just about to discuss with Old Master Song how to handle this matter.”

Hearing this, how could Zhou Shaojin still be concerned about being angry? She quickly said, “Then hurry and invite Old Master Song in!” She asked with concern, “Second Great Uncle won’t punish you, will he?”

“I don’t know.” Cheng Chi said, “Yesterday my eldest brother only focused on scolding me, and I only focused on being angry. I didn’t even ask what the ministers said at the audience. I can only see if Old Master Song knows. In any case, this matter is very troublesome!”

Zhou Shaojin looked at him with a beaming smile, like a little cat that had stolen some sprouts.

Cheng Chi’s heart skipped and he said, “What is it?”

“Nothing, nothing.” As Zhou Shaojin spoke, she still couldn’t help saying what was in her heart. “If only His Majesty would make you become an official because of this! Then even Second Branch’s Old Ancestor couldn’t stop you.”

So this is what the little girl was thinking!

Cheng Chi smiled and said, “You’re that eager for me to become an official?”

“Of course!” Zhou Shaojin was happy for Cheng Chi having such an opportunity. Her eyes were full of smiles as she said, “Once you’re an official, Second Branch’s Old Ancestor can’t control you anymore. You can do whatever you want!”

Cheng Chi was stunned.

Qingfeng ran in and said, “Old Master Song and Young Master Song have arrived!”

Hearing this, Zhou Shaojin was about to withdraw.

But to the east was Cheng Chi’s inner chamber, and to the west was the hall where Old Master Song and Young Master Song would enter from… Should she hide in Uncle Chi’s inner chamber? That would be worse than not avoiding them at all!

Thinking this, Zhou Shaojin glared at Cheng Chi with an expression of “quickly think of something for me.”

Seeing her willful, upturned little face, the corners of Cheng Chi’s mouth couldn’t help curving up. He said gently, “It’s all right. You know Old Master Song too. When you came to see me last time, Old Master Song heard it was you and asked me if you’d grown taller. He wanted to see you…”

Before he finished speaking, Old Master Song and Song Mu had already walked in.

Seeing the delicate and bright Zhou Shaojin before him, Old Master Song’s eyes lit up and he smiled, “Is this the Zhou family’s Second Miss? It’s only been two years, and you’ve grown so beautiful! If I hadn’t met you here, I wouldn’t dare recognize you!”

Zhou Shaojin had no choice but to step forward and bow to Old Master Song.

The more Old Master Song looked, the more pleased he became. He pointed at Song Mu and said, “This is your elder brother. Though he doesn’t know river works, he’s still fairly good at calculations. I specially brought him to ask your Uncle Chi for guidance. From now on, just treat each other like siblings.”

Zhou Shaojin stepped forward to bow to Song Mu. She casually glanced at Song Mu and saw that he kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, very proper in conduct. Her heart relaxed slightly and she developed a favorable impression of Song Mu.

After a moment’s hesitation, Old Master Song said to Cheng Chi, “I have things to discuss with you. How about having Second Miss Zhou fulfill the duties of a host and take my wooden-headed eldest grandson for a walk around the courtyard?”

Cheng Chi glanced at Zhou Shaojin.

Zhou Shaojin immediately agreed.

Uncle Chi had important business with Old Master Song. His household had no female relatives managing domestic affairs. As his niece, naturally she should help Uncle Chi entertain guests.

Cheng Chi smiled at her and said gently, “Go on.”

Hearing this, Zhou Shaojin felt puzzled.

Why did Uncle Chi’s tone sound so sorrowful… as if it were a farewell between life and death…

But Song Mu had already thanked Zhou Shaojin quietly and stood aside waiting for her to lead the way.

She could only suppress the puzzlement in her heart and walked out with Song Mu.

In the mid-spring courtyard, the vegetation was lush and verdant with greenery.

Zhou Shaojin smiled graciously and said, “Old Master asked me to show you around, but actually I’m not very familiar with Uncle Chi’s residence either. Old Master Song and Uncle Chi probably just felt we were in the way and casually sent us off. Young Master Song, why don’t you sit under the grape arbor in the courtyard? When Old Master Song and Uncle Chi finish talking, we can go in to attend them.”

A man and woman, both past the age when they could sit together freely—Old Master Song could act as he pleased without transgressing propriety, but she couldn’t wander around the courtyard with Song Mu as Old Master Song suggested.

Her arrangement was exactly right.

Song Mu greatly appreciated this. He felt she was gentle yet had her own views, unlike his Wang family cousins who, upon seeing him, would surround him without any restraint, ignoring all rules to drag him into their boudoirs, even competing for his attention jealously. If it wasn’t one falling into water today, it was another’s face breaking out in a rash from face powder tomorrow… And his uncle was even more insatiably greedy. Every time he saw him or his father, he complained that some family whose business was far inferior to his had made connections with so-and-so and become an imperial merchant making a fortune, or that another family had completed some lucrative deal because a certain high official had put in a word—all his words blamed Father for not helping him… This was also why he absolutely refused to marry a Wang family cousin, and why Father hesitated after learning his feelings.

Song Mu thanked her gently and sat at the stone table under the grape arbor.

Zhou Shaojin had Chun Wan help the servants of Yuqian Alley prepare tea and refreshments, while she herself stood at a proper distance outside the grape arbor.

Seeing this, Song Mu quickly stood up and said, “Miss, please sit here! I was just wanting to see what fish are kept in the fish tank!” Then, without waiting for Zhou Shaojin to speak, he went directly to the fish tank opposite and lowered his head, looking as if observing the fish.

Zhou Shaojin’s impression of him improved even more. She quietly instructed a maid to bring him a stool and place some refreshments on the nearby railing.

Old Master Song, peeping from inside the room, watched with satisfaction and chuckled repeatedly. He pulled Cheng Chi over to look and said, “How about it? My grandson is worthy of your niece, isn’t he?”

In the warm spring sun, the woman was gentle and lovely, the man refined and upright. Though standing left and right respectively, they were like the golden boy and jade maiden before a Bodhisattva’s seat—indescribably well-matched and pleasing to the eye.

Cheng Chi’s heart felt pierced with pain, yet he smiled at Old Master Song and said, “Let’s go! We’ll discuss serious matters!”

Old Master Song looked with delight for two more moments before going with Cheng Chi to the study in the west wing.

The courtyard immediately became quiet without a sound.

Song Mu glanced at the maids attending in the courtyard.

Each one stood there with lowered brows and downcast eyes, quiet and composed—the bearing of a great household.

Thinking of how the servants at his uncle’s house would whisper to each other and gossip when looking at him, Song Mu shook his head inwardly, feeling that his grandfather indeed had vision and insight.

But would Second Miss Zhou take a liking to him…

Song Mu had come full of confidence, but now felt somewhat uncertain.

He decided to still exchange a few words with Zhou Shaojin. That way at least Zhou Shaojin could get to know him better. Even if the two of them became engaged in the future, Second Miss Zhou would at least marry him happily and willingly.