Upon hearing this, Cheng Chi felt a chill in his heart.

Zhou Shaojin had been perfectly fine when she left his place that day—how could she have fallen ill after just a few days?

Could something else have happened after she returned?

Cheng Chi’s gaze toward Nanny Li grew somewhat sharp as he instructed Qin Ziping to take Cheng Jing’s calling card to the Imperial Medical Bureau.

The imperial physicians at the Imperial Medical Bureau served at the emperor’s command and couldn’t treat outsiders without the emperor’s decree. But rules were meant to accommodate human sentiment—when not on duty, those physicians would privately treat high-ranking officials and their family members.

As luck would have it, a Dowager Consort who constantly attended the Empress Dowager in the palace had fallen ill. Her prolonged illness had greatly alarmed the Empress Dowager, so the emperor had taken the Medical Director and others from the Imperial Medical Bureau to Cining Palace. For the time being, no one could be arranged for private consultations—they would have to wait until tomorrow.

Under these circumstances, the only option was to petition the emperor’s grace to dispatch someone from the Imperial Medical Bureau for consultation.

For the first time, Cheng Chi felt inconvenienced.

He had Huai Shan take his calling card to the outer residence of Eunuch Liu, the Chief Ceremonial Director, located in Needle Lane.

That afternoon, the Imperial Medical Bureau dispatched an imperial physician surnamed Cao. Reportedly the cousin of Medical Director Cao from the Imperial Medical Bureau, he specialized in gynecology and pediatrics with excellent medical skills. Having just entered the Imperial Medical Bureau, when Medical Director Cao entered the palace, he was left behind on duty.

Cheng Chi figured that if this Physician Cao didn’t work out, he could ask Medical Director Cao to examine Zhou Shaojin tomorrow. Not bothering about his junior status, he brought Physician Cao to Elm Tree Lane.

Madam Li hadn’t expected Cheng Chi to come personally, let alone bring a genuine imperial physician.

Both delighted and surprised, she respectfully invited them both inside.

Both Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin were greatly shocked. Zhou Shaojin especially—feigning illness had summoned an imperial physician! If he detected something, how could she face anyone… Zhou Chujin, however, thought this was good. If her sister had a heart ailment, having an imperial physician examine her meant they wouldn’t need to summon more physicians—they would just need to counsel her properly. If it wasn’t a heart ailment, having an imperial physician examine her carefully would allow proper treatment.

After ordering the maids and servants in the inner courtyard to withdraw, Nanny Li brought Cheng Chi and Physician Cao to Zhou Shaojin’s quarters.

Physician Cao took her pulse inside while Zhou Chujin and Cheng Chi stood under the covered corridor waiting for the results.

The courtyard was barely ten feet across. A clump of bamboo grew in the southeast corner, and beside the covered walkway was a large cluster of canna lilies with red flowers blooming vigorously. The courtyard seemed even smaller.

Cheng Chi frowned as he looked around.

He knew Liao Shaotang’s residence in Elm Tree Lane was somewhat small, but he hadn’t imagined it would be this small—even smaller than the quarters for maids and servants at the Floating Jade Pavilion.

He asked Zhou Chujin: “Has anything happened at home these past few days?”

Zhou Chujin understood his meaning and thought carefully before saying with certainty: “The household has been peaceful and calm, no different from usual! Yesterday Shaojin even told Mother that while I’m still in confinement and my mother-in-law hasn’t arrived yet, Mother should take advantage of the time to tour the capital properly!”

Then how could she have fallen ill?

Cheng Chi’s brow furrowed into a deep crease.

Zhou Chujin seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

Cheng Chi said: “There are no outsiders here—what can’t be said?”

Zhou Chujin hesitated for a moment before saying quietly: “I always feel Shaojin has a heart ailment… After she came back from Yuqian Lane, she told me that Song Xiuzhi was a very good person, but when she saw Song Xiuzhi… she thought of Cousin Xu…”

She hadn’t considered at all that the Song family might not find her sister suitable, thinking only that her sister might not find them suitable.

The sudden reversal had been difficult for her to accept at first.

Cheng Chi glanced at Zhou Chujin.

Regardless, Cheng Xu was his nephew. Zhou Shaojin had left Jinling back then because of Cheng Xu, and now she feared marriage again because of Cheng Xu… No wonder Zhou Chujin spoke haltingly.

She didn’t know Zhou Shaojin’s secret, so she had no way to understand Zhou Shaojin’s aversion to Cheng Xu.

So something had happened in the household after all.

If Shaojin had a heart ailment, it arose from this.

He’d considered everything for her except this one point.

Cheng Chi felt quite regretful and decided to wait for Physician Cao’s assessment.

“We’ll know what’s really going on once Physician Cao comes out.” He consoled Zhou Chujin somewhat distractedly. “You should go back to your room first. Once the diagnosis is ready, I’ll have a maid tell you.”

Since there was a man present, Zhou Chujin couldn’t very well wait here. She curtsied to Cheng Chi and returned to her room.

Soon, Physician Cao emerged.

Cheng Chi quickly approached: “How is she?”

As an imperial physician serving in the palace, Physician Cao naturally wasn’t someone who only understood medicine without understanding human affairs and social conventions.

He glanced at Nanny Li following behind him.

Cheng Chi understood and instructed Nanny Li: “Go prepare paper and ink for Physician Cao.”

Nanny Li respectfully departed.

Only then did Physician Cao say quietly: “Based on her pulse, the young lady doesn’t seem to have any illness. I’ll prescribe a formula to soothe the liver and regulate qi for the young lady to take for a few days. If it doesn’t work, we’ll change the medicine.”

The implication was that Zhou Shaojin had a heart ailment.

Cheng Chi breathed a sigh of relief, only then discovering that his hands had unknowingly clenched into tight fists.

He asked Physician Cao to write the prescription, then instructed Qin Ziping to copy one for Zhou Chujin and one for Madam Li before filling it, while he personally saw Physician Cao out.

Zhou Chujin immediately had Chi Xiang invite Cheng Chi to speak.

But Cheng Chi decided to see Zhou Shaojin first.

Zhou Shaojin had no intention of hiding anything from Cheng Chi.

She felt that even if she didn’t say anything, Cheng Chi would find out anyway. Moreover, she feared Cheng Chi might take his anger out on Song Xiuzhi and affect the relationship between the two families.

She waited for Cheng Chi in the reception room.

Seeing her sitting with lowered head and eyes, looking resigned to her fate, made Cheng Chi’s anger flare. He couldn’t help but scold: “You certainly have strong opinions—you actually convinced Song Xiuzhi to help you! If you didn’t agree, you didn’t agree—would I really force you to marry? You even learned from those women who cry, make scenes, and threaten suicide, lying in bed whenever you’re unhappy. You’ve really developed some skills!”

Zhou Shaojin’s eyes filled with tears at his words: “Then did Uncle Chi tell me he was sending me to view Song Xiuzhi? If Song Xiuzhi insisted on marrying me, even if I feigned illness, Uncle Chi would still stuff me into the wedding palanquin, wouldn’t he? Chun Wan cursed Song Xiuzhi terribly, Sister wasn’t happy either, and you must be thinking in your heart that Song Xiuzhi is nothing—how dare he slap your face… Song Xiuzhi didn’t find me suitable, yet you immediately said I convinced Song Xiuzhi to help me. Deep down, you don’t believe Song Xiuzhi could possibly not find me suitable, do you? Why can’t I be the one who doesn’t find someone else suitable?”

Even a cornered rabbit will bite!

Cheng Chi was so angry at her words that he laughed: “Fine, then explain clearly—is it that you don’t like someone like Song Xiuzhi, or do you feel uncomfortable because we’re forcing you to marry?”

“I don’t want to marry!” Zhou Shaojin bit her lip and said quietly, “I, I want to become a nun, to be a lay Buddhist…”

Cheng Chi suddenly couldn’t continue speaking.

He thought of Zhou Shaojin’s experiences in her previous life. His heart ached dully!

Cheng Chi couldn’t help but press his forehead, saying quietly: “Can’t you at least try? You want to become a nun, to be a lay Buddhist—have you thought about this? You’re younger than me. While I’m alive, I can protect you. But what will you do when I die? Marriage is different—a couple accompanies each other for life. If one goes before the other, there are still children to rely on, still the clan to rely on…”

Zhou Shaojin’s tears fell.

She knew that some things she could only say to Uncle Chi, some things only Uncle Chi would understand.

“I’m afraid!” Zhou Shaojin said chokingly. “I don’t want to try… Don’t force me to marry… If one day you can’t protect me anymore, I just won’t live… In my previous life I only lived to twenty-five anyway…” And lived so painfully. In this life she’d met Uncle Chi—if she could also live to twenty-five, this life would be enough, with nothing left to regret!

“Nonsense!” Just thinking about the day when he couldn’t protect this little girl made Cheng Chi immediately panic. He said sternly: “So you plan to live this life for nothing? If you die, what about your father? What about your sister? What about your grandmother and aunt? Say such inauspicious things again and I won’t care about you anymore!”

Zhou Shaojin smiled through her tears.

Though Uncle Chi’s tone was severe, everything he said was for her good. She wasn’t someone who couldn’t take criticism.

Zhou Shaojin wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief and went to brew a cup of tea for Cheng Chi.

After drinking a few sips of tea, Cheng Chi’s emotions calmed down as well. He seriously discussed her future with Zhou Shaojin: “…Becoming a nun won’t work! Even becoming a nun in a family temple won’t work! A nun’s life is too austere. If you want to worship Buddha, be a lay Buddhist at home. If you feel constrained, you can stop practicing anytime. As for your marriage, I’ll speak with your father. You mustn’t act rashly. I guarantee he won’t force you to marry.”

But he didn’t guarantee she wouldn’t marry!

Zhou Shaojin turned her face away.

Even when the nineteenth daughter of the Gu family died, her heartbroken parents still had Cheng Chi arrange a spirit marriage for her—how much more so for her with her living parents!

She would continue going to view matches.

If she didn’t find someone like Song Xiuzhi suitable, there would be others different from Song Xiuzhi…

Until she married, her father would never give up hope.

Cheng Chi sighed, still somewhat unwilling to give up: “Then tell me honestly—did Song Xiuzhi not find you suitable, and you’re covering for him because you’re afraid I’ll get angry? Or did you not find Song Xiuzhi suitable and he’s helping you? Or did neither of you find the other suitable?”

In his view, even the deepest hatred would fade eventually, even the worst wounds would heal eventually. Zhou Shaojin feared marriage now, but that didn’t mean she would always fear it.

Even if he’d made a mistake this time, he needed to know where he’d erred and how to correct it in the future.

Zhou Shaojin didn’t dare deceive Cheng Chi.

What if Cheng Chi believed her words and made things difficult for Song Xiuzhi?

She couldn’t let Song Xiuzhi help her only to suffer for it!

“I don’t want to marry!” Zhou Shaojin said honestly. “Young Master Song is helping me!”

Cheng Chi felt she was going to anger him to death.

After just one meeting and a few words exchanged, Song Xiuzhi was willing to damage his own reputation to help her… Where would she ever find someone as outstanding as Song Xiuzhi who also liked her!

Otherwise he wouldn’t have looked and looked before selecting Song Xiuzhi.

A young provincial examination top scholar—did she think she could encounter one anytime? And still unmarried at that.

Cheng Chi couldn’t help but say: “Do you even know what you’re doing?”

Zhou Shaojin nodded and said quietly: “I know. Young Master Song is not only a very good person but also brilliantly talented. Though born into privilege, he’s modest and courteous, and most importantly, he’s willing to help me…”