Shaoshang felt something touch the side of her foot. She paused, lowered her head to look, and saw the embroidered ball was made quite exquisitely. Snow-white bamboo strips were wound round and round in delicate cross-knot patterns, with bright lake-blue brocade wrapped around several places, and two or three small bells attached that made crisp, fine sounds when rolling, like a kitten softly crying.

“…Miss, I have been impolite.”

A clear male voice sounded. Shaoshang quickly raised her head and saw a young gentleman standing seven or eight steps away from her. His figure was slender and tall, shoulders and back straight, wearing a lake-blue curved-hem deep robe glittering with woven gold threads, hands tucked in his sleeves. Behind him was a giant torch lamp with blazing flames. He stood with his back to the light, so Shaoshang actually couldn’t see his face clearly.

Seeing Shaoshang staring blankly, that person seemed to smile lightly and slowly approached. The martial maids and household guards standing beside her immediately placed hands at their waists. That young gentleman seemed not to notice their wariness and walked right up to Shaoshang, bending at the waist to pick up the embroidered ball. His waist was flexible, and when he straightened up, his entire figure enveloped Shaoshang. Only then did Shaoshang see that his raven-feather-like long hair floated slightly as he rose, and under the blazing flames, it seemed like silk threads floating with light.

That person made a proper scholar’s bow to Shaoshang, then turned and walked away until his figure disappeared.

That was it? Shaoshang couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

The style of flirtation in this era was quite peculiar indeed. Shouldn’t he have left the embroidered ball with her and come to retrieve it later? That’s how Lady White Snake and Xu Xian operated. Or perhaps he really was just retrieving his embroidered ball, and she was being presumptuous.

Shaoshang shook her head. In this aspect she had never properly cultivated herself.

In her previous life she had exited the arena too early—a flat-chested, undeveloped bean sprout that no one paid attention to. The small-time hoodlums in town had aesthetic standards too, alright? And afterward, her most youthful and restless years were split fifty-fifty between the neighbor boy who was her ideal unreachable love and hellish studying.

If she couldn’t figure it out, so be it. Shaoshang was not a sentimental person by nature, so she leisurely continued strolling along the street viewing lanterns.

As the saying goes, the great momentum of all under heaven—long united must divide, long divided must unite. When the Cheng family procession reached a crossroads at a street corner, the leadership level experienced a difference of opinion.

Cheng Shi heard enthusiastic cheering and applause coming from over there and suggested going to watch acrobatic performances and skill competitions. Madam Xiao, however, saw that Fengshi Tower ahead was lit bright as day with voices clamoring, and thus wanted to go listen to scholars discuss poetry and debate classics. The husband and wife stood confronting each other, pretending to raise their heads and glare at one another, yet unable to hide the smiles filling their eyes.

The Cheng family members were very tactful. They all stepped aside in unison and very decisively chose sides—Sang Shi, Shaoshang, Cheng Song, and the two children Zhu and Ou stood behind Cheng Shi; Cheng Cheng, Cheng Zhi, Cheng Yong, Young Master Cheng Shao, and Cheng Yang stood behind Madam Xiao.

The two factions were like the Chu River and Han Boundary, battle lines clear.

Only Cheng Mother was extremely conflicted.

Emotionally, she wanted to stay with her youngest son who would soon leave home again to assume his post. Rationally, she wanted to watch the acrobatic performances and skill competitions. After struggling between reason and emotion for the time it took to eat half a chicken leg, she decided to suppress emotion and follow reason.

Cheng Cheng said hesitantly: “Ou’er is still small, I fear he’ll trouble elder brother. He should come with us instead.” After all, the acrobatics area would be crowded and difficult to supervise.

Young Cheng Ou became anxious and quickly hugged Cheng Zhu’s arm, saying in his baby voice: “No! I want to go with Fourth Brother!”

Kindergarten students looking up to first-graders were naturally all kinds of great and glorious and correct. Moreover, these past days Cheng Zhu had led him playing all over the manor—catching earthworms, fighting crickets, practicing with wooden swords… Previously Ge Shi forbade this and that, but now everything was made up for in one go. The two cousins were practically inseparable, wishing they could even sleep together at night.

Cheng Zhu was full of spirit, boldly assuming an elder brother’s airs, puffing out his little belly: “Then you must follow my orders!”

Cheng Ou imitated the military clasped-fist posture, circling his short plump arms, and loudly said: “Yes sir!”

Cheng Shi glanced at his wife, pretending to be smug: “This lady, your side is no match for my side’s superior numbers!”

Shaoshang really wanted to remind him that actually it was only one more person.

Madam Xiao’s eyes and brows contained a smile: “Mother-in-law is elderly, the children are young, while our side is all in our prime. If the lord encounters troublemakers later, call out loudly and we will certainly come to the rescue.”

The Cheng family members all laughed in unison and went their separate ways. Only Cheng Zhi turned his head back step by step looking at Sang Shi, murmuring “perhaps I should still go along to look after the two little nephews…” Madam Xiao couldn’t stand his spineless appearance. She made eye signals, and the accompanying household guards directly came forward and bodily carried Cheng Zhi away. Hearing his younger brother’s continuous cries of “ow ow,” Cheng Cheng laughed heartily from behind, laughing so hard he couldn’t straighten his back.

Seeing her father so spirited and interested, for the first time in her life Cheng Yang began to doubt her wish for her mother to return home. The fact was, ever since Ge Shi left, her father’s dejected air had gradually dissipated, becoming more invigorated and cheerful day by day.

She suddenly deeply envied Shaoshang’s decisive clarity. When encountering people or matters, she never struggled or hesitated. If she had encountered this matter, she probably would have had a plan in an instant, unlike herself…

The envied Miss Cheng Shao was currently so excited her cheeks were flushed red, watching those performers leap back and forth on high ropes, tumbling freely in the air, now balancing basins upside down, now inverting jars—she had never watched from such close range before.

There were also performances of fire-breathing and mist-spewing. Cheng Mother crowded too close and nearly singed her hair. Cheng Shi quickly pulled the old mother back and had the accompanying martial maids hold her firmly. He himself lifted Young Cheng Ou overhead onto his shoulders. Cheng Song also wanted to copy this, but unexpectedly Young Cheng Zhu was much heavier. He stumbled, and the two brothers nearly both fell headfirst together, making Sang Shi and Shaoshang laugh heartily.

Amid everyone’s cheering and shouting, probably only Sang Shi was most composed. She smiled and chatted idly with Shaoshang. While Shaoshang called out praise, she curiously asked why Sang Shi didn’t go to Fengshi Tower—speaking of which, Sang Shi was quite the cultured person.

Who knew Sang Shi would say teasingly: “Seeing one pedantic scholar is enough to make one dizzy. Seeing a whole building of pedantic scholars, wouldn’t one faint dead away?”

Shaoshang covered her mouth and laughed.

Among all the Cheng family members, the people she most liked now had to include Sang Shi. Though an elder, the two chatted and laughed daily as if equals. In her previous life she hadn’t even gotten along this well with her roommates. When they first met, she had thought Sang Shi had ordinary, unremarkable looks, but now she knew her temperament was easygoing, humorous, and clever—the type who became more likeable the longer one knew her. Third Uncle truly hit the jackpot!

She leaned close to Sang Shi’s ear and brazenly boasted: “How did Third Uncle manage to marry you back then? You’re practically an ox-cleaver blade—more than enough for him!”

Sang Shi laughed until her earrings jingled, bent her finger to tap Shaoshang’s forehead—she actually dared say Third Uncle was that thing!

Over there, the two headfirst-falling brothers finally had a falling out. Young Cheng Zhu couldn’t out-argue Cheng Song, so he came to pull Sang Shi over to arbitrate. Shaoshang didn’t follow, slowly retreating from the crowded throng to stand aside, waiting for her family to finish watching the excitement.

Standing by the street, Shaoshang wrapped her thick, fluffy hooded cloak tighter, rubbed her cheek against the soft, delicate snow-white animal fur, and looked at this magnificent scene of the flower market lit bright as day, her heart filled with extreme joy. In her previous life she had seen neon lights woven like fabric, seen fireworks covering the sky, seen even more crowded throngs and more prosperous markets, yet she had never felt as moved as today.

She raised her head to look up—the starry sky was peaceful and profound. Having died once, she finally felt life’s preciousness. This time she was determined to savor carefully every bit of beauty in life and never again waste this brocade-like splendid years.

Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly felt something strange and quickly turned around to look in all directions.

She saw that five or six zhang away, under the eaves of a building hung several vermilion round lanterns. Below the lanterns stood a plain-clothed young man, shoulders draped with a crane cloak, both hands clasped behind his back, his build tall and slender. His entire body had only his clothing sash and hair color as black as ink. In this noisy lantern market crowd, he just stood there quietly, along with seven or eight heavily armored guards beside him, all standing in silent stillness.

Shaoshang strained her eyes to look, but this person was too tall. His face was mostly blocked by a revolving horse lantern hanging from the building’s side, with light and shadow floating and moving. The rouge-colored enchanting lamplight dyed his austere curved-hem long robe, extremely gorgeous yet extremely pure, elegance penetrating to the bone.

The place where he stood, Shaoshang had also passed by earlier, and remembered that revolving horse lantern depicted a story of family reunion.

Just at this moment, her shoulder was suddenly tapped. Sang Shi walked over and said curiously: “What are you looking at?” Shaoshang said doubtfully: “…It seems, it seems someone was looking at me.” Was he looking at her? She wasn’t certain.

But Sang Shi laughed and said: “Our Niaoniao is beautiful. If young gentlemen look at you, isn’t that perfectly normal?”

Shaoshang mumbled a few sounds. When she turned back to look again, she saw the vermilion lamp was still there, but below the lamp there was no longer any figure.

—Well then, two romantic encounters in one evening, yet she hadn’t clearly seen a single face. Her luck was truly spectacular.

The curfew was approaching. Bell sounds came from the city tower area, and the Cheng family members also had to return home. Both groups had their gains.

At Fengshi Tower, Madam Xiao had befriended several scholars and their female relatives. After some conversation, she casually invited them to the Cheng family banquet the day after tomorrow, adding some scholarly atmosphere to the feast. Cheng Shi had taken a liking to that acrobatic troupe and planned to hire them to perform when entertaining guests, to add some liveliness.

Shaoshang walked until her feet were blistered. In the carriage she leaned on Sang Shi’s shoulder and fell asleep. Sang Shi had also wanted to take a brief nap, but who knew she would glimpse Madam Xiao’s displeased gaze sitting opposite. She knew the reason in her heart and smiled, tilting her head on her own to rest briefly.

Sure enough, early the next morning Madam Xiao came charging over, complaining why Sang Shi had only given Shaoshang brocade to make clothing.

Sang Shi answered methodically: “That bolt of brocade was truly excellent. Shu region weavers are the finest under heaven, but that self-proclaimed Shu Emperor usurper has currently sealed the borders, making good things difficult to get out. This was a gift received when my mother celebrated her birthday the year before last. Unfortunately, there was only one bolt, and the color doesn’t suit me. Shaoshang has fair skin, so naturally I gave it to her.”

Madam Xiao said abruptly: “You’re showing favoritism!”

Regardless of what she thought in her heart, the food, clothing, and provisions for the two girls had always been treated equally. When she previously favored Cheng Yang, it was also considering the Ge family’s entrustment. Niaoniao appeared suppressed on the surface, but in reality her husband and sons constantly remembered and daily looked after her—whenever they saw something good or fine outside, they always sent it to Niaoniao. The servants weren’t blind either—how would they dare slight her?

Sang Shi said: “That color doesn’t suit Yangyang either.” Cheng Yang’s skin was light honey-colored. Her own skin tone was yellowish. Her daughter Weiwei took after her husband with fair skin, but such precious brocade was wasted making clothing for a small child, and brocade couldn’t be stored long-term.

“Such a fresh, tender emerald color—only Niaoniao can carry it off.” Actually Madam Xiao’s skin was also very fair, but nearly forty years old, it wasn’t suitable either. Thinking through the whole circle, in the entire Cheng family only Shaoshang truly matched that bolt of brocade.

Madam Xiao: “Don’t you think about whether Yangyang’s heart would feel hurt?”

Sang Shi feigned surprise: “Sister-in-law, why do you say this? Yangyang is such a kindhearted and sincere child—how could she have such narrow-minded thoughts?”

Madam Xiao choked. Fine, she was the one who had always praised Cheng Yang’s virtuous character.

She fought back vigorously: “Giving it is one thing. But why did Niaoniao have to wear it last night? I had clearly prepared matching outfits for the two sisters…”

“This is precisely Niaoniao’s considerate aspect. Originally the two sisters already have differences in appearance. If they wore matching outfits again, wouldn’t Yangyang be even more starkly overshadowed with no way to hide it? Wearing different things, at least one can say each has her own merits.” Sang Shi answered smoothly.

Madam Xiao was choked again.

She glared at Sang Shi. Sang Shi looked back, her expression utterly innocent. Before long, Madam Xiao conceded defeat. Fine, people had strengths and weaknesses. In verbal sparring she had never been Sang Shi’s match.