Zhоu Shаоjin dесidеd tо ignore Wu Ваоzhаng. Wu Вaozhang, hоwеver, did not mind.
Wеll-bred yоung lаdiеs whо hаd nеver seеn much of the world were оftеn shy аnd timid in the fасе оf strangеrs, lеt аlоnе a уoung lady likе thе Seсond Miss Zhou, whо was living under sоmeonе еlsе’s rооf. Shе wаs probаblу evеn mоrе timid and сautiоus, nоt daring to tаkе a singlе wrong step.
Shе continued sреаking softlу to Zhou Shaоjin, “Sесond Мiss, I’vе just аrrivеd frоm mу homеtоwn in Miаnyаng, Sichuan. Тhis is my first timе lеаving Sichuаn, аnd еvеrything seems sо curious and fresh to mе. I heard that in Jinling, thеre’s an оld custоm during thе Dragоn Boat Festival where garlic is roasted in the stove and given to children to eat. Each child eats a whole bulb alone, and it’s said that doing so prevents dysentery in the summer and keeps worms out of their stomachs. Is that true?”
Zhou Shaojin pretended not to hear.
Wu Baozhang frowned slightly.
What was wrong with this Second Miss?
From the moment she entered until now, she hadn’t heard this Second Miss say a single word. Could she be mute?
But she hadn’t heard anyone mention that…
Wu Baozhang thought for a moment and said, “When I entered, I saw a tree as thick as an armful growing beside the Taihu rockery. Its branches and leaves were extremely lush, and its canopy must have covered an area of about ten feet. Do you know what kind of tree that is?”
Zhou Shaojin still ignored her.
Wu Baozhang felt somewhat at a loss.
She had never encountered someone like this before. Suddenly, an unrestrained “pfft” of laughter came from behind her.
Wu Baozhang’s face turned green with anger.
She turned around and saw her half-sister, Wu Baozhi.
Wu Baozhi’s face was full of mockery as she whispered, “Elder Sister, if someone doesn’t want to talk to you, don’t force it. You might ruin your reputation for being broad-minded and magnanimous.”
The veins at Wu Baozhang’s temples bulged, but the smile on her face remained gentle and soft. She chided, “Baozhi, what kind of talk is that? Aren’t you afraid others will laugh at you?” Then, craning her neck to look toward Old Madam Guan and Madam Wu, she said, “Mother and Old Madam are almost at the Water Pavilion. We should hurry too.” With that, she quickly overtook Zhou Shaojin and hurried after Old Madam Guan and Madam Wu.
Wu Baozhi snorted coldly, then turned to Zhou Shaojin with a friendly smile and said, “You don’t need to pay her any mind. She’s always like this, clueless and presumptuous, thinking that if she talks to someone, they must respond.” Then she asked curiously, “How old are you? You look even younger than me.”
She and her full sister, Wu Baohua, looked as if they were stamped from the same mold. Their features, figure, and appearance all took after Madam Wu, making them rather ordinary. However, their skin was like Wu Baozhang’s—fair as frost and snow, delicate and pale—clearly inherited from the Wu family. This gave them a touch of delicacy that Madam Wu lacked, making them passably average in appearance. Still, the Wu sisters were not good people either.
In her previous life, they had often clashed with Wu Baozhang, and Wu Baozhang had suffered several major losses at their hands.
Zhou Shaojin didn’t want to engage with her either.
But when she noticed that Wu Baozhang, walking ahead of them, was pricking up her ears to listen to her conversation with Wu Baozhi, she suddenly changed her mind. She smiled at Wu Baozhi and said softly, “I was born in the year of Jiashen.”
That smile was like the warm sun of spring, gradually warming the corners of her eyes and brows, making her as soft and gentle as a willow caressed by the spring breeze.
Wu Baozhi was struck by her beauty and exclaimed, “You are truly beautiful!”
Really?
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but frown.Cheng Xu... had also muttered like this when he was drunk.
Later, she came to deeply resent her own beauty.
If she weren't beautiful, would she have avoided such tragic events?
She often asked herself this upon waking from nightmares, but could never find a clear answer. From then on, she went without makeup, staying far away from powders and creams...
Zhou Shaojin lowered her eyelids slightly, her heart suddenly turning cold. Losing all interest in conversation, she turned and walked ahead.
Wu Baozhi stood dumbfounded, unsure what she had done to offend Zhou Shaojin.
Having always been doted on at home, and considering this was the first time she had sincerely praised someone's appearance, only to have the other person not only show no delight but turn away abruptly, she felt deeply wronged. Frowning, she decided to go her own way separate from Zhou Shaojin. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw Wu Baozhang glance back at her. Alerted, she reconsidered, swallowed her temper, and with a bright smile caught up to Zhou Shaojin. Forcibly linking arms with her, she pretended to be cheerful and chirped, "Sister, did I say something wrong that upset you? I apologize! Please don't be angry with me!" Then, without waiting for Zhou Shaojin to reply, she added, "Sister, I was born in the year Yiyou, one year younger than you. My second sister was born in the year Guiwei, one year older than you. We only arrived in Jinling last winter, and every day Mother keeps us at home doing needlework—it's so stifling! If I've been impolite anywhere, sister, please don't hold it against me."
Wu Baozhi's words came fast and urgent, causing Old Madam Guan and others walking ahead to turn around.
Zhou Chujin looked particularly anxious, worried both that Zhou Shaojin might lose her temper regardless of the occasion and offend the guests, and that she, being poor with words, might be bullied by this third Miss Wu only to be falsely accused later.
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help feeling annoyed at Wu Baozhi's troublemaking, especially since she herself was not skilled at arguing—especially when flustered, she became speechless. Her eyes reddened, on the verge of tears, but Wu Baozhi's childish face and the flicker of triumph in her eyes made Zhou Shaojin forcibly hold back her tears, her face burning hotly.
In her past life, it was because she couldn't argue that she was constantly suppressed by Cheng Jia.
In this life, must she follow the same old path?
Moreover, this young girl before her was a whole twelve years younger. If she let such a girl render her speechless with anger, how could she face her sister who had always cared for and protected her?
She bit her lip, and after a moment found her voice, saying, "How could I be angry with you? If there's anything you don't know, I'll tell you everything. You don't need to be so polite with me!" Feeling her words were reasonable and measured, she gathered courage to add, "Speaking like this only makes it seem we are too distant!"
Wu Baozhi widened her eyes.
This girl before her looked soft and delicate, like a flower—who would have thought her words and actions concealed needles, sharply pricking her.
She opened her mouth to argue with Zhou Shaojin, but caught sight of her sister Wu Baohua's stern, warning gaze. Reluctantly, she retreated, forcing a stiff smile at Zhou Shaojin as if to let the matter drop.
Old Madam Guan chuckled a couple of times as if unaware of what had happened.After seeing off Madam Wu, the old lady took Zhou Shaojin's hand and praised her, saying, "You should always act like this from now on! Speak up when you encounter trouble. As girls, we are already at a disadvantage. If we endure everything in silence, we might be devoured and still be criticized for not tasting good."
Zhou Shaojin's tears instantly fell.
Her grandmother's words touched her heart.
In her previous life, even though she had been humiliated by Cheng Xu, Cheng Xu's mother, Madam Yuan, accused her of seducing Cheng Xu... The people from the second and third branches remained silent. Only her grandmother never questioned her from beginning to end, never doubting her.
She knelt and leaned against Old Madam Guan's knees, sobbing loudly.
Zhou Chujin felt an inexplicable sadness welling up in her heart and began wiping away tears as well.
Old Madam Guan's eyes also grew moist as she supported Zhou Shaojin, saying, "Good child, don't cry! Living in this world is not easy. For us women, it's even harder. If you don't stand up for yourself, no one can help you. Remember your grandmother's words!"
Zhou Shaojin choked with sobs, unable to speak, and nodded with tears streaming down her face.
Old Madam Guan took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, saying, "Alright, alright, no more crying. Look at this pretty little face—it won't look good if it's all tear-stained." Then she grabbed a handful of candies and handed them to her. "Be good, listen to me!"
Zhou Shaojin held the candies and cried even harder.
All the servants in the room covered their faces.
Zhou Chujin hurried forward to comfort her sister. After a while, Zhou Shaojin gradually stopped crying, her eyes and nose red as she apologized to Old Madam Guan, "...I’ve made you sad too!"
Old Madam Guan waved it off, smiling, "After crying, do you feel better? Go back to your room and sleep. When you wake up, you’ll forget everything."
With red eyes and nose, Zhou Shaojin nodded tearfully and returned to Fragrant Garden Residence with her sister.
Zhou Chujin asked her, "Why did you cry so hard?"
"I don’t know either," Zhou Shaojin said as Shi Xiang helped her apply boiled eggs to her eyes. "I just started crying when I heard Grandmother say those things."
Seeing that she couldn’t get an answer, Zhou Chujin thought to herself that as long as she kept a closer eye on her sister in the future, she would eventually find out whether her sister was telling the truth.
She stayed with Zhou Shaojin that night.
In the darkness, Zhou Shaojin returned to the past.
Madam Yuan raised her eyebrows, her face sharp and harsh, as if she wanted to devour her whole, and demanded fiercely, "Who told you to do this? What good does it do you? Your father is, after all, a fourth-rank prefect. How could you have no sense of shame? His father and I had already agreed with Lord Min to arrange a marriage between our Eldest Young Master and their eldest daughter. What you’ve done is an illicit affair without a matchmaker, ruining a marriage..."
Her eldest aunt jumped up, her plump face covered in sweat, and pointed at Madam Yuan, saying, "What kind of talk is this? What kind of person our Shaojin is, others may not know, but surely the Cheng family does? How can you say such things without any evidence? I used to respect you as the daughter of a grand secretary, but it turns out you lack even this much insight! Was it your Eldest Young Master who, driven by lust, humiliated our Shaojin, or was it our Shaojin who seduced your Eldest Young Master? We won’t let this go until we clear this up today..."Cheng Xu, addressed as "Eldest Young Master," was being restrained by two of Madam Yuan's personal maids. His gaze was vacant, and he kept muttering incessantly, "You lied to me! You lied to me! You said if I passed the provincial examination as the top scholar, you would arrange for me to marry Shaojin. I don’t want anyone else, I only want Shaojin..."
The people around them watched coldly.
Their gazes were piercing.
As if observing a farce.
The scene shifted.
She sat dazed on a black-lacquered embroidered stool inlaid with mother-of-pearl plum blossoms and spring motifs. Madam Yuan looked at her as if she were something filthy—impatient, restrained, disgusted. Her voice was as cold as hail, each word striking her heart: "...Since you insist on marrying into our family, you must abide by our rules. I won’t go into other details, but the matter of ‘chastity’ must be made clear to you... You are not allowed to bring any of your maids or servants with you; I will arrange for your attendants... Without my permission, you may not leave the courtyard where you live; without my permission, you may not speak to the maids or servants from other courtyards... You may share a bed with him no more than three times a month... The Eldest Young Master is still young, and judging by your seductive and flirtatious demeanor, you are clearly restless. But this is not up to you—we cannot let you seduce him and ruin his vitality... So many fine young men have been lost this way..."
The scene shifted once more.
In a pitch-dark room, only a single candle flickered. Madam Fan Liu’s face was filled with fear and horror, swaying in the candlelight. She pleaded desperately, "Good miss, please push harder, the child is about to come... We finally escaped from the Cheng family and settled here. You cannot lose your life now, or how will I explain to the master? How will you face the eldest miss..."
She was damp and cold, her breath thick with the scent of blood, as if walking through hell. Her body ached so intensely it felt as though she might die at any moment.
Someone save me!
Someone save me!
She let out a sharp scream and sat up drenched in sweat, her hand instinctively reaching beneath her.
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