Leaving asidе hоw furious and аnxious Сhеng Lu wаs, аnd hоw hеartbrokеn Madam Dong was, which lеft thе entirе Chеng hоusеhоld at Сunrеn Lаnе in nо moоd for the New Yеаr cеlebrations, Zhоu Shaojin, оn her pаrt, hаd tеmроrаrilу pausеd сoруing sсripturеs due tо thе apрrоaсhing New Year аnd was now pаinting Guаnуin at hоme.
Zhou Chujin tеаsеd her уоungеr sistеr, "Ноw cоmе yоu cаn't stop fоr evеn а mоment?"
Zhоu Shаоjin rеsponded with а soft, closed-mouth smilе at her sister.
Zhоu Chujin had thе maids bring in mаnу pоts of narcissus tied with red strings and arranged them in her room, explaining that these were sent over by Old Madam Guan's flower nursery attendant, Granny Yu, through Madam Ma Fushan for the sisters to celebrate the New Year. Zhou Chujin sent a few pots to Old Madam Guan and a few to Madam Mian, while the rest were moved to Fragrant Garden Residence.
Zhou Shaojin was delighted to see that the narcissus had all sprouted, each with unique shapes and a variety of species. She added an extra brazier in the tea room and placed all the narcissus there.
Zhou Chujin smiled and cautioned her, "It's so warm in this room, be careful not to kill the narcissus."
"It's fine," Zhou Shaojin replied with a smile. "I want them all to bloom before New Year's Eve."
Zhou Chujin doubted, "Will that work?"
Zhou Shaojin playfully pushed her sister out of the tea room, saying, "Just wait and see."
Zhou Chujin left with a smile and went to Autumn Embrace Pavilion to arrange the New Year's Eve reunion dinner with Madam Mian.
Sanbao, Cheng Yi's timid attendant, cautiously came to report, "Madam, the Second Young Master says... he says his butt hurts, so he'll have the New Year's Eve dinner in his own room!"
Madam Mian was so furious she felt as if her soul were leaving her body, and she shouted, "Then tell him not to come. I have two sons; even without this one, I still have another."
Sanbao trembled with fear, respectfully acknowledged the order with a "Yes," and hastily retreated.
In front of Zhou Chujin, Madam Mian pressed her forehead and wept, "How did I give birth to such a thing! He won't rest until he's driven me to my grave!"
Although Cheng Yi had stopped clamoring to demand Jiying from Cheng Chi after Zhou Shaojin's persuasion, he still stubbornly refused to admit his mistake. According to Old Madam Guan and Madam Mian, since children are thin-skinned, this was enough. However, Cheng Mian disagreed, arguing, "At such a young age, it's the time to distinguish right from wrong. If he doesn't admit his mistakes now, will he grow up thinking he can just walk away silently?" He insisted that Cheng Yi write a letter of repentance. Cheng Yi grumbled unhappily, so Cheng Mian had his attendants tie him up and gave him twenty strokes in front of the hall at Jia Shu Hall.
While Cheng Yi wailed and cried outside, Old Madam Guan and Madam Mian wept like fountains inside but gritted their teeth and never stepped out to plead for him.
When Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin found out, they went to visit Cheng Yi. Cheng Yi chatted and laughed with Zhou Chujin, Cheng Gao, and even Cheng Jia, who came to see him, but he ignored Zhou Shaojin entirely. Feeling somewhat hurt, Zhou Shaojin watched as Cheng Gao promptly slapped Cheng Yi and said, "If you can't even tell who's good to you and who's not, you might as well stay at home from now on and go nowhere. Just idle away your life waiting for death. I'll take care of the family affairs too, so you don't squander the little fortune Father has worked so hard to accumulate."
Cheng Yi howled in pain and stubbornly retorted, "A real man keeps his word! I said I'd never have anything to do with her again!"
"Say that again!" Cheng Gao slapped him once more.Zhou Shaojin hurriedly stopped Cheng Gao, angrily saying, "Cousin Gao, don't hurt your hand. If he doesn't want to associate with me, I'll be perfectly content with the peace. What kind of brother stares wide-eyed at his sister's friend? Such a brother is better off without." Then she called to Cheng Jia, "Are you staying here or coming with me? I'm heading back!"
Cheng Jia had only visited Cheng Yi out of familial duty as cousins; she and Cheng Yi had little in common. Upon hearing this, she immediately linked arms with Zhou Shaojin and said, "Of course I'm going with you. I doubt Cousin Yi will be able to get out of bed for at least half a month, if not a hundred days. Let's not bother him here any longer." With that, she pulled Zhou Shaojin out of the room.
"Hey, hey, hey! Explain yourself! Do I really have to lie in bed for that long?" Cheng Yi panicked upon hearing this, shouting at the retreating figures of Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia.
Ever since the fire in the Fifth House, it hadn't been easy for Cheng Nuo and others to come to the Fourth House to visit him. If Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia stopped coming too, wouldn't he be left lying alone in bed for a hundred days?
The thought alone terrified him.
Cheng Gao and Zhou Chujin shook their heads helplessly at his reaction.
Zhou Shaojin asked, "Does Cousin Yi's injury really require that long? I heard from my sister that his wounds are only superficial and should heal in ten days to half a month..."
"You're too honest," Cheng Jia giggled. "I just said that offhand! Who told him to act so arrogantly?"
Zhou Shaojin felt embarrassed.
Cheng Jia invited her to watch the lanterns during the Lantern Festival.
After having the family reunion dinner at the Cheng residence for the Minor New Year, Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin would return to the Zhou family and wouldn't come back until the second day of the lunar new year to pay respects to their uncles.
"I'm not sure if I'll be able to go out then!" Zhou Shaojin said. "If I can, I'll definitely watch the lanterns with you."
Satisfied, Cheng Jia left.
When Zhou Shaojin returned to Fragrant Garden Residence, Jiying was waiting for her.
"I heard you went to see Cheng Yi?" she asked. "How is he?"
News of Cheng Yi's interest in Jiying had quietly spread throughout the mansion, and naturally, someone had told Jiying about him being beaten.
"He's fine!" Zhou Shaojin recounted what had just happened to Jiying, adding, "He seemed quite spirited, not like someone seriously injured."
Jiying had only asked casually. After listening, she smiled and said, "Your family is quite strict. Last time when Cheng Jiashan was beaten, Madam Yuan actually had her personal maid hint to the matron administering the punishment to go easy. No wonder Old Madam Guo disapproves of Madam Yuan and wanted Second Master's son, Rang, to be brought home for Cheng Zichuan to mentor for a while. It seems Cheng Zichuan didn't agree."
Zhou Shaojin was very surprised. "How do you know all this?"
Jiying widened her eyes. "I'm staying at Cold Green Mountain House now, of course I heard these things from the maids and servants!"
Zhou Shaojin's eyes widened even more than Jiying's. "We copied scriptures at Cold Green Mountain House for over half a year and never heard any of this. You've only been there a few days—how do you know everything?"
Jiying cast a disdainful glance at Zhou Shaojin. "Can you compare to me?"
Zhou Shaojin chuckled. "Why didn't Uncle Chi want to mentor Rang?"
In her impression, Cheng Rang was timid but honest—such people were usually obedient.
If Cheng Rang could be properly taught, it would be quite good; the Cheng family would at least gain another provincial graduate."Perhaps he finds it troublesome!" Jiying said nonchalantly, smiling as she changed the subject. "I heard you're going home tomorrow and won't return until the second day of the Lunar New Year. Is that true?"
Zhou Shaojin nodded with a smile. "Our Zhou family also needs to hold ancestral rites!"
"Alright, I understand." After saying this, she turned to leave.
Zhou Shaojin was puzzled. "Did you come just to ask that?"
"Yes!" Jiying replied. "That way, I can come find you to play later!"
"Oh!" Zhou Shaojin saw Jiying out, then thought about the family reunion dinner at Jia Shu Hall later. She re-styled her hair into double buns, changed into a bright red embroidered jacket, put on a gold-flower pearl headband, and went to Zhou Chujin's room.
Zhou Chujin had just returned. Seeing Zhou Shaojin smiling, her anxious heart finally settled, though she still asked cautiously, "Not angry anymore?"
"Not angry," Zhou Shaojin huffed. "If he ignores me, I won’t let Cousin Jia visit him either. Let’s see who ends up more uncomfortable then."
"You little imp," Zhou Chujin couldn’t help but pinch her sister’s cheek, sighing with emotion. "That’s the spirit! If he ignores you, it’s his loss. We’ll stay happy and make him regret it."
"Yes!" Zhou Shaojin giggled, the last bit of unhappiness in her heart finally dissipating. She urged her sister, "Hurry and change your clothes so we can go early."
Zhou Chujin had someone prepare a snack box for Zhou Shaojin before going to change her own clothes.
Since the fourth branch had few members and Zhou Shaojin and the others were juniors, the New Year’s Eve dinner at Jia Shu Hall was not served separately by tables.
When Zhou Shaojin and her sister arrived, the bowls and chopsticks were already set. Madam Mian was chatting cheerfully with Old Madam Guan, though a faint worry lingered between her brows. Upon seeing the Zhou sisters, she quickly greeted them with a smile and instructed a maid to bring a fruit platter: "...Have some fruit first to tide you over. Your cousin Gao went to fetch your uncle. I don’t know what’s gotten into your uncle, but he started quizzing Gao on his studies. Who knows how long that will take?"
She didn’t mention Cheng Yi.
No one else brought it up either.
Zhou Shaojin secretly smiled to herself.
Was Uncle Mian worried that Cousin Gao wouldn’t be able to answer when questioned about his studies by the He family’s elderly master during his visit?
Pretending not to know, she sat with her sister on either side of Old Madam Guan, eating fruit and chatting with the elderly lady about family matters.
After about the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, Cheng Mian and Cheng Gao walked in one after the other.
Cheng Mian looked amiable, clearly satisfied with Cheng Gao’s studies.
Everyone in the room hurried to greet Cheng Mian.
Cheng Mian’s gaze swept across the room, and he paused slightly, his expression darkening. "Where’s Second Young Master?"
Madam Mian replied cautiously, "He’s still injured, so I took the liberty of letting him rest in his room..."
"Nonsense!" Before she could finish, Cheng Mian erupted in a roar, veins bulging at his temples. "Go fetch him here right now. If he dares to make any excuses, tell him he need never come again. From now on, he’ll have no part in the Cheng family’s ancestral rites or New Year celebrations..."
Madam Mian turned pale with fright and looked toward Old Madam Guan.
Old Madam Guan lowered her eyelids, fingering her prayer beads.
Zhou Shaojin trembled with fear and instinctively leaned closer to her sister.
Zhou Chujin took Zhou Shaojin’s hand and smiled at her reassuringly.From outside the room came Si'er's voice, both startled and delighted: "The Elder Master, the Old Anren, the Madam, Second Master has arrived!"
Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief, and Madam Mian's eyes brimmed with tears as she said, "Quick, quickly help Second Master inside."
Si'er had already lifted the curtain without waiting for Madam Mian's instruction.
Sanbao supported Cheng Yi as he shuffled in step by step.
Cheng Mian's expression softened slightly.
Cheng Yi obediently bowed to Cheng Mian.
"No need," Cheng Mian said coldly, glancing at Cheng Yi before instructing Madam Mian, "Serve the dishes!"
The atmosphere in the room warmed.
Zhou Shaojin felt the air become much more breathable.
※
Sisters, today's bonus update!
o(n_n)o
The evening update will be postponed until around eleven o'clock.
PS: Recommending Zou Zou's new work "The Good Husband of the Song Dynasty" to everyone—feel free to check it out.
※ (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
!!
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