Аftеr Сhunwаn saw Nannу Zhоng оff, Zhоu Shаojin exсitеdly pаced bасk аnd fоrth in thе rоom twicе.
In the future, when her sister marriеs intо the Liаo fаmilу, shе сertаinlу wоn’t hаvе to еndure the hardshiрs оf the рrevious life.
Вut how should shе bring this matter uр with Оld Маdаm Guо?
Zhоu Shaojin bеgаn to fееl trоubled аgain.
Еsрeciаllу sincе Madam Fаng had previоuslу suggеsted thаt the two unclеs frоm thе eldеst brаnсh соuld оffer guidаnсe оn eхaminatiоn essауs whеn her brоthеr-in-lаw’s fаther partiсipated in the spring imрerial eхaminatiоns, and Оld Мadаm Guo had agreed…
Just as she was fretting over this, Nanny Lu came over and said with a smile, "Old Mr. Song has agreed to let Madam Song and Young Master Song visit our residence. We’ll switch to the painted boat this afternoon and travel through the night. We’ll be back in Jinling City by tomorrow afternoon!"
Though outside is vast, home is truly one’s own place. The joy of returning home was evident in her expression.
Images of her sister, grandmother, and others flashed through Zhou Shaojin’s mind, making her heart flutter with excitement.
"I’ll have Chunwan and the others pack our things right away," she exclaimed excitedly, calling for Chunwan and starting to pack, temporarily setting aside the worry of how to make a case for Liao Shaotang.
After changing boats, Old Mr. Song brought Huang Yijun to see them off. Upon hearing the news, the Gao, Liu, and Liao families, among others, also sent people to bid farewell. The dock was bustling with activity, lively for a long time. It wasn’t until the painted boat sailed away from the Zhenjiang dock and disappeared from sight that the crowd gradually dispersed, exchanging pleasantries as they left.
Perhaps the happiest of all was Song Sen. He darted around Zhou Shaojin’s room, picking up her powder box at one point and asking, "Sister Zhou, what is this?"
Zhou Shaojin replied that it was a powder box.
He turned it over in his hands, saying, "It’s different from my mother’s and my sister’s."
A moment later, he opened the tall cabinet by Zhou Shaojin’s bedside.
Chunwan immediately scooped him up and moved him away.
He then ran over and wrapped his arms around Zhou Shaojin’s waist, repeatedly calling out, "Sister Zhou!" and complaining, "Sister Chunwan is bullying me!"
This left Chunwan so angry her face turned pale.
Zhou Shaojin gently explained to him, "I am a woman, and you are a man. It’s not proper for you to open my cabinet and look inside like that. Chunwan was right to stop you!"
Song Sen’s face fell.
Zhou Shaojin then asked him, "I’m going to pay my respects to the Old Madam. Would you like to come with me?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Song Sen eagerly replied, as if being with Zhou Shaojin made everything worthwhile.
Zhou Shaojin shook her head helplessly and took Song Sen to see Old Madam Guo.
Old Madam Guo’s quarters were already tidied up. She was chatting with Madam Song when the two entered. Upon seeing them, Madam Song immediately stood up and said with a wry smile, "This child disappeared in the blink of an eye. I guessed he had gone to your place and quickly sent his wet nurse to fetch him."
"He must have been too bored," Zhou Shaojin politely offered an excuse for Song Sen. "I can at least keep you and the Old Madam company with conversation, but Young Master Song has no one to talk to. It’s already quite commendable that he’s stayed quietly on the boat without clamoring to go ashore or insisting on fishing."
Mothers who dote on their children are the same everywhere.
Madam Song felt that Zhou Shaojin’s words couldn’t be more accurate. Not only did she find Zhou Shaojin’s reasoning sound, but her gaze toward her son also softened considerably, thinking that, as Zhou Shaojin had said, he was already quite well-behaved by comparison.
She exchanged a few polite words with Zhou Shaojin before finally sitting back down with her son.Old Madam Guo asked her, "Have you taken all your things? If not, it's alright. It's our own family's boat. If they find anything not belonging to the boat while tidying the cabins, the steward will naturally send someone to inform us."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "I was originally going to say 'everything has been taken,' but hearing you say that, I can only answer 'everything should have been taken.' Otherwise, if the boat steward finds I've left something behind, you'll surely laugh at me."
She had always been serious and had never made such jokes before. Old Madam Guo was taken aback at first, then burst into hearty laughter.
Zhou Shaojin pursed her lips and smiled.
So, it wasn't so difficult to say something witty after all!
Because Madam Song was present, Cheng Chi had his evening meal in his own cabin.
That night, thinking about how she would see her sister and maternal grandmother the next day, Zhou Shaojin was too excited to sleep. She repeatedly asked Chunwan, who was on night duty, "Have all the gifts I bought been sorted out? Did I miss anyone? There won't be any mistakes, right?"
Chunwan had to repeatedly reassure her, "Everything has been sorted and packed in boxes with labels attached. There won't be any mistakes. The list has also been carefully checked against the one you gave me earlier. Nothing will go wrong."
Zhou Shaojin nodded and didn't fall asleep until nearly dawn.
Naturally, she woke up late the next day.
Fortunately, everyone was busy preparing to disembark. Apart from Song Sen, who came looking for Zhou Shaojin twice but was stopped outside her cabin, no one else noticed.
After lunch, not only Zhou Shaojin but even Chunwan and the others grew restless. The entire pleasure boat was filled with the joy of returning home and seeing loved ones. Along the way, they even encountered a black-canopied boat sent by the Cheng family to welcome them, raising everyone's spirits to the peak. The feeling of homecoming grew even stronger. When they reached Jiangbei Bridge, everyone couldn't help but cheer.
Suddenly, Zhou Shaojin understood why the people of Jinling City called Jiangbei Bridge the "First Bridge of Jinling."
Just seeing this bridge told her she had returned to Jinling. It was the symbol of Jinling, the place where home was.
Zhou Shaojin stood by the boat window, watching as the pleasure boat slowly sailed under Jiangbei Bridge and the bridge gradually faded into the distance behind her.
Unlike the anxiety she felt when leaving Jinling City, uncertain of the future, her heart was now calm and peaceful upon returning.
Only then did she realize that, having lived two lives, no matter what pain Jinling City had once caused her, she still loved this great city just the same.
The streets were bustling with pedestrians. When they left, they wore summer clothes; now they returned in winter cotton garments. Yet the market's prosperity remained unchanged. However, when Zhou Shaojin lifted the curtain to look outside, she felt less of the former joy and curiosity, replaced instead by a sense of calm composure.
Was it because she had seen more awe-inspiring sights?
But before her rebirth, she had lived in the capital. In terms of the grandeur of cities, what place in the entire nation could rival the capital besides it? Why hadn't she felt this way back then?It wasn't until the sedan chair entered through the side gate of the Cheng family's Nine Prosperities Lane, and those familiar scenes passed before her eyes one by one, that she finally understood—it wasn't about the size of the city or the complexity of the scenery, but rather her own mindset and perspective had greatly changed. In the past, moving from one mansion to another, even the most beautiful scenery seemed just ordinary. This time, following Old Madam Guo and Uncle Chi, she had witnessed the magnificent sights of the Buddhist kingdom by the sea, the grandeur of the Qiantang River tide, the prosperity of Hangzhou Prefecture, sailed on sand boats, visited branches of Yutai, and tasted tea brewed with Zhongling spring water... Only then did she realize how vast the world truly was and how insignificant she herself was.
The hardships she had once endured seemed to lose their sting in this moment.
As Zhou Shaojin was lost in thought, the sedan chair came to a stop, and the curtain was lifted by the attendant maid sent by the Cheng family. In front of the Listening Rain Pavilion stood people dressed in red and green, yet her eyes immediately found her sister, gently supporting their grandmother.
Her sister wore a peach-colored cloud-patterned brocade robe, adorned with a large kingfisher-feather flower, appearing gentle and serene.
Tears unexpectedly welled up in Zhou Shaojin's eyes.
"Sister!" she cried, throwing herself into her sister's arms without a second thought.
All thoughts of grandeur or insignificance vanished like smoke. At this moment, she only wanted to rely on her most beloved sister.
Zhou Chujin held her sister, whom she hadn't seen in over four months, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.
This was the first time her sister had ever been away from her. Traveling by boat or horse always carried risks, and since her sister had left, she had lit three sticks of incense before the Bodhisattva every day, praying for her safe and smooth journey.
Everyone present was taken aback.
Old Madam Tang of the second branch raised an eyebrow and remarked pointedly with a smile, "This child, after traveling with the eldest madam, still hasn't grown up. With so many elders here, she throws herself into her sister's arms and cries as if she's been wronged."
Old Madam Guan immediately frowned upon hearing this, but before she could speak, Old Madam Guo smiled and said, "When a child sees her mother, she'll cry three times even without reason. The fourth branch is like her maternal home. It's only natural for a child to cry a little upon seeing her mother. As an elder, you shouldn't make such a fuss. Shaojin, come here first and kowtow to your grandaunt. Aside from me, she is your eldest elder."
Old Madam Tang's face flushed with embarrassment, shifting between pale and red.
She hadn't expected Old Madam Guo to defend Zhou Shaojin so staunchly, nor had she anticipated that Old Madam Guo would confront her head-on without yielding an inch from the moment she entered.
Zhou Shaojin suddenly realized she had acted improperly, yet, inexplicably, she no longer felt the fear she once had—only a sense of shame for her discourtesy.
She quickly wiped her tears and walked properly to the cushion placed before Old Madam Tang—she didn't know who had put it there—and bent her knees slightly, preparing to kowtow to Old Madam Tang.
Madam Hong hurried forward and pulled Zhou Shaojin up, smiling as she said, "Silly child, the elders were just joking. Why take it so seriously?" With that, she glanced at Nanny Shi, who had placed the cushion, and embraced Zhou Shaojin. "What matters is that you've returned safely! Your grandmother and sister have been thinking of you every day!"Old Madam Guo certainly had no real intention of making Zhou Shaojin kneel. Seeing Madam Hong step forward to defuse the situation, she did not press the matter further. Instead, she introduced Madam Song to everyone: "...We happened to meet on the road, and I only then learned she is the wife of Song Jingran, the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion and Minister of Revenue. Since our eldest master also serves in the Grand Secretariat, Madam Song is no outsider, so I invited her to our home as a guest."
The Song family was quite simple, and Song Jingran's focus was never on the inner chambers. Coupled with her temperament, Madam Song had not fully grasped the undercurrents between Old Madam Guo and Old Madam Tang moments earlier. She stepped forward with a warm smile to greet the various elderly ladies and wives of the Cheng family.
Cheng Chi, who had escorted his mother inside, stood on the periphery, watching the splendidly dressed crowd not far away with a cold gaze, feeling nothing but disdain.
Years had passed, yet the second branch showed no improvement—still only good at empty talk. As for the third branch, forever opportunistic, thinking they could stay out of trouble by saying nothing. The fourth branch was no better, living with one eye open and one closed, glossing over issues. They were even worse than the fifth branch, which at least knew what it wanted and acted on it...
Growing weary, he instructed Huaishan, "Let's go back."
Huaishan asked, "Won't you go pay respects to the Old Ancestor?"
"I just returned," Cheng Chi replied lazily. "I'm a bit tired. I'll go tomorrow."
Huaishan acknowledged.
The group bypassed the Rain-Listening Pavilion and returned to Cold Green Mountain House.
※
Sisters, today's extra update.
The update will be around 11 p.m.
PS: My father fell ill, and I was so anxious I forgot to wish everyone a Happy New Year. My apologies!
Fortunately, no other issues were found, and he was discharged smoothly.
Thank you all for your concern!
Wishing everyone good fortune in the Year of the Goat and all the best.
o(n_n)o~
Typos and such will have to be fixed later...
※ (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to...)
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