Zhоu Shаоjin's hеаrt рounded аs shе listеnеd, instаntly finding herself in а dilеmma.
If she didn't tеll Uncle Сhi, whаt wоuld shе dо if hе reallу stopped caring fоr hеr in the futurе? Esресiаlly sinсе shе hаdn't уet hаd the chanсе to tеll him about the Сheng familу's future eхесutiоn! Вut if shе did tеll him, how cоuld shе pоssiblу sрeаk of suсh а privatе mаtter tо Uncle Chi? Вesides, Biуu hаd оnly hеard this from Old Маdаm Guan аnd Оld Маdаm Guо—no оnе knew hоw things would ultimаtely turn оut. What if сirсumstаncеs сhаngеd? Would Uncle Сhi think she was too quick tо believe rumоrs, unable tо keер seсrets, and lacking in composure?
She secretly observed Cheng Chi's expression.
Cheng Chi sneered coldly.
Zhou Shaojin's hands twisted tightly together.
It had been some time since she last fell into this habit.
Seeing this, Cheng Chi's heart softened, and he said gently, "Are you worried about the marriage arrangement with the Cheng family?"
Zhou Shaojin's eyes widened.
So Uncle Chi already knew about this matter.
Her face flushed crimson, and her lips moved wordlessly, unsure of what to say.
Cheng Chi said, "Don't worry, I'll handle this matter."
Handle it?!
How would he handle it?
Zhou Shaojin nervously grabbed Cheng Chi's sleeve and said, "Please, please don't say anything... Grandmother would be heartbroken..."
Hearing this, a surge of anger flared within Cheng Chi, and he said sternly, "Do you actually want to marry Yi Ge'er?"
His words made Zhou Shaojin not only nervous but also guilty, as if she had done something wrong. She waved her hands repeatedly and said, "No, no. I don't want to marry Cousin Yi, but I also don't want to hurt Grandmother. I'm even more afraid that Father and Grandmother might become estranged because of me..." As she spoke, her eyes couldn't help but grow moist.
They were all her family—how could she let a rift form between them because of her own reasons?
Her eyelids lowered, long eyelashes holding a crystal-clear teardrop, like tender leaves washed by spring rain, with only a single droplet trembling at the tip under the sunlight.
Cheng Chi sighed inwardly and said, "Don't worry. I won't speak directly to your grandmother, nor will I let her or the others suspect this matter has anything to do with you..."
"Really?" Zhou Shaojin looked up in pleasant surprise. That teardrop fell onto her cheek, reflecting her rosy complexion like a morning dewdrop.
"Really!" Cheng Chi sighed again and said, "I know you don't want to put them in a difficult position."
"Mhmm, mhmm, mhmm!" Zhou Shaojin nodded, her eyes curving like crescent moons.
What a child!
Cheng Chi couldn't help but smile as well.
When he walked out of the Zhou family's gate, boarded his sedan chair, and closed his eyes to think about Cheng Lu's matter, he realized Zhou Shaojin hadn't even asked how he would dispel Old Madam Guan's idea of keeping her in the fourth branch.
Cheng Chi shook his head.
This little girl believed whatever he said without even asking a single question.
But this feeling of being completely trusted... was truly wonderful!
Perhaps this was why he kept helping her time and again?
However, Cheng Lu's matter was easy to handle, but he needed to think carefully about Cheng Yi's situation. Since he couldn't let Old Madam Guan suspect anything, nor put the little girl in a difficult position...
He lightly tapped the sedan chair and instructed Huaishan, who was accompanying him, "When will the Gu family's Ninth Master return?"
Huaishan thought for a moment and said, "At the earliest, early February."Cheng Chi added, "If Prefect Wu comes to offer condolences, remember to inform me. I have something to discuss with him."
Huaishan acknowledged the instruction.
Yet inwardly, he couldn't help but wonder: Is the Fourth Master actually looking for Lord Gu or Lord Wu?
※
After seeing Cheng Chi off, Zhou Shaojin hurried back to the main hall.
Zhou Chujin was eagerly awaiting her return.
As soon as Shaojin entered, her sister grabbed her hand.
"Shao-jin!" Chujin asked anxiously. "What did Uncle Chi say?"
"Of course, he agreed," Shaojin replied with a beaming smile, her joy evident.
Cheng Chi had promised to help her decline the marriage proposal from Cousin Yi. She felt as if a weight had been lifted, her steps lighter, and her mood exceptionally bright.
Chujin breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "How did you persuade Uncle Chi?"
"I didn't persuade him at all!" Shaojin laughed. "I just explained the situation to him, and he agreed right away. There was no 'persuading' involved."
Chujin was surprised.
Shaojin couldn't help but feel a little proud as she said, "Uncle Chi said that those with talent but lacking virtue are petty individuals. Their cunning is enough to carry out their schemes, and their boldness is enough to commit acts of violence—they are like tigers with wings. He even praised us for doing the right thing. He said that someone like Cheng Lu, even if he achieves success in the future, would not contribute to the Cheng family. Instead, he might even bring trouble upon them. It's better to cut off his ambitions now and let him stay at home and live a peaceful life."
"Uncle Chi truly has sharp insight!" Chujin exclaimed joyfully, unable to help but praise Cheng Chi.
Shaojin smiled with shared pride and said, "I told you, if Uncle Chi knew about Cheng Lu's actions, he definitely wouldn't help him!"
"You're the best!" Seeing her sister's childlike eagerness for praise, Chujin playfully patted Shaojin's head and said, "Our Shaojin is the most amazing!"
Shaojin blushed, swatting her sister's hand away and pouting, "Sister, you don't sound sincere at all. It's obvious you're just trying to humor me!"
Chujin widened her eyes and retorted, "So praise has to be sincere too? I thought praise was just something you say!"
"Sister!" Shaojin protested, playfully pinching her sister.
Chujin dodged.
The two sisters began to playfully tussle.
After a while, Chujin finally laughed breathlessly and begged for mercy. "Alright, alright, let's talk about serious matters. Did Uncle Chi say anything else besides that? For example, did he mention how he plans to handle it? Or whether Father needs to get involved?"
The Cheng family's willingness to help the Zhou family deal with Cheng Lu was already something to be immensely grateful for. Now that they had even agreed to personally intervene and speak on their behalf, the Zhou family naturally couldn't leave everything to Cheng Chi. Wherever the Zhou family could contribute, they should step forward—especially when it came to handling expenses. After all, they couldn't borrow the Cheng family's influence and still expect them to pay, could they?
However, Chujin felt too embarrassed to put it so bluntly, so she phrased it more tactfully when asking Shaojin.
Shaojin didn't catch the underlying meaning at all.
She smiled and said, "Uncle Chi said he would handle everything and told us not to get involved..." She recounted the entire conversation to her sister in detail.
Chujin listened, momentarily at a loss for words.
What Uncle Chi said indeed made perfect sense. But wasn't he being a bit too "enthusiastic"? He had practically taken full responsibility for the entire matter.She thought of the dazzling array of pearl earrings and jade hairpins piled on Zhou Shaojin's bed after her return from Putuo Mountain... Her gaze involuntarily fell upon Zhou Shaojin.
Jet-black hair, snow-white skin, rosy lips, clear eyes with a sincere gaze, a slender and graceful figure—like a newly bloomed flower...
Zhou Chujin couldn't help but inwardly scold herself.
How could she even think such a thing?
Uncle Chi was their elder, after all.
And someone like Uncle Chi could have any beauty he desired. Not to mention others—Jiying, Nanping, and even Zhenzhu, Feicui, Biyu, and Manao by Old Madam Guo's side—each one was an exceptional beauty. Why would he need to treat Shaojin well for such a reason?
Zhou Chujin's face burned with embarrassment as she said, "Shao Jin, we can't let Uncle Chi contribute both effort and money, can we?"
"But some connections surely can't be resolved with money alone, right?" Zhou Shaojin replied. "I think instead of calculating everything so meticulously with Uncle Chi, it would be better to find out what he likes and give him a thoughtful gift!"
Zhou Chujin felt her face grow even hotter.
Others praised her for being clever and capable, yet she hadn't thought as deeply as her younger sister.
Indeed, if everything could be solved with money, why would they need to seek the approval of the main branch?
"Shao Jin!" Zhou Chujin said with an embarrassed smile. "Let's leave thanking Uncle Chi to you. You can find out what he likes, and we'll give him a gift tailored to his preferences."
Zhou Shaojin laughed cheerfully. "I already know one of Uncle Chi's hobbies without even asking!"
Zhou Chujin quickly asked, "What does he like?"
"Uncle Chi enjoys the Hetu Luoshu," Zhou Shaojin replied, smiling as she told her sister about Cheng Chi and Old Mr. Song calculating hydrological data on the boat.
Zhou Chujin frowned. "That's troublesome! Where would we find books on that?"
"We can ask Father!" Zhou Shaojin said with a laugh. "If he doesn't have any, we can search for them slowly."
Zhou Chujin couldn't help but chuckle.
Why was her mind so muddled today? She wasn't even as sharp as her younger sister.
"I'll call Mr. Li in now," she said. "Since Uncle Chi told us not to interfere, it's best we don't."
Although Zhou Chujin didn't know Cheng Chi very well, she believed that someone who founded the Yutai Bank couldn't be a simple man.
When Mr. Li heard that he no longer needed to do anything but simply relay messages to Zhou Zhen, he was so shocked that his mouth hung open for a long time.
Had the Cheng family agreed to the Zhou family's request so easily, even at the cost of a scholar who might have passed the imperial exams in the future?
Were the Chengs placing too much importance on the Zhou family?
Or perhaps... the main branch of the Cheng family placed too much importance on the Second Young Miss.
The Second Young Miss had spoken just a few words, and Fourth Master of the main branch had agreed... What kind of status did the Second Young Miss hold in the main branch?
Mr. Li couldn't help but glance toward the screen behind them.
Behind the gauze screen embroidered with large, vibrant peonies, he could vaguely make out two figures—one seated and one standing.
The seated one had a dignified appearance, while the standing one was slender and graceful, standing there like a willow tree, gentle and elegant.
Mr. Li felt disappointed.
The seated one was likely the Eldest Young Miss, but was the standing one the Second Young Miss or a maid by the Eldest Young Miss's side?He bowed and withdrew.
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as she pulled her sister up, saying, "So this matter is settled, right?"
Zhou Chujin didn't know whether to laugh or cry, tapping her forehead lightly, she said, "You! I don't know whether to say you're blessed in your simplicity or just plain muddle-headed. Others would likely be so worried about such a thing they couldn't sleep, but you—not only have you pushed it all onto someone else, you're acting like a hands-off boss. Be careful Uncle Chi sees this and decides not to handle it anymore."
Zhou Shaojin obediently accepted the admonishment, saying, "Then let's urge Father to quickly find a few books like the Hetu Luoshu—Uncle Chi will surely be very happy when he sees them!"
Imagining Uncle Chi shutting himself at home to calculate and ponder, she smiled again, her eyes curving like crescent moons.
※
Dear readers, an extra update today—please vote with your pink tickets!
o(n_n)o~
P.S.: There are typos; I’ll post first and fix them later.
※ (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to...)
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