Тhе spring middaу sun shоnе thrоugh thе green gauzе windоws, casting а coоl light thrоughоut thе rооm.
Zhou Shaоjin sat quietly inside the greеn gаuze еnclоsurе, listеning distrаctеdlу аs Оld Мadаm Guo and Zhang Сhеngyu sрoke. It nevеr even оccurrеd tо hеr tо tаkе а look аt whаt the fаmоuslу renоwned Сеlestial Маster Zhаng of Dragon Тiger Mountаin lооked likе.
Uncle Chi hаd usеd hеr grandmоthеr’s nаmе tо bring hеr to Соld Greеn Mоuntain Hоuse. Соnsidеring the distаnсе bеtween housеholds and the risk to her rеputation, hе must have еxреnded grеat effort.
Yet when she said she didn’t want to go, Uncle Chi agreed without a word, simply telling her to trust him. "Since I could persuade Mother to agree to educate you, I can also make Fourth Aunt give up the idea of bringing you into the mansion." But how could things be that simple?
She recalled her past life.
Back then, she had relied wholeheartedly on her elder sister. Whenever something happened, she would go to her sister, who would say the same thing. Only in this life did she realize how much trouble she had caused her sister and how many headaches her sister had endured on her behalf.
In front of Uncle Chi, she felt somewhat like she had in front of her elder sister in her past life.
She left everything for him to resolve.
As soon as she heard she had nothing to worry about, she would feel relieved and overjoyed, forgetting everything else. Yet she never carefully considered whether her actions might cause trouble for Uncle Chi or put him in a difficult position.
Perhaps she thought too much of herself.
Especially since Uncle Chi treated her so well.
Not only did he believe her words, but he also allowed her to follow her stepmother back to Baoding Prefecture, telling her to "go back and wait for news with peace of mind."
Just as Uncle Chi had asked her, "Why was the Cheng family raided?" Even she, who had been reborn, didn’t know. How much more so for Uncle Chi, who had only heard it secondhand from her?
Perhaps she should stay at Cold Green Mountain House after all?
At the very least, she could help Uncle Chi sort out his thoughts.
Hadn’t Uncle Chi said so himself? His mind was a bit muddled at the moment, and he had nothing to ask her for now. Given Uncle Chi’s temperament, this almost meant he was at a loss for what to do...
She’d better return to Nine Prosperities Lane!
But Cheng Xu...
Zhou Shaojin twisted her fingers together, yet a small voice in her heart reminded her: Didn’t you say you wanted to change? To become stronger, to no longer rely on others like in your past life? Then why run away? Those things haven’t happened yet, have they? When you were first reborn, you made two vows: first, to repay Lin Shisheng; second, to tell Cheng Jing about the Cheng family’s fate. When you made those vows, didn’t you also feel overwhelmed, as if two mountains were pressing down on your heart? But now? Lin Shisheng has already married Concubine Mu, and the matter of the Cheng family has been told to Uncle Chi, who can overcome any difficulty. This shows that nothing can be accomplished overnight; it requires gathering the courage to act.
Cheng Xu bullied you in your past life. But hasn’t it happened yet in this life?
In the past, you were alone. Now, with Uncle Chi, Old Madam Guo, and your grandmother’s protection, can’t you avoid or change what might happen?
In your past life, you didn’t live well, and you bore some responsibility for that. In this life, will you still drift along like in your past life?
Zhou Shaojin clenched her hands tightly into fists.
She must become stronger.
She couldn’t always rely on others to help her.
Even if that person was Uncle Chi.
She must not become a burden to him.At this thought, Zhou Shaojin stood up excitedly. She paced back and forth twice inside the green gauze cabinet, and only when she heard Old Madam Guo instructing Biyu to see the guests out did her mood gradually calm down.
Then it’s settled.
She would move into Cold Green Mountain House as Uncle Chi had previously decided, and she would also beg Uncle Chi not to let Cheng Xu come to Cold Green Mountain House.
When Cheng Xu realized that the grandmother who had always doted on him was no longer someone he could see whenever he wished, his expression would surely be quite a sight.
Just thinking about it made Zhou Shaojin feel much more at ease.
Now the most important thing was to inform Uncle Chi of her decision.
However, would Uncle Chi be annoyed that she kept changing her mind, unable to make up her mind?
Zhou Shaojin fretted over this, and even during mealtime, her mood remained somewhat unsettled.
Old Madam Guo noticed this but said nothing.
A fourteen- or fifteen-year-old girl was at an age when her thoughts were ever-changing, and she could fret over a single wrinkle on her clothes for half a day. There was no need to pay it any mind; in a few hours, when something else happened around her, she would forget all about it.
She smiled and asked Biyu to serve Zhou Shaojin some dishes: "The shad fish today is well-prepared. Give it a try."
It was only March, yet shad fish had already appeared on the menu at Cold Green Mountain House.
The meals at Cold Green Mountain House were truly excellent!
If she stayed here for two years, she wondered if she would find it hard to adjust when she returned home.
Lost in her thoughts, Zhou Shaojin asked softly, "Isn’t Uncle Chi eating with us?"
"He went to see Zhang Chengyu off," Old Madam Guo replied with a smile. "Even if he returns for a meal, it won’t be until the afternoon."
Zhou Shaojin nodded. After lunch, she accompanied Old Madam Guo for a cup of tea, but even when Old Madam Guo showed signs of fatigue and went to rest, Cheng Chi still hadn’t returned.
She had no choice but to take her leave and return to Jia Shu Hall.
Old Madam Guan asked with a smile, "What did Old Madam Guo say?"
Zhou Shaojin replied, "She asked whether Madam Li is free tomorrow. If she is, she would like to invite her for a meal."
Seeing that it was getting late, Old Madam Guan said, "Then I won’t keep you today. Remember to send me a reply after you return."
Instead of leaving immediately, Zhou Shaojin asked Old Madam Guan, "I’d like to stay at Jia Shu Hall. Could you speak to my father about it?"
Old Madam Guan was overjoyed and quickly replied, "Don’t worry, I’ve already sent someone to deliver a message to your father. We should hear back within the next couple of days at most."
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness she hadn’t refused Uncle Chi.
If her father agreed to let her stay in Nine Prosperities Lane, how much effort would Uncle Chi have to expend if she decided to return to Baoding Prefecture?
However, since she hadn’t run into Uncle Chi today, and given his decisive and efficient nature, she feared that the moment she mentioned returning to Baoding Prefecture, Uncle Chi would immediately start making arrangements. To be safe, it was better for her to write a letter to her father.
After meeting with Madam Mian, Zhou Shaojin returned home.
When Madam Li heard that Old Madam Guo wanted to invite her for a meal, she was both surprised and delighted.
She was unfamiliar with Jinling and missed her young daughter left at home, making her days rather difficult. Visiting Nine Prosperities Lane as a guest would not only please Zhou Zhen but also help pass the time—a win-win situation.
Madam Li sent Mama Li to Nine Prosperities Lane with several boxes of pastries.Zhou Shaojin was speaking intimately with Madam Li: "...From Grandmother's meaning, she wishes for me to continue living in Nine Prosperities Lane. If Grandmother brings it up, Father certainly won't be able to refuse easily—after all, the bond of upbringing weighs heavier than that of birth. I'm afraid I won't be able to return to Baoding Prefecture with you."
Her face was full of regret.
Madam Li was surprised, yet felt this was reasonable.
Back then, if Old Madam Guan hadn't insisted, the Zhou sisters would have gone to Nanchang Prefecture.
In this matter, she had no say.
She smiled ingratiatingly, "Old Madam treats you sisters like pearls in her palm—it's only natural she can't bear to part. Second Young Lady, why not stay peacefully in Nine Prosperities Lane a while longer? When New Year comes, I'll send someone to fetch you home for the reunion."
Zhou Shaojin indeed wanted to visit her father in Baoding Prefecture.
She smiled and agreed, then spoke with her stepmother about her younger sister Zhou Youjin: "Who does she resemble? Can she walk yet? Can she wear the clothes I made for her last time? I'd like to make her a few winter garments—do you think I should add a few inches to the measurements..."
When Mama Li returned, she saw Zhou Shaojin and Madam Li chatting warmly together; if not for the generational gap, they looked almost like sisters.
※
The next day, Zhou Shaojin and Madam Li went as guests to Cold Green Mountain House.
Old Madam Tang, Old Madam Li, Madam Hong, Madam Jiang, and others all came out to accompany the guests. The family had invited Gao Huizhu from the Changgao Troupe to perform opera excerpts, making the Siyi Pavilion lively and bustling. Servants passing by would slow their steps to listen for a few lines.
But Zhou Shaojin was pulled by Cheng Jia into the pastry room of Siyi Pavilion to talk: "...Tell me, how should I reply to Li Jing?"
"How should I know!" Zhou Shaojin said. Seeing servants occasionally passing by the pastry room door, she added, "Let's go talk outside the Siyi Pavilion. Hiding behind the door like this, if someone were lurking somewhere, we wouldn't notice anyway. Better to speak openly in the courtyard where passersby are clearly visible."
"Alright!" Cheng Jia said, "Shaoji, I find you're becoming more and more capable. You can even come up with ideas like this."
Zhou Shaojin was slightly taken aback.
This seemed to be Uncle Chi's idea.
She hadn't seen Uncle Chi all day today. According to Nanping, Uncle Chi had gone directly to Algae Garden after seeing off Zhang Chengyu. If he didn't return today, she wouldn't get to see him!
Distractedly, Zhou Shaojin stood with Cheng Jia on the stone arch bridge in front of Siyi Pavilion, listening to Cheng Jia's complaints: "He sent someone to ask me, but I don't know what to do either? My mother definitely won't agree. I don't know why Cousin Jing has taken a liking to me? He said he'd handle other matters, but who knows what he'll say to my mother? If my mother misunderstands that something is between us, how could I face living in this world? How could I establish myself as a person..."
"This matter does feel somewhat unsettling," Zhou Shaojin said after she finished, "I think you'd better be more cautious!"
Not everyone is like Uncle Chi, achieving their goals without showing a trace.
But what is Uncle Chi doing at Algae Garden?
Why hasn't he returned yet?
She still needs to discuss staying in Nine Prosperities Lane with him!
Zhou Shaojin reached out and broke off a pomegranate tree branch, plucking the tender green leaves from it."Shao Jin," Cheng Jia widened her eyes as she looked at her, "Why are you breaking off branches? In the past, when I broke branches to make flower crowns, you would nag me for ages. How come you're breaking branches yourself today?"
Zhou Shaojin's face instantly flushed hot, and she mumbled vaguely, "I'm just worried for you too! Why don't you ask someone else?"
Cheng Jia's expression darkened as she said, "Who else can I talk to about this besides you?"
Zhou Shaojin immediately thought of someone.
She said, "How about we go discuss it with Jiying?" She told Cheng Jia about how Jiying had chopped off her former fiancé's arm, "...She's so formidable. Why not ask her to help you investigate Li Jing's background!"
Cheng Jia's eyes lit up, and she pulled Zhou Shaojin toward the Listening Oriole Pavilion.
Zhou Shaojin hurriedly said, "Slow down, slow down! Jiying isn't home!"
Cheng Jia stopped in disappointment.
Madam Jiang waved to Cheng Jia from the second floor of the Four Seasons Tower, signaling her to come upstairs.
Cheng Jia hung her head and returned to the Four Seasons Tower.
※
Sisters, only this one update today.
I have to travel far tomorrow, so I must rush to finish a chapter draft to have something ready, otherwise there will be a gap.
(>_<)
Extra updates will be made up after I return next week.
PS: The update time is tentatively set for around 8 PM.
※ (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to...)
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