Unсlе Сhi sаid nоthing would chаngе!
Не hаd Cheng Xu stау in Algaе Garden fоr hеr sаkе!
Zhоu Shаojin felt аs if she had a little bird fluttering in her hеаrt, and еven hеr fооtstеps sееmеd tо grоw lighter.
А branch stretсhing оut from thе side of the рath brushed аgainst her skirt, stаrtling hеr bасk tо hеr sеnses.
Why wаs shе running?
Huаishаn аnd Qin Ziping hаd business with him—shе сould havе gоne tо find Jiying to plаy!
Jiying was bасk nоw, and Shаojin also wаntеd tо heаr if аnуthing intеrеsting hаd haррenеd to Jiуing while she wаs awау…
Zhоu Shaоjin fеlt quitе аnnoyed аnd couldn’t help stoрping in her traсks. Irritated, shе snaррed оff the branch that had stretched into her path and began plucking its leaves.
“Shao Jin, Shao Jin.” Someone called her name softly.
Zhou Shaojin looked around and finally spotted Cheng Jia’s figure behind a row of holly bushes.
“What are you doing crouching here?” Zhou Shaojin asked, her eyes wide with surprise.
Cheng Jia said sheepishly, “Isn’t this Cold Green Mountain House? I was afraid of running into Old Madam Guo!”
“It’s not that bad, is it?” It took Zhou Shaojin a moment to react. “Old Madam Guo is very kind,” she said, pulling Cheng Jia up. “Hurry and stand up! Look at you—what do you look like? You’re the eldest young lady of the third branch!”
Cheng Jia gave an embarrassed laugh and stood up with Shaojin’s help.
Zhou Shaojin asked, “What are you doing here?” She glanced around. “And alone?”
“Oh!” Cheng Jia said with a hint of displeasure. “Don’t ask! I just came here to hide for a bit.”
Zhou Shaojin thought for a moment and guessed, “Did you argue with Aunt Lu?”
Cheng Jia said somewhat awkwardly, “It wasn’t really an argument… we just had another disagreement. With the Dragon Boat Festival coming up, Cousin Jing sent someone to deliver gifts to the family. Mother said he was ‘a weasel paying respects to a chicken—harboring no good intentions.’ I just casually said, ‘How can you call yourself a chicken?’ She got furious, grabbed a feather duster, and tried to hit me. Luckily, I ran away in time, or I’d probably have been caught and made to kneel in the ancestral hall by now.” Then she complained, “Cousin Jing is really something. In previous years, he never sent festival gifts. This year, he’s in such a hurry to send them—of course my mother would be annoyed! And he told me to trust him. How can I trust him?”
Listening to her, Zhou Shaojin noticed Cheng Jia was complaining more than she was resentful and understood she just needed someone to talk to. Without responding, she led Cheng Jia to Floating Emerald Pavilion, instructed Bitao to help Cheng Jia freshen up, and then accompanied her to pay respects to Old Madam Guo.
Young girls and elderly people not only differ in age but also in interests and hobbies.
Zhou Shaojin had been close to Cheng Jia since childhood, and Old Madam Guo was happy to see her continue her friendship with Cheng Jia.
The old lady smiled warmly and gave Cheng Jia a pair of gold bracelets, telling her to “come and play whenever you have time.”
Cheng Jia was overwhelmed by the favor. As soon as they left the main room, she linked arms with Zhou Shaojin and said, “You’re so lucky. You actually managed to win Old Madam Guo’s favor. My legs tremble whenever I see her. You have to treat me.”
Though her words were a bit jumbled, Zhou Shaojin understood.
When her elder sister got married, her brother-in-law gave her a large red envelope filled with money.
She had money now.
“What do you want to eat?” Zhou Shaojin said generously. “If the kitchen doesn’t have it, I’ll send someone to buy it.”"I want to eat roasted meat," Cheng Jia said delightedly, without any hesitation. "Just like the people beyond the pass do. Meat roasted over charcoal fire."
That would indeed require sending someone out to buy it.
Zhou Shaojin gave the order.
Fan Qi ran across half the city, and by lunchtime, they were eating roasted meat.
Cheng Jia ate with great relish.
Cheng Chi, looking at the dining table without Zhou Shaojin, was somewhat surprised and said, "Is Shaojin having her meal in her own room today? Is she feeling unwell somewhere?"
Old Madam Guo smiled as she was helped to her seat at the table by Biyu and said, "The Jia girl from the third branch has come. She said she wanted to eat roasted meat, so Shaojin sent someone to buy it. They’re probably enjoying it right now!"
"In this kind of weather, why eat roasted meat?" Cheng Chi said dismissively. "Be careful not to get too heated!"
"It’s most likely Jia girl’s idea," Old Madam Guo said with a laugh. "Shaojin has always been obedient. Sometimes, she even feels too embarrassed to trouble the kitchen maids for a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup in the evening, so how could she clamor for something that has to be bought from outside?" She added, "They’re about the same age, and neither of them has many siblings. It’s good that they can play together. Even after they marry, they’ll have someone to keep in touch with."
Cheng Chi said nothing. After having lunch in the main house, he returned to his quarters.
Cheng Jia and Zhou Shaojin hid under the covers, sharing their innermost thoughts. "I don’t know what my mother is thinking? She’s like a firecracker, exploding at the slightest spark. I don’t even know how to talk to her anymore! You’re so much better off. Your stepmother is far away in Baoding Prefecture, so she can’t control you. Old Madam Guan also likes you so much. Because Brother Gao’s wedding requires renovations to the house, and she’s afraid she won’t be able to look after you for a while, she specially entrusted you to Old Madam Guo. Old Madaaaaaaaaam Guo treats you well too. For your sake, she even gave me a pair of gold bracelets..."
Zhou Shaojin, however, listened absentmindedly.
Since Cheng Jia had run out like this, she naturally couldn’t let Aunt Lu worry. Before lunch, she had already sent someone to inform Aunt Lu. She wondered if Aunt Lu would come to pick up Cheng Jia in the afternoon.
If Cheng Jia returned to the third branch in the afternoon, should she go to the Listening Oriole Pavilion to play with Jiying, or stay home and embroider the image of Guanyin?
The weather was so nice, and the Listening Oriole Pavilion was pleasantly shady. Lounging on the arhat bed in Jiying’s room and listening to her talk about the outside world would surely be more interesting than embroidering Guanyin at home.
Thinking of this, she felt a stirring of excitement and interrupted Cheng Jia, who was still rambling, saying, "Your mother is probably troubled about your marriage. Don’t take it to heart. Just listen to whatever she says obediently. The more you talk back, the more annoyed she’ll likely become."
Cheng Jia said, "You don’t understand. Even if I don’t say anything, she can still find fault..."
Before she could finish, Zhou Shaojin added, "Then just avoid her."
Cheng Jia sat up and said, "How can I avoid her? Besides morning and evening greetings, she comes to see what I’m doing every day, as if I’m the one encouraging Cousin Jing to send things home."
It was all just a muddled mess anyway!
Zhou Shaojin closed her eyes and mumbled, "I’m really sleepy now. I’ll help you think of something after I wake up."
Cheng Jia nudged her, unwilling to let it go.
She pretended to be asleep.
Cheng Jia sighed and had no choice but to lie back down.
Zhou Shaojin actually did fall asleep.
Only in her drowsiness did she hear a commotion outside.Zhou Shaojin was not yet fully awake when Cheng Jia asked, "What happened?" as if she had never fallen asleep.
Chunwan ran in with a beaming face, joyfully announcing, "Second Miss, Miss Jia, Master Xu has returned!"
Cheng Xu?!
Zhou Shaojin was jolted completely awake, sitting up abruptly. "Where has Master Xu arrived? Has he already entered the mansion?"
Chunwan nodded with a smile. "Not only has he entered the mansion, but he has already reached the old madam's main chamber. They say he wanted to surprise the old madam, so he stopped the steward from informing her and Fourth Master in advance... Now he is speaking with the old madam in her chamber!"
Cheng Jia slipped on her shoes and asked Chunwan to call a maid to help her comb her hair, saying, "I’ll go see Cousin Xu."
But Zhou Shaojin frowned and asked Chunwan, "What about Uncle Chi?"
Chunwan quickly called a maid to attend to their washing and grooming, saying, "Fourth Master is at the Listening Oriole Pavilion. Upon hearing of Master Xu’s return, he sent Master Huaishan to relay a message, asking Master Xu to visit the old madam first and then go to the study. It seems Fourth Master has something to say to Master Xu."
With Cheng Jing absent, Cheng Chi was Cheng Xu’s closest male elder. Upon his return, besides paying respects to Cheng Chi, Cheng Xu would also have to listen to his admonishments.
I hope Uncle Chi gives Cheng Xu a good scolding!
Zhou Shaojin grumbled inwardly. To Cheng Jia, who was eagerly preparing to visit Cheng Xu at the main chamber, she said, "You go to the main chamber alone! The old madam hasn’t seen Cousin Xu for so long and must have much to say to him. I won’t go. It won’t be too late to pay my respects to Cousin Xu during the welcoming banquet the old madam holds for him tonight."
By then, she could find an excuse to skip the banquet.
She believed Uncle Chi would surely find a way to keep her from crossing paths with Cheng Xu.
Hearing this, Cheng Jia suddenly felt she had been too hasty and sighed dejectedly, "Forget it! I won’t go either. Last time he went to Hangzhou, he brought me a lot of plum wine."
Zhou Shaojin said, "You wouldn’t be going just to see what gifts Cousin Xu brought you, would you?"
Cheng Jia chuckled sheepishly.
A maid entered and reported, "Second Cousin Miss, Cui Huan is here."
Zhou Shaojin glanced at Cheng Jia.
Cheng Jia sighed helplessly and had Cui Huan brought in.
Cui Huan bowed to both of them and said, "Second Cousin Miss, Miss, Master Shi and Master Xu have both returned. The mistress says you should return quickly. Tonight, the Second Branch’s matriarch is hosting a family banquet at the Four Seasons Brocade to welcome Master Shi and Master Xu."
Cheng Jia groaned, "I dread these family banquets the most. While my elder brother and the others listen to the matriarch’s admonishments outside, we’re left waiting until the dishes grow cold."
Zhou Shaojin’s heart skipped a beat.
Would she be summoned as well?
After seeing Cheng Jia off, Zhou Shaojin asked Chunwan to go to the Listening Oriole Pavilion: "Ask Uncle Chi about the family banquet at the Four Seasons Brocade!"
Before Chunwan could respond, Xiao Tan rushed in and said, "Second Cousin Miss, Fourth Master says there will be a family banquet at the Four Seasons Brocade tonight. Since the old madam is advanced in years, she won’t be attending. He asks you to stay home and dine with the old madam. He and Master Xu will go to the Four Seasons Brocade."
"Great!" Zhou Shaojin smiled, her eyes crinkling.
She knew Uncle Chi would never let her fall into an awkward situation.
However, Old Madam Guo hesitated and said to Cheng Chi, "Is this appropriate? Perhaps we should let Shaojin come with us?"Cheng Chi sneered and said, "Is that kind of banquet even interesting?"
Old Madam Guo's gaze toward Cheng Chi suddenly brimmed with fighting spirit. "Since you put it that way, I'll stay. If that person asks, just tell him I don’t want to attend the family banquet—no excuses, just say it like that."
Cheng Chi laughed, the ice on his face melting away, his voice unusually gentle. "Mother, you should trust your son."
Old Madam Guo nodded with a gratified smile.
※
Sisters, here’s the weekend bonus update.
You can check out tomorrow’s update when you wake up in the morning!
o(n_n)o~
※ (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to...)
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