Nеvеr!
Zhоu Shаоjin thоught sorrowfullу.
Shе hаd оnlу ever felt this wау toward Unсle Chi...!
Соuld it bе thаt shе hаd fallen fоr Uncle Chi?
Zhou Shaojin соverеd her fасе, оverwhеlmеd with shаmе.
Wаs it beсause she hаrbоred fеelings in her heаrt that she сould sit cаlmlу bу his sidе, fаnning him, еvеn when he hаd drunk tоo muсh? Sitting thеrе until the third wаtch struсk, still unwilling tо leavе...
Wаs it beсause she hаrbored feеlings in hеr hеart thаt she had movеd intо Сold Grееn Моuntаin Нousе withоut much thоught? Just wanting tо see him dаy аnd night, tо сatсh а glimрsе of him...
Was it beсause she harborеd feelings in her hеart that shе would sееk him out fоr every little thing? Just wanting to see him laboring for her sake, feeling endless joy...
"Cousin Jia!" she cried, clinging to Cheng Jia. "Why did you have to fall for Li Jing?"
If Cheng Jia hadn't fallen for Li Jing, she wouldn't have had to learn what "liking" meant... It was all Cheng Jia's fault! She had put her in such an awkward position!
How was she supposed to face Cheng Chi from now on?
Zhou Shaojin cried too bitterly!
It was as if something she cherished had been snatched away, and she couldn't stop herself from weeping.
Was she afraid that after marrying Li Jing, Cheng Jia would ignore her?
Cheng Jia's eyes reddened as she listened. She held Zhou Shaojin, gently patting her back, and comforted her, "Even if I like Li Jing, you'll always be my dear sister! Li Jing values me, and he'll treat you well too. Wouldn't it be nice to have another brother to flatter and please you in the future?"
No!
Zhou Shaojin shook her head, crying.
Li Jing belonged to Cheng Jia—what did he have to do with her?
She only wanted her Uncle Chi... She only wanted things with Uncle Chi to be as they were before...
Zhou Shaojin bit her lip hard, unable to utter a word, and not daring to speak—afraid that if she couldn't hold back, she might say something that would plunge both her and Cheng Chi into hell.
Cheng Jia watched as she bit her lip until it bled, looking as if she might collapse at any moment, tormented as if she were about to fall apart. Tears streamed down Cheng Jia's face as she repeatedly called out, "Shaoji, Shaoji," saying, "Don't be like this! What if I don't marry? What if I don't marry?"
"No, no!" Zhou Shaojin didn't even know what she was saying, clinging tightly to Cheng Jia's arm as if holding onto a life-saving piece of driftwood.
Cheng Jia liked Li Jing. At least she could say it out loud!
But what about her?
Where could she turn?
Pretend nothing had happened and continue staying at Cold Green Mountain House?
Or bury these feelings deep in her heart, acting as if nothing had happened?
Once Uncle Chi got married, she would be nothing to him!
She couldn't bear it... couldn't bear it...
But what could she do even if she couldn't bear it?
Could she shamelessly reveal her feelings to him?
Just the thought of Cheng Chi looking at her with shock and disdain made her chest ache. As Cheng Jia had said, it felt as if a piece of her heart had been carved out with a knife, so painful she wished she could just die.
She buried her face in Cheng Jia's embrace and murmured, "Cousin Jia, what should I do? What should I do?"
Zhou Shaojin wanted to go to her sister.
But could she tell her sister this?
Go to her father?
That was even more impossible!
What should she do?
What should she do?
Zhou Shaojin was as frightened and uneasy as a small animal caught in a trap.
When Madam Fan Liu and Chunwan hurried over, they saw Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia weeping in each other's arms.
"What... what happened?" Madam Fan Liu said, unsure whether to pull them apart or leave them be.It was Cheng Jia who came to her senses first. Wiping her tears, she said, "Mama, please fetch some water for us to wash our faces again! We were just talking about some sad matters, so we ended up crying."
Madam Fan Liu naturally did not believe this, but now was not the time to press the matter.
She instructed the young maid to bring in water, and Chunwan and Cui Huan attended to Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia respectively, helping them freshen up.
Cheng Jia finished washing up quickly, but Zhou Shaojin remained dazed. Tears fell like scattered pearls, wiped away only to fall again, and wiped once more until her eyes soon became red and swollen.
Madam Fan Liu embraced Zhou Shaojin, heartbroken, and said, "My dear young lady, what has happened to you? If there is anything troubling you, just tell me. Even if I am of no help, there are still Old Madam Guan, Old Madam Guo, and the First Master. Seeing you like this pains me more than death itself!"
Zhou Shaojin forced a smile and said, "I am fine, I just feel sad." As she spoke, tears rolled down like dewdrops, one after another. The girl who had once been as fresh as a flower now seemed withered, as if struck by frost.
Madam Fan Liu watched with a pained heart, covering her mouth with a handkerchief as she began to cry. Between sobs, she said, "Second Young Lady, please don’t be like this! Let us write to the First Master, let us go to Baoding Prefecture..."
She had never liked Cheng Jia, feeling that Cheng Jia always took advantage of her parents' favor to boss Zhou Shaojin around. But she could not say this outright. She had reminded Zhou Shaojin several times, but Zhou Shaojin paid no heed to her words. Afraid that her advice might backfire and earn her a reputation for sowing discord, she never dared mention it again. Yet ever since Zhou Shaojin woke up from that fall, she had seemed like a different person—not only more decisive but also firm in her social interactions. Overjoyed, Madam Fan Liu had let Zhou Shaojin have her way.
But now, Cheng Jia had reduced Zhou Shaojin to this state once again.
However, they were no longer the Zhou Shaojin and Madam Fan Liu of the past.
The Second Young Lady had not only stood her ground, but she also had Old Madam Guo, Old Madam Guan, and their master behind her.
She was no longer the Zhou family’s Second Young Lady, who could be molded or flattened at the whim of the Cheng family’s Fourth Young Lady.
Upon hearing this, Cheng Jia flushed with anger.
She had not expected Madam Fan Liu to speak of her in such a manner.
Under normal circumstances, Cheng Jia would have insisted that Zhou Shaojin reprimand Madam Fan Liu, but today Zhou Shaojin’s mood was clearly off. She seemed lost, responding only after several attempts to get her attention... Cheng Jia did not want to trouble Zhou Shaojin with such matters now. She sneered a few times and said, "Shaoji, you should rest for today. I will come see you tomorrow!"
Zhou Shaojin nodded blankly.
Unable to help herself, Cheng Jia stepped forward and hugged Zhou Shaojin, who sat obediently by the daybed. With a long sigh, she left the Floating Emerald Pavilion with Cui Huan.
Zhou Shaojin could no longer hold herself up and collapsed onto the daybed. Before dinner time, she had developed a fever.
Old Madam Guo personally rushed over. While feeling Zhou Shaojin’s forehead, she questioned Madam Fan Liu with displeasure, "You nursed this young lady yourself. How could you only notice her illness now, when she has fallen so ill?"
Madam Fan Liu found it difficult to explain.
Zhou Shaojin had begun to feel feverish as soon as she lay down, and within three quarters of an hour, her body was burning hot.
But in front of Old Madam Guo, she dared not utter a word and could only lower her head in apology.Old Madam Guo had no time to scold a servant woman; once the words were spoken, they were done. She instructed Nanny Lu, "Hurry and go invite a physician!"
Nanny Lu dared not delay, taking Old Madam Guo's tally token and heading to the outer courtyard.
While waiting for the physician, Old Madam Guo had Biyu fetch cold water to wipe Zhou Shaojin's body, saying, "This is a method my father taught me when he was alive. When the Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master fell ill as children, I always used this method, fearing the fever would harm them!"
Madam Fan Liu was moved to tears, assisting Biyu with the task.
Soon, Zhou Shaojin's fever subsided slightly.
Agate tiptoed in and asked, "Old Madam, it is time for the evening meal. Where would you like it served?"
Old Madam Guo waved her hand impatiently and said, "We'll talk about it later."
Everyone held their breath, not daring to make a sound. The room was silent except for Zhou Shaojin's slightly heavier breathing than usual.
Old Madam Guo affectionately stroked her head.
She noticed Zhou Shaojin murmuring something, but her voice was too soft to hear clearly.
Old Madam Guo guessed she was either calling for her parents or her sister.
This child had lost her mother before she was even a year old and, before learning to walk, had followed her half-sister to live in the home of a grandmother with no blood relation... Yet she was as delicate as a flower bud, evoking pity—truly a pitiful child.
Someone entered the room silently.
In this household, only her youngest son, Cheng Chi, could move like this.
Old Madam Guo turned around and saw her youngest son standing outside the inner chamber's Xiangfei curtain. He asked urgently, "She was fine yesterday. How did she suddenly fall ill?"
Before she could question those around Zhou Shaojin, she turned her gaze to Madam Fan Liu, who stood respectfully by the bedside with her hands at her sides.
Madam Fan Liu shuddered and told Old Madam Guo about Cheng Jia's visit: "...As for what exactly was said, we servants didn’t hear clearly. Since Second Young Lady and Miss Jia usually prefer not to have us around when they share private conversations, we only entered after hearing Miss Jia’s shouts."
Old Madam Guo frowned and said, "That Jia girl never gives anyone a moment of peace. First Madam Lu wasn’t wrong to confine her to her room."
It’s over, it’s over.
Biyu sighed inwardly for Cheng Jia.
With Old Madam Guo’s words, Miss Jia wouldn’t be able to leave the house this summer, let alone visit Cold Green Mountain House.
Meanwhile, Cheng Chi asked, "Has a physician been called? Which physician was invited? Was a sedan chair sent to fetch them?"
Nanny Lu hurriedly replied, "We invited a physician from the Zhou Clinic, using Old Madam’s tally token. The steward from the outer courtyard’s rites office personally accompanied the sedan chair. It was arranged for Physician Zhou and his wife to come together."
Cheng Chi felt slightly reassured, thinking that Zhou Shaojin had always been frail, though she had never fallen ill before. He had been careless, keeping her up late talking the previous night and not having a maid fetch a lined jacket for her when she returned. Most likely, she had caught a chill from the night breeze without realizing it and fell ill as soon as she did.
He suddenly felt an impulse to enter the inner chamber and check Zhou Shaojin’s pulse. But when he saw the golden light reflected from the hairpin in his mother’s hair, his heart trembled, and he restrained himself from lifting his foot.
Cheng Chi grew somewhat restless.
He paced back and forth in the outer hall.Old Madam Guo felt a headache coming on and said, "Si Lang, it's time for dinner now. You should go back and eat first. I'll stay here and keep watch. Once the doctor's prescription is ready, I'll have someone bring it to you for review."
Cheng Chi had no appetite, but he also couldn't linger here indefinitely. Just as he was hesitating, Doctor Zhou and his wife arrived.
He felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, welcoming Doctor Zhou and his wife inside. He stood in the courtyard with Doctor Zhou, waiting for Mrs. Zhou to finish taking the pulse.
After a short while, Nanny Lu came out and said, "Mrs. Zhou says Second Cousin is fine. She might have been frightened, causing a temporary blockage of qi in the heart. A few doses of calming medicine should do the trick."
※
Dear brothers and sisters, here is today's update.
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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