Оld Маdаm Guаn gently tоuсhеd thе еighteen-beаd sаndalwoоd rosarу оn hеr wrist, rеmаining silеnt.
A yоung maid brought up tea and rеfrеshments.
Zhоu Shaоjin rесеived thеm with а сhееrful smile, аrranging them on thе tеa tаble. Pointing tо the half-grеen, half-rеd jujubеs in thе fruit trау, shе sаid, "Grandmothеr, уou’vе соme аt just the right timе! Тhese wеrе sent оver yestеrday by Unсlе Сhi—theу’re tribute jujubes frоm Shаndоng, crisр аnd swееt. I’m surе уou’ll likе thеm."
She sрokе without the slightеst traсе оf timidity, еntеrtаining hеr as if she werе half the hostess.
Old Мadam Guan smilеd and piсked uр а jujube, sаying, "Then I’ll give it a try."
Zhou Shaojin beamed, using a toothpick to skewer a piece of crystal cake for Old Madam Guo. In a sweet, coquettish tone, she said, "This was freshly made today—not as sweet as yesterday’s. I also had them add a bit of wheat starch, so it looks prettier than yesterday’s, doesn’t it?" She sounded like a child seeking praise from an adult.
Old Madam Guo replied, "It does look whiter than yesterday’s!" Then she took a bite and said, "What’s in this? It doesn’t taste like powdered sugar—it’s milder but has a longer aftertaste."
Zhou Shaojin giggled and said, "It’s rock sugar, melted and added to the mix. You’re truly amazing, able to tell with just one bite."
Old Madam Guo chuckled and said, "That’s about all I’m good for."
Zhou Shaojin wrinkled her nose, looking utterly adorable.
Then, obediently, she pushed the teacup toward Old Madam Guo and said to Old Madam Guan, "Grandmother, please have some tea. It’s Lu’an Guapian."
Lu’an Guapian tea is light and mild, making it more suitable for the elderly.
Old Madam Guan slowly spat the jujube pit into a small gold-rimmed sweet-white porcelain dish beside her, recalling the first time Zhou Shaojin formally met Old Madam Guo.
She had instructed Zhou Shaojin to serve Old Madam Guo attentively, but Zhou Shaojin, accustomed to being served herself, had felt somewhat aggrieved.
Yet, in just two years, she had come to serve Old Madam Guo as if she were her own elder.
Old Madam Guan knew Zhou Shaojin’s temperament well—after all, she had her father as her support. Deep down, she retained a touch of pride and aloofness. For her to show such filial devotion to Old Madam Guo, it wasn’t the prestige of the eldest branch that could make her bow her head. Only if Old Madam Guo treated her like a beloved granddaughter could she become so gentle and compliant.
Old Madam Guan lifted her teacup and took a sip.
In the fourth branch, she had been all thorns; in the eldest branch, she had blossomed into a delicate flower.
Could Yi Ge’er nurture this flower? Could he protect it?
Old Madam Guan felt a twinge of regret for sending Zhou Shaojin to the eldest branch to be raised.
But without Old Madam Guo’s guidance, would the former Zhou Shaojin have been acceptable to the fourth branch?
For a family to prosper and rise, it needs not only capable people but also harmony and unity.
Gao Ge’er’s wife is a daughter of the He family, born into an established lineage, with a father who holds a third-rank official position.
If Yi Ge’er’s wife were Zhou Shaojin, her appearance alone would draw admiration wherever she went. Yet, her background as the daughter of a fourth-rank prefect from a single, isolated branch would make her less conspicuous... But with the support of the eldest branch, Zhou Shaojin, even unintentionally, could easily overshadow the He family’s daughter.
Even if the He family’s daughter possessed more inner refinement than Zhou Shaojin, the world often judges by appearances, and the He family’s daughter would struggle to hold her ground.
And when the second son’s wife outshines the eldest son’s wife, who manages the household, it often becomes the root of family discord.
Shaojin was no longer suited to be the fourth branch’s daughter-in-law.
Old Madam Guan suddenly felt disheartened.
All those thoughts she had turned over and over in her mind, all those words she had pondered again and again, had now become utterly meaningless.Old Madam Guo had been observing Old Madam Guan's expression all along.
Seeing a hint of dejection appear on Old Madam Guan's face, her anxious heart finally settled.
She could not leave Shaojin in the Cheng family.
Even less could she allow Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Yi to become engaged.
If before she had felt Cheng Yi was unworthy of Zhou Shaojin, now she feared her son would commit the scandal of taking his nephew's intended bride—everyone had moments of fiery passion in their youth, sometimes for a woman, sometimes for scholarly pursuits, sometimes for personal interests. But as age increased and experience grew, that fervor gradually faded. Yet this time, even though her son had clearly discussed with her that Fang Daxian would step forward to arrange a marriage for Cheng Yi, discreetly extracting Zhou Shaojin from the situation, her son had suddenly seemed like a different person, simply and crudely arranging for Cheng Jing to propose a marriage for Cheng Yi.
She had no idea what her youngest son was plotting!
Old Madam Guo had not slept well these past few days.
She believed her son was steady and reliable, unlike those reckless young men. But he also liked Zhou Shaojin in his heart; otherwise, he would not have indulged her in treating the Tingli Pavilion like a vegetable garden, coming and going as she pleased.
Having someone constantly appearing before you is different from longing for them from afar.
Constantly appearing before you only deepens the feelings.
Longing from afar will eventually fade with time.
She did not want to take that risk.
So she doted on the young girl as before.
Making the frugal Fourth Branch retreat in the face of difficulty.
She would then find the girl a Ruyi husband, and her son would naturally withdraw.
Otherwise, she would be shooting herself in the foot—persuading the Fourth Branch not to let outsiders treat Zhou Shaojin as a child bride sent to the Eldest Branch for upbringing, only to end up becoming her own daughter-in-law. In others' eyes, Zhou Shaojin would still be a child bride.
This child's fate was truly too unfortunate!
Thinking of how Zhou Shaojin, completely unaware of being ensnared in her scheme, treated her with utmost sincerity, Old Madam Guo felt somewhat unable to meet Zhou Shaojin's eyes and decided to resolve this matter swiftly and decisively.
She asked Old Madam Guan openly and honestly, "Have you come to see me because of what happened the other day?"
Although Old Madam Guan did not conceal her feelings, she had also decided not to beg Old Madam Guo to facilitate the marriage between Zhou Shaojin and Yi Ge'er, saying, "I've been feeling somewhat unsettled and wanted to talk with you."
Old Madam Guo then smiled and said to Zhou Shaojin, who was attending to her, "I need to have a private talk with your grandmother. Go play with Snowball." She added half-jokingly, "And don't eavesdrop on our conversation!"
Zhou Shaojin pouted discontentedly and said, "When have I ever eavesdropped on you? You mustn't wrong me!"
Old Madam Guo chuckled, patted her hand, and said, "Go play on your own!"
Zhou Shaojin smiled and agreed, instructing the maidservant to serve fresh tea to Old Madam Guo and Old Madam Guan before leaving the sitting room.
Old Madam Guan lowered her eyelids.
Shaojin truly no longer suited the Fourth Branch.
If someone had said this to her before, she would have pretended to be fearless and retreated with a smile, but now she was truly fearless.
Only those who have confidence in themselves are unafraid of others' ridicule.She sighed softly and asked Old Madam Guo, "Do you know what kind of temperament Seventeenth Miss Gu has? How many full siblings does she have at home? Which family is her mother from..."
※
Zhou Shaojin actually really wanted to eavesdrop.
She had learned from Biyu that someone had arranged a marriage proposal for Cheng Yi.
The frequent visits from the Fourth House to Old Madam Guo must be related to Cheng Yi's marriage.
Uncle Chi had promised her that he wouldn't let her marry Cheng Yi.
She had no doubt about this at all, let alone worry. She just wanted to know what exactly was going on, to find out in advance who Cousin Yi's bride would be, and whether she would be easy to get along with.
To her, the Fourth House was like a second maternal home.
She hoped the Fourth House could prosper and flourish, that someone could give Cheng Yi a helping hand, so he wouldn't end up with the same fate as in her previous life.
But since Old Madam Guo had already spoken, it wouldn't be proper for her to eavesdrop.
She went to ask Biyu, "After that, you didn't hear anything else from the old madam?"
"No!" Biyu was about to get married and had been doing needlework in her room whenever she had free time lately.
Although Old Madam Guo would arrange her dowry for her, things like shoes and socks for meeting relatives were better made by hand—it showed more sincerity and allowed others to see the virtues, speech, work, and appearance of a senior maid from Cold Green Mountain House.
Zhou Shaojin thought Biyu's approach was good. She drew embroidery patterns and tried to have the sewing room help Biyu make a bright red robe to wear when meeting relatives. Unexpectedly, Madam Wang not only agreed but also enthusiastically offered to make an extra outfit for Biyu to wear when returning to her parents' home after the wedding, so she could marry with dignity and grace.
Hearing Biyu say this, she couldn't help but remark, "I wonder if Uncle Chi has heard about it?"
Biyu smiled, picked up scissors to cut the thread, and rethreaded with a different color. "You'd better wait a while before going. I just heard from a little maid that the Listening Oriole Pavilion is eerily quiet. The atmosphere there is so tense it could crush a person. Even Qing Feng and Lang Yue, who usually serve Fourth Master, are standing far away, not daring to approach the study. Something must have happened, upsetting Fourth Master!"
Zhou Shaojin found this strange.
Just then, Snowball's "woof woof woof" barking came from outside.
Zhou Shaojin and Biyu went out to look and saw Jiying playing with Snowball using an embroidered ball.
"When did you come back?" Zhou Shaojin was overjoyed.
Biyu hurriedly brewed tea and brought snacks to entertain Jiying.
Jiying took a comfortable sip of tea and said, "Ah, this is the life."
"Were you having a hard time outside?" Zhou Shaojin examined Jiying.
She noticed Jiying had become thinner and darker than before, but her features were more defined, her gaze brighter, and her whole person resembled an unsheathed sword—cold and sharp, yet somehow dazzlingly radiant.
Seeing no one else around, Jiying lowered her voice and said, "That Uncle Chi of yours—he treats women like men and men like beasts of burden. He's really not human!"
Zhou Shaojin quickly covered her mouth.
Biyu pretended to go pour more tea, acting as if she hadn't heard.
Jiying giggled and said, "It's still more fun being with you all!"
Zhou Shaojin glared at Jiying.
Jiying offered insincere comfort to Zhou Shaojin, saying, "Alright, alright. Your Uncle Chi won't hear. He's in a temper right now and has no time for us."
"Why is Uncle Chi in a temper?" Zhou Shaojin asked.
At this, even Biyu pricked up her ears to listen.Jiying picked up a piece of crispy candy and said lazily, "I suppose that Madam Yuan has done something foolish again, making him so angry that the veins at his temples are bulging. He even called Dongting over—he must be planning to scheme against someone again." She added, "You probably know Dongting, right? Wei Dongting. He said he’s met you. Your Uncle Chi hands all his dirty work to him. Whenever he shows up, nothing good ever comes of it!"
Zhou Shaojin felt this was because Jiying held a bias against Uncle Chi.
In her eyes, even the good could be twisted into something bad, and if things didn’t go her way, she’d describe them as utterly rotten from head to toe.
"What exactly happened?" Zhou Shaojin nudged her.
※
To my dear readers, this is an extra update for Zixiao12.
There may be typos; I’ll fix them in the afternoon.
PS: Updates are usually around midnight. I’ll try to post earlier if possible.
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
OpenNovel