Сhеng Yi сouldn't helр аsking Zhоu Shаоjin, "What is she like?"
Zhоu Shаojin quicklу supprеssеd thе tаnglеd thоughts in her heаrt and smiled, "She has a verу сheеrful pеrsоnаlitу, is cоnsidеrаtе, аnd spеaks quite wittily... Yоu'll undеrstand whеn you meеt her. I wouldn't liе to yоu. Асtuаllу, Grаndmоther and Еldеst Aunt реrsоnallу met аnd оbserved hеr. If shе werеn't suitable, theу certainlу wоuldn't hаve аrranged this marriаgе fоr yоu."
Сhеng Yi's fасе flushed аs if it сould driр bloоd, yet hе glanсеd wistfullу towаrd Соld Grеen Mountаin House and murmured, "If оnly Jiying werеn't Fourth Unclе's maid..."
Sо hе still wants tо have his cake and eat it too!
Zhou Shaojin was furious. With a stern expression, she said, "The Gu family's seventeenth young lady is a good girl. If you're dissatisfied, you should speak to the elders sooner rather than later. Don't wait until she marries into the family while you still carry feelings for someone else, being fickle and harming Miss Gu." As she spoke, she couldn't help but recall her past life, and her eyes grew slightly misty. "We women aren't like you men. If you're unhappy, you can hide anywhere under heaven, or find a confidante outside, or even set up another household elsewhere. We only have this courtyard to come and go from, forced to live within these walls. Even if we seek death, we fear hurting our elders' hearts or causing those who love us to bear ill repute and slander. Let me make this clear: if you don't speak honestly to the elders now, and if you show even the slightest mistreatment toward Miss Gu after she enters the family, I'll immediately tell Grandmother, Eldest Aunt, Eldest Uncle, and Cousin Gao. They'll either beat you until you're bedridden or strip a layer of skin off you... No, even that would be too lenient. I'll ask Jiying to step in and deal with you severely..."
Cheng Yi felt a chill run down his spine and exclaimed, "Hey! When did you become so vicious? Like a flower with thorns. Could it be that spending too much time with that shrew Jiying has hardened your heart too..."
Before he could finish, Zhou Shaojin shot him a fierce glare.
Though the glance was gentle and lacked any real intimidation, her willful demeanor still made Cheng Yi scratch his head and stammer, "Don't always think so poorly of me... I was just talking! Haven't you ever liked something you couldn't have and could only occasionally think about in your heart?"
Zhou Shaojin fell silent.
She thought of Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi was someone she could only ever think about in her heart.
Buried in the deepest corner.
Never letting anyone discover it.
Even in death, no one would know.
As this thought flashed through her mind, sorrow welled up within her, and large teardrops began to fall.
Zhou Shaojin had always been delicate since childhood, yet she was also stubborn. Even when she fell and scraped her palms, she never made a sound. Seeing her cry so suddenly like this was a first for Cheng Yi.
He panicked.
He wanted to take out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, but found he had brought nothing with him. He thought of using his sleeve, but looking at her jade-like, gentle face and then at the auspicious cloud embroidery on his own sleeve, he feared leaving marks on her skin.Cheng Yi had no choice but to circle around her anxiously. As he paced, he pleaded, "Please stop crying! I swear I'll treat Gu Shiqigu well, alright? I swear I won't think about Jiying anymore, alright? I'm really not as bad as you think! The other day, Elder Cousin Cheng Lu came to see me. He said that Auntie Bai was ill, so he secretly returned to visit her. He brought some local specialties for you and asked me to pass them on. I didn’t even agree…"
Zhou Shaojin’s tears instantly froze on her cheeks.
She stared in astonishment. "What did you say? Cheng Lu came to see you? When did he come? What did he say to you…"
"Shh! Shh! Shh!" Cheng Yi nervously glanced around. "Keep your voice down! I haven’t told anyone about this. I promised Elder Cousin Cheng Lu I wouldn’t tell a soul…"
This fool!
How did she end up with such a cousin!
Zhou Shaojin scowled, quickly wiping the corners of her eyes. She grabbed Cheng Yi and dragged him toward the pavilion atop the Taihu rockery.
"Ouch!" Cheng Yi didn’t dare struggle, pleading all the way. "If you have something to say, just say it properly. Where are you dragging me? I sneaked over here—if anyone sees us, I’ll be sleeping on my stomach tonight…"
He’d be beaten so badly by Cheng Mian he couldn’t lie on his back.
Zhou Shaojin ignored him. Panting heavily, she climbed to the pavilion and stood there for a long while before catching her breath. "What exactly is going on? Tell me clearly! Otherwise, I’ll go tell Uncle right now, and you’ll still end up sleeping on your stomach tonight!"
"You… how did you become like this?" Cheng Yi’s face was even paler than Zhou Shaojin’s.
If Zhou Shaojin had a whip in her hand, she would have lashed him. "I became like this because of you. Now hurry up and tell me what really happened!"
Cheng Yi mumbled, "He said they were studying away from home, and Yuelu Academy only allowed them to return once a year because they were worried something might happen to them so far from home. But Auntie Bai was ill, and he was too worried, so he secretly came back. He also said that among all the cousins, I was the most tight-lipped and wouldn’t gossip, so he wanted to see me and brought some local specialties along. I invited him to stay for a meal. Then he mentioned he hadn’t seen you in years. He said you used to enjoy talking to him when you were little and asked if I could call you over…"
At the time, he thought he was about to become engaged to Zhou Shaojin—his cousin turning into his wife—and he felt too embarrassed. Besides, he thought Cheng Lu’s request was a bit inappropriate, so he flatly refused.
"Elder Cousin Cheng Lu pleaded and argued with me for a long time, but I didn’t say a word," Cheng Yi murmured. "I’m not as unreliable as you say. I just thought that since we’re all from the same family, if I could help him with something, I should. If I couldn’t, I shouldn’t make things awkward for him…"
What was Cheng Lu trying to do?
Was he trying to continue his ambiguous relationship with her like in her past life, to deceive her? Or had he sensed in this life that his scholarly reputation might be at risk, suspected her, and wanted to find some clues from her?
Zhou Shaojin felt utterly annoyed just thinking about it. She wished it were already the end of the year, so Cheng Lu’s scholarly reputation could be stripped away, and she could watch him squirm!
She also resented Cheng Lu for his sweet talk, which had fooled even Cheng Yi.
But she couldn’t tell Cheng Yi the truth.
Cheng Yi was still too young. She was afraid he couldn’t keep a secret and might accidentally spill something, ruining everything.Taking several deep breaths, she managed to suppress the anger in her heart and spoke to him in a tone as calm as usual: "He sneaked back behind the academy elders' backs, and you knew about it but didn't inform the elders. That's your mistake! You mustn't associate with him anymore in the future. Otherwise, when Uncle finds out, he'll surely punish you by making you kneel in the ancestral hall again!"
Cheng Yi flushed with shame and said, "He returned to Yuelu Academy long ago... I won't meet him again!"
"Did he tell you that?" Zhou Shaojin asked.
Cheng Yi nodded.
It seemed Cheng Lu might not come looking for Cheng Yi anymore.
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief and admonished him a few more times with words like "Don’t go around causing trouble," until she noticed it was getting late, almost time for lunch, before parting ways with Cheng Yi.
Unexpectedly, upon returning to the main quarters, she saw Cheng Chi, whom she hadn’t seen for several days.
Unable to contain the joy in her heart, she called out, "Uncle Chi!"
Cheng Chi smiled and nodded at her, acknowledging her greeting.
Her elated mood felt as if doused with a bucket of cold water, which also helped her calm down considerably.
The two accompanied Old Madam Guo for lunch, and when they moved to the resting room for tea, Cheng Chi brought up the matter of dissolving the partnership with the Li family.
No wonder Uncle Chi had been out of sight these past few days!
Zhou Shaojin’s heart settled.
Old Madam Guo, however, was somewhat surprised.
Her youngest son rarely discussed such matters with her.
She couldn’t help but ask, "Will dissolving the partnership affect Yutai Bank’s business?"
Cheng Chi replied, "I don’t want to expand the business further. A tree that stands out in the forest will be felled by the wind. Given the Cheng family’s current standing, it’s time to be more restrained."
Old Madam Guo nodded, her expression grave. "During the transition between dynasties, while people outside were starving, the Cheng family continued to live in luxury, which eventually brought disaster. Past mistakes serve as lessons for the future. You’ve considered this well. You should also remind your elder brother—I’ve heard that your sister-in-law is lending money at high interest with the Yuan family. That’s not a good thing!"
Zhou Shaojin was startled.
She hadn’t expected Madam Yuan to be involved in usury.
No wonder she was so wealthy in her previous life!
Could Uncle Chi be angry about this matter?
What exactly was the "disaster" Old Madam Guo mentioned?
As Zhou Shaojin pondered, Cheng Chi stood up with a smile and said, "I understand! The midday sun is harsh, so please rest for now. I’ll return to my quarters to rest for a while before heading to the shop. Tomorrow, I’ll also need to handle the funds from the dissolved partnership."
Without waiting for Old Madam Guo’s instruction, Zhou Shaojin helped lift the curtain for Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi smiled and nodded at her before quickly leaving the main quarters.
Zhou Shaojin felt a chill in her heart and lowered her eyelids as she returned to the main quarters.
Another seven or eight days passed. Madam Yuan’s wet nurse and several stewards arrived first, escorting luggage and bringing along a few young maids. After freshening up, Madam Yuan’s wet nurse came to pay her respects to Old Madam Guo. She showed no surprise upon seeing Zhou Shaojin serving by Old Madam Guo’s side.
Zhou Shaojin grew wary and took note of this.
After paying her formal respects to Old Madam Guo, the wet nurse smiled and said, "Madam caught a chill in the capital and isn’t feeling well. Afraid of delaying the journey, she ordered this old servant to bring local gifts for everyone at home ahead of time. Madam estimates she’ll need another seven or eight days to arrive."
In another seven or eight days, the Mid-Autumn Festival would already be over.
Zhou Shaojin noticed Old Madam Guo’s brows furrow almost imperceptibly as she said, "Since the decision to return was made, why didn’t she set off a few days earlier?"
The wet nurse glanced at Zhou Shaojin.Old Madam Guo's brows furrowed.
The wet nurse hurried forward a few steps, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum, and said, "The chief and deputy examiners for the Southern Zhili provincial examination have already been decided, and we're just waiting for the Emperor to stamp the memorial. Madam returned late because of this matter."
It seemed her daughter-in-law wanted her son to achieve the top rank in the provincial examination!
Old Madam Guo gave a soft "hmm" and said, "Jiashan has been arranged by his fourth uncle to study at Algae Garden. I know you're deeply concerned. Once you've settled matters in the house, have the sedan chair hall send a sedan to take you there."
The wet nurse thanked her repeatedly before withdrawing.
Zhou Shaojin felt the air lighten considerably.
She greatly disliked Madam Yuan's people.
By the afternoon, the wet nurse had delivered the gifts Madam Yuan had brought for everyone.
Old Madam Guo, Biyu, and others naturally received theirs, and surprisingly, Zhou Shaojin was also given one.
※
Dear brothers and sisters, here is today's update.
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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