Тhе Сhеng sisters werе quitе surрrisеd.
Сheng Zheng prоmрtly eхpressеd hеr thаnks with а smilе.
Сheng Xiаo glanced at Chеng Shеng and sаid, "Hоw саn wе aссерt gifts frоm yоu—we are thе еlder sistеrs, so it should be us giving уou gifts."
This wаs Zhou Shaоjin's first timе hаndling suсh sосiаl interaсtiоns, so shе mustеrеd her сourаgе and said, "Тhеy аren't anything рarticularlу vаluаble, just а token of mу sinсеrity."
Сhеng Shеng smilеd аnd rеmarkеd, "Shаoji, уou'vе reallу grown uр! Yоu еven knоw tо givе us gifts nоw."
Zhou Shaojin's fаce warmed slightly.
In thе past, she trulу hadn't understоod suсh mаtters. Shе felt that Cheng Sheng was already a favored daughter, with everyone in Nine Prosperities Lane vying to curry favor with her. If she, too, tried to get close, she would only be looked down upon. Therefore, during the years they studied together, not only did she never give Cheng Sheng any gifts, but she also directly refused when Cheng Sheng occasionally shared items sent by her parents in the capital.
Who would bother coaxing someone entirely unrelated to them?
Gradually, Cheng Sheng distanced herself from her.
Zhou Shaojin thought of Cheng Chi again.
If it weren't for Uncle Chi coaxing her along, even if she were reborn, she would likely still be filled with resentment and remain an unlikable person.
Her heart suddenly felt as sweet as honey.
When would Uncle Chi return?
She didn't want to go out anymore.
She wanted to make a few more pairs of shoes for Uncle Chi before he returned.
She also needed to embroider some prettier pouches for Uncle Chi to hold small items... They must be exquisitely embroidered, something that would catch people's eyes.
Uncle Chi might seem indifferent to everything, but in reality, he was quite particular.
The embroidered items had to be something he would like.
With a smile on her lips, Zhou Shaojin headed to Shuangyu Alley.
Since Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Zheng had gone out, Madam Li had taken Zhou Youjin to visit neighbors in Shuangyu Alley. Upon hearing that Zhou Shaojin had returned, they went to the moon gate to welcome her.
Zhou Shaojin presented Zhou Chujin with several pots of clivia as if offering treasures.
Zhou Chujin was overjoyed at the sight of the flowers.
Her younger sister was becoming more and more sensible. In the future, she wouldn't have to worry about her being looked down upon by her mother-in-law due to her lack of understanding of social etiquette after marriage.
Zhou Shaojin then magically produced a palm-sized glass bowl from the carriage, inside which swam one red and one black goldfish.
"This is for Youjin!" She bent down and handed the glass bowl to Zhou Youjin. "Do you like it?"
"Mhm!" Zhou Youjin blinked her big eyes, staring at the glass bowl and nodding repeatedly, but she didn't dare take it.
Madam Li was overjoyed.
Although the gift wasn't expensive, it showed that she treated Youjin as her own younger sister.
She quickly took the glass bowl for her daughter and said to Zhou Youjin with a smile, "Hurry up and thank your second sister!"
Zhou Youjin called out "Second Sister" in her childish voice and stammered, "Th-thank you!"
Zhou Shaojin explained with a smile, "I saw Cousin Zheng specifically taking their Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master to buy goldfish, so I bought two for Youjin."
"You've gone to so much trouble," Madam Li said, her eyes and brows filled with smiles.
Zhou Chujin promptly invited Zhou Shaojin inside. "Let's sit and talk. Standing here isn't the way to go." Then she said to Zhou Shaojin, "Just now, I was discussing with Madam whether you'd be back for dinner." She instructed Chixiang, "Tell the kitchen to add a few dishes that Second Young Miss likes." She added, "You and Madam should stay here for dinner before returning."
Zhou Shaojin nodded with a bright smile, took Zhou Youjin's hand, and went to see Guan Ge. She didn't come out until the servants had set the table.Upon returning to Yuqian Lane, when Madam Fan Liu came in to attend to Zhou Shaojin as she rested, Zhou Shaojin asked her, who was making the bed, "Was I also very late in learning to speak when I was little?"
"Who said that?" Madam Fan Liu smiled, patting the pillow. She placed it neatly at the head of the bed and said with a laugh, "Second Miss was very clever as a child. You could call people by nine months and walk by one year. The first word you said was 'Daddy.' The master was so delighted. He held you all day, unwilling to let go, always saying he had never seen such a beautiful and clever child. If the mistress were still alive, she would have been overjoyed..."
Her voice trailed off, and tears glistened at the corners of her eyes.
Zhou Shaojin felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
If her birth mother were still alive, everything would be different... but then she might never have met Uncle Chi...
It seemed fate played tricks on people!
She sighed softly and said with some concern, "I see Youjin is already this old, but she doesn’t speak as fluently as other children..."
Madam Fan Liu smiled and said, "This is because the Zhou family is wealthy. The young ladies and gentlemen have never lacked attendants since they were in swaddling clothes, with adults always by their side. That’s why they speak and walk early. If you go to our countryside and see, which family’s adults don’t have to work in the fields? Children are tied with ropes under trees to be raised. Some don’t start speaking until they’re three or five years old. But I’ve never seen them fall short in any way!"
Zhou Shaojin laughed and said, "Perhaps I’m overthinking it!" Then she joked with Madam Fan Liu, "You just said I was clever, but it turns out that was just polite talk! I learned to speak and walk so early because I had people to play with since I was little!"
Madam Fan Liu chuckled, "Second Miss is really nitpicking—even among wealthy families, few are like Second Miss, who spoke and walked so early."
Zhou Shaojin laughed heartily.
Madam Fan Liu was also pleased and privately said to Nanny Shang, "It seems Second Miss quite enjoys going out to play with the Cheng family’s eldest lady and the others. Today, she even joked with me!"
Nanny Shang smiled without saying a word, thinking, Fourth Master is truly remarkable, even bringing out the eldest lady of the Zheng family.
In the future, Yuqian Lane is likely to become livelier and livelier!
The next day, Cheng Sheng came to visit her and said, "The swaddling clothes you embroidered for Rong'er during his third-day bath ceremony made the Cheng family the talk of the town. In a few days, it will be my mother-in-law’s birthday. Could you help me design a pattern? I’ll treat you to Fuchun River’s crystal duck." She spoke with great sincerity.
Zhou Shaojin never expected that one day Cheng Sheng would ask for her help.
She couldn’t help but smile, her eyes crinkling, and said, "What’s the big deal! What kind of pattern does your mother-in-law like?"
The two spent the afternoon in the sitting room, and Cheng Sheng left satisfied.
Meanwhile, a maid from Shuangyu Lane came to deliver a message: "Our Madam Liao will arrive early the day after tomorrow. The messenger sent ahead has already reached Shuangyu Lane."
Zhou Shaojin went to Madam Li’s place for dinner and discussed with her the arrangements for hosting Madam Liao.
Supervising the maids and servants to clean the house, purchasing chickens, ducks, fish, and meat, rearranging the furnishings... Zhou Shaojin and Madam Li were busy all day and unexpectedly began to understand each other’s preferences.
This could be considered an unexpected gain!
Zhou Shaojin found it quite interesting and decided to tell Cheng Chi about it when he returned.
The next day, after breakfast, she and Madam Li took Zhou Youjin to Yuqian Lane.Liao Shaotang had already taken the steward and servants to Xizhimen Gate to fetch her, so they waited for Madam Liao while chatting with Zhou Chujin.
It was nearly noon when Liao Shaotang returned.
Zhou Shaojin and the others went to the inner gate to welcome her.
Madam Liao stepped down from the carriage, travel-worn and weary.
Zhou Shaojin was astonished at the sight.
Madam Liao looked much thinner than she had in Zhenjiang. Perhaps from constant frowning, a deep crease had newly formed between her brows. Her face was powdered and her lips rouged, but instead of appearing refreshed, it only made her look older.
Zhou Shaojin instinctively glanced at Zhou Chujin.
Zhou Chujin was clearly also very surprised. She hurried forward to support Madam Liao.
Madam Liao gently patted Zhou Chujin’s hand and allowed herself to be helped through the inner gate.
Madam Li and Zhou Shaojin stepped forward to greet her.
Madam Liao responded with a few pleasantries, smiling warmly. Madam Li then rose with Zhou Shaojin to take their leave: “Now that we know you’ve arrived safely, we are at ease! Tomorrow at noon, I will host a welcome dinner for you at home!”
Seeing that Madam Li and Zhou Shaojin were not staying at Yushu Alley, Madam Liao could not conceal her surprise.
Liao Shaotang was also pleased to elevate his wife’s status and said with a smile, “Originally, my mother-in-law and two sisters-in-law stayed here to care for Chujin. But when you said you were coming, they thought you were accustomed to large residences in Zhenjiang and might feel uncomfortable in a new place like the capital. So they moved to a house under Shaojin’s name, located in Yuqian Alley next door, just a quarter-hour’s walk from here. Hearing of your arrival today, my mother-in-law and sisters-in-law came early this morning to welcome you!”
A house under Shaojin’s name… but Shaojin isn’t even married yet?
Isn’t that a bit too indulgent?
Still, this was ultimately the Zhou family’s affair. Madam Liao, always one to keep her thoughts to herself, showed no sign of her feelings as she spoke to Madam Li: “You’ve been taking care of our Chujin. I am endlessly grateful whenever I think of it. Why should you move to Yuqian Alley? There are plenty of rooms here. Won’t you move back? I’ll have someone to talk to!”
Madam Li politely declined, confirming the welcome dinner at her home the next day.
Madam Liao readily agreed.
But as soon as Madam Li had just left the alley, Madam Liao immediately ordered Liao Shaotang to close the main gate. Her smile vanished, and she called her son and daughter-in-law into the sitting room, saying, “Your father is beyond saving!”
Liao Shaotang was greatly embarrassed and glanced at Zhou Chujin.
Zhou Chujin quickly said, “Mother, let me make you a cup of tea.”
Seeing her son’s expression, Madam Liao nodded somewhat distractedly.
Zhou Chujin lingered in the tea room for over half an hour, figuring that whatever the mother and son needed to discuss should be finished by then, before finally carrying the tea tray into the room.
Liao Shaotang sat with his head bowed, looking dejected. Madam Liao’s eyes were red, as if she had been crying.
Seeing Zhou Chujin enter, both mother and son composed themselves.
Liao Shaotang said, “For now, settle in peacefully here and take the chance to guide Shaojin on how to care for Guan Ge. As for what comes later, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it—there will always be a way. Just focus on living comfortably.”
Madam Liao smiled bitterly and said, “To think I’ve been strong-willed all my life, only to end up defeated by your father.”Zhou Chujin couldn't say much. After Madam Liao finished her tea, she attended to Madam Liao's freshening up until she was clean and tidy, then accompanied Madam Liao to the east wing to see Guan Ge.
"This child is truly beautiful!" Madam Liao couldn't take her eyes off him the moment she saw him, praising the child repeatedly. She also thanked Zhou Chujin for giving birth to such a sturdy, chubby boy, then instructed the standing maidservant to bring in a box, saying, "This is a set of ruby jewelry—I'm giving it to you!"
Such a valuable item—Zhou Chujin firmly refused to accept it.
Madam Liao smiled and said, "Silly child, when an elder gives a gift, one must not decline. Just go ahead and accept it."
Liao Shaotang also urged her to take it.
Zhou Shaojin felt it would be impolite to refuse further and accepted the box.
Madam Liao then smiled and said, "That's right! In a few days, when Jiashan gets married, you can wear it to the wedding banquet!"
※
Dear readers, the errors in the previous two chapters have been corrected—you can refresh to see them. As for updates, please check again tomorrow morning!
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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