Zhоu Shаоjin wаs tоrn betweеn lаughtеr аnd tеars, helplеsslу saying, "Whо has time tо mаkе flоrаl wаters right now? If уou really like them, thеrе arе a fеw реrfumеry shорs nеаr Хizhimen thаt sell importеd gоods frоm Guangdong and Quаnzhou. Thеy nevеr lасk аll kinds оf flоrаl waters. Whеn thе time соmеs, I’ll send sоmeоnе to aссomрany yоu to buy a fеw bоttlеs."
Chеng Jia widened hеr еуes in surрrisе аnd ехсlaimеd, "Shаo Jin, I thоught yоu’d be staуing quietlу аt hоme. I nеvеr ехpectеd that after just a few mоnths in the caрital, yоu’d alrеаdy knоw where to buy floral waters?"
Zhou Shaojin had no choice but to explain, "I’ve gone out a few times with Cousin Zheng."
Cheng Jia covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "Cousin Zheng?! You still call us cousins, so what about Uncle Chi?"
Zhou Shaojin’s face flushed red, and she stammered, unsure of how to respond.
Cheng Jia leaned close to her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Tell me the truth, how did you end up with Uncle Chi? Back when Cheng Xu was around, I saw you and Uncle Chi were still fine!"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Zhou Shaojin playfully scolded, turning around and pushing Cheng Jia away. "You’re always thinking about such things, no wonder you keep complaining in your letters about being bored!"
Cheng Jia tilted her shoulder and giggled, saying, "Don’t try to fool me. Hurry up and confess, what have you been doing in the capital?"
Zhou Shaojin didn’t want to lie, but she also didn’t want to answer, so she ignored Cheng Jia.
Cheng Jia simply laughed, linking arms with Zhou Shaojin as they left the inner chamber.
Zhou Chujin had already sent someone to bring Guan Ge over.
Cheng Jia was utterly delighted, bestowing a pair each of gold and silver longevity locks, along with children’s gold bracelets, seasonal clothes, shoes, socks, and various trinkets—all packed into a large chest. Madam Liao couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows, surprised at how generously Cheng Jia had treated Zhou Chujin.
A little later, Chunwan came to report that the room had been tidied up and invited Cheng Jia to take a look.
Cheng Jia, however, said, "Tonight, I’ll sleep with Shaojin. In a couple of days, I’ll return to our family’s residence near Xizhimen."
Madam Liao couldn’t help but blurt out, "You bought a residence near Xizhimen?"
After marrying Li Jing, Cheng Jia had seen plenty of people who looked down on merchants and the Li family. She smiled generously and said, "Yes! It’s an ancestral home, though we haven’t lived there much."
Madam Liao quickly tried to make amends, saying, "In that case, why not stay here? It’s not as if there’s no room!"
Cheng Jia politely declined, "My husband has come to the capital and will inevitably need to meet relatives and friends. It’s more convenient to stay there."
Madam Liao didn’t press further.
By evening, Cheng Jia settled in Zhou Shaojin’s room, while Li Jing took his leave, saying he would return in a couple of days to pick up Cheng Jia.
When Cheng Jia saw Li Jing off, a hint of reluctance showed in her expression.
Zhou Shaojin smiled faintly and whispered, "If you’re so reluctant, just go with him. It’s not like I’m a stranger here."
Cheng Jia’s face flushed red, and she stubbornly said, "Don’t mind him. I can’t spoil him all day long."
Zhou Shaojin didn’t understand such sentiments.
Cheng Jia then chattered in her ear for a long time, all about how women should maintain their dignity.
Zhou Shaojin found it stifling to listen.
According to Cheng Jia’s views, she had... no dignity at all in front of Cheng Chi.
Seeing her frown, Cheng Jia smiled and asked what was wrong.Zhou Shaojin hesitated and said, "In front of the person you like, shouldn’t you let him know you like him? From what you’re saying, it sounds like you treat outsiders better than the person you like. Isn’t that making things difficult for the one you care about?"
Cheng Jia was taken aback.
Zhou Shaojin wasn’t sure if she was right either, so she added, "Oh, I’m just saying. I don’t really understand these things."
But Cheng Jia suddenly understood, cupped Zhou Shaojin’s face, and gave her a big kiss. "You’re clearly my younger sister, yet you always seem to know more about everything than I do."
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t dodge in time and wiped her cheek in mock disgust, though she was secretly pleased.
Cheng Jia laughed heartily. Then, as if she couldn’t stay a moment longer, she said, "Tomorrow I’m going back to Xizhimen. Do you want anything? I’ll bring it for you when I come back the day after."
Zhou Shaojin thought for a moment and said, "Then buy me some scented water! Something elegant and light."
Cheng Jia glanced at her with a teasing smile.
Zhou Shaojin blushed all the way to her ears.
The two cousins snuggled under the covers, whispering secrets. Early the next morning, Cheng Jia hurried back to Xizhimen on her own.
Li Jing’s delight went without saying. He felt that among his wife’s relatives, only Zhou Shaojin was worth befriending. He didn’t mind Cheng Jia splurging on gifts for Zhou Shaojin, letting her buy whatever she wanted. In just a few days since arriving in the capital, after paying respects to Old Madam Guo, Cheng Jia had already explored all the shopping spots in the city with Cheng Sheng.
Zhou Chujin couldn’t help but scold her with a smile, "Why do you act like you’ve never seen things before? Shaojin’s trunks are already overflowing. Save these gifts for her in private later!"
Cheng Jia paid no mind and told Zhou Shaojin, "I’ve been to Chaoyangmen. The place is beautifully decorated. Honestly, aside from the wedding preparations being a bit rushed, there’s really nothing to criticize! Aunt Wei and Cousin Zheng are all there helping out."
Zhou Shaojin blushed and stayed silent.
Cheng Chi also said he felt sorry for her, adding that it was because he wanted to marry her sooner.
She didn’t feel the slightest bit wronged.
Zhou Shaojin knew that Cheng Chi was afraid that if things dragged on too long, the relatives would gossip and cause complications.
There was something Cheng Jia hadn’t told Zhou Shaojin either.
When she went over, she didn’t see Madam Yuan. It was said she was ill, afraid of passing her sickness to Chaoyangmen, and hadn’t shown her face for several days.
It just goes to show that nothing in this world is perfect.
She gave Zhou Shaojin a pouch, telling her to place it under her pillow on the wedding night, and whispered, "They say Hongluo Temple in the capital is the most effective for praying for children. Sheng and I went there a few days ago to pray for this. We each have one."
Zhou Shaojin’s face burned, and she murmured her thanks to Cheng Jia.
Cheng Jia waved it off casually, pulling Zhou Shaojin to see a wooden stump she had just bought from Fengtai: "For your brother-in-law to carve. You have no idea how much he loves this sort of thing!"
Her words were filled with affection.
Zhou Shaojin smiled softly.
Cheng Jia had dinner at Yuqian Hutong and returned to Xizhimen in high spirits.
Who would have thought that Li Jing had already returned home, sitting under the lamplight with a letter in hand, lost in thought.
Cheng Jia exclaimed, "Oh!" and walked over. "You’re back! Why didn’t you send someone to fetch me so I could come back earlier?"
Li Jing snapped out of his thoughts and smiled. "I just got back too." Then he handed the letter to Cheng Jia. "It’s a letter from your elder brother."Cheng Jia frowned almost imperceptibly, opened the letter right in front of Li Jing, but after just a glance, her expression darkened.
Li Jing couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Every time Cheng Zheng sent a letter, it never brought good news.
If it were merely financial matters, it would be manageable, but sometimes it involved things that deeply saddened Cheng Jia.
He stepped forward and embraced her, speaking gently, "What happened? Do you need my help?"
The letter was clenched so tightly in Cheng Jia's hand that it left an imprint. She gritted her teeth and, after a long pause, said, "My elder brother told me that Shaojin is getting married. He wants me to come to the capital to see Shaojin off, and he will also be there..."
Li Jing had taken charge of the Li family at a young age and was naturally no ordinary person.
He understood Cheng Zheng's intentions immediately.
Hesitantly, he asked, "What do you think?"
Cheng Jia's eyes reddened, and tears began to fall, her voice choked with emotion, "I... I don't want to get involved in this matter."
Li Jing replied, "But if your elder brother comes to the capital and sees you, you won't be able to avoid it, will you?"
Cheng Jia evaded the question, "Could we leave beforehand then?"
Li Jing asked, "Aren't you going to attend the Zhou family's second young lady's wedding?"
They had come to the capital specifically for this occasion.
Cheng Jia remained indecisive.
Li Jing then said, "I have an idea. Would you like to hear it?"
Cheng Jia quickly responded, "What idea?" looking at him as if seeking help.
Li Jing suggested, "Why don't we go stay at Chaoyang Gate?"
Cheng Jia was taken aback.
Li Jing explained, "Nine Prosperities Lane has now split into branches. How your families interact in the future can be clarified during the Zhou family's second young lady's wedding. If we stay at Chaoyang Gate, it naturally shows we intend to engage with the main branch as in-laws of the Cheng family. When your elder brother arrives in the capital, whether he can also stay at Chaoyang Gate will depend on the main branch's decision."
Cheng Zheng was like someone picking the softest persimmon to squeeze.
He didn't dare approach the main branch, so he turned to Cheng Jia to plead his case, hoping she could leverage her sisterly bond with Zhou Shaojin.
Li Jing inwardly sneered but kept his expression neutral, smiling as he said, "Then it will depend on whether you want to call the Zhou family's second young lady 'Aunt' or address Uncle Chi as 'Brother-in-law'?"
Cheng Jia understood.
Her father and brother had always aspired to pursue official careers. If she didn't help her brother, his path forward would likely become difficult. But if she did help him, given Shaojin's temperament, she would surely never speak to her again after learning of her brother's actions.
What should she do?
Cheng Jia bit her lip.
Li Jing embraced her and said, "We've always spent more time apart than together, no wonder you went to Hongluo Temple to pray. It was my oversight, thinking you were still young and that motherhood could wait a few more years. This time, let's stay in the capital longer. We can return to Luoyang after you're pregnant, alright?"
He didn't want Cheng Jia to get entangled in the Cheng family's conflicts.
Once Cheng Jia had a child, perhaps her heart would settle down.
Cheng Jia was quite surprised and began playfully hitting Li Jing, "So it was you who didn't want a child... I was worried it was my fault... How could you do this without discussing it with me... I want to stay at Yuqian Alley for a few days."
"She's about to get married," Li Jing said with a bitter smile, letting Cheng Jia vent her frustration while patiently comforting her.
It took a while before Cheng Jia finally calmed down.Yet in just a few breaths, she was beaming again and said to Li Jing, "If that's what you mean, of course I'd love to call Uncle Chi 'brother-in-law'! But if I did, I'm afraid Sister Zheng and Sister Xiao would ignore me. I'd better call Shaojin 'aunt' instead."
Li Jing smiled gently, his eyes full of encouragement.
Cheng Jia set the letter aside and went into the inner room to change clothes.
Li Jing privately instructed the steward, "If the young master comes over, try not to inform the mistress unless absolutely necessary."
The steward understood perfectly and respectfully replied, "Yes."
Li Jing also went into the inner room.
※
Dear readers, I'd like to recommend a book I stumbled upon: "The Road of Augustus" by [Author]. Those who enjoy ancient Western history, especially ancient Roman history, might want to check it out. I thought to myself, the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties have all been traversed by male protagonists from the main site, and now it's ancient Rome, ancient Greece, ancient Egypt's turn...
O(∩_∩)O~
PS: Making up for tomorrow's update.
Today's extra update will be around five in the evening.
※ (To be continued ~^~)
OpenNovel