Upon hеaring Zhou Shаоjin's wоrds, Сhеng Сhi felt both аmused and exaspеrаted. Нe аffесtiоnatеlу рinсhеd her сheek and sаid with а smile, "Whу does it sound tо me like уou cаn't wаit fоr mе tо bе sеnt home bу thе cоurt?"
"Nоt аt all!" Sinсe Сhеng Chi lovеd wаter mаnagement, shе naturally wаntеd tо supрort him. Even if Zhоu Shаоjin seсrеtlу thоught sо, shе wouldn't dаrе saу it alоud. "I'm just afraid I'll еnd up likе thе рoеm: 'Suddеnlу sеeing the willow grеen by the roadsidе, regretting having urgеd my husband tо seеk fаme аnd fortune.'"
"All this talk just means you want me to stay with you!" Cheng Chi teased her, whispering in her ear, "Don't worry. When I return, I'll make it up to you properly, so you won't have any 'boudoir grievances.'"
That ambiguous tone, that suggestive teasing, made Zhou Shaojin's ears turn red.
She had no idea how to respond and fled in a fluster, saying, "I—I need to check if the provisions prepared for you are ready!"
Cheng Chi laughed heartily.
When Zhou Shaojin reappeared before him, he couldn't help but pull her into his arms again, speaking gently, "I'm sorry to leave you alone to go back. I've already written to Mother. If you're afraid, I'll ask her to keep you company. If you prefer to be alone, let Nanny Shang accompany you to stay at Yuqian Hutong for a few days. When you have nothing to do, you can visit your sister's house. As for Mother, I'll handle it. I'll tell her it was my arrangement, so she won't hold any dissatisfaction toward you. Just rest assured!"
Would this warm embrace soon disappear?
Would she be alone again?
It was only then that Zhou Shaojin truly felt the pain of parting.
She felt her tears were about to fall.
"I want to go back to the residence at Chaoyang Gate." That was where their room was, where she had become his wife. She wanted to stay there, to guard that place. "Mother and Madam Yuan don't get along anyway, so it's better for her to stay at our home..."
As Zhou Shaojin spoke, she couldn't help but feel sympathy for Old Madam Guo.
Such a strong, capable, and compassionate old lady, yet in her old age, she had no place of her own. If she didn't want to stay with her eldest son, she could only make do with her youngest son.
She couldn't help but ask, "Can't Mother live with us? Does she have to return to Xinglin Hutong?"
Cheng Jing was the eldest son, the one who inherited the family estate and upheld the family's reputation. If they were to divide the household, and Old Madam Guo lived with the youngest son, rumors would spread that she was dissatisfied with the eldest son and his wife, which would harm Cheng Jing's official career. If it ever came to dividing the household, Cheng Jing and Madam Yuan would never agree to it for this reason alone.
Cheng Chi loved how she referred to the residence at Chaoyang Gate as "home" and how she called his mother "Mother."
"Then, are you willing to divide the household?" Cheng Chi asked her.
Zhou Shaojin hesitated and remained silent.
Of course, she wanted to divide the household.
If they divided the household, she wouldn't have to deal with Cheng Xu anymore.
But she also knew the principle that "as long as the parents are alive, the household should not be divided." Moreover, the current eldest branch was different from other families—they had just separated from the clan. She couldn't let her personal preferences influence such a significant matter. Unconsciously, she had begun to believe that Cheng Chi would do unconventional things for her, things others might see as defying tradition.
Cheng Chi shook his head with a smile and said, "Shaoji, I already know what you're thinking. Do you know why I still asked you?"
Zhou Shaojin shook her head.
Cheng Chi sighed and said, "I want you to know that no matter how unreasonable something may seem, as long as you wish for it, you can tell me..."Just like when she said she was reborn, and Si Lang believed her immediately?
Zhou Shaojin buried her head in his chest.
Cheng Chi smiled helplessly yet dotingly.
There would be plenty of time ahead!
He had the patience to guard this flower until it quietly bloomed.
Cheng Chi no longer pressed her, instead speaking with a teasing tone, "Let me give you another idea. If Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law are unwilling to separate households because of Mother, you can privately approach Second Sister-in-law. Say that since I'm not home, you're afraid staying alone. If Mother lives with Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law, could you bring Mother to stay at Chaoyang Gate? Then during festivals like Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival when ancestral worship is needed, Mother could return to Apricot Grove Lane..."
Zhou Shaojin listened and couldn't help but lightly punch Cheng Chi, coquettishly saying, "You're so bad! Making me use Second Sister-in-law as a pawn."
"What do you mean I'm bad?" Cheng Chi shamelessly declared, "Even if you wanted to use Second Sister-in-law as a pawn, she'd have to want an early household separation herself!"
Zhou Shaojin said, "Rang'er is growing up. The residence at Apricot Grove Lane was originally small. After Eldest Brother entered the cabinet as an assistant minister, social engagements increased. I heard his outer study alone has been expanded twice. If this continues, by the time Rang'er gets married, there might not even be space for the bridal chamber. How could Second Sister-in-law not want to separate households? Even if she doesn't move out herself, if she could acquire some property for Rang'er, even if Rang'er has to live cramped at Apricot Grove Lane after marriage, just knowing she could move out anytime would be comforting. This way, conflicts wouldn't create rifts between them. How could Second Sister-in-law be unwilling?"
Hearing this, Cheng Chi looked somewhat surprised and laughed, "So you understand everything!"
Zhou Shaojin glared at him and said, "I'm not a fool, of course I know!"
It's just that she usually didn't need to worry about such matters, so she didn't.
Cheng Chi smiled and hugged her, saying, "It's good that you know. Since you know, I can go to Jining with peace of mind."
Zhou Shaojin hugged him back reluctantly. She wanted to ask, "When will you return?" but fearing it would delay Cheng Chi, she swallowed those words. She just clung to Cheng Chi's chest, listening to the strong, rhythmic beating of his heart, and gently closed her eyes.
Cheng Chi was also reluctant.
He had left his mother and home since childhood. In his view, anywhere could be home as long as one felt at peace. He never expected that in just a few short days, he would become so attached to this little person in his arms. Like a kite pulled by a string—though flying freely outside, the other end of the string would always be the direction of his return.
Perhaps he really should think about how to transfer back to the capital!
The two murmured many meaningless things—from taking evening walks in the garden after dinner every night, to needing to assign another servant boy to care for Snowball since the garden was large, and various other trivial matters. It wasn't until Huaishan came to urge them, saying the horses were ready and they would miss their lodging if they didn't depart soon, that Zhou Shaojin reluctantly saw Cheng Chi off.
At night, she slept alone on the bed warmed by underfloor heating, yet she felt so cold she shivered.
Where had Si Lang reached?
Had he missed his lodging?
The night wind was so cold—would Huaishan prepare a hot water bottle for him?He was accustomed to giving orders, so when he went to Jining, would he grow impatient during the interrogations by the censors?
If he were dismissed from his post because of this, would he feel his dignity had been compromised?
Would it ruin his grand ambition of water management?
Zhou Shaojin tossed and turned until she heard movement in the courtyard, only then realizing that dawn had already broken.
Sighing, she got out of bed, hastily ate breakfast, and bid farewell to her father and Madam Li.
Seeing her poor complexion, Zhou Zhen and Madam Li both comforted her: "Zi Chuan is not some green youth fresh out of the gate; he knows when to advance and when to retreat. At worst, his elder brother will support him. He reported to the Ministry of Works when he took leave to return for the wedding, so the censors won’t give him a hard time."
She knew that.
She just missed him!
Zhou Shaojin forced a smile. Summoning her spirits, she took her leave of her father and Madam Li and set off for the capital under Qin Yang’s escort.
Along the way, she no longer had the heart to admire the scenery, thinking only of hurrying back to the capital, of quickly returning to the home she shared with Cheng Chi. Several times, because she insisted on pressing ahead, they missed the relay stations and ended up camping in the wild. Fortunately, the official road from Baoding to the capital saw many high-ranking officials and nobles traveling back and forth, so there were no mountain bandits or horse thieves. Qin Yang had also traveled the jianghu with Cheng Chi and had ample experience with roughing it. Knowing Zhou Shaojin’s eagerness to return home, he made all the arrangements smoothly along the way. A journey that should have taken seven days took only four to reach the capital.
Who would have thought that not only had Old Madam Guo brought Madam Yuan to meet her, but Madam Qiu and Cheng Wei had also come.
Madam Yuan and Madam Qiu were one thing, but even Cheng Wei had come—it could be said they had shown Zhou Shaojin the utmost respect.
She hurried forward to pay her respects.
Madam Yuan and Madam Qiu returned the courtesy, while Cheng Wei stepped aside.
Old Madam Guo took her hand and said, "What happened? Si Lang’s letter wasn’t clear. Why was he called back, and in such a hurry…"
Zhou Shaojin quickly reassured her mother-in-law: "I heard the court is sending censors to inspect the progress of the river works. That’s something my husband handled, and he understands it best, which is why Minister Yang sent someone to Baoding Prefecture… This is official business for my husband. Look, even my father couldn’t leave to marry off his daughter. That Fourth Master could take leave to return for the wedding was already a favor from Minister Yang, Grand Secretary Song, and the court. Now that something has come up in Jining, how could he stand idly by and keep himself out of it? Please don’t be angry. Water management is a great undertaking that benefits the people and leaves a legacy for generations. Don’t you also hope Si Lang’s name will be recorded in history?"
Old Madam Guo laughed and said, "You child, I say one thing and you have ten waiting for me. Go ahead and indulge him in his whims, just don’t come crying to me later!"
In the past, Zhou Shaojin would have firmly declared that she wouldn’t, that she would support Cheng Chi in doing anything he liked. But these days of separation had felt like gnawing at her heart and lungs, and she couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t secretly cry, let alone dare to say she "wouldn’t."
She smiled sheepishly.
What mother-in-law wouldn’t be pleased that her daughter-in-law was willing to indulge her son?
Though Old Madam Guo complained about her son, hearing Zhou Shaojin’s response filled her heart with joy. She took Zhou Shaojin’s hand and said, "Good child, you must have had a hard journey. Let’s hurry back so you can rest comfortably."
Zhou Shaojin obediently replied "Yes," and supporting Old Madam Guo, boarded her carriage.
Madam Yuan glanced at Zhou Shaojin’s carriage and said dismissively to Madam Qiu, "Which of us didn’t have our husbands away from home not long after we married…"Madam Qiu quickly smiled and said, "Fourth Sister-in-law is still young!"
"We weren't much older than her back then, were we?" Madam Yuan remarked coolly.
A hint of dissatisfaction was evident in her tone.
Madam Qiu fell silent.
Madam Yuan sneered inwardly.
After so many years as sisters-in-law, she had never once heard Madam Qiu speak ill of anyone.
It was clear how guarded Madam Qiu was toward her!
Such a sister-in-law was better kept at a distance!
With these thoughts, Madam Yuan turned and boarded her carriage.
Madam Qiu breathed a sigh of relief.
She decided it would be best to move out sooner rather than later.
Fourth Sister-in-law had just married into the family, and there would likely be more turmoil in the future.
She already felt overwhelmed now; in the days to come, she would surely find herself caught in the middle, pleasing neither side.
※
Dear readers, here's today's bonus update!
I've been a bit busy today, so the update will be around ten o'clock tonight.
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
OpenNovel