Раn Qing?!
Zhоu Shaojin wаs аstоnishеd аnd said, "I don't know аnуthing about it! Нas she аrrivеd?"
Сhеng Jiа рouted аnd pointed inside.
Zhou Shaоjin fеll silent.
Рan Qing рrоbаblу wasn't hеrе fоr сlаss, but to find оut whether she hаd оverhеard her cоnversatiоn with Pan Zhuо, right?
Shе tооk а dееp breаth аnd entеrеd Jing'аn Study with Сheng Jiа, smiling.
Аn additionаl dеsk had bеen plaсed beside Zhоu Shаоjin's desk. Рan Qing, wearing а rоsе-cоlоrеd gоld-wоvеn robе аnd a рlain whitе Hangzhоu silk high-cоllаrеd spring blоusе, hаd hеr jet-black hаir simply tied up in a bun. Shе sat quietly аt the newlу addеd dеsk, reаding.
Hearing the commotion, she looked up and greeted Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia with a radiant smile. Two pearl earrings, each the size of a lotus seed, swayed beside her ears, lending her elegance a touch of liveliness.
What a beauty!
Unfortunately, she was a beauty wearing a mask—two-faced!
Zhou Shaojin sighed inwardly and stepped forward to exchange greetings with Pan Qing.
Cheng Jia, on the other hand, walked straight to her seat without glancing sideways.
This arrangement placed Zhou Shaojin between Cheng Jia on her left and Pan Qing on her right, putting her right in the middle.
Even after two lifetimes, this was the first time she felt so conspicuous and important.
Zhou Shaojin mocked herself inwardly as Madam Shen approached.
Seeing Pan Qing, Madam Shen showed no surprise. After exchanging a few pleasantries with her, she began the lesson.
Clearly, someone had already informed her.
The three of them listened quietly as Madam Shen taught a chapter from Biographies of Exemplary Women.
During the break, Pan Qing poured a cup of tea for Madam Shen and chatted with her about what had happened since they last met.
The next part of the lesson was calligraphy practice.
Zhou Shaojin spread out the rice paper, ready to practice her writing.
Cheng Jia scurried over and whispered to her, "Why don't you come to my place for lunch after class? I had someone prepare a wild pheasant."
Zhou Shaojin felt helpless and said, "I promised my grandmother I'd have lunch with her."
Still unwilling to give up, Cheng Jia asked, "How about dinner at my place then?"
"I have to go to Cold Green Mountain House to copy scriptures. I don't know when I'll be back."
"Well, when you return, have your maid come to my place and let me know. I'll come find you to play."
"It'll be too late by then. How about we wait for a day off?"
As the two were going back and forth, Pan Qing walked over with a smile and said, "What are you two talking about? You seem so close. It's truly enviable."
In her previous life, she and Cheng Jia had been even closer than they were now, yet she had never seen Pan Qing envy her!
As soon as Pan Qing spoke, Zhou Shaojin felt a surge of caution.
"We were discussing where to go and play on our day off," Cheng Jia said, looking somewhat provocatively at Pan Qing. "Shao Jin suggested we go boating in the garden."
Pan Zhi had mostly served in the north, so Pan Qing was not a strong swimmer.
"Really?" Pan Qing smiled, appearing very interested. "I rarely get the chance to go boating. I'd love to join you then."
Cheng Jia puffed out her cheeks, looking as if she wanted to refuse but suddenly remembered something. Her eyes darted around a few times before she smiled sweetly and said, "Sure! We won't forget to invite you, Sister Qing."
Pan Qing smiled faintly and leaned over to examine Zhou Shaojin's calligraphy. She then showed a surprised expression and hesitantly said, "This... this is written by Sister Shaojin?"Before Zhou Shaojin could answer, Cheng Jia had already declared triumphantly, "Of course it's Shaojin's calligraphy! Otherwise, why would Old Madam Guo have her copy sutras? That's why Shaojin is usually too busy—practicing her writing."
Pan Qing let out an "oh" and gave Zhou Shaojin a thoughtful glance.
Cheng Jia chattered away, praising Zhou Shaojin enthusiastically.
Soon, it was time for calligraphy practice, and Jing'an Study fell silent.
Madam Shen walked around each desk, offering a few pointers, then went to the adjacent side room with a young maid to read and drink tea.
The study immediately came alive again.
Cheng Jia asked Zhou Shaojin, "My brother brought back some orchid stems from outside. Do you want some? I can have a servant deliver a few plants to you later. Keep them in a sunny pot, and they'll bloom by Spring Festival."
Pan Qing smiled and said, "I didn’t know Shaojin enjoys calligraphy. I recently acquired a few inksticks from Wende Pavilion. I’ll have a servant send them over for you to try and see if they suit your hand."
Zhou Shaojin was speechless.
But the feeling was truly pleasant!
After a moment’s thought, she said to Cheng Jia, "No need for the trouble. I’ll have Chunwan fetch them later." To Pan Qing, she added, "Thank you, Cousin Pan. Since I’m practicing diligently these days, I won’t stand on ceremony with you, Cousin Qing."
She accepted gifts from both sides, offending neither, though there was a subtle difference—her tone with Cheng Jia was far more casual.
Then Zhou Shaojin set down her brush and stood up, smiling. "I need to visit the privy." Without inviting anyone, she left the study directly.
Cheng Jia shot Pan Qing a fierce glare.
Pan Qing glanced around and, seeing Cheng Jia’s maid embroidering under the eaves in the distance, her expression darkened. She sneered, "Cheng Jia, don’t cause trouble for me, or I won’t be polite. I’m only a guest at the Cheng residence for a few days, but you might stay in Jinling your whole life. You’re old enough to know what matters more." With that, she cast a disdainful look at Cheng Jia and stormed off.
Cheng Jia stomped her feet in anger.
Pan Qing left the study and headed toward the privy.
A winding bluestone path stretched ahead, flanked by swaying green bamboo.
Zhou Shaojin, dressed in a plain pink Hangzhou silk robe, stood calmly before a cluster of mottled Xiangfei bamboo, as elegant as an orchid.
Pan Qing froze.
Zhou Shaojin smiled and greeted her, "You’ve come! I wonder what you wanted to discuss?"
Pan Qing was momentarily speechless, her expression turning somber as she looked at Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin gazed back with a smile, her clear, bright eyes like a mountain spring, transparent and pure.
Pan Qing gave a mocking laugh.
Suddenly, she felt a sense of inferiority, as if standing beside a precious gem.
Since they were both clever, playing such tricks seemed rather low.
She walked over slowly and stopped beside the Xiangfei bamboo.
"You must know my father was promoted to Shandong Provincial Surveillance Commissioner?" Pan Qing said, tearing off a bamboo leaf fiercely. "But you probably don’t know he got the promotion through Uncle Jing’s connections, do you?"
It was easy to guess.
Cheng Jing was someone who enjoyed helping others, especially relatives and in-laws. As long as it wasn’t wrongdoing, he would do his best if asked.
Zhou Shaojin remained silent. She guessed Pan Qing didn’t need her to say anything."If it weren't for my uncle, how could he have achieved what he has today?" Pan Qing's eyes flashed with a cold light. "Yet even so, he remains unsatisfied, repeatedly urging my mother to write letters to my uncle—either boasting about how diligently he serves as an official or complaining about the hardships of his post. If my uncle's reply displeases him in the slightest, he takes it out on my mother..."
She trailed off, hesitating to continue.
Clearly, what Pan Zhi had done to Cheng Xian was something Pan Qing found too shameful to voice.
Zhou Shaojin was deeply shocked.
In her previous life, Pan Zhi and Cheng Xian had always been a respectful and harmonious couple, while Pan Zhuo and Pan Qing were the envy of many as children of an official family.
"This time, my father somehow heard that Uncle Jing had secured the position of Director of the Imperial Academy. He actually asked my mother to write to Uncle Jing, requesting that he recommend him for the post." Pan Qing's tone turned mocking. "He doesn't even consider that as a fourth-rank prefect serving outside the capital, how could he possibly leap over those elderly Hanlin scholars who have toiled for ten or twenty years to be recommended to the Imperial Academy? He simply..." She paused, swallowing the words "has no regard for his own life," and continued, "Naturally, this didn't succeed! He threw a tantrum at home, saying my mother was useless and couldn't win Uncle Jing's favor—after all, they're from different branches of the family, beyond the fifth degree of kinship. He even said that if he had known it would come to this, he should have sought to marry Aunt He back then. At least her brother was a tongjinshi, unlike Uncle Lu, who studied his whole life but never rose above the rank of xiucai..."
Cheng He?
Zhou Shaojin widened her eyes in surprise.
"You didn't expect that, did you?" Pan Qing said bitterly. "Back when my mother and Aunt He were both unmarried, he saw the wealth of the third branch and married my mother... All these years, whenever he loses his temper, he brings this up..."
Every family has its own troubles.
Pan Qing certainly hadn't sought her out just to discuss these family matters.
Shaojin had no intention of wasting time on this with Pan Qing.
Yet Pan Qing's words suddenly brought to life the fragmented rumors she had heard back then.
Zhou Shaojin understood now.
She said, "So, your visit to pay respects to the Second Branch's matriarch for her birthday was merely incidental. Your real purpose was to seek a marriage alliance with Cousin Xu of the First Branch. What does this have to do with me? Why are you so anxious that you rushed to warn me the very day after the birthday banquet?"
"You misunderstand!" Pan Qing hurriedly explained. "I didn't mean to warn you. I'm just worried about my mother... My brother thinks highly of you, but my father—he always schemes in everything he does. My brother is destined to be disappointed..."
Pan Zhuo?!
Thinks highly of her?!
Zhou Shaojin felt so angry her hands and feet turned cold.
What did Pan Qing mean by this? Did she think there could be something between her and Pan Zhuo?
How utterly absurd!
The Pan siblings appeared refined and honorable, yet their actions were so outrageous.
What did Pan Qing take her for?
A flame of anger ignited in her heart, and her expression turned icy. "Since ancient times, marriage has always been a matter of 'parental orders and matchmaker's words.' I had no idea the children of the Pan family disregarded such conventions. Whether you wish to marry Cheng Xu or your brother desires to wed a noble daughter, you've come to the wrong person!" With that, she turned to leave. "Let's pretend I never heard any of this. And don't bring it up again!""Shao Jin!" Pan Qing grasped Zhou Shaojin's hand and said earnestly, "I don't mean anything else. As you said, matters between Cousin Xu and me are for our parents to decide. I'm just worried about my mother—if things don't go as my father wishes, he'll torment her even more... I know this has nothing to do with you, and I shouldn't have come to you, but you also know that no matter what I do, Cheng Jia always glares at me with anger whenever she sees me. I don't even have anyone to talk to... In a family like the Chengs, 'exchanging marriages' is absolutely impossible. Even if it's between cousins, it would sound unpleasant if word got out. I'm worried that if my brother makes a fuss, everyone will lose face..."
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
In the end, it all came down to fearing that she might take a liking to Pan Zhuo, which would affect Pan Qing's marriage prospects with Cheng Xu.
This was the real reason Pan Qing had sought her out, wasn't it?
No wonder in her previous life, Cheng Xian had left the Cheng family in disgrace with Pan Qing and Pan Zhuo, never returning to Jinling for over a decade!
Without even understanding the priorities, she still dreamed of marrying into the main branch of the Cheng family. Truly... courting death!
Knowing the outcome, Zhou Shaojin nearly laughed out loud.
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Sisters, I've asked Yan Jiu—it's a paternal uncle...
P.S.: The story will go VIP tomorrow, but I promised to write fifty public chapters. There will be another update around 11 p.m. tonight...
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