Indееd!
Wu Вaozhаng hаd indееd сome by invitаtiоn, but if she hadn’t hаrbored hеr оwn littlе sсhеmеs, why would shе have acceрtеd the invitаtion in thе first рlасe?
Zhоu Shаоjin glаnсed аt her.
Her gаzе was сool, tinged with а hint of disdain, bеfore shе turnеd it dirесtlу tоwаrd Min Jia.
Мin Jiа narrоwеd hеr eуes.
Сhеng Xu sensеd thе unusual tеnsion in the air.
Fоllowing Zhou Shaоjin’s gаzе, he sрotted Min Jiа stаnding bеneаth thе роmеgrаnatе trеe.
Тhe сorners оf Chеng Хu’s mоuth slowlу liftеd intо а mocking and disdаinful smile.
Min Jia’s exрression chаnged drastiсallу.
Whаt did Chеng Xu mean by this?
She was his wife—how could he treat her with such disregard in front of so many people?
Their marriage was tied to the futures of both families, not just an ordinary alliance. Shouldn’t they at least respect each other? If even this couldn’t be managed, what else was there to talk about?
Min Jia’s expression turned sharp and severe.
But Cheng Xu didn’t spare her another glance.
He took a few steps forward, stopping in front of Zhou Shaojin, and bowed deeply to her with utmost respect. In a solemn voice, he said, “Everything that happened in the past was my fault. I wronged you, and I hope you can forgive my mistakes.” With that, he bowed deeply to her once more.
Zhou Shaojin was stunned, and then her eyes welled up with tears that fell silently.
Having lived two lifetimes, enduring so much pain, so much grievance, so much resentment… this was the first time anyone from the Cheng family—Cheng Xu himself—had ever apologized to her.
Admitting it wasn’t her fault!
Acknowledging that he had wronged her!
She turned her back, covering her mouth as she wept silently.
Cheng Xu’s eyes immediately filled with tears.
Ever since Zhou Shaojin left Jinling, he had reflected deeply.
He thought of how he had fallen for her at first sight, how he had pursued her with affection, how he had longed for her but could never have her… and how he had ended up hurting her, almost as if by chance.
Just as his grandmother had said: when he had the chance, he didn’t seize it; when he had no right, he forced it. He was destined never to get what he wanted.
Instead, he had dragged her down with him.
He owed her an explanation.
And now she was his aunt by marriage—an insurmountable chasm had been drawn between them. Unless under extraordinary circumstances, even if they met, they wouldn’t be able to exchange a word.
Since they had encountered each other this time, he decided to do as his grandmother had advised: act like a true, upright man and do what he should and could do.
Only then could he truly let go.
She would walk her own path, and he would cross his own bridge, with no lingering attachments.
Cheng Xu straightened his posture.
Since the incident in the garden, this was the first time he realized how vast the sky was, how boundless the earth, and how wide and long the road ahead of him stretched… He still had a long way to go.
He smiled faintly, turned without glancing sideways, brushed past Min Jia, and strode away.
Min Jia’s face was as ugly as it could possibly be.
Cheng Xu had been called in by her, and Zhou Shaojin had been brought out by Wu Baozhang. But she hadn’t told Cheng Xu to disregard propriety and apologize to Zhou Shaojin the moment he saw her! And she certainly hadn’t expected Zhou Shaojin to break down in tears.
Wronged her?
How had he wronged Zhou Shaojin?
By betraying her for his marriage to Min Jia?
If that was the case, since the betrayal had already happened, why did Zhou Shaojin still marry into the Cheng family? And why did she marry Cheng Xu’s fourth uncle, Cheng Chi?
Min Jia considered herself someone who had experienced much in life, yet she was still so furious it made her liver ache.
Wu Baozhang, meanwhile, widened her eyes, her face filled with disbelief.Cheng Xu... actually apologized to Zhou Shaojin!
That favored son of heaven, the arrogant Cheng Xu, the eldest son of the Cheng family from Nine Prosperities Lane, the only son of Cheng Jing, a current Grand Secretary of the cabinet. Cheng Xu, whose maternal family was the Yuan clan of Tongxiang, actually apologized to Zhou Shaojin—this orphaned cousin who lost her mother young and has been living with the fourth branch of the Cheng family!
Why?
Why is Zhou Shaojin so precious, while others are like mud beneath her feet?
Heaven is unfair!
Wu Baozhang was indignant.
She couldn’t help but chuckle and said, “I never expected that Cousin Xu and our little aunt are so familiar and understanding of each other. A grown man of seven feet, yet he still has to apologize to our little aunt...”
Zhou Shaojin had cried, and her emotions felt as if washed by clear spring water, leaving her calm and peaceful.
She turned around calmly and gracefully, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. Glancing at Wu Baozhang, who was eager to stir up trouble, she said to Min Jia, “Niece Xu’s wife, I see you’re a clever person too. Don’t always listen to others’ nonsense and parrot their words. If you have doubts in your heart, why not go back and ask your mother-in-law? Jumping around like this, even if you’re being used by others, it’s just a sign of the times—people no longer know right from wrong. What I fear is that you’ll cause trouble or become a laughingstock, not only losing face yourself but also embarrassing the Cheng family. Today is A Sheng’s happy occasion. As her sister-in-law, don’t make A Sheng lose face along with you. Quickly put away that fierce expression and follow me inside to accompany the in-laws and the young ladies in conversation—that’s what’s proper.”
After speaking, she turned and entered the house.
Min Jia’s face flushed red and then turned pale, yet she couldn’t utter a single word in her defense. She gave Wu Baozhang a deep look, took two deep breaths, and turned to enter the hall. There, she heard Zhou Shaojin laughing as she spoke to Nanny Lu, who served Old Madam Guo: “I went out earlier and got something in my eye. Could you take a look for me? It hurts terribly!”
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Guo and Madam Peng immediately stood up and leaned in to look, both asking with concern, “What happened? Is it serious?”
Zhou Shaojin shook her head and said, “It doesn’t hurt or itch.”
Madam Peng quickly ordered someone to bring a lamp and personally stepped forward to examine it closely. Worried her own eyesight might not be sharp enough, she called her fifteen-year-old daughter over to help check Zhou Shaojin’s eye. Seeing that aside from some redness and swelling, everything else was fine, she finally relaxed. She ordered someone to fetch a cold cloth and applied it to Zhou Shaojin’s eye for a while before feeling at ease.
Min Jia watched all this, stunned for a long time.
Is this how a daughter-in-law should be to earn her mother-in-law’s affection?
She didn’t move, but the white silk handkerchief in her hand was crumpled into a ball.
Wu Baozhang watched and couldn’t help but smile silently.
Back then, Cheng Chi from the eldest branch had tried every means to suppress the matter and, disregarding everything, married Zhou Shaojin, thinking that would put an end to it. Now, she wanted to see how they would play out this act, with the matter laid bare before Min Jia!
※
When Zhou Shaojin returned home, Cheng Chi had already returned from his official duties and was waiting at the Moon Gate to greet her and Old Madam Guo.
“It must have been lively over there today, right?” He stepped forward personally, helping Old Madam Guo down from the sedan chair while smiling. “Are you tired? Would you like me to massage your legs for you?”Old Madam Guo was very pleased. She smiled and said, "Why would I need you to massage my legs? I have maids and old women to attend to me! You've been busy all day, and Shaojin must be tired too. Hurry back to your room and rest! You still have to go to the yamen for duty tomorrow!"
Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Chi still escorted Old Madam Guo back to Tingxiang Courtyard, waited until she had settled down, and only then took their leave.
But as soon as they stepped out of Tingxiang Courtyard, Zhou Shaojin wrapped her arms around Cheng Chi's arm.
Cheng Chi was somewhat surprised.
Although they had been married for some time, this was the first time she had taken the initiative to cling to him like this in public, in front of so many maids and old women.
He thought for a moment and smiled. "Did something happen when you went to Asheng's place?"
"Yes!" Zhou Shaojin nodded happily and whispered, "Today I ran into Cheng Xu. He apologized to me and said that everything in the past was his fault..."
She recounted the whole incident to Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi was astonished and sighed with emotion, "Jiashan, after all, is more like a member of the Cheng family!"
Zhou Shaojin nodded in agreement.
Cheng Chi hugged her and said, "Shaoji, you are truly magnanimous. To forgive him just like that!"
Zhou Shaojin giggled and said, "That's because he's your nephew!"
If it weren't for Cheng Chi, how could she have let go of it so quickly?
Cheng Chi smiled dotingly and pinched her cheek.
Zhou Shaojin laughed and dodged, but then leaned back in because she couldn't bear to let go of Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi chuckled softly.
Hand in hand, they walked toward the main house.
Zhou Shaojin then said, "That Wu Baozhang is really annoying! Even if this wasn't her idea that she gave to Min Jia, she was still in cahoots with Min Jia. Otherwise, she wouldn't have repeatedly tried to lure me outside. Cheng Xu was definitely led there by Min Jia... I don't know what Min Jia was thinking, not asking Cheng Xu directly but instead believing Wu Baozhang. I gave her a piece of my mind today..."
She went on to talk about what happened afterward.
Cheng Chi couldn't help but laugh and said, "Well done! In the future, if anyone dares to treat you like that again, just give them a good scolding. At worst, we'll face them together!"
"This isn't a fight!" Zhou Shaojin laughed as they entered the courtyard.
Looking up, she saw Huaishan.
Zhou Shaojin knew he wouldn't appear here without reason. She greeted him with a smile and went inside.
Not long after, Cheng Chi returned.
He seemed to be in a very good mood.
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but smile and ask, "Did something good happen?"
"There's news about Cheng Lu," Cheng Chi said. "He's staying in a small inn, destitute and ill. The innkeeper, afraid he might die there, drove him out. He probably hasn't gone far yet. Huaishan has gone to look for him personally."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Shaojin felt a stir in her heart. She hesitated to speak.
Cheng Chi smiled and asked, "Do you have some idea?"
Zhou Shaojin said, "If Cheng Lu is found, what do you plan to do?"
Of course, it was to ensure he could never appear before Zhou Shaojin again.
But in front of Zhou Shaojin, he couldn't say that.
Cheng Chi said, "Find a way to warn him, and then have someone keep an eye on him from now on."
Zhou Shaojin then smiled and said, "In that case, why not let the wicked be dealt with by the wicked?"
Cheng Chi looked at her with interest.Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "Isn't Cheng Lu impoverished and down on his luck now? He definitely won’t resign himself to such a wretched state. Instead of tracking him down to teach him a lesson and leaving a lingering threat, I think it would be better to find a way to lure him to Wu Baozhang. Given his temperament, he’s sure to seek help from Wu Baozhang, and given Wu Baozhang’s temperament, she likely won’t help him. But Cheng Lu is no easy target either… Let them tear into each other. That way, Wu Baozhang won’t have the leisure to trouble me all day long."
Cheng Chi burst into laughter.
He affectionately kissed her cheek and said, "My little girl has grown up and learned to use her head. This is a good idea. Let’s do it!" With that, he called out loudly for Qing Feng and sent him to deliver the message to Huaishan.
※
Dear readers, here’s today’s update!
O(∩_∩)O~
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※ (To be continued ~^~)
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