Тhe mattеr wаs thus sеttlеd.
Наving her desсendants gathered arоund hеr naturаlly brоught Оld Маdam Guо grеаt jоу, but Zhou Shаojin found hersеlf sо busy shе barely tоuched thе ground—sending оut invitаtiоns, finаlizing thе mеnu, disрatching реoрlе tо clеan thе Wаter Pаviliоn, oрening the storеroom to fеtсh thе dishes аnd ivory chорstiсks for thе bаnquеt, аnd bесausе thеy wоuld be bоating at thе Watеr Раvilion, shе аlsо hаd to arrangе for maids and matrons skillеd in water drifting to sеrve.
Chеng Chi quiеtlу said tо Zhou Shaojin, "Let me help you with sending the invitations and finalizing the menu." The other tasks required instructing the managing matrons, which he couldn’t do on her behalf.
"How could that be?" Zhou Shaojin flushed. "I’ve watched Mother do it before and know how it’s done."
"I know you can manage it," Cheng Chi said with a smile, patting her head. "It’s just that this was decided too suddenly, and time is a bit tight." As he spoke, he picked up a brush and wrote a few characters on xuan paper, asking, "What do you think of my calligraphy?"
Soft as weeping willows, elegant and graceful.
Zhou Shaojin was astonished.
This was clearly her own handwriting!
Cheng Chi laughed. "Now do you believe I can help you write the invitations?"
"Uncle Chi!" Zhou Shaojin threw herself into Cheng Chi’s arms.
Cheng Chi then whispered into her ear, "Did you miss me?"
Perhaps because in Zhou Shaojin’s heart, Cheng Chi would always be the Uncle Chi who sheltered her, cared for her, and held her dear, she occasionally couldn’t help but call him "Uncle Chi" as she used to, especially in moments of intimacy when her mind grew hazy, making her particularly prone to shy, nonsensical murmurs.
Zhou Shaojin’s face flushed crimson, and she fled in embarrassment.
Cheng Chi laughed heartily, then helped her send the invitations and finalize the menu using her handwriting before heading to Old Madam Guo’s quarters.
Old Madam Guo was playing with Yun Ge’er when she saw Cheng Chi enter and hurriedly said, "Look, look! Our Yun Ge’er can hold his head up now."
Cheng Chi followed her gaze.
Yun Ge’er was lying on a Zhang velvet cushion embroidered with peonies on the large kang by the window. Old Madam Guo shook a rattle-drum in front of him, and he struggled to lift his head, reaching out with his hands to grab it.
Cheng Chi had only returned when the child was over two months old, and by then, Yun Ge’er was already being carried upright on someone’s shoulder, his neck supported. He couldn’t see any difference.
Old Madam Guo chided him, "Children can barely lift their heads after a hundred days, and even then, it’s only with effort. Look at our Yun Ge’er—he could lift his head at two months. Now, after a hundred days, he can hold it up steadily and even knows to grab the rattle-drum. This child is being raised so well." Then, thinking of Zhou Shaojin, who had carried Yun Ge’er, she sighed. "I was afraid the child she gave birth to would be as frail as a kitten and hard to raise. Who would have thought that, though she’s petite, the child she bore isn’t small at all? And he’s being raised so robustly—it shows she endured hardship while carrying Yun Ge’er. You must treat her better in the future."
"Alright!" Cheng Chi agreed with a smile, saying no more as he took the rattle-drum from Old Madam Guo to play with Yun Ge’er.
Unexpectedly, after trying for a while without grabbing the rattle-drum, Yun Ge’er grew angry. He stopped lifting his head, lost interest in the rattle-drum, and instead pressed his little face against the Zhang velvet cushion, using his fair, tender hands to pick at the small red flowers embroidered on it.Cheng Chi teased him for a long while, but the child simply ignored him. At first, Cheng Chi thought Yun Ge’er was tired, but later, seeing him lying quietly without moving, he decided to pick him up. Only after putting down the rattle drum did he notice that Yun Ge’er had been poking at the little flower pattern for fun.
He couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time as he lifted Yun Ge’er up. Holding him upright against his shoulder in the position Yun Ge’er usually loved most, the child suddenly burst into loud wails.
Cheng Chi was utterly baffled.
Old Madam Guo grew anxious and snapped at Cheng Chi, “What did you do to him? He was perfectly fine just now, playing happily. What did you do?”
Cheng Chi broke into a cold sweat.
In all his years, this was the first time Old Madam Guo had scolded him without even asking for an explanation.
After a moment’s thought, Cheng Chi said, “He might be upset because I picked him up.” He then told Old Madam Guo how Yun Ge’er had been poking at the little flower pattern earlier.
But before he could finish, Old Madam Guo had already snatched Yun Ge’er from his arms. Cradling the child lovingly, she cooed, “It’s all your father’s fault. Our Yun Ge’er was playing so nicely, and he had to come and disturb you. Let’s ignore him. Does our Yun Ge’er want to poke at the little flower? It’s alright, it’s alright. Grandmother will let you poke at it right away.” With that, she placed Yun Ge’er back on the Zhang velvet cushion exactly as before.
But Yun Ge’er had lost his earlier enthusiasm.
Even on the Zhang velvet cushion, he continued to cry.
Old Madam Guo then carried Yun Ge’er and paced around the room, murmuring as she walked, “Our Yun Ge’er, don’t cry anymore. If you keep crying, you’ll hurt your eyes. What does Yun Ge’er want to do? Does he want flowers?” She opened the mirror case on the dressing table and glanced inside but didn’t find anything suitable. Her eyes swept over the maids and older women in the room, and she pointed at Chenxiang, saying, “Go fetch a few silk flowers that haven’t been worn yet.”
Cheng Chi immediately realized what Old Madam Guo intended to do and couldn’t help calling out, “Mother.” But before he could say anything more, Old Madam Guo said disapprovingly, “Which of you wasn’t raised by me? Three sons, all three became imperial scholars. Did any of you turn out badly? Besides, he’s still young and doesn’t understand things yet. You have to teach him until he does. Scolding him with a stern face all the time, making him fearful and tearful—is that how you raise a child?”
Meanwhile, Chenxiang hurried out of the inner chamber and returned with several new silk flowers that hadn’t been worn yet.
Old Madam Guo picked a bright red pomegranate flower and waved it in front of Yun Ge’er. “Yun Ge’er, look, a pomegranate flower. Isn’t it pretty? Shall we keep it for your future wife to wear?”
Yun Ge’er widened his eyes and stared at the pomegranate flower in Old Madam Guo’s hand, as if trying to figure out what it was. After a long moment, he reached out and poked at the petals, then stretched out his little hand and grabbed the flower.
Old Madam Guo chuckled and picked up a pale yellow rose.
Yun Ge’er extended his other hand and clutched it in his palm.
Amused, Old Madam Guo took out a purple lilac flower.
Yun Ge’er glanced at his little hands but paid no attention to it.
“Oh my!” Old Madam Guo laughed heartily and said to Cheng Chi, “He even knows which flowers he likes.”
Probably anything brightly colored, right?Cheng Chi muttered to himself inwardly. Seeing his mother's excited expression, he wisely swallowed the words that had reached his lips, deciding not to clash with her over the child issue—ever since he was appointed as the head of Seven Stars Hall, his mother had rarely been this happy.
He had originally planned to take care of Yun Ge'er himself, so that his mother, having nothing else to do, would surely inquire about tomorrow's banquet arrangements and could help Shaojin. But now, it seemed he should go check on the banquet preparations instead!
Cheng Chi chatted with Old Madam Guo for a few moments. Old Madam Guo then shooed him away: "Go help Shaojin! Yun Ge'er will sleep with me tonight. He's not so young anymore; he can't always follow his mother around. That would make him timid and weak when he grows up..."
Just moments ago, his mother had said Yun Ge'er was too young, and now he was suddenly old enough to learn to live apart from his mother.
For the first time in his life, Cheng Chi felt at a loss for words.
Once the child turns three, he must begin his education and be kept by my side personally. Yun Ge'er must not be raised solely among women!
Cheng Chi reaffirmed this resolution and went to the side hall where Zhou Shaojin was giving instructions.
Zhou Shaojin wore a pink Hangzhou silk robe with a subtle diamond-patterned design, paired with a goose-yellow horse-face skirt. Her jet-black hair was simply tied into a bun, adorned with two kingfisher-feather hairpins shaped like lilac flowers. In the increasingly chilly autumn weather, she looked as tender and delicate as spring blossoms. Her gentle and serene face carried a quiet grace, lacking the imposing air of a household mistress but instead exuding a soft, approachable warmth. The stewardesses and matrons reporting to her spoke with voices and expressions that were noticeably gentler.
Cheng Chi smiled faintly.
Just as different grains nourish different people, Shaojin, though delicate, was not necessarily timid—it was simply a matter of differing personal styles.
He left the side hall contentedly.
Zhou Shaojin returned rather late. After washing up and getting into bed, she nestled into the arms of Cheng Chi, who was reading a book. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she pressed her face against his chest, listening to his strong, steady heartbeat. She felt completely relaxed.
"Si Lang," she called softly to Cheng Chi. "After I dismissed the stewardesses and matrons, Chunwan told me the invitations had been sent out and the menu was finalized... Thank you! I'm so happy."
"Really?" Cheng Chi loved it when she clung to him so softly and pliantly. He set aside his book, distractedly chatting with Zhou Shaojin while undoing her hair tie and letting her hair down. "My housekeeping skills aren't bad either, right?"
Zhou Shaojin knew he liked her with her hair loose, though wearing it down meant having to wash it more often and spending time restyling it every morning... But since Cheng Chi liked it, she indulged his preference, holding him as he loosened her hair.
"Mhm!" she murmured softly. "You're so capable, you can do anything!"
Cheng Chi chuckled softly, nibbling on Zhou Shaojin's ear as his hand traced along her delicate curves...
Zhou Shaojin hesitated slightly.
They had guests coming tomorrow, and she was afraid she wouldn't be able to get up...
Cheng Chi whispered in her ear, "Just once tonight."
Blushing, Zhou Shaojin buried her face in his chest.
※
The next day, Cheng Sheng was the first to arrive.After paying respects to Old Madam Guo, Cheng Sheng's husband Peng Zao followed Cheng Chi to the flower hall, while Rui Ge'er stayed by Old Madam Guo's side. He crawled around on the kang, occasionally picking up one of Yun Ge'er's toys and handing it to Yun Ge'er, who was being held by his wet nurse on the kang, thoroughly enjoying himself.
Old Madam Guo watched with eyes curved into smiles.
Meanwhile, Cheng Sheng pulled Zhou Shaojin aside and whispered, "How is it that you look even more beautiful after having a child, while I've become a sallow-faced woman? If you have any secret remedies, you'd better share them now, or else when Second Sister and Eldest Sister arrive later, we'll all join forces to criticize you!"
"How am I looking more beautiful?" Zhou Shaojin replied bashfully, carefully thinking about her daily routine. "I drink a small bowl of bird's nest every day—does that count?"
"Who doesn't drink bird's nest?" Cheng Sheng insisted. "Besides that, what else?"
Zhou Shaojin shook her head and smiled. "I don't eat anything else besides that. I used to be able to sleep and wake up early, but after having Yun Ge'er, I follow his schedule—I sleep when he sleeps and wake when he wakes..."
Cheng Sheng didn't believe a word of it.
As the two were talking, the people from Xinglin Alley arrived.
※
Dear readers, an extra update for "Book Spirit Pact."
O(∩_∩)O~
PS: The update time in the evening cannot be confirmed yet, so please bear with me.
※ (To be continued ~^~)
OpenNovel