Thеsе twо rеаllу dоn't see еуе tо еye!
Zhou Shаоjin chucklеd inwardly.
In hеr рrеviоus lifе, Gu Jiuniаo not оnly had a smooth offiсiаl cаreеr but аlsо gаined grеаt fаmе, bеcоming a renownеd аnd cаpable оfficial in thе court. Wоuldn't it bе bеnеfiсiаl fоr Cheng Сhi's сarееr tо befriеnd such а рerson?
Shе gеntly nudgеd Cheng Chi, whо had alreаdу сlosеd his eyes аnd wаs рreраring tо slеер, and whisреred, "Si Lаng, I remеmber the Gu fаmily dоеsn't hаve а rеаdу-made residеnce in the caрital? Should we hеlp them find а housе оr somеthing? Regardless of the relationship between the Gu and Cheng families, even as fellow townsmen, since he told you he was coming to the capital, we should at least ask."
Cheng Chi opened his eyes with a smile and said, "Qin Ziji will handle this matter. There's no need for you to worry."
But Zhou Shaojin wanted to help Cheng Chi.
She said, "Wouldn't it be different if Chief Steward Qin and I were to step in? The seventeenth young lady of the Gu family is also my cousin-in-law, and I’ve met the sixth madam of the Gu family as well. Since she’s new here, she’s bound to face many inconveniences, and I’d also like to have another place to visit."
In short, the relationship between the two families must not be severed.
Zhou Shaojin indeed didn’t have many friends she could talk to.
Cheng Chi smiled and said, "Then I’ll give Qin Ziji instructions, and when the time comes, we’ll go together to welcome the couple."
Zhou Shaojin nodded with a smile, hugged Cheng Chi’s arm, and went to sleep peacefully. Early the next morning, after seeing Cheng Chi off and feeding Yun Ge'er breakfast, she planned to pay respects to Old Madam Guo and then visit Nanping. Unexpectedly, Jiying came over.
Perfect timing. She handed the child over to Old Madam Guo and spoke to Jiying about Nanping and Qin Zi'an: "...I’ll go check on them. If it doesn’t work out, you can send a message to Qin Ziping. Let the family know the situation. Qin Zi'an isn’t young anymore; we shouldn’t delay him."
Chief Steward Qin might not say it, but he must be anxious deep down.
Jiying breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I was just afraid you’d drag me along... I really can’t talk to her. I have no idea what she’s thinking!"
Zhou Shaojin smiled faintly and said, "This is a private matter. How could I drag you along?"
Jiying nodded repeatedly and said, "Then I’ll go play with Yun Ge'er, and you can go about your business. The weather is lovely today. In the afternoon, I’ll take him for some water drifting."
The Cheng family’s lake was beautiful. Several large trees along the shore stretched over the water, their green shade blocking the sky, making it the perfect spot to learn water drifting.
Zhou Shaojin thanked her and went to Nanping’s place.
In recent years, Nanping had started following a vegetarian diet, so a small kitchen had been set up for her in the courtyard.
Seeing Zhou Shaojin arrive, she smiled and brewed a pot of Laojunmei tea for her. Zhou Shaojin noticed she was wearing a smoke-gray vest over a moon-white plain fine cloth garment, looking as simple as a lay Buddhist practitioner. For a moment, she didn’t know how to broach the subject.
Nanping thought she had come about the autumn clothing for the household and said with a smile, "I’m keeping an eye on that for you. Don’t worry! Nothing will go wrong." Then she took out a few exquisitely crafted small garments and handed them to Zhou Shaojin. "I made these for Young Master Yun. Do you think they’re suitable? Is there anything that needs to be changed? If they meet your approval, I’ll start making winter jackets, cloaks, and capes for Young Master Yun."
Zhou Shaojin thought for a moment and decided to tell Nanping about Chief Steward Qin’s letter and how Qin Zi'an had once sought Cheng Chi’s help.Nanping smiled bitterly and said to Zhou Shaojin, "If the person I was betrothed to wasn't Zi Ning, I would have married within three to five years."
Zhou Shaojin still wanted to persuade her: "Perhaps once you step outside, you’ll find that staying out there can also be quite comfortable."
Nanping understood her meaning and replied, "If I think of Zi Ning, I should even less marry into their family."
Zhou Shaojin knew this matter could only leave Qin Zi'an disappointed.
"I understand," she said, respecting Nanping’s choice, and smiled. "Then from now on, all matters related to needlework in the household will be entrusted to you." Having said this, she stood up.
Nanping respectfully rose and said, "Rest assured, I will oversee everything."
Zhou Shaojin sighed inwardly as she left the needlework room.
She ran into Jiying head-on.
Jiying had brought Yun Ge'er to the pavilion along Zhou Shaojin’s usual path and was teaching him to jump rope.
Seeing Zhou Shaojin, she immediately walked over and whispered, "What did Nanping say?"
"I’m afraid this matter won’t work out," Zhou Shaojin recounted the whole story.
Jiying also sighed and said, "Perhaps this is what they call fate without destiny? I’ll go back and tell Zi Ping, have him make a trip to the Western Mountain Garrison. As for Grandfather’s side, could you help write a letter?" She added, "If there’s anyone suitable, perhaps you could arrange a match for Qin Zi'an. He’s not young anymore."
Zhou Shaojin nodded.
Yun Ge'er grew restless.
Feeling that the pretty aunt and gentle mother had both left him behind to play on their own.
He tugged the rope and ran over, squeezing between Jiying and Zhou Shaojin, shouting "hug" at Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin chuckled and picked up her son.
Yun Ge'er shoved the rope into Jiying’s hands, sweetly calling "Auntie" and saying "play."
Jiying laughed heartily and said to Zhou Shaojin, "He must take after Cheng Zichuan—so domineering."
Zhou Shaojin barely resisted the urge to facepalm.
Whenever Jiying thought Yun Ge'er had any flaws, she would always blame it on Cheng Zichuan.
The group happily played all afternoon, and Yun Ge'er was already able to kick a few times in the water. According to Jiying, in at most three to five days, Yun Ge'er would be able to water drift on his own.
"So quickly!" Zhou Shaojin was very surprised and hesitated, "Then could I learn it too?"
"As long as you have the heart, it’s never too late," Jiying encouraged her. "Once I’ve taught Yun Ge'er, I’ll come teach you. I’m afraid I can’t handle both of you in the water at once. Yun Ge'er is too lively."
That was true.
Zhou Shaojin smiled, feeling tempted.
In the evening, seeing Cheng Chi contentedly put away the exam papers prepared for the Imperial Grandson, she walked over with a teacup, smiling as she placed it by Cheng Chi’s hand, and gently asked, "All finished?"
"Yes!" Cheng Chi smiled, picked up the teacup, and took a sip. "You came in twice earlier. I wanted to call you, but you left. Was there something you wanted to discuss?"
Zhou Shaojin hadn’t expected Cheng Chi to be so observant. Hesitantly, she mentioned wanting to learn water drifting from Jiying.
Cheng Chi was slightly surprised. Glancing at Zhou Shaojin’s more delicate and shapely figure after childbirth, he said, "When learning water drifting, you mustn’t wear long clothes or trousers. Once the clothes get wet, their weight alone could pull you underwater. What did Jiying wear when teaching Yun Ge'er water drifting? You’ll probably need to make a few outfits like that..."
This meant he agreed!
Zhou Shaojin was overjoyed and said, "Jiying, she..."She thought of Jiying's exposed fair legs and arms but couldn't bring herself to continue.
Even if she were to dress like Jiying, with only maids and elderly servants around, in broad daylight she would still feel embarrassed.
Cheng Chi pretended to ponder for a moment. "How about this? I'll teach you water drifting. But we'll have to wait until each evening after I return from court..."
"Never mind," Zhou Shaojin hesitated. "You're already exhausted from your daily duties at the ministry. Now you're also teaching mathematics to the Imperial Grandson. I've heard the Eastern Palace's curriculum isn't simple—besides instructors like you, there's a chief instructor who often summons you to question your teaching. If dissatisfied, he can recommend replacements to the Emperor..."
With a student like the Imperial Grandson who can neither be disciplined nor scolded, everything depends on his own diligence. Cheng Chi is the youngest among all the instructors, the only one who isn't a Junior Scholar Candidate. Who knows whether the Imperial Grandson will respect him?
"It's fine," Cheng Chi quickly glanced at Zhou Shaojin again. "If I'm too busy, we can reschedule. There's no hurry—we can take our time learning."
It would definitely be fun.
Remembering Yun Ge'er's face in the lake during water drifting, shining brighter than summer sunlight, Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but nod. She spent two days making several sets of short-sleeved, short-legged outfits.
Cheng Chi and Zhou Shaojin seized the opportunity to move to the Water Pavilion, even building bamboo-wood steps beside it that extended deep into the water. Yun Ge'er was kept by Old Madam Guo's side, citing safety concerns around the Water Pavilion. Every evening, Cheng Chi would wear swimming trunks and accompany her into the water.
Zhou Shaojin blushed crimson, not daring to glance toward Cheng Chi at all.
Even indoors, Cheng Chi had never worn so little!
Once in the water, with nothing to hold onto from any direction, she became terrified and clung tightly to Cheng Chi's neck.
Cheng Chi held her while playing in the water. By the time he carried Zhou Shaojin ashore, her skin burned with such heat it felt like it was on fire.
The next day, when Cheng Chi wanted to take Zhou Shaojin for water drifting, she hesitated slightly. Only after Cheng Chi urged her did she follow him to the lakeside, her face still flushed.
This time, Cheng Chi properly taught Zhou Shaojin water drifting. Yet for some reason, Zhou Shaojin inexplicably felt a sense of loss.
Cheng Chi secretly smiled. Today he would tease Zhou Shaojin while playing, tomorrow he would teach her water drifting. After seven or eight days, if Yun Ge'er weren't so young and lacking strength, he could already swim like a little fish in the water—while Zhou Shaojin still couldn't let go.
She stomped her feet in frustration, yet secretly found it quite amusing. So she played dumb, allowing Cheng Chi to continue teaching her water drifting.
Soon it was mid-June.
Zhou Zhen received the birthday gifts sent by Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Chi and wrote back, also bringing several outfits Madam Li had made for Yun Ge'er along with gold bracelets and bracelets. Gu Jiuniao's family arrived in the capital.
Cheng Chi and Zhou Shaojin hosted a welcome banquet for Gu Jiuniao.
Gu Jiuniao didn't stand on ceremony, staying at the residence near Chaoyang Gate for several days. Only after Qin Ziji brought people to tidy up the rented house for him, purchased several local maidservants through an agency, and settled the living arrangements did he go pay respects to Huang Li.
The selection of scholars considers both talent and appearance.Huang Li was five or six years younger than Cheng Jing, dignified in appearance and stern in demeanor, but upon seeing Gu Jiuniao, he revealed a warm smile.
The two exchanged some casual conversation.
Upon learning that the place where Gu Jiuniao was staying had been found with Cheng Chi’s help, a faint look of relief flashed in Huang Li’s eyes. He said, “He is doing quite well in the Censorate now. Since you are fellow townsmen, it’s only natural that you should stay close.”
Gu Jiuniao felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
He had entered officialdom for the sake of his family’s survival, but he did not wish to lose Cheng Chi as a friend because of it.
Gu Jiuniao quickly settled in and took the first step of his official career.
But just then, something of moderate significance occurred in the capital.
※
Dear readers, tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunions. I’d like to wish everyone an early “Happy Mid-Autumn Festival”!
o(n_n)o~
PS: I’d like to recommend “My Childhood Friend is the Male Supporting Character” by Winter’s Willow Leaf.
Cheng San has liked her cousin from her mother’s family since childhood, having grown up together. It was only much later that she realized her handsome, deeply devoted Han family cousin was a strange creature known as the “male supporting character.” Unfortunately, she is not the female lead…
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