"Dоn't bе аngrу!" Cheng Yi sаid shеерishlу, rubbing his nose. "Hе sаid he heаrd you wеrе ill аnd sресially wеnt to Changchun Cavе tо get mеdicinе fоr соlds, sending it in thrоugh а sеrvаnt. Whо knew it wоuld upset yоu? Нe dоesn't know what wеnt wrong and wаnts to aроlоgizе..." Sееing Zhоu Shaojin's ехprеssiоn dаrken, hе hurriedlу еxplаinеd, "I know it's inаpproрriate toо, but hе wаs verу sincere, аnd hе sаid it in front оf Сhеng Nuо аnd thе othеrs. I rеallу cоuldn't refuse, sо I had tо brасe mуsеlf аnd сome herе." Zhou Shaojin remainеd silent.
The Сheng familу had fivе brаnchеs. Cheng Lu belonged to a collateral line of the fifth branch, somewhat distant from the other branches. He lost his father at a young age. Although his family was wealthy, taxes and corvée labor were harsh. Cheng Lu's mother, Madam Dong, came from a common background with no influential relatives to rely on. Initially, she turned to the fifth branch for support, but they had their own troubles and couldn't help Cheng Lu's family. With no other choice, Madam Dong sought help from the fourth branch. Old Madam Guan, who had been widowed young, sympathized with Madam Dong's similar plight. She placed Cheng Lu's family assets under the fourth branch's name to exempt them from taxes and corvée labor, and also recommended Cheng Lu to study at the Cheng clan school.
Grateful for Old Madam Guan's kindness, Madam Dong frequently visited the fourth branch. Moreover, Cheng Lu showed talent for studies, passing both the county and prefectural exams at a young age. Madam Dong knew she might need the fourth branch's help for her son's future endeavors. Old Madam Guan, reminded of her own early hardships by this widowed mother and son, often urged her sons and daughters-in-law to look after Cheng Lu's family. Thus, Cheng Gao and Cheng Yi also took care of Cheng Lu. With both sides willing, Cheng Lu's family grew closer to the fourth branch. So, was that why Cheng Yi found it hard to refuse Cheng Lu?
So, it all started with the message she had Songqing deliver to Cheng Lu.
If she hadn't said those words, would all these complications have arisen?
Zhou Shaojin felt a pang of realization but knew now wasn't the time to dwell on it. She said, "So you didn't come to see me—you came to deliver a message for Cheng Lu? I got my hopes up for nothing."
"No, no!" Cheng Yi waved his hands anxiously. "I really came to visit you. My brother asked about your health when he paid his respects to Grandmother this morning, and he asked again when he saw Eldest Cousin. Cheng Lu's matter was just incidental, really incidental."
As they were talking, a maid suddenly knocked on the door: "Second Miss, Cui Huan from Miss Jia's side is here."
Cheng Yi was startled and stood up, looking for a place to hide. After scanning the room and finding nowhere, he grew anxious and complained, "This Cheng Jia, always acting on impulse! She knows you're sick—why is she sending someone to find you? Can't she just let things be?"
Zhou Shaojin said nothing.
Her feelings toward Cheng Jia were complex, and sometimes she even tried to deceive herself, thinking that if she didn't dwell on it, those events might as well have never happened. Especially in her memory, Cheng Jia was married off far away and forbidden from ever returning to the Cheng family. For someone who took pride in family honor, such punishment was probably more painful than death.
She pointed to the armchair in the room and said to Cheng Yi, "Just sit quietly. I'll go out and see."
"That's good, that's good," Cheng Yi calmed down.
Zhou Shaojin left the study and saw Cui Huan standing under the grape arbor, accompanied by Shi Xiang."Second Young Miss!" Hearing the movement, the two hurried forward to bow.
Zhou Shaojin carefully observed Cui Huan.
She wore a plain, pale green Hangzhou silk vest and a white embroidered skirt, with small silver earrings adorning her ears. She was neat, tidy, and clean, like a jade hairpin flower blooming in the corner of a wall.
Yet in her memory, Cui Huan was in her thirties, with a plump figure and a sallow complexion. Wrapped in a parrot-green Lu silk jacket, she knelt before her moon gate, lifting her chin defiantly as she said, "If you’ve suffered grievances, that was your own choice. Did our young lady come away unscathed? Instead of settling scores with that Wu Baozhang, why hold a grudge against our young lady? If not for our young lady’s dying wish, I wouldn’t have set foot on Madam Lin’s estate even if I’d lost my way..."
To her, Cui Huan was a wicked servant, but to Cheng Jia, she was a loyal one!
Zhou Shaojin’s expression grew complex and inscrutable, which made Cui Huan and Shi Xiang uneasy.
Exchanging a glance, Cui Huan and Shi Xiang called out in unison, "Second Young Miss."
Zhou Shaojin snapped back to reality, took a deep breath, and finally felt a bit better.
She asked Cui Huan, "What did your young lady send you here for?"
The question was somewhat blunt. But Zhou Shaojin had grown up with Cheng Jia like sisters—quarreling one day and making up the next, with no room for servants or maids to meddle.
Cui Huan smiled and said, "Our young lady heard that Second Young Miss was ill and couldn’t go out, so she thought you must be bored at home. A few days ago, didn’t Master Zheng go to Mount Wutai with some friends? He returned last night. Our young lady saw that Master Zheng had brought back several boxes of white-faced, gold-tracing Sichuan fans and asked for two boxes. One box she kept for herself, and the other she sent me to deliver to you, so you can paint fan surfaces for fun when you’re free. They’ll come in handy once summer arrives in a few days."
The "Master Zheng" she referred to was Cheng Jia’s elder brother, Cheng Zheng, the heir of the second branch.
Zhou Shaojin nodded, instructed Shi Xiang to take the fans, and said, "Go tell your Second Young Miss that it will be a few more days before I recover. Once I’m better, I’ll go find her to play."
Cui Huan smiled, curtsied, and was escorted out by Shi Xiang.
Zhou Shaojin returned to the study.
Cheng Yi was pacing restlessly inside, saying, "Dear cousin, please give me a few of those fans! I heard early this morning at school that Cousin Zheng made a friend from Meizhou at Mount Wutai, who gifted him several boxes of 'Yuecao Hall' white-faced fans, smooth as spring ice and fine as silk. Once summer comes, I can give them as gifts."
Zhou Shaojin turned, fetched the fans, and stuffed them all into his arms, saying, "Take them all, is that enough?"
"Aren’t you keeping a few for yourself?" Cheng Yi asked in surprise.
"If I don’t give them to you, you say I’m stingy. If I give them to you, you complain it’s too many," Zhou Shaojin retorted, reaching for the box. "Do you want them or not?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Cheng Yi turned away, clutching the box tightly. "Dear cousin, I was just joking. I thank you sincerely. If you ever need anything in the future, just tell me. I’d go through fire and water for you, even at the cost of my life!"
This fool, speaking recklessly again.
Zhou Shaojin said irritably, "No need for 'at the cost of my life.' Just stop trying to please that Cheng Lu and running errands for him."Cheng Yi gave an awkward laugh, trying to save face as he said, "When did my little sister become so sharp-tongued? I can't win against you—isn't it enough that I admit defeat?" As he spoke, he picked up the box and made to leave.
Zhou Shaojin was stunned.
Indeed, when had she become so sharp-tongued?
In the few days since she had awakened, the words she had spoken altogether were not as many as those she had exchanged with Cheng Yi today.
Zhou Shaojin saw Cheng Yi out.
Just as they stepped out of the study, they saw from a distance Shi Xiang accompanying an elderly woman with graying hair but a sturdy frame walking toward them.
Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Yi were both shocked.
That old woman seemed to be Granny Wang... As they drew closer, they could see she wore a thin Hangzhou silk jacket in autumn fragrance color with eight-treasure patterns, a pure gold hairpin without a single flaw, a sandalwood bracelet, and a face full of wrinkles—who else could it be but Granny Wang?
Cheng Yi turned and ran: "I'll leave this to you!"
He ducked into the nearby bamboo grove and vanished in a flash.
How could Zhou Shaojin spare a thought for him now?
She hurried forward and curtsied to Granny Wang.
Granny Wang immediately reached out to support Zhou Shaojin, though her eyes flicked toward the rustling bamboo grove. "Second Young Miss, you truly humble this old servant!"
"You are too kind, Granny!" Cold sweat broke out on Zhou Shaojin's back. She had only managed half a curtsy before Granny Wang held her up, preventing her from sinking further.
She had no choice but to straighten up.
Granny Wang gazed at her with a smile, the wrinkles on her face deepening. "Second Young Miss, the Old Madam has sent me to deliver a message, asking you to come over."
Zhou Shaojin could not conceal her astonishment.
Granny Wang was her maternal grandmother's wet nurse. She had followed her grandmother from Jingzhou Prefecture to Jinling City when she married. After the old master passed away from illness, she had helped her grandmother manage the household, raise the children, and oversee various affairs. She was someone who had contributed greatly to the fourth branch of the Cheng family. Not only did Old Madam Guan and her two uncles respect her, but even the eldest master of the main branch would rise to his feet and address her respectfully as "Granny Wang."
She was already over seventy years old and, by all rights, should have long been released from service to enjoy her remaining years in honor. However, her only son had died young in her early years, and the household could not do without her. Thus, she had remained in the mansion serving her grandmother. She and her husband had spent little time together and had no more children. After her husband passed away, there was no one to care for her outside the mansion. Her grandmother had suggested she adopt an heir, but she said it was too troublesome and refused. Her grandmother then specially allocated her a courtyard of about two or three mu in the western side compound, assigned a maid and an elderly servant woman to attend to her, and declared that if she were to pass away in the future, Cheng Yi would wear mourning clothes, carry her spirit tablet, and perform the funeral rites.
Ever since then, Cheng Yi would run at the sight of her.
Granny Wang usually stayed in her own courtyard and rarely ventured out. Why would she come today to deliver a message from her grandmother?
Suppressing the confusion in her heart, Zhou Shaojin smiled and invited Granny Wang to sit in the main hall. She allowed Shi Xiang and Chunwan to help her freshen up, choosing a rose-red waistcoat that elderly people tended to favor, a plain bean-green Xiang skirt, a headband adorned with pearls the size of mung beans, and tiny pure gold ear studs the size of rice grains.
As soon as she stepped out of the inner chamber, she received praise from Granny Wang: "Second Young Miss is truly lovely. I wonder which fortunate family will have the honor of welcoming you through their doors in the future."
Zhou Shaojin was quite taken aback.
Although Granny Wang was advanced in years, she had always been cautious throughout her life and never misspoke. For her to suddenly say such a thing now... Could it be that someone had brought up the matter of her marriage?
She thought of Cheng Lu's mother, Madam Dong, who had taken her hand and praised her as "well-suited for home and family." At that time, Granny Wang seemed to have said something similar.Could it be that Madam Dong had come to visit her grandmother?
Zhou Shaojin’s heart instantly felt as if a heavy stone were pressing down on it, leaving her stifled and breathless. Yet she still had to lower her eyelids, feigning a bashful demeanor as she softly replied, “You jest, Mama.”
Mama Wang chuckled a few times but said nothing more.
The group walked in silence out of Fragrant Garden Residence and headed toward Jia Shu Hall, where Old Madam Guan lived.
Along the way, those who encountered them stepped aside and bowed in greeting. Zhou Shaojin’s hand, clutching her handkerchief, never loosened its grip.
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