As soon as Nanny Shang finished speaking, there was a noise coming from the upper room.
Biyu smiled and lifted the curtain to show a woman who looked to be about thirty-four or thirty-five years old.
The woman was of medium height, with a plump figure and fair skin. She was wearing a blue cotton jacket. She had gentle features and a kind look as she asked Biyu to stay.
Zhou Shaojin guessed that she should be the ninth wife of the Gu family.
Biyu kept saying "I dare not", but when she looked up she saw Zhou Shaojin.
She smiled at Zhou Shaojin.
Mrs. Gu Jiu looked over here in the direction Biyu was looking.
Perhaps a little surprised, there was a hint of astonishment and amazement in her eyes when she looked at Zhou Shaojin. After a pause, she nodded at Zhou Shaojin, and then was accompanied by Biyu to leave Hanbi Mountain House.
Zhou Shaojin entered the upper room.
Old Madam Guo looked a little tired, with her eyes closed, while Manjusri was massaging her temples.
Zhou Shaojin hurriedly said: "Let me do it!"
Manju glanced at Madam Guo hesitantly, but Madam Guo said without even opening her eyes: "Just let Shaojin press it for me!"
Zhou Shaojin took Agate's hand with a smile.
She didn't have her fingernails, and her fingers were thin but not boney, and rather soft, which made Mrs. Guo feel very comfortable. After a while, she opened her eyes and smiled, "When did you come?"
Zhou Shaojin sat down on the brocade stool in an orderly manner and said, "I have been here for a while. I saw Madam Gu Jiu talking to you, so I went to the tea room to have tea. There I met Uncle Chi and had a conversation with him."
Madam Guo smiled and said, "No wonder you have a faint scent of 'As I Smell'."
Zhou Shaojin was a little confused, and his face turned red after a while.
She must have caught it when she threw herself into Uncle Chi's arms just now.
She glanced at Mrs. Guo secretly.
Mr. Guo was fixing his hair with a target mirror and did not notice anything unusual about her.
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief, but didn't know what to say, so he asked Madam Guo, "Do you want my help?"
"No need!" Madam Guo put the target mirror on the small table beside her and sighed, "I just feel a little unhappy. For a person like Mr. Qinghong, his descendants are still arguing over fame and fortune. I feel sorry for Mr. Qinghong."
On the boat, Old Madam Guo told Zhou Shaojin a lot of stories about the grudges among wealthy families. Now she can more or less understand what Old Madam Guo said.
She brought the tea brought by the maid to Mr. Guo and said with a smile, "Didn't the female storytellers say that things in the world, after a long period of unity, must separate, and after a long period of separation, must unite? After a long time, which family can avoid dividing the clan? Even if they don't divide the clan, so many properties will most likely be watched by the government. As long as the family tradition of the direct branch is clean and does not lose the reputation of the predecessors, it is already very good!"
Madam Guo nodded and said, "I know that too. I just feel a little uncomfortable!"
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "How about I go out for a walk with you? The flowers in the garden are all in bloom, very beautiful."
Mrs. Guo was a little hesitant.
Zhou Shaojin pulled Madam Guo's hand and said, "Go and have a look! It's very beautiful."
There was a hint of coquettishness in her tone.
This made Mrs. Guo suddenly remember Cheng Sheng, who grew up in her care.
But Zhou Shaojin is different from Cheng Sheng.
When Cheng Sheng acts coquettishly, she is a little bit spoiled, while Zhou Shaojin is a little gentle.
Mrs. Guo's mood suddenly improved for no reason.
She held Zhou Shaojin's hand and stood up, smiling, "Okay, let's go to the garden to drink tea!"
Zhou Shaojin pursed his lips and smiled.
Madam Lu quickly lowered her head.
She was afraid that someone would notice her shocked expression.
How many years has it been since Mrs. Guo relaxed like this
I didn't expect that a little cousin could make Mrs. Guo change her mind.
It seems that I have underestimated the second young lady of the Zhou family in the past.
She hurriedly instructed the maid to take a handkerchief, a copper kettle, a cushion, a stool and other things and went to the garden with Mrs. Guo and Zhou Shaojin.
Old Man Guo and Zhou Shaojin sat in the pavilion, enjoying the breeze, drinking tea, and eating snacks. He talked to her about the Gu family: "… Because private property is not allowed, the money earned belongs to everyone. Naturally, if there is a student in the family, there is no objection, but if there is no student, it feels unfair. If I were to speak, what could I say? After all, this is not their Gu family's business."
Zhou Shaojin knew that Mrs. Guo was too worried about the Gu family's affairs and just wanted to find someone to talk to. He didn't want her to help make any decisions. He just listened obediently and occasionally asked "why" out of curiosity. He neither made Mrs. Guo feel cold nor overly enthusiastic.
The two of them talked in the waterside pavilion for an entire afternoon.
Nanny Shang came over twice and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when she saw Zhou Shaojin and Old Madam Guo smiling and talking.
If the second cousin went to Tingli Pavilion and found that the fourth master was not at home, she would definitely feel uncomfortable. At that time, the only ones who would be troubled would be those who served around them.
I wonder when Jiying will come back
The second cousin always likes to play with Jiying. If Jiying is around and the Fourth Master goes out for something, the second cousin can also play with Jiying, and they can have less contact with the second cousin.
But recently, the Fourth Master has been killing people in the martial arts world, and he has also met with those martial arts giants and martial arts families that he had not contacted for several years. It seems that he is going to fight again in the martial arts world. What Jiying wants to do is most likely related to this...
Nanny Shang was pondering secretly until Cheng Chi came back from outside at dusk.
He looked happy, and Huaishan, who was following behind him, was holding a rosewood box.
Nanny Shang hurried forward and bowed.
Cheng Chi asked her, "When did the second cousin go back? What did the second cousin do after I left?"
"My second cousin left at 4 p.m." Shang Ma said with a smile, "My second cousin has been accompanying the old lady since you left!"
Cheng Chi was a little surprised and asked, "Didn't you come to Tingli Pavilion?"
"I asked Miss Chunwan to come over and ask." Nanny Zhou said with a smile, "When she heard that you were not here, she didn't come over again."
Cheng Chi's expression became gentler after hearing this.
He knew that the little girl would never let it go like that.
Cheng Chi sent Nanny Shang away and opened the nanmu box he had brought back in front of the desk.
A cross-legged statue of Guanyin, carved from white mutton-fat jade, lies quietly on the red Zhang velvet.
Round face, peaceful look, compassionate expression, Shao Jin will definitely like it!
He thought about it and went to see Mrs. Guo.
But halfway through the journey, he paused and turned back.
It’s a bit early to discuss with my mother where Zhou Shaojin will live after he arrives...
※
Zhou Shaojin was extremely angry when he returned to Pingqiao Street.
Uncle Chi had just promised her that he would let her find him at any time, but as soon as she turned around, he disappeared.
Also, she forgot to ask Uncle Chi what he had been doing these days
She thought about what Cheng Chi had said to her.
Uncle Chi seems to be very busy!
Zhou Shaojin sat in front of the window with her chin in her hand for a long time, until it was completely dark. She sighed and called Chunwan to help her wash and dress.
Li came over to ask her if she wanted a midnight snack, and casually asked about her visit to Hanbi Mountain House: "… Why did you come back so late?"
Zhou Shaojin could tell there was something behind her words, and couldn't help asking, "Madam, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Li was a little depressed and said, "Your father wrote to me, saying that it's better not to mention my niece's marriage."
Is father afraid of marrying into the second wife's family
Zhou Shaojin had no choice but to say, "I guess father has some other plans. When you return to Baoding, just talk to father about it."
"That's all I can do." Li sighed, "You go to the eldest house, if there is a suitable candidate, please keep an eye out for me."
Zhou Shaojin was a little embarrassed, but still agreed.
Li finally smiled and said, "Then you should get some rest! The eldest daughter will be returning home in two days, and I'm still wondering what to do on the Buddha's Birthday."
"If you want to go to the temple to burn incense, go ahead!" Zhou Shaojin said, "I'll just watch from home."
Li thought about it and finally decided not to go.
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help feeling a little emotional.
If it was her biological mother, she probably wouldn't go even on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, let alone the Buddha's Birthday!
In the end, the one who loved her the most was her elder sister who depended on her for everything.
Zhou Shaojin prepared the feast meticulously, and on the day her sister was coming back, she got up early and changed into a pink jacket that was quite festive but not too overpowering. She combed her jet-black hair into two buns, and wore the South China Pearl flower that Cheng Chi had given her, and waited at the second door.
Because Zhou Zhen was not at home, there were only two women and children in the Zhou family, Li and Zhou Shaojin. Li invited the fourth room of the Cheng family to entertain the guests.
Mrs. Miao, who hadn't seen Zhou Shaojin for a few days, looked at her with a smile, and there was satisfaction in her eyes that could not be missed. She said, "Chu Jin's return is a big deal, so I called your cousin Yi to help. He will be entertaining guests outside today with your uncle Miao and cousin Gao."
Zhou Shaojin suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.
She murmured her thanks, and Zhou Chujin's sedan chair arrived.
Zhou Shaojin stood on tiptoe and saw a young woman in a bright red jacket, surrounded by four or five maids and old women from Ma Fushan's family, walking towards them.
"Sister!" Zhou Shaojin ran over.
"Shaojin!" Zhou Chujin was so happy that she grabbed Zhou Shaojin's hand.
The two sisters started crying to each other.
"What are you doing?" Mrs. Miao said with a smile, "Why are you crying on such a happy day? Stop crying and come with me to the main room. You two sisters can have a chat."
Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin wiped their eyes embarrassedly.
Zhou Shaojin asked Zhou Chujin: "Where is my brother-in-law?"
Zhou Chujin was a little surprised.
There is a difference between insiders and outsiders. Even though she is my aunt's sister, Zhou Shaojin shouldn't ask about Liao Shaotang.
But she still said, "Uncle Mian is drinking tea with your brother-in-law in the flower hall in the outer courtyard!"
Only then did Zhou Shaojin realize his own gaffe.
In her previous life, her sister and brother-in-law treated her like their own sister and did not avoid suspicion at all. She did not expect that there would be such a big change in this life.
Maybe this is the case where there is gain and loss
Didn’t she meet Uncle Chi in this life
But Zhou Shaojin quickly put this regret behind him and happily took his sister's arm to go to the main room.
After the maids served tea and snacks, Madam Mian and Li asked about Zhou Chujin's life after her marriage. Zhou Shaojin then learned that Zhou Chujin's mother-in-law, Fang, had decided to send Zhou Chujin and her husband to the capital regardless of whether Liao Shaotang would win the imperial examination this year.
※
Sisters and brothers, today’s update.
※(To be continued)