Cheng Ji is fearless, but if she has to find fault with someone she is afraid of, it has to be Pan Qing!
Pan Qing was the same age as Cheng Ji, but Pan Qing was one month younger than Cheng Ji. In the fourteenth year of Zhide, when Pan Qing was ten years old, he went back to Jinling with his mother Cheng Xian to visit relatives. Compared with Pan Qing's quiet and well-behaved appearance, the lively and playful Cheng Ji was like a muddy monkey, and he looked unruly. As for how much Pan Qing received praise from the elders of the Cheng family, Cheng Ji, as a reference, received many scoldings from the elders of the Cheng family.
From then on, Cheng Ji remembered Pan Qing, so much so that she was still brooding over it in the following years, and would occasionally complain about Pan Qing in front of Zhou Shaojin.
This meeting between Cheng Ji and Pan Qing made the two of them even more hostile - the quiet and generous Pan Qing made Cheng Ji's mother Jiang nag Cheng Ji every day, "Look at Qing'er, how come she is so obedient and sensible? You are her elder sister, can't you learn from her?" Cheng Ji often made things difficult for Pan Qing for this reason, but Pan Qing looked gentle, but she was actually very smart. Not only did Cheng Ji fail to embarrass Pan Qing, but she made herself look embarrassed and was almost confined by Jiang.
In his previous life, Zhou Shaojin also sided with Cheng Ju.
Fortunately, Pan Qing was quite open-minded. He thought that she was still young and did not take it to heart. He still treated her the same way, which made her feel a little guilty.
She advised Cheng Ji several times, but Cheng Ji not only refused to listen, he also felt that she was betraying him and ignored her for a long time. It was not until Cheng Xian took her two children and left the Cheng family and returned to Pan Zhi's post that the two reconciled.
Today is April 11th. According to the date, Pan Qing and the others should be here by now.
I'm afraid Cheng Ji will never have a peaceful time again!
However, she would definitely not stand on Cheng Ji's side without principles or reasons like she did in her previous life.
Seeing that Zhou Shaojin was not surprised at all, Cheng Ji couldn't help but feel a little suspicious and asked, "How do you know that my aunt is returning home to visit her relatives?"
Pan Zhi's promotion was quite sudden. Cheng Xian decided to return to her parents' home to celebrate the birthday of the second branch's ancestor. The third branch of the Cheng family only received the news last night. Because Pan Qing's reputation among relatives has been growing in recent years, Cheng Ji has reached the age of marriage. Jiang was afraid that her daughter would be like that year and muddleheadedly serve as a foil for Pan Qing. She called Cheng Ji to give her some instructions at night. Cheng Ji then knew that Pan Qing was going to stay in Jinling again.
Zhou Shaojin couldn't tell Cheng Ji that he had lived two lives, so he could only say vaguely, "I seem to have heard someone say that, but I don't remember it very well... The second house ancestor's birthday is tomorrow. If they can't get back today, they will miss the chance to celebrate the ancestor's birthday. I think they will most likely come back today."
Cheng Ji accepted her words without any doubt.
She said uneasily, "I don't know how Pan Qing is doing now. I heard from my mother that she is not only good at needlework and cooking, but also has a good handwriting..."
Zhou Shaojin looked at Cheng Ji like this, and suddenly a picture of her quietly squatting under the rose wall and crying quietly emerged in his mind...
"She just came to Jiuru Lane to visit her relatives, she's not staying here. What do you have to worry about?" Zhou Shaojin blurted out the comforting words, "Besides, we are not tailors or cooks, so why should we learn needlework and cooking so well?"
After listening to these words, Cheng Ji felt like a flower being watered, and he became more energetic.
"Yes!" She clapped her hands, "Why didn't I think of that? We are not tailors or cooks, why do we need to learn so much?" She ran to sit next to Zhou Shaojin, put her arm around Zhou Shaojin's shoulders, and looked him up and down with a smile, "I found that you have become smarter these days. Tell me, do you have any secret?"
Zhou Shaojin secretly regretted it in his heart.
I know Cheng Ji's personality very well, so why am I bothering myself with her affairs
"I want to practice calligraphy!" She broke free from Cheng Ji and moved the armchair to the side. "I have decided to practice writing three pages of paper every morning. Please don't delay me."
Cheng Ji laughed and touched her head: "I said you were a little stupid before, are you angry?"
Zhou Shaojin was too lazy to pay attention to her.
Zhou Shaojin had ignored her these days, and Cheng Ji had finally found this opportunity, so naturally she kept pestering Zhou Shaojin.
Just when Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but leave in anger, he heard Aunt Shen coughing at the door.
Cheng Ji hurriedly sat down in his seat. Only then did Zhou Shaojin get rid of Cheng Ji and started practicing calligraphy quietly.
When the get out of class was over, she walked out of Jing'an Zhai in two steps, ignoring Cheng Ji's shouting behind her.
Just like in his previous life, when Zhou Shaojin returned to Jiashu Hall, Cheng Xian brought Tu Yizheng and his son Pan Zhuo and daughter Pan Qing to pay their respects to Old Lady Guan.
Madam Mian, Zhou Chujin, Cheng Gao, and Cheng Yi were all there.
Since this incident, Zhou Shaojin never saw Cheng Xian and the Pan siblings again. Her memory of the mother and her two children still remains at that time.
Although they met again after a lifetime, she didn't feel any sense of incongruity.
Zhou Shaojin stepped forward and saluted everyone.
Cheng Xian is tall, wearing a bright red jacket with a yellow peony and a royal blue vase pattern, and a gold-inlaid mutton-fat jade Guanyin statuette. She has an oval face, big eyes, and a high nose bridge. Although the vicissitudes of life have left faint fine lines at the corners of her eyes and her fair and delicate skin has become less firm, the vicissitudes of life have also made her more elegant, calm, confident and mature.
Pan Qing, who was standing next to him, wore a green silk jacket with a dark pattern of broken branches and flowers, a double spiral bun, and a flawless mutton-fat jade bracelet. She was of medium build, with long eyebrows and phoenix eyes, and a refined temperament. Pan Zhuo was tall, wearing a straight gown with a dark pattern of lotus flowers, with hair like a cut, delicate eyebrows and eyes, and a clear expression. The brother and sister were very similar in both appearance and temperament. In comparison, Cheng Ji looked more like Cheng Xian.
Cheng Xian personally helped Zhou Shaojin stand up, and said to Mrs. Guan with a smile: "I haven't seen you for a few years, and Shaojin has become more and more handsome. If I saw him somewhere else, I would definitely not recognize him."
Old Madam Guan has always loved her two granddaughters. She couldn't hide her joy when she heard the words, but she forced herself to be humble and smiled, "Thank you for your praise. These two children are obedient and sensible, and they are lovable."
"This is also a blessing for you." Cheng Xian smiled and complimented, and then talked about the parents, "… I heard that the child's uncle Yuan was promoted to the magistrate of Pingyin County. Congratulations to you."
The second master of the fourth house, Cheng Yuan, and Zhou Shaojin's father Zhou Zhen were in the same imperial examination, but Zhou Zhen was a second-class Jinshi while Cheng Yuan was a third-class Jinshi.
At that time, the ancestor of the second branch, Cheng Xu, had already retired. The fourth branch followed the path of the eldest master of the first branch, Cheng Jing, and obtained the position of magistrate of Pucheng County, Fujian for Zhou Zhen's father, and the position of magistrate of Yixing County, Jiangxi for Cheng Yuan.
Cheng Yuan was able to be promoted to county magistrate as a fellow Jinshi, which was like a concubine being made a legitimate wife. He had taken the most difficult step in his official career. With Cheng Jing's support, his future path would be smooth.
"Congratulations, congratulations." Old Madam Guan said with a smile, "Now that your master has been released as an inspector, he will definitely be an official in one of the six ministries when he returns to the capital. Your son-in-law has a bright future ahead of him!"
From the fourth rank to the third rank, that was a hurdle. And Pan Zhi had been a fourth rank prefect for almost ten years.
The elder in the family is also the most tight-lipped one. Cheng Xian did not hide his joy and said with a smile: "At the critical moment, praise the child's uncle for helping our master to say a word, otherwise how could it be so smooth..."
The child’s uncle should be Cheng Jing, right
Zhou Shaojin was thinking, and did not look at Pan Qing and Pan Zhuo curiously as he did in his previous life. Instead, he looked at them with his eyes and his nose at his heart, and stood behind his sister with his head lowered, listening attentively to the greetings between Old Lady Guan and Cheng Xian.
The tree wants to be still but the wind does not stop.
Who would have thought that a pair of eyes would pass over her and then quickly move away.
Zhou Shaojin didn't care.
But after a moment, the gaze fell on her again, moved away... Then, fell on her again, moved away...
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but look over.
But I saw Pan Zhuo's clear eyes.
Zhou Shaojin was very surprised.
In her previous life, she had met Pan Zhuo several times, but it was either because of the elders or because of Pan Qing that they bumped into each other accidentally. But no matter whether there were elders around or they bumped into each other accidentally, Pan Zhuo behaved politely and never glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes.
Why am I spying on her in this life
Zhou Shaojin opened his eyes wide.
Pan Zhuo quickly turned his face to the side, and his fair skin turned red.
Pan Qing glanced quickly at Zhou Shaojin.
Cheng Gao, who was standing next to Old Lady Guan, had a tall and straight posture. He wore a royal blue robe with cloud pattern and round flowers. He had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and his expression was solemn and looked a little cold.
He glanced at Pan Zhuo thoughtfully, then suddenly took a few steps forward and blocked Zhou Shaojin behind him.
Mrs. Guan and Cheng Xian, who were talking, stopped talking and looked at Cheng Gao.
Cheng Gao looked calm and said with a smile, "Grandma, it's getting late. How about you have lunch first and then have a good chat with aunt? Otherwise, aunt and cousins Zhuo and Qing will go hungry!"
"Look at me, I was so busy talking that I forgot about this." Old Lady Guan smiled apologetically and pulled Cheng Xian's hand, "Stay here for dinner later. I haven't seen Zhuo'er and Qing'er for many years, and I don't know if I will see them again."
"Look at what you said." Cheng Xian said hurriedly, "You are in such good health. I am planning to come back to see you after I have my grandchild and ask for some red envelopes from you! You can't say such discouraging words."
"Okay, okay, okay!" Old Lady Guan laughed, "I will definitely prepare a big red envelope early and wait for Zhuo'er to come to see me with his wife and son."
Pan Zhuo seemed a little uncomfortable after hearing this. Before everyone had time to think about it, Cheng Xian said, "I'm afraid we can't stay here for lunch today. First, we haven't visited the Fifth House yet. Second, I promised my mother that I would go back to the Third House for lunch." As he spoke, he gently pursed his lips towards the southwest of the Fifth House and whispered, "You know, that person likes to argue about these things the most. If I stay here for lunch, she doesn't know how to arrange us."
Old Lady Guan sighed and said, "Then I won't keep you here. Come over in the evening and I'll welcome you."
"Wait until after the ancestor's birthday banquet!" Cheng Xian said with a sincere smile, "I will come and ask for a drink even if you don't treat me then."
Tomorrow is Cheng Xu’s birthday, and it’s really difficult to arrange it.
Old Mrs. Guan smiled and nodded, and personally escorted Cheng Xian and her mother and son out of Jiashu Hall.
※
Sisters, today is Double Eleven, I wonder what everyone bought
It seems like I don’t have time to go shopping these past two days… Woohoo…
※(To be continued)