The next day, Zhou Shaojin got up at the beginning of the morning as usual.
Chun Wan couldn't help but persuade her: "You played the brocade until the third watch last night, and the old lady didn't need you to go to visit her morning and evening, so why did you get up so early? Why don't you sleep a little longer?"
Zhou Shaojin couldn't sleep, so he smiled and said, "I'm used to getting up so early. I can't fall asleep even if you ask me to. Why don't I get up and do some kneading!"
Wasn’t it postponed to 11:00 a.m. a few days ago
Chun Wan was stunned and said, "You are still knitting! Watch your eyes carefully!"
"It's okay." Zhou Shaojin smiled, "I know my own business."
After all, the Second Young Miss is already grown up, and there are some things that the maids like them cannot help make decisions on.
Chun Wan had no choice but to persuade: "If you feel tired, you must take a rest, don't force yourself to hold on. If the eldest lady knew, she would definitely blame me for not taking good care of the second lady!"
Zhou Shaojin smiled at her without commenting.
Chun Wan could only sigh in his heart and go to instruct the kitchen to help Zhou Shaojin prepare breakfast.
Cheng Ji ran over excitedly: "Shao Jin! Shao Jin!"
From a distance, people in Fucui Pavilion could hear her excited voice.
Zhou Shaojin stood up and went out to greet her, smiling and saying to Chun Wan: "What's wrong? I haven't seen her so happy in a while."
The Spring Festival Gala joked: "I'm afraid he got a big honor from Grandma Gao yesterday."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded.
Cheng Ji had already run over and pretended to be unhappy and asked, "What bad things are you saying about me again?"
This was not the time for her to speak, so Chunwan naturally just smiled and said nothing.
Zhou Shaojin laughed and said, "We were just talking about a big sparrow that flew in from somewhere and deafened everyone's ears!"
"You are the big sparrow!" Cheng Ji pulled Zhou Shaojin's ear unwillingly.
Zhou Shaojin quickly stepped back to avoid her hand.
Cheng Ji chased after him.
The two of them walked into the hall laughing.
Seeing the chopsticks on the table, Cheng Ji sat down without hesitation and asked Chun Wan: "What's for breakfast today? I want a bowl of mixed bean soup!"
Because Zhou Shaojin likes to eat assorted bean soup, the assorted bean soup at Hanbi Mountain House is not only well made, but also has more varieties than other places. Cheng Ji fell in love with it after eating it once, and even asked the kitchen staff of the third room to come and learn how to make it.
Zhou Shaojin sat down face to face with her, with a smile still on his face, and said, "It's better to come at the right time than to come early. You really know how to pick the time!"
"That's for sure!" Cheng Ji said proudly, "Don't you even look at who I am?"
Zhou Shaojin burst out laughing and asked her, "You look so happy, could it be that Aunt Lu talked to you?"
Cheng Ji's shoulders slumped when he mentioned this, and he said sadly, "Don't mention it. I think I can only use Li Jing's method! Yesterday I went up to my mother, but she didn't even look at me."
Zhou Shaojin also sighed for her.
Cheng Ji was more optimistic and said with a smile, "Let's not talk about these sad things. You should have come with me to the bridal chamber to see the bride yesterday. Cousin Gao's wife was so pretty! She was also very kind and gave me a big red envelope!"
All the servants in the room laughed.
Cheng Ji asked in confusion: "Did I say something wrong?"
"No, no." Zhou Shaojin smiled and changed the subject, "Isn't that the reason you're so happy?"
Cheng Ji smiled embarrassedly.
Seeing that she looked like she had something to say to him, Zhou Shaojin winked at Chunwan.
Chunwan and others set the breakfast and then all left.
Cheng Ji used a spoon to stir the mixed bean soup while whispering to her with a smile on his face, "Didn't my mother tell me nothing? I saw that everyone praised Sister Gao for her proper behavior, so I decided to ask her for advice—isn't she a newlywed? The He family is also a family of poetry, literature and etiquette. I will definitely not go wrong if I follow her."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "That's for sure!"
Seeing that Zhou Shaojin agreed with her point of view, Cheng Ji became more interested and whispered to Zhou Shaojin: "Tell me, how should I tell Sister Gao about this? Will she laugh at me for being shameless? It would be better if I had more time to spend with her. If I force her to do something now, she will definitely think I'm crazy!"
Looks very contradictory.
"My cousin's wife was chosen by my uncle's mother. Even if you don't trust your own judgment, you should trust my aunt's judgment." This is Zhou Shaojin's experience from her previous life. She said, "Besides, how can you know if you don't try some things?"
Cheng Ji's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he asked hurriedly, "What good ideas do you have?"
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "What good ideas can I have? But if it were me, I would honestly tell my cousin's wife about my predicament and then sincerely ask for her advice!"
Cheng Ji hesitated and asked, "Will she laugh at me?"
This was the first time Zhou Shaojin had seen Cheng Ji so worried about gains and losses. She couldn't help but laugh and said, "Even if you don't tell her, Aunt Lu did it so obviously, she will know it in a few days. You might as well tell her! I feel that cousin Gao's wife is a good person."
"How do you know?" Cheng Ji asked, "You have never had any contact with her!"
Zhou Shaojin was speechless, paused, and said: "Didn't I go to the last meeting? I think my cousin's wife is a very good person based on her behavior."
Cheng Ji hesitated for a long time, and finally made up his mind and said, "Okay, I'll go visit Sister Gao right away."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "I think you should wait a few days before going."
Cheng Ji was surprised.
Zhou Shaojin said: "She will recognize her relatives today, return home tomorrow, and will come back from Pukou in two days."
But Cheng Ji was already impatient and said, "Oh, I'll go take a look first, maybe Sister Gao is bored!"
Zhou Shaojin had no choice but to see her off, and then went to Hanbi Mountain House to pay his respects to Mrs. Guo.
Shuang Chao, He Hong, Yuan, Cheng Xu, and even Cheng Chi went to the hall to recognize their relatives. The yard was quiet, no different from before Cheng Xu came back.
Zhou Shaojin seemed to want to imprint this scene in his mind. He stood in the yard and looked around for a moment before entering the hall.
After greeting Mrs. Guo, she accompanied her to the Buddhist temple to chant sutras as usual.
Mrs. Guo seemed a little uneasy.
Zhou Shaojin thought bitterly, the old lady had good intentions when she brought her here, but who knew things would turn out like this. The old lady didn't know what to do now, right
Did she take the initiative to ask to go back to Baoding, so as not to embarrass the old lady and Uncle Chi
Although he knew that he should do this, Zhou Shaojin just couldn't bring himself to say it.
She said to herself in her heart: This is such a big thing, she can't just make a hasty decision like this, right? She should at least tell her father about it. This will prevent her father from feeling wronged and creating a rift with the eldest son.
Zhou Shaojin decided to write a letter to his father as soon as he returned to Fucui Pavilion.
Biyu walked in with a smile and said, "The bride is here to pay her respects to the old lady!"
You’re here so soon!
Zhou Shaojin and Old Madam Guo were both very surprised. They both dusted off the non-existent dust on their bodies and went to the hall.
He Fengping and Cheng Gao were both wearing bright red dresses and standing side by side, like a golden boy and a jade girl.
Zhou Shaojin smiled sweetly.
He Fengping blushed slightly, but Cheng Gao seemed a little reserved.
Mrs. Guo was very happy to see the two of them look like a perfect match. She sat down on the Luohan bed with a smile and accepted the gifts from them.
Afterwards, He Fengping presented shoes and socks to Mrs. Guo and Zhou Shaojin, and Mrs. Guo and Zhou Shaojin gave He Fengping gifts respectively.
Biyu brought in some tea.
Mrs. Guo invited the two to sit down and asked about He Fengping's grandfather: "… He also went to Shitou Lane to study in the early years and had a close personal relationship with my eldest brother. However, we have both grown older in recent years and have less contact. Is your grandfather in good health?"
He Fengping stood up and said respectfully, "Thank you for your concern, Grandfather is doing well. It's just that he has been very fond of eating fatty meat in the past two years. My father is worried about his health, so he always asks my mother to cook less meat for Grandfather, and Grandfather will get angry!"
Old Madam Guo laughed and said, "It's rare for a person to live to be seventy. Your grandfather is also seventy years old, right? It's a good thing that he can still eat!"
"My mother said the same thing." He Fengping half-sat on the armchair and started chatting with Old Madam Guo.
Time passed quickly. Biyu quietly asked Zhou Shaojin if he wanted to set up the dinner. Old Madam Guo had sharp ears and smiled at He Fengping, "I know you still have to go to the second and third rooms to pay your respects to the two old ladies. I won't keep you here. So, go quickly and come back quickly, and come to my place for lunch later."
He Fengping looked towards Cheng Gao.
Cheng Gao thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll bother you, old lady!"
Mrs. Guo smiled and said, "We are not strangers, so don't be polite." Then she gestured to Zhou Shaojin to see the guests off on her behalf.
Zhou Shaojin smiled and saw He Fengping off.
He Fengping smiled and quietly pulled her sleeve, whispering, "Miss Jia from the third room said she would come to see me this afternoon. Are you free this afternoon? Come over and have a cup of tea with me! Your cousin said that you are no different from his own sister."
The implication is that they are the closest.
Zhou Shaojin readily agreed.
Cheng Gao smiled at her and took He Fengping to the second room.
Zhou Shaojin saw Yuan coming over surrounded by several maids and servants.
She bit her lip and turned to go into the upper room.
Mrs. Guo asked her to prepare a lunch banquet to entertain Cheng Gao and his wife.
Yuan came in and said with a smile, "Why bother Shaojin? I'll just draw up the menu."
Madam Guo said, "When you were not at home, Shao Jin took care of everything around me. Now that you have just returned, there are a lot of things to do. Shao Jin should still take care of the affairs of Hanbi Mountain House."
Yuan smiled and said "yes", and bowed to Mrs. Guo.
Zhou Shaojin felt a little embarrassed. He bowed silently to Yuan and retreated.
Several maids in the kitchen were talking: "… This time, the Fourth Household's Master Gao's wedding was really lively. All the well-known families in Jinling City came. Today's banquet was also hosted by the kitchen in the outer courtyard."
"The fourth room's Lao An is a kind person, and the other rooms all give him face, so the scene is naturally grand..."
The old woman who accompanied Zhou Shaojin in coughed lightly.
Several old women stood up in horror.
Zhou Shaojin smiled kindly and told them to prepare a banquet to entertain Cheng Gao and his wife.
Several maids responded respectfully.
Zhou Shaojin asked, "Does Room Four have a banquet at noon?"
Several maids hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, yes! The fourth master and the eldest master are staying over there for lunch."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded, then left the kitchen.
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Sisters and brothers, today’s update.
The typos have been corrected. If there are any omissions, please forgive me!
※(To be continued)