No one else noticed Zhou Shaojin's little action, but Mrs. Guo, who had been paying attention to her, saw it.
She couldn't help but let out a long sigh, still ignoring Zhou Shaojin, and smiled as she talked to Mrs. Liao and others.
Zhou Shaojin felt that she should take the initiative to say hello to Madam Guo, but looking at Madam Guo's cold eyes, the courage she had finally mustered up suddenly disappeared bit by bit like a ball with a hole poked in it as Madam Guo ignored her.
what to do
Zhou Shaojin felt a little awkward.
She seemed to have returned to the days in her previous life when she was provoked by Yuan and ignored by Old Madam Guo.
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but shudder, and twisted her fingers even tighter, but she kept reminding herself in her heart that the past life was the past life, and this life was this life, and Uncle Chi was not Cheng Xu. And her relationship with Uncle Chi was already a little awkward, and it was impossible for Madam Guo to like her as much as before...
After a long while, she gradually calmed down and mustered up her courage again. When the maid came in to refill their cups, she took the hot water from the maid, made another cup of tea for Madam Guo, and brought it to her.
Madam Guo didn't even look at Zhou Shaojin, and continued to talk to Madam Liao: "… She almost married into the Shen family in Jinling. Who knew that before the two families officially mentioned this matter, Mr. Shen drowned. Your Fourteenth Aunt was delayed for so many years. Now listening to what you said, although she married into her hometown, her husband respects her and her children are filial, and her life is extremely smooth, it can be said that she has had a lot of hard work!"
They were talking about Mrs. Liao's aunt.
From the tone of their voices, Zhou Shaojin could tell that Mrs. Liao's Fourteenth Aunt was quite familiar with Old Madam Guo.
She dropped her eyelids.
I deeply understood what my father said.
The Zhou family has very shallow roots.
I also deeply felt my father's helplessness.
Zhou Shaojin was not a person who was good at socializing, and Madam Guo deliberately ignored her. She didn't know how to break the deadlock, so she simply stepped back and continued to sit in the corner and listen to them talk.
However, Mrs. Qiu, the second wife of Wei, liked this little girl very much, who was like a flower bud and made people feel amazed when they saw her.
She quietly told the maidservant to bring an extra plate of fruit, and then placed it on the coffee table next to Zhou Shaojin. She smiled and whispered, "Isn't it boring? The elders always talk like this. Just bear with it and eat some fruit. We'll have lunch soon. There will be a party in the afternoon."
Also preparing for the church meeting!
Zhou Shaojin was a little surprised.
Such kindness is even more heartwarming given Mrs. Guo’s coldness.
She smiled and thanked Mrs. Wei.
The smile as peaceful as the moon dazzled Mrs. Wei. She paused for a moment before smiling at her and sitting back in her seat.
A little maid ran in and said with a smile: "Old Madam, Second Madam, First Aunt, Second Aunt and Third Aunt are here."
Cheng Zheng and the others also chose to return home today
No wonder Mrs. Guo invited people to perform at the party.
Zhou Shaojin and others went out to greet them.
Cheng Zheng was dressed in royal blue, with a peony bun and a gold hairpin with a ruby in its hair. She looked elegant and graceful. Cheng Zheng wore a pomegranate red bodice, a round bun, a large emerald flower in her hair, and had a friendly smile. Cheng Sheng wore a light green jacket, a tilted bun, and a pair of lotus flowers. She looked pretty and lovely.
The three people walked over with smiles and eager words, like a picture of beauties.
Mrs. Liao was the first to praise: "The old lady's family is really full of beauties! Look at these three ladies, they are so beautiful that they can make people stare at them!"
Mrs. Guo laughed.
Cheng Zheng brought her two younger sisters forward to greet everyone and said with a smile, "You are so flattering! I saw A Xuan at He Tongzheng's house a few days ago. She is so beautiful and charming. That's what real beauty is!"
Fang Xuan's father is Mrs. Liao's younger brother.
He Tongzheng was Cheng Gao's father-in-law He Mianzhi.
After his mourning period, he received help from Cheng Jing and his career was further promoted, and he became the Tongzheng of the Tongzhengsi.
Mrs. Liao laughed and said, "She is just too naughty. How can she compare to you who are dignified and generous?"
Several people couldn't help but exchange a few pleasantries.
Another little maid ran in and said, "The eldest wife of the Fang family is here with the sixth young lady of the Fang family."
Fang Xuan?!
Zhou Shaojin frowned.
Mrs. Liao laughed and said, "Speak of the devil, and he will appear."
Cheng Zheng said nothing.
She just noticed a hint of confusion in Mrs. Guo's eyes.
Could it be that the eldest wife of the Fang family came uninvited
Cheng Zheng took a few steps back and stood behind Mrs. Guo like a subordinate.
Mrs. Liao went out to greet them later.
After a while, Mrs. Fang, who was dressed in jewels and jade, came over with Fang Xuan.
Fang Xuan wore a moon-white gown with a yellow-green bud edge, a green eight-panel Xiang skirt, her jet-black hair was combed into a bun, and she wore a pair of South pearl flowers. She was elegant and pretty, and very beautiful.
Seeing Zhou Shaojin was there too, she seemed a little surprised, but still walked up to Zhou Shaojin and greeted him calmly.
Zhou Shaojin politely returned the greeting and followed everyone into the banquet room. He saw Mrs. Fang smiling and saying, "…Her mother went to the Min family to help. When she heard that you were here, she insisted on coming to kowtow to you. I was pestered by her so much that I had to bring her here. Please, old lady, put up with this naughty monkey for my sake!"
Madam Guo smiled slightly. Before she could say anything, Fang Xuan came forward and kowtowed three times to her. She stood up and pulled Madam Guo's sleeve and said, "When I was a child, I went to Jinling City with my father to visit the old lady. She gave me a red agate bracelet as a reward. The bracelet is still in my dressing table! I remember it clearly."
Mrs. Guo laughed and seemed very happy.
For some reason, Zhou Shaojin felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.
After that, Fang Xuan stayed with Mrs. Guo at all the social events, meals, and plays, and Mrs. Guo was also always accompanied by her.
Zhou Shaojin was dejected.
He made an excuse that he was going to the official residence, and sat on a stone bench under a big locust tree not far from the flower hall to get some fresh air. Thinking that it had been long enough since he came out, he stood up and walked out from behind the tree.
Mrs. Guo, who was supposed to be sitting on the Luohan bed in the flower hall and listening to the opera, was standing in the corridor outside the flower hall and talking with Mrs. Fang.
Both of them looked somewhat serious.
Zhou Shaojin secretly thought that something was wrong and was about to avoid it, but both Madam Guo and Mrs. Fang looked at her.
She had no choice but to walk towards them with a smile, kneeling down and bowing.
Madam Guo said to the other wife, "I know about this matter. I will have a good talk with Silang about it. I will tell you when I have the news."
Mrs. Fang showed gratitude.
Mrs. Guo stretched out her hand and motioned Zhou Shaojin to help her.
Zhou Shaojin did not dare to be negligent and hurriedly helped Mrs. Guo.
Madam Guo said, "I'm going to the government office. You can go back and watch the opera! I heard it's from a long-standing troupe. It's very famous in the capital. It's a rare trip to the capital, so you can just enjoy it for a few days and then go back."
Mrs. Fang smiled and replied "OK", told Zhou Shaojin to take good care of Mrs. Guo, and returned to the flower hall.
The corridor leading to the official residence was winding and surrounded by tall boxwood trees. It was the season when the trees were lush and green, providing shade from the sun. The occasional rustling of sleeves made the two people walk among them, making the silence even more evident.
Mrs. Guo went into the inner room where the toilet was.
Zhou Shaojin helped prepare bath beans for Mrs. Guo to use to wash her hands.
Mrs. Guo was standing in front of the dressing table washing her hands. When she raised her eyes, she could see Zhou Shaojin in the mirror.
She said coldly: "Shao Jin, you like Si Lang, right?"
Zhou Shaojin looked up in astonishment, his wide-open eyes reflected in the mirror.
Madam Guo casually picked up the handkerchief beside the dressing table, wiped her hands, turned around and said, "I treat you as my granddaughter. If you were my granddaughter, I would like you and marry you off in a grand manner. But if you were my daughter-in-law, and my son had to bear the crime of seducing his niece for the rest of his life, I couldn't accept it."
Zhou Shaojin lowered his eyelids, looking a little uneasy.
Madam Guo sneered, "Did Silang ask you to pretend to be deaf and dumb and pretend to know nothing? He was born and raised by me, and I don't know how capable he is. His methods can only deal with the managers and shopkeepers outside. That's because others respect him as the Fourth Master of the Cheng Family."
Zhou Shaojin said hurriedly: "No, no..."
Before she could finish her words, Madam Guo had already thrown her handkerchief on the dressing table and said in a deep voice, "Shao Jin, do you know why Madam Fang came to me? Si Lang wanted to marry you, so he instigated the Yuan family to split up. The ancestor of the second branch proposed that the eldest branch give the second branch three million taels of silver, and the second branch claimed to the outside world that it was the result of negotiations among the branches. Yuan has now obtained the support of the eldest uncle of the Yuan family and decided to sell the dowry she got from her mother. Among them are those that were shared by several uncles of the Yuan family. Yuan's mother is a girl from the Fang family, and those properties were given by the Fang family. Several uncles of the Fang family didn't know what happened and came to me... Shao Jin, there is no wall that is impenetrable. If Yuan knew in the future that Si Lang agreed to split up the family in order to marry you, what would she think? And Jiashan, how will you get along with him after you enter the family? What will happen to this family in the future? And your father, what should he call your grandmother when he sees her? How will your sister explain the relationship between you and her to Madam Liao? Will she call Si Lang 'uncle' or 'brother-in-law'... "
Mrs. Guo's words were like loud hammers, hitting Zhou Shaojin's heart again and again.
The old lady’s words reflected her concerns!
The sweeter she and Cheng Chi were, the more worried she became.
But she always thought that with Uncle Chi, he would definitely find a way to solve it... She forgot that he was also a human being and there were times when he was unable to do anything.
Zhou Shaojin's face was a little pale.
She looked at Mrs. Guo's resolute face and whispered, "Then, what should I do?"
Madam Guo looked at her deeply and said softly, "Just pretend that what happened between you and Silang never happened. I will take care of Silang. You can go back to Baoding Prefecture in a few days. I will pick a good husband for you from a family like the Li family in Lujiang or the Yuan family in Tongxiang, and I will pay for your dowry..."
Zhou Shaojin's tears fell uncontrollably.
The old lady... disagrees...
Madam Guo lowered her voice and said solemnly, "Think about it carefully and tell me when you figure it out. I will take care of Silang!"
She turned and left.
Zhou Shaojin stood alone in the official room in a daze.
From afar, intermittent singing voices of actors could be heard.
Her heart felt like it had been dug out.
※
Sisters and brothers, today’s update.
There will be more updates for everyone to read tomorrow morning!
O(∩_∩)O~
※(To be continued)