At this time, Zhou Shaojin, who was in Yushu Hutong, was also having a restless nap.
She asked Nanny Shang: "Is it true that the Fourth Master will return to Jining in March next year?"
Nanny Shang tucked in the corner of the quilt for her and said with a smile, "That's what the Fourth Master said. I'm sure he's right."
Zhou Shaojin said "Oh" and closed his eyes obediently.
But all I could think about was Cheng Chi's words and smiles.
I heard that life in Jining Prefecture is very hard. I don’t know if Uncle Chi has gotten a tan or lost weight.
She really wanted to go see Uncle Chi.
But Uncle Chi also said that his grandmother and the others lived in Yuqian Hutong, so it was not convenient for him to visit her. He asked her to eat and sleep well, and to instruct the maids to help her with needlework in her free time, and just wait for him to come and greet her.
Zhou Shaojin smiled and couldn't help but laugh softly, and he lost even more sleepiness.
There were footsteps outside the house, mixed with Cheng Ji's voice: "… She is so kind-hearted, how can she sleep well? When I got married, I didn't sleep for several days. I don't know how she grew up like this? I'm afraid that if she is sold one day, she will still count the money for others!"
I wonder what happened to Cheng Ji now
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help laughing, and simply called Jixiang, who was on duty in the room, to help her change clothes.
As soon as she put on her clothes, Cheng Ji rushed in and said, "Shaojin, Gu Shiqi and I have an appointment to go to Hongluo Temple to burn incense together tomorrow. Do you want to go with us quietly?"
Cheng Ji had inquired about it and found that praying for a child at Hongluo Temple was indeed effective.
Zhou Shaojin didn't want to go crazy with them, so he smiled and said, "You guys can go, I'll stay at home with my grandmother."
Cheng Ji felt a little bored and said, "Luckily, I have Seventeenth Aunt to accompany me, otherwise I would be bored to death!"
Zhou Shaojin pretended to be angry and said, "Are you here to have fun or to send me off? How come you don't have any sincerity at all?"
As they were talking, Gu Shiqigu came in with a basket containing seven or eight pairs of shoes.
This was made by Zhou Chujin at the request of the most famous needlework shop in the capital, for Zhou Shaojin to use when he went to the court to recognize his relatives.
She smiled and teased Zhou Shaojin about Cheng Ji: "You don't know her temper yet. As long as there is fun, she will not care about anything else!"
Zhou Shaojin hurriedly asked, "Are the shoes and socks ready?"
"It's done!" said Gu Shiqigu. Jixiang hurried forward and took the basket from Gu Shiqigu's hand, thanking her in a low voice.
Aunt Gu Shiqi smiled and said, "It's just a small favor. You don't have to be so polite."
Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Ji were looking through the shoes and socks made in the needlework shop.
The women's shoes have a bean green upper with a square pattern embroidered with gold thread, while the men's shoes have a blue stone upper with a calamus pattern embroidered with silver thread. Not only is the embroidery exquisite, but the colors are also novel and solemn.
Cheng Ji couldn't help but ask, "Whose shop is this from? It's really well made. I'll go to their shop to make a few pairs of shoes when I have time."
Gu Shiqi smiled and said, "I don't know about that. Why don't you ask your eldest aunt?"
Cheng Ji sent Cuihuan to ask.
Jixiang took the basket and went to the warehouse in the backyard where the dowry and other items were kept.
Zhou Shaojin talked about burning incense: "Are you two the only ones going? Why don't you wait until I get married before you go? I heard that the vegetarian food at Hongluo Temple is delicious. How can you enjoy it if you rush like this?"
"And the Third Aunt." Gu Shiqi said with a smile, "We are mainly here to burn incense and will be back in the afternoon."
Cheng Ji smiled and said, "If not now, when should we go? In a few days you will have your coming-of-age ceremony, and then you will get married, and I have to go to Chaoyang Gate for the wedding banquet... I calculated that apart from these two days, I really don't have any free time!"
Zhou Shaojin was surprised and asked, "Are you going to Chaoyangmen for the wedding banquet?"
Could it be that someone from the third room is coming to the wedding
When did Yuan and the third wife reconcile
Why haven’t I heard anyone talk about it before
Cheng Ji said unhappily, "I wanted to stay in Yuqian Hutong to attend the wedding. But Li Jing said, my last name is Cheng, he is the son-in-law of the Cheng family, it doesn't make sense for us to attend the wedding at your place when the uncle of the Cheng family gets married. He asked me to stay at your place for a few days and then go with him to the Cheng family to give the gift..."
Gu Shiqigu, however, was a very kind-hearted woman and she knew what Li Jing was up to when she heard what he meant.
She felt that it would be more useful for Cheng Ji to go to Chaoyangmen to drink than to stay in Yuqian Hutong.
Before Cheng Ji could complain, she smiled and said, "It's good this way. Marrying a daughter-in-law is more fun than marrying a girl. Mother and I are here at Yuqian Hutong, but there are only my aunt and a few others at Chaoyangmen. But after all, there is an age gap between us, so it's not easy to order my aunt around. You go over there and keep Shaojin company."
Cheng Ji became happy after hearing this, and told Gu Shiqigu about going to Hongluo Temple to burn incense.
Zhou Shaojin thought about it and understood Li Jing's intention.
She couldn't help but look at Cheng Ji with a smile.
With Li Jing by Cheng Ji's side, even if there are some shortcomings, Cheng Ji will not end up in a heartbroken and desperate situation like in his previous life!
Her rebirth is indeed a good thing.
The next day, Zhou Shaojin saw the two of them out with a smile on his face.
In the evening, Gu Shiqigu and Cheng Ji came back together, talking happily about how fun Hongluo Temple was.
Mrs. Guan thought that Gu Shiqigu had not been so lively for a while, so she waved her hand and said, "Then we will stay in the capital for a few more days and go back after the New Year."
Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin were naturally overjoyed.
On the fourth day of the eleventh month, Zhou Shaojin held her coming-of-age ceremony.
The hairpin was given by Mrs. Guo.
The hairpin, made of red gold and inlaid with rubies, is embedded with two twin pomegranate flowers, symbolizing fertility and good fortune.
The one who put the hairpin in her hand was Zhou Chujin.
A woman who treated her like both a mother and a sister in both lives.
The one who sang praises for her was Cheng Ji, her good sister.
Although there was no grand banquet, they were all her relatives.
Zhou Shaojin couldn't stop her tears from falling.
At this time in her previous life, she was still struggling in purgatory.
In this life, I am fortunate to have met Uncle Chi.
Fortunately, she decided to repay the Cheng family well.
Zhou Chujin also started crying.
Today, she has finally lived up to her stepmother Zhuang's instructions and raised her younger sister smoothly until she grew up and it is time for her to get married.
Mrs. Miao thought about how when Zhou Shaojin first came to the Cheng family, he was a weak baby like a kitten in a big red swaddling cloth. She was worried that he would not grow up, but now he has grown into a tall and graceful young lady. Her eyes became moist.
Cheng Ji hugged Zhou Shaojin and started crying, saying, "You'd better not marry Uncle Chi. Didn't we agree to marry each other before? Why don't you follow me back to Luoyang? Luoyang is an ancient capital, and there are many famous families with centuries-old traditions..."
Gu Shiqigu pulled Cheng Ji away and shouted, "You are talking nonsense again. Be careful that Uncle Chi will never let you enter the Cheng family again if he finds out." As she spoke, she took out a handkerchief to wipe Zhou Shaojin's tears and said, "You are a 15-year-old girl, this is a happy event. Stop crying. Grandmother is waiting for you to pay your respects to her!"
Cheng Ji pouted.
Everyone laughed.
After all this commotion, everyone felt better and went to see Old Lady Guan happily.
Old Lady Guan pulled Zhou Shaojin to sit next to her, held her hand and said with emotion: "Shaojin has grown up in the blink of an eye. You can't be timid and hide away like you were when you were a child. Once you get married, you are an adult. You have to be filial to your elders, take care of your husband, educate your children, get along well with your relatives and neighbors, and have your own ideas when doing things..."
She talked about the principles of being a wife and a daughter-in-law. Zhou Shaojin listened and nodded continuously. In addition to giving Zhou Shaojin a jade pendant as a birthday gift, she also gave him a set of red coral hairpins and pearl flowers.
Zhou Shaojin opened his eyes wide in surprise.
Wasn’t this what Uncle Chi bought for her when they passed by Fuyuan Street on their way back from Putuo Mountain with Mrs. Guo last time, and she gave it to her grandmother and Aunt Mian
Old Madam Guan laughed and said, "I know you are filial. But your aunt and I have been together for a long time, and it is not the time for us to wear these. This time, on your birthday, we will borrow flowers to offer to Buddha and give them to you!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Shaojin felt a chill on his hand. He raised his hand and saw that it was the string of eighteen-bead Buddhist beads made of red coral.
I don't know when my sister took it out and put it on her.
"When I saw your look, I knew you liked this set of Buddhist beads." Zhou Chujin said with a smile, "I kept it to give it to you. It just so happens that this set is complete."
Zhou Shaojin hugged his sister's arm, not knowing what to say.
Old Madam Guan smiled with relief and said, "Alright, alright, come and take your place! When Nian Shaojin's birthday comes, you will be a member of the Cheng family!"
Everybody laughed.
Zhou Shaojin's face turned red with shame.
In the evening, after she sent Cheng Ji away, she took off the red coral jewelry and carefully placed it in the box. Then Mrs. Mian came over.
She sent away the maidservants who served Zhou Shaojin, took out a book with a smile, and whispered to her, "You are getting married. I was going to tell you tomorrow night, but I have to go to Chaoyang Gate with your sister tomorrow to send you off. I will tell you about your wedding night today. This will prevent you from being flustered and at a loss when the time comes..."
As he said that, he stuffed the book into Zhou Shaojin's arms and said, "Open it and take a look!"
Zhou Shaojin still had memories of his previous life, so he naturally knew what this was.
She shuddered in fear, and the book fell to the ground, revealing the fighting goblin.
Mrs. Miao was stunned for a moment, then she started laughing.
Zhou Shaojin's face turned a little pale.
She was only thinking about marrying Uncle Chi as soon as possible, so how could she have forgotten about this
Being a couple, naturally, there is more to it than just gentle hugs and passionate kisses, there is also… the relationship between husband and wife…
She felt pain in all the bones in her body.
Mrs. Miao naturally didn't know what she had been through, and thought she was frightened. She gently held her in her arms and chuckled, "Don't be afraid, every girl has to go through this... Just remember to obey your son-in-law... Don't make a fuss and call the servants in to embarrass your son-in-law..."
Cheng Chi is so old and has been doing business abroad for many years, so he should have some experience.
Mrs. Miao thought about it, picked up the picture album, and while flipping through the book, she whispered to her.
Zhou Shaojin forced himself not to push Mrs. Mian away.
But when Mrs. Miao finished speaking, she was already sweating profusely, as if she had just been fished out of ice water.
Mrs. Miao became suspicious.
Other girls were too embarrassed to raise their heads, but why did Shao Jin...seem to be extremely scared!
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Sorry, dear friends. I am a bit busy today. I just proofread it. Mobile phone users please refresh the screen.
O(∩_∩)O~
PS: The update will still be around nine o'clock tomorrow.
※(To be continued)