The wind blew in my face, my heart was pounding and I felt a little breathless.
This was the first time that Zhou Shaojin had run like this in his two lifetimes.
Jiang's maid was shouting anxiously behind her.
Cheng Ji laughed like a silver bell.
Zhou Shaojin felt a sense of pleasure in doing whatever he wanted.
Then she saw Pan Qing and Cheng Xu.
Under the big locust tree beside the corridor, Pan Qing was looking at Cheng Xu with shyness on her face.
Cheng Xu, wearing a bamboo green robe, was tall and handsome, like a jade tree in the wind.
The two of them were chatting and laughing, having a great time.
When they heard the noise and looked over here, they all showed surprised expressions.
Zhou Shaojin almost couldn't help laughing out loud.
God is helping her!
Pan Qing really came to find Cheng Xu, and she succeeded - they met alone, only thirty steps away from the water pavilion, without any servants or maids.
All she had to do was say in surprise, "Cousin Qing, why are you here? Didn't I just tell you that Cousin Xu and the others are at the water pavilion?" Those who had once surrounded Madam Mian would testify for her, and Shi Xiang, who stayed in the flower hall, could use the fact that Jiang's maid was chasing her and Cheng Ji to draw the attention of the people in the flower hall to the situation here... Everyone would "know" that Pan Qing knew that Cheng Xu was at the water pavilion, so she quietly slipped out of the flower hall and went to the water pavilion to find Cheng Xu... Her goal would be achieved!
Zhou Shaojin's footsteps slowly stopped.
She looked at Pan Qing and Cheng Xu expressionlessly and pulled Cheng Ji.
Cheng Ji stood beside Zhou Shaojin, panting, staring at Pan Qing with his big black and white eyes without blinking.
Pan Qing had something to hide, and she felt a little embarrassed when Cheng Ji, who had always been suppressed by her, looked at her like this.
Cheng Xu was very embarrassed.
He obviously didn't expect Zhou Shaojin to see him and Pan Qing meeting alone. He twitched his lips, wanting to explain, but he didn't know how to explain it.
From the flower hall, Shi Xiang's high-pitched voice came: "Second Miss, Miss Jia, don't run! Be careful not to fall."
Zhou Shaojin's lips curled up slightly, and a hint of sarcasm flashed in his eyes.
Pan Qing was stunned and was about to speak, but unexpectedly Cheng Ji jumped out.
"Pan Qing, you knew that Brother Shi and his friends were at the waterside pavilion, but you still came here? What on earth do you want to do?" Perhaps because she had been suppressed by Pan Qing for too long, or perhaps these words had been on her mind for a long time, she seemed a little excited, and the veins on her temples were exposed. "This is not the piano competition we had the other day, where all the people were brothers. Today is the birthday of the fourth room's old man An, and in addition to the children of the Cheng family, there are also men from outside. How could you just run out like this without anyone? Don't forget, you are a guest at the Cheng family! Although our Cheng family spoils our daughters, we are not without rules..."
Zhou Shaojin opened his mouth in surprise.
How could she forget Cheng Ji's temper... She should not have involved Cheng Ji earlier! But without Cheng Ji, how could Jiang's people chase her out, and how could she attract the attention of the people in the flower hall...
Zhou Shaojin felt guilty.
Jiang rushed over.
"Shut up!" Her fair face was as gloomy as the sky before a storm. "You have no right to speak here! Your cousin Qing just happened to meet your brother Xu, why are you making such a fuss? She is your cousin, how can you act like a sister at all!"
Zhou Shaojin turned around.
I saw Cheng Xian behind Jiang.
She bit her lip, her face was pale and her eyes were dim.
Yuan followed behind Cheng Xian.
She had a smile on her face, but her eyes were like poisoned knives, flashing a dark and cold light as she looked at Pan Qing.
Shi Xiang, Guo'er and others followed Yuan with terrified looks.
And over at the flower hall, there was a group of people crowded under the corridor.
Zhou Shaojin let out a long breath, his palms full of sweat.
Finally completed it successfully... Nothing went wrong...
Shi Xiang ran over and called out softly, "Second Miss."
Her trembling voice revealed her nervousness and fear at the moment.
Zhou Shaojin took a deep breath, smiled and nodded at her.
Shi Xiang looked slightly relieved.
Cheng Ji was heartbroken after being lectured again and again by his mother in front of everyone.
At this time, the mother was still defending Pan Qing... She was her biological daughter, okay!
Tears suddenly fell, Cheng Ji sobbed, "Mother, why do you always protect cousin Qing? She did better than me, and I have nothing to say if you criticize me. But this matter is clearly her fault, why do you still protect her? Is she the daughter of the Cheng family, and I was picked up on the road? It was the same last time we competed in playing the zither. The 'Fengming' zither was made by Brother Xu himself. Although it was a prize, brothers who knew each other knew that if one of us cousins won the first prize, the jade pendant given to him by the ancestor of the second house would not be suitable as a prize, so Brother Xu was asked to bring out the zither... You always say that cousin Qing knows the general situation, but if she really knows the general situation, she should exchange the reward with cousin Chu Jin on the spot, instead of taking the zither without hesitation, and then playing the piano in the room every day..."
Sweat broke out on Zhou Shaojin's forehead.
Cheng Jia, when he doesn't want to talk, he doesn't say anything, but when he does talk, he can hurt people badly.
Everyone thought of it, but no one expected that the person who did the bad thing would be Cheng Ji!
Jiang was so angry that she vomited blood, and she wished she could go up and slap her silly daughter to wake her up.
Cheng Ji knew nothing about this and continued, "Mother, do you know why I noticed Cousin Qing? Cousin Qing went for a walk that day and actually walked all the way to Qingxi Lake, where she actually met Brother Xu who was passing by..."
Pan Qing was stunned, and only then did he realize that things had gotten out of hand!
She couldn't help but look at Yuan.
Yuan's gaze was like a poisonous knife, piercing deep into her heart.
Pan Qing shuddered.
However, Cheng Xian closed his eyes, his legs went limp, and he staggered, about to fall down.
We can’t let Cheng Ji continue talking... I didn’t expect she knew so much... Why didn’t we guard against such a stupid Cheng Ji back then... And Jiang, who is usually so smart and capable, why couldn’t she immediately step forward and cover Cheng Ji’s mouth to stop her from talking nonsense!
She collapsed to the ground.
"Auntie!"
Jiang hurried to help Cheng Xian.
Cheng Xu took two steps forward anxiously, but when he saw his mother's gloomy face, he retreated angrily.
Pan Qing, whose face was as pale as a veil, quickly ran to her mother's side and said, "Mom, mom, what's wrong with you? Please don't scare me!"
The maid from the third room also ran over.
Perhaps hearing the noise, several men walked out of the pavilion.
As they walked, they asked loudly, "What happened?"
For a moment the scene became somewhat chaotic.
Cheng Ji didn't expect that his words would make Cheng Xian so angry that he fainted.
She stood there blankly, at a loss as to what to do.
Zhou Shaojin hurried forward and hugged her arm, whispering to comfort her: "It's okay. Auntie will be fine. She may not know about cousin Qing's situation, and she can't accept it when she hears it suddenly. She will be fine after she calms down."
No one paid any attention to her except Zhou Shaojin.
Cheng Ji held Zhou Shaojin's hand tightly on her arm as if she had grabbed a life-saving straw.
Zhou Shaojin pulled Cheng Ji aside, but prayed secretly in his heart that nothing would happen to Cheng Xian, otherwise Cheng Ji would be labeled as "disobedient to elders" and her life would be over.
Cheng Xu walked to Zhou Shaojin's side without knowing when.
He whispered, "Cousin Shaojin, Cousin Qing came to me to ask me to ask her grandmother to teach her calligraphy. I think her handwriting is very good, but it lacks strength. If she can learn calligraphy from grandmother, she should be more accomplished. That's why... we met... I thought everyone was at the waterside pavilion, and I didn't bring a servant with me because it was troublesome... Who knew that Cousin Qing didn't bring one either..."
Why are you telling me all this? Look at your mother's expression. Shouldn't you explain it to her first? Don't get angry at me. I won't stand there and let others rub you...
Zhou Shaojin complained in his heart.
Someone pushed Guo'er aside and exclaimed, "Mom, mom, what's wrong with you?"
It’s Pan Zhuo.
He heard the noise and walked out of the pavilion.
Zhou Shaojin looked up.
Cheng Lu and Cheng Shi stood beside a big tree not far away. One was looking thoughtfully at Cheng Xu beside her; the other was looking at Cheng Xian who was surrounded by the crowd with concern.
Zhou Shaojin turned his head away.
Cheng Lu's eyes fell on her.
Nanny Wang came over with a smile on her face: "It's almost time for birthday celebrations. Old Lady An asked me to invite everyone back to the flower hall." Then her expression tensed and she cried out, "Oh my!" and asked anxiously, "What's wrong with Auntie? What happened?"
"It's okay, it's okay." Jiang's smile was a little unnatural, "Madam Aunt is not feeling well for a while..."
Nanny Wang did not ask any further questions and hurriedly ordered the maid who followed her to get the Rendan and fetch some well water.
Zhou Shaojin stepped forward and bowed to the elders, and whispered, "We will go to the waterside pavilion to pay our respects to my grandmother, so my cousin Jia and I should go back to the flower hall first!
Jiang was really afraid of her daughter. It would be terrible if she said something nonsense again.
She didn't wait for anyone else to speak, and said, "Shao Jin, your aunt still needs help. After all, it's Old An's birthday, so you must be very busy. You should go back to the flower hall first! Jia girl will go back with me later."
You sold Cheng Ji and asked Cheng Ji to help you count the money...
Zhou Shaojin didn't want Cheng Ji to stay in this place.
She insisted on going back to the flower hall with Cheng Ji: "There are many maids and servants here, and cousin Ji is very sad, I'm afraid I can't help much."
Yuan, who had been silent the whole time, also said, "Let them go back! What help can these two little girls provide if they stay here?"
After all, she was her own daughter. Jiang looked at Cheng Ji, whose expression was dull, sighed almost inaudibly, and nodded.
Zhou Shaojin pulled Cheng Ji out of this circle of gossip.
On the way, she asked Cheng Ji: "Do you think that Aunt Xian fainted because of your anger, so you are very sad and upset?"
Cheng Ji was speechless and his tears fell even faster.
Zhou Shaojin said, "How can you be blamed for this? If you want to say whose fault it is, it is the fault of Aunt Xian and Cousin Qing. Aunt Xian is Cousin Qing's mother. Aunt Xian knows nothing about what Cousin Qing did. Don't you think Aunt Lu knows nothing about what you did? Anyway, if I did something, I would definitely not be able to hide it from my sister."
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Today’s extra update!
O(∩_∩)O~
The update is still around 12 o'clock in the evening.
※(To be continued)