Zhou Chujin had no choice but to instruct her, “When you’re alone at home, be careful about the household security. Don’t open the second gate for anyone who comes. If there’s anything you need, send Fan Qi or Steward Xiang to run errands. Never go out yourself. The more everyone goes out to watch the excitement, the more those criminals come out. Children go missing, young ladies get abducted—it mostly happens at times like these. You must be extremely careful…”
Zhou Shaojin pursed her lips and smiled. After her sister finished, she said, “A few days ago when I went out with Cousin Zheng, you also lectured me with these same words. Just relax—I’m not going anywhere. There are so many people outside making such a racket, what’s good about going out? You just take Guan Ge’er to watch the dragon boat race with peace of mind! I’ll be fine here! But you need to be careful with Guan Ge’er. Don’t take him to crowded places. He’s still young and can’t endure such hardship. Cousin Zheng has reserved a private room at the restaurant over there. If you feel it’s too hot, just borrow her place to rest for a bit. Don’t be too embarrassed to do so and just endure it. You’re an adult and can withstand it, but Guan Ge’er is still small…” Speaking to this point, she still felt uneasy and said, “Why don’t you send Guan Ge’er over here to me! I’ll help you look after him.”
Now it was Zhou Chujin’s turn to laugh. She said, “Am I the older sister or are you the older sister? You’re lecturing me!”
But Zhou Shaojin said seriously, “Sister, I’m speaking from the heart. You really should send Guan Ge’er over here to me! Your mother-in-law wants to go out and see the excitement, and it wouldn’t be good for you not to accompany her, but you also can’t let Guan Ge’er suffer through this ordeal. Go back and discuss it with brother-in-law. It would be best to send Guan Ge’er over here to me.”
The child wasn’t even a hundred days old yet!
Zhou Chujin couldn’t help being tempted.
When she returned, she discussed it with Liao Shaotang.
Liao Shaotang was also troubled by this matter. Hearing her words, he was delighted and said, “Then we’ll trouble Second Sister-in-law to watch over him for us. In a few days we’ll invite her to our home to visit.”
Zhou Chujin smiled and said, “It’s fortunate Second Sister came to the capital, otherwise I really wouldn’t know what to do!” As she spoke, she suddenly thought of keeping Zhou Shaojin in the capital. This way she could avoid those Young Master Huang and Young Master Bai types, and they could ask the various relatives in the capital to help look out for a good marriage prospect for her sister. Third, the sisters could look after each other. Especially since Uncle Chi had given Shaojin a residence—if Shaojin wanted to stay at her place for a while she could stay here, and when she wanted peace and quiet she could live alone for a while. Who knew how free and easy that would be! Even she, a married woman, felt somewhat envious just thinking about it.
She shared her thoughts with Liao Shaotang.
Liao Shaotang also thought it was good. He said, “Baoding Prefecture is still a bit too small in scale. Arranging a marriage in the capital, whether it’s the Fang family, the Li family, or the Min family—any of them would be considered century-old aristocratic families, certainly better than marrying into some minor household.”
Forget about the Min family!
Zhou Chujin snorted coldly in her heart.
She thought the Fang family was quite good.
Among their younger generation were many outstanding ones.
Thinking this, she thought of Song Mu.
What a pity.
Shaojin simply didn’t have that fortune.
She smiled and said, “You should go talk to my father about this matter!”
This was crediting him with the achievement!
Liao Shaotang gently embraced his wife and smiled, “I’ll write to Father-in-law right away!”
Zhou Chujin smiled with the corners of her mouth turned up and said, “You should also mention it to Mother.”
“Understood!” Liao Shaotang said loudly.
That evening, he told Madam Liao about temporarily entrusting Guan Ge’er to Zhou Shaojin’s care on Dragon Boat Festival day.
Madam Liao’s face flushed slightly.
She hadn’t gone out purely for enjoyment in many years, and she had actually overlooked Guan Ge’er. After all, they weren’t in Zhenjiang now, where just saying they were going to watch the dragon boat race meant they could get a private room at a riverside restaurant for them to rest in at any time.
But now it was too late to say these things.
The children had arranged this outing to make her happy.
She quickly said, “Then please thank Second In-law Aunt for me. Another day invite her over to visit.”
As long as Mother-in-law agreed, all was well.
Zhou Chujin smiled and said several kind words on Zhou Shaojin’s behalf. When Dragon Boat Festival day arrived, as soon as dawn broke she brought the things Guan Ge’er usually used and the serving women who attended him, and together with Madam Liao delivered Guan Ge’er to Yulian Alley.
Zhou Shaojin carefully received Guan Ge’er and repeatedly promised to take good care of him.
Madam Liao thanked her repeatedly. Seeing the sky growing brighter, she politely declined Zhou Shaojin’s breakfast invitation. After Li Shi and Zhou Youjin finished preparing, they all left the alley together heading for Shichahai.
Zhou Shaojin looked at Guan Ge’er’s tender little face and her heart was about to melt.
She nuzzled Guan Ge’er’s little face. At first Guan Ge’er smiled happily, but before long he began crying at the top of his lungs.
Zhou Shaojin was greatly startled and quickly called loudly for Guan Ge’er’s wet nurse.
The wet nurse hurried over, looked at Guan Ge’er, and said with a smile, “Guan Ge’er is hungry!”
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief and handed the child to the wet nurse.
Since there were no outsiders in the house, the wet nurse sat to one side to nurse the child.
Zhou Shaojin watched him sucking vigorously at the milk and couldn’t help smiling as she stroked the child’s head. She turned and had them bring over the cloth tigers, little dolls, tumbler toys and such that she’d had people buy at the market a few days ago, planning to use them to entertain Guan Ge’er.
Who knew that while nursing, Guan Ge’er would fall asleep.
Zhou Shaojin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
The wet nurse quickly said apologetically, “Today coming over to Second Miss’s place, Guan Ge’er got up earlier than usual…”
Children naturally ate when they wanted and slept when they wanted!
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “This isn’t your fault at all. What is there to be embarrassed about? Does he usually sleep in a cradle or on the kang? If he sleeps on the kang, just put him here. I’ll watch over him!”
Children in the south slept in cradles, children in the north slept on kangs.
“He sleeps on the kang.” The wet nurse smiled, and naturally a perceptive little maid came over to lay out a small bedding. The wet nurse gently placed the child on it.
Zhou Shaojin sat to one side making socks for Cheng Chi.
As before, she still used cross-stitch to sew socks for Cheng Chi. The difference was that on the snow-white fine cotton socks from Songjiang, she used amber, smoketree yellow, and light crimson colors in sequence for the stitching—gorgeous and luxurious, the kind that made it hard to look away.
Uncle Chi was so particular—all his refinement was in the details. He would surely love socks like these.