Cheng Chi nodded with a smile.
Zhou Shaojin hesitated for a moment. Seeing that Cheng Chi had no intention of asking her to stay, she felt extremely disappointed but still smiled as she took her leave.
Cheng Chi silently sighed.
This girl had eyes that could speak.
Clear and transparent, as if a thousand words were condensed within them.
He couldn’t help but stand up and walk to the window lattice, pushing open the window.
Under the bright moonlight, Zhou Shaojin’s slender figure in her moon-white vest was light and supple, like a willow swaying in the breeze.
Cheng Chi lowered his eyelids, his expression unreadable.
※※※
Zhou Shaojin walked all the way back to Fucui Pavilion with pouted lips.
The next day, news that Dong Shi was gravely ill and Cheng Lu was selling family property spread throughout all of Jiuru Lane.
Hearing this, Wu Baozhang’s face turned pale. She clutched her comb and pondered for a long while before emerging from the inner room with a beaming smile. She smiled at Cheng Nuo, who was being attended by maids while reclining on a luohan bed reading travel records: “Isn’t the young master going out today? I see the autumn begonias behind the house are blooming beautifully. Why don’t I have the kitchen prepare a few small dishes, and I’ll accompany you for a few drinks?”
Cheng Nuo was so startled he nearly fell off the bed.
He scrutinized Wu Baozhang carefully. Seeing her smile warmly with cordial affection, he couldn’t help but widen his eyes.
The sun truly was rising from the west.
Since marrying Wu Baozhang, she had not only treated him coldly but had gone from initial admonishment to current criticism. There wasn’t a single thing about him she approved of, which irritated him beyond measure. Yet thinking of how his parents had just married and were constantly quarreling every few days, becoming the laughingstock of Jiuru Lane, he could only suppress his many grievances deep in his heart.
But what was happening with Wu Baozhang now?
Suddenly treating him with such tender affection.
Cheng Nuo always remembered what his grandmother had told him: “Unsolicited attentiveness means either treachery or theft.”
Had Wu Baozhang done something wrong and needed him to help resolve it?
He said cautiously: “What’s gotten into you? Just yesterday you were saying I lie in bed all day reading travel records, that I’m not even as good as a newly enlightened schoolchild…”
Wu Baozhang’s face reddened as she said: “Wasn’t I just angry that you weren’t studying properly for the examinations? Later, mother-in-law scolded me. I’ve been thinking carefully these past few days and feel that what mother-in-law said made a lot of sense…”
Grand Madam Wen was quite indulgent toward Cheng Nuo.
Cheng Nuo knew this as well.
At the time, Wu Baozhang had been very dissatisfied and said things like “a loving mother often spoils her children.” He had been terrified that others would hear and wished he could cover Wu Baozhang’s mouth.
Who would have thought that by imitating his father’s posture and ignoring Wu Baozhang for a few days, she would now know his power.
Hearing this, he lifted his chin, proud yet somewhat haughty, and said “Hmm,” adding: “It’s good that you know. Our Cheng family has been transmitting poetry, books, rites, and propriety for generations. Reading is our greatest skill. What books to read when, when one should study—there are established procedures. If you don’t understand, don’t point fingers from the sidelines…”
Wu Baozhang barely restrained herself from storming off.
How had she ever thought marrying Cheng Nuo would be acceptable?
Beyond daily necessities, having such an exasperating husband was another kind of torment.
Unfortunately, Cheng Lu was also unreliable—actually reaching the point of needing to sell ancestral property to treat his mother’s illness. Good thing she hadn’t insisted back then. If she had married into that family, it would be daily necessities she lacked.
Still, daily necessities were more important than mutual affection.
She should treat Cheng Nuo better and let him fight with those unreliable in-laws of hers.
Once she bore a son and taught him well, with the Cheng family’s great tree to shelter under, she refused to believe she couldn’t produce a jinshi scholar.
Thinking of this, Wu Baozhang felt her life had hope again.
She smiled at Cheng Nuo: “Will you go to the back courtyard to admire flowers?”
“No need to admire flowers,” Cheng Nuo said carelessly. “Having the kitchen stir-fry a couple of small dishes and bring a pot of good wine—that’s the proper thing!”
Proper thing my foot!
Wu Baozhang cursed inwardly but kept a beaming smile on her face as she said “Yes” and sent a maid to the kitchen while accompanying Cheng Nuo to the back courtyard herself.
Watching the docile Wu Baozhang, Cheng Nuo felt his little life wasn’t bad and instructed his personal servant: “Go send a card to Young Master Ju, saying I’m inviting him to eat and drink.”
The young servant rushed off.
Wu Baozhang was so angry her hands trembled. She barely restrained herself from splashing the cup of hot tea in her hand onto Cheng Nuo’s face.
The Cheng family was a scholarly household following ancient rites without the custom of disturbing the bridal chamber. But on her wedding day, it was that Cheng Ju who had led a group of male guests from who knows where into her new chamber to cause a disturbance. Not knowing beforehand that the Cheng family followed ancient rites, she hadn’t paid attention, thinking she just needed to send them away. Who knew that Cheng Ju would be obscenely outrageous, actually secretly groping her.
After learning the Cheng family had no custom of disturbing bridal chambers, she wished she could drink his blood and devour his flesh. Yet no matter what she said, that fool Cheng Nuo wouldn’t listen, only saying she was too narrow-minded, that because Cheng Ju had led people to disturb her bridal chamber and made her lose face, she was prejudiced against Cheng Ju… The two had nearly quarreled over this.
Wu Baozhang would remember this person her entire life!
Yet she still had to smile and say to Cheng Nuo: “Sending Young Master Ju a card on such short notice—wouldn’t that be too discourteous? Why not invite him to our home as a proper guest another day?”
Cheng Nuo said: “What do you know? He loves liveliness most. As long as he hears I’m inviting him to drink, he’ll definitely come!”
So he was even more worthless?
Wu Baozhang felt that continuing to talk with Cheng Nuo would make her cough up blood. She simply closed her eyes, recited “Namo Amitabha” several times in her heart, took a deep breath, and smiled: “Then I’ll go see how the kitchen is preparing the dishes. When Young Master Ju arrives, I’ll have them bring everything out.”
Cheng Nuo nodded.