Cheng Chi entered the house with an ashen face, immediately encountering Zhenzhu, whose face was full of joy.
Seeing Cheng Chi’s expression, Zhenzhu was so frightened that she quickly restrained her facial expression and stepped forward respectfully to address him as “Fourth Master.”
Cheng Chi couldn’t help but glance at her.
She trembled in fear and hurriedly explained: “Fourth Master, the Old Madam said that in a few days she would accompany the Fourth Household’s Old Madam to add to Miss Zhou’s dowry trousseau, and selected some old items for us to help appraise…”
Zhenzhu instinctively felt that bringing up this matter would improve Cheng Chi’s mood somewhat.
Cheng Chi glanced at her coldly.
Was this even something worth mentioning?
He went straight back to Tingli Hall.
Ji Ying was talking with Nan Ping: “That day you cover my shift for me, we’ll go to Pingqiao Street to attend the wedding feast.”
Qingfeng beside them chattered nosily: “Is it Second Cousin Miss’s older sister getting married?” He said covetously, “I’m not on duty that day, can I go with you?”
Listening to this made Cheng Chi feel restless and irritable, but he had always been composed and said mildly to Qingfeng: “Take out the white tea that Sixth Master Gu sent a few days ago and brew it!”
Qingfeng cheerfully responded “Yes” and ran off in a flash.
Since returning to Cheng Chi’s side, Ji Ying had become more cautious around him. Being clever and perceptive, she was better than Qingfeng and Langyue at observing Cheng Chi’s moods.
She respectfully saluted Cheng Chi and withdrew to the side with lowered eyes.
Cheng Chi entered his study.
Ji Ying breathed a sigh of relief and asked Huai Shan in a low voice: “Who upset him? Why does he look like he can barely control his temper and is about to lose his composure?”
Huai Shan gave her a warning glance and followed into the study.
The study in Tingli Hall had been temporarily converted after Cheng Chi moved in. Two spacious side rooms were opened up and separated by floor-to-ceiling screens, hung with parrot-green Hangzhou silk curtains. The inner room’s ice-crack patterned window frames were fitted with transparent glass. Opening the window revealed lush green bamboo groves.
Several sparrows were hopping and chirping on the ground.
Cheng Chi shut the window frame with a “bang,” startling Huai Shan who had followed him in.
“Has the silver from the Thirteen Hongs been delivered?” Cheng Chi asked.
Huai Shan lowered his head and said: “There are still three days until the agreed date.”
“Go urge them,” Cheng Chi said. “Must they wait until the exact date to deliver the silver?”
Huai Shan responded “Yes” and left the study for the tea room.
Nanny Shang was brewing tea in the tea room.
Being from the mountains of western Guizhou, she still maintained the habit of boiling tea to drink.
Seeing Huai Shan enter, she smiled: “How do you have time to sit in the tea room?”
Huai Shan didn’t answer. He only said to Nanny Shang: “Give me a cup. Add a few olives to it.”
Nanny Shang went to the concealed cupboard to look for olives.
Huai Shan sat down on the stool by the window.
If he really followed Fourth Master’s instruction to urge the Thirteen Hongs for the silver, wouldn’t the people there laugh themselves to death?
They might even think Fourth Master’s side had some problem and was desperate for the money!
He decided that if Cheng Chi asked again later, it wouldn’t be too late to make a trip to the Thirteen Hongs then.
Meanwhile, Cheng Chi regretted his words as soon as he spoke them.
When had he become so impatient?
As if everything looked wrong to him.
He sat down and drank a cup of tea, his emotions gradually calming.
Zhou Shaojin’s appearance clearly showed she had difficulties she couldn’t express.
If she had intended to deceive him, she could have continued staring with wide eyes pretending innocence, or she could have feigned complete ignorance until he exposed her… but she chose silence instead.
Sometimes, silence was also an answer.
Moreover, they had been on Pingqiao Street at the time. Her stepmother Li Shi and aunt, the Grand Lady of Mian, were both there, including that steward called Ma Fushan. If anyone had intended to observe, their every move couldn’t have escaped notice.
He thought again of Zhou Shaojin’s hesitant manner when mentioning the competition between Cheng Jing and Huang Li for Minister of Rites… Perhaps she wasn’t hesitant at all, but wanted to tell him yet feared the consequences of telling him. So when he said he wanted to thank her, a trace of unease flashed in her eyes…
Cheng Chi suddenly stood up.
How could he be so stupid!
That little girl had always been timid as a mouse. Though she trusted him, she also feared him—and this fear surely included fear that he wouldn’t believe her. Yet he had glared at her angrily. What else could she do but be frightened out of her wits!
“Huai Shan! Huai Shan!” He strode to the door, calling loudly.
Huai Shan had just picked up his cup when he heard the call. Without even time to take a sip, he set down the teacup and hurried out of the tea room.
But when Cheng Chi saw Huai Shan’s cold face, he realized it wasn’t appropriate.
Zhou Shaojin was a proper young lady raised in the inner quarters. Whether conveying messages or doing anything else, Huai Shan wasn’t quite suitable.
Ji Ying was even less suitable—if she knew, it would be the same as the entire Tingli Hall knowing.