Zhou Chujin looked around at the forty-some trunks and chests of various sizes in the room and said wearily, “Is there anything we’ve forgotten?” Her voice was filled with sadness.
Zhou Shaojin could understand her sister’s feelings.
In her previous life, the Cheng family had hurt her so deeply, yet when she left the Cheng residence, she had still gazed at Jiuru Alley for a long time in the darkness.
“It doesn’t matter!” Zhou Shaojin gently comforted her sister. “We’re so close by. If we’ve forgotten anything, we can just have Ma Fushan’s wife come back to get it.”
It’s not like they could never return!
Chun Wan came in to report, “Biyu from Cold Jade Mountain Retreat has arrived. She says there’s so much happening these days that she’s afraid she won’t be able to see you off tomorrow, so she’s come to pay her respects.”
“Why is she being so formal?” Zhou Shaojin smiled. Seeing that her sister’s eyes still carried a hint of weariness, she said to Zhou Chujin, “Sister, I’ll go see her. You should go back to your room and rest! Tomorrow morning we still have to go pay our respects to Grandmother, and she’ll surely have many things to tell you.”
In her previous life, Grandmother had held her sister in tears and talked all morning.
Zhou Chujin smiled and nodded.
Zhou Shaojin went to the study.
Biyu glanced at Chun Wan, wanting to speak but hesitating.
Zhou Shaojin dismissed Chun Wan.
Biyu then leaned close to Zhou Shaojin’s ear and whispered for a while.
Zhou Shaojin’s eyes widened. She couldn’t recover her composure for a long time.
Grandmother and First Aunt actually wanted her to marry Cousin Yi… This, how could this work?
She treated Cousin Yi like her own brother. No, after her rebirth, she felt he was her younger brother… How could she marry her own brother? Moreover, Cousin Yi’s way of doing things was completely incompatible with hers. Wouldn’t she have to spend her whole life following behind him cleaning up his messes? She, she didn’t have that ability!
Just thinking about it made Zhou Shaojin’s mood grow heavy.
She grabbed Biyu’s hand and said hurriedly, “Thank you. If it weren’t for you, I’d still be in the dark! I will certainly repay Grandmother and First Aunt’s kindness, but to repay Grandmother and First Uncle this way, I, I really can’t do it!”
Biyu hadn’t expected things to be completely opposite from what she’d imagined.
From her heart, Zhou Shaojin did not approve of this marriage.
Which meant that Old Madam Guo and Fourth Master were right!
Biyu breathed a sigh of relief and said with a quiet laugh, “As long as Second Young Miss doesn’t blame me for being talkative. For this matter, you should still discuss it with Master Zhou! Don’t end up offending relatives and losing all these years of kindness!”
“Thank you! Thank you!” Zhou Shaojin thanked Biyu again and personally saw her out.
The next morning, Zhou Chujin noticed that Zhou Shaojin wasn’t in good spirits. She smiled and asked, “What did Biyu say to you yesterday?”
“Oh!” Zhou Shaojin lowered her head to pick up a piece of gold-silver steamed bun, as if to cover something. “She wanted to know if I’d come back after I return home.”
Zhou Chujin asked her, “What do you think?”
This was the first time the sisters had discussed this topic so formally.
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “I’d like to go with Father to his post after my coming-of-age ceremony. Until then, I should stay at Grandmother’s place. That way I can properly fulfill my filial duties.”
Zhou Chujin remained noncommittal.
This matter needed to be discussed with Father, and Father had never brought up where her younger sister should go. Either he had some difficulty, or he had other plans. Better to wait until Li Shi arrived to discuss it.
She changed the subject, talking about the flowers and plants. “Spring is the perfect time for repotting. It’s better to move them back. If you return to Jiuru Alley, you can just bring them back.”
If she returned to Jiuru Alley again, she would probably be staying long-term.
Zhou Shaojin smiled in agreement and beckoned to Snowball.
Snowball leaped into her arms.
She gently stroked Snowball’s fur and said, “We’re going home!”
Snowball barked twice, not understanding.
※※※
Just like in her previous life, on the morning of Little New Year’s Eve, Old Madam Guan held Zhou Chujin and talked for a very long time. When they came out for the reunion dinner, both Old Madam Guan and Zhou Chujin’s eyes were red, their expressions full of sadness. Grand Madam Mian tried to console them for quite a while before Old Madam Guan finally put away her sorrowful expression. Everyone happily ate a meal together and saw the Zhou sisters off.
Old Madam Guan was their maternal grandmother and a widow. Although she had raised Zhou Chujin for a time, Zhou Chujin couldn’t take leave of her maternal grandmother when she married. Thinking that this was the last time she would see Old Madam Guan before her wedding, Zhou Chujin’s tears fell uncontrollably again, and she threw herself into Old Madam Guan’s arms, unable to bear leaving.
Zhou Shaojin and Grand Madam Mian stood beside them, tears constantly falling.
Cheng Mian, being a man after all, was more rational. With reddened eyes, he waved at Zhou Shaojin and said, “Hurry home! If you wait any longer, there’ll be a curfew. It’s not like you won’t see each other again. Aren’t you planning to come pay New Year’s respects to your uncle on the second day?”
“We are, we are.” Zhou Chujin wiped her tears and reluctantly bid farewell to everyone in the fourth branch of the Cheng family, crying softly all the way back to the Zhou residence.
The Zhou residence was somewhat different from when Zhou Shaojin had last returned. The walls were freshly whitewashed snow-white, and the blue-green tiles were arranged on the roof like fish scales, particularly neat. Once inside, even the bamboo seemed especially vibrant.
Ma Fushan’s wife smiled and said, “Following the master’s instructions, since the eldest young miss is getting married, the house has been completely renovated, lest the son-in-law think poorly of it when he comes for the bride.”
Zhou Chujin’s face turned bright red.
Zhou Shaojin smiled with pursed lips, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
She had comforted her sister all the way, but no matter what she said, her sister cried endlessly like spring rain, and she had nearly started crying along with her.
Chi Xiang and the others served Zhou Chujin as she washed and groomed. Zhou Shaojin directed the maids and servants to place the things Zhou Chujin was preparing to bring to the Liao family together with her dowry, so everything could be sent to Zhenjiang together on the auspicious day.
Bitao came in to report, “Second Young Miss, Shi Xiang has come with her husband. She says she wants to kowtow to you and the eldest young miss.”
Zhou Shaojin was somewhat surprised.