After hearing Cheng Chi’s words, Zhou Shaojin felt as if a glittering gold-plated jewelry box inlaid with precious treasures was placed before her. Without even opening it, she could imagine the luminous pearls and jade inside—utterly tempting.
She hesitated and wavered, her hand reaching out then drawing back.
After a long while, she finally restrained herself and said with lowered head, “I, I won’t go…”
This answer was within Cheng Chi’s expectations.
There was no woman in his household to manage domestic affairs—what would it mean for Shaojin to follow him there like this?
Cheng Chi smiled slightly and said, “I understand. You may go back now!”
Zhou Shaojin was somewhat dumbfounded.
Uncle Chi… was just letting her go like this?
Without even trying to persuade her?
Without even asking her reasons?
Zhou Shaojin stood there, momentarily at a loss, like a little lamb that had lost its way.
Watching her, Cheng Chi’s heart softened like cotton. He said gently, “The New Year is approaching. I must leave early tomorrow morning to return. You should spend the New Year peacefully in Baoding Prefecture. If anything comes up, just instruct Nanny Shang, or wait until I return to discuss it. If you suffer any grievances, there’s no need to argue with them—after all, I’m here for you!”
“What?” Zhou Shaojin’s eyes widened. “You, you’re leaving tomorrow? With such heavy snow and wind, what if you catch a chill on the road? How about, how about… you just stay at our home for the New Year?” As she spoke, her eyes grew red with anxiety. “Xiao Zhenhai still hasn’t been found! What if he tries to harm you?”
Seeing her on the verge of tears, Cheng Chi’s heart immediately constricted into a tight knot. He smiled and said, “I’ve hired escort agency guards to accompany me back. We’ll take the official road the whole way—nothing will happen.”
Zhou Shaojin didn’t believe him at all and looked at Cheng Chi without speaking.
Cheng Chi’s heart wrenched at her gaze, and he had no choice but to step forward and gently stroke her black hair, saying softly, “Be good, listen to me! Nothing will happen to me.”
Zhou Shaojin still remained silent.
Cheng Chi said helplessly, “How about this—I’ll hire people from the Cangzhou Escort Agency to escort me back for the New Year, alright?”
Zhou Shaojin thought of how Ji Ying was from Cangzhou and had safely traveled back and forth between the capital and Jinling with Fan Qi. Only then did she reluctantly nod her head.
Cheng Chi smiled and said, “Such a temper! If I don’t agree with you, you won’t nod.”
Zhou Shaojin’s face instantly flushed hot. She barely managed to say “I’m just concerned about you” before lifting her skirt and running off.
Cheng Chi burst out laughing.
Outside in the covered corridor, Huai Shan’s eye twitched.
Thinking that Cheng Chi’s mood should have calmed down now, he walked in and said, “Fourth Master, there’s still no news of Xiao Zhenhai…”
That day they had found Xiao Zhenhai at a very low-grade inn. Several of the Xiao family elders had been detained, but Xiao Zhenhai had escaped.
Cheng Chi was in good spirits and smiled, saying, “Notify Xu Mu of the Golden Sand Gang to bring people over and surround Baoding Prefecture tightly for me. We’ll return home for the New Year first. It won’t be too late to deal with him after the Lantern Festival.”
Huai Shan acknowledged with relief.
Fortunately, Second Cousin Miss was there to provide comic relief. Otherwise, if Cheng Chi pursued the matter, no one would have a good New Year.
Though Second Cousin Miss seemed soft and gentle, she was actually quite decent.
He decided to arrange with Nanny Shang to go outside the office to buy some local specialties to give as gifts when they returned.
※※※
Zhou Shaojin was frantically searching through boxes and trunks in her room, urging Chun Wan and Bitao, “Hurry and look—where did that jade-green headband and the stone-blue headband go? I clearly put them together with Elder Sister’s fur garments. How could they have disappeared? Could they have gotten mixed in with the fur clothes and been given to Elder Sister? Even if Elder Sister received them, she should have told me…”
Chun Wan quickly said, “Second Miss, don’t worry. If they’re not in this trunk, they must be in another. We’ll find them slowly.”
“Uncle Chi is leaving early tomorrow morning.” With the fire dragon burning in the room and her anxiety mounting, Zhou Shaojin broke out in sweat on her forehead. “I thought Uncle Chi would stay at our home for the New Year. Now I not only need to prepare gifts for Old Madam and Grandmother, but also for Grand Aunt Mian and Sister-in-law Gao. If we can’t find these headbands, what will I do?”
That’s right!
Gifts for others could be purchased, but for Old Madam Guo and Old Madam Guan, especially for Old Madam Guo, sending gold or silver wasn’t as good as sending a personally handmade headband.
Xiao Tan also helped search.
However, their movements grew increasingly slower.
Cloud brocade mirror pouches, heavenly fragrance silk handkerchiefs, snow satin purses, gold-plated ruby-inlaid incense balls, ivory fans, pearl shell powder boxes, glazed perfume bottles… one after another, each exquisite, each beautiful. Even Xiao Tan, after laying eyes on them, couldn’t help but love them and wanted to look twice more.
Chun Wan thought of when they had just moved into the Cold Jade Mountain Studio—Second Miss had only had a small treasure box for trinkets, but now needed trunks to store everything… She felt even more certain that if Old Madam knew about the Young Master Miao incident, she would definitely bring Second Miss back.
As several people were carefully searching, Fan Liushi walked in and asked curiously, “What are you all looking for?”
She was carrying a bowl of rock sugar bird’s nest soup.
The item had been sent over by Li Shi.
She said it was sent when the Li family delivered New Year gifts. Zhou Shaojin had declined repeatedly, but Li Shi insisted on sending it to nourish her body. Later Zhou Zhen spoke up, and only then did Zhou Shaojin accept it. Seeing that her throat had been a bit tight these past couple of days, Fan Liushi had stewed it with rock sugar to soothe her throat.
Chun Wan quickly said, “The two headbands Second Miss made by hand some days ago can’t be found.”
Fan Liushi placed the rock sugar bird’s nest soup on the table, while beckoning Zhou Shaojin over to drink the bird’s nest soup, she said, “Are they the two headbands that were placed together with Eldest Miss’s fur garments—one jade-green and one stone-blue…”
“Yes, yes!” Chun Wan and the others perked up excitedly, their eyes fixed unblinkingly on Fan Liushi.
Fan Liushi couldn’t help but smile and said, “That day I saw those two headbands mixed in with Eldest Miss’s fur garments, so I put them together with the embroidered items Second Miss usually makes…”
Before she even finished speaking, Chun Wan and Xiao Tan grabbed her arms from left and right, laughing and chiding, “Nanny, you nearly killed us with worry…”
They clearly remembered putting them in the trunk, but then they were gone.