At noon, the maids were carefully setting the dishes on the Eight Immortals Table.
"Master, you're not coming back for dinner again today?" Ye Qiulan glanced at the empty seat, with a hint of displeasure in her voice.
Aunt Liu bowed and replied, "Madam, the master asked the accountant, Lao Zhou, to tell him that a batch of important goods has arrived and will be at the Chamber of Commerce at noon."
Ye Qiulan snorted, turned around and picked up a piece of crystal braised pork for Zheng Wanqing: "Wanqing, try it quickly, it's your favorite time-honored restaurant, which just delivered it this morning."
Just as Zheng Wanqing picked up the chopsticks, a silver bell-like laughter came from the opposite side.
Third Aunt Zhang was wearing a brand new rose-red cheongsam embroidered with peonies today, and the golden hairpin on her head was jingling loudly.
"Oh, this shad is so fresh." Zhang poked her chopsticks into the belly of the fish, and oil splashed onto the tablecloth.
She picked up a piece of the most delicious fish belly and put it in her daughter Zheng Qingyi's bowl, "Qingyi, eat more and keep your complexion good. When you marry into the Chen family, you can't let people say that our young lady from the Zheng family is weak and frail."
She deliberately raised her voice and said, "Chen Yuzi is very particular about these things. Yesterday he even sent someone to deliver a box of American ginseng, saying that it was for Qingyi's health."
Zheng Qingyi lowered her head, with a strand of bangs hanging down to cover her eyes.
She held the chopsticks with her slender fingers and gently stirred the rice in the bowl, but she never put the piece of fish into her mouth.
"Sister, what you said is as if you are going to marry into the family soon," Second Aunt Chen said as she scooped a spoonful of crab paste slowly. She was wearing a plain lilac-colored jacket today, which formed a sharp contrast with Zhang.
She glanced at Zheng Yuyi who was sitting next to her with a meaningful look, "We can't rush into marriage."
Zheng Yuqi frowned when he heard this and tapped the edge of the bowl twice with the chopsticks in his hand.
Zhang raised her eyebrows, and her golden steps shook even more: "Sister, you don't know, the Chen family is urging us. Chen Xizi said that if the master hadn't asked Yuheng to get married first, Chen Xizi would have wanted to marry our Qingyi right now..."
"She's just a concubine," Chen suddenly interrupted, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, causing the entire table to fall silent, "Is it worth making such a fuss about?"
Zheng Wanqing saw Zheng Qingyi's chopsticks fall onto the table with a "bang" and she hurriedly picked them up.
A hint of embarrassment flashed across those eyes that were always lowered, but they soon returned to calm.
Zhang's face flushed red, and she put down her chopsticks abruptly: "What do you know, sister? That's Ronghe Foreign Company! One of the largest and most prestigious companies in the concession!"
Her shrill voice echoed in the hall, "Chen Xizi came personally with a matchmaker. How many young ladies in Tianjin can have such a grand ceremony?"
"Yes," Chen smiled, a few fine lines appeared at the corners of her eyes, "Thanks to me for organizing the New Year tea party, otherwise how would Chen Xiaozi have had the opportunity to meet Qingyi?"
Zhang tidied her temples proudly and said, "That's also because Qingyi is lucky and Chen Yuzi likes her."
She turned to Zheng Qingyi and her voice suddenly rose, "Qingyi, take out that jade ring and show it to your Aunt Chen. Aunt Chen just sent someone to deliver it, saying it's a top-quality item from Southeast Asia."
Zheng Qingyi's fingers trembled slightly, and she took out a brocade box from her sleeve.
The lid of the box was opened, revealing a emerald green ring glowing in the sunlight, with delicate Western patterns carved on the face.
"Oh, the quality is good." Chen glanced at it, with a hint of sarcasm on her lips, "But compared to the one owned by my wife, it's probably far inferior. I heard that Mrs. Chen's is an old mine jadeite passed down from the Chen family..."
Zhang slammed the table, causing the dishes to clank. "You!"
"Aunt..." Zheng Qingyi gently pulled her mother's sleeve, her voice as soft as a mosquito's.
Zhang took a deep breath and suddenly smiled, but the smile was only visible in her eyes: "I know why my sister is like this. The tea party was originally for Yuzhen to meet Miss Li, but it's a pity..."
She glanced at Zheng Yuzhen meaningfully, "You can't force fate. Sister, hold a few more shows. There are so many girls in Tianjin, there must be one who will be attracted to Yuzhen."
"Aunt Zhang!" Zheng Yuqi put down his chopsticks with a snap, and a few drops of soup in the bowl splashed out, spreading yellow stains on the snow-white tablecloth. "Li Shiyao is spoiled by nature, I can't afford it. The woman I want to marry must be a virtuous woman."
When he said this, his eyes glanced at Zheng Yuheng who had been silent.
Zheng Wanqing saw her brother Zheng Yuheng frowning.
He put down the spoon and said calmly, "Miss Li is still young, but she is not a bad person."
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