The girls chatted and laughed on their way back to their rooms. While they were chatting, Ruyi asked about Zhihua.
Did Mrs. Zhou say anything to you today?
Zhihua shook her head and said
"He didn't say anything, just praised the plum blossom ointment a few times for being effective."
"really?"
"Um"
A cold wind blew by, scattering the warmth in the girls' hearts. The shadows of the trees, illuminated by the moonlight, cast scattered, lonely and desolate patterns.
"If Madam Zhou says anything that upsets you, don't hold it in and make yourself suffer," Chunying said.
"Yes, sister, don't be afraid," Zhiyin chimed in from the side.
Zhihua shook her head
"Madam Zhou really didn't say anything to me. Besides, even if she did, I wouldn't have taken it to heart. You can rest assured."
The other women nodded in agreement, but Zhiyin seemed a little unhappy, twisting the handkerchief in her hands as she spoke.
"If it weren't for... it wouldn't have been his turn!"
"A kindred spirit! Don't talk nonsense."
Zhihua interrupted her younger sister with a sharp rebuke.
"Alright, it's nothing serious. Go back to your rooms and rest. It's rare that you can go to bed early tonight; you still have to get up to practice your skills tomorrow."
Chunying waved her handkerchief lightly, telling her sisters to go back and rest early.
The girl in the blue dress led her younger sister up the steps, just like she had led her sister from the capital to the border town years ago.
"Ayin, let bygones be bygones. Right now, there's only Zhiyin and Zhihua in this world. I don't want to be all alone, understand?"
Zhiyin's eyes were red.
Yes, they lost their home years ago and now only have the confidantes and confidantes of the pleasure quarters.
"I see"
Zhihua nodded and said
"Go back and settle in."
She then pushed open the door, sat in front of the mirror for a while, and then pulled out a painting from under the bed.
As the scroll unfolds, a scene emerges of a couple sipping tea while watching two little girls playing among the flowers.
The girl's delicate hand gently caressed the screen.
murmured softly
"Father, Mother, I will take good care of my sister. We will both live well and outlive those people."
It snowed again in Pingyang County. Along with the snow came the caravans of several wealthy families in the county, including Zhou Ning'an, the eldest son of the Zhou family.
Actually, the young master doesn't need to go on such risky trips.
But there was no other way; the eldest son of the Zhou family always had to go out and avoid his parents' nagging.
Zhou Ning'an had just returned home when he heard the message from the servant in his courtyard.
"Young master, Madam just returned from the brothel yesterday."
"My mother went to a brothel? What was she doing there?"
The man's voice betrayed a hint of panic as he asked the servant...
"This servant doesn't know either, and I dare not ask."
"It's alright, you can go now."
Zhou Ning'an took a deep breath, and without even brushing the snow off his clothes, strode towards the main hall.
Upon reaching the main hall entrance, he composed himself and called out from the doorway.
"Mother! I'm home."
Madam Zhou was rather plump, and in the border town, such plump women were quite popular.
Moreover, she has a baby face and looks very kind.
Young Master Zhou had seen his mother get angry before, so he put on a smiling face even before he got to her.
Madam Zhou placed the teacup heavily on the table.
'Bang'
It gave Young Master Zhou a big fright.
"Mom, what's wrong? Aren't you happy that your son is back?"
"So you finally decided to come back?"
"Oh dear, Mother, it's not because..."
"That's not because your father and I forced you to go on blind dates! Right?"
Zhou Ning'an remained silent, his head bowed.
"If you don't want to go on a date, you can talk to your family properly. What do you mean by running away in a fit of anger? What if you die out there? Would your father and I be left to bury our child?"
"mother……"
"I think that little brat deserves a beating! Didn't I tell you he'd definitely come back? This time, I'll break his legs."
A middle-aged man dressed in a black mink coat walked in, carrying a feather duster and cursing.
It went straight for Zhou Ning'an's butt.
"Do you know how many tears your mother has shed for you these past few days? You little brat, kneel down before your mother!"
Knowing he was in the wrong, Young Master Zhou obediently knelt down as his father instructed.
Master Zhou lashed him several more times with the stick.
"You must get married this time you're back! You must produce an heir for the Zhou family! Do you hear me?"
Upon hearing this, Young Master Zhou immediately straightened up as if by conditioned reflex.
"I will not marry. If I do marry, it must be to a woman I truly desire; otherwise, I would rather become a eunuch."
Upon hearing his son's speech, Mr. Zhou felt his blood pressure surge to the top of his head.
"Alright, alright, you two stop arguing over such trivial matters, okay? Master, you go back to your room first, I'll talk to Ning'an."
Master Zhou threw the feather duster on the ground and strode into the room.
I almost died of anger because of my son.
Now, feeling the cold wind outside feels especially refreshing.
The coal inside had made the room very warm, and combined with the fact that he had just returned from a cold day, Zhou Ning'an's face was very red.
"Are you freezing? Is it tough out there?"
Madam Zhou asked
"bitter"
Mrs. Zhou took a deep breath and asked...
"You insist on marrying that girl from the brothel?"
Zhou Ning'an raised his head, looked at his mother, and replied.
"yes"
"If you like her, redeem her from her servitude, and our family can take her as a concubine."
"Oh"
Young Master Zhou gave a slightly disappointed, cold laugh, then said helplessly.
"Mother, don't you think this is humiliating?"
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