Chapter 137: Giving Gifts

Before Chuncao returned with a reply, Xu Zimo arrived at Xu Ruojin’s courtyard first.

These past few days, Xu Zimo had been feeling quite depressed.

With his eldest brother away, their mother nowhere to be seen, and his second sister about to be married off, his originally joyous days had suddenly turned desolate, leaving him in a particularly sour mood.

Upon receiving the maid’s message, Xu Zimo was eager to come over early and have a chat with his second sister.

Although his second sister had promised that he could visit her at the Liang residence after her marriage, Xu Zimo was not a fool; he knew the Liang residence would not allow him to wander in and out freely, so it was better to say everything he wanted to say right now.

Unfortunately, before Xu Zimo could even air his grievances, Xu Ruojin pulled him over to the desk, spread out a ledger, and pointed at it:

"Help your sister take a look. If these items were to be pawned, how much silver could they fetch?"

"Huh?"

Xu Zimo looked at the names of the items in the ledger, then looked up at Xu Ruojin. "Second Sister, what are you doing?"

"These are all gifts given by various households for the trousseau, but your second sister has no idea whether these things are actually valuable. Third Brother, please help me take a look so I can sort them properly according to their grade. I wouldn't want to mistakenly give away something valuable as a return gift and end up making a fool of myself."

Xu Ruojin did not tell the truth; she just casually conjured up an excuse to brush him off.

Not knowing that Li Zhonglin had come to cause trouble, Xu Zimo suspected nothing of his second sister's words. He lifted the ledger and pouted. "I thought Second Sister asked me here to chat, but I never expected it would be for this chore."

"Second Sister won't have time for me anymore either. Once you're gone, I won't even know what to do."

Xu Ruojin's heart softened, and her taut nerves relaxed a little. "Your second sister is only asking this of you; who else could I turn to? If it became known that even the prices of gold-plated and pure gold items are a blur to me, wouldn't that be utterly humiliating? Alright, alright, what would you like to eat later? Stay for dinner, and I'll have Hongxing tell the main kitchen to whip up something delicious."

Xu Zimo immediately seized the opportunity. "Wine! I've been craving Second Sister's wine!"

"You little rascal, pretending to look aggrieved just so you could set me up for this!"

Xu Ruojin playfully tapped his chubby forehead. "I'll indulge you this once, but don't drink too much, or Father will scold you again."

"It's the New Year!"

As soon as Xu Zimo uttered those three words, his expression dimmed. "It's a pity there isn't even the slightest festive atmosphere in this house."

"Fine, fine, I'll allow you three cups." Xu Ruojin pointed at the ledger. "Quickly mark down the prices for me, or you won't get a single drop."

"You got it, I'm working right now!"

Xu Zimo might not have been good at other things, but he was more than familiar with the prices of jewelry, jade, and porcelain.

Xu Ruojin walked over to the corner and picked up a jar of wine.

With so many family affairs piling up lately, she hadn't brewed wine herself in a long time.

Since it was the New Year, she would get thoroughly drunk with her younger brother tonight.

I wonder if the wine will still make me dizzy?

Chuncao arrived at the Jiang residence and successfully met with Jiang Biwu.

Jiang Biwu took the slip of paper, which contained only a few brief words: "Tell Liang Xiao, it is time to bring this to an end."

Crushing the slip into powder, he had a servant bring a fire to burn it. Jiang Biwu studied Chuncao for a moment and asked:

"Did Xu Girl mention what this is about?"

Chuncao bit her lip. "It's an urgent matter."

"Urgent?" Jiang Biwu's face showed hesitation. "How urgent?"

"This..." Chuncao did not dare voice the matter aloud, carefully weighing her words. "The Second Miss nearly lost her life. It is very dangerous."

Jiang Biwu's expression grew solemn. He guessed that this matter was probably not as simple as it seemed; otherwise, Xu Ruojin would not have sent someone to seek him out.

"I understand. What will you say when you return?"

Chuncao repeated Xu Ruojin's cover story. "This maidservant is to ask you on behalf of the Second Miss: when will she be able to pay her respects to Elder Master Jiang?"

"After the marriage, perhaps. It's not quite appropriate right now." Jiang Biwu gave his reply, matching her fabricated script.

"This maidservant understands." Chuncao immediately nodded in acknowledgment.

Jiang Biwu instructed a pageboy to escort Chuncao back, and Chuncao took her leave immediately.

After pondering at the doorway, Jiang Biwu instructed his pageboy, "Saddle the horses, we're heading to the Liang residence!"

When Chuncao returned to the Xu residence, Xu Ruojin and Xu Zimo were having dinner.

Seeing Chuncao back, Hongxing hurried over to brush the winter chill from her clothes and tucked a small hand-warmer into her arms. Without waiting to warm up fully to give her report, Chuncao nodded at Xu Ruojin, signaling that the message had been delivered.

Xu Ruojin had Hongxing pull over a small stool for her. "Sit down quickly and have something warm. Tonight, our courtyard and the Third Young Master's courtyard are sharing a table; consider it a way for us to celebrate the New Year."

"This might be the last New Year we ever spend in this place. Even though the courtyard is a bit humble, I actually find myself quite reluctant to leave."

Xu Ruojin looked at Xu Zimo. "The one I am most reluctant to leave behind is Third Brother."

Xu Zimo scratched his head. "I don't want Second Sister to leave either, but it's a shame Eldest Brother still refuses to return, and Mother won't show her face. Otherwise, we could have spent a decent New Year."

Thinking of Li Qiuping's funeral, Xu Zimo immediately clamped his mouth shut. "Still, with a funeral in the family, we shouldn't be celebrating lavishly anyway."

"Once I'm gone, you must keep a close eye on the little nephew, you understand?"

Thinking of the baby who had lost his birth mother the moment he entered the world, Xu Ruojin couldn't help but think of herself.

Here she was, didn't she also lack any true, close kin?

"But he's with Aunt Liu; how can I go over there and show concern on my own accord? Father would scold me." Xu Zimo found this task quite difficult.

Xu Ruojin glared at him. "You're so rigid! Just send a maid over from time to time to inquire, and reward the wet nurse and matrons with a few copper coins or pieces of silver. Won't they come and tell you whatever happens?"

"Can I do that?" Xu Zimo widened his small eyes. "W-won't Aunt Liu blame me?"

"Everything is for the sake of the little nephew; what could she possibly say?"

Xu Ruojin did not hold one hundred percent trust in Liu Cui.

Especially after the last time when Liu Cui had actually resorted to scheming against her—that feeling was utterly repulsive.

Her eldest brother's child wasn't born to her, after all, and Li Zhonglin's criticisms were not entirely unjustified. How could the legitimate grandson of the Xu family be raised by their father's concubine? It would inevitably have a negative impact on the child's future.

However, her eldest brother had yet to return, and even if he were to remarry and take a new wife, it would take some time. She had no choice but to rely on Xu Zimo to keep watch.

"Little Brother understands, so Second Sister needn't worry." Xu Zimo poured himself a cup of wine and filled just the bottom of Xu Ruojin's cup.

Xu Ruojin picked it up and gave it a sniff, still finding the scent of the liquor intensely potent.

Though it didn't induce the unbearable nausea of the first time, she still had no desire to drink it.

Having eaten her meal and sipped her wine, Xu Zimo felt quite happy today.

However, as the alcohol went to his head, he swayed unsteadily and headed back to his courtyard with his pages and maids to sleep.

Xu Ruojin was also rather tired by this day, but as she gazed at the bright moon rising high outside her window, she didn't feel a shred of sleepiness.

Fear crept over her—she was terrified by what had happened with Xiaoke.

Had Xiaoke not repented at the very last moment, her life would have been utterly buried.

Yet, had Jiang Biwu told Liang Xiao?

And that man... what would he do?