Dad, open the door. I'll bring your mistress back for you.

This year, because Mr. Shen was newly promoted to Prime Minister, there were many more people coming to pay New Year's greetings than in previous years, and Shen Chuning also received a lot of New Year's money.

Since the matter of Huarong Pavilion was resolved smoothly, Shen Jingwan once again wandered over to Old Madam Shen.

In the past few days, many ladies who came to the Shen family saw Shen Jingwan busy helping to entertain guests in Songhe Hall, and she would write a few poems to suit the occasion when she had nothing to do. When she was free, she would also massage Old Madam Shen's shoulders and legs. They all praised her for being filial, talented, and a good child.

Old Madam Shen was also happy to hear others praise Shen Jingwan, and naturally became closer to her.

Ever since Shen Chuning knew the true face of Old Madam Shen, she no longer liked to stay close to her.

With the addition of Shen Jingwan, she was even more reluctant to watch them perform the drama of deep love between grandparents and grandchildren in Songhe Hall.

……

On the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, Shen Chengbai was going to Zhou's house to return the New Year's gifts, and Shen Chuning begged Shen Chengbai to take her with him.

Three generations of the Zhou family have been guarding the border and are not allowed to return to the capital without being summoned.

But years ago, Zhou Lie, the eldest son of the Zhou family, got married, and His Majesty specially allowed the Zhou family members who returned to Beijing to watch the ceremony to stay until the end of the first month of the lunar year.

So this year's Zhou family is much more lively than in previous years.

Zhou Lie married Feng Ying, the daughter of Feng, the Minister of Works. The mothers of the two families were close friends, so they were engaged since childhood and could be considered childhood sweethearts.

Although Zhou Lie was always in the army, he and Feng Ying kept in touch through letters.

The Zhou family had sent betrothal gifts to the Feng family long ago. When the age was right, General Zhou personally wrote to the emperor, requesting an imperial decree to grant marriage for his eldest grandson, which was considered to be giving the Feng family enough respect.

After Shen Chuning paid New Year's greetings to Old Madam Zhou and Madam Zhou in the main house of the Zhou family, they asked Shen Chuning to go and play with Feng Ying and Miss Zhou Lan of the Zhou family.

When Shen Chuning arrived at Feng Ying's yard, Feng Ying was doing needlework and Zhou Lan was chattering beside her.

Zhou Lan saw Shen Chuning at the door and ran to the door in surprise and pulled Shen Chuning into the house. "A Ning, when did you come? It's cold outside. Come in quickly."

After entering the house, Shen Chuning took off her cloak and handed it to the little maid who was holding the curtain at the door for her. She also gave her a handful of silver melon seeds as a reward and said, "Use this to buy flowers to wear."

The little maid was so happy that she quickly said auspicious words.

After entering the house, Shen Chuning raised her hands to her lips and blew a breath, then took them down and rubbed them. "I just got here not long ago. I came here with my cousin and the others to pay New Year's greetings. I just came out from the old lady's place. I heard that you were with Sister Feng, so I came here."

Zhou Lan handed the hand warmer in his hand to Shen Chuning. "It's so hard to find someone to talk to at home, so of course I have to stay at my sister-in-law's place. What else can I say? I went to the Shen family to look for my aunt a few times before, but you were not here. I was so bored."

Shen Chuning took the hand warmer and said with a smile: "Since Sister Feng married in, someone will take care of you. You are already an adult, and all you do is play all day long."

Zhou Lan's face suddenly fell. "Why are you saying exactly the same thing as my mother? My mother wanted me to learn how to manage the household from my eldest sister-in-law."

Shen Chuning patted Zhou Lan lightly and said, "I haven't seen you learn that yet. You're just causing trouble for Sister Zhou."

Zhou Lan took Shen Chuning's hand and said with a smile, "My sister-in-law didn't take on the job of managing the household expenses. My mother couldn't hand over the cards she had, and she was so worried."

Shen Chuning was puzzled. After getting married, most women, in addition to taking care of their husbands and children, would focus on the power in the mansion. Why was the power of managing the household given to Feng Ying, but she was pushing it away?

Shen Chuning asked the doubts in her heart.

Feng Ying blushed and whispered, "After the first month of the year, I want to go to the north with my husband."

Sheng Chuning opened her mouth in surprise, "Sister Feng, have you ever been out of the capital before?"

Feng Ying nodded and said, "My father used to work in Kaifeng Prefecture, and I lived there for a few years."

"But Kaifeng Prefecture is further south than the capital, so the climate is warmer." Shen Chuning looked at the blanket covering Feng Ying's legs and the hot water bottle in her hand, and said worriedly, "Not to mention the fatigue of the journey, Sister Feng must be afraid of the cold. How can she withstand the bitter cold of the north?"

"You don't know this, right? My elder brother and sister-in-law are so affectionate that it makes me blush. They've been sending each other messages via carrier pigeons for several years and finally got married and can be together openly. How could my sister-in-law let my elder brother go back to the north alone?" Zhou Lan joked.

Feng Ying glanced at Zhou Lan and said, "It was because of the notebook you sent me that I was worried every day that I decided to follow you north."

Shen Chuning was surprised and said, "Sister Feng, could it be that book 'The Divorced Wife of the General's Mansion' that you are talking about?"

Zhou Lan answered first, "That's the one. My sister-in-law couldn't get enough of it, so she asked me to buy all the books of Mr. Ze's stories that were available on the market."

The corners of Shen Chuning's mouth twitched. "Is it possible that this is all made up?"

Zhou Lan: "Do you understand that art comes from life?"

Shen Chuning: "..."

All right, as long as you are happy.

Shen Chuning thought about it and reminded: "Sister Feng, you should still be careful. You can wait until spring to go on the road."

Feng Ying pulled the blanket up on her legs again. "It's just that it's extra cold this year. I wasn't like this in previous years. Besides, it should be getting warmer after the first month of the lunar year. I'll just walk slowly on the road, and it should be fine."

Shen Chuning suddenly remembered that she also had chills when she first became pregnant in her previous life. "Sister Feng, you are not pregnant, are you?"

Feng Ying's face flushed to her ears. "We've only been married for about a month, how could it be so fast?"

Shen Chuning then asked, "Did you have your period this month?"

Feng Ying thought about it carefully, "It's true that it hasn't come yet, but my period has always been unpredictable, and the maids all said that it's not easy to get pregnant."

"I'll go call the court doctor. I'm going to have a little nephew!" Zhou Lan said as he ran out.

Before he could even run out of the door, Feng Ying called him back, "I want to see the court doctor later. Don't let your excitement lead you to make a fool of yourself."

Shen Chuning remembered that Feng Ying did not follow her to the north in her previous life, and she had never heard of her getting pregnant right after getting married, so she no longer insisted that Zhou Lan call the palace doctor.

After staying with Feng Ying for not long, Shen Chengbai sent a maid to call Shen Chuning home.

At the gate of Zhou's house, Shen Chuning met Zhou Lin who had just returned from outside.

"Chengbai, why didn't you tell me in advance that you were coming? I could have stayed at home with you." Although Zhou Lin said this to Shen Chengbai, his eyes glanced at Shen Chuning from time to time.

Shen Chengbai said nonchalantly, "Why would I need someone to accompany me when I go back to my grandparents' house? Cousin, you just focus on your own things and don't worry about us."

Shen Chuning suddenly said to Shen Chengbai, "Eighth Brother, please get on the carriage first. I have something to say to Brother Zhou Er."