The Chen Mansion on the south bank of the Yunsi River is to the east of Hangzhou, and the official residence of the Envoy is to the west of the city. The two sides are more than ten miles apart. It would be very difficult to travel without a carriage.

During the first lunar month, the streets were sparsely populated and the air was fresh. The carriage easily traveled across the city and arrived at Chen Zongyu's residence in Hangzhou in about 20 minutes.

Chen's house is also super luxurious, with a tall iron gate and a deep courtyard. It took a long time to knock before a servant came over to open the door.

Li Shuzhen entered the Chen Mansion and met her senior sister Liu Yulao.

Liu Yufang was wearing a brown short fur today, with a moon-white richly embroidered cheongsam underneath, and cotton socks wrapping her slender and round calves. She had a small face, skin like snow, and swaying eyebrows, and she looked extremely beautiful.

"Senior sister, Happy New Year." Li Shuzhen called her crisply, her voice was pure and crisp, and she bowed deeply with a smile on her face.

"Oh, Qianhua is finally here. We haven't seen each other for almost a year. Junior sister, you are becoming more and more beautiful." Liu Yufang exclaimed with a smile on her face.

"Let me tell you, Brother Hua Zhi has just arrived with his front legs, and before his buttocks are warm, sister Qianhua has caught up with her. It seems that you two are inseparable."

Before Li Shuzhen could reply, Chen Qimei, who came out of the living room to greet her after hearing the news, couldn't help but tease her.

"Brother-in-law also said that you and my senior sister are inseparable, and we are inseparable all day long, haha..." Li Shuzhen retorted with a blushing face.

"Okay, let's not stand here and talk nonsense. Let's go inside. It's too cold outside." Liu Yufang scolded with a bright smile.

"Sister Qianhua, please." Chen Qimei, as Chen Zhai's nephew, is half the master and faithfully performs the duties of the master.

The large living room of the Chen Mansion is also equipped with a Western-style fireplace. The whole room is filled with warmth. The temperature difference between indoor and outdoor is indeed very large. It would be unbearable to go out suddenly.

Li Shuzhen just sat down and found that in the huge living room, only Liu Yufang and Chen Qimei were drinking tea and eating melon seeds. Not only were no one from the Chen family there, but even Chen Tianhua was nowhere to be seen.

"Brother-in-law, where are your second uncle's family members, and where are the others in Hua Zhi?" She was outspoken and couldn't help but ask.

"Oh, my aunt and my brothers and sisters went to visit relatives early in the morning. My second uncle stayed behind and is currently chatting with Hua Zhi in the study, thinking about what they can do to make a living in Hangzhou."

Chen Qimei also replied with a smile.

Humph, this Hua Zhi is full of business knowledge. She and Chen Qimei, like her senior sister, are inseparable all day long. This life is beautiful.

Li Shuzhen lowered her head and complained secretly.

Her cheeks were slightly red, her demeanor was dignified and a little nervous. Her hands, as delicate as spring bamboo shoots, were folded and placed casually on her knees. Her thin white fingers were playing inadvertently, making others think she was acquiescing to a certain piano composition.

.

Liu Yufang was a little surprised when she saw this: This little junior sister looks strange now. Her posture is so elegant, but she also looks serious and nervous. She is not like the lively, cute and cheerful girl she used to be!

"Porchi..." She couldn't help but snicker, and said, "Do you want me to ask Yingshi to call Hua Zhi out of the study?"

"Oh, no, no, no, senior sister, why are you laughing?"

Li Shuzhen quickly stopped Chen Qimei who was about to get up, blushing and pretending to be at a loss.

"You act like an adult today. What's on your mind? Tell me quickly." Liu Yufang asked with a smile.

"I...I just found out today that I didn't pass the English test. I'm afraid my decision to study in the UK will be postponed for more than half a year. It's really frustrating."

"What's the point? You go to the church every day to do volunteer work. After half a year, your English level will improve by leaps and bounds. Or you can go directly to the UK and learn English for half a year before going to school to study abroad." Liu Yufang said disapprovingly:

"Yingshi and I plan to study in Japan this year at our own expense. The language is simple and communication is acceptable. It will be natural once we get there."

"Ah...Senior sister, you and your brother-in-law are going abroad to Japan? Then...then the supervision at Shaoxing Jingming Academy failed you, why?"

After hearing this, Li Shuzhen opened her mouth in astonishment and quickly covered it with her hands. Her eyes peeped repeatedly between Liu Yufang and Chen Qimei, trying to find out the reason.

"No reason. I've been a supervisor of Jingming Academy for two years and I'm a little tired of it. It's like going out for a walk and breathing fresh air." Liu Yufang said leisurely, with a hint of unhappiness between her eyebrows.

"Is this... confirmed?" Li Shuzhen was still a little confused.

"Of course it's confirmed. Wenxiong and I, as well as Mr. He Qing, resigned a year ago and won't have to go to Jingming Academy after the year."

Chen Qimei couldn't bear to interrupt and make it clear, "Those academic officials, instructors and instructors in Shaoxing Mansion are all old scholars, and it is difficult to communicate with them. They often interfere with new academic courses, which is really unpleasant."

After this explanation, Li Shuzhen finally understood why the three of them resigned at the same time.

It was because of differences in teaching opinions and conflicts with the academic officials in the Shaoxing government office that Qingqing resigned angrily.

"So, Mr. Heqing is in Hangzhou?" Li Shuzhen said in surprise.

She has always admired Mr. He Qing and his lover Ms. Huang.

"Of course, we agreed to go to his new home in Hangzhou in the afternoon and have dinner together." Liu Yufang said with a smile.

"That's great, I'm lucky, hehe..." Li Shuzhen couldn't help but cheered. This was much better than being locked up in the west wing all day long.

…

At the foot of Gushan Mountain in West Lake, Hangzhou.

It is surrounded by mountains and rivers, has unique scenery, and is very quiet. It is suitable for literati and poets to cultivate themselves, create and relax.

There are clusters of buildings in twos and threes at the foot of the mountain, all of which are distinguished by small courtyards.

The new residence of Mr. Cai Heqing and Miss Huang Zhongyu is located here.

Surrounded by moss walls, there is a two-room wooden building in the courtyard with a skylight in the attic. The total height is only more than 200 square meters.

Cai Heqing stayed in the courtyard all morning, reading all Shanghai declarations and church reports, including those of the past few days, from beginning to end. He was understanding the situation at home and in the south.

Recently, Mr. Jiang Zhiyou, his fellow villager from Zhuji and a close friend of Liang Qichao, made an appointment to invite him to Shanghai to prepare for the establishment of the China Education Association, the Patriotic Society and the Patriotic Women's School after he stepped down in the first month of the year, with him as the general director.

Cai Heqing, who has always advocated civil rights and women's liberation, free thinking, and the pursuit of new learning, was very moved and received a positive response from his newlywed wife Huang Zhongyu.

At this time, the sound of horse hooves could be heard outside the courtyard gate.

Two luxurious long-column carriages creaked to a stop at the door.

Two pairs of young men and women got out of the car, both carrying large and small packages of gifts.

"Mr. Heqing, senior sister!"

As soon as the carriage left, the two men and women carried their things and it was inconvenient to knock on the door, so they shouted at the top of their lungs and left, appearing a bit rough and willful.

"Coming... coming."
Chapter completed!