Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 136 Attack
After three rounds of wine and five dishes, the atmosphere in Mrs. Xing's room became more harmonious.

As the saying goes, "If you get an inch, you'll get a mile; if you get one thing, you'll want more." This is exactly what Mrs. Xing is like. Perhaps because Mrs. Xing had a few drinks, her words became tentative.

Lai Da, the chief steward of Rongguo Mansion, has under him the accounting office, the treasury, the comprador's office, and a village head named Wu Jinzhong who "only obeys orders and not announcements". Further down the line, there are the kitchen, tea room, pharmacy, stable, antique room, storehouse, theater, gatehouse, and family temple. As for the people who are in charge of cleaning everywhere, we will not mention them for now.

There were over twenty people managing the internal and external affairs alone. Mrs. Xing had been given the small kitchen at the imperial villa, and thinking that this lucrative position had been given to Qin Xian's family, she had to appease Mrs. Fei, so she set her sights on the antique room.

Who knew that as soon as he mentioned it, Chen Siyuan laughed it off.

Are you kidding? That antique room is more important than the treasury. Even if Mrs. Wang went crazy, there is no way she would hand over this job to anyone else.

The antiques stored inside include gifts from subordinates over the years, and most of them are valuable items that Duke Rong looted when he was conquering the world in his early years.

The so-called gold in troubled times and antiques in prosperous times, these items were insignificant in war-torn times, but nowadays such rare treasures are worth a fortune.

While covering up, he quietly nudged Madam Xing with his toes. Madam Xing felt sorry for him, but she kept silent. But the more she thought about it, the more suffocated she became. Perhaps because of the alcohol, she simply frowned and stomped hard on Chen Siyuan.

Although he didn't show it on his face, Mrs. Xing's frown caught Mrs. Wang's eye. After a quick glance, she knew that the one who was in charge of the two people in front of her was Chen Siyuan.
Mrs. Wang was astonished. She had previously thought that Mrs. Xing had changed her ways, but it turned out that there was someone else behind the scheme. She couldn't help but think more highly of Chen Siyuan. She thought to herself that if she and the first wife were to communicate, she might as well go after this brother Yuan instead of the clueless Mrs. Xing.

After a while, Chen Siyuan saw Madam Xing drink another glass, so he smiled and said, "Aunt is in poor health now, so don't drink too much. We can just have a small drink among our relatives. It's fine to enjoy it, but there's no need to drink too much."

Mrs. Wang smiled and said, "Yes, I almost forgot that my sister-in-law is pregnant. I think it would be better if we stop here today. When my sister-in-law has taken care of the baby, we can have a nice drink together."

Mrs. Xing was already sleepy by now, so she smiled and said, "It's all this little thing's fault. I didn't have a good time today. I'll go drink with my sister-in-law tomorrow."

He then ordered the maid to clear the table and serve tea. Mrs. Wang and Chen Siyuan drank a cup of tea and then stood up to take their leave.

Mrs. Xing was not very happy and wanted to keep Chen Siyuan to argue with him, but it was getting late and the master might return home soon. So she had no choice but to send Miao'er to see him off with a lantern in her heart.

Mrs. Wang and Chen Siyuan came out of the main room. Chen Siyuan glanced casually and saw a figure swaying in the west wing. The second girl Yingchun was busy playing chess. She seemed to have a feeling in her heart. She suddenly raised her eyes and looked around, and then she looked at Chen Siyuan.

Because it was too dark outside, Yingchun couldn't really see anything, so she went back to playing chess. Just then, Siqi was about to come over. She came over to take a look and said with a smile, "Miss, it's late. The chessboard is sealed. Can you play chess tomorrow? It won't hurt your eyes anymore."

Yingchun responded, rubbed her sore eyes, and said with a smile, "Don't dare to play chess at night from now on. These days, when it gets dark, the shadows outside are so blurry that you can't see clearly even if you look carefully."

If Chen Siyuan were here, he would know that Yingchun should be mildly myopic and have astigmatism.

Siqi glanced at Xiuju, who came over and sealed the chessboard. Siqi pondered for a moment, then handed her a piece of paper: "Young lady, take a look."

"What is this?" Yingchun asked curiously after taking it.

Siqi smiled and said, "Today, I saw that the young lady was thoughtful after listening to Master Yuan's poems, so I thought that the young lady must be happy. I just had some free time and went to Rongqing Hall. I happened to run into Xueyan, so I asked her to copy all the poems that Master Yuan had written recently."

Yingchun unfolded the poem and glanced at it. She was indeed delighted, but she said, "Why rush off to ask for help? These poems are so well written. I'm sure they will spread like wildfire. I'm not in a hurry."

Siqi smiled and said, "I don't know, young lady? If you don't recite this excellent poem as soon as possible, you will inevitably worry about it, and you won't be able to sleep well or eat well."

Yingchun laughed and said, "You are the only one who talks too much."

Seeing that the time had come, Siqi stopped talking and said, "Look, the banquet in Madam's room has ended. I'll go over and help out."

Yingchun was only focused on looking at the poem, and nodded in agreement when she heard it. Siqi then quickly walked out of the west wing and headed towards the main room.

Turning around the screen, I heard my grandmother, Wang Shanbao, say, "Brother, after all, is still young. If you don't take advantage of the Second Wife's happiness to finalize all the tasks now, how will you make up for it later? Madam, I'm not being nosy, but Brother Yuan is really not behaving properly this time."

Siqi frowned upon hearing this, and then she heard Madam Xing say, "Perhaps I was a little too impatient just now. Whatever happens, let's take care of the small kitchen first and then talk about other things."

Seeing Siqi arrive, Madam Xing stopped talking. Siqi came over and said with a smile, "Madam, please forgive me for saying something. If it weren't for Master Yuan's mediation, how could you have the blessing you have today?"

Mrs. Xing touched her belly without checking herself, thinking to herself that it was all thanks to the little thief, otherwise she would never have had a child in her life. Thinking back to everything that had happened before, she couldn't help but feel a little more dependent on him. She smiled and nodded, saying, "You're right."

He immediately glanced at Wang Shanbao's house and felt more and more disgusted. He felt that this old fellow was relying on his seniority to bully others and even dared to provoke him and the little thief. He was really crazy!

Housekeeper Wang Shanbao didn't realize she had flattered the horse's hoof. Just as she was about to chime in, she heard Madam Xing say, "Madam Wang, you should go back to the Xing family in the next two days. Third Sister's wedding is coming up soon, and we need your help."

Wang Shanbao knew she couldn't escape, so she mumbled, "Madam, the job in the small kitchen—"

Mrs. Xing simply said, "The garden isn't finished yet, there's no rush."

Wang Shanbao's wife fell silent. Siqi exchanged glances with Miao'er, then brought the teapot over to pour tea. She whispered, "Our young lady just copied Master Yuan's poem. I don't know how many times she's praised it all day, saying that such talent is rare in the world."

Mrs. Xing had not been well-educated, so when she heard the young thief being praised, she couldn't help but feel proud and said with a smile, "He does have some talent."

Siqi quickly glanced at her grandmother, and Wang Shanbao, the housekeeper, smiled and said, "Madam, I think the second young lady is old enough. As her legal mother, you must find a marriage for her. I think my brother is a filial and respectful man. Why not marry two good men together and have a happy couple?"

This was exactly what Mrs. Xing had in mind. The second daughter, Yingchun, had always been quiet, and Mrs. Xing thought she was easy to control. If she really married this little thief, wouldn't Mrs. Xing have the final say in the future?
Mrs. Xing said, "Yingchun will be coming of age in February. I'll bring it up with Master after she reaches that age."

That being said, Mrs. Xing also wanted to bring them together, but the master was the kind of person who wouldn't give up until he saw the rabbit. How could he agree to something that had no benefits?

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The sedan chair landed at the corner gate. Chen Siyuan waited for a moment and saw Jin Chuan'er and Yu Chuan'er helping Madam Wang get off the sedan chair.

As they entered the corner gate together, Madam Wang said, "Don't worry, brother Yuan. Tomorrow, the eldest lady and I will find the Lai family to settle the matter of Lai Shangrong. We will definitely help you get rid of this bad feeling."

Chen Siyuan's face was filled with gratitude, and he whispered, "The Lai family is a big family with deep roots, so I'm afraid it won't be easy to make any changes for the time being. Madam, just give them a scolding."

Mrs. Wang felt relieved immediately, thinking that Chen Siyuan was indeed a man who knew his limits.

The Lai family, with three generations of ancestors and grandchildren now serving in the mansion, was so deeply rooted that how could Mrs. Wang dare to act rashly? She had privately discussed this with Aunt Xue, believing that to deal with such a deeply rooted servant, one could only cut off the branches and leaves before moving on to the main trunk.

The first step was to seize all the warehouses and hold the financial power in his hands, so that he could seize power step by step.

Because Jin Chuan'er and Yu Chuan'er were both Lady Wang's maids, Lady Wang spoke without hesitation. Upon hearing this, she whispered, "It's hard for you to think clearly, my brother. This time, the Lai family apologized and expressed their anger, but to be honest, they have wronged Brother Yuan. You know, the old lady is the one who makes the decision now. But there's no rush. I'll give Brother Yuan an explanation someday."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed, thinking to himself, how could he wait that long? This kind of grudge might be avenged tomorrow.

Now that he has gained a reputation and has well-fed Minister Tao, he can just give him some more money and find a reason to drive Lai Shangrong out of the Imperial College.

This guy is still thinking about changing his career after graduation? Bah, what a foolish dream! Even if he wants to become an official, he has to seek the path of donations. There is no way he can go the Imperial College route!

Mrs. Wang thought of her engagement again. She was eager for Chen Siyuan to pass the imperial examination in August, so she gave him many instructions. Finally, she said, "I'm afraid we can't manage with just one servant. Tomorrow I'll have Feng find a suitable servant to stay with Yuan'er. This time, let's pick someone older. From now on, Yuan'er just needs to study hard."

Chen Siyuan simply accepted Mrs. Wang's kindness and said, "Thank you for your care, Madam. I am grateful for your kindness."

Mrs. Wang smiled and said, "My brother looks just like one of our own juniors. From now on, there's no need to be so polite to me."

As they were talking, they arrived in front of Madam Wang's courtyard. Chen Siyuan respectfully said goodbye to Madam Wang, watched her go in, and then walked back home leisurely and quickly.

Nothing happened that night. Early the next morning, Zhou Rui's wife came looking for him.

He walked in, smiled, bowed, and said, "Brother Yuan, Madam has instructed that from now on you don't need to go to the front carriage. The coachman and the servant will be waiting at the back door. You can just go out from the back door."

Rongguo Mansion was vast, and Chen Siyuan lived at the very back, so it took him at least a quarter of an hour to walk to the stables. Lady Wang's arrangement saved him a lot of time.

Chen Siyuan thanked her hastily and gave Hongyu a look, who secretly slipped a silver coin into her when she sent Zhou Ruijia off.

Although Zhou Ruijia was puzzled and didn't know why the lady valued Chen Siyuan so much, she didn't dare to neglect him. She thought to herself that she would never dare offend this Mr. Yuan in the future.

But Chen Siyuan had his breakfast, and then Xiangling helped him get dressed, and he went to the back door with his bookcase on his back.

After a short while, they exited the back door and found a carriage waiting nearby. The driver and the servant, Qing Yu, became increasingly enthusiastic. They took the bookcase, helped Chen Siyuan into the carriage, and then headed for the Imperial College.

The carriage had not gone far when Chen Siyuan vaguely heard the sound of hustle and bustle. He parted the curtains to look and saw a carriage coming towards him. It turned around and entered Xiaohuazhi Lane.

Chen Siyuan yawned but didn't care. He simply closed the curtains and took a nap.

It was still a self-study morning that day. He read and recited for an hour, shaking his head. Seeing that the sun was getting high in the sky, Chen Siyuan took the opportunity to change his clothes and slipped out of Suixing Hall, and went straight to the back to look for Tao Jiancheng.

After a while, he came back and glanced at the opposite side in front of Ruexing Hall. He couldn't help but think in his heart that Lai Shangrong would have a good life in the future!

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It was past noon that day, and Lai Da had just finished his daily affairs when Zhou Rui's wife came looking for him.

Mrs. Zhou Rui was Madam Wang's chambermaid, and since she was a noble lady, she dared not neglect her. She stood up and said with a smile, "Why is your sister-in-law here?"

Zhou Ruijia smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, please hurry up. Madam wants to see you right now."

Lai Dajia did not suspect anything and just thought that there were some more trivial matters to be assigned. He quickly drank half a cup of tea and followed Zhou Ruijia to Lady Wang's courtyard.

On the way, she happened to see Sister Feng coming towards Lady Wang's courtyard, and they began to talk as they walked. Entering, Sister Feng took a quick look and was surprised to see Lady Wang and Lady Xing sitting side by side in the hall.

Feng Jieer did not dare to be negligent and hurried forward to pay her respects.

Madam Xing took a quick look and asked, "Is there something wrong, Miss Feng?"

Feng Jieer said, "It's about buying flowers, plants and trees for the garden. Previously, it was Yun Ge'er who took care of it. Now that Yun Ge is away, there's no one to supervise it for a while."

Mrs. Wang said, "There's no rush for these things. Lian'er is free, so why not let him take on some of the duties?"

Feng Jieer agreed, thinking that if she subcontracted it out in the future, she might even get a gift in return.

Mrs. Xing told Sister Feng to sit down. Sister Feng took a quick look and saw that the two of them looked unfriendly, and she couldn't help feeling uneasy.

At this moment, Madam Wang glanced at Mrs. Lai and said, "Mrs. Lai, how is your brother Rong these days?"

Lai Dajia hurriedly replied, "Madam, thank you for your concern. My son is doing well and is now studying at the Imperial College. Mother-in-law said earlier that, thanks to the masters' grace, he will graduate from the Imperial College in the future. Maybe he will even ask the masters for a favor and find a minor official position."

Madam Xing said sarcastically, "That's unnecessary, isn't it? I've heard your brother is very capable. It's one thing he didn't recognize the innocent and stopped me, but now he's going to throw money at my nephew and embarrass him? Tsk tsk, we can't afford to offend such a capable man, so how can we even dare to ask for mercy?"

"Ah?" Lai Dajia's expression changed instantly, and he said awkwardly, "Madam, I'm afraid there's some misunderstanding here."

Mrs. Wang sighed and spoke earnestly, "You are also an elder in the family and have always followed the rules, but isn't your son too spoiled? Brother Yuan is a man of excellent character and talent. Not only the eldest master and mistress, but even I am very proud of him. I don't ask for your respect, but you can't make things difficult for him at all, right?"

When Lai Dajie heard this, his heart immediately sank. His son had been spoiled since childhood with fine clothes and delicious food, and his temper had always been capricious. It was no wonder that he had a quarrel with Mr. Yuan. So he quickly bowed and apologized, saying, "Oh, Madam, I can't take the blame for what you said. My son probably didn't know Mr. Yuan, so he misunderstood. He...he would never have the intention to harm anyone." Madam Xing sneered, "In that case, is it my nephew who is blaming me? Why don't I send Lian'er to the Imperial College and ask that Supervisor Tao what the truth is?"

"This..." Lai Dajia knelt down in desperation. "I absolutely did not mean that. Since Master Yuan said so, I think it's all my son's fault. I beg the two ladies to forgive me. I will teach that son a lesson right now, and then I will have him kowtow to Master Yuan and apologize."

Madam Xing snorted coldly, glanced at Lai Dajie and said, "That's all. The old lady has always been soft-hearted. If you can ask Lai Ma to come out and ask for her consent, even the biggest problem will be solved. I just ask that you keep out of each other's way and don't disturb my nephew's studies."

Mrs. Wang started to fight again, saying, "The right and wrong of this matter are obvious. Even if Madam Lai had come, Brother Yuan would have been right. It's one thing for your son to stir up trouble out of nothing, but then, in his rage and shame, he resorted to underhanded tactics to ruin someone's future. How can such a thing be justified in this world?"

Lai Dajia's heart was filled with bitterness. He kowtowed repeatedly, begging for permission. He thought to himself, "My precious son has hit a wall." That Mr. Yuan is so famous now, he might as well be the God of Literature. He'll be called out outside Donghua Gate someday.

With such talent and reputation, not only would the eldest wife cherish him, but even the mistress would be willing to protect him. Even if he made a scene in front of the old lady, I'm afraid he wouldn't end up well.

Sister Feng sat down and watched the Lai family making a fuss. Although she was increasingly puzzled as to why the two families were united, she also felt a little pleased.

In the past, when she met Lai Da, Feng Jieer would always call him "Lai General Manager", and even when she met Lai Da, she would call him "sister-in-law". Now, seeing Lai Da's dignity being destroyed, Feng Jieer kowtowed to him like a little girl, and she was naturally very happy.

On second thought, Sister Feng was startled. She glanced suspiciously at Lady Xing and Lady Wang, wondering if these two had conspired against each other. First, Jia Yun had disappeared, and now they had used this as evidence against the Lai family... They were trying to dig up the old lady's roots.

Feng Jieer's thoughts suddenly became a jumble of confusion. As the housekeeper, she naturally followed the old lady's instructions. She had a clear idea in mind: first, she would obey the old lady's instructions. After she passed away, Lady Wang would be old, and Jia Lian would be the heir to the title. Wouldn't the Rongguo Mansion fall into her hands one day?
But the situation is different now. If the nominal mother-in-law and aunt join forces to fight the old lady, it is hard to say who will win and who will lose.

On the one hand, there is the pressure of filial piety and kinship, and on the other hand, there is the future promised by the old lady. What should Fengjie do?

Seeing that it was almost over, Mrs. Wang said, "Forget it. This is just one time. It won't happen again. I don't care what you can do, but you must apologize to Brother Yuan."

Lai DaJian agreed without hesitation.

Mrs. Wang then ordered, "Go and help Lai Dajie up."

Jin Chuan'er and Yu Chuan'er stepped forward to help Lai Dajie up. Lai Dajie expressed his loyalty again and then retreated in disgrace.

As soon as the man left, Madam Xing rolled her eyes and said, "What a bargain this old servant has!"

Mrs. Wang smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, calm down and don't hurt yourself. What can we do? We can only give her a lecture."

Feng Jieer thought to herself, how could this be just a simple lesson? Nanny Lai's family was a very respectable group within the Jia household, yet this time, Lady Xing and Lady Wang had given the Lai family no respect at all, teasing them with sarcasm and forcing them to kowtow and admit their fault. What would the other servants think if this got out?

There were only a few lucrative positions in the family, and countless people were eager for the Lai family to suffer misfortune, so that they could step on them and rise to power. It was easy to guess that after this incident, those villains would surely come to Mrs. Wang's doorstep to show their loyalty.

Feng Jieer couldn't help but gasp. This whole thing was linked together, and it didn't seem like something her aunt could do. Could it be that the Xue family was behind this?

Looking at Mrs. Xing and Mrs. Wang, they were now happily discussing child-rearing tips. They kept calling each other "sister-in-law" and "brother-in-law," their warmth was like that of real sisters. Sister Feng suddenly got goose bumps all over her body, and after a long while she pondered, she couldn't find a way out of the dilemma.

I couldn't help but think to myself that I must mention this matter indirectly to the old lady to see what she thinks.

But Lai Da came out of Lady Wang's courtyard covered in dust and dirt. He scolded his beloved son in his heart and hurried forward to look for Lai Da.

The couple found a side hall to talk, and the one who blamed the family said with a bitter face, "Master, trouble has come! Rong'er has offended Master Yuan, and just now the first and second wives scolded me so badly that I am embarrassed to face anyone!"

Lai Dada was surprised and said hurriedly, "Please tell me in detail."

He blamed everyone and told them all the reasons.

Upon hearing this, Lai Da stamped his feet and said, "This evil creature, how many times have I warned him to be cautious? Does he really think that he is superior to others just because he has escaped slavery? It took several lifetimes for our slaves to raise a man of honor. If he ruins his reputation this time, I am afraid even the old lady will no longer care about our friendship."

Lai Dajia said sadly, "I thought so too. I just kowtowed and apologized. The madam finally relented and told us to take Rong'er to find Master Yuan to apologize... Well, he's just a distant relative. Who would have thought that the eldest madam would protect him, but the madam would protect him too!"

Lai Dayi glared and scolded in a low voice: "What do you know?"

Mrs. Wang's defense of Chen Siyuan was fake; her real intention was to target the Lai family. He had been feeling increasingly uneasy these days, feeling that something serious was about to happen. He had consulted Shan Daliang to review the accounts, fearing his masters would find any mistakes.

Who would have thought that after all the calculations, this would happen to Lai Shangrong!
Lai Da had long ago warned that Chen Siyuan would soon be attending the Imperial College, and had instructed Lai Shangrong to be respectful and not to cause any gossip. Who knew that the prodigal son had agreed to it in person, only to then turn around and dream of ruining the man's future?

If someone else tried to destroy Lai Shangrong's reputation, Lai Da would have grabbed a knife and fought them to the death! This shows that Chen Siyuan must have been furious, and the eldest wife must have hated the Lai family.

Seeing his frown, Lai Dajia was at a loss for words and said, "Boss, come up with a decision quickly."

"What ideas can I have?"

The one who blamed everyone said, "How about we prepare a generous gift?"

Lai Da scoffed, squinting his eyes and said, "How much? That Master Yuan has now married Prince Yanping. If he gives too little, he'll be looked down upon. If he gives too much... do you think the First Madam will set her sights on our family?"

"This...what should I do?"

Lai Da frowned and twirled his beard, pondering for a long moment before he said leisurely, "Of course I have to give a gift, but the choice of what to give must be particular." He paused, then lowered his head and spoke to Lai Dajie, "Master Yuan has been secretly bringing in many beautiful women into his room, including Xiangling, Hongyu, and Liu Wu'er... Yeah, I heard from the doorman that he's even having an affair with the Yu sisters."

Lai Dajia immediately understood and whispered, "There's a beautiful girl at home who was originally prepared for Rong Ge'er. Why not send her there tonight?"

Lai Da shook his head and said, "No, let's test the waters first. Let's get the indenture and go over first."

After the couple had discussed the matter, Lai Da, after giving instructions to the housekeepers, hurried back home to look for Lai Ma. There was no such thing as a wall that was impenetrable in this mansion; word of this might reach the old lady by noon. Their only option was to ask Lai Ma to apologize, so that the matter could be mitigated.

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At 3 p.m. that day, Chen Siyuan said goodbye to his classmates and took a carriage to Ningrong Back Street. Nearing Xiaohuazhi Lane, Chen Siyuan became worried about Third Sister You, so he sent the driver and servant back first and went on a stroll to look for Third Sister You.

Arriving at the gate of the Sanheyuan, Chen Siyuan went forward and knocked on the door. After a moment, the door opened a corner, and a maid who looked vaguely familiar appeared.

Chen Siyuan identified for a long time before he realized that the maid was Xia Zhu, the little maid of the You family.

"Xia Zhu?"

"Oh, it's Uncle Yuan." Xia Zhu bowed quickly.

Chen Siyuan walked in and said with a smile, "Could it be that Old An was worried about her and sent you to look after Third Sister?"

"Uh..." Xia Zhu pondered in silence, looking embarrassed.

Chen Siyuan observed her expression and immediately realized that he had guessed wrong. He glanced towards the main room and saw Third Sister You running out of the main room with a furrowed brow. Only when she saw Chen Siyuan did her brows relax slightly and she said aggrievedly, "Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan stepped forward and pulled You Sanjie's hand. Just as he was about to go into the room, You Sanjie pulled him to the side room.

Arriving at the side room, Third Sister You pouted and said, "Mother and Second Sister came again last afternoon."

"But they quarrelled again?"

Third Sister You was at a loss for words and said, "Don't mention it. After a few arguments, Mom left my second sister and Xia Zhu behind and went to Ningguo Mansion. She just said she would keep my second sister and talk to me for a while and then bring her home. Look, it's already past 3 p.m. and there's still no sign of her."

And my second sister brought a change of clothes with her, and I was afraid she wouldn’t leave if she came.”

"Ah?" What kind of magical development is this?

I don't know what Old Lady You's brain was thinking. After her third sister ran away, she simply sent her second sister over as well. What kind of logic is this?
It's no wonder that Third Sister You was in such a dilemma. Even Chen Siyuan couldn't think of a good solution for a while.

After feeling wronged, Third Sister You snorted angrily, "She still wants to stay here? I don't believe it! Brother Yuan, wait a moment, I'll make her angry for a few days, I don't believe she won't leave!"

Chen Siyuan said, "They are sisters after all, so we shouldn't make too much of a fuss."

There were some things Third Sister You couldn't say directly, so she bit her lower lip and said, "Brother Yuan, don't worry about it."

The two of them exchanged a few words in private before heading towards the main room. Turning the screen, Chen Siyuan looked up and saw You Erjie sitting upright on a chair, her face serene, intently embroidering a handkerchief.

Seeing Chen Siyuan, You Erjie smiled and stood up and bowed: "Greetings, Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan only nodded slightly, and Third Sister You cursed, "Bah! Shameless! Xu Gengchi, you are even older than Brother Yuan!"

You Erjie didn't argue, but smiled and ordered, "Chunxi, quickly make some tea. I brought a bag of water chestnut cakes this morning, bring them over as well."

Third Sister You was furious and said, "Do I need your orders, my maid? Just keep the water chestnut cake for yourself!" She then pulled Chen Siyuan and ran straight to the west side room, "Brother Yuan, let's talk in the room. Leave that shameless guy alone."

You Erjie just watched the two of them enter the bedroom with a smile, then sat down quietly, picked up the handkerchief and began to embroider carefully.

In the western room, Third Sister You's chest heaved with anger.

Chen Siyuan said, "Don't be angry. We are sisters after all. How about I come back to talk to you after she leaves?"

"Why?" Third Sister You didn't lower her voice at all, and she cursed, "Brother Yuan rented the yard, bought the maids, and hired the maids. The daily necessities of this house—which one is unrelated to Brother Yuan? Just sit still. If anyone wants to leave, it's someone else who will leave."

Chen Siyuan thought about it and was about to say something else when he suddenly saw Third Sister You's eyes rolling around, and then she looked at him with a smile.

Chen Siyuan frowned and heard Third Sister You whisper a few words in her ear in a low voice.

Chen Siyuan was stunned and whispered, "Isn't this a good idea?"

Third Sister You said nonchalantly, "What's the big deal? I told Mom this morning that I'm already Brother Yuan's woman. If she wants to eavesdrop, she can. But if she can't stand it, she should move out!"

She immediately put her arms around Chen Siyuan's neck, gave him a charming smile and a sweet kiss, then she became reckless and unrestrained.

There was a partition between the main hall and the west side room. At this time, the curtain was hanging on the moon-shaped door. The little maid Chunxi took a glance at it and her face turned red. She hurriedly lowered the curtain.

Looking back, she saw that You Erjie seemed not to have seen anything and was only embroidering the handkerchief stitch by stitch.

After a moment, a charming sound came from inside. The little maid Chunxi hung her head and simply hid in the east corner room. Even You Erjie, who was tense as ever, now heard her ears burning and her heart beating.

Remembering what Old Lady You said, You Erjie simply stood up and walked to the curtain, raised it slightly and took a look. She saw her younger sister humming to herself, while Chen Siyuan beside her was slapping the headboard from time to time.

You Erjie burst out laughing, then covered her mouth and turned around to order, "Xia Zhu? Go prepare some hot water. Third sister and big brother Yuan will need it later."

As soon as the words fell, there was a sudden silence in the western room.

Third Sister You gnashed her teeth in hatred and said cruelly, "Why not get serious?"

(End of this chapter)