Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 158 Playfulness
After hearing what Mrs. Xing said, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but wonder, are the pills prescribed by Ding Daojian so effective?
Seeing him lost in thought, Mrs. Xing said impatiently, "I'm asking you a question, why are you distracted now?"

Chen Siyuan came to his senses and hurriedly explained his business to Mrs. Xing, who rolled her eyes repeatedly.

"I thought it was a good job...but now it's going to be a dirty job?"

Chen Siyuan said, "This man lives for two reasons. Compared to the former, the latter is more about face. Isn't it just a good livelihood?"

Mrs. Xing pondered for a moment before figuring out what the other "ba" meant, and immediately spat. Then, thinking again, it made sense, and she shared Chen Siyuan's thinking: this pill is so effective, it's sure to sell well someday.

Mrs. Xing happily thought about business for a while, and after Chen Siyuan answered her questions one by one, she let him go with satisfaction.

The next day, Grandmother Jia was sitting in Rongqing Hall, talking to Daiyu, when Lady Wang and Lady Xing came over one after another.

After entering and chatting for a while, they unexpectedly agreed to move the second and third girls to the back building of Rongqing Hall, which made Lady Jia very puzzled.

Seeing that Mrs. Xing was hesitant and unwilling to explain the reason, Jia's mother asked Mrs. Wang, "There must be a reason, right?"

Mrs. Wang chuckled and pondered, "It's summer now, and all the doors and windows are open. There's only a thin layer of gauze separating the main room and the wing rooms... If there's a little noise at night, Tanchun won't be able to sleep well."

Upon hearing this, Madam Xing hurriedly said, "That's right, that's right. Our second young lady is like this too."

The two sisters-in-law looked at each other and felt a sense of empathy.

Grandmother Jia pondered for a long while before she finally understood what was going on. She felt even more annoyed. Her younger son, Jia Zheng, was fine; he was in his early forties and in the prime of life. But her eldest son, Jia She, was already fifty. How could he have the energy to keep fussing around all day?
It was really hard to say to an unmarried girl that her father was having sex... so Grandmother Jia hurriedly said vaguely, "If that's the case, then let Yingchun and Tanchun move in. Xichun herself is bored, so if they all come, it will be more lively."

Seeing that the old lady had agreed, Mrs. Xing and Mrs. Wang, the two sisters-in-law, did not stay any longer and took their leave together. After leaving the hanging flower gate, the two sisters-in-law looked at each other, their faces full of sorrow.

Mrs. Xing was pregnant, so she had to hold back even if she wanted to have sex; Mrs. Wang and Jia Zheng had been separated for many years, and she used to eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures every day and didn't think much about that matter, but Jia Zheng kept making trouble, which made Mrs. Wang angry and she couldn't sleep for several days.

Mrs. Xing frowned and said, "It's all Brother Yuan'er's fault. I don't know where he got this recipe from, but it's kept me awake for several days."

What could Mrs. Wang say? She could only smile and say, "Since it's so useful, I think it won't be hard to sell in the future. My sister-in-law should be happy."

Mrs. Xing was pleased with herself, but she said, "He's not afraid of damaging his reputation with this business!"

Mrs. Wang pondered, "It's no wonder Brother Yuan is so troubled. He lost his parents when he was young, and his stepmother is a vicious one. He's come all the way to the capital. Although the government provides food and drink, he has to pay for all other expenses out of his own pocket. So, shouldn't he find a way to make money?"

Mrs. Xing nodded and said, "I know what you said, sister-in-law. It's a pity that my family is ordinary and I don't have much money. I can't help Brother Yuan, but instead I have benefited from him repeatedly. Oh, well, it's not his fault..." After a pause, she whispered to Mrs. Wang, "Sister-in-law, you also have a stake in this business. You'll need your help in the future. We have to let the imperial edicts know so that we can earn some money."

Mrs. Wang laughed and said, "Why would we need you? I'm afraid the masters will spread the news. Besides, I'm afraid the imperial edicts wouldn't be very happy if they knew."

Mrs. Xing pondered for a long moment before finally figuring it out... That's right, of the four princes and eight dukes, aside from a few like Prince Beijing, most of the rest were about the same age as Jia She and Jia Zheng, and their families had held imperial titles for years. If these people had the elixir, why would they waste it on those imperial titles? I'm afraid they'd definitely go find some slutty woman to show off their power!
It was the end of April, and Chen Siyuan had just finished his monthly exam. He returned to his courtyard feeling quite proud. This time, Supervisor Tao had given the exam questions in advance, and Chen Siyuan had spent two days writing an essay. He then took it to Mei Hanlin for comment. Unexpectedly, Mei Hanlin, after reviewing it, simply remarked that it lacked some literary grace. Chen Siyuan then revised it on the spot, and Mei Hanlin couldn't find any mistakes.

Although it was still a trick, at least this time it was all done by himself. With time, he might be able to call out names outside Donghua Gate with his real ability!
Chen Siyuan was waving his folding fan comfortably and joking with Xiangling and Hongyu, when suddenly a visitor arrived.

The little maid Yunxiang came in suspiciously and said, "Master, Aunt Zhao is here."

Chen Siyuan thought for a moment, then stood up to greet him. Just as they reached the door, Aunt Zhao, accompanied by little Jixiang, approached with a smile. Catching sight of Chen Siyuan, Aunt Zhao beamed, flicking her handkerchief and saying, "Brother, why are you out again? We're not strangers, and the sun's blazing outside. Let's go in and talk."

She was so warm and welcoming that it was obvious that she treated Chen Siyuan as her junior.

Xiangling remained calm, Hongyu frowned secretly, and the little maid Yunxiang simply stared at Aunt Zhao in astonishment, wondering how Aunt Zhao could have the nerve to say such things?
Chen Siyuan knew that Aunt Zhao was very concerned about her reputation, so he glared at Yunxiang, sent the maid away, and then smiled and invited Aunt Zhao to sit down.

Before Chen Siyuan could speak, Aunt Zhao sat down and said, "I wanted to come and see my brother yesterday, but then I remembered that he seemed to have a monthly exam."

"Yes, I just passed the exam today."

"Really? I figured my brother needed to review his lessons, so I didn't want to bother him. That's why I changed the date to today." He glanced at little Jixiang as he spoke: "Give it here, show it to my brother."

Little Jixiang agreed and presented him with a pair of brand new shoes.

"Auntie, this is——"

Aunt Zhao smiled and said, "I thought the eldest mistress would be too busy to take care of you right now, and I'm afraid the maids in the room aren't very good at sewing either, so I made you a pair of shoes myself. Go try them on and see if they fit you well."

With just one sentence, Aunt Zhao offended Hongyu, Xiangling and others.

Chen Siyuan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. He couldn't figure out whether Aunt Zhao was really stupid or just pretending to be stupid.

It was always a good intention, so Chen Siyuan agreed and let Hongyu, who was secretly angry, change his shoes for him. He stood up and walked a few steps, praising him: "Auntie is a good needlework woman. It really fits my feet."

Aunt Zhao immediately covered her mouth and laughed: "I'm not bragging. I can tell what size shoes my brother needs just by taking a quick glance."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed, then ordered Xiangling to serve him some fragrant tea. Aunt Zhao pretended to ask about schoolwork, then about food, clothing, and other expenses. After a long while, Chen Siyuan finally couldn't help asking, "I wonder why Aunt Zhao is here today—"

Aunt Zhao chuckled, glanced around, leaned forward, and whispered, "There is indeed something going on... but it's not something I can let outsiders hear."

Hongyu secretly hoped for her luck. Seeing Chen Siyuan gave her a look, she retreated with Xiangling and Liu Wu'er. Before leaving, she gave Aunt Zhao a subtle look.

After the people left, Aunt Zhao said with a wry smile, "Hey... are there any pills left from the one you gave me last time?"

"Auntie... uh, are they all used up?" Chen Siyuan thought for a moment. There must be at least twelve or thirteen pills in that porcelain bottle. Doesn't that mean Jia Zheng must take one pill every day? Tsk tsk, it's true that even though a person is old, his heart remains young!

It just so happened that Ding Daojian from Heniantang had sent some more the day before yesterday. Chen Siyuan said, "It's a coincidence. I do have some on hand. Please wait a moment, Auntie."

"Hey, hey." Aunt Zhao agreed happily. She watched Chen Siyuan enter the study, turned around a moment later, and handed over another porcelain bottle.

Aunt Zhao thought that no matter how much a pair of shoes could not compare to this pill, she smiled and said, "As an elder, I can't take advantage of you. How much silver do you want for this pill? I will give it to you."

As he spoke, he took out a purse from his sleeve.

Chen Siyuan waved his hands repeatedly: "It was originally given to Auntie, how can you take the money? Auntie, please take it back quickly."

Aunt Zhao said, "Child, no one's money comes from the wind. Take it quickly—"

As he spoke, he was about to hand over a dime. Chen Siyuan quickly stepped back, bowed, and said, "Auntie, please take it back. This medicine hasn't been sold yet. Old... um, Auntie, please use it as you like. Just tell me about its effects later." After a pause, he continued, "If it really goes on sale, I'm afraid it will cost this much."

Seeing Chen Siyuan gesture with a finger, Aunt Zhao exclaimed in shock, "One ounce of silver for a bottle? Oh my! These pills are truly priceless."

Chen Siyuan was stunned. He coughed and said, "Auntie, I'm afraid you misunderstood. I was talking about a pill."

Aunt Zhao jumped up in shock, her face filled with astonishment, and said, "One ounce of silver for one pill? Oh my God, are these pills made of gold?"

Chen Siyuan smiled but said nothing. Aunt Zhao suddenly realized that these pills were not for sale to ordinary people, and she hesitated to mention the money.

She hesitated for a moment longer, then saw that Chen Siyuan's answer was correct and he didn't underestimate her. She couldn't bring herself to ask for the pills anymore. She vaguely explained their effects, then stood up and led the maid away.

As soon as the people left, Hongyu came back inside with a grim expression and said to Chen Siyuan, "Master, isn't Aunt Zhao being too arrogant?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Why are you arguing with her? It's better to look at the face of the Buddha than to see the monk. I can't get into a fight with her for the sake of my third sister."

Hongyu nodded and continued, "I saw Aunt Zhao looking worried just now. What did the master say?"

Chen Siyuan said, "I said the pill is worth one ounce of silver per pill."

Hongyu blinked, then immediately covered her mouth and laughed, "After Master said that, she won't be able to come and ask for it again."

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded. Just then, Miao'er came in again. He entered without hesitation and said directly, "Brother, the madam asked if you have any more of the medicine. If you do, please give me some more."

Chen Siyuan thought he was letting Jia She and Jia Zheng test the medicine, so he took out another bottle and handed it to Miao'er. He whispered, "Go back and tell your aunt and ask how effective it is. I can then change the prescription."

Miao'er chuckled and said, "I'm afraid Madam wouldn't be able to ask that question... But for the past ten days or so, except for one day when the Master got drunk, he hasn't been quiet at all for the rest of the ten days."

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded, thinking to himself that such a private matter must be asked Jia She in person. Tsk, I'm afraid the master won't tell the truth for the sake of face.

Thinking it would be bad to let Miao'er run around in vain, Chen Siyuan ordered Hongyu to bring two pieces of yarn and gave one to Miao'er and Tiao'er.

Miao'er happily agreed and then took his leave.

It was almost evening, and Hongyu was about to go to the kitchen to get some snacks, but Xue Pan came looking for her again.

The fellow entered without hesitation, gulping down two cups of tea in quick succession. Frowning, he said, "Brother Yuan, please graduate from that damn Imperial College as soon as possible. I've tried to come look for you several times, but was always stopped by my mother and sister."

Chen Siyuan didn't respond, but asked, "Brother Wenlong, have you been taking care of your business these days?"

Xue Pan waved his hand and said, "The old shopkeeper is in charge of the business. I'm just the general manager. Rong'er has been confined to Ningguo Mansion for a while now, so he has to hang out with Second Brother Lian every day. He has made quite a few friends. When Brother Yuan is free, we can play together."

"Okay." Chen Siyuan responded perfunctorily.

Xue Pan couldn't hide his thoughts, and suddenly said shyly, "Well... I heard that Brother Yuan has a magic medicine? Well... it just so happens that a friend of mine is a little weak in bed..."

Chen Siyuan was deliberately teasing, and said solemnly, "Oh? Then Brother Wenlong, why don't you ask this person to go to Henian Hall to see a doctor first? Otherwise, it's not good to take these pills carelessly."

"Ah? You still want to see a doctor?"

Chen Siyuan said: "Kidney deficiency has different yin and yang characteristics, so the medicines used are naturally different."

Xue Pan stared blankly for a long moment, then said awkwardly, "My friend is having trouble...and Brother Yuan, aren't these pills suitable for both the master and my uncle?"

"It's hard to generalize. You two are both quite old, so these symptoms are probably what you're talking about...but I wonder how old is Brother Wenlong's friend Gengchi?"

"This... is not even twenty years old yet."

Chen Siyuan clasped his hands together and said, "That's it. Who knows, there might be other ailments. How can we generalize?"

Xue Pan hesitated and was at a loss for words. He couldn't say that the little devil Liu Yan'er was too annoying, so that he felt helpless recently, right?

Xue Pan was embarrassed for a while, but finally he had the courage to save face, so he stood up and came over to whisper a few words in her ear.

Chen Siyuan suppressed a smile and looked at him in astonishment for a moment before saying, "This... Brother Wenlong is not even twenty yet, so it's not right to attack him so easily."

Xue Pan's face flushed with embarrassment, and even Hongyu and Xiangling quickly moved away. He sighed, "I know, but everyone in my family is hoping for a child. It's strange, Yan'er hasn't even used contraceptive soup, yet somehow, she hasn't gotten pregnant in over six months."

What could Chen Siyuan say? He could only offer comfort, "The bond between children and their parents is a mystery. Perhaps it's just not meant to be."

Xue Pan nodded, then raised his eyes and started pestering him again. Chen Siyuan was no longer easy to tease, but fortunately Ding Daojian had given him a lot of pills this time, so he took some and gave them to Xue Pan.

In the blink of an eye, it was the first day of May.

This morning, things were different. Hongyu, Xiangling, Liu Wu'er and the little maid Yunxiang all changed into new clothes, tied colorful ropes on their wrists and ankles, pinned pomegranate flowers on their heads, and had colorful ribbons hanging.

Before daybreak, the Rongguo Mansion sent a servant to gather calamus and mugwort. Hongyu returned with her food box and hurriedly joined Xiangling in folding a mugwort tiger and a cattail sword, hanging them on the door, symbolizing the combination of a mugwort tiger and a cattail sword. Small gourds, small glutinous rice dumplings, and small cloth tigers were also hung around the room.

Even the breakfast was different. Inside the food box were four zongzi of different sizes: one with red dates, one with red bean paste, one with smoked goose breast, and one with salted egg yolk and braised pork.

Just as they were about to eat, people arrived one after another. First, Siqi brought a colorful rice dumpling on behalf of Yingchun, Shishu brought a bat string on behalf of Tanchun, and Caiping brought a gourd string on behalf of Xichun, then Ying'er brought a magic talisman on behalf of Baojie, and Xueyan brought a five-poison sachet on behalf of Daiyu.

After Chen Siyuan had breakfast, he had a lot of odds and ends hanging on his body. Looking up, he saw girls with colorful threads and pomegranate flowers hanging in their hair. It could be said that "golden locks served as corsages and hairpins, and their dresses and hairpins were full of new flowers". Even Chen Siyuan felt a little happier.

Chen Siyuan only felt that the air was full of the fragrance of flowers, and he couldn't help but feel a little intoxicated... He used all means to climb up, wasn't it just for the beauty of birdsong and the fragrance of flowers?
On the day the Imperial College announced the results, Chen Siyuan was indeed at the top. His eight-part essay was circulated around, and Wang Zhongfang, after reading it, remarked on its profound meaning and felt a subtle admiration.

Chen Siyuan was very proud of himself, and felt that all his efforts during these days were not in vain.

When they returned to the courtyard that day, Yunxiang, the little trumpet, came to greet them with a gossipy look on her face: "Master, Master, I just heard from Nanny Wang (Wang Shanbao's wife) that the eldest mistress will not be going on the fifth day of the New Year and will go back to the Xing family."

"Hmm?" Chen Siyuan pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized.

The Double Fifth Festival is also known as Daughters' Day. In addition to various customs, the capital also has the custom that married daughters return to their parents' home on this day. However, the Xing family has lost their parents long ago, and Third Sister Xing has just gotten married, so it is not easy to let Xing Dequan go. Moreover, Mrs. Xing is now pregnant and it is not easy for her to travel by car, so it is reasonable for her to return to the Xing family to go and meet Third Sister Xing and her husband. Yunxiang was very perceptive. After watching Chen Siyuan come to his senses, she whispered, "The eldest wife didn't want to go, and the mistress said it was too noisy, so she didn't go either. Then the old lady also said she didn't want to go, which made Master Bao find the old lady and have a big fight with her."

This is something Baoyu can do.

"Ha, then what?" Chen Siyuan asked with a smile.

"The old lady said that when the time comes, Master Lian and Madam will take care of the child, and she won't be going. Master Bao was happy to hear this."

As they were talking, they heard someone knocking on the door behind them. Chen Siyuan turned around and saw Feng Jieer and Ping'er stopped in front of the door.

"Hey, Brother Yuan is back? This trip was not in vain."

For some reason, although Feng Jieer was smiling, there was something strange on her face. She kept looking at Chen Siyuan, and no one knew what she was thinking.

Chen Siyuan didn't dare to neglect them and stepped forward to greet them, saying, "Second sister-in-law and Miss Ping are here? Please come in and talk."

"Okay." Feng Jieer agreed, and after Ping'er returned the greeting, she followed Chen Siyuan into the inner room.

After everyone had taken their seats, guests and hosts, Sister Feng said, "The old lady has said she won't be joining in the fun on Dragon Boat Festival today. She's sent me, your second brother, and me to the goldfish pond to have some fun. Brother Yuan, is it your day off? It's a good opportunity for us to go for a stroll together. It'll be a change of pace, and we shouldn't be so tormented by studying all the time."

Chen Siyuan naturally agreed and said with a smile: "I just heard the maid mention it. Second sister-in-law invited me, I will definitely join in the fun."

Sister Feng nodded and continued, "Yes, the list has been posted today?"

"Luckily, I got first place again this time."

Sister Feng smiled and said to Ping'er, "Look at Brother Yuan. He's obviously talented, but he's too modest when he speaks."

Ping'er laughed and said, "Ma'am, you don't know that a scholar like Master Yuan is a gentleman of modesty. If it were someone like him who doesn't know when to act, he might become arrogant and eventually be labeled a lunatic."

If it were normal, it would be fine. But in the next imperial examination, the arrogant student might be burdened by his reputation and disliked by the examiners. On the contrary, it is Mr. Yuan who is so good that he is favored by the examiners.

Sister Feng covered her mouth and laughed, "Is that so? I've never studied, so I didn't know there were such things."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Pride brings harm, humility brings benefit. Second sister-in-law, please stop laughing at me. I've done a lot of frivolous things before."

Feng Jieer thought to herself, doesn't this mean that by wearing shoes I have become respectable and no longer need to be frivolous?
She is thoughtful and will not say what she thinks.

After chatting for a while, he suddenly said, "Yes, there is one more thing I want to ask Brother Yuan."

"Second sister-in-law, please speak."

Sister Feng pondered for a moment and said, "Did your second brother invest money in his business?"

Chen Siyuan spoke frankly, saying, "That day, I was on my way to look for my second sister-in-law. As I passed the painted screen, I ran into Second Brother Lian. He asked about my business, and I told him about it. He said he had the final say, and then he gave me two thousand taels of silver."

Feng Jieer immediately breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help laughing, "I thought he was trying to trick me, but it turns out he really stole the silver."

There were some things Sister Feng couldn't say directly. Ever since Jia Lian had sent Daiyu to Yangzhou and back, his mind had become wild. Whenever he had money, he would go to the brothels of prostitutes. When he had no money, he would find an excuse to ask Sister Feng for it.

If it was just an ordinary one or two hundred taels, it would be fine, but this was two thousand taels, and Feng Jieer was afraid that Jia Lian had a mistress outside.

Besides, even Xue Pan knew that the two masters were having a second spring and had been tossing and turning day and night, so how could he hide it from Sister Feng? She also had something in mind and wanted to ask Chen Siyuan for some pills.

Now the two wives have joined forces to fight against the old lady, and Mrs. Xing from the first wife is pregnant again. Although Mrs. Xing has always said that it is 80% likely a daughter, what if it is a boy?

She has been married to Jia Lian for many years, and she only has Qiaojie by her side. If anything happens to Jia Lian, the title and family property may have to be inherited by someone else!

The East Cross Courtyard was an independent organization, and Mrs. Xing had suppressed Feng Jieer for a generation, so Feng Jieer could only think about giving birth to a boy as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, Sister Feng was too proud to speak up, and the money was not invested by her, so she was reluctant to say anything for the time being.

So after hesitating for a long time, Sister Feng finally got up to say goodbye and took Ping'er away.

Chen Siyuan escorted Feng Jieer and her group out the door and turned around. Hongyu, who was standing beside him, said, "Master, it seems that Second Mistress still has something to say."

"That's what I thought, too." Chen Siyuan wasn't a god, so he didn't think about the pills. He thought for a moment before saying, "If she doesn't say anything, I can't ask. I'll wait until she can't hold it in anymore and finally speaks out."

Hongyu nodded in agreement. At this time, Yunxiang came closer again hesitantly.

Chen Siyuan stopped and asked, "Anything else you want to say?"

Yunxiang asked, "Master, when is my third sister's period?" Then she quickly said, "It wasn't my third sister who asked. It was my mother who urged me to ask you."

Ma Dongmei… Ugh! Even though Chen Siyuan knew no one here knew her name, he still felt a little uncomfortable. A quick thought told him what Yunxiang was thinking. It was almost Girls' Day, and Ma Dongmei had just gotten the job, but she was afraid the money wouldn't be enough.

Since it was Chen Siyuan, he said, "Let them go tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, and follow the same rule from now on."

Yunxiang immediately beamed with joy, clasping her hands together and saying, "That's great! I'll go tell Third Sister!"

After saying that, Yunxiang vanished in a flash. Hongyu was about to scold her again, but this time, she remained silent.

Seeing Chen Siyuan glance over, Hongyu said unhappily, "I've tried to persuade her, and I've said it all, but Master just dotes on her. I won't nag her anymore from now on."

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily and coaxed Hongyu for a long time before he made her laugh.

A few days passed quickly, and on the third day of the Lunar New Year, Chen Siyuan went to ask for leave from Tao Jiancheng, who naturally agreed. At noon, Chen Siyuan returned to Da Ge Lane as usual, carrying the yellow croaker and realgar wine he had sent the servant to buy.

After knocking on the door and entering, he saw Qingwen playing with two maids making five-poison cakes.

Qingwen's hands were clean, with only a few specks of flour on her fingernails. Seeing Chen Siyuan bring the yellow croaker and realgar wine, Qingwen exclaimed happily, "Just now, Madam Qu was saying we should eat yellow croaker and was planning to go buy some this afternoon, but who knew Master would bring it over?"

According to the custom in the capital, people would rather pawn their pants than not eat yellow croaker on the Dragon Boat Festival. It is not known when this custom was passed down.

Qingwen immediately went forward to take the yellow croaker and brought it to the kitchen. The two maids exchanged greetings with Chen Siyuan, who then began to examine the Five Poison Cakes.

I saw rose petals mixed with honey, then wrapped in dough and pressed into a pancake, which I found interesting. On the pancake were scorpions, centipedes, spiders, toads, and venomous snakes, representing the Five Poisons. Eating the five-poison pancakes meant protection from poisonous insects.

After a quick glance, Chen Siyuan suddenly cried out in surprise. Just then, Qingwen turned around and raised her little face proudly, saying, "What do you think, Master?"

Chen Siyuan pointed at the intricately carved Five Poisons Cake and asked, "Did you make this?"

"Well, the molds all look the same, so I just used my fingernails to outline them. It looks a bit more interesting."

Chen Siyuan couldn't help but praise: "He is indeed clever and skillful."

Qingwen pursed her lips with a smug smile and led Chen Siyuan into the main room. The meal had been prepared long ago. Although it was not as exquisite as the Rongguo Mansion, it still had all the meat and vegetables.

Chen Siyuan was not a picky eater, so he sat down and let Qingwen serve him food.

Qingwen stood by, fanning him with a charming air. Chen Siyuan took a few bites and then said, "You don't have to rush. It's not too hot today. Why don't you sit down and have some together?"

Qingwen was not polite either. She put down her round fan and sat down. She immediately took out a silk string from her sleeve pocket and handed it to him: "Here, this is a silk string with a plum blossom pattern and the word 'Fu' on it that I made for you, Master."

Suddenly, she saw a lot of things hanging around Chen Siyuan's waist. Qingwen pouted and said, "Master, you already have so many things hanging around your waist, so what about this..."

Chen Siyuan snatched it away and tied it around his waist in a few seconds.

Qingwen smiled and then started eating.

After lunch, Qingwen chattered about the Dragon Boat Festival in Suzhou. When she mentioned realgar wine, Chen Siyuan suddenly interrupted, saying, "Yes, that realgar wine will be fine after two days if you apply it to your forehead. Don't drink it yourself."

"Huh?" Qingwen was puzzled.

Chen Siyuan said, "Realgar wine is not good for your health. Tomorrow I'll send Qingyu to bring some calamus wine. That's just right for you."

"Yeah." Qingwen agreed, knowing that Chen Siyuan was doing it for her own good.

But then Chen Siyuan said, "My family is going to the goldfish pond these next two days, so I won't be coming."

Qingwen responded again. Although she didn't say anything else, Chen Siyuan noticed that her face was gloomy, and she looked a little disappointed. He reached out and rubbed Qingwen's head, saying with a smile, "Are you feeling bored? I'll take you to Baoguo Temple at noon on the sixth day of the lunar year, okay?"

Qingwen said angrily, "Master has to rest at noon. Why should I go for a stroll any other time? Why has to go at noon?"

"Yeah, then I'll take you for a walk after school."

Qingwen pursed her lips and said, "I'm just a maid, how can I not obey you, Master?"

Although she said this, a smile already appeared on her pretty face.

Still a little tsundere.

Chen Siyuan couldn't help himself and reached out to squeeze Qingwen's face into a bun, teasing her, "You still listen to me? You got upset when I said no, and who knows, you might get upset with me again in the future."

"Where is it?" Qingwen refused.

Chen Siyuan would rub and pull it, which annoyed Qingwen: "Master, do you think my face is dough?"

Chen Siyuan held Qingwen's little face in his hands and examined it carefully. He said, "Nonsense! Dough is not as pretty as you."

Qingwen blinked, and her little face turned red in an instant. She wanted to turn her head away, but Chen Siyuan held her and she couldn't move. She could only look to the side, stammering and unable to utter a word.

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily and then let her go. When Chen Siyuan took a nap, Qingwen pursed her lips and fanned him. She stared at Chen Siyuan for a long time, feeling that her master's temper was... a little strange.

Sometimes he stands up and protects himself; sometimes he becomes a joker, deliberately teasing others.

If someone else had teased her like this, she would have been angry a long time ago. But now, seeing the old man taking a quiet nap, she couldn't feel angry at all. It was really strange.

After a while, seeing Chen Siyuan fast asleep, Qingwen blinked, then suddenly felt playful and tiptoed out. Turning back, her hands were covered in flour, and she was about to smear it on Chen Siyuan's face, trying not to laugh.

Unexpectedly, when her hands were about to reach Chen Siyuan's face, Qingwen couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing.

Chen Siyuan suddenly opened his eyes, was stunned for a moment, then grabbed Qingwen's hand and wiped it on her head and face.

"Dare to play tricks on me? I'll teach you a lesson today!"

Qingwen screamed in surprise, but she was too small and weak, and in a blink of an eye, her head and face were covered with smears.

"Ah——" Qingwen was annoyed and pounced on him like a little tiger. Her hands were captured and she crashed into Chen Siyuan's arms.

Her body was weak, and she put her hands behind her back, curling up in Chen Siyuan's arms. Qingwen was about to move away and hit him again, but Chen Siyuan clamped her arms tightly, and Qingwen could not move.

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Now let's see what you can do."

Qingwen angrily hit Chen Siyuan a few times and wanted to retaliate at first, but she was only wearing a light gauze dress in the summer and after hitting Chen Siyuan a few times, Qingwen suddenly felt strange both physically and mentally.

Chen Siyuan was about to make a few jokes when he suddenly realized that Qingwen had stopped struggling. He lowered his head and saw Qingwen stealing glances at him with a red face.

　The results came back: myocardial ischemia... luckily it wasn't coronary heart disease. Besides staying up late, the doctor also told me to eat less soybean oil. I ordered some coconut oil. Sigh, the weather in Northeast China is freezing, and cardiovascular disease is rampant.

　　I will continue to rest today, and this chapter is a draft.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)