Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 174 The charming interior of the car
When Jia She said this, Chen Siyuan immediately felt embarrassed. He did not show it on his face, but clasped his hands and said with a sad heart: "Since my nephew came thousands of miles away, he has been very grateful to his uncle and aunt for their care. If it were not for them, how could my nephew be where he is today?"

Jia She didn't care at all. He just thought that Chen Siyuan was living under someone else's roof and relied entirely on Mrs. Xing for care, so he was naturally worried.

At this moment, a servant from the outer room came in to announce that Lady Wang and Aunt Xue had arrived. There was a wing room next to the outer study, but Sister Feng was away because she was taking care of things inside, so Jia She sent Chen Siyuan and Jia Lian to greet them.

The two of them left the outer study and waited for a moment before they saw two sedan chairs entering from the black oil-painted gate. When the sedan chairs landed, Aunt Xue and Madam Wang came out.

Chen Siyuan and Jia Lian hurried forward to greet them, inviting them to a side room. Aunt Xue, leaving aside her, simply whispered, "Make sure the money is collected before nightfall." Lady Wang remained silent, but her frequent glances at Chen Siyuan made her meaning clear.

After entering the wing room, Jia Lian hurriedly ordered the maid to serve tea and snacks. Chen Siyuan secretly exchanged a glance with Mrs. Wang, stood up, saying that he was going to change clothes, and went to the outer study room.

Jia She was the only one in the outer study at the moment, so Chen Siyuan stepped forward and asked, "Uncle, has there been any reversal of events regarding Dai Liang? Yesterday, the second wife sent people to look for my nephew twice. I think it must be because of this matter."

But Jia She threw down his folding fan and said with a smile: "This woman is just impatient. Just tell her to be patient. I have my own plans in mind."

How could Chen Siyuan believe it? He pondered and said, "My uncle also knows that the second wife is impatient. If it's just this statement, I'm afraid she may not believe it."

Jia She sighed and frowned, "What does she know? Dai Liang is extremely cunning. He might have already transferred the proceeds of his corruption elsewhere. If he registered the money under the name of a distant relative, then he is not a servant of the Jia family. Is it really necessary to mobilize the government for such a small matter? If I can trick him into giving back at least half of the money, then we can confiscate it later. Wouldn't that be twice as effective with half the effort?"

Chen Siyuan was in a state of confusion after hearing this. He thought to himself that the master had spent all his time on greed, and now he was even using military tactics on his servants.

He pretended to be suddenly enlightened, bowed his hands and said solemnly, "So that's how it is. Uncle is very smart and I admire him... Then I will tell the second wife about it."

Jia She stroked his beard with a smug look on his face, and waved his hand with a smile, saying, "Go now, go now. Yes, Zizhen'er and his family will be here soon. You stay in the wing room to answer questions, and tell Lian'er to come back and listen to your instructions."

"Yes."

Chen Siyuan left the outer study and turned into the side room. He sent Jia Lian away with a few words, and after sitting down, he nodded heavily to Mrs. Wang who was looking at him.

Mrs. Wang had been worried, but when she saw him nod, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her face relaxed, and she smiled. She said, "It's been years since we've had any children."

Aunt Xue smiled and said, "This is a blessing. Maybe the old lady will come to see it later."

Chen Siyuan echoed, "Good deeds will naturally bring celebrations, and the birth of a boy is auspicious at the right time. Such a happy event, the old lady will certainly not miss it."

Just as she finished speaking, another maid came in and said, "Grandma Zhen is here."

Because they were younger, Lady Wang and Aunt Xue sat quietly, while Chen Siyuan stood up and went to the door to greet them. As he arrived, he bumped into Youshi. Chen Siyuan looked calm, but Youshi's expression was confused.

Both You Erjie and You Sanjie, his two adopted sisters, were taken into this man's room. It would have been fine for You Erjie, but You Sanjie was completely devoted to him... You Shi naturally wondered where this distant brother got his ability from.

Apart from the surprise, the rest was relief. It was a good thing that Chen Siyuan had abducted the two adopted sisters. Otherwise, they would often follow Old Lady You to Ningguo Mansion to beg for money, and sometimes they would send her away and leave the two sisters alone with Jia Zhen. How could Youshi feel at ease?
She knew what kind of person Jia Zhen was. He had never spared any of the wives and maids who were of some beauty in the family. As the saying goes, if the top beam is crooked, the bottom beams will be crooked. Jia Zhen was like this, so Jia Rong naturally followed suit.

If the two adopted sisters had any unclear relationship with him, Youshi would not know how to ask for help.

In this situation, although Old Lady You came to disturb her from time to time, always nagging her two adopted sisters for being unfilial, and You Shi would give her some benefits every time, at least without those annoying things, she had been much happier in the past six months.

For her, whoever entered the house would be a concubine, and even if they gave birth to a child, they would still have to go to her, the main wife. The only difference was that if her two step-sisters entered the house, they would become concubines, and if they gave birth to a child, they might even force her to eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures in the Buddhist temple.

Her expression changed several times, but Yu finally smiled and greeted, "Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan bowed in greeting, his expression unchanged. He leaned over and invited her, saying, "Sister-in-law Zhen, please come in. The mistress and concubines have arrived early."

"Yes." Yu Shi responded and went inside, and had a warm chat with Lady Wang and Aunt Xue.

There were only female relatives inside. If it were just Lady Wang and Aunt Xue, Chen Siyuan could accompany them, but with the addition of Lady You, it was not convenient for Chen Siyuan to enter.

He strolled around the house for a while, and then his eldest sister-in-law, Li Wan, arrived with her maid. The two had only met a few times before, and Li Wan's greeting was polite yet distant. Chen Siyuan didn't say much, and after inviting Li Wan in, he remained waiting outside.

A moment later, Miao'er suddenly appeared hurriedly from the third-floor ceremonial gate. Chen Siyuan hurried forward to stop her: "Miao'er, how is your aunt?"

Miao'er hurriedly said, "Madam, nothing's wrong. I'm just a little hungry. Second Madam told me to go to the kitchen and order some vegetable porridge to prepare."

Chen Siyuan made way and watched Miao'er hurried away. Then he saw a sedan chair carried into the black oil gate, followed by Jia She, Mrs. Wang and others coming out to greet them. It turned out to be Lady Jia who had also arrived.

The birth of a new child was a cause for great joy, and even if Lady Xing had been displeased with her, Grandmother Jia would have come to see her now. The remaining three sisters, Daiyu, Baochai, and the others, were young and had never experienced such an occasion, so they remained in the Rongguo Mansion and did not come.

Chen Siyuan rushed back and forth, occasionally glancing outside the third-floor ceremonial gate to listen. He became increasingly anxious, his mind in a state of confusion. As the afternoon approached, a maid suddenly called out, "It's born! The eldest wife has given birth to a boy!"

Then the three-tiered ceremonial gate opened, and Sister Feng was about to come out with a strange look on her face. She caught a glimpse of Chen Siyuan and smiled, then went inside to announce the good news to everyone.

Grandmother Jia was naturally very happy. She asked about the child's situation and said a few pleasant words, which elicited the agreement of everyone. Then she got up and returned to Rongguo Mansion.

The eldest master Jia She was naturally very happy. Once he was happy, he ordered that rewards would be given out the next day. For a while, the whole east wing was filled with joy.

Mrs. Wang and Aunt Xue returned to the Rongguo Mansion in a sedan chair. Seeing that mother and child were safe, Chen Siyuan, no longer worried, walked out of the black oil gate and entered the Rongguo Mansion through the east corner gate. He looked up and saw two sedan chairs parked by the corner gate in front of the stable. Mrs. Wang and Aunt Xue were talking, looking over here together.

Mrs. Wang wanted to ask Jia She what he meant. Aunt Xue thought about going with Chen Siyuan to deliver the money in the evening. However, the two sisters were reluctant to say it directly, so they slowly entered the corner gate, hoping to outlive the other party.

Just as they reached Mengpo Zhai, Chen Siyuan caught up with them and greeted them from a distance. Before Aunt Xue could say anything, Mrs. Wang said, "Brother Yuan, you haven't been here for a while. I heard you were so proud of your Poria Cocos Cream, and I just happened to have some. Brother Yuan, why don't you come and talk for a while?"

Chen Siyuan replied, "I'll follow Madam's instructions."

Mrs. Wang turned and said to Aunt Xue, "I'm going to talk to Brother Yuan for a while. You can go back first, sister."

Aunt Xue blinked her eyes. Although she was suspicious about what the two were doing, she still agreed.

Soon they arrived at Lady Wang's courtyard. Aunt Xue went to the northeast upper courtyard, and Chen Siyuan followed Lady Wang into the inner courtyard.

As they walked, Chen Siyuan said, "Madam, I think you'll want to ask the Master how to deal with Dai Liang?"

Madam Wang frowned and lowered her voice, "Yes, I heard that Dai Liang has been going to the East Cross Courtyard quite often these days. I'm afraid that my uncle might have changed his mind again."

Mrs. Wang had already promised Zhou Rui the warehouse job, and the two seasons' rent collection that Zhou Rui had vacated was then promised to Wu Xing. Even Dai Liang's housekeeping job might have been given to another maid. This whole situation was compounded by another. If Jia She made a mistake, how would Mrs. Wang explain it to her subordinates?
Those eight concubines have been suppressed for more than twenty years. If they are suppressed again, they may lose their fighting spirit. How can they dare to fight for Lady Wang in the future?
Chen Siyuan explained Jia She's plan and then said with a wry smile, "Although this may seem unnecessary, as long as the Master is happy, we should just follow his lead. It won't take more than a few days to get solid evidence, and Dai Liang will definitely lose his job as a warehouse keeper."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang felt relieved and couldn't help but laugh, saying, "I'm glad your uncle hasn't changed his mind."

The two of them entered the room and sat down as host and guest. A maid brought them fragrant tea. Mrs. Wang then said, "Yes, Brother Yuan, were the results announced today? You came back so early. Did you get first place again?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and bowed, "Thanks to my wife, I was lucky enough to get first place again. I have accumulated enough points and have graduated from the Imperial College."

Mrs. Wang laughed and said, "At this moment, Brother Yuan must be taking the Autumn Examination?"

"That's right. I'm a little overconfident and want to see how I measure up."

Mrs. Wang smiled and said, "Who doesn't know Brother Yuan'er's talent? I think this time, you will definitely be on the list of top scorers." Without giving Chen Siyuan any time to be modest, Mrs. Wang leaned forward again and said in a low voice, "As long as Brother Yuan'er is successful, I will do my utmost to facilitate your marriage to Miss Lin, no matter who tries to stop me."

Mrs. Wang's words were a promise. Chen Siyuan couldn't help but wonder. Although Dai Liang would be apprehended soon, Lai Da was still around, and the Lai family had deep roots in both prefectures. How could Mrs. Wang have the confidence to make such a guarantee?

Seeing her bewilderment, Mrs. Wang lowered her voice and said, "Who doesn't know what the old lady is thinking? She just wants two good girls to be together, two beautiful girls to be a couple. But marriage is always a matter of parents' orders and matchmakers' words. How can it be that grandmother has the final say?" She paused and continued, "Besides, Baoyu's uncle wrote to her a few days ago and said that there is no rush for Baoyu's marriage. We must choose a suitable match."

Mrs. Wang was not a cunning person to begin with. Chen Siyuan knew after a few glances that Wang Ziteng was only half-said. She was afraid that Wang Ziteng had already chosen a marriage. Who knows, if Mrs. Wang said that she would leave one day, even Lady Jia would change her mind?
Chen Siyuan thanked her earnestly, but he didn't take it seriously. If he did pass the imperial examination someday, then given Daiyu's personality, the marriage would be a done deal. And then there was Daiyu's teacher, Jia Yucun, who was about to be promoted. How could the Jia family dare offend him?
As for Baoyu making a fuss...even Lady Jia had to accept it, so what could happen if Baoyu made a fuss again?

But what about the future? The marriage was finalized, and Daiyu was still young, so she would naturally stay at the Rongguo Mansion to marry. The Rongguo Mansion was struggling to make ends meet, and they might even have to embezzle the Lin family's assets. And if they were planning to keep Daiyu alive, what would they do?
At this moment, Mrs. Wang said again: "Brother Yuan...that thing——"

Mrs. Wang was referring to the Jade of Inner Power. Chen Siyuan said, "I've been busy with schoolwork these days and really don't have time. I'll go to the Imperial Household Department tomorrow to ask about it."

Mrs. Wang nodded and said, "It doesn't matter if it's a day earlier or later. Brother Yuan has to take the exam again, so I shouldn't bother you. But yesterday the old lady suddenly asked about the item, and I managed to get away with it. This has happened again and again, but it's not good to do it again and again..."

Chen Siyuan said, "Don't worry, Madam. I think we can finish it in a few days, even if not tomorrow."

After hearing what he said, Mrs. Wang felt relieved. After a while, she ordered Jin Chuan'er to bring some Poria cocos cake, and then Chen Siyuan stood up to say goodbye.

He walked straight through the garden, and just as he crossed the sluice bridge, he saw Sister Bao standing under a peach tree, her plain dress swaying in the wind. When she saw Chen Siyuan, Sister Bao nodded slightly, then looked around and walked towards Chen Siyuan.

Chen Siyuan took a few quick steps, and when he got closer, he said, "The peach blossoms have already faded. Is Sister Bao waiting for the fruit under the tree?"

Baochai pouted in disapproval and said, "You always say something so strange that no one can understand you...Brother Yuan is at the top of the list again this time?"

"It was a fluke." Chen Siyuan said with a smile.

Baochai said, "So, Brother Yuan will have to give it a try tomorrow?"

Chen Siyuan nodded. Baochai pursed her lips and reached out her hand, saying, "Where's the sachet?"

Chen Siyuan shook his sleeves, and a sachet appeared in his hand. However, he held it tightly and refused to give it to her. He said jokingly, "I took it, so it's mine. Sister Bao, you can't ask for it back."

Baochai was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, and said, "I won't ask for it, I won't ask for it... Just give it to me."

Chen Siyuan teased her for a moment before handing the sachet to Baochai. Baochai then opened the sachet, took out the menthol, and stuffed a small packet of other things inside, muttering to herself, "There are still mosquitoes, so I changed the menthol and added some insect repellent."

After returning the sachet to Chen Siyuan, Baochai looked up with concern and whispered, "You...just try your best. This is your first time, so don't be too demanding..."

Chen Siyuan jokingly said, "You're so pessimistic about me?"

"Where is it?" someone suddenly heard from the distance. Sister Bao turned around to look, pouted, took a step back, and then bowed: "Wait for you to win the prize!"

Chen Siyuan suppressed his smile, bowed solemnly and said, "I will definitely live up to your expectations."

Baochai breathed a sigh of relief and added, "I'm sorry to trouble you with my family affairs."

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded, but when he thought of Aunt Xue, he couldn't help feeling mixed emotions.

When Baochai heard Tanchun calling her from afar, she nodded and hurried towards the hillside.

Chen Siyuan paused at a distance, holding the sachet in his hand. He raised it and sniffed. Besides the coolness of menthol, there was also the aroma of borneol and medicinal herbs. Baochai had indeed put a lot of thought into it. Thinking too much was pointless, he turned back and headed straight for his own courtyard. As soon as he entered, Hongyu, Xiangling and the others came over to ask about Madam Xing's situation.

Chen Siyuan entered and briefly explained, then instructed, "Auntie has lost some energy and needs to be nourished. We have some Cordyceps at home, you should pack a bag. I'll buy some ginseng tomorrow and you can bring it over later."

Hongyu happily agreed and added, "Fortunately, it's autumn now, so confinement won't be so hard."

Xiangling, standing by, brought over some warm tea and said, "Master, don't you think today is a little different?"

"Huh?" Chen Siyuan was puzzled.

Xiangling smiled and pointed to the east, and Chen Siyuan suddenly realized, yes, he had never heard the sound of stringed instruments coming from Lixiangyuan, why was it so quiet?

Xiangling said, "Madam was afraid of disturbing the master, so she sent a maid to tell the twelve young actors to take a few days off and rehearse after the Autumn Examination."

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded, and appreciated Mrs. Wang's kindness in his heart.

It was dinner time, and Liu Wu'er went to bring the food box. Because there was a new baby in the mansion today, Grandmother Jia had said that there were two more dishes in the food box.

After dinner, Chen Siyuan rested briefly in his study. At dusk, Tongxi arrived to invite him back. He instructed the maids to share the food later, then hurried forward with Tongxi. But as soon as he left the house, he saw dark clouds and a strong wind.

The two of them walked through the garden and arrived in front of Aunt Xue's yard. In a moment, they saw Aunt Xue coming out.

The two of them exchanged greetings and continued on their way. After a while, they arrived at the stables, where the Xue family's servants had already prepared a carriage. Aunt Xue was about to get in when a sudden thought struck her. She said to Chen Siyuan, "Brother Yuan, let's ride in the same carriage. Let's go and come back quickly."

Chen Siyuan turned his head to look, but Aunt Xue's eyes were wandering around and he didn't dare to look at her.

He felt strange, but after thinking about it, he simply bowed and agreed.

"Alright."

When Aunt Xue heard him say this, she was both flustered and happy. She was afraid of revealing her whereabouts, so she just nodded at him and hurriedly got into the carriage.

Because this trip was about something that was not to be seen in public, Aunt Xue did not bring any maids with her, and the only driver accompanying her was an old servant from the family. Chen Siyuan entered the carriage and sat next to Aunt Xue.

Aunt Xue was so flustered that she almost wrung her handkerchief to the point of slicing water out of it. She ordered the carriage to start, and then remained silent for a while. After a while, her panic subsided a little, and she finally found something to say: "Yuan, how did Brother Yuan do on the exam this time?"

"I was lucky enough to be ranked first, so I have accumulated enough points to graduate."

Aunt Xue said hurriedly, "That's truly a happy occasion. Someday... after the Autumn Examination, I'll hold a banquet at home to properly thank Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "It's unorthodox for Concubine to say that."

Aunt Xue said, "Even if they are family, we should thank them."

Just then, the carriage turned out of Ningrong Street, and the wheels suddenly hit a pothole, causing a sudden jolt. Aunt Xue cried out "Ouch" and leaned forward.

Chen Siyuan subconsciously reached out to support her, half hugging Aunt Xue in his arms: "Aunt, be careful."

Aunt Xue's face flushed immediately. Because of the bribery, she quickly sat up straight, coughed awkwardly and thanked him, and was speechless for a while.

There were bursts of thunder outside. Chen Siyuan opened the curtains and looked out, only to see a strong wind and heavy rain.

Sure enough, in a moment, drizzles began to fall, hitting the car awning, dripping like a low humming song.

Chen Siyuan let down the curtains and turned his head inadvertently, his eyes met Aunt Xue's, and he saw that Aunt Xue was staring at him infatuatedly.

At that moment, everything around them seemed to disappear, leaving only the shimmering light in each other's eyes. Aunt Xue's face flushed, just like the first peach blossoms blooming on the branches in spring, delicate and charming.

She couldn't hide her panic, and hurriedly lowered her head slightly, raised her hand and gently stroked the hair on her temples, but the corner of her eye seemed to cast a spell, tightly holding Chen Siyuan's gaze.

Even though Chen Siyuan was a second-generation man, and had been blessed with a lot of women in this life, he was still thirsty at this moment. He swallowed his saliva and subconsciously moved his body, not wanting to brush Aunt Xue's hand with his sleeve.

Looking at Aunt Xue again, she shuddered as if struck by lightning, lowered her delicate head, and bit her rosy lips with her pearly teeth, which made her look even more charming.

"Well, the rain started suddenly." Chen Siyuan said for fun.

Aunt Xue tilted her head and responded in a voice as thin as a mosquito.

Chen Siyuan licked his lower lip and was about to say something else, but suddenly a gust of wind blew, causing the carriage to sway from side to side. Now it was Chen Siyuan's turn to fall towards Aunt Xue without noticing.

Aunt Xue didn't react in time. Just as she turned around, she felt a body rushing towards her, and she fell to the side with it.

Fortunately, Chen Siyuan was quick-witted and quickly reached out to pull Aunt Xue's arm, preventing her from hitting the wall of the carriage.

The two of them were so close that Chen Siyuan could smell the faint fragrance emanating from Aunt Xue's body, a mixture of Lengxiang Pills and powder, and perhaps something else? It was really heart-swaying.

Aunt Xue leaned on the wall with one hand, neither straightening her body nor saying anything else. She just turned her head to look at Chen Siyuan, her eyes full of shyness and panic, but also with a hint of hope.

Their eyes met, and it was as if the air around them had become thicker, and the charming atmosphere spread wantonly in this cramped carriage. Chen Siyuan stared into Aunt Xue's timid, reluctant eyes, and an impulse surged in his heart, wanting to hug the person in front of him tightly.

"This... is a bit of a bumpy road."

Aunt Xue responded softly and turned her head away without looking at him.

Chen Siyuan had originally only pulled her arm, but seeing Aunt Xue like this, how could he not know what she was thinking? Fearing that he might scare her away, he slowly moved down and took hold of that plump, soft hand.

The plump and soft hand felt cold and slightly moist, probably because Aunt Xue's palms were sweating in her panic.

Chen Siyuan held it in his hand, playing with it. Aunt Xue didn't struggle, but her cheeks grew redder, as if covered with a red cloth. Silence reigned inside, broken only by the patter of raindrops hitting the awning.

At this moment, Aunt Xue's body was as stiff as a piece of wood. She just let Chen Siyuan play with her soft hands, but she didn't dare to turn her head to look.

Chen Siyuan's heart grew increasingly restless. He sensed the moment had arrived, so he reached out with his left hand and gently pulled Aunt Xue into his arms. His right hand, freeing her tenderness, lifted it and placed a caress on her burning cheek. He straightened his gaze slightly, their eyes meeting again.

Aunt Xue took one look and immediately began to breathe faster, calling out softly, "Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan said nothing, put his arms around Aunt Xue's neck, leaned over and pressed his lips against hers.

Suddenly, Aunt Xue felt as if struck by lightning. She simply let Chen Siyuan pry open his teeth and stir up the storm, one hand shielding her chest, the other suspended in mid-air. She wanted to push him away, but she couldn't bear to do so. After a moment's stalemate, her left hand wrapped around Chen Siyuan's back and then pulled him towards her, wishing the two of them could merge into one.

Just then, the carriage slowly stopped, and an old servant outside said, "Madam, we have arrived."

Aunt Xue panicked and slapped Chen Siyuan's back desperately. Chen Siyuan let her go after a while.

Aunt Xue quickly replied, "Go knock on the door and ask if the person has returned."

The old servant agreed and went to knock on the door. Aunt Xue turned around and looked at Chen Siyuan with a confused heart.

Chen Siyuan knew Aunt Xue was in a dilemma. If he made even the slightest mistake, she would abruptly withdraw. He simply held out his hand and said, "Give me the banknote. I'll take care of this matter first."

He didn't mention Xue Pan, fearing that Aunt Xue would be suspicious. Aunt Xue agreed and quickly pushed a rosewood box over.

After Chen Siyuan took it, he said worriedly: "Brother Yuan...you..."

"Don't worry," Chen Siyuan said with a smile, "There's no way this won't work!"

He immediately held the box, opened the curtains, and jumped out of the carriage into the wind and rain. Aunt Xue hurriedly ordered, "Hurry up and open an umbrella for my son to keep him out of the rain!"

There was an old servant outside to take charge, so Chen Siyuan didn't need the old servant to follow him. He held the umbrella and the box and went to the door of the steward's house by himself.

This is just a courtyard house with mottled walls and broken tiles. Even the main gate is quite dilapidated.

After a moment, the door opened, and a man in his fifties stopped in front of the door. He glanced at Chen Siyuan and saw that he was well-dressed. He hurriedly bowed and said, "I wonder why you, distinguished sir, are looking for me?"

"But Secretary Lu is here in person?"

"Exactly."

"I'm here because of the Xue family's affairs."

Lu Shixiu's expression changed instantly, and he frowned and said, "I don't know anything about the Xue family."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "No wonder Secretary Lu is angry. When I heard what Zhang Dehui did, I was also very angry... Isn't it?" He shook the box in his hand and said, "I came to your house today to express my anger."

Only then did Lu Shixiu's expression soften and he said, "Since that's the case, please come inside and have a chat."

"Easy to say."

At that moment, Chen Siyuan followed Lu Shixiu into the room without saying anything.

Aunt Xue had been watching from behind the curtains until she saw Chen Siyuan enter. She breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that since Chen Siyuan was so sure, she knew it would be done... Well, it finally worked!
After this, Pan'er was relieved of her worries. She could marry the daughter of the Cao family and take on the job of the imperial merchant in the future. In this way, she could be worthy of her late husband in the afterlife.

Thinking of her late husband, Aunt Xue naturally recalled what had just happened, and her heart became clearly flustered again. However, whether she opened her eyes or closed them, Chen Siyuan's figure was all in her mind.

Aunt Xue had only dreamed of this in the past, never imagining that she and Chen Siyuan would ever become close. Thinking about it now, she felt increasingly guilty and ashamed, feeling that she had failed to be a mother and had done her late husband a disservice.

She was filled with mixed emotions for a moment, but she didn't mention it again. Even as she was lost in thought, a cup of tea passed by in a flash, and then she heard the door creak open again. Aunt Xue hurriedly turned around and looked up to see the steward, Lu, politely escorting Chen Siyuan out.

The two of them stopped in front of the door and exchanged a few pleasantries. Steward Lu then watched Chen Siyuan, who was walking with an umbrella, return to his carriage.

Aunt Xue quickly lowered the curtains, her heart beating wildly again. She bit her lower lip and made up her mind. She would have to explain things to Chen Siyuan later! Just now...just now it was just a momentary impulse. She must not...

As he pondered, the curtains parted, and Chen Siyuan handed the umbrella to the old servant. He shook off the raindrops on his body and said, "This rain is really coming down hard."

"Yeah, yes, it is."

Chen Siyuan sat down leisurely on the side, and with just a glance, he knew that Aunt Xue was in a state of guilt and entanglement.

At this time, most women from wealthy families never left their homes and had never "opened their eyes to see the world", so they naturally felt guilty and conflicted.

Chen Siyuan said, "It's settled. Secretary Lu has agreed. The case file will be delivered within three days."

Aunt Xue breathed a sigh of relief and forced a smile, saying, "It's up to Brother Yuan to take action. A clueless person like me really doesn't know how to handle such a matter."

Chen Siyuan said, "What the concubine said is both right and wrong."

"Brother Yuan, what do you mean?"

"If Master Xue were still alive, the concubine would have taken care of the inner courtyard. Why would she have to show up in public? She has always taken care of her husband and children, rarely interfering in external affairs. Now that she is forced to take on the responsibility, it is understandable that she has no idea where to start.

To put it bluntly, Wenlong… although his temperament is not bad, he is a scoundrel. I don't know how much trouble the concubine has put in for him. If Wenlong had half the intelligence of Baochai, why would he have caused the concubine such embarrassment?

To be frank, I can't help but feel a little pity for you."

Aunt Xue's nose suddenly tightened when she heard this, and she fought hard to hold back her tears. She couldn't help but sigh, "Who could have imagined he'd pass away like this? I've tried my best to help Pan'er, but no matter how much I try, he's not getting any better."

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "Everyone has their own talents. Looking at Baochai, I know that my concubine will definitely be a good wife and mother."

Aunt Xue felt so relieved that she nodded repeatedly.

Chen Siyuan sighed and said, "Don't worry, my concubine, you'll laugh at me. You're so virtuous, yet you're struggling everywhere. I feel so bad for you when I see you. That's why I keep offering advice and running around on your behalf."

As he spoke, he pulled Aunt Xue's hands, looked intently at her eyes, and said, "Madam, do you understand my feelings?"

He held Aunt Xue's plump hand and gradually pressed it against his chest.

　There are so few monthly tickets. Does anyone have any? Please give me some monthly tickets~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)