Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 239 Springtime Melancholy

Meanwhile, Aunt Xue and her daughter Baochai were embracing and crying together in a small courtyard in the northeast. One of them had vented her anger but still felt extremely wronged, while the other felt wronged but couldn't express it.

After a bout of weeping and wailing, they tried to comfort and console each other. Aunt Xue had long since lost her guard. Firstly, Chen Siyuan was adept at manipulating people, and Aunt Xue had indeed taken some of his words to heart. Secondly, Baochai was indeed wronged, and looking around, who was more talented than Chen Siyuan?

Both the Ning and Rong mansions are infested with lazy, dissolute playboys who indulge in pleasure-seeking. Everyone says Chen Siyuan is obsessed with women, but if you look closely, the number of women around him isn't even as many as in Baoyu's room. And then there's the father and son in the East Mansion. One is wanton and reckless; every wife and maid in the household with a bit of beauty has run off with him. The other is dissolute and unrestrained, either seduceing maids or frequenting brothels—he has absolutely no semblance of propriety.

In comparison, although the young nobleman comes from a humble background, he is ambitious and hardworking. At a young age, he has already passed the imperial examination and will likely excel in the future, perhaps even becoming a high-ranking official. Moreover, he has a wide circle of friends and is highly regarded by powerful figures. He has been befriended by the Prince of Yanping and is also favored by the royal family.

Perhaps it was a rough gem a year ago, but now it has been slightly polished and its brilliance has begun to show. If we don't seize the opportunity, who knows how many families will come to see it in the future.

Baochai's marriage to Xiao Liangren... is a bit of a step up for her. Aunt Xue thought that her daughter had already suffered a lot of grievances, and had always been obedient since childhood. Now that she was pouring out her heart to her, it was clear that she couldn't hold back her grievances any longer. She had always been very fond of this daughter, and naturally she didn't want to delay her daughter's marriage because of herself.

However… it's really unpleasant to talk about two horses sharing the same trough, and Aunt Xue herself felt awkward about it. Besides, she still held onto hope for Madam Wang's side.

So Aunt Xue wiped away her tears and said, "What a tragedy... Never mind. If you don't want a perfect match, I won't mention it again. There's only one thing... you and Yuan-ge'er—"

Although Baochai cried her heart out, her emotions had already calmed down after she had vented her anger. How could a young lady like her, who was not yet married, have a secret affair with a man? She simply shook her head and said, "I only have a crush on him."

Aunt Xue then said, "It's best not to reveal this matter for now. Let me sound out Yuan-ge'er first. Also, as for Bao-yu, even if they don't become a couple, they're still cousins, so you mustn't reveal that."

Seeing that Aunt Xue could finally breathe a sigh of relief, Baochai was naturally delighted and hurriedly nodded in agreement. She thought to herself that it would be easy to answer Baoyu; she could simply encourage him to study hard and make progress. As for Brother Yuan… well, they were already seeing each other secretly anyway, so she could continue as before.

After a good cry, Baochai was naturally heartbroken and exhausted. After a while, she went back to Hengwu Garden to rest. Aunt Xue was also heartbroken, but her mind was in turmoil. She touched the key that Chen Siyuan had handed her earlier, bit her lower lip, hesitated slightly, got up, and without taking Tongxi or Tonggui with her, only saying that she was feeling down, she went to the Jade Emperor Temple... She couldn't hold Baochai accountable, but she had to find that young man and have a serious talk with him. Had he led her daughter astray and changed her mind?
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Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan returned to his thatched cottage, pondering how Baochai should confront Aunt Xue. He thought to himself, "Aunt Xue is nothing more than a woman confined to the inner quarters; how could she possibly be a match for Baochai, a master of domestic strife? After this commotion, Aunt Xue might change her mind."

Thinking this way, his mood improved considerably, and he began to consider how to comfort Aunt Xue when he had some free time… He had to get rid of the whole family, mother and daughter, and give her an explanation. As for what explanation to give, hadn't Writer Zhang said that Chen Siyuan should just let her understand the situation clearly? If once didn't work, he would try twice; if twice didn't work, he would try three times. He would try several times, and he was sure he could persuade Aunt Xue.

Just as he was thinking that everything was alright, a maid named Yunxiang called out from outside, "Master, the second young lady, the third young lady, and the fourth young lady have all arrived!"

Chen Siyuan stood up in surprise and hurried to greet him. After a moment's thought, he realized that the sisters had been worried about Baoyu and Fengjie's hysteria these past few days, which was why they hadn't come to visit him. Now that their hysteria had subsided, and remembering his neck injury, they naturally wanted to come and see him.

He strode into the courtyard to greet them, and saw a flurry of beautiful women entering. Leading the way was the second young lady, Yingchun, accompanied by a tall, robust figure—it was Siqi. Siqi was currently giving him smug winks.

What does this mean?

Without thinking it through for a moment, Chen Siyuan approached and greeted them with clasped hands, saying, "Second sister, third sister, fourth sister."

The three girls all curtsied in return. The second girl, Yingchun, said, "Is Brother Yuan's injury any better? The house has been in a mess these past two days. I was planning to come and check on you earlier, but I only had time today."

Xiao Xichun added, "Yes, is there a scar on your neck? Second Sister specially asked for Panax notoginseng powder, saying that it is most effective in treating external injuries."

Tan Chun then said, "Speaking of which, Fourth Sister is the one who is most concerned. She has mentioned several times these past two days that she wants to come and see Brother Yuan."

Xichun pouted and said, "I came here yesterday and met Yunxiang on the way. She said that Brother Yuan went out of the manor."

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily, reached out and ruffled Xiao Xichun's hair, then hurried inside to welcome her. Amidst the laughter and chatter, once everyone was seated, Xiangling and Hongyu served tea and snacks.

Just like before, with so many people around, they could only exchange polite words. The second young lady only inquired about the injury in a proper manner and asked about the food she had eaten these past few days, and then stopped talking about other things; it was the two younger girls, Tan Chun and Xi Chun, who kept talking to Chen Siyuan for a long time.

The second young lady, Yingchun, would occasionally chime in with a teasing remark, which surprised Chen Siyuan. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but Chen Siyuan always felt that the second young lady, Yingchun, was secretly glancing at him. However, every time he turned his head away, she would look away.

Thinking carefully about Siqi's smug look earlier... could it be that she encouraged the second young lady to spend more time with him?
Chen Siyuan was both amused and exasperated. Baochai had already confronted Aunt Xue, and the Second Miss was only now taking this step—wasn't it a bit too late?

Naturally, Chen Siyuan spoke in a way that was considerate and gentle, making sure the second young lady wasn't neglected. Moreover, with so many people around, the second young lady was shy, and the two rarely even made eye contact, let alone exchanged intimate words.

Little did he know that yesterday, when she had some free time, Madam Xing had summoned Yingchun to her room and chatted about various things. It seemed that with Madam Xing's support and encouragement, and the master's earlier pronouncements that the marriage was practically a done deal, there was no reason for it to fail. She also mentioned that Chen Siyuan's parents had died early, and he was all alone and pitiful, so she wanted Yingchun to visit and help him more.

The second daughter, Yingchun, had already harbored feelings for him, but she remained shy, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Today, she sought out Tanchun and Xichun, and even obtained some Panax notoginseng powder from the imperial physician. Having mustered her courage, she finally came to visit. Although she appeared calm on the surface, her heart was pounding wildly, like a deer's. If she hadn't been forcibly suppressing her emotions, her face would likely have already flushed red.

After a while, Xichun had already arranged to play handball together again in a few days, and Tanchun, seeing that there was nothing else to do, was about to take her leave. The second young lady also got up to leave, and Chen Siyuan naturally got up to see her off to the front of the courtyard. As the second young lady was about to leave the courtyard, Siqi, who was standing to the side, kept giving her meaningful glances.

Yingchun glared at Siqi for a moment, then stopped and turned around as she stepped out of the courtyard, saying, "Yes, the other day I happened to see Brother Yuan's manuscript, and it was truly thought-provoking. I didn't know that the Westerners overseas were so different from us. I don't quite understand the principles behind it, but I am fond of the customs and culture I have never seen before... If it is convenient for Brother Yuan, could you lend me your manuscript to take a look?"

How did that manuscript become so widely known? What was my cousin Xing Xiuyan thinking?

Thinking to himself, Yingchun was just asking for a manuscript, and didn't say anything else. How could Chen Siyuan refuse? He immediately agreed, "Okay, I'll send Hongyu to deliver it to Second Sister later."

Yingchun thanked them and then returned with Tanchun and Xichun.

Chen Siyuan returned to the house, pondering Xing Xiuyan's thoughts, when Xing Xiuyan arrived at the door.

My cousin looked completely different today. She wore a pink satin chrysanthemum-patterned round-necked jacket with a gold-leaf pattern and bamboo leaf trim, over which she wore a white cross-collared jacket, and a silver-white satin horse-face skirt with scattered flowers. She still had the plum blossom gold hairpin that Chen Siyuan had given her in her hair.

Zhuan'er always managed to get a few strings of cash as a stipend from Chen Siyuan every month, so she was very observant. As soon as she entered the courtyard with Xing Xiuyan, she dragged the reluctant Yunxiang to the outer room to play.

As soon as the two sat down, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but tease, "A rare guest indeed, is this your first time visiting, cousin?"

Xing Xiuyan pursed her lips and said reproachfully, "You used to live in the back, and with so many people coming and going, how could I possibly go and see you? I came to see you a few days ago, but one thing after another has been happening lately, so it's been delayed until today."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "I thought my cousin was too embarrassed to say that."

Xing Xiuyan gave him a reproachful look but remained silent. This girl, with her carefree and unconventional nature, was clearly biased; in Chen Siyuan's previous life, this would be called having a high level of discernment. Once she had set her mind on Chen Siyuan, aside from the worldly norms of propriety between men and women, why would she care about any idle gossip?
Xiangling, Hongyu, and Wu'er, who were already aware of Xing Xiuyan and Chen Siyuan's situation, covered their mouths and laughed as they withdrew, leaving only the two of them in the room.

Today, Xing Xiuyan styled her hair in a "fallen horse bun" and playfully braided the tilted bun, making her look even more lively than usual.

Chen Siyuan was utterly smitten with the girl. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, he took her hand and held her tenderly for a while before getting down to business, saying, "How come my manuscript is known everywhere now?"

Xing Xiuyan glanced at him and said with a smile, "Sister Bao is very observant. When she sees me copying, she will naturally take a look. And since I live under the same roof as Second Sister, how could I possibly hide it from her after all this time?"

At first glance, it seemed perfectly reasonable. However, if Xing Xiuyan had intended to cover it up, how could even Baochai know what she was copying, let alone the Second Miss?
Chen Siyuan was currently consumed by anger and had no time to investigate the reasons, focusing only on being affectionate with Xing Xiuyan. Little did he know that even though Xing Xiuyan seemed ethereal and otherworldly, this girl also had her own little thoughts.

Because of her background, she couldn't be the principal wife, but even as a concubine, she still needed to choose an easy-going mistress. Although Baochai treated her well, her politeness was tinged with insincerity. Having experienced the coldness of human relationships over the past seventeen years, how could Xing Xiuyan not distinguish between true and false feelings?

The second young lady, though she also harbored her own thoughts, was a kind and gentle person.

Besides, if Baochai is the principal wife, she is merely a concubine; if the second young lady is the principal wife, then because of Madam Xing, she is considered the second young lady's cousin, and naturally becomes a concubine when she marries into the family.

In the Great Shun Dynasty, ordinary people and wealthy families naturally didn't follow these customs, but the more prominent the family, the more they paid attention to them. Even disregarding future social status, just for the sake of ensuring that the second young lady wouldn't harm her, Xing Xiuyan would rather the second young lady marry Chen Siyuan.

Thus, since Baochai knew about the manuscript, Xing Xiuyan took the opportunity to reveal it to the Second Miss, which led to Yingchun's remarks earlier.

Xing Xiuyan wasn't afraid of Chen Siyuan finding out about her little schemes, but in just a short while, Chen Siyuan's pestering made her blush. The girl was worried that if she didn't leave, Chen Siyuan would become even more demanding, so she pretended to be annoyed, and finally took her leave with a red face.

Chen Siyuan saw him off listlessly. Xing Xiuyan, seeing his dejected appearance, covered her mouth and laughed, "There are so many beautiful women in the house, yet you look like you're starving."

Chen Siyuan said aggrievedly, "Xiangling and Hongyu said that I was injured and shouldn't aggravate my wound, so they haven't let me touch it for the past few days."

Xing Xiuyan laughed and said, "Then you just have to bear with it and stop bothering me."

After saying that, he led Zhuan'er away quickly.

Chen Siyuan was about to glance at the Jade Emperor Temple to see if Aunt Xue had arrived when, after seeing Xing Xiuyan off, he turned around and saw Xueyan and Zijuan leading Daiyu toward him.

Chen Siyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately perked up. He stood in front of the door and watched Daiyu and her party approach from afar.

Xueyan, with her sharp eyes, spotted a figure standing in front of Qingtang Thatched Cottage and covered her mouth with a smile, saying, "Miss, it seems that Master Yuan has seen you and is waiting in front of the door."

"Mmm," Daiyu responded softly.

Her eyes, seemingly about to weep, grew even more moist, not from the wind and sand, nor from her thoughts, but simply from having repeatedly looked at the fleeting dream of life these past few days, inevitably moved by its tranquil and elegant charm. And because Chen Siyuan had only written the first half, Daiyu, on a whim, decided to continue writing the second half.

Unfortunately, she was only twelve or thirteen years old. No matter how intelligent or well-read she was, she lacked experience and insight. How could she possibly write such simple yet heartfelt words that Chen Siyuan had plagiarized?
Yesterday, after confirming that Sister Feng and Baoyu were safe and sound, Daiyu stayed up late by lamplight, racking her brains to write two more pieces of text. This morning, she didn't get up until late in the morning, and when she picked up the text she had written last night, she felt that the whole thing was pretentious and deliberately mysterious, which made Daiyu so angry that she tore up both pages.

Hearing that Sanchun had gone to visit Chen Siyuan, she finally finished getting ready and led two maids to visit him as well.

Upon catching a glimpse of Chen Siyuan from afar, Daiyu felt a strange stirring in her heart. He was a scheming, opportunistic man, yet his writing possessed such elegance. It's said that a book reflects its author, and Daiyu grew increasingly curious about what kind of person Chen Siyuan truly was.

After a short while, they arrived at the front and greeted each other. They went inside together and sat down. Daiyu said, "Is the wound on your neck any better? Last time, only some medicine for the wound was sent. I was afraid it wouldn't be enough, so I brought some more this time."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xueyan presented a small brocade box and said with a smile, "Our young lady's wound medicine was bestowed by the Emperor. The master was afraid that the young lady might get hurt, so he gave her some."

"You're so talkative," Daiyu scolded, and Xueyan retreated with a smile.

The two chatted briefly, and the topic of life being like a dream came up again. Daiyu said, "I am really surprised. I don't know how Master Yuan could write such words. I myself tried to imitate him and wrote a couple of chapters. When I wrote them, I thought they were good, but when I read them again after waking up, they tasted like wax."

Chen Siyuan pondered, "Perhaps it's because I've seen so much that I've vaguely gained some insights."

Daiyu, her fingers gripping the teacup, frowned and murmured, "This story of Sanbai and Yunniang... it makes my heart ache even more." Her eyes, seemingly about to weep, looked at Chen Siyuan, and she said, "You, Ji Shuo, can use words to express everything about people's hearts and minds. Why not finish the story of their separation and reunion?" Chen Siyuan chuckled, "I did want to write the part where Yunniang, in her illness, forces a smile and persuades Sanbai to take a concubine, but alas, my experience is limited. I've never been married, so how would I know the thoughts of a married woman?" He paused, then added, "That day I saw Lin Daiyu burying flowers again. Lin Daiyu said, if those flowers and fruits had souls, would they rather fall to the ground and become mud, or drift away with the flowing water to the ends of the earth?"

"How can you know the joy of fish if you are not a fish?" Daiyu was clever and understood immediately. She lowered her eyes and pondered, "I have thought about it a lot, but I can neither play the infatuated Du Liniang nor the Yunniang who finds joy in suffering."

Chen Siyuan suppressed his smile and pondered for a moment before saying, "Does my sister know about the old plum tree in the Longcui Nunnery?" Seeing her nod, he continued, "When the flowers bloom, everyone praises its purity, but when it bears sour fruit, even the sweeping woman finds it dirty. The romantic entanglements and tribulations in this book... I'm afraid we'll only be able to tell whether it was all a dream or a real life when we leave this garden."

The phrase "leaving the courtyard" naturally refers to discussing marriage.

Daiyu blushed, and her opinion of Chen Siyuan changed considerably. She thought to herself that one should not be prejudiced. She had previously thought he was only interested in scheming and womanizing, but she did not expect him to be so clever and witty, unlike those empty-headed and filthy men.

Although the two had known each other for years, since the bet at Rongxi Hall, they had met many times, but had rarely spoken privately like this. Daiyu only briefly mentioned the manuscript before taking her leave.

Before leaving, Chen Siyuan instructed Hongyu to find a packet of cordyceps and send it to Daiyu at Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

If he had been restless and agitated before, his conversation with Daiyu had calmed him down. But after wandering around the Jade Emperor Temple to the south and seeing that the main gate was locked and bolted, Chen Siyuan's anger flared up again.

Since Miao'er and Tiao'er were not seen guarding the main gate, it was obvious that the person inside must be Aunt Xue!

It was already close to noon, lunchtime. Chen Siyuan circled back, and seeing that no one was around, he climbed trees and scaled walls in one go, landing in the Jade Emperor Temple in no time.

Seeing that the door to the quiet room was ajar, Chen Siyuan quickly pushed it open and entered. He saw Aunt Xue looking over nervously. When she saw that it was Chen Siyuan, she immediately frowned and said, "You've kept this from me for so long. Tell me, what's going on between you and Baochai?"

Chen Siyuan feigned surprise and asked, "What happened between me and Bao Meimei?"

Aunt Xue gritted her teeth and said, "Bah! You still want to fool me now? My daughter has explained the matter between the two of you clearly, and you still want to cover it up?"

Chen Siyuan's mind raced. He thought to himself, given Baochai's prudent nature, even if she confronted him, would she really admit to having a secret affair with him? At most, she would just admit to having feelings for him. He figured that Aunt Xue was just trying to trick him!

Feeling somewhat relieved, Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm just indulging in love with her because of her, and I can't bear to see Bao-meimei without a home. How could I have anything to do with her?"

Aunt Xue asked suspiciously, "Really not?"

Chen Siyuan frowned and said coldly, "What exactly did Baochai say? Enough, enough," he stepped forward and grabbed Aunt Xue's soft hand, then turned and left, "Let's find Baochai and get to the bottom of this. I won't accept this injustice!"

Aunt Xue was just bluffing him, and seeing his reaction, she felt a little more at ease. She quickly leaned back to stop him, saying, "She...she didn't say that. I was just overthinking it."

Chen Siyuan stopped and turned around, looking at Aunt Xue with a solemn expression, and said: "I have always treated you with all my heart. I have seen your family business decline and struggled to make a living several times. I also felt sorry for you for the difficulty of supporting the family business and offered you advice time and time again... I have always been loyal to you, but who knew that you would doubt me now!"

Aunt Xue panicked immediately and stammered, "I... I only acted impulsively. Please, please don't be angry." Her nose stung, and tears welled up in her eyes as she sobbed, "How can I not overthink what Baochai just said?"

Seeing that the time was right, Chen Siyuan leaned over, put his arm around her, and sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), asking gently, "What exactly did Bao-mei say?"

While crying, Aunt Xue recounted the grievances that Baochai had just expressed in a tearful manner.

Chen Siyuan inwardly praised her, but said aloud, "I told you before, mountains crumble and rivers flow away. A family's prosperity depends on people, and naturally it also depends on people. Although Baochai is intelligent, she is just a girl; and Wenlong is a reckless scoundrel—hiss!"

Aunt Xue couldn't help but nudge him with her elbow, then turned to the side.

Chen Siyuan said, "I wasn't wrong. Second Brother Lian calls Wenlong Xue the big fool in private!"

"That doesn't mean you can talk about him like that!"

“Very well, very well—” Chen Siyuan continued, “The other branches of the Xue family have long coveted the eldest branch’s business. Your brother… is cunning and treacherous. How can you be sure that the Jia family won’t have other ideas in the future? The best course of action now is to resign from the imperial merchant position, stay home and wait for the right opportunity, and urge Wenlong to have more children. It is said that dragons have nine offspring. If we have many children, we are sure to choose one that will bring prosperity to the family business. In this way, the Xue family will have hope, and perhaps in a few decades it will be even more prosperous than before.”

Aunt Xue was swayed by his words, but then said with a wronged tone, "I have certainly listened to what you said, but since Pan'er's wedding, there has been no news from the room." She paused, then looked at Chen Siyuan and said, "Do you think I should ask the First Madam for some purple bamboo? Perhaps with Her Majesty's blessing, my family will have an heir?"

What does Guan Zizhu have to do with this? She needs to ask Chen Siyuan for help!

“You can’t rush things when it comes to children,” Chen Siyuan said after a long speech. The anger he had suppressed was now rising again, and he couldn’t help but tease him, “Besides, Wenlong hasn’t made any moves, why don’t you come and ask me for help? Wouldn’t it be the same if you made some moves?”

"Huh?" Aunt Xue was stunned and didn't know how to reply when she suddenly exclaimed and was thrown onto the kang by Chen Siyuan. Before she could say anything, her lips were pried open.

Having been pent-up for several days, Chen Siyuan's behavior was inevitably rough. Ignoring Aunt Xue's pleas, he simply stripped off his clothes and pressed himself against her. Unexpectedly, Aunt Xue fainted after only a slight resistance. In an instant, she felt as if she had drunk fine wine, her body and mind floating on clouds, her limbs trembling, her mouth ice-cold. And so, the small, quiet room was filled with the warmth of spring...

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Zhuijinlou.

It was lunchtime, and the maid Xiuju brought over a food box, which Siqi spread out to serve Yingchun her afternoon snack. The three spring maids had spent some time playing together after leaving the thatched cottage, and only now were they returning to their rooms.

Xi Chun, being young, hadn't yet discerned anything, while the third young lady, Tan Chun, being clever, though vaguely aware of something, remained silent. Now that she had a moment, Si Qi whispered to Ying Chun, "Miss, was what I said this morning correct? If you put your mind at ease, what can't you say?"

Yingchun blushed slightly and just kept eating and drinking in silence.

Siqi then said, "Since you've mentioned the manuscript, Miss, why don't I invite Miss Xing over after I've had a look at it? She's been copying it for Master Yuan for who knows how long, so she must know the inside story. If you can get some information out of her, you can have more private conversations with Master Yuan in the future."

Yingchun glanced at Siqi, seeing her smiling and eager expression, and nodded in a barely audible voice. She secretly thought to herself, "That manuscript was deliberately revealed to me by Xing Xiuyan. If I ask her, why wouldn't she tell me?"

Sure enough, after lunch, Siqi went next door to invite Xing Xiuyan over. The two cousins ​​were about the same age; one was as gentle as a chrysanthemum, and the other as carefree as a hermit, and they got along very well.

During this time, Yingchun inquired about the manuscript, and Xing Xiuyan answered all her questions without reservation, which deeply moved the second young lady.

Just as they were talking animatedly, a gentle breeze blew in through the window, and Xing Xiuyan began to sneeze repeatedly. Yingchun felt much closer to Xing Xiuyan and joked, "Perhaps someone is thinking about my cousin."

Xing Xiuyan rubbed her nose and laughed, "I don't know if anyone is thinking of me, but I do know that I'm not dressed warmly enough today. Second sister, please borrow some clothes quickly, or I'll really catch a cold."

The two cousins ​​laughed and joked for a while, and Yingchun hurriedly got up to find clothes for Xing Xiuyan to wrap herself in, unaware that someone was indeed thinking of Xing Xiuyan at that moment.

It wasn't Chen Siyuan, who was battling with Aunt Xue, but rather Daiyu in the Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

After talking with Chen Siyuan, Daiyu returned to Xiaoxiang Pavilion and became even more thoughtful. She thought to herself, "Chen Siyuan wasn't born with knowledge; he's just a little older than me. How could he write about this fleeting life like a dream?"

She sat up in silence, her brow furrowed and her sighs heavy. Xueyan and Zijuan looked at each other in silence, wondering why the young lady had changed so much when she was perfectly fine in the thatched cottage in Qingtang earlier, and Master Yuan hadn't said anything strange.

The two maids couldn't help but step forward to persuade her, but they found that it didn't suit Daiyu's tastes at all. Xueyan and Zijuan had no choice but to let her be.

Unexpectedly, Daiyu suddenly began to think about Yunniang's situation and compared her own acquaintances with her. This comparison proved to be quite significant, and she actually found a Yunniang!

Intelligent, thrifty, kind-hearted, free-spirited, and deeply affectionate... Isn't this personality a perfect match for Xing Xiuyan?

Thinking of this, Daiyu blinked, puffed out her cheeks, and felt a slight dissatisfaction. Although Sister Xing was a good person, how could she be as good as Yunniang in the book? Although she herself was frail, she was no worse than the characters in the book.

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A poem testifies: Her captivating red and white flesh-colored dress is utterly enchanting, a delight to behold. Her skirt trails behind a jade-green gauze gown, her sleeves adorned with gilded ribbons. Her jeweled hair is styled in a carefree, slanted way. She is like Chang'e descended from the moon, a beauty that even a thousand pieces of gold could not buy.

Inside the quiet room of the Jade Emperor Temple, the clouds had dispersed and the rain had stopped, creating a serene atmosphere. Aunt Xue's hair was askew, her eyes were half-closed, and her face was flushed, clearly indicating that she had not yet recovered.

After a while, fearing she would miss the appointed time, she groaned and struggled to her feet, playfully slapping Chen Siyuan, saying, "You rascal, what if someone really dies?"

Chen Siyuan replied, "Just give birth to it, I'll raise it."

"Tch!" Aunt Xue retorted angrily, "You make it sound so nice, but I'm an old widow, unemployed, and you're saying I'm pregnant with a pearl... If word gets out, I'll be laughed at to death by the world!"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "What's so difficult about that? Just say you have something to do in Jinling, then say you're sick halfway through, and come back after you give birth."

Aunt Xue was far from reassured about Xue Pan and Baochai, and thought to herself that it was all nonsense. She made up her mind that she had to find that contraceptive soup later.

After several tender moments, Aunt Xue was completely bewildered and confused. Now that she felt clear-headed, she had come to terms with many of her previous worries.

If a woman's heart is entirely with a man, she'll believe any nonsense he spouts. Aunt Xue thus believed Chen Siyuan's earlier words, assuming that Chen Siyuan had no private dealings with Baochai.

Thinking that her young master was an exceptional man, if Baochai missed this opportunity, she might never find such a suitable match again... Therefore, Aunt Xue bit her lip and said, "Baochai has revealed her feelings... What are your thoughts?"

Chen Siyuan said, "No matter how much I want to, how can I possibly get past you?"

Aunt Xue felt even more pleased and frowned, saying, "Then I'll think about it some more."

She made up her mind to ask her sister, Lady Wang, about it the next day. If she was still being secretive and avoiding the topic, then what did it matter if she arranged for her young master and Baochai to be together? In any case, she and he were destined to live in the shadows—as long as they kept it a secret, what did it matter?
After a fierce battle, Chen Siyuan was as if he had been pulled out of the water. Hearing this, he only responded softly, without trying to figure out what Aunt Xue was thinking.

Aunt Xue dressed herself neatly, asked Chen Siyuan how he was leaving, and then leisurely and quickly left.

Watching Aunt Xue leave, Chen Siyuan stretched and felt extremely comfortable. Just now, his stomach was churning and he couldn't stand the hunger. He was about to get up and leave when he heard the temple door creak open. Then Madam Xing said, "You all stay here. I will come out after chanting some scriptures for a while."

Chen Siyuan was immediately terrified: Aunt Xue had just left... Luckily, he didn't run into her, otherwise there would have been a real mess!
(End of this chapter)