Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 243 Bao Jie, Made of Water
"Selling big or small~ Hey~ Little goldfish~ Come on."

"Hey~ buns~ hey~ the buns are hot, keep going, these buns are hot, the leavened buns are hot."

"Drawing divination sticks and telling fortunes; seeking blessings and asking about matters; divine calculations; marriage matching and detailed analysis of birth dates and times."

Chen Siyuan led Baochai through the bustling market. Although Baochai occasionally strolled around, she mostly just glanced at the items. Even when they went to the silk shops to select fabrics, the owners dismissed the other people so Baochai could choose at her leisure. She had never before wandered so freely through the bustling market.

The sounds of vendors hawking their wares filled the air. There were merchants doing business, people strolling through the market, groups of young thugs, yamen runners walking with their arms crossed and shouting, and even Westerners with high noses and deep-set eyes. Baochai was overwhelmed by the sights and felt extremely curious.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted ahead. A passerby had caught a beggar, whose hand was gripping the passerby's purse. The passerby cursed loudly and was about to raise his hand to slap the beggar when, to his surprise, the beggar's eyes rolled back and he fell straight backward.

The pedestrian jumped back in fright and said to the crowd, "Fellow elders, look carefully, I didn't touch him!"

As soon as he finished speaking, seven or eight thugs swarmed around him, pushing him and cursing him, leaving him speechless.

After a long commotion, another bailiff came to smooth things over, and the man finally accepted his bad luck and paid the ransom. Chen Siyuan, holding Baochai's hand, watched from afar. Looking down at her, he saw that Baochai's face was calm and composed, without a trace of resentment. He thought to himself, Baochai is certainly not the kind of person who only knows highbrow culture. Because of her precocious intelligence, she probably already knows that the world is not so black and white, but rather that there is white in black and black in white, and black and white are mixed together and cannot be clearly defined.

Baochai looked away and then looked up to meet his gaze. Chen Siyuan asked in a low voice, "Are you alright?"

Baochai smiled and nodded, saying, "It's alright."

So the two continued their stroll. They came across a roadside vendor selling palace flowers; though the styles were rather common, the two women enthusiastically began to pick them out. After a while, Baochai chose a peony-shaped flower, and then, after some deliberation, selected a lotus flower and a magnolia flower.

Just then, a vendor by the roadside lifted the lid of a pot, and the aroma wafted over. Baochai couldn't help but sniff it and then looked over there longingly.

Judging by the time, it was well past Chen Shi (7-9 AM), time to have breakfast. Chen Siyuan was tall, and by standing on tiptoe, he could see a stall selling shumai and wontons not far away. The stall owners were an elderly couple, wearing aprons, and they looked fairly clean.

Chen Siyuan said, "To be honest, I'm a little hungry. Why don't you join me for a meal, my wife?"

Baochai hesitated, saying, "The food outside isn't very clean—"

"A little dirt won't hurt you, let's go!"

Without giving Bao Jie a chance to refuse, Chen Siyuan pulled her to the stall. Chen Siyuan familiarly swept the stall with his sleeve and then called out to the stall owner, "Two bowls of wontons and half a steamer of shumai. Oh, and don't put cilantro in one of the bowls of wontons."

The old man was in charge of cooking, and the old woman was making wontons. Hearing the old man repeat the instructions, she immediately picked up the wontons and put them in the pot. In just a short while, two bowls of wontons and a plate of shumai were served.

Chen Siyuan then prepared a sauce of oil, vinegar, and garlic, rinsed the chopsticks with hot water, and handed it to the slightly reserved Sister Bao.

"Have a taste."

Baochai agreed, took the chopsticks, and carefully wiped them with a handkerchief. She first handed one to Chen Siyuan, and then wiped her own. She did the same with the spoon before scooping up a wonton, which was piping hot and fragrant.

These street stalls, though their food is just ordinary, have the advantage of being cooked on the spot, unlike the Rongguo Mansion where you have to bring your own food from the kitchen.

From the small kitchen in the Grand View Garden to Hengwu Garden, even if Ying'er walked quickly, it would still take quite a while. Foods like wontons would no longer taste as good as when they were fresh out of the pot.

So when it entered Baochai's mouth, she found the dough chewy and springy, the filling just average, but the soup base was exceptionally delicious. Perhaps she was really hungry, because she ate one after another, and soon ate half a bowl.

When she came to her senses, she quickly stole a glance at Chen Siyuan, only to see him engrossed in his meal, holding half a shumai in one hand and a spoon in the other, eating elegantly yet extremely swiftly.

Baochai was immediately relieved, and with a smile, she picked up a shumai, took a small bite, and found that it tasted even better than the wontons.

As the saying goes, "beauty is food for the eyes," and because Chen Siyuan hadn't looked at her, Baochai accidentally finished a bowl of wontons and even ate a few shumai.

When she noticed that the steamer basket was empty, Baochai bit her lower lip and pondered. Just then, Chen Siyuan reached over and grabbed at empty air, making Baochai even more afraid to look at people.

Chen Siyuan looked up and saw that the steamer was empty. His expression remained unchanged. He simply turned to the stall owner and said, "The shumai is delicious. Give me another half steamer."

The stall owner responded and then brought over another half-drawer.

Chen Siyuan then said, "I was so hungry just now that I probably ate all the shumai. My wife, would you like some too?"

Bao-jie said softly, "I'm full right now."

Chen Siyuan picked up a shumai and handed it over, smiling as he said, "How big is this shumai? We might have to walk a lot today, you need to eat more to keep up."

Baochai bit her lip and remained silent, while Chen Siyuan continued eating in silence. After a while, Baochai finally couldn't resist and picked up her chopsticks to eat the shumai in small bites.

After the two had finished eating, Chen Siyuan got up to settle the bill, which turned out to be only a little over thirty copper coins. Chen Siyuan turned around, took Baochai's hand, and continued walking. This place was near Yanshou Temple and not far from Zhengyang Gate. Since Liulichang had moved away, the surrounding area had become increasingly prosperous.

At this moment, Baochai suddenly stepped forward and muttered in a low voice, "I was thinking about things all morning and didn't eat much breakfast... You are not allowed to laugh at me for eating too much."

"Huh?" Chen Siyuan turned his head to look at her and said with a smile, "Where is the excess? Being slender and graceful is beautiful, but being plump and dignified is also beautiful. My sister has a large frame, so she should eat more to be beautiful. Right now, she still looks a bit weak."

Baochai raised her eyes, thinking he was just trying to coax her, but to her surprise, she saw no trace of pretense in his eyes. She couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Is that what you think?" Suddenly, she remembered that Siqi, who was always outstanding among the others, standing out from the crowd, and said with a smile, "Doesn't that mean that you also think Siqi, who is by Second Sister's side, is very good?"

Chen Siyuan chuckled awkwardly and said vaguely, "How can you say such nonsense? People prefer slender and graceful women, probably because scholars are often weak and frail. When they encounter a tall and robust woman, their presence naturally diminishes." As he spoke, he stretched out his figure and said, "Sister, do you think I am such a weak and frail scholar now?"

Baochai observed him closely. Chen Siyuan was a head taller than her. Although he looked thin, when she leaned on his shoulder, she had been resting her head on a muscular body. In the blink of an eye, more than two years had passed, and the man she loved was no longer the same frail scholar he once was.

Not only that, his face had also gained weight, making him look even more handsome than before. Baochai felt her heart melt at the sight, and quickly lowered her eyes and nodded slightly.

Chen Siyuan said, "Isn't this it?" He then pointed to Yanshou Temple in the distance and said, "I saw some fortune tellers in front of the temple. Let's go and see what's going on."

"Ah."

The two walked through the streets and soon arrived at Yanshou Temple, where fortune-telling stalls were indeed everywhere. Chen Siyuan glanced around, chose a man with a sage-like appearance, went over and slipped him a small piece of silver. He then gave the fortune teller a meaningful look, and the man, as if by magic, quickly handed him the divination stick container and subtly pointed to a stick with his pinky finger.

Chen Siyuan reached out and pulled it out; it was indeed the best fortune slip.

The gentleman took it, glanced at it, and exclaimed in surprise, "Zhao Zilong saves A Dou! This is an extremely auspicious sign! May I ask what you wish to ask for, sir?"

Chen Siyuan turned to look at Baochai, who then said, "Please calculate my future."

The fortune teller calculated for a moment and said, "A fine sword drawn from its sheath shines brightly for miles; a noble person points it out, and everyone praises it. This divination slip symbolizes a sword drawn from its sheath, indicating that a wise person will point out all your problems. I predict that you, sir, will surely pass the next imperial examination!"

Although she knew it was auspicious talk, Baochai felt exceptionally warm inside. Chen Siyuan whispered, "Sister, would you like to draw a fortune stick too?"

Baochai agreed, and the fortune teller waved around haphazardly for a moment before handing over the divination sticks. Baochai looked at them and finally drew one.

The fortune teller took the divination slip, glanced at it, and said, "Yao will be able to take up a post; this is a medium-to-high fortune. May I ask what this young lady is seeking?"

Baochai hesitated and remained silent, so Chen Siyuan said from the side, "Please trouble you, sir, to calculate our marriage prospects."

Although the fortune teller didn't know why Chen Siyuan had brought a girl with a birthmark covering half her face to have her fortune told, he could tell from the way the two were exchanging glances. He sighed inwardly, "Like attracts like," and with a solemn expression, he muttered, "After overcoming many dangers, there will be no more misfortune. There are ways to calm your mind, and you will meet a wise man to protect you."

This hexagram signifies a well finding a spring, indicating that all things will be accomplished with the help of a benefactor. I have deduced that your previous marriage prospects were uncertain because you had not yet met a suitable partner. Now, a perfect match is within your grasp; you must seize this opportunity to ensure a happy marriage and a peaceful life.”

Baochai thought to herself, "That so-called 'golden and jade marriage' before, isn't it just that marriage is uncertain?" She glanced at Chen Siyuan again and thought, "Indeed, it's a match made in heaven..." The two families had been at odds before, and Baochai disliked him intensely. Then she provoked him again and again... Who knew that the two of them would turn out to be a pair of bickering lovers!

Perhaps with all her worries gone, Baochai no longer needed to be as cautious as usual after this makeover, for she couldn't help but cast a tender glance at Chen Siyuan. The two smiled at each other, and she shyly thanked him before finding her purse to pay the fortune-telling fee.

The fortune teller earned two cents from his business, lamenting how many suckers there were in the world. Estimating that he had earned at least two taels of silver, he beamed with a smile, looking even more like a sage.

After walking a few steps with Baochai, Chen Siyuan heard the chanting of Buddhist scriptures coming from Yanshou Temple. Baochai then said, "I suddenly feel like going to worship Buddha. Would you like to come with me?"

"What's wrong with that? Let's go."

The two entered Yanshou Temple together, bought incense and candles from the guest monk, and knelt before the main hall to pray for blessings. Baochai knelt on the prayer mat, chanting incantations, but Chen Siyuan could not hear her clearly because of the chanting. He imitated the others and knelt down to pray, and seeing Baochai's devout appearance, he couldn't help but smile.

He thought to himself, "There's a saying from a past life: if she's naive and inexperienced, take her to see all the wonders of the world; if she's world-weary, take her on a carousel." In short, dating should leverage the "suspension bridge effect."

Baochai has always been dignified and quiet, partly due to the rules of etiquette and partly due to the effects of the Cold Fragrance Pill. Now that the Cold Fragrance Pill has long been discontinued, and she has changed her ways and no longer needs to follow etiquette, she can be taken to the bustling city for a wild and unrestrained time. This will surely leave an imprint on her heart, and she will not forget it even after several years.

After paying their respects, Baochai indeed shed her shyness and strolled around, chatting and laughing with Chen Siyuan. Sometimes, when she saw something she liked, she would tug at Chen Siyuan to take a look.

The two strolled around for quite a while, only returning to their carriage near the end of the day. Although Baochai was still reluctant to leave, she was always considerate and knew that if they didn't go back soon, her mother would become suspicious. So she said to Chen Siyuan, "Since Mother has entrusted me with managing the latex accounts, we can naturally go out for strolls again in the future. Besides, these white fish and dragon costumes are mostly from plays. The marketplace is full of all sorts of people, so we should only do them occasionally and not take the risk repeatedly."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed. As the carriage set off, he suddenly said with a smile, "Sister, please close your eyes."

Baochai blinked and asked, "What did you secretly buy? I didn't see it."

"Haha, let me keep you in suspense for now."

Baochai smiled and closed her eyes. Chen Siyuan rummaged in his sleeve and found an eighteen-bead aquamarine bracelet with a five-colored gemstone ruyi pendant hanging from a tassel. He had bought this on a whim when choosing a congratulatory gift for Qingwen, intending to give it to Aunt Xue when he had time.

Now that it's such a coincidence, why not give it to Sister Bao first... since they're both mother and daughter, why be so clear about it?

He took Baochai's right hand and quietly put it on her wrist. Baochai opened her eyes to look at it and saw an eighteen-bead aquamarine pendant on her hand. She was immediately surprised and asked, "When did you buy this?"

Chen Siyuan boasted, "The Buddha said: It cannot be spoken, it cannot be spoken."

This eighteen-bead bracelet could be used for playing with or worn as decoration, which suited Baochai's taste perfectly. As a result, her almond-shaped eyes became even more moist when she looked at Chen Siyuan.

How could Chen Siyuan possibly restrain himself any longer? With a wave of his hand, he pulled Baochai into his arms, lowering his head to gently whisper, "Sister Bao—"

Baochai knew he was up to something, but her mind was preoccupied with him, so she only responded in a barely audible voice. Chen Siyuan, seeing this, immediately became audacious, reaching out to embrace Baochai's waist and leaning down to kiss her innocent face.

At first, he only pecked lightly, but when Baochai could no longer hold her breath and began to pant, Chen Siyuan took the opportunity to pry open her teeth and kiss her tenderly. Baochai, experiencing this pleasure for the first time, was dazzled and moved, her arms tightly wrapped around Chen Siyuan, letting him do as he pleased, trembling from time to time.

Suddenly, her front was torn open, and a large hand reached inside and captured Yingrou. Baochai twisted her legs together and writhed. After a while, she suddenly rolled her eyes, let out a soft moan, and continued to twist her body, which surprised Chen Siyuan. This, Baochai's body is too sensitive, isn't it?

It was not appropriate to speak at this time, so Chen Siyuan was very tender and spoke many sweet words to Baochai. He only let go of her when they were almost at their destination.

At this moment, Sister Bao was still not over it when she suddenly realized that her body was slippery and she immediately scolded, "You, if you keep doing this, I will never come out with you again!"

Chen Siyuan sighed and said, "It's all my fault for not being able to resist... Alas, I only regret that I can't marry my sister right away." Upon hearing this, Baochai's expression softened a bit. She then glanced at his waist and blushed as she whispered, "You don't need to rush... It's only a month or so. Everything will be fine by then."

Unable to contain her shyness any longer, she simply covered her face with a veil, picked up her bundle of clothes, and got off the carriage first. Chen Siyuan remained in the carriage to calm himself, his face beaming with smiles. Everyone says women are made of water, but others don't know; today, this Sister Bao truly is made of water.

Meanwhile, Sister Bao entered through the back door. Ying'er was munching on watermelon seeds with her little feet up when she saw a woman enter. After looking at her for a while, she finally recognized her as her mistress.

Even now, Baochai's face was still flushed, but she deliberately put on a stern face and pretended to be angry, which frightened Ying'er into not saying a word. She just obediently listened to her instructions and served her in dressing and grooming.

Then she followed her in her own carriage back to the Rongguo Mansion. Ying'er didn't dare to speak the whole way, only stealing glances at Baochai. She saw her young lady resting her chin on her hand, deep in thought. After a while, her face would sometimes show a smile, sometimes a frown and annoyance, and sometimes a blush.

Ying'er was puzzled and wondered what had happened to that young lady that Master Yuan had done to offend her, and why she was so capricious.

They returned directly to the Rongguo Mansion. Baochai led Ying'er to the small courtyard in the northeast to greet Aunt Xue, but then excused herself by saying she was tired and soon returned to Hengwu Garden. After sitting down on the bed, she instructed Ying'er to fetch water to serve her a foot bath.

Ying'er fetched water and removed Baochai's shoes and socks, only to find that her young mistress's feet were swollen, probably from walking too much. That Master Yuan was so uncaring, no wonder her young mistress was angry.

Ying'er felt she had discovered Baochai's thoughts, but little did she know that Baochai was feeling a mixture of shyness and joy.

Baochai had a vivid memory of everything that had happened that day. As a result, the fortune-telling stall and the wonton stall would appear before her eyes, and she could almost smell the aroma of freshly cooked shumai.

As for the romantic scene inside the carriage… although it was somewhat improper, and Baochai feigned annoyance, she was secretly delighted. She was precocious, having read tales of talented scholars and beautiful women in her youth. She had previously dismissed the descriptions of intoxicating pleasure as exaggerated, but now, experiencing it for the first time, she found it to be true!
Then I remembered that there was a hard object pressing against me at that time. I thought he was hiding something in his waist, but who would have thought that he was hiding something in his body?
Thinking that she might have to go and mingle with those vixens again, Baochai hoped that the rest of the month would pass quickly, and that by this time next month... everything would be clear.
The area beneath her felt increasingly cold and slippery, and Baochai frowned inwardly. After washing her feet, she sent Ying'er away and, taking advantage of a short rest, secretly removed her undergarments. Unaware of the reason, she assumed she had lost control of her bladder and inwardly cursed herself for being so weak, her face turning bright red with embarrassment.

So he tossed and turned under the brocade quilt, his thoughts becoming increasingly chaotic...

............................................................

Now, Chen Siyuan, having just gotten close to Baochai, was planning to strike while the iron was hot, but to his surprise, Baochai claimed to have caught a cold and avoided him for two days. Chen Siyuan was both amused and exasperated, secretly thinking that after some time, wouldn't their progress have gone back to square one?
On March 28th, Chen Siyuan spent the morning reading and writing, and the afternoon he taught Jia Lan for an hour. Just after 1 p.m., he went to the new house.

This day was Qingwen's birthday, and that girl was quite temperamental. If she missed this opportunity, she might give her a hard time.

Because Chen Siyuan only stayed at the Chen family's new residence occasionally, You Sanjie was in charge most of the time. After many bumpy years, things have finally settled into a more orderly manner.

It's like when a maidservant has a birthday celebration. According to the rules, she's given some money and a day off. Then, in the evening, the maidservants from all over gather together to celebrate.

But Qingwen was no ordinary maid. Anyone with eyes could see that Qingwen was Chen Siyuan's favorite. Since it was You Sanjie who made the decision, the amount was slightly reduced compared to You Erjie's, and the banquet was scheduled to start at Shenshi (3-5 PM). A female storyteller was also invited to entertain them.

Early that morning, Qingwen carefully dressed herself up and changed into a new outfit. She wore a light purple satin vest with a pinkish-purple embroidered collar and a light purple floral pattern over a white cross-collar gauze dress, a light purple satin sash with floral patterns around her waist, and a moon-white long skirt. She wore a gold hairpin and palace flowers in her hair. At the tender age of 12, although her attire still carried a touch of childishness, it made her even more charming and beautiful.

As the old woman helped her get dressed, she looked at her charming and lovely appearance in the mirror and couldn't help but tsk and tease, "Look at you, what maid is dressed like this, adorned with gold and silver? If you went out dressed like this, people would believe you were a young lady from another family."

Although Qingwen was secretly pleased, she retorted playfully, "Granny is teasing me again!"

Luan'er stared at Qingwen without blinking for a long while before saying, "Eldest sister looks beautiful today!"

Granny Qu covered her mouth and laughed, "Look, Luan'er can't lie. She said you're beautiful, how could she fake it?" She paused, then leaned closer and whispered, "Today is a special day for the young lady."

Granny Qu emphasized the words "good days," which immediately made Qingwen's pretty face blush.

After Granny Qu led Luan'er away, Qingwen stroked her hair and stared blankly at herself in the mirror.

She was a proud person to begin with, and by chance she ended up by Grandpa Yuan's side. It's only been a little over a year since then.

Compared to the young master Bao, who was born with a jade in his mouth, Master Yuan was far superior. He was kind and generous, and extremely considerate towards him. During his recent trip south, he went to great lengths to find him a mother and a younger sister.

Humans aren't plants or trees; how could they be without feelings? From that moment on, Qingwen devoted her entire heart to Master Yuan. However, Master Yuan was still living in the Rongguo Mansion, only coming to stay for one night every few days. Most of the time, he sought out his second and third concubines, and only very rarely would he hold Qingwen in his arms to sleep.

When they shared a bed, although teasing and caressing were inevitable, Yuan Da Ye was very sensible. Whenever he couldn't hold back his desires, he would ask me to serve him in different ways.

If she were in Bao Er Ye's room, Qingwen would feel that her beauty far surpassed that of others, so she wouldn't have any complaints. However, the people around Yuan Da Ye were all vying for attention, not to mention Xiangling, the second concubine, and the third concubine, who all looked just like her.

Third Aunt was the most favored by Master Yuan, Sister Xiangling was always obedient, and Second Aunt went to great lengths to please Master Yuan...

With such a gem before her, Qingwen naturally lost some of her usual arrogance. She thought of Bao Er Ye's room, where Xiren, Bihen, and others, at the same age, had secretly tried their hand at intimacy with him. Why was it that Yuan Da Ye could resist?
Could it be that the "young age" excuse is just that?

Throughout the year, Granny Qu would urge her from time to time. At first, Qingwen didn't care much, but after Granny Qu's constant nagging, Qingwen herself started to have her own thoughts.

Puffing out her cheeks, Qingwen lowered her head and slowly pulled out a drawer from under the dressing table, finding a water pouch. This water pouch, along with its contents, had cost her a full eight qian of silver; she figured it must be a way to test Master Yuan's intentions.
A commotion came from outside, as Chunxi, Dongmei, and Xiazhu came to offer their congratulations. Startled, Qingwen quickly closed the drawer before getting up to answer.

Because Sister You San had spoken, Qingwen would give birth through the public ceremonies, so the three maids pooled their money to buy Qingwen a pair of silver bracelets. Qingwen was deeply grateful and chatted with the three maids for a while before parting ways.

From noon until nearly midnight, Chen Siyuan still hadn't appeared, and Qingwen grew increasingly disappointed. Just as she was about to head to the garden to enjoy the scenery, Granny Qu rushed into the side room and said, "Master is here! Miss, go and greet him quickly!"

Qingwen was secretly delighted, but then, remembering how long she had waited, she said reproachfully, "Master comes often, why do I have to go to greet him every time?"

Granny Qu knew that she was petty and hypocritical, so she shoved her out, saying, "Oh dear, my girl, you shouldn't be throwing a tantrum right now, or the master might be looking for you."

Qingwen pretended to be reluctant, but eventually stepped out of the ceremonial gate and was greeted by Chen Siyuan, who was smiling and walking with his hands behind his back. You Sanjie was secretly pleased with Qingwen. After greeting Chen Siyuan, she pulled Erjie away, leaving Erjie to talk to Qingwen alone.

As Chen Siyuan entered through the ceremonial gate, he saw a hint of reproach on Qingwen's face and said in a low voice, "I was studying this morning and forgot the time. I only realized it was almost 11 PM when I looked up... Come, take a look at the congratulatory gift I prepared for you."

Qingwen said, "Master's studies are important. He's just an ordinary student. It doesn't matter if Master doesn't come."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "His mouth is so full of oil that you could hang an oil bottle on it. If I hadn't come, he probably would have given me a hard time."

"Where is it?" Qingwen said, "Master is the master, and I am the servant. There is a difference between master and servant, so I should naturally prioritize Master."

"You're not telling the truth." With that, Chen Siyuan went into the main room first.

Qingwen followed in with a pout, and before she could say anything else, a brocade box was presented to her.

"Open it and see if it suits your taste."

"What is this?" Qingwen suppressed her joy, opened the brocade box with one hand, and glanced inside to see a pair of gold and pearl grape earrings. The pearls were made into grapes, connected by gold wire, and the green leaves were decorated with kingfisher feathers. What was rare was that they were so lifelike that they looked just like a real bunch of small grapes.

Having been in Baoyu's room before, Qingwen naturally had some knowledge of such things. She immediately exclaimed in surprise, picked up an earring, and instantly became enamored with it. Then she looked up and said, "This, this is too precious. How could a maid like me wear it?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "I didn't treat you like a maid, and you don't treat yourself like a maid either. So you're just using the maid label to shut me up?"

Qingwen immediately pouted and started giggling.

Chen Siyuan then said, "I finally managed to choose this, let me put it on you and let you see?"

"Ah."

Qingwen responded and moved closer to Chen Siyuan. She was petite, and even when Chen Siyuan was sitting, he was still an inch taller than her.

Chen Siyuan picked up an earring, tilted his head, and carefully put it on Qingwen. Qingwen stared at Chen Siyuan's face with shimmering eyes. The more she looked, the happier she became... This gold and jade grape earring, even if it wasn't made in the imperial workshops, must have been crafted by a skilled artisan. Normally, once it appeared on the market, it would surely have been snatched up by the powerful and wealthy.

The fact that her master had put so much thought into giving her this gift showed how much thought he had put into it. Moreover, her master had just said he didn't treat her like a maid... and the more she looked at his face, the more handsome it seemed, and Qingwen's gaze gradually became infatuated.

After a short while, Chen Siyuan put two earrings on her, then leaned back and laughed, "Alright, go look in the mirror and see for yourself."

Qingwen snapped out of her reverie and gazed at Chen Siyuan with tender affection for a long while before smiling and looking at herself in the mirror. She tilted her head left and right, her eyes gleaming with increasing delight as she looked at herself in the large dressing mirror in the bedroom.

She was already strikingly beautiful, and these gold and pearl-encrusted grape earrings made her complexion appear even whiter; she was truly more beautiful than any flower.

After her initial joy, Qingwen bit her lower lip, made up her mind, and went to find Chen Siyuan again.

Chen Siyuan said from afar, "It really is beautiful. My efforts were worthwhile."

Qingwen then leaned closer to him and murmured, "Is Master returning to the Rongguo Mansion tonight?"

"I won't be back today."

Qingwen was immediately delighted again. At this moment, the maid Chunxi from outside said, "Master, the banquet staff and the maid have arrived. Third Madam asked when the banquet will begin."

Chen Siyuan said to Qingwen, "Why don't we take advantage of the warm weather and go play in the garden?"

Qingwen agreed, and Chen Siyuan immediately ordered that a banquet be held in the garden.

After a while, everyone gathered in the side garden, where the feast was set up in the Xuan Hall. The two female immortals then began to tell jokes and playful banter in the garden.

The lively atmosphere at the banquet goes without saying, and Qingwen was constantly laughing at the female attendants' antics. Chen Siyuan, however, was a perceptive man. He noticed that although Third Sister was laughing and joking as usual, she was also deep in thought from time to time, clearly preoccupied with something. So, while Third Sister was changing her clothes, he went to find her.

When the third sister came out after changing her clothes, she saw Chen Siyuan standing in front of the side room next to the main room and immediately said with a smile, "Brother, if you don't go to accompany Qingwen, I'm afraid that girl will be jealous later."

Chen Siyuan stepped forward and took his hand, asking, "Is something on your mind?"

Sister You frowned and said, "I was planning to talk about it after today... Since you asked, I won't hide it from you anymore. Yesterday I sent someone to find that Dr. Guo again. I thought he wanted to take advantage of me and extort some benefits, but who knew he was determined to send my mother back!"

Chen Siyuan really didn't want to deal with Old Lady You's troubles, so he asked, "Have you talked to your eldest sister about this?"

Sister You said, "Of course she did. Eldest sister only said that she would come to me again after she made up her mind, and she didn't say anything else."

Chen Siyuan pondered, "Now that things have come to this, it would be best if Dr. Guo could change his mind; otherwise... it would be better to find a nunnery for the old lady to recuperate in."

The term "rest and recuperation" sounds nice, but in reality, it just meant finding a nunnery to keep her under surveillance, so that Old Lady You wouldn't cause any more trouble.

Third Sister You had long since grown tired of Old Mother You because of the marriage, and upon hearing this, she sighed, "Brother is right. I'll go and ask Eldest Sister what she's really thinking."

Third Sister You had figured it out. Since she couldn't become the principal wife anyway, the negative publicity wouldn't fall on her; the real problem was for Madam You. If the sky were to fall, someone taller would hold it up; so why should she worry about others?

(End of this chapter)