Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 248 Eating and Drinking Men and Women
The second young lady was listless when she woke up that morning. She couldn't eat or sleep, and she didn't dare to look at any of the Yuan people. She just held the Taishang Ganying Pian in a daze.

Siqi and Xiuju didn't pay much attention at first, thinking that their young lady was thinking about how to compete with Bao-guniang for Master Yuan. The next day, Siqi returned home refreshed after a secret rendezvous with Chen Siyuan. Seeing that her young lady was still like this, and didn't answer a single question after being asked three times, she was immediately frightened and hurriedly went to the east courtyard to report the news.

To everyone's surprise, Madam Xing summoned the second young lady for questioning, but the second young lady acted as if nothing had happened. Siqi was unaware of what was going on, but little did she know that after the second young lady's erotic dream, she felt ashamed of herself for being improper and had no mind to care about anything else.
Siqi was at a loss and could only let the second young lady, Yingchun, remain listless. Who knew that before Xichun gave birth, Xing Xiuyan would come to find Yingchun to play chess again.

As Sister Xing entered the room, the Second Miss was dozing off. She walked to the desk and saw the four characters 'like dew and lightning' written on a piece of paper.

Like dew, like lightning? Xing Xiuyan smiled immediately. Miaoyu had a large collection of books, and she had just seen this line before. The whole line was "Spring dreams are like dew and lightning".

Xing Xiuyan was a perceptive person, and she quickly realized that it was probably just the second young lady's dream, but she regarded it as a karmic obstacle in her heart.

With a smile on her face but a playful thought in her heart, seeing that the ink was not yet dry, Sister Xing took the pen, pondered for a moment, and then left a line of writing on the paper. She then covered her mouth and laughed as she left.

She didn't know how much time had passed when a gentle breeze came and Yingchun was suddenly awakened. She rubbed her eyes and got up, still groggy. Suddenly, she noticed a line of writing on the paper in front of her: "It's just physical fatigue and liver fire. Why should I be accused of a real crime?"
The second young lady blinked, her face immediately turning red with embarrassment. She quickly pointed at Xiuju and asked, "Has anyone been here just now?"

Xiuju said, "Miss Xing came once, but left after seeing that you were asleep."

The second young lady felt a little relieved... She already knew about Xing Xiuyan and Chen Siyuan's affair, and Xing Xiuyan was never one to gossip. Since it was Xing Xiuyan who had exposed her secret, then it didn't matter.

Upon closer examination of the handwriting, I realized it came from the Duke of Zhou's Interpretation of Dreams. The preceding text read: "Dreams are the opposite of reality, a sign of harmony among the five internal organs." This passage was a later annotation, and it was missing the words "spring dream."

The second girl blushed for a moment, then picked up the book in front of her again. Because she was restless, she just flipped through it randomly. Who knew that she would come across this section, which read: "When one is hungry, one dreams of food; when one is cold, one dreams of clothes; when one's heart is just beginning to open, one dreams of meeting a good match. All of this is like plants sprouting in spring, and it is not a fault of the heart."

The second young lady gradually felt relieved, thinking to herself that even Zhu Zi said so, so she must not be that kind of frivolous woman? She got up and leaned against the window to look out, and saw mandarin ducks with their necks intertwined in the water outside Ziling Island.

Yingchun blinked, wondering to herself, "Why are we so obsessed with the words 'romance' these days? It's the same in my dreams, and it's the same when I wake up and look at the scenery!"
After a while, a faint smile appeared on his face. He thought of what Confucius said: "Food and sex are the greatest desires of humankind." Even Confucius said so, so why should he make things difficult for himself?

Having thought it through clearly, the second young lady indeed stopped dwelling on her previous erotic dream.

That evening, around dinner time, Yingchun, accompanied by Siqi and Xiuju, came to the east courtyard to pay their respects. But as soon as they stepped out of the sedan chair, they were met by a boorish man grumbling as he approached.

Seeing this, Siqi frowned deeply and quickly stood in front of Yingchun along with Xiuju, ultimately scolding the old woman for being ignorant. "Now that a man has come out, how can he offend the young lady?"
But the old woman quickly came over and said, "Young lady, you can't talk nonsense like that. That's your uncle!"

It turned out that the person they had run into was Xing Dequan, and Siqi immediately stopped talking. Xing Dequan was also a clueless fellow. As they walked, he kept glancing at Yingchun's sedan chair. He only caught a glimpse of her profile and his heart was already itching. The steward urged him a few times, and he kept turning back to look at her as he went.

After Xing Dequan left, Yingchun then entered the three-tiered ceremonial gate and went into the main room of the east courtyard.

Upon entering, one sees Madam Xing frowning and displeased, complaining to Wang Shanbao's wife about Xing Dequan's faults.

Yingchun greeted him respectfully and sat down to listen for a while before realizing that Xing Dequan had incurred gambling debts again, and the creditors were pressing him too hard. Helpless, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and come to Madam Xing for help.

Madam Xing only had one younger brother. Although she scolded him harshly, she still used her own money to cover Xing Dequan's losses.

At this moment, Wang Shanbao's wife said, "Madam, why are you so angry? Uncle only comes once every month or so, and each time he only brings a few dozen or a hundred taels of silver, which is much better than those people outside who pawn their houses and sell their land."

Besides, Uncle is currently unemployed, and Yuan-ge'er's business seems to be thriving. Why doesn't Madam ask him if he could find Uncle a job too?

"Him?" Madam Xing immediately curled her lip and said, "He's been idle all his time, only owing a few dozen taels a month. If we were to arrange a job for him, he might end up owing several thousand taels. Let's just forget about it, I can't bring myself to ask for that."

Wang Shanbao's wife immediately looked embarrassed and remained silent, little did she know that Madam Xing and Chen Siyuan had already privately agreed on this matter.

After grumbling to herself for a while, Madam Xing calmed down. She glanced up and saw the serene Yingchun, and quickly reached out to call out, "My child, come quickly! Are you feeling much better today?"

Yingchun stepped forward shyly, curtsied, and smiled, saying, "Thank you for your concern, Mother. I'm feeling much better today."

Siqi also said, "The young lady had an extra plate of snacks at noon."

"That's good, that's good." Madam Xing held Yingchun's hand and said, "It's alright that you weren't feeling well a few days ago, but now that you're much better, you should visit Yuan'er more often when you have time."

Yingchun blinked and could only give a vague reply.

Madam Xing then said, "Although marriage is a major event that emphasizes 'the parents' decision and the matchmaker's words,' how can it compare to the mutual affection between the two of you?"

After a pause, Madam Xing waved her hand to dismiss all the maids and servants, then lowered her voice and said, "To put it bluntly, so what if we are a little impolite? Losing face is only temporary, but gaining benefits is for a lifetime."

Madam Xing spoke these words purely from the heart. She had been coerced by the petty thief, and her subsequent actions, though reluctant, now seemed like a rare stroke of luck! She now had a child, a boy, and her third sister was married off. She herself received a monthly allowance of one or two hundred taels of silver. In time, she would also receive a share of the latex business.

Although that little thief was a swindler and womanizer, he treated himself quite well. Even his two little hussies, Miao'er and Tiao'er, changed their clothes and makeup the following year. The little thief was very generous to his "own people."

Yingchun blushed with embarrassment. Madam Xing's words were clearly instigating her to learn from that shameless vixen!

Seeing this, Madam Xing said, "I've been discussing this with the eldest master these past few days, and I'll inform the old lady later. Then everything will be fine in this household. Now, the only thing left is Yuan-ge'er's side... My son, you must work harder. You must know that such a good marriage doesn't come around every day."

Yingchun had no choice but to agree.

Madam Xing smiled with satisfaction and said, "You've come at the right time. Your uncle just extorted a hundred or so taels of silver from me, and I'm not exactly flush with cash right now. Could you go to Qingtang Thatched Cottage for me and ask when Yuan-ge'er's earnings for this month will be sent over?"

"Oh, I almost forgot, Zhen's daughter-in-law sent someone yesterday to ask for a calming remedy. I had someone prepare the prescription this morning; please send it over later."

Yingchun knew perfectly well that Madam Xing was trying to find an opportunity to bring her and Yuan's brother together.

It was a kind gesture no matter what, so Yingchun agreed and then got up to leave with her maid.

After being escorted out of the black-painted gate by sedan chair, Yingchun headed ahead to the Ningguo Mansion. Entering through the side gate, she soon arrived at the main room of the east courtyard. Inside, she saw that all the maids and servants were beaming with joy, and even her sister-in-law, Madam You, had a smile on her face.

Yingchun, unaware of what was going on, stepped forward to greet her and then asked, "Sister-in-law, is there something good happening?"

Silver Butterfly quickly replied, "It is indeed a joyous occasion, but it's not quite appropriate to discuss it now."

Siqi asked, puzzled, "Since it's a joyous occasion, why is it difficult to talk about?"

Yindie smiled and scanned You Shi's belly. Siqi followed her gaze and immediately understood. Yingchun also smiled and said, "This is truly a joyous occasion. Has the imperial physician examined her pulse?"

Madam You stroked her lower abdomen and said, "Not yet, it's just that my period is two days late. I might be disappointed in a few days."

Yingchun said, "My mother sent me to deliver calming medicine to my sister-in-law, but given her current condition, I'm afraid it's not suitable to administer the medicine."

Madam You nodded repeatedly and said, "I couldn't eat or sleep for the past few days, and I thought it was something wrong with my body. Who would have thought it was the little thing causing trouble?"

Yingchun then smiled and said, "If Brother Zhen finds out, he will surely be overjoyed."

Madam You's face stiffened for a moment before she smiled and nodded. After the two sisters-in-law talked for a while, Yingchun got up to take her leave. Madam You then said, "It's really troublesome to go around in a sedan chair. Second sister, why don't you go back to Fangyuan and enter the Grand View Garden through the side gate? I'll have Yindie lead the way."

Yingchun thought about it and figured it would be convenient to visit Qingtang Thatched Cottage along the way, so she readily agreed.

Silver Butterfly led the way, guiding Yingchun and her party towards Huifang Garden. After entering Huifang Garden through the side gate in front of Dengxian Pavilion, and just turning past Doufeng Pavilion, a strange, faint sound suddenly came from there.

The silver butterfly leading the way and the accompanying Siqi both changed their expressions. The innocent Xiuju was still looking around when she suddenly caught sight of the scene at Tianxiang Tower and immediately covered her mouth and exclaimed in surprise.

Although Yingchun didn't know the reason, she was also disturbed by the noise. When she heard Xiuju's exclamation, she looked up and glanced around, and was immediately stunned.

Then they saw that a curtain in the Tianxiang Pavilion was open, revealing a woman's snow-white back. Her clothes were haphazardly wrapped around her waist. She clung to the window frame with both hands, her body leaning back and trembling as if she would fall at any moment! Upon closer inspection, they could vaguely see a man inside...

Startled, Yingchun quickly averted her gaze, covered her face with her hand, and ran forward. Siqi, Xiuju, and Yindie were all speechless, gritting their teeth as they hurried past. After circling around Ningxi Pavilion and crossing the wooden bridge, they were escorted to the east gate of the Grand View Garden. Yindie mumbled a few words, watched Yingchun and her party enter the Grand View Garden, and then turned back, her face deathly pale.

Leaving aside the matter of Silver Butterfly, Yingchun and her party entered through the East Corner Gate, and the three of them, mistress and servants, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Xiuju muttered to herself, "That woman... doesn't she look like Jin'e, the maidservant of Madam Zhen?"

Yingchun scolded, "Stop talking! No one is allowed to mention what happened today."

Yingchun's heart was still pounding, filled with both surprise and wonder. Just a few days ago, she had a dream about erotic scenes, in which she was merely whispering sweet nothings to 'Chen Sheng' and perhaps even tasting some rouge. How could Yingchun have imagined that a live sex show would be like this?

The scene just now had certainly broadened the Second Miss's horizons. While learning something new, she couldn't help but think to herself, no wonder the family members frowned and remained silent when mentioning the East Mansion; Brother Zhen's blatant actions were truly unreasonable. Suddenly, she remembered that Sister-in-law Zhen's face had stiffened when she mentioned Brother Zhen earlier, and Yingchun immediately understood. She guessed that Sister-in-law Zhen must have known about this all along, but simply couldn't do anything about it.

He breathed a sigh of relief, then heard laughter coming from the south. Looking up, he saw Hongyu and Xiangling playing handball with the maids, including Shishu. Turning his head, he saw that the thatched cottage had its main gate open, and the interior was quiet and peaceful.

Siqi suddenly had an idea. She tugged at Xiuju and gave her a look. Then she smiled and said to Yingchun, "Miss, seeing Hongyu and Xiangling playing around, Xiuju and I are itching to join in. Please, kind young lady, have some compassion and let us join in for a while."

Yingchun was well aware of such obvious thoughts. Just as she was about to say something, Siqi grabbed Xiuju and ran off, saying, "If you don't say anything, I'll take it as you agreeing. Thank you, Miss."

As she spoke, she grabbed the embroidered orange and headed south. Yingchun reached out to call out, but then stopped herself. After watching the two maids frolicking with the other maids, Yingchun composed herself and shyly made her way to the thatched cottage in the Qingtang.

As she entered the house, she saw that all the windows of the main room were open. In the east wing room, a figure sat behind a table, holding a book in one hand and a brush in the other, sometimes frowning in thought, and then writing another passage.

Yingchun stopped in her tracks and stared at Chen Siyuan for a few moments. When she saw his handsome profile, she was instantly captivated and her heart softened. She even forgot all the trepidation she had felt when she witnessed the live sex show.

Knowing that she shouldn't be spying like this, Yingchun quickened her pace and suddenly said with a smile, "Brother Yuan, Mother sent me to talk to you about something."

"Hmm?" Chen Siyuan looked over in surprise, blinked, and then smiled, "So it's Second Sister, please come in!"

Yingchun smiled and nodded, then moved gracefully towards the main room. Inside, Chen Siyuan quickly lowered his head and gave a wink, and Wu'er, who was kneeling beneath him, scrambled to hide behind the antique shelf. While tying his trousers, Chen Siyuan whispered, "You can hide behind the screen. I'll go and answer Second Sister myself."

As he spoke, he stood up and saw that Wu'er was indeed hiding behind the screen. He then looked down at the towering whisk and frowned. At this moment, Yingchun had already entered the main room. Chen Siyuan, on a sudden inspiration, grabbed a book to cover himself and walked around the screen. He had just come out when he saw Yingchun's face when he suddenly cried out "Ouch!" and fell forward, landing straight on the ground.

Yingchun gasped in surprise and rushed over, "Brother Yuan, what happened to you?" Chen Siyuan's knee slammed on the brick, and he winced in pain. He said, "I was reading and my eyes were blurry. I got up in such a hurry that I didn't move away from the screen and tripped."

Yingchun bit her lower lip and looked around, secretly thinking to herself, "This Brother Yuan is really too easygoing. He lets his maids go out to play, but he doesn't even keep a maid to serve him while he studies." Now that there's no one around, it wouldn't be right for her to go out and call Hongyu and Xiangling back, would it?

With a determined heart, Yingchun squatted down to help Chen Siyuan up, asking with concern, "That fall must have been quite hard, Brother Yuan, are you still able to move?"

"It's nothing serious, just a minor injury. It will heal in a bit."

As Chen Siyuan spoke, he rubbed his knees while looking up. Just then, Yingchun squatted down and leaned slightly forward. Her cross-collared inner garment opened slightly, revealing a section of her fair neck and a small part of her soft skin.

Chen Siyuan had just been enjoying himself with Wu'er, and his body was still not at rest when he glanced at her and his blood rushed to his head. Knowing that something was wrong, Chen Siyuan quickly looked away, but then he saw a fair hand reaching out to help him up. He hesitated and tried to get up with the help, but he stumbled and Yingchun was pulled into his arms with a cry of surprise.

It was early summer, and the heat was growing stronger. Yingchun wore a green silk vest, and her inner garment was made of sheer gauze. The two were slightly close together. One held the warm, soft body in his arms, arousing his desire; the other felt a slight push against his lower abdomen, and while embarrassed, he didn't know what had pushed against him.

After stepping back slightly, Yingchun suddenly caught a glimpse of the unusual state of Chen Siyuan's lower body. She was so embarrassed that she turned her face away and stood there speechless for a moment.

Chen Siyuan felt extremely embarrassed, wondering why his second sister had come alone. If she had brought a maid, she could have at least let him know when she entered, instead of leaving him in such a flustered state.

However, Chen Siyuan was thick-skinned, and his expression quickly returned to normal. He coughed lightly and said, "Second sister, please sit down. Aunt has something to tell you."

As they were talking, Chen Siyuan went to the study to fetch a teapot and teacups. When he returned, his body had already calmed down. The second young lady's face was ashen, and she was too ashamed to look up. She let him pour her tea, and only lowered her head and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "My uncle came by this afternoon. My mother said that my uncle has incurred gambling debts again, and sent me to ask when the profits from Baicaotang will be distributed?"

Chen Siyuan feigned nonchalance and said, "Uncle is here again? Oh, it's been about a month. How much money did you lose this time?"

Yingchun shook her head and said, "Mother didn't go into details, but... I imagine it would cost at least a hundred taels of silver."

Chen Siyuan said, "I understand. I'll trouble you to make the trip, Second Sister. I'll urge you later and send the gift over in the next couple of days."

Yingchun nodded silently, glanced up briefly, and seeing that he had already calmed down, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She then quickly stood up and said, "I don't have anything else to do. In that case, I'll head back now."

Chen Siyuan said, "Alright, then I'll see Second Sister off."

The two walked out in silence. When they reached the courtyard gate, Yingchun turned around slightly and said, "Brother Yuan, please wait. I'm leaving."

Chen Siyuan agreed and watched Yingchun leave before hurriedly returning to his room. Liu Wu'er, pouting, emerged from behind the screen and scolded, "Next time, I won't believe you, sir. Luckily, you managed to cover it up this time. If there's a next time, how will I ever have the face to face anyone again?"

Chen Siyuan had to coax and persuade him quite a bit, so I won't go into details.

Meanwhile, Yingchun left Siqi and Xiuju behind and hurriedly returned to Zhuijin Tower. Her flustered behavior naturally caught the attention of those who were paying attention. However, Yingchun was completely unaware of this. Upon returning to Zhuijin Tower, she was in a state of panic again. Recalling what had just happened, she seemed to catch a faint whiff of that man's scent in her breath, and couldn't help but feel ashamed, so she threw herself onto the bed and rolled around for a while.

After a while, Siqi and Xiuju returned with a food box. As soon as they entered, they complained, "Why didn't you say anything when you were going back, Miss? We went to Qingtang Thatched Cottage to look for you again, only to find out that you had already returned."

Yingchun remained silent, thus covering up the matter. She thought the matter would be over, but that night the second young lady had another erotic dream. When she woke up in the morning, Yingchun herself didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and she couldn't tell whether it was because of the live sex scene or because of Chen Siyuan.

On this day, Xi Chun gave birth to a child, and all the sisters naturally came to Nuanxiangwu early in the morning to celebrate with Xi Chun. However, it rained that day, and the banquet and theatrical performances were scheduled to be held in the afternoon behind Rongqing Hall. So, after a short while, the girls dispersed.

Leaving aside other matters, let's talk about Baochai. She went straight back to Hengwu Garden and was about to finish tidying up before heading to the outer room to manage the accounts when Ying'er frowned and hurried back. When she got close, she said, "Miss, someone saw the Second Miss going to Qingtang Thatched Cottage again yesterday."

"Oh?"

Baochai casually agreed, but didn't seem to care.

Ying'er said, "It's strange, the second young lady came out by herself, her face flushed and her steps hurried. I don't know what's wrong with her."

Baochai was taken aback, and immediately frowned. The last time she had advised Yingchun, Yingchun had readily agreed, and Baochai assumed Yingchun had heeded her advice and would never watch those erotic plays again. But what could she say this time?
Could it be that my second sister agreed to it in person, but secretly watched it and used those underhanded tricks on Chen Siyuan?

Baochai pondered deeply, thinking that no matter what... Chen Siyuan wouldn't try to seduce Second Sister; it was more likely that Yingchun would throw herself into his arms. Luckily, it was only in the quiet hall and thatched hut, where few people saw it. If it had been seen elsewhere, and rumors started spreading, things would have become very troublesome!
How troublesome! In this world, a woman's reputation is of utmost importance. If Yingchun's reputation is tarnished, that master might use it to blackmail Chen Siyuan. Whether it leads to a complete breakup or she's forced to agree, it won't benefit Baochai at all!
Judging by the time, it would probably be another half month before Aunt Wang released Baoyu. If something unexpected happened in these ten days, wouldn't I be in a predicament?
Baochai couldn't think of a perfect solution right away, so she planned to discuss it carefully with Chen Siyuan later, at least to give him a heads-up so as not to fall into Yingchun's trap.

At this moment, Ying'er continued, "Miss, the old woman was gossiping earlier, saying that some 'Master Sun' went to the east wing again. Some say he's begging the master to find him a job, others say he's asking to marry the second young lady—"

"Hmm?" Baochai suddenly turned her head, startling Ying'er into silence.

After a moment's thought, Baochai suddenly smiled and said, "Second Sister is gentle and kind, and has a good reputation. She is getting on in years... It is only natural that men from outside come to her door to ask for her hand in marriage."

Ying'er and Baochai exchanged a glance, and then Ying'er quickly smiled and said, "What you say is true, Miss. At the age of 20, in an ordinary family, the Second Miss would probably have been married off long ago. Why would she have been kept until now? It's only because the old lady cherishes her and said she would keep her for a couple more years... But how can a good marriage wait? I heard that Lord Sun is handsome and dignified. Perhaps he is a good match for her."

Baochai nodded and said nothing more. Ying'er, though puzzled, understood and pondered to tell the old women around her about it later.

Ying'er had no idea what Baochai was thinking. Baochai was afraid that Yingchun's reputation would drag Chen Siyuan down, so she might as well stir up trouble. If Yingchun lost her reputation, she would naturally not be afraid of being blackmailed with her reputation.

After everything was ready, the master and servant went to the back gate and boarded the Xue family's carriage, with four servants following behind to clear the way, heading straight for the shop they had rented for their latex business.

They arrived shortly afterward, and the four servants stayed in the outer room to wait. Baochai led Ying'er to the back. But when she entered and looked around, she saw no one else but Chen Siyuan, who was smiling and greeting them in the hall. Baochai was immediately surprised and asked, "Why are you all alone?"

Chen Siyuan gave Ying'er a look, and the latter smiled knowingly before quietly slipping out. Chen Siyuan stepped forward and tugged at Baochai's soft hand, saying, "These days, even the latex from August has been pre-sold out. There's just enough for a manager to handle the merchants coming and going. There's no need for you to deal with any accounts, sister."

Baochai scolded, "If that's the case, why didn't you say so earlier? Today is the day Fourth Sister gives birth."

Chen Siyuan pulled Baochai to sit down, then served her tea with great hospitality, and said with a smile, "My sister hasn't come to see me these past two days, so I thought I'd spend more time talking with her today."

Baochai felt a surge of warmth in her heart, a sense of comfort washing over her. He was thinking of her, but how could she not be thinking of him?
The two sat knee to knee, with Baochai slightly reserved, afraid that Chen Siyuan would immediately pounce on her and become intimate.

To everyone's surprise, Chen Siyuan smiled and suddenly pulled out an oil paper package from his sleeve, teasingly asking, "Sister, guess what this is?"

Baochai glanced at it, then sniffed it, and suddenly her eyes lit up. "Fragrant belly?" she exclaimed.

Chen Siyuan then handed over the oil paper package, saying, "I just came across someone selling sausages on the street. The shopkeeper spoke with a Nanjing accent and assured me they were authentic, so I bought a little. Sister, try it, it's the taste of Nanjing."

Baochai opened the oil paper package and found two sliced ​​sausages inside. Looking up, she saw that Chen Siyuan's face was full of showing off and flattery. Touched, Baochai smiled and said, "I was thinking about this the other day. I asked Mother, but she said that the soil and water in the capital are different from those in Nanjing, and the sausages she makes are always a little different."

As she spoke, she picked up a piece with her slender, jade-like fingers and put it in her mouth. After chewing it slightly, she immediately smiled and praised, "What a delicious taste! It must have been dried in Nanjing and then transported by waterway."

She had just eaten breakfast, but still ate a few slices with relish before gathering them up and saying, "I need to save this sausage for later." After setting it aside, she added, "You don't need to worry about me all the time. I'm doing just fine in the manor; I'm certainly not lacking in food and drink."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Is my sister going to persuade me to study hard and make progress again?"

Baochai quickly shook her head and said, "Xiangling said that you have been very diligent these past few days, and you spend your free time in the study reviewing your lessons. It is because she said so that I did not want to disturb you."

After a pause, seeing Chen Siyuan raise an eyebrow, he quickly smiled apologetically and grasped both of his hands, saying, "We have a long life ahead of us, there's no need to rush."

Chen Siyuan then feigned a sigh and said, "A hundred years is too long; we must seize the day."

Baochai smiled knowingly at his expression. Remembering what Ying'er had said that morning, she pondered that intimacy shouldn't be too excessive, nor should it be completely avoided… Now that they both understood each other's feelings, it wasn't appropriate to manipulate things. It would be better to let him take advantage of her occasionally, so he wouldn't think about his second sister.

Having made up her mind, Baochai slightly rose and sat down next to him, tilting her head to rest on his shoulder, and then looked up at him with her small face, her breath sweet as orchids, and said, "Let's all be well."

The soft, gentle voice seemed to explode in his ear, and Chen Siyuan felt the hairs on his back stand on end. Looking at the pretty face so close to him, he made eye contact for a moment, reached out and wrapped his arms around her neck, and leaned down to kiss her red lips.

At first, Baochai intended to only try it briefly, but before long, she herself became completely engrossed in it. She began to pant heavily, and even her words of refusal were full of seductive charm.

As soon as a pair of strange hands reached inside her clothes, Baochai could no longer care about anything else; her heart was ablaze with desire, and her whole body was burning. After a moment, her almond-shaped eyes rolled back, her body trembled, and she collapsed into Chen Siyuan's arms like a noodle.

Chen Siyuan was certain in his heart that Baochai was indeed made of water... He hadn't even done anything yet and she was already like this.

He was no fool; he immediately embraced Baochai and whispered sweet nothings to her. Baochai feigned annoyance, but was actually embarrassed and annoyed. Seeing that he didn't mention what had just happened, she lazily nestled in his arms.

After exchanging sweet nothings for a while, Baochai suddenly said, "Did Second Sister go looking for you again yesterday?"

"Hmm." Chen Siyuan thought to himself, as expected, he couldn't hide it from Sister Bao.

Baochai looked over with her almond-shaped eyes and asked inquiringly, "How come I heard that Second Sister abandoned her maid and ran out on her own?"

Chen Siyuan said with a wry smile, "Don't even mention it... I don't know how, but Second Sister came by herself. At that time, Wu'er was helping me change my clothes, and Second Sister saw me in the act. Second Sister was so embarrassed that she didn't go into the room. She just told Auntie what to do and then hurriedly left."

Baochai frowned and said, "Second Sister went by herself? No wonder the servants in the manor all say she's a blockhead. The maids around Second Sister are really unruly."

Chen Siyuan said, "It was close to mealtime then, so maybe she went to get a food box for my second sister?"

Baochai nodded, not caring too much about it. She bit her lower lip and suddenly said in a low voice, "There is something... but I don't know if I should say it."

“Sister, just tell me.”

Baochai frowned and said, "Last time, when all the sisters composed a poem together, Second Sister used a line from one of the Yuan Dynasty's Hundred Songs. I didn't say anything at the time, but when I asked her later, she had indeed read that book of romance."

"Huh?" Chen Siyuan was quite surprised... "Welcoming the Spring Festival to see a hundred kinds of Yuan Dynasty works?" What does that mean?

"It's possible that the second sister was forced to see it in the east wing... You must be more careful in the future, lest you fall into the master's trap."

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "The master is busy hoarding latex and dreaming of making a fortune. He has no time to bother with me. This whole affair is probably orchestrated by Madam Xing. Tsk, this woman needs to be taught a lesson. She's really getting more and more unruly."

(End of this chapter)