Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 255: This is no ordinary color.

Under the old tree on the east side of the Jade Emperor Temple.

Siqi bit her lower lip and pondered, "Young master... really won't marry our girl?"

Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "Don't meddle in this kind of thing. In two years, when you're old enough, I'll just ask my aunt for you. Why bother with all this nonsense?"

Siqi dared to speak sarcastically even to the Second Miss, but in front of Chen Siyuan, she was as docile as a kitten, not daring to utter a single word of rebuttal. Seeing Chen Siyuan's resolute words, Siqi sighed and said, "I only hope that you will marry me soon, sir."

Chen Siyuan reached out and touched Siqi's cheek, then suddenly stood up and compared his height to hers, laughing, "Hey, I seem to be a little taller than you now."

Siqi agreed absentmindedly, and Chen Siyuan then instructed, "It's late, you should go back now."

Siqi responded and stammered, "Brother, I... I can ask for a day off tomorrow."

"Tomorrow won't work," because we have an appointment with Aunt Xue tomorrow, and we can't let those two run into each other again, can we? Besides, my cousin Xing Xiuyan is giving birth in a couple of days, and even though she is a free spirit, I should still make arrangements for a celebration for her.

Chen Siyuan said, "Come find me again after the 27th."

Siqi was about to say something more when she suddenly saw Chen Siyuan turn his head to look south. Siqi turned her head and saw Miaoyu leading a maid to stroll over in this direction. So she immediately stopped talking and only said, "Then I will come to find the young master again on the 27th."

After giving her instructions, Siqi hurriedly left. She glanced up and nodded to Aunt Qin Xian's wife at the East Corner Gate before turning onto the main road and heading back to Zhuijin Tower.

Siqi and Xiuju were relieving their boredom in the garden. Siqi thought that their daughter was likely to marry Master Yuan. However, their daughter asked the old lady for help a few days later, and the marriage was called off. This naturally made the two girls very disappointed, and they became less attentive to Yingchun.

Unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better. Suddenly, they heard from the old woman that Baochai had gone to Yihong Courtyard and claimed that what she had said in Hengwu Garden was just an angry outburst. Siqi and Xiuju discussed it and realized that their second young lady might have a chance.

So one rushed off to Zhuijinlou, while the other went excitedly to find Chen Siyuan.

However, Chen Siyuan was convinced of Baochai's identity and spoke resolutely; the second young lady, Yingchun, was always one to hide her ignorance and humility, so both Xiuju and Siqi were disappointed.

Leaving aside Yingchun's two maids, Chen Siyuan and Miaoyu exchanged a glance, nodded to each other from afar, and then parted ways. Chen Siyuan strode back to the thatched cottage, chatted with a few maids for a while, and then went to his study to study when the lamps were lit.

Only Wu'er was left in the room to fan herself, while Xiangling and Hongyu went to cool off near the stone wall outside the courtyard after dinner.

Then Yunxiang joined in the fun, and the three girls chatted while fanning themselves, creating a fragrant breeze.

After chatting idly for a while, the conversation unexpectedly turned to the events of the past two days. Even Yunxiang was filled with lingering fear. She frowned and said, "I've been outside Master Bao's room before. Don't I know what kind of person he is? When he loses his temper, he doesn't care about anything. Only Master Bao tries to control him, but the Old Madam and Madam try to stop him. That's why he becomes even more unrestrained."

Xiangling frowned in displeasure and said, "In the summer, the girls are all dressed lightly, and Master Bao is not young anymore. If we run into him, we can only blame ourselves for being unlucky."

Hongyu laughed and said, "How dare Master Bao come to our courtyard? I'm afraid that as long as Master is here, Master Bao will keep his distance. You are really worrying unnecessarily."

Xiangling smiled and said, "That makes sense. There's always something that can subdue something else... However, we should be more careful with the girls in the other courtyard. As for siblings, there's an old saying that children under seven shouldn't sit together, so we should be mindful of that now."

Upon hearing this, Yunxiang immediately perked up and exclaimed, "I know, I know! The incident just happened this morning, and this afternoon I heard from Sister Xueyan that from now on, Xiaoxiang Pavilion will be closed whenever there's nothing going on, and Granny Wang will be leading two old women to guard it, just to keep an eye on Master Bao."

Given this precedent, I'm afraid other girls will follow suit.

After Yunxiang finished speaking, Xiangling and Hongyu chuckled. As for Baochai's matter, the three maids all tacitly refrained from mentioning it.

Xiangling didn't care; she didn't care whether it was Daiyu or Baochai. With her personality, she could get along anywhere. Hongyu, on the other hand, had her mind made up and was planning to visit Daiyu more often in the future. As for Yunxiang... why would a little maid like her think so much?
Just then, her head maid, Amber, came looking for Hongyu. Hongyu quickly got up to greet her, and the two talked for a while in the corridor before Hongyu turned back with a smile.

Yunxiang's eyes darted around as she inquired, "Sister Hongyu, does Sister Amber need something from you?"

Hongyu said irritably, "You're such a busybody, asking about everything! All I'm saying is that Ping'er's baby is due the day after tomorrow, and Amber came to me to contribute to the celebration."

Upon hearing this, Xiangling smiled and said, "What a coincidence! The day after tomorrow is also the day of your daughter's birth."

Yunxiang also said, "What a coincidence, the day after tomorrow is the second son of Master Bao."

However, given Baoyu's current state, it seems he'll have to spend this year's birth in his room.

As the sun began to set, Xiangling and Hongyu returned to the main room to serve, and the little maid Yunxiang also went to the side room. But as soon as Hongyu entered, Wu'er came running up, biting her lower lip, and asked, "Sister, where did Master put his black robe?"

Hongyu asked in surprise, "That black robe is meant for spring and autumn, but it's the height of summer now. What do you need a black robe for, sir?"

Seeing that Wu'er was about to speak but hesitated, Hongyu suddenly realized and couldn't help but pout and say, "I think we should just get this marriage done as soon as possible to avoid this trouble now."

Despite her words, Hongyu rummaged through her belongings and finally found a black robe. Chen Siyuan changed into the black robe, sneaked out of the thatched hut, and wandered around towards Hengwu Garden.

To avoid attracting attention, Chen Siyuan went through Qinfangzha Bridge and Aojingxi Pavilion to reach Tubishan Villa, then down Dazhushan Mountain to Hengwu Garden.

He sneaked past the few maids and servants along the way, his mind set on having a good time today, but no sooner had he come down from the Convex Jade Mountain Villa than someone by the roadside called out, "Master Yuan!"

The shout startled Chen Siyuan so much that his soul almost left his body! He turned his head and glanced around, only to see a figure emerging from under the pear tree on the hillside. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was Ying'er.

"Ying'er? Are you feeling better?"

Ying'er coughed and said aggrievedly, "Even if you beat a lowly servant like me to death, no one would care. It's only because Master Yuan is worried. I took the medicine during the day and I'm feeling a bit better." She gestured towards the villa below and said, "Our young lady is waiting for you, Master. Please go quickly... cough cough—"

Chen Siyuan looked in the direction Ying'er was pointing and sure enough, he caught a glimpse of a beautiful figure under the northwest side building of the provincial villa.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, it's normal that Baochai could guess that he would definitely come today, but why did she come out to greet him so early? Was she afraid that he would stay and not leave?

With a grumbling in his heart, Chen Siyuan thanked Ying'er and then came down from the main mountain, bypassing Hengwu Garden. After walking a dozen steps, he arrived in front of the pretty figure.

She wore a pink-trimmed, flesh-colored peony-embroidered cross-collar long coat, with a white cross-collar gauze jacket underneath, and a beige horse-face skirt embroidered with flowering branches. Her face was lightly made up, and she looked like she had dressed up carefully.

Originally harboring resentment, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but laugh after just one glance when they got closer. He whispered, "Sister, are you perhaps a female strategist? How did you predict that I would come today?"

Baochai laughed and said, "You're making fun of me again. If you hadn't come after this incident, I would have gone looking for you."

Chen Siyuan said with pity, "My sister must have been frightened this morning."

Baochai shook her head slightly and scoffed, "That's just his reckless nature. Once he gets angry, he doesn't care about anything else. It's only thanks to the old women and Ying'er that he was able to stop them..."

Baochai's face showed a hint of annoyance, which quickly turned into lingering fear. Chen Siyuan found it amusing, so he leaned over and tugged at her soft hands, whispering, "This time you've managed to cover it up, but who knows if there won't be a next time?"

“There won’t be a next time,” Baochai said anxiously. “This afternoon I had a discussion with Mother, and she said she would send a suitable old woman to guard the door tomorrow, so… she won’t be able to barge in again.”

After a pause, Baochai said shyly, "This afternoon, my aunt and mother came together, so I went to Yihong Courtyard. You know my family's situation; we still can't do without the Jia family's help—"

Baochai then recounted the situation at the Grand View Garden, feeling uneasy, fearing she might displease Chen Siyuan.

Little did she know, this was exactly what Chen Siyuan wanted. If the two were to get married, they would probably have to move out of the Rongguo Mansion sooner or later, and then how would Chen Siyuan take care of Lin Daiyu?
However, being a distant thief, he feigned distress and said, "How many more years do I have to wait? I can't wait to marry my sister right now."

Baochai's heart softened instantly, and she couldn't help but throw herself into Chen Siyuan's arms, gently comforting him, "We have a long future ahead of us, so why rush things? Besides, how old is Lin Daiyu? She can't leave the manor in just two years, can she? Without you taking care of her, I'm sure you wouldn't feel at ease."

Chen Siyuan sighed, feigning helplessness, and said, "Fine... it's settled on two years?"

Baochai nodded, while Chen Siyuan pondered in his heart. If they were to get engaged in two more years, the wedding would likely have to take place after he himself passed the imperial examinations. If that were the case, wouldn't it take three or four years? By then, Daiyu would be sixteen or seventeen, which would be the right time for her to get married.

Seeing Chen Siyuan's furrowed brow and unhappy expression, Baochai pressed her hand against his chest and then gently stroked his large hand back and forth. After a while, Chen Siyuan felt an irresistible itch, and as he looked down, he bumped into Baochai's face. He couldn't help but lean down and kiss her, savoring her beauty.

Baochai felt indebted to him, and since this place was carefully chosen by Baochai and was usually avoided by the old women on patrol, she became much bolder. In the past, she had always let Chen Siyuan do as he pleased, but this day Baochai, with her tongue out, showed a hint of resistance.

Chen Siyuan found it amusing and waited until Baochai could no longer hold back before slowly letting go.

Baochai was already a little unsteady on her feet, her almond-shaped eyes were hazy, as if they could seep out water.

Seeing this, Chen Siyuan simply helped Baochai to sit down on the steps under the eaves. The two sat side by side, and Baochai's heart was still pounding wildly. She unconsciously leaned her head and rested it on Chen Siyuan's shoulder.

Taking a sniff of the surrounding flowers, Baochai suddenly said, "Speaking of which, today is the Flower Festival."

On this Flower Festival, the girls would always gather together to play and have some fun, but Baoyu's meddling ruined everything.

Chen Siyuan remembered that his cousin was giving birth and said, "My cousin is giving birth the day after tomorrow."

"What a coincidence?" Baochai said, "His birthday is the day after tomorrow."

Chen Siyuan said in a low voice, "My sister knows my cousin's temperament. But if we don't have a big celebration for her birthday, those lowly servants won't look down on us. So I thought we should have a big, lively celebration."

Baochai, who loved to take on responsibilities, pondered for a moment after hearing this and said, "It's not appropriate for you to handle this matter directly... How about I arrange it tomorrow?"

Chen Siyuan had the same idea, so he readily agreed, saying, "Alright, but what about the expenses—"

Before he could finish speaking, Baochai scolded, "It's only a few silver dollars for my cousin's birthday celebration. Why should we be so calculating?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "My sister's family is wealthy, but how much personal money does she have?"

Since arriving at the Rongguo Mansion, Baochai has pretended to be frugal, and over the years this has become a habit, gradually making her dislike extravagance. In addition, she also has to manage the servants of the Rongguo Mansion, so even if she has some personal savings, it is probably not much.

Moreover, this birthday celebration for Xing Xiuyan is for everyone to see, so it should be lively. And to make it lively, money is essential.

After Chen Siyuan finished speaking, he took out two silver notes from his sleeve and handed them over.

Baochai sensed the hidden meaning in his words, bit her lip and thought for a moment before saying, "In my opinion, since it's not a whole baby, a hundred taels of silver would be enough."

So she accepted only one silver note, and then pondered, "Tomorrow I'll send the old woman to find two female actors. We don't need to look for an opera troupe outside; we can just give some tips to the young actresses at Pear Fragrance Courtyard. The small kitchen in Grand View Garden can make anything. Since my cousin is from Suzhou, she can make more Suzhou specialties. Let's see, one hundred taels should be enough!"

Seeing Baochai counting on her fingers, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but feel happy and came closer to pester her again. Baochai was clearly tempted, but she was afraid of getting her clothes wet like last time, so she pushed her away and said, "You, you're talking properly, why are you being so affectionate again?"

Just then, Ying'er's voice came from the hillside: "Miss, sir, Second Madam is leading people this way looking for us!"

These words immediately startled the two, causing them to lose their composure. They tugged at each other's hands as a reluctant farewell. Baochai hurriedly turned and returned to Hengwu Garden, while Chen Siyuan, unwilling to give up, hid near the provincial villa for a while. Only after Fengjie and her entourage had passed did he return home dejectedly.

Nothing else happened that night.

The next day, just as Xiangling, Hongyu, and the others had predicted, all the gates in the Grand View Garden were indeed guarded tightly, for fear that Baoyu or someone else might suddenly go mad and barge in. Especially in Hengwu Garden, there was a fat woman whom Aunt Xue had found from who-knows-where. She could block most of the gate when she stood there, and her fat jiggled with every step she took. She could eat ten meat buns in one meal.

This woman is just like the kind of woman who relies on others for support mentioned in storybooks!
The sisters found it amusing and couldn't help but glance at it from afar. Daiyu, however, didn't care about anything else. She led her maid to the door to observe, making the woman feel very uncomfortable before she went to find Baochai for a private talk. That morning, Ping'er was also running around spreading the word that Madam had said that because Baochai was unwell, the birth of their son would not be arranged.

It was perfectly reasonable, and the second and third young ladies, Baochai, Daiyu, and Xing Xiuyan all thought it was normal, but the fourth young lady, Xichun, and Xiangyun were sullen.

Xiangyun, in particular, couldn't help but frown and pout as the sisters gathered in the afternoon, muttering, "I was hoping to have a good time..."

Sister Bao then said, "Brother Bao, if others don't participate, why can't we have some fun?"

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone looked over. Xiangyun asked in surprise, "Who else is due tomorrow?"

Xing Xiuyan had a bad feeling. Sure enough, she saw Baochai point in the distance, which immediately made Xiangyun exclaim, "So tomorrow is also Xing's child. How come I haven't heard anyone mention it?"

Xing Xiuyan laughed and said, "It's not like we're having a full-term birth, it's all the same whether we have the baby or not."

These words naturally evoked various thoughts among the crowd. Two of the three sisters were born out of wedlock, and the third was from a different household. Each time they had a child, they followed the usual customs. Although nothing was lacking, even when Yingchun came of age, it was never as lively as when Baoyu had a child.

Daiyu felt the same way. What were her children like when she was favored in the past, and what are they like now? It's truly a case of "only the person drinking the water knows whether it's hot or cold."

Shi Xiangyun was a bit naive, but she wasn't stupid. Seeing that everyone felt a sense of unease, she knew that the household must not have made any arrangements.

She was kind-hearted and said, "Since it's Sister Xing's birthday tomorrow, why don't we pool our money and celebrate with her?" As she spoke, she went to ask Cuilu for a purse.

Xing Xiuyan was too late to stop her. At this moment, Baochai smiled and said, "Yun'er is kind-hearted, but this time, she's a step too late. Someone has already made arrangements for Xing'er's childbirth."

Even with Xing Xiuyan's carefree and unconventional nature, she couldn't help but blush at this moment.

Xiangyun immediately exclaimed excitedly, "So it was all planned in advance, that's great!" She then sidled up to Baochai and chattered about the arrangements for tomorrow, and Xichun joined in the conversation as well.

So, with the young ladies chiming in and Baochai mediating, most of the arrangements for tomorrow were quickly finalized. Especially the banquet; since Xing Xiuyan lived in Suzhou, everyone insisted on hosting a whole fish feast.

Then they added various dishes to the menu. When they finally calculated it, the cost of just three tables was more than fifty taels of silver. Even Xiangyun was envious and said, "It's so nice to have someone take care of me. When will I be able to celebrate my birthday in such a lavish way?"

Tan Chun couldn't help but tease, "Look, Yun'er has fallen for a mortal! Go find her a good match!"

Xiangyun was immediately annoyed and got up to chase after Tanchun: "Third sister, I'll teach you a lesson!"

Tan Chun laughed and ran away, jokingly saying to herself, "Yun girl, please forgive me this time!"

"No way!"

The two children were chasing and playing. Seeing that Xing Xiuyan was a little uncomfortable, Baochai leaned over and whispered, "I know Sister Xing doesn't like it, but it's all out of good intentions, and it's for outsiders to see. Sister will be staying in the mansion for a long time in the future, so we can't let people look down on us."

Xing Xiuyan felt a surge of comfort, smiled and nodded to Baochai, then glanced at the Second Miss. Lowering her eyes, she blushed slightly, a hint of annoyance in her expression. Given this girl's nature, a small gathering with Chen Siyuan on the day of her child's birth would have been enough; why make such a fuss?
............................................................

Big Grid Lane.

Clothes were disheveled around the bed, and the two sat facing each other, embracing. Aunt Xue was charming and lovely, enjoying herself immensely. Soon, she couldn't help but feel a tingling sensation throughout her body, and began to moan incoherently.

"Lost... lost..."

As soon as Aunt Xue finished speaking, she suddenly leaned back, her neck swaying back and forth, feeling dizzy and then waking up again, feeling waves of tingling and numbness, her limbs trembling uncontrollably.

In a short while, the Jade Mountain collapsed, the Golden Lotus softened, and it lay limply to one side.

Chen Siyuan came to pester her again. At first, Aunt Xue thought it was just a gentle touch after the fact, but when she saw that he had taken up his old tricks again, she immediately cried out in distress and begged for mercy, "No, no, if you keep doing this, I'm afraid I'll really die."

Chen Siyuan was secretly pleased. He had slept soundly yesterday, so he was full of energy just now.
Aunt Xue had been carrying a hint of resentment, but Chen Siyuan had no patience to argue with her. He simply engaged her in a long, tender conversation. Now, looking at Aunt Xue, he felt completely at ease, and no longer cared about her resentment.
It took Aunt Xue a long time to catch her breath. She quietly put on her clothes and felt that the young man in front of her was pleasing to the eye in every way.

She thought to herself, "This young man is really proud of himself, otherwise he wouldn't be so persistent and clingy like a hungry wolf." Thinking of her daughter Baochai, Aunt Xue still felt a little awkward, but considering that the young man could protect the Xue family in the future, she didn't bother to dwell on it.

Moreover, if what he said is true, perhaps if the marriage goes through, I can secretly keep in touch with him for many more years to come.

But... Aunt Xue suddenly noticed a half-gray hair on her pillow, and immediately felt melancholy. It's just a pity that he was born too late; at her age, how many more years could she possibly spend with him like this?
Thinking about the marriage between Xiao Liang and Baochai... it will still be a few years away, so why not stop seeing each other then? Aunt Xue frowned secretly, unable to make up her mind.

At this moment, Chen Siyuan turned around and used a handkerchief dipped in water to gently wipe her clean. Aunt Xue lazily let him do as he pleased, her eyes revealing undisguised affection.

After the two had tidied themselves up and were nestled together, Aunt Xue began to recount the events of the previous day. When the topic turned to marriage, Aunt Xue said cautiously, "You know my family's situation; we might have to ask the Jia family for protection for a couple more years. As for your marriage to Baochai... perhaps we should wait a couple more years?"

Chen Siyuan had no objection and pretended to be indifferent, saying, "Whatever you say. These days, apart from meeting you in secret, all I think about is making a name for myself in the imperial examinations. How can I have any other thoughts?"

Aunt Xue felt even more pleased and her heart was filled with admiration for him. After settling the matter, Aunt Xue then chided, "That troublesome Pan'er, after being cooped up for months, finally couldn't be kept at home anymore."

"What happened to Wenlong?"

"What else can they do?" Aunt Xue frowned. "These days she's always running around outside, hanging out with those damned Liu Xianglian and Chen Yejun. Last time she even brought that actor surnamed Jiang home. Cao Shi had no choice but to send someone to complain, along with He Xin and Sui Jin." She snorted coldly and added, "Tomorrow I'm going back to the old house. She doesn't seem to care about important matters, but insists on going looking for all this nonsense—"

The one surnamed Jiang? Jiang Yuhan? Chen Siyuan immediately chuckled, secretly thinking that Baoyu was about to get a beating, and he might as well add fuel to the fire. If Baoyu offends his Sister Bao, even the Heavenly King wouldn't get away with it!
Seeing that it was getting late, Aunt Xue, though reluctant, only lingered with him for a few moments before hurrying away. Chen Siyuan, feeling smug, leisurely rode back to the Rongguo Mansion.

As soon as he entered the garden through the back gate, he heard someone calling him from the hillside. He turned around and looked closely, only to find that it was Xiren.

Chen Siyuan suddenly realized, "Oh, right, Xiren is out of money again?" He moved over, thinking to himself, "She was so generous the last few times because she coveted Xiren's name. But after actually experiencing it, it's just so-so. The intimacy in bed can't compare to that of You Erjie or You Sanjie. Since that's the case, Chen Siyuan certainly won't be a sucker again."

As he approached, he glanced at the person and asked, "Is there something you need?"

Xi Ren's heart tightened. She knew that even going to a pleasure boat to find a courtesan wouldn't cost so much money. But her mother was ill, and she had nowhere else to ask for money.

With her lips pursed and a curtsy made, Xiren said with a wronged expression, "Master Yuan... today all the maids in Yihong Courtyard were reprimanded. From now on, wherever Master Bao goes, he will need two maids to accompany him, so that something like that day won't happen again."

"Well, what else?"

Xiren pondered and said, "Madam said today that she would go to the palace in a few days when she has some free time. That Ping'an Festival is really making people uneasy."

"Hmm." Even Chen Siyuan found it inexplicable, so the entire Jia family must be wondering the same thing.
Xiren twisted her handkerchief, unable to find anything to say. No matter how capable she was, she was just a head maid; how could she possibly know so many of the household's secrets?
Chen Siyuan waited for a while, then suddenly remembered Jiang Yuhan and couldn't help but ask, "Let me ask you, has Baoyu been associating with anyone lately?"

Xiren shook her head and said, "He rarely talks about things outside... but last time he went out with Master Xue for two days in a row, and when he came back, he had a handkerchief with a big red bloodstain on it. He wanted to tie it on for me, but I thought it was dirty and didn't take it."

There's no mistake, Baoyu is with Jiang Yuhan.

Chen Siyuan was in a great mood and couldn't help but smile. Seeing Xiren looking at him pitifully, he softened and took out a hundred-tael silver note from his sleeve and handed it to her.

Before he could say anything, Xiren quickly curtsied and whispered, "Master Bao has been busy these past few days, and I... can't get away. If Master Yuan is free next month, you can visit my aunt's house."

After saying this, she blushed and immediately covered her face with her hands and left.

The singing, recitation, acting, and fighting just now—Xiren was truly full of charm, no wonder she captivated Baoyu for so many years… I wonder if he ever truly understood Xiren's character later on.

Chen Siyuan watched Xiren leave before turning back to his thatched cottage with his hands behind his back.

Little did he know that today was destined to be eventful. He had just sat down in his study when Ying'er came to his door, all because of Xing Xiuyan's childbirth.

Baochai originally intended to come by herself, but her secret rendezvous with Fengjie yesterday had been disrupted. Fearing that she would be walking into the lion's den this time, she sent Ying'er instead.

Hongyu led Ying'er inside, and Chen Siyuan naturally inquired about her well-being, asking if she was feeling better.

Ying'er was grateful and said, "Thank you for your concern, Uncle Yuan. I am fine now."

As she spoke, she leaned over and presented a list, saying, "This afternoon, I sent someone to find two famous female musicians and sent twenty taels to Pear Fragrance Courtyard. The rest is prepared for three or four banquets. This is the menu. The young lady sent me to let Master Yuan take a look and see if there are any additions or subtractions."

Chen Siyuan glanced at the dishes and saw that although it was called a "whole fish feast," it contained all sorts of delicacies from land and sea. There were also annotations listing which girl had specifically ordered them. Chen Siyuan looked at them and saw that Xiangyun and Xichun had ordered the most, probably because they were young and at the age where they were prone to gluttony.

After reading it, Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Excellent. I can't add or subtract anything. Go back and tell your daughter. She can make the decision on this matter herself."

Ying'er smiled and agreed, then looked around before leaning closer and whispering, "Our young lady isn't feeling well... otherwise she would have come by herself."

Ying'er spoke cryptically, but Chen Siyuan suddenly realized... So Sister Bao had started her period.

After Hongyu saw Ying'er off, Chen Siyuan finally settled down to read for a while. Then, a little maid named Yunxiang called out, "Master, Master, Miss is here!"

Chen Siyuan immediately put down his book and got up to greet her. Just as he reached the door, he saw Xing Xiuyan gracefully approaching. He glanced at her from afar and, apart from a slight hint of reproach on her face, she seemed even more ethereal than before.

Chen Siyuan hurriedly welcomed her inside, and after she was seated, he smiled and said, "Cousin, you are a rare guest indeed."

Xing Xiuyan gave him a meaningful look and said in a low voice, "I don't believe you don't know why I come so infrequently."

Chen Siyuan asked in confusion, "I really don't know, I'll have to ask my cousin for help."

Xing Xiuyan shook her head and said, "I won't tell."

It was summer, and the young lady was dressed lightly. The two had already been intimate... Xing Xiuyan was afraid that Chen Siyuan would lose his beastly nature and do something irreversible.

Chen Siyuan immediately felt embarrassed and said, "So that's how my cousin sees me."

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "Then dare you say you're not?" As she spoke, she glanced at Hongyu and Wu'er.

Chen Siyuan was immediately embarrassed. For the past six months, Xi Laizhi had been constantly busy with his training, and Chen Siyuan could be said to be in a state of constant pleasure without women. Last night, he had stayed up all night to prepare for his rendezvous with Aunt Xue tonight, which was already quite rare.

Hongyu and Wu'er blushed and retreated. Xing Xiuyan then said in a low voice, "Since we are ordinary people, it is better to follow the rules of the mortal world. You know I can't stand the gossip of those outsiders."

She paused, then handed over her slender, delicate hand, saying, "Here you go."

"Ok?"

"A congratulatory gift," Xing Xiuyan said with a smile. "I know you always like to put thought into congratulatory gifts, so you might as well give it to me now, so as not to cause a fuss among the sisters tomorrow."

Chen Siyuan stood up and said, "Wait a moment." After saying that, he went into the study. When he turned back, he suddenly had a thought in his mind... Was his cousin Xing Xiuyan afraid that Baochai would see the congratulatory gift and become jealous in the future, and then make things difficult for his cousin?
This time, Chen Siyuan wasn't holding a brocade box, but something wrapped in a cloth. Xing Xiuyan took it with surprise, opened the cloth, and saw a round fan embroidered with Gu embroidery inside.

Embroidered on it is a corner of Panxiang Temple in the snow, with a osmanthus tree covering half of it. In the blank space are two lines of inscription: "It seems to be no ordinary color, its shades are determined by the ice and snow."

(End of this chapter)