Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 260 Rescue
"Because of what?" Daiyu asked in surprise. "Could there be some other explanation behind this?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and shook his head, keeping everyone in suspense, saying, "It's hard to say now. When Xiangyun arrives, you can see for yourself, little sister."

Daiyu rolled her eyes at him and muttered, "Playing coy." After a pause, she added, "Since you're not eating anymore, you should probably leave now, right?"

Chen Siyuan simply stood up and said, "Since the host has given the order to leave, I have no choice but to take my leave." As he spoke, he got up and walked to the door, where Daiyu frowned and came to see him off.

Chen Siyuan suddenly stopped, turned to Daiyu and said, "Oh right, I almost forgot. I just saw Master and heard that your teacher has returned to the capital."

"Really?" Daiyu's brows immediately relaxed. Her father had entrusted her to Jia Yucun on his deathbed. Although they hadn't had much contact over the years, Daiyu had always held onto hope for Jia Yucun. Moreover, now that Grandmother Jia's true colors were revealed, Jia Yucun's true nature was even more apparent.

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "I just spoke with Granny Wang... I might have to pay my respects tomorrow. I'm leaving now, sister, please wait."

Unexpectedly, Chen Si took a step forward and then suddenly stopped. Daiyu, unable to stop in time, almost bumped into his back, and immediately looked up at him reproachfully.

Chen Siyuan closed his folding fan, scratched his head, and said, "There's one more thing... Baoyu upset you, sister. I just went to complain to the master. I'm afraid Baoyu will have to move back to Qixianzhai in the next few days." He smiled, cupped his hands, and said, "You're too kind, sister. There's no need to thank me."

Baoyu is moving back to Qixianzhai? That's a good thing. Since her marriage to Chen Siyuan was arranged long ago, Daiyu has treated Baoyu as an ordinary cousin. However, whenever they are together, Baoyu's gaze is quite strange, making Daiyu feel uncomfortable. Since they can't be cousins, it's better to avoid seeing each other, which will save her a lot of trouble.

Daiyu breathed a sigh of relief, but said reproachfully, "Shameless! Who wants to thank you?"

Chen Siyuan chuckled, said nothing more, turned and walked away with his hands behind his back, his right hand still fiddling with his folding fan. Daiyu stopped at the door, watching as Zijuan chased after her to see her off, before she pursed her lips and turned back into her room.

A moment later, Xueyan came in, tidying up the table as she asked with a smile, "What did Master Yuan say to the young lady?"

Daiyu said irritably, "Why don't you just ask him yourself?"

Xueyan, feeling awkward, could only tidy up the table in silence. Suddenly, she exclaimed in surprise, "The tea and snacks are all gone?"

Daiyu chuckled as she recalled how Chen Siyuan had wolfed down his food like a starving ghost.

For some reason, Chen Siyuan's frivolous reply actually eased her mind a little. She had only eaten half a bowl of green rice for dinner, and now she suddenly felt a little hungry, so she instructed, "Go to the kitchen later and see if there is any water chestnut cake left. If there is, bring back some more."

Xueyan obediently agreed and immediately smiled again. In her heart, she thought that her young lady had been coaxed by Master Yuan.

She had just finished tidying up, and in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zijuan led Baochai inside again.

Daiyu got up to greet her, and Baochai smiled and took Daiyu's hand, saying, "Did he just arrive?"

Daiyu pouted and said, "It's just a perfunctory gesture... I'm afraid I couldn't resist Sister Bao's repeated persuasion, so I came just to be polite."

Baochai frowned immediately and said, "Is that so? I'll have to talk to him about it properly later!"

The two entered the bedroom together and sat down in the warm pavilion. Daiyu said again, "He was trying to curry favor with me, saying that because he offended me, he went to his uncle to complain, and Baoyu will be moving to Qixianzhai soon."

Baochai smiled and said, "It's clear that he still cares for his sister. Otherwise, why didn't he rush to find his uncle last time?" Although she said this, Baochai was certain that Chen Siyuan was probably doing this more for his own sake.

Daiyu pursed her lips, not wanting to talk about it anymore, and said, "Let's not talk about him... Granny Wang has fallen ill again. She's been taking the prescription given by Physician Hu for several days, but it hasn't helped. She's just asking Sister Bao for help."

Baochai said, "Why should we sisters use the word 'ask'? Once I get the medical records, I'll send someone to examine the patients and get the medicine according to the prescription."

Daiyu smiled and agreed, then chattered away with Baochai about other things.

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

The next day was the Dragon Boat Festival, with calamus and mugwort adorning the doors and tiger-shaped amulets tied to the arms.

That noon, Madam Wang prepared a banquet and invited the Xue family mother and daughter to enjoy the afternoon food. She also wanted to invite Chen Siyuan, but Chen Siyuan had already promised to accept You Sanjie's invitation, so he personally declined and went straight to his new house.

During the meal, Baoyu tried several times to talk to Baochai, but seeing her calm expression, he knew it must be because of what happened yesterday. She was listless and dispirited.
Lady Wang believed that Baoyu was involved because of the Jin Chuan incident, and since this matter was not something to be publicized, she did not interfere with Baoyu.

Daiyu was furious that Baoyu had forced his way into Xiaoxiang Pavilion, so she didn't even make eye contact with him, let alone speak to him.

Feng Jie knew about yesterday's events and had received instructions to move Bao Yu to Qi Xian Zhai after today. Seeing that no one was saying anything, she refrained from making any jokes.
Xiangyun had not returned yet, and seeing that none of the three sisters spoke, they exchanged glances and also fell silent.

So the banquet lasted only a little over half an hour before everyone dispersed. Baoyu lazily returned to Yihong Courtyard, unaware of the impending move back to Qixianzhai. He only inquired about Xiren briefly before listlessly lying down again. Unexpectedly, Xue Pan came looking for him again in the afternoon. Baoyu, feeling utterly bored and preoccupied with his 'good brother' Jiang Yuhan, happily went with Xue Pan.

There was nothing else to do that day, and before long it was the sixth day of the fifth month.

Chen Siyuan was late in returning home that day, probably because he was exhausted from the previous day. Around noon, Madam Wang, Aunt Xue, and a group of children were gathered in Rongqing Hall talking with the old lady when a servant woman came in with a strange expression and announced, "Miss Shi is here!"

Grandmother Jia's face immediately lit up, and she urged, "Yun'er is back. I know you can't stay idle, so go and greet her."

The three sisters, Daiyu and Baochai, rose and chatted as they went out to greet her. As soon as they turned through the passageway, they saw a group of maids and servants escorting Shi Xiangyun through a side gate next to the main gate.

Xichun, being young, was completely unaware of what was happening, while the remaining sisters looked at each other in astonishment!
In the past, Shi Xiangyun only brought Cuilu with her when she came and went. Now, she has so many maids and wives, and she is dressed so formally even in the hot weather... It is obvious that she has been betrothed to someone!

The second young lady felt a pang of self-pity... Even Xiangyun, at such a young age, was betrothed, while she herself hadn't found a husband yet, and even the once-enthusiastic Madam Xing no longer cared much about her. What should she do?

The third daughter, Tan Chun, frowned slightly, clearly thinking that just moments before, Zhang the Taoist priest of Qingxu Temple had given her the golden unicorn, and then Xiang Yun had been betrothed to someone else... How could things be so coincidental? It could very well be a battle of wits between the old matriarch and the two marquises of the Shi family!

Xing Xiuyan, who had just received the news, came from the east courtyard with a smile but didn't say anything. No one knew what she was thinking.

Daiyu was puzzled, thinking to herself that something had indeed gone wrong, and now her grandmother's hopes had been dashed. But... how did those scheming people find out?

While surprised, Baochai didn't mind at all. She said to Daiyu beside her, "What a joyous occasion... but Yun'er kept it from us for so long. We must give her a good talking-to later."

Xichun then realized what was happening and exclaimed, "Sister Yun has already chosen a family? We must ask her carefully later what kind of family she comes from!"

The group gathered for a short while, and the young women, who hadn't seen each other for several days, were naturally very close upon their reunion. They chattered away for quite a while, and Daiyu teased Xiangyun, saying she looked much more dignified now.

Having already been betrothed, Xiangyun blushed, but she couldn't argue with Daiyu. She just mumbled a few words here and there, and was ushered into Rongqing Hall by her sisters.

Feng Jie was the first to receive the news. Knowing that this would surely upset the old lady, she simply hid in the garden. With Madam Wang and Aunt Xue present in Rongqing Hall, the old woman who delivered the message had already spoken to Yuanyang, but Yuanyang didn't have time to inform the old lady.

So when everyone entered the room, Grandmother Jia was immediately horrified when she saw Xiangyun's dignified and well-mannered demeanor.

Xiangyun stepped forward and bowed respectfully. Only then did Grandmother Jia manage a smile and say, "It's hot, take off your outer clothes."

Xiangyun obediently agreed, and Madam Wang, who was standing to the side, was pleased and said with a smile, "I haven't seen you wearing these things for anything?"

Shi Xiangyun laughed and said, "It was all my second aunt who made me wear these. Who would want to wear these!"

Baochai laughed and told a funny story about Xiangyun's past, and Daiyu also told one, which made the second young lady Yingchun laugh and say, "Being naughty is fine, but I just hate that she talks too much. I've never seen her lying there and still chattering away, laughing and talking for a while, I don't know where all those words come from."

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone laughed at Xiangyun again. Seeing that no one would expose her, Madam Wang simply said, "I'm afraid things are better now. A few days ago, someone came to look at her, and it seems she has a future mother-in-law."

These words struck Grandmother Jia like a sharp needle! She hadn't even mentioned marriage to her two nephews yet, but they had already arranged a marriage for Xiangyun in just a few days!
Looking around, Xiangyun had found a husband, Daiyu was engaged, and even Baochai, whom he himself disliked, was no longer bothering Baoyu. Poor Grandmother Jia, she couldn't think of any other girl to find for Baoyu!

In a terrible mood, Grandmother Jia forced a smile and said a few words to Xiangyun before sending her to the green gauze curtain to settle down.

Feeling tired, Grandmother Jia simply said she was exhausted and went to her bedroom to rest. Lady Wang, Aunt Xue, and the others got up and left, leaving only a few children to talk with Xiangyun.

That morning, Sister Feng sought out Baoyu and told him of Lady Wang's instructions. She expected Baoyu to make a scene, but to her surprise, he simply nodded in agreement. He thought to himself, "Since Sister Bao and Sister Lin are both far away from me now, what's the point of staying in the garden?"
Why not move back to Qixianzhai? That way, it will be easier to go out and find Jiang Yuhan.

So they started moving early in the morning and finished gradually by noon. When they heard that Xiangyun had arrived, Baoyu finally became more interested and led Xiren and Sheyue to Rongqing Hall.

His arrival immediately created an awkward silence. Baochai and Lin Daiyu simply fell silent, letting Xiangyun chatter on and on, and then presenting Xiren with a crimson stone ring.

Afterwards, everyone chatted and joked for a while. Yuanyang came to tell them that the old lady had gone to sleep, and then they all dispersed. Xiangyun finished tidying up, found Yuanyang and gave her a crimson stone ring. She was also thinking about going to the garden to find Jinchuan and Ping'er to give them rings. So she led Cuilu to the Grand View Garden.

But let's leave that aside for now. After lunch that day, Chen Siyuan finally managed to escape the clutches of his beloved concubine. Since he hadn't brought a servant yesterday, he rode his horse alone, dismounting only at the side gate of the Rongguo Mansion.

It was a hot day, and only six men remained guarding the side gate, fanning themselves and pulling at their collars. When they saw Chen Siyuan, their eyes lit up, and they hurriedly stepped forward to greet him: "Uncle Yuan!"

Chen Siyuan slowly dismounted, landing with a loud screech, startling Yu Liu who hurriedly asked, "What's wrong, Master Yuan?"

Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "Don't even mention it. That beast sped off with just a little encouragement, and I twisted my back."

Yu Liu said, "I see. Then I'll get Master Yuan a better horse later."

Chen Siyuan gave a vague reply… Yesterday was certainly a farce. If it were just Sister You Er and Sister You San, it wouldn't be so bad, but he also had to comfort Qingwen last night. All that fighting, how could he not have twisted his back?

Just as Chen Siyuan was about to ask a question, a group of people came from the west, escorting a sedan chair slowly towards the Rongguo Mansion. Yu Liu glanced at them and immediately said, "They're quite distinguished guests. Master Yuan, I apologize for the delay."

He immediately left Chen Siyuan and went to greet them. Chen Siyuan stopped in front of the west gate to observe. As the sedan chair stopped in front of the main gate, a figure dressed in plain clothes stepped out. Chen Siyuan narrowed his eyes immediately—it was Jia Yucun!
Yesterday morning, he naturally brought a congratulatory gift to visit Jia Yucun on Xinglong Street, but unfortunately, he had guests at the time, and the old servant only left his name card, so Chen Siyuan returned home. Unexpectedly, Jia Yucun came today!
As Chen Siyuan pondered, Jia Yucun seemed to sense something and suddenly turned his head to glance over, startling Chen Siyuan, who quickly slipped into the side gate. After hiding behind a tree for a while, he suddenly realized... Jia Yucun had already accepted the marriage certificate, so why should he feel guilty?

He shook his head and gave a bitter smile, then turned to return to his thatched hut when he saw a woman walking towards him like a walking corpse. All the people near the stables had followed Yu Liu to greet Jia Yucun, so there was no one else around for the time being.

Chen Siyuan glanced at her and immediately recognized the woman as Jin Chuan'er, who had been chased away the day before... Jin Chuan'er! Chen Siyuan thought to himself that something was wrong, and then he saw Jin Chuan'er walk to the well and silently fall in!
If he hadn't seen her, it wouldn't have mattered. Chen Siyuan and Jin Chuan'er were only acquaintances; there was no reason for Chen Siyuan to go to such lengths to rescue her. But now, this living person had fallen headfirst into the well… Chen Siyuan wasn't that heartless. After only a moment of stunned silence, he shouted, "Help! Someone's jumped into the well!"

Amidst the shouts, he rushed to the well, only to find a person plunging headfirst into the water and struggling violently. Turning his head, he saw a servant running towards them, and Chen Siyuan said to the servant, "The person has jumped in; pull me out in a bit!"

After saying that, he gritted his teeth, grabbed the well rope, took off his shoes, and jumped down.

puff-

Splashes of water!

Having lived two lives in this life, and having resided in Yangzhou for a long time, Chen Siyuan was naturally a good swimmer. However, as soon as Chen Siyuan entered the water, he felt his legs, which were treading water, being held tightly by someone!

A dying person, whether willing or unwilling, will always grasp at a straw in their final moments. Chen Siyuan, despite his excellent swimming skills, was now unable to use any of them because his legs were bound.

With his arms flailing slightly, and seeing his body sinking, Chen Siyuan quickly grabbed the well rope, and then his head sank into the water. He was pulled out of the water a moment later.

Two heads peered down from the wellhead, shouting, "Uncle Yuan!" "Go call for help!" "Pull, pull, don't let go!" Just as Chen Siyuan was about to speak, a foot kicked him in the cheek. He spat twice, realizing this couldn't go on. Not only could he not save anyone, but he might also exhaust himself and be dragged into the water by Jin Chuan'er.

After a moment's thought, he abruptly let go, and his body sank downwards. The well was dimly lit, and Chen Siyuan could only vaguely make out an outline. As Jin Chuan'er saw herself sinking, she frantically grabbed at her legs, eventually letting go.

Seeing that there was hope, Chen Siyuan quickly pulled Jin Chuan'er up and sank down himself. This well had been dug for over a hundred years, perhaps even before the Ning and Rong mansions were in power. Chen Siyuan sank again, sinking nearly ten feet before reaching the bottom.

With his legs freed and his swimming skills at his disposal, he wouldn't drown anytime soon. Jin Chuan flailed about haphazardly for a moment, then gradually fell silent.

Seeing the situation was bad, Chen Siyuan used his feet to push upwards, managing to lift Jin Chuan'er to the surface. The well opening was now crowded with heads, chattering amongst themselves, the echoes reverberating through the well walls, giving Chen Siyuan a terrible headache. So Chen Siyuan shouted sternly, "Silence! Follow my orders! Quickly go and find a thicker rope!"

That well rope was only about the thickness of a thumb, and it had been used for years. How could it possibly hold a person?

Someone above replied, "Don't worry, Uncle Yuan, we already have people looking for him!"

Chen Siyuan replied, then looked down at Jin Chuan in his arms. The girl's face was deathly pale, and she had already stopped breathing. The well was cramped, so Chen Siyuan laboriously turned her around, his arms gripping her chest and abdomen, squeezing her back and forth forcefully. Perhaps because she had choked on water not long ago, after only a dozen or so strokes, Jin Chuan suddenly opened her mouth and vomited water with a "whoosh," followed by a fit of coughing!
Seeing that her chest and abdomen were being constricted, Jin Chuan'er immediately began to struggle wildly. Chen Siyuan quickly said, "Stop it! If you keep this up, we might both die!"

Jin Chuan'er was startled. She turned her head and looked around, only then realizing that it was Chen Siyuan who had saved her. Jin Chuan'er began to sob and cry, "Madam chased me away, and my mother and father curse me every day. Why did Master Yuan save me? Just let me die already!"

How could Chen Siyuan persuade her about such a thing? Fortunately, Jin Chuan'er only cried and made a fuss, and no longer thought about committing suicide.

A short while later, a rope was thrown down from above. Chen Siyuan first tied up Jin Chuan'er, then ordered the servants above to pull her up first, and then he pulled the rope himself to escape the danger.

As Chen Siyuan climbed up, he looked through the gap and saw Lai Da staring at him with a sinister expression, gritting his teeth. Before Chen Siyuan could get up, Lai Da had already turned and left.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "This old bastard is still up to no good, but I just can't find any fault with him. I must think of a way to strike first in the future!"
Yu Liu returned at some point, pushed through the crowd, and asked, "Is Grandpa Yuan alright?"

Chen Siyuan shook his head and said, "Go and see Jin Chuan'er quickly."

He was a man, and being soaking wet was already indecent, but Jin Chuan'er was dressed very thinly, and after being soaked, she was completely translucent. Several naive servants were staring at her with lecherous eyes, looking her up and down. At this moment, there was a commotion coming from the side gate next to the main gate. Cries of "Sister!" and "My child!" came from afar, and a servant shouted, "Jin Chuan'er's mother is here!"

A gap opened to the left and right, and soon Bai Lao'er's wife and Yu Chuan'er arrived, crying and shouting. Seeing that Yu Chuan'er was just lying on the ground sobbing, Bai Lao'er's wife stepped forward and whipped her hard, crying, "You heartless thing! Your father and I only scolded you a few times, why are you trying to kill yourself?"

Yu Chuan hugged Jin Chuan and wept bitterly. Then, an old woman from the ceremonial gate hurriedly brought a thin blanket to wrap Jin Chuan in, and after urging everyone around, the mother and her two daughters finally got up. Hearing that they were all thanks to Chen Siyuan for saving them, they were about to kneel down and kowtow, but Chen Siyuan had already disappeared.

The mother and her two daughters walked away crying, which I won't go into detail about.

Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan had already slipped away from the crowd and entered the inner courtyard. Although he was soaking wet, Chen Siyuan was in a very good mood, feeling as if he had built a seven-story pagoda and had accumulated immeasurable merit.

As she pondered, a smile played on her lips. Ignoring the astonished maids and servants around her, she went straight into the Grand View Garden.

Unexpectedly, she bumped into Shishu, Tanchun's maid. Shishu was quite surprised and was about to go forward to speak when she suddenly caught sight of Chen Siyuan's lower body. Her face immediately turned red. She turned her head away, managed to exchange a few words with Chen Siyuan, and then hurriedly ran away as if fleeing.

Chen Siyuan looked down and was immediately at a loss for words... Having too much capital is sometimes not a good thing. Now that the outline is clearly visible, if he walks on the main road, he might bump into the sisters in the garden.

After a moment's thought, Chen Siyuan turned around and headed straight for the passageway leading to the brothel. Although this path was long and winding, it was extremely secluded, and he wasn't worried about bumping into the sisters.

After bypassing the mountain that blocked his way, Chen Siyuan walked along the path behind the Yihong Courtyard. Before long, he saw something gleaming with gold near the rose trellis. Surprised, Chen Siyuan went closer and picked up a magnificent golden unicorn from the grass.

Chen Siyuan was startled, wondering if Baoyu had gotten his hands on this item. How did it end up here? He vaguely felt that there was such a scene in the original text. Just as he was about to think about it carefully, he suddenly heard voices approaching, and then Xiangyun said, "You know a lot... Oh? Brother Yuan!"

Afraid of offending Xiangyun, Chen Siyuan simply hid half of his body behind the flower stand, only smiling and waving at her from afar. After a while, Xiangyun led her maid Cuilu closer and immediately noticed the golden unicorn in Chen Siyuan's hand. She frowned and was stunned, and couldn't help but ask, "Brother Yuan, where did you get this?"

Chen Siyuan's mind raced, and he said, "I picked up this item by chance. After thinking about it for a while, I suddenly remembered that my sisters had mentioned that Sister Yun seemed to have this golden unicorn. I was just about to go and look for Sister Yun when she unexpectedly delivered herself to my door... Here, let's return it to its rightful owner."

Before Xiangyun could react, Chen Siyuan handed the golden unicorn to her.

Just as Xiangyun was about to speak, she suddenly caught sight of Baoyu emerging from behind the mountain blocking the road, and quickly put away the golden unicorn. These golden unicorns always came in pairs, and had been passed down through generations of the Shi family; how could Xiangyun not know this? However, her own marriage was already arranged, and she already possessed a female golden unicorn, so she naturally didn't say anything more.

While Xiangyun and Cuilu were observing the golden unicorn, Chen Siyuan quickly moved around the rose trellis and said, "I fell into the water while saving someone, which is really indecent. Sister Yun, I'll take my leave now."

Xiangyun then came to her senses and looked at Chen Siyuan's back, saying, "Then take care, Brother Yuan!"

Chen Siyuan walked away quickly, waving his hand without looking back.

At this moment, Baoyu said, "What are you two doing under this sun? Why don't you go find Xiren?"

As Xiangyun turned around, she quickly hid the golden unicorn in her sleeve, then turned to Baoyu and said with a smile, "We were just about to go. Let's go together."

Then, leading Cuilu, they indeed went to Yihong Courtyard together with Baoyu.

Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan strode away, and in the blink of an eye, he crossed the White Stone Bridge. Ahead, behind the Moon Gate, the passageway split in two, one leading directly to the Green Bamboo Nunnery; the other leading to the Long Corridor and Winding Cave. Chen Siyuan naturally wanted to choose the less crowded path, so he opted for the latter.

Just as they passed the winding tunnel, they bumped into Miaoyu leading a young maidservant, walking gracefully towards them. Chen Si had nowhere to avoid her, as the two were only a few steps apart. He saw Miaoyu glance at him up and down, then suddenly frown in disgust.

Chen Siyuan calmed down and thought to himself that he had saved lives and ended up in this situation, so where did this half-monk, half-layman, get the audacity to be disgusted? He didn't try to hide it anymore and strode forward.

Miaoyu caught a glimpse of the whisk swaying faintly below his waist, and immediately blushed and spat, "You filthy seed!"

Chen Siyuan suddenly stopped, turned around and sneered, "You filthy seed? What you think is what you see. It's clear you haven't been thinking anything good either!"

"You!" Miaoyu turned her head to argue, but then glanced at him again and felt as if she had a sty in her eye. She hurriedly turned her head away and dared not look again.

Chen Siyuan sneered, walked away from the long corridor, passed the Jade Emperor Temple, and hurriedly entered the Qingtang Thatched Cottage.

The daylight was just right, and Hongyu and Wu'er were hanging out their quilts to dry in the courtyard when they heard footsteps. Turning around, they saw Chen Siyuan returning, soaking wet. Startled, Hongyu and Wu'er quickly dropped their quilts and rushed forward to ask, "Master, what happened?"

"It's a long story, quickly find me a handkerchief to wipe myself."

Once inside, he quickly took off his clothes, letting Hongyu and Wu'er wipe his hair and body, and changed his clothes. Only then did he have time to explain what had just happened.

Hongyu and Wu'er were both deeply moved by what they heard. Hongyu said, "May Buddha and Bodhisattva protect us. Even if you were in a hurry to save people, there's no way you would have almost gotten yourself killed! It won't take much longer anyway, so why not wait for those servants to come and save people?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "In a moment of desperation, how could I care about anything else?"

Hongyu was still shaken, but seeing that Chen Siyuan hadn't even suffered a scratch, she finally felt relieved. She added, "Who would have thought that Jin Chuan'er would be driven to the brink of suicide by the Bai family..."

Wu'er said, "Isn't it because Madam chased Jin Chuan away?"

Hongyu pursed her lips and shook her head, saying to Wu'er, "Things here are all messed up, you'd better not listen in."

Wu'er didn't ask any more questions. She took Chen Siyuan's wet clothes and sent them to the laundry room in the back to be washed. Hongyu was afraid that the cold well water would make Chen Siyuan sick again, so she quickly brewed hot tea to serve him.

A moment later, Zhou Rui's wife suddenly called from outside, "Is Master Yuan here?"

Chen Siyuan got up to greet him, and Zhou Rui's wife said with a smile, "The old man from Xinglong Street is here. He specifically asked for Master Yuan to accompany him. The master sent me to inform Master Yuan."

Chen Siyuan agreed, gave Hongyu some instructions, and then got up and went forward again.

But when they arrived at Qinfang Pavilion, they saw Xiangyun leading Cuilu with a furrowed brow.

Xiangyun had just gone to Yihong Courtyard and heard Baoyu mention the golden unicorn. Only then did she realize that the one in her sleeve was the one Baoyu had lost. Just as she was about to return it, she suddenly remembered Chen Siyuan, who had picked it up. So, as if by some strange twist of fate, she kept the golden unicorn a secret.

Afterwards, she talked with Baoyu and Xiren for a long time, but Xiren took advantage of her kindness and asked Xiangyun to make shoes for Baoyu. If it were a few days ago, Xiangyun would probably have agreed, but things are different now. She is already engaged, so how could she make shoes for another man?

So he immediately declined and gave the crimson stone ring to Xiren. Just then, someone came to call Baoyu, saying that the master had invited him from the front.

Baoyu reluctantly grumbled inwardly, and Xiangyun couldn't help but say a few words of advice. But Baoyu immediately exploded! He swore and said a lot of strange things, then stormed off.

Xiangyun knew Baoyu's temper well, so she didn't argue with him. Only after asking Xiren did she learn that Jin Chuan had actually been dismissed by Lady Wang!

She sighed inwardly, knowing that she couldn't get involved in such matters. Just as she was about to lead Cuilu to the Bai family in the back to look for Jinchuan, she unexpectedly bumped into Chen Siyuan again.

Chen Siyuan called out, and Xiangyun, regaining her composure, glanced at Chen Siyuan and immediately smiled, saying, "I forgot to ask earlier, Brother Yuan, how did you get all wet?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "It was just a moment of panic... Perhaps Sister Yun will find out soon. Now that Master is in a hurry to find me, I won't stay any longer."

Xiangyun readily agreed: "Okay, then Brother Yuan, go ahead."

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded slightly, then strode away. Xiangyun, however, stopped at Qinfang Pavilion, staring blankly at Chen Siyuan's figure. After a while, Cuilu beside her urged her, and Xiangyun shook her head and headed towards the back gate of the Grand View Garden.

As I passed by the small kitchen, I overheard Sister Liu and the others gossiping.

One of the old women exclaimed, "This is terrible! Jin Chuan from the backyard has jumped into the well!"

Xiangyun was startled and quickly stopped to listen.

Sister Liu exclaimed in surprise and hurriedly asked, "When will this happen?"

"Just now! Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, he jumped into the well next to the stable in the southeast."

"Hey, how is he?"

"Damn, luckily Master Yuan was back at the mansion at that time and saw it all. To be fair, Master Yuan is quite capable. He called out and jumped in to save people without saying a word."

"Oh?" Sister Liu hurriedly asked, "How is Uncle Yuan?"

The old woman laughed and said, "Since Master Yuan is so capable, Jin Chuan and he himself will be fine."

Then Sister Liu uttered "Amitabha".

Xiangyun and Cuilu exchanged a glance and realized that Chen Siyuan had jumped into the well to save someone, which was why he had gotten himself soaked.

(End of this chapter)