Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 263 The beautiful lady

Her playful teasing initially met with a slight refusal, but tender feelings had already been secretly conveyed. Her lowered head stirred like a cicada's shadow, and her turning steps left a trail of dust on her jade-like skin.

After a long while, their lips parted, and Baochai, panting softly, lay limp in Chen Siyuan's arms. A rustling sound came from the direction of Tubi Manor, and Baochai looked up to see Ying'er parting the branches and looking down.

Baochai was startled and quickly pushed Chen Siyuan away, waving her hand at Ying'er. Ying'er saw this and then went back upstairs to keep watch.

Baochai turned around and saw Chen Siyuan's mischievous grin. She immediately said angrily, "We were just having a nice conversation, and you had to cause trouble again."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "It was just that I couldn't help myself for a moment."

Baochai's heart softened, and she didn't say anything else, only saying, "You haven't told me yet, what are the clues about Mingyan?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Just let Ying'er listen carefully. That servant has an ambiguous relationship with Wan'er from the East Mansion. He might even have a lover in the Rong Mansion."

Baochai's face immediately darkened, and she said, "Lust is close to murder, gambling is close to theft. Just because of lust, how many lives have been lost in this world? Since Mingyan is so unscrupulous, how can we be sure she won't corrupt Brother Bao? This matter... we must have Mother and Aunt talk to her about it later."

Chen Siyuan's face immediately showed amusement. Baochai's face stiffened, and then she lowered her head and took Chen Siyuan's hand, saying, "I... my family had no choice. If we didn't win over the servants in the mansion, where would my mother and I have a place to stand in such a large Rongguo Mansion? In the future... I will definitely not tolerate it."

Holding her plump, boneless hand, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but laugh, "I didn't say anything—"

Baochai raised her eyes and scolded, "Even if you didn't say it, you were thinking about it." She paused, then added, "Besides, winning people's hearts is also for Aunt's sake. I'm not really happy about it in the first place, so why ruin the family's reputation for no reason?"

Chen Siyuan pondered, "Of the three important positions in the mansion, Madam has already obtained two, and Steward Lai Da has lost his prestige. At this juncture, why should Madam use such methods to win people's hearts?"

Baochai sighed, "How could you know how cunning those old servants are? They all have eyes for wealth and status, and they're good at watching the winds, flattering the powerful and belittling the weak. Don't be fooled by Madam's current power; if the East Wing gains influence in the future, those two-faced scoundrels will certainly be punished!"

Chen Siyuan nodded in agreement; the servants and women of the Jia family were indeed all of that kind.

Sister Bao continued, "That newly opened mansion is fine; the servants are all new and haven't formed any connections yet. But in thirty or forty years, everyone will be related, like blood relatives. They might even gang up on each other to deceive their master. If you ask me, running water never stagnates, and a frequently used door hinge never rusts. If you establish your own household in the future, you should replace some of the cunning ones every ten years or so."

Chen Siyuan chuckled and said, "Such matters are for my sister to handle; how could I possibly concern myself with them?"

Baochai blushed instantly. Although she glared at him, she couldn't suppress her laughter and muttered, "I... I didn't say I wouldn't marry anyone but you."

Chen Siyuan then pulled her into his arms and said, "If you dare not marry me, I will become an outlaw and kidnap you to be my wife."

Baochai chuckled and said, "If that's the case, then it's good. We can be a pair of thieves."

The two laughed for a while, then found a seat on the steps in front of the back door of the villa. Baochai had come prepared; a thin straw mat was hidden under the eaves nearby. Chen Siyuan quickly laid it out and pulled Baochai to sit beside him.

Baochai started talking about what had happened during the day. Although she was precocious, there were many things she didn't understand.

Chen Siyuan didn't hide anything from her and explained everything clearly.

After she finished speaking, Baochai shook her head with a wry smile and said, "It's clear that the old lady is confused now."

Chen Siyuan nodded in agreement. If she were truly clever, she would naturally spoil Daiyu rotten, and wouldn't let Baoyu run wild. Lin Daiyu's teacher, Jia Yucun, is now a second-rank official, and he has been rising rapidly in the past few years. He might even become a prime minister one day.

The Jia family has already fallen on hard times, and at this critical juncture, instead of befriending such a person, they have only incurred his displeasure... It's truly inexplicable.

Thinking of this, Sister Bao suddenly felt a pang of sorrow. Everyone outside spoke of the four great families of Jinling, but in reality, the Xue family was merely at the bottom of the list, just there to make up the numbers. Although the family was large and wealthy, they lacked the protection of an official above them, faced disputes among their various branches over the inheritance, and, moreover, lacked a mentor like Jia Yucun who rose rapidly through the ranks.

Despite bearing the titles of the four great families, in reality... they are just ordinary. Stealing a glance at Chen Siyuan, she couldn't help but think to herself that if she hadn't befriended him early on, she probably wouldn't have been able to reach such a person.

Remembering what Ying'er had told her about Xiangyun and Cuilu, the mistress and servant, in the afternoon, Baochai deduced that Chen Siyuan must have picked up the golden unicorn and only returned it after bumping into Xiangyun. The two didn't interact much, and Yun'er was engaged... Well, bringing it up now would only make her seem petty, so it was best not to say anything.

The moon was high in the sky above the willow branches; it was a midsummer night, and the air was filled with the croaking of frogs. The two chatted idly for a while, and Baochai, unable to contain her excitement, leaned against Chen Siyuan without realizing it.

Chen Siyuan wasn't a novice; with a quick glance, he saw that Baochai was wearing a pale yellow jacket with pink floral trim, over which was a white bodice, and a long skirt embroidered with pink orchids, with half of her embroidered shoes peeking out. Her eyes were sparkling, and her face was as beautiful as a peach blossom, clearly showing that she was in love.

Chen Siyuan's heart stirred, and he pulled her into his arms. Their eyes met, and their lips met again. This time, Chen Siyuan was not so proper. He held her back with one hand and groped her haphazardly with the other, and in a short while, he had Baochai breathless from his caresses.

As the strange hand moved down, Baochai suddenly felt a chill and frowned, saying, "No, no..."

Chen Siyuan whispered a few words in her ear, and Baochai was initially skeptical, but then became completely absorbed in the music. So, in the quiet night, the croaking of frogs was accompanied by a soft rustling sound.

Suddenly, Baochai arched her back, her teeth chattering, and then rolled her eyes as she slumped softly into Chen Siyuan's arms, her face as if covered by a bright red veil.

Chen Siyuan silently withdrew his hand, sighing inwardly: As expected of Bao-jie, who is made of water!
After some gentle words of comfort, Baochai, having just come to her senses, broke free as if fleeing, and jumped two steps away.

Chen Siyuan was stunned for a moment, and was about to get up and chase after her when he saw Baochai backing away and saying, "You, you are not allowed to come over!"

"I--"

"It's getting late, you should go back and rest."

Having said that, she ignored the mat and turned to run away. Chen Siyuan was completely baffled, utterly unable to understand what Baochai was up to.

Little did she know that Sister Bao was still feeling lingering fear. What had just happened was even more intoxicating than the last time. Ever since she stopped taking the Cold Fragrance Pill, the fire in her heart had been burning ever brighter, and she had been teased by Chen Siyuan to the point of being unable to control herself... If she hadn't managed to escape by forcing herself to stay, she probably would have been unable to resist and consummated her relationship with Chen Siyuan.

Baochai hurried along, her brows furrowed and her face pale. The proper demeanor of a married woman in this world is supposed to be dignified and virtuous, yet she was now consumed by lust… how was she any different from those vixens outside? Baochai was furious, partly because of Chen Siyuan's seduction, but mostly because she couldn't control herself.

Ying'er caught up with him at some point, and said with a grin, "Why don't you talk to Master Yuan a little longer, young lady? I think the old woman on night patrol won't be back for a while."

Baochai turned her head, startling Ying'er so much that her face froze. Baochai said, "Watch your mouth, or you'll get a beating!"

The mistress and servant remained silent as they returned to Hengwu Garden. Ying'er instructed the maid to close the gate and bolt it, then went inside to help Baochai wash up. However, once inside, Ying'er felt that whenever she was close to Baochai, she could faintly smell an indescribable scent.

Because of the sweltering heat of midsummer, Baochai simply ordered warm water, took off her clothes, and entered the bathtub to bathe. Ying'er was picking up her clothes, but when she picked up her underpants, she saw large water stains on them and smelled a strange odor.

Ying'er is sixteen now, and she's been running around everywhere. She's even seen that girl Duo having an affair a few times, so how could she not know what this is? She couldn't help but suppress a laugh, secretly praising Master Yuan's skill. She was afraid that if this happened a few more times, her own girl wouldn't be able to hold on to him.

That night, Baochai tossed and turned for a long time, which I won't go into detail about.

As dawn broke, Baochai finished getting ready and remembered Chen Siyuan's words. So, after having breakfast, she hurriedly went to the small courtyard in the northeast.

Upon entering, Aunt Xue, who was having breakfast, greeted Baochai with a smile, "My child, have you eaten?"

Baochai replied casually, then stepped forward and whispered, "Does Madam remember the servant boy named Mingyan who serves Baoyu?"

Aunt Xue, unaware of the situation, simply said, "Of course I remember, why are you bringing him up?"

Baochai, with a solemn expression, recounted what Chen Siyuan had said the day before... Of course, Baochai couldn't say that Chen Siyuan had told her, but instead claimed that Ying'er had overheard it.

Aunt Xue was shocked to hear this and said, "Your brother only comes once every few days, and even when he does, he only stays for a short while before leaving. How could he have spread this gossip around?"

Baochai then said, "Mother, have you forgotten that when Brother went to the private school, he had a big falling out with Baoyu because of those two girls, Xianglian and Yu'ai... He probably offended Mingyan back then, and he still holds a grudge, so he's taking this opportunity to get revenge!"

Aunt Xue was immediately enraged and said, "How dare a lowly servant bully us now?"

Although she was angry, she couldn't do anything about Mingyan for the time being. After waiting for a while, Baochai said, "Last night, I had Ying'er eavesdrop. That Mingyan is also a shameless person."

That Mingyan acts recklessly. Not to mention Wan'er from the East Mansion, she even had affairs with two young maids from the Rongguo Mansion. Last night, Baochai was so preoccupied with her own feelings that she only asked Ying'er about it this morning, and sure enough, she found out Mingyan's true colors.

After speaking with Aunt Xue, Aunt Xue nodded repeatedly and gently pulled Baochai's hand, saying, "My child, it's all thanks to you, otherwise I don't know how I would have explained this to your aunt."

Baochai said, "In cases of false accusation, if nine parts are true and one part is false, the accused will have no way to defend themselves. Mother, talk to Brother later and suggest that he come to the Rongguo Mansion less often in the future."

Aunt Xue frowned and said, "How could I not know? But you know your brother's temperament. If we don't let him come, he might go out and fool around. Fine, I'll go back and keep an eye on him in a few days."

Baochai sighed inwardly. It was because of this older brother that she had been looked down upon. Luckily, she had a connection with Chen Siyuan; otherwise, she might still be clinging to Baoyu!

After Baochai told her about this, she returned to Hengwu Garden.

Aunt Xue ate breakfast with a heavy heart, and waited until after 7 a.m. before heading to Madam Wang's courtyard. But as soon as she stepped out, a fellow nobleman returned from outside and whispered about what had happened at Madam Wang's courtyard the day before.

Finally, he added, "Later, Master Zheng went to Aunt Zhao's room and raged, then went to Mengpo Studio."

Aunt Xue thought to herself, "My sister was already distant and cold towards Jia Zheng, and now she probably has even less affection for him as a husband and wife."

Upon arriving at Madam Wang's courtyard, they saw Jin Chuan kneeling on the ground, sobbing softly, while Madam Wang herself looked distressed.

When Aunt Xue arrived, Madam Wang merely nodded slightly and said to Jin Chuan, who was kneeling on the ground, "If I really disliked you, why would I punish you? I wouldn't even bother to look at someone I dislike."

Jin Chuan'er was busy kowtowing, while Yu Chuan'er said, "Madam, it's because Father and Mother spoke too harshly that my sister couldn't take it and couldn't think straight."

Madam Wang said, "If this hadn't happened, I was thinking of giving you the cold shoulder for a few days to teach you a lesson, and then bringing you back to serve me in my room. But you insisted on jumping into the well... Now even the old lady probably knows, how could I dare to keep you here?"

Jin Chuan pleaded, "Please, Madam, have mercy on me, considering my past loyalty."

After thinking for a moment, Madam Wang said, "Alright, I have a cloth shop in my dowry store. You can go and help out there for two years. We can talk about the rest later."

Upon hearing this, Jin Chuan'er hurriedly kowtowed, and Yu Chuan'er followed suit. Seeing Madam Wang sigh and wave her hand, she helped her sister Jin Chuan'er back down.

As soon as the two left, Aunt Xue came over and said, "Sister, you are kind-hearted. You should just send this kind of girl to the estate. Why bother with so much?"

Lady Wang harbored deep resentment towards Jin Chuan, but due to yesterday's events, she had no choice but to appease her. Furthermore, Lady Wang didn't know if Jin Chuan had already given herself to Bao Yu. If she pressed her too hard, who knew if Jin Chuan might resort to desperate measures?

It was difficult to express these thoughts aloud, so Madam Wang sighed and said, "Well, she has served me for several years, and I can't just watch her go home empty-handed."

Aunt Xue nodded without asking any further questions. She took a sip of warm tea and suddenly said, "Sister, there were rumors circulating this morning that Pan'er spread the word about Baoyu and Qi Guan, which is why your husband beat Baoyu so badly."

Madam Wang feigned surprise and asked, "Is that so?"

That is, she needed to appease Jin Chuan just now, otherwise Lady Wang would have already summoned Mingyan to inquire about it. Yesterday, she had a falling out with Aunt Zhao and was planning to take drastic measures, but who knew that Jia Zheng would return at this crucial moment. After another argument with her, Lady Wang was utterly heartbroken.

Back in her room, she felt increasingly resentful. She was the lawfully wedded wife, yet she couldn't even compete with a concubine who had come from humble beginnings. How could she bear this?

With both old and new grudges piled up, Madam Wang would truly be restless if she didn't kill Aunt Zhao and her son!

She had made up her mind. Knowing that Aunt Zhao had the support of the Old Madam and Jia Zheng, she heard from the old woman that Jia Zheng had also lost his temper in Aunt Zhao's room yesterday and then went to Mengpo Studio. She figured he must have angered that mother and son. Now she should take the real evidence and present it to the Old Madam. She was sure that the Old Madam would be silenced and would no longer be able to support her.

After that, whether or not the mother and child could be molded into something else entirely was up to Madam Wang.

At this moment, Aunt Xue suddenly brought it up, which surprised Madam Wang. She didn't expect that there was something to do with Xue the Fool.

Aunt Xue said angrily, "I thought it was some idiot gossiping behind my back, but who knew the old woman saw Mingyan talking to someone outside the second gate. Ha, it's like a crow landing on a pig! She made a grudge against Pan'er and is now trying to frame someone else." She paused, then said to Lady Wang, "Sister, you probably don't know, but Mingyan not only has an affair with Wan'er from the East Mansion, but she's also having ambiguous relationships with two maids in the mansion. It's possible that Baoyu's repeated troubles are all because of Mingyan's influence!"

Madam Wang was immediately enraged: "How could this be!" Robbery leads to murder, gambling leads to theft. Even if Madam Wang was confused, she dared not let her servants act so recklessly. She immediately called to the old woman outside and ordered, "Go and bring Mingyan here! These good men have been corrupted by these good-for-nothings!"

The old woman readily agreed and was about to turn and leave when Madam Wang suddenly stood up and said, "Wait a moment!" After a moment's thought, she took a step and said, "Don't rush, come with me to Qixianzhai."

Seeing this, Aunt Xue also got up and followed Madam Wang to Qixianzhai.

It is said that Baoyu's suffering this time was only physical. He had seen the imperial physician yesterday and had medicine applied to his body. Although he could still only lie down, he was much better than yesterday.

Lady Wang and Aunt Xue came together, chatted with Baoyu for a while, and were relieved to see that he was alright. They then went to the outer room to question Xiren, Sheyue, and others.

After seeing Jin Chuan off, Yu Chuan'er arrived at Qi Xian Zhai with Madam Wang and is currently staying in the side room to look after her.

Baoyu felt a little guilty when he thought of Jin Chuan. Seeing that Yu Chuan was silent with a tense face, he tried to make conversation by asking, "How is your sister's health?"

Yu Chuan'er was furious and wouldn't even look at him. After a long while, she finally said "Fine".

Baoyu looked embarrassed, but he tried to make conversation, saying, "Good sister, I'm thirsty right now. Could you bring me some soup to try?"

This soup was lotus leaf soup that Grandmother Jia had prepared early that morning. Yu Chuan remained unmoved and said, "I don't know how to feed people. You should wait until they come before you eat."

Baoyu smiled and said, "I don't want you to feed me. Since I can't walk, you can just hand it to me. If you're too lazy to move, I'll have to endure the pain and go get it."

Yu Chuan was driven to desperation by Bao Yu's persistent pestering, but she remained secretly alert. With a cold expression, she fetched lotus leaf soup and served it to him. Bao Yu, meanwhile, continued to tease Yu Chuan with a playful grin, unaware that Yu Chuan, because of her sister Jin Chuan's affair, had already resolved never to be close to Bao Yu again.

Leaving that aside for now, let's talk about what happened outside. Madam Wang called out to several maids one by one and asked them questions. Suddenly, an old woman came out of the study and pulled out a book. She came over with a stern face and handed it to Madam Wang, saying, "Madam, please take a look!"

Lady Wang was not very literate, so she asked the old woman to explain. The old woman said, "Madam, this is the story of the meeting of immortals, also known as...The Romance of the Western Chamber."

Madam Wang immediately sneered, glanced at Xiren in front of her, and asked, "Where did this book come from?"

Xi Ren felt bitter inside, not wanting to complain in front of everyone, and even less daring to hide it. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Madam knows that I am illiterate, and Qiu Wen usually takes care of the Second Master's study."

Madam Wang nodded and instructed, "Summon Qiuwen."

After a short while, Qiuwen entered cautiously, because she had already asked a question earlier. Qiuwen glanced at Xiren and saw that she was looking down at her mouth and mind, which made her even more uneasy.

Madam Wang placed the books at his feet and said coldly, "Tell me, where did these books come from?"

Qiuwen secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Madam doesn't know, although I manage the study, I never touch the books. But Meiren has picked up this book and flipped through it a few times."

Xi Ren remained outwardly calm, but inwardly she felt a surge of joy. Mei Ren, like herself, had come from the old lady's side. With Qing Wen gone, Mei Ren had become Bao Yu's favorite. Xi Ren had long wanted to find an opportunity to get rid of her, and coincidentally, this opportunity had arrived, and not only that, she hadn't been the one to report her.

Madam Wang looked down on Meiren and became even angrier. When she summoned Meiren for questioning, Meiren was terrified when she saw that Meiren didn't actually remember the book. She stammered, "Madam, I really don't know. This book... this book was brought back by Master Bao one day, and I don't know where it came from."

At this moment, Aunt Xue interjected, "It's most likely that Mingyan found it."

Madam Wang said coldly, "The old lady has said time and again that no one in the family is allowed to read these kinds of romance novels about talented scholars and beautiful women. Not only did you not report it, but you also tricked Baoyu into reading them with you. You really are a vixen!"

Meiren was so frightened that she knelt down and kowtowed.

Madam Wang said, "It's no use begging me now. Since you came from the old lady's side, she will deal with you as she sees fit!"

Without asking any further questions, he got up and gave the old woman a look. The old woman quickly picked up the notebook, and then the group of people left in a grand procession.

Meiren burst into tears, looking up to see Xiren frowning with pity, while Qiuwen smugly gloated. In the past, Meiren would have certainly fought with Qiuwen. But now, with her life hanging by a thread, she had no other thoughts.
Hearing the commotion, Baoyu quickly called out to inquire. Xiren frowned and sighed as she went to the side room, where she said to Baoyu, "You've really put Meiren through a lot. Because of what happened, Madam is going to complain to the Old Madam. I think Meiren won't be able to stay."

Baoyu was struck dumb, lying there speechless. After a while, the seductive woman came crawling back to beg for help. Baoyu was so anxious that he burst into tears, but he could only comfort and console her, without showing any intention of turning the tables on her.

Xiren watched coldly from the sidelines, and her contempt for Baoyu grew even stronger.

Half a day later, as expected, Sister Feng came to drive her away. Meiren cried and sobbed, but eventually packed her bags and left the mansion. Soon after, news came that Madam Wang had made a huge fuss, severely beating Mingyan forty strokes of the cane and dismissing her from her post.

Having suffered physical pain and now being heartbroken, Baoyu felt that there was nothing in the world worth cherishing, and a thought of entering a Buddhist monastery began to take root in his heart.

In the afternoon, the three sisters first came to see Baoyu, showing him great concern and care; then Xiangyun and Xing Xiuyan arrived; and a little while later, Baochai and Daiyu also came to see him.

The chattering was incessant; one asked about food, another about medicine, and for a moment, the air was filled with the chatter of women. Baoyu's bitterness subsided, and he thought to himself: "I only endured a few beatings, and they're all like this. If I were dead, who knows what would happen? With them like this, even if all my life's work were to vanish, it wouldn't be a great pity." (Note 1)

Just then, Musk Moon outside said, "Master Yuan is here."

Baoyu's expression immediately changed, but considering that Chen Si had come all the way to visit him while he was sick, he couldn't very well show his displeasure, so he forced himself to suppress his awkwardness.

When he looked up, he saw all his sisters looking outside, and Baoyu felt a pang of pain in his heart.

A moment later, the curtain opened, and Chen Siyuan walked in with a slight bow. He greeted the ladies with clasped hands, his gaze lingering briefly on Baochai and Lin Daiyu before settling on his cousin Xing Xiuyan for a long while.

Xing Xiuyan immediately scolded him... Yesterday, she was only delayed because of her period, but now he's staring at her. There are outsiders here, how can she talk to him? So she pouted and shook her head.

"Brother Yuan!" Xichun smiled and came over. Chen Siyuan habitually reached out and ruffled Xichun's hair, then glanced at Tanchun standing quietly to the side.

As for what happened last night, Yunxiang, the little gossip, had already told Chen Siyuan about it. Chen Siyuan felt sorry for Tanchun and, seeing that she had lost her smile, couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He thought that he should talk to the Third Miss later to prevent her from getting stuck in a rut.

Seeing the second young lady, Yingchun, staring at him again... Chen Siyuan dared not respond, so he nodded slightly to her, went to the bedside, and asked, "Brother Bao, are you feeling better today?"

Baoyu disliked it and gave a vague reply.

Chen Siyuan then said, "If you ask me, Brother Bao went too far this time..."

Baoyu was annoyed and retorted, "Why does Brother Yuan have to talk to me like this? Don't you yourself associate with all sorts of people outside?"

This refers to those three older brothers who have now infiltrated the inner palace.

Before Chen Siyuan could speak, Xiao Xichun said, "Brother Bao, Brother Yuan associates with heroes and good men, not actors."

One sentence left Baoyu speechless.

Chen Siyuan then laughed and said, "My three brothers and I are truly friends, like brothers who share weal and woe. If I were in danger in the future, my three brothers would be willing to risk their lives to save me." He paused and then said, "Why should we care about our background when we are friends like this? To put it dramatically, even if a knife were held to my throat in the future, my three good brothers would not sell me out."

Upon hearing this, Baoyu was taken aback and immediately blushed with embarrassment! Yesterday, the Chief Secretary of the Prince of Zhongshun had only threatened him a little, and he had already confessed everything... Sigh, I can only hope that Jiang Yuhan can at least get through this.

Seeing that Baoyu's face was flushed with embarrassment, Chen Siyuan then turned to ask about Mushe's daily life and diet.

Just then, someone came from outside to report: "Two maids from Master Fu's household have come to pay their respects and see Master Fu."

Chen Siyuan quickly realized the newcomer's background, but feigned ignorance and asked, "Who is Second Master Fu?"

Yingchun, who was standing nearby, smiled and said, "Brother Yuan, you don't know, but Second Master Fu was originally Second Uncle's student. Second Uncle really took good care of him. Unlike other students, he often sent people to visit him."

Xiao Xichun pursed her lips, but then realized it wasn't appropriate to say anything, so she remained silent.

Chen Siyuan glanced at Xichun with a smile, knowing in his heart that Xichun probably wanted to talk about Fu Qiufang, who was twenty-three years old and still unmarried, neither good enough for a man nor good enough for a woman.

A moment later, two old women entered the room. As soon as they entered, they glanced at Chen Siyuan and quickly looked at each other.

After getting to know each other, one of the old women became even more excited and kept stealing glances at Chen Siyuan.

Seeing this, Baochai was both amused and exasperated. She quietly tugged at Daiyu, who rolled her eyes.

Baochai was both amused and exasperated, thinking to herself that really, all sorts of people were trying to woo Chen Siyuan. She turned to look at Chen Siyuan, only to find him sitting upright, whispering something to Xiao Xichun.

Then Baochai realized something. If Chen Siyuan hadn't been so outstanding, why would she have fallen for him? And yet... she let him be so frivolous. Since he was so outstanding, he was bound to attract attention.

Fu Qiufang is already twenty-three; no matter what, I doubt Chen Siyuan would even look at her. So why should I worry?

Sure enough, after asking Baoyu a few questions, the two old women turned to Chen Siyuan for further questioning. One praised his writing, saying that her young mistress often talked about him; the other praised Chen Siyuan's outstanding appearance and character, saying that he was truly a rare find.

Chen Siyuan gave a vague answer, and seeing that even Baoyu could see that something was wrong, he then found an excuse to get up and leave.

The two old women from the Fu family felt a pang of regret, but they didn't linger. They got up, muttered their farewells, and left. Chen Siyuan, keeping track of the time, left Qixianzhai, borrowed a horse from the front, and headed towards Xinglong Street.

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

That afternoon, Chen Siyuan, feeling tired from reading, went for a stroll in the garden. He had intended to find Tan Chun to comfort him, but as soon as he turned past the Jade Emperor Temple, he saw Daiyu carrying a small flower hoe and heading this way.

Chen Siyuan's eyes lit up, and he immediately stepped forward and said with a smile, "Is my little sister going to bury flowers again?"

Daiyu tilted her head slightly, then gave a mischievous curtsy and said, "Congratulations! Granny Fu has already made the marriage proposal. She might come to propose marriage tomorrow."

Chen Siyuan's face stiffened, and Daiyu immediately covered her mouth and chuckled.

Chen Siyuan chuckled, "Is my sister teasing me too?"

"Shouldn't we?" Daiyu tilted her head and gestured for them to walk side by side. She said playfully, "I came here to look at Brother Bao, but I've turned around and started looking at you instead."

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily, walked with his hands behind his back, pondered for a moment, and said, "Sister, you've probably misunderstood. The Fu family... they're neither here to see Brother Bao nor to see me."

"Who are they here to find a match for?"

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, it's rare to see Daiyu in such a good mood, it seems that his strategy of saying something shocking last time worked. He suddenly stopped, tilted his head and whispered, "That's for your uncle."

Daiyu was stunned for a moment, then looked up at him with a frown and said, "How can you say such things so casually?"

"Nonsense?" Chen Siyuan calculated, "She's twenty-three, no matter what... she can't possibly marry Baoyu, can she? But your uncle is only in his early forties, handsome and upright. His wife at home is no longer close to him, he only has two concubines, and he hasn't looked for Concubine Zhou for a long time, and now he's estranged from Concubine Zhao... Besides, your uncle might be promoted soon, wouldn't it be perfect to take a concubine?"

Daiyu was startled, but upon further reflection, she realized it made perfect sense. She had always despised such petty and scheming people, and immediately spat out, saying, "Indeed, only scheming people know the thoughts of scheming people."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Know the male, keep to the female, and be the valley of the world."

Daiyu rolled her eyes at him and said, "They're no better than birds of a feather."

Even though she said that, after taking a few steps and seeing that Chen Siyuan hadn't followed, she stopped, turned around, and frowned, saying, "Aren't you coming?"

"Come on." Chen Siyuan was overjoyed, thinking to himself that this approach was indeed correct.

Even if Lin Daiyu was being hypocritical, she probably doesn't dislike herself as much anymore.

(End of this chapter)