Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 275 A Shallow Poison, a Deep Fate
When Sister You reached Chen Siyuan's chest, Chen Siyuan gasped. Sister You then realized Chen Siyuan was still injured and quickly got up. Sister Bao, who was trailing behind, also stopped abruptly, covering her mouth and looking at Chen Siyuan with teary eyes.

Aunt Xue, hiding behind Baochai, also stared longingly at Chen Siyuan. At this moment, Tonggui hurriedly brought over the medicine, which Aunt Xue snatched away and squeezed forward, saying, "Yuan-ge'er, quickly take some medicine."

Chen Siyuan's ears were ringing and his head was spinning. When the medicine was brought close to him, he gagged incessantly just from the smell. He moved his right hand slightly and felt a sharp pain in it, so he simply used the strength of his waist and abdomen to stand up and kept pointing behind Aunt Xue.

While Aunt Xue was still in a daze, Sister Bao had already reacted: "Spittoon!" She immediately bent down, picked up the spittoon, and brought it over. Chen Siyuan's right hand trembled as he held it, and he immediately vomited uncontrollably.

Sister You quickly sat down to rub her back. Aunt Xue was so frightened that she didn't know what to do. After calming down, she hurriedly ordered, "Quickly go to the front and fetch the imperial physician, Physician Wang!"

Tongxi agreed and turned to leave quickly.

Chen Siyuan hadn't eaten all day, so there was nothing left in his stomach. He dry-heaved for a while, but all he vomited was sour water.

After vomiting, Chen Siyuan felt the churning in his stomach subside slightly, but his head was still dizzy and his ears were ringing. In that short time, he was sweating profusely.

You Sanjie and Baochai hurriedly helped him lie down again, each chiming in with their own words, which made Chen Siyuan frown repeatedly.

A moment later, Physician Wang hurried in. Upon entering and seeing that Chen Siyuan was indeed awake, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. After briefly taking his pulse, he asked, "How are you feeling now, Master Yuan?"

"Dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, and persistent abdominal churning."

The imperial physician stroked his beard and said, "This is because the poison from aconite has not been completely eliminated."

Baochai hurriedly asked, "Doctor Wang, Brother Yuan keeps gagging as soon as he smells the medicine. What should we do?"

Physician Wang said, "It's alright. I see that Master Yuan's physique is far superior to that of ordinary people. Now that he has survived the first bout, he will gradually recover with proper care."

Sister You hurriedly said, "Please, Imperial Physician, take another look. Why can't my brother use his right arm either?"

"Oh?" Doctor Wang exclaimed in surprise, and when he reached out to touch Chen Siyuan, Chen Siyuan immediately grimaced.

Physician Wang laughed and said, "It's nothing serious. It's just exhaustion. It will be fine in three to five days."

It was Chen Siyuan's first time fighting for his life. He was incredibly calm during the fight, but he used all his strength in those few brick blows, so it was understandable that he was exhausted.

Physician Wang stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, then said, "Since you can't take the medicine, you can drink some licorice and mung bean soup first. It's best to eat less meat and fish these days. Yes, if you have breast milk, you might as well drink more of it." After examining the wound, he instructed Chen Siyuan not to aggravate it, left a prescription for licorice and mung bean soup, and then got up to take his leave.

Aunt Xue quickly sent Tongxi to give Physician Wang two silver coins. Tonggui came over and said, "Madam, Master Yuan has woken up. We must let everyone know so that they won't worry."

Aunt Xue readily agreed and then instructed Tong Gui to spread the word.

After crying, Baochai and You Sanjie both felt as if the clouds in the sky had dispersed. Baochai didn't care about the gossiping old woman and focused on serving Chen Siyuan.

Chen Siyuan's right hand was weak, and he could only tug at this and grasp that weakly, and said with a smile, "It's alright, it will be fine in a few days. Third Sister, you shouldn't stay too long, I'll go back to the new house after a while."

Before You Sanjie could speak, Baochai scolded, "I warned you a thousand times beforehand, why did you insist on taking such a risk?"

Seeing that Aunt Xue behind him looked resentful, Chen Siyuan could only laugh and cry at the same time, "It's really not that I deliberately took the risk, it's just a coincidence... Who would have thought that the thief would launch his attack today, and that I would just happen to run into him?" He paused, then added, "It's fortunate that I ran into him, otherwise the thief leader would not have escaped, otherwise there would have been endless trouble."

The three women were still shaken. Third Sister You said, "Brother, you shouldn't take any more risks in the future. We're not short of money at home. Why do you always only take Qingyu? Tomorrow I'll spend some money to find two decent guards."

Seeing that even Baochai nodded repeatedly, Chen Siyuan knew he couldn't refuse the women, so he smiled and agreed. At that moment, he was dizzy and his vision was blurred; all the noises seemed to come from beyond the horizon. Luckily, he was young and strong, otherwise he would have fainted long ago.

The hidden arrow was coated with various poisons; snake venom and toad venom were applied at some unknown time, presumably long since lost their effectiveness. The real culprit was the aconite poison. It was only because Chen Siyuan was physically robust that he survived this ordeal; an ordinary person might not have been able to endure it.

At this moment, not only Baochai, You Sanjie, and Aunt Xue, but even Chen Siyuan himself was still shaken. He thought to himself, "A son of a wealthy family should not sit under a dangerous roof." He was now on the verge of success, had immense wealth, and had Baochai and Lin Daiyu waiting for him. How could he just leave like this, without knowing why?

Perhaps we should hire bodyguards to accompany us in the future, to avoid such a misfortune from happening again.

Seeing that Chen Siyuan was out of danger, Aunt Xue breathed a slight sigh of relief, but fearing that Baochai and the others would discover her secret, she hurriedly went out to find someone to cook the licorice and mung bean soup.

Just as the old women were getting busy, Madam Xing arrived in a flurry of activity.

"Little...Yuan-ge'er is really awake?"

Aunt Xue went forward to greet her, but Madam Xing seemed not to see her at all and quickly went into the main room. Aunt Xue was taken aback, but assumed that Madam Xing genuinely doted on her nephew Chen Siyuan, so she quickly followed her inside.

Seeing that Chen Siyuan had indeed woken up, Madam Xing immediately wiped her face with a handkerchief and cried, "Waaah...you're finally awake. If you were gone...how could I, how could I explain to your mother? Waaah—"

Chen Siyuan forced a smile and said a few words despite his headache. Baochai and You Sanjie came over to comfort him. After a while, Madam Xing stopped crying and said, "I heard from Tonggui that Yuan-ge'er's poison can only be cured by breast milk?"

Aunt Xue said, "I just sent someone to find what Physician Wang instructed me to do."

Madam Xing frowned and said, "Why bother looking? I have one right here in my room." She then pulled the woman, whose face was flushed with embarrassment, closer.

Chen Siyuan examined her closely and was immediately stunned... Wasn't this Fourth Brother's wet nurse? This, this—

Baochai and You Sanjie were both stunned, but because Madam Xing was their elder, they couldn't speak for a moment. Chen Siyuan was only still poisoned, not incapacitated... Who would directly invite a wet nurse? Even the absurd Baoyu had never done such a thing.

Aunt Xue couldn't stand it any longer and quickly pulled Madam Xing aside to say something. Madam Xing, however, didn't care and said, "We're going to eat it anyway, why bother?"

Aunt Xue was both amused and exasperated, and quickly sent Tong Gui to lead the relieved wet nurse to the side room.

A short while later, Li Wan arrived first with Jia Lan, followed by Daiyu, Xing Xiuyan, and the three sisters. With so many people, they started chattering away, giving Chen Siyuan a splitting headache, but he just gritted his teeth and endured it.

Daiyu noticed that Chen Siyuan was uncomfortable, so she said, "Now that he's awake, I don't think we all need to wait here. This noise is bound to be annoying. Since the imperial physician said he needs to rest quietly, we can come and observe him one by one in the future."

All the sisters agreed and left with Daiyu. Soon after, Lady Wang came to observe, and Grandmother Jia also sent Yuanyang to visit. Seeing that Chen Siyuan was tired and asleep, Lady Wang and Yuanyang also took their leave.

Sister Feng arrived last, because Ying'er had gotten into a fight with an old woman in the garden. After learning the reason, Sister Feng detained the old woman and then went to ask Madam Wang for instructions. Following Madam Wang's orders, she only withheld the old woman's wages and rations for three months.

Feng Jie visited briefly, exchanged a few words, and then left. As soon as she left, Ying'er, whose hair was disheveled and hadn't been tidied up, went to Aunt Xue and complained to Sister Bao: "That old woman Sun is gossiping, saying that Miss is a jinx, and I happened to overhear it... I was so angry that I went to confront her, but she insisted that she hadn't gossiped, so I went over and pulled her mouth."

Later, the Second Mistress arrived and simply took the old woman away, saying... saying she would have three months' wages withheld. Madam, Miss, how could the Second Mistress handle things like this?

Upon hearing this, Aunt Xue frowned and said, "This Feng girl is getting more and more outrageous! I'll talk to your aunt about it later. How can you let her off so easily for gossiping about a young lady behind her back?"

Baochai frowned slightly, comforted Ying'er, and sent her away to tidy up. Then she said to Aunt Xue, "How could Feng'er dare to do this on her own? I think she probably got instructions from Aunt."

Aunt Xue frowned in astonishment and asked, "What is your aunt trying to achieve?"

Baochai remained silent. In the past, Aunt Xue was single-mindedly trying to bring about the marriage between the Jia and Baochai, and she always helped Lady Wang win over the servants and devise strategies. Lady Wang naturally protected the Xue family. However, times have changed. Because of Chen Siyuan, the marriage has fallen through. Everyone with eyes can see that the Xue family has only relied on the Jia family for two or three years. After Baochai and Chen Siyuan get married, the Xue family will definitely have to move out.

Furthermore, when Madam Wang borrowed money last time, Aunt Xue made all sorts of excuses to refuse. Although Madam Wang didn't say anything on the surface, how could she not be thinking about it? She might harbor resentment and is looking for an opportunity to give the Xue family a hard time this time.

After thinking for a moment, Aunt Xue sighed and said, "Your aunt's temper... when she was young, she was even more shrewish than Feng'er. I didn't expect that she would still be like this at this age."

Baochai glanced at Chen Siyuan, who had fallen asleep again, and thought to herself that even if Chen Siyuan passed the next imperial examination, he would still have to rely on the Rongguo Mansion for the next two or three years. Living under someone else's roof, he was bound to suffer. For the sake of the Xue family, she could only swallow this humiliation for the time being.

Baochai thought this way, and Aunt Xue was no exception. The mother and daughter did not mention the matter again. Seeing that it was getting late and Xiangling and Hongyu were arriving happily, Aunt Xue hurriedly urged Baochai to return to Hengwu Garden.

Daoxiangcun.

Li Wan had been absent-minded for two days, and she finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Chen Siyuan had woken up.

"Mother!"

As footsteps approached from outside, Jia Lan rushed back and handed over a piece of paper, saying, "This is the doctor's prescription from Physician Wang. Mother can prepare food for Uncle Yuan according to this prescription."

Li Wan took it and quickly glanced at it. After a moment's thought, she had an idea. She then looked at Jia Lan and said, "If you become successful in the future, don't forget your Uncle Yuan."

Jia Lan cupped his hands in agreement and said, "Yes, if it weren't for Uncle Yuan's rescue, I'm afraid I would have been kidnapped by the thieves. I will remember this forever and never forget it."

Li Wan nodded and said, "Alright, go ahead. Study on your own for the next few days."

Jia Lan agreed and went to the east end of the room to read by lamplight.

Li Wan then summoned Suyun and Biyue, took some loose silver coins from the silver box, and sent the two maids to the small kitchen to fetch some rice and grain.

After the two maids left, Li Wan remained in her room, feeling a deep sense of unease. She had troubled her brother Yuan many times, and now she had almost caused his death. Li Wan felt she owed him a great deal, and her heart was naturally heavy with worry.

After pondering aimlessly for a while, Suyun and Biyue returned with various bags. Li Wan checked them one by one, then instructed Suyun to come and wake her at dawn the next morning. After looking at Jia Lan, who was studying diligently, she got up and went outside.

Li Wan simply said she wanted to wander around, and without needing her two maids to accompany her, she first went to Liaofeng Pavilion in front of Daoxiang Village to sit for a while, and then went upstream along Qinfang Creek.

But as soon as they reached the rose trellis, they faintly heard strange noises coming from the banana grove ahead. Li Wan quickly stopped and looked ahead through the rose trellis.

It was just getting dark when Li Wan vaguely saw that the young lady's clothes were disheveled, and she was clinging to the pillar of the Rose Garden, her body swaying wildly, and she was moaning softly.

For a moment, lewd words such as "good girl," "hurry up," and "go" filled the air. Li Wan was stunned for a moment, then blushed with embarrassment.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, the young lady suddenly said, "It seems someone is there!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Jia Lian, with his shirt open, peeked out from behind and looked over, startling Li Wan so much that she hurriedly crouched down to hide.

Jia Lian looked around and said with a smile, "Where did these people come from? Darling, let's hurry, I have to go back later."

After laughing heartily, the girl ignored everything else.

Li Wan, afraid of disturbing the two, could only squat behind the rose trellis, not daring to move. Her ears were filled with vulgar language, and what she saw when she looked up was a live sex show, making Li Wan so ashamed that she wanted to disappear.

After a long while, the two finally gave up and went around the main mountain again. Li Wan finally breathed a sigh of relief, but when she got up, she felt her legs were numb. She moved a few times, afraid that the two would return, and hurriedly limped back to Daoxiang Village.

Upon entering, Li Wan appeared slightly flustered, prompting Su Yun and Bi Yue to inquire about her condition. Li Wan simply claimed to have twisted her ankle to cover it up, but inwardly she couldn't help but feel disgusted by the scene of lovemaking she had just witnessed.

That night, after Jia Lan had fallen asleep in the east wing, Li Wan returned to the west wing. She tossed and turned, sometimes thinking of Chen Siyuan, sometimes of the live sex show. She tossed and turned for a long time, not knowing when she finally fell asleep.

Who knew that what you think about during the day will appear in your dreams at night, and your dreams will be filled with endless beautiful scenes.

At first, it was her deceased husband, Jia Zhu, but later the figure gradually blurred and turned into the appearance of Chen Siyuan! In the dream, Li Wan was in a panic and tried her best to push him away, but Chen Siyuan just smiled and came over to be intimate with her, and no matter how Li Wan pushed him away, she could not push him away.

Just as he was getting anxious, he was suddenly shaken awake. He looked up and saw Su Yun frowning as she looked at him.

"grandmother?"

"Uh-huh?"

Su Yun frowned and asked with concern, "Is Grandma having a nightmare? When I called for her just now, she kept pushing me away."

Li Wan mumbled an agreement, rubbed her eyes, and got up. Suddenly, she felt a slippery, cool sensation beneath her. She wasn't a young lady confined to her quarters; how could she not know the reason? She was instantly too ashamed to face anyone.

She dared not let the two maids serve her at that moment, and urged them to go to the kitchen to start a fire. She secretly found her undergarments to change into, and hid them under the bed. After tidying herself up a bit, she hurriedly came out to prepare food for Chen Siyuan.

During this time, Li Wan was distracted several times, but thanks to Su Yun's reminders, the food wasn't overcooked. Once it was finally done, Li Wan instructed, "Go and keep watch at the front. If Brother Yuan wakes up, quickly take the food there." She then sighed, saying, "This is all I can do." Bi Yue comforted her, "Grandma's kindness is surely appreciated by Master Yuan."

Li Wan bit her lower lip and shook her head, feeling a mix of emotions, unsure of what to feel.

Meanwhile, in the small courtyard in the northeast, Chen Siyuan woke up before dawn. As soon as he got up, Xiangling fed him a large bowl of licorice and mung bean soup. Then Hongyu went to the side room to fetch his breast milk, but Chen Siyuan felt disgusted and said he didn't like it, which stopped Hongyu.

The two women stayed by Chen Siyuan's side, and naturally complained a lot, especially Xiangling, who even burst into tears again as she spoke. Chen Siyuan had to coax her for a while before he could stop Xiangling from crying.

Just then, her stomach rumbled, and Hongyu said, "I'll go to the small kitchen right now and find some delicious food for you, sir."

Hongyu left quickly, leaving only Chen Siyuan and Xiangling inside. After a good sleep and drinking a lot of licorice and mung bean soup, Chen Siyuan was still a little drowsy today, but at least his tinnitus was gone, so he was more patient when he spoke.

He immediately pulled Xiangling aside and asked, "Has your mother not sent any news yet?"

Xiangling frowned and said, "I asked around before and they said the canal is blocked, so it will probably be delayed for a while. You know my mother is frugal, so I'm afraid she won't be willing to send a message through a post station again."

Chen Siyuan comforted her, saying, "Aunt Zhen isn't traveling alone. She has maids and servants taking care of her along the way. She should arrive in a few days."

Xiangling nodded, her brows still furrowed with worry, clearly indicating that she was deeply concerned.

Just as we were about to say something else, we saw Hongyu return with two food boxes.

Not only Chen Siyuan, but even Xiangling stood up in surprise and asked, "How could it be so fast?"

Hongyu smiled and said, "What a coincidence! I just ran into Wu'er and Sister Suyun as I stepped out." She placed a food box on the table and said, "This is what Wu'er's mother prepared for Master." Then she placed another one on the table and said with a smile, "This is what Madam Zhu made for Master early this morning."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Thank you for your help, sister-in-law. Please give me your thanks later."

Hongyu said, "Do I need to tell you, sir? I already told Sister Suyun."

The food boxes were laid out. Liu's portion, though well-prepared, consisted of ordinary porridge and snacks typical of the Rongguo Mansion. Li Wan's portion, on the other hand, contained only two dishes: lotus root starch and red bean dumplings, and lotus seed, lily bulb, osmanthus sauce, mint, and mung bean porridge.

Chen Siyuan was extremely hungry at the moment, and upon smelling the aroma, he exclaimed, "Why does this smell like lotus root starch dumplings?"

Hongyu smiled and said, "Master, you actually smelled it?" As she spoke, she first brought over the lotus root starch dumplings and served Chen Siyuan a bite.

The glutinous rice balls were soft, sweet, and fragrant, yet not cloying. Chen Siyuan's appetite was immediately whetted, and he devoured the entire bowl of lotus root starch glutinous rice balls in no time. Then, Xiangling brought over the mung bean porridge, and Chen Siyuan was pleasantly surprised after taking a bite.

This mung bean porridge was made by first boiling mint, then using the mint water to boil the mung beans. The lotus seeds were probably steamed beforehand. It was then mixed with lily bulbs and osmanthus sauce and made into a very refreshing dish. It is clear that Li Wan had put a lot of thought into it.

Hongyu added, "Madam was worried that Master wouldn't be used to the taste, so she instructed us in advance that mint has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, and that eating more of it is good for him."

Chen Siyuan mumbled an agreement and ate spoonful after spoonful without stopping. After finishing the bowl, he felt somewhat unsatisfied.

After breakfast, Chen Siyuan felt that he had been lying in bed for two days and was afraid that his bones were about to rust, so he wanted to get up and move around. This immediately startled Xiangling and Hongyu, who scolded him and wouldn't allow it no matter how Chen Siyuan tried to explain.

Left with no other choice, Chen Siyuan sat up and chatted with the two maids to relieve his boredom.

After dawn, Aunt Xue came to check on them first. Out of consideration for Hongyu and Xiangling, Aunt Xue only smiled and said a few ordinary words. Soon after, Baochai came in a hurry. Xiangling and Hongyu knew that these two probably had some things that were not convenient for outsiders to know, and since they had not slept all night, they should go back to rest. So they all went back to the thatched cottage in Qingtang.

Baochai and Chen Siyuan locked eyes, naturally having endless things to say. However, Aunt Xue was feeling awkward and refused to leave. Baochai assumed that Aunt Xue was afraid that being alone with the two of them would lead to some bad gossip, so she suppressed her thousand words and only exchanged glances with Chen Siyuan.

After a while, an old woman came looking for her, this time about Jia Zhen's birthday gift. Aunt Xue was afraid the old woman would give the wrong gift, so she got up and left.

Only two people remained inside, and Ying'er quickly slipped away.

Baochai pouted, her face cold, and she glanced sideways at Chen Siyuan.

Chen Siyuan chuckled awkwardly, "There won't be a next time."

She reached out to grasp his soft hand, but Baochai dodged it, scolding him, "I know you were acting impulsively then. But in the future, if something like this happens again, even if you don't think about yourself, you should at least think about me... and about Lin Daiyu, Third Sister, and Xiangling. You're not just thinking about yourself anymore!"

Chen Siyuan smiled apologetically and said, "I will definitely be more careful in the future." After a pause, he coaxed her, "I'm thirsty, please bring me some tea."

Baochai gave a soft hum and then got up to bring out some warm tea. Chen Siyuan pretended that his right hand was weak again, so Baochai said, "You're showing off again. Sit still and I'll feed you."

She held the teacup in both hands, leaned forward, and carefully fed Chen Siyuan tea. As Chen Siyuan sipped the tea, he kept glancing at Baochai, his thieving hand involuntarily reaching up to caress her waist.

Baochai frowned and scolded, but after he had finished drinking, she reached out and slapped the thief's hand away. She then sighed and said, "You don't know, you didn't wake up yesterday, and everyone outside is saying that I'm the one who brought you bad luck."

"Is that so?" Chen Siyuan's mind raced, and he quickly came to a conclusion. The Xue family was living in the Rongguo Mansion, spending money and trying to win people's hearts. Who would be so foolish as to gossip about Baochai? He was afraid that these sarcastic remarks must have come from the East Wing... From Madam Xing to Wang Shanbao's wife, everyone in the East Wing looked down on the Xue mother and daughter, and they might have taken the opportunity to spread rumors.

Both sides are on our side, so it's best to talk things out privately rather than letting them fight. Therefore, Chen Siyuan simply tried to smooth things over, saying, "Why bother believing such a fortune teller, sister? Don't forget that the fortune teller said last time that you are destined to be a good wife and mother."

Some time ago, Sister Bao couldn't resist Chen Siyuan's urging and went for a stroll in the market with him again. During that time, Chen Siyuan bribed a fortune teller, who naturally said whatever he thought was auspicious.

Therefore, it is not only suitable for family life, but also for having sons.

Distracted by him, Baochai blushed and scolded, "Be careful not to let anyone hear... You're so badly injured and you still can't be serious!"

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Chen Siyuan grabbed the soft hand and played with it carefully. He said with lingering fear, "I almost died this time... I was extremely regretful at the time."

"regret?"

Chen Siyuan stared at Baochai and said, "I regret that I never watched the sunrise and sunset with my sister."

Hearing these sweet words, Baochai's heart softened, but she quickly realized something was amiss. Watching the sunrise and sunset together... wouldn't that be...

Baochai blushed and spat, "You're being indecent again! If you keep this up, I won't dare stay any longer."

Just as Chen Siyuan was about to beg for mercy with a smile, Ying'er came from outside and said, "Miss, the second, third, and fourth young ladies have arrived together."

Baochai hurriedly got up, guiltily smoothed her hair, gave Chen Siyuan a coquettish glare, and then went out to greet them. After a short while, Baochai led the three sisters into the inner room. The second sister looked concerned but didn't say much; Tanchun did say a few words seriously, but was interrupted by the chattering Xichun.

The little girl grumbled, her heart filled with worry and grievance. She was a girl from the East Mansion, but was being raised in the West Mansion. Her father had gone into hiding outside the city and was rarely seen, and her elder brother and sister-in-law didn't care much for her. As a result, she was neither loved by her maternal grandmother nor her maternal uncle. It was only after Chen Siyuan came that the little girl learned what it felt like to be cherished.

Chen Siyuan narrowly escaped death, and Xichun, who was filled with anxiety, naturally had a lot to say.

It was only because Tan Chun couldn't bear to watch any longer that Xi Chun told Doctor Wang what he had to say, and Xi Chun reluctantly took her leave, saying that she would come again tomorrow.

After the three springs had passed, Xing Xiuyan came alone.

Knowing that Xing Xiuyan and Chen Siyuan had a close relationship, Baochai found an excuse to leave and let the two of them have some private conversation.

Chen Siyuan then smiled and said to Xing Xiuyan, "Thank you for your concern, Cousin."

Xing Xiuyan shook her head and said with a smile, "I was worried for a while when I saw you covered in blood yesterday... but I got over it afterward."

Chen Siyuan looked puzzled, so Sister Xing leaned closer and whispered, "If you live, I live; if you die, I die."

Those eight simple words warmed Chen Siyuan's heart. What a wonderful girl! To have Xing Xiuyan's favor is truly a stroke of good fortune!
Chen Siyuan was genuinely moved and reached out his hand. Xing Xiuyan smiled and took his hands in hers. After exchanging glances, Xing Xiuyan said, "She does know a few medical skills at Panxiang Temple. I went to ask her for advice yesterday, and although I was turned away, she did give me a prescription. I'll ask Physician Wang to take a look later. If it's suitable, I'll brew it and bring it to you."

"You need to get better soon."

The "she" in this context naturally refers to Miaoyu.

Chen Siyuan nodded emphatically, his eyes fixed on Xing Xiuyan, yet he felt no sense of disrespect whatsoever.

After a moment, Xing Xiuyan let go of her hand and said, "It wouldn't be good to keep Sister Bao waiting. Since there's nothing else, I'll go first."

Chen Siyuan agreed, saying, "There's no need to trouble yourself too much. I'm much better now, and I'll probably be full of energy again in a few days."

Xing Xiuyan nodded in agreement, then turned and drifted away.

I thought Sister Bao would return after seeing Xing Xiuyan off, but instead it was Sister Lin who came.

Daiyu looked a little awkward at the moment, perhaps because she had just been teased by Baochai?

She glanced at Chen Siyuan, then looked away and ordered, "Quickly put those flowers out."

Xueyan and Zijuan arranged some fresh bouquets as instructed, instantly adding a touch of liveliness to the room.

Daiyu moved closer to sit on the stool on the bed and said with a smile, "Are you feeling better today? I know neither medicine nor cooking, so after thinking about it, I decided to pick some flowers to add some life to the place."

"Much better," Chen Siyuan replied, then asked in surprise, "These flowers... Sister, you're usually so fond of flowers, how come—"

Daiyu smiled and said, "These flowers are in full bloom, and I expect they will wither in a few days. Rather than letting them go with the stream, it would be better to adorn them. I will come back to bury them later."

How fortunate Chen Siyuan was to have Daiyu bring him a bouquet of flowers to visit him! He was flattered and surprised, but then he realized that he seemed to be...not quite the same in Lin Daiyu's eyes? Yes, it had been quite a while since Lin Daiyu had called him a treacherous villain.

Chen Siyuan then laughed and said, "To be favored by my sister, those flowers must be extremely lucky."

How could Daiyu not understand the hidden meaning in his words? She simply rolled her eyes at him and said, "Yesterday afternoon, my teacher sent someone to say that he will be returning to Jiangnan soon."

Chen Siyuan pondered for a moment and asked, "Has Governor Jia already met with His Majesty?"

Daiyu said, "I suppose so, but the person who came didn't mention anything."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "That's good news. It's possible that Governor Jia will be promoted in the future."

Daiyu shook her head and said, "Whether I get promoted or not doesn't matter, as long as I'm safe and healthy." After a pause, seeing that Xueyan and Zijuan were far away, Daiyu looked at Chen Siyuan and said sadly, "If you leave, how will I live?"

Chen Siyuan was stunned, and for a moment he could not understand what kind of state of mind Daiyu was in when she said those words.

The two were bound together by mutual benefit: Chen Siyuan sought advancement, while Daiyu sought a place in the Lin family lineage. Since the marriage was already arranged, if anything happened to Chen Siyuan, Daiyu would become a widow. Afterwards, living in the Rongguo Mansion, she could no longer think about that so-called preordained love. With the family fortune completely squandered, she probably wouldn't be able to find a husband outside the family… She feared she would ultimately still face the fate of being raised to death.

Chen Siyuan felt pity for her and said, "Don't worry, sister. The hidden arrow that could kill me hasn't been made yet. But with me here, I will protect you."

To everyone's surprise, Daiyu blushed, then burst into laughter, covered her mouth, and said "Fool" before getting up and leaving.

Chen Siyuan was puzzled, and then Zijuan came over and said, "Master Yuan, you don't know, that was what Miss Bao muttered just now, and our young lady just happened to hear it."

Daiyu had already reached the door when she turned around and scolded, "Shut up! If you keep this up, I might as well just give you to Brother Yuan!"

Zijuan, annoyed, hurriedly chased after Daiyu.

Chen Siyuan scratched his head, but a smile crept onto his face. Baochai was certainly deeply devoted to him, but what Lin Daiyu had just said… was it really just a simple repetition?
Now he understood Baoyu a little better. He had just suffered some injuries, which made his sisters worry about him and keep him by their side all day long. Wasn't he just enjoying himself so much that he didn't want to leave?

(End of this chapter)