Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 389 Dividing Jinping'er
After stroking his beard, Jia She finished speaking, a smug look on his face. To put it bluntly, Yuan-ge'er was his own nephew; to put it more closely, it was a double marriage—next year he would be his son-in-law.

Since the current emperor ascended the throne, the Jia family has been declining day by day. The former Jia Banchao can't even get a commander's position. Yuan'er is favored by the emperor and his future is limitless. With such a good son-in-law, the master thinks that good days are yet to come!

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia smiled and praised, "Yuan-ge'er is indeed a capable man."

No matter what, he is still his grandson-in-law. The Jia family might need Chen Siyuan's help to overcome difficulties in the future.

On the contrary, Madam Wang looked displeased and was extremely impatient.

After talking with Grandmother Jia for a while, Jia She took the opportunity to say, "Mother, as you know, Shuliang has already made a small betrothal, so the dowry should be prepared now."

Madam Wang immediately came to her senses and said, "This... according to custom, when Yingchun gets married, this money should come from the public funds. However, as the old lady knows, the public funds are currently insufficient, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to continue."

Grandmother Jia was well aware of the Jia family's situation. Ever since the mutual pawning with the Zhen family, most of the family's assets had been transferred. Fortunately, Lady Wang had taken over the businesses of the Xue family's eldest son; otherwise, the family's public funds might not have been sufficient this year.

Grandmother Jia then said, "There is still about a year left, and I will make my own plans."

Jia She was about to speak again, but then he remembered that Lady Wang was still there, so he reluctantly stopped. He thought to himself that he would find an opportunity to talk to Grandmother Jia privately later, and try to coax the old lady into disbursing the dowry money first.

With nothing else to do, the master rose to take his leave and strode back to the east wing. He arrived at the main room in no time and saw his fourth son playing wildly with two maids.

As soon as Jia She entered, Fourth Brother glanced at him, immediately suppressing his smile and timidly hiding behind the wet nurse. Even Madam Xing, who had been covering her mouth and laughing earlier, stopped laughing, gave a cold greeting, and hurriedly told the wet nurse to take Fourth Brother away. Only then did she instruct the maid to serve tea to Jia She and ask, "What brings Dai Quan here again?"

Jia She said, "They've come to deliver a reward."

Madam Xing frowned slightly, a hint of sourness in her voice, "The second wife is truly fortunate. After serving as a lady-in-waiting for so many years, she has actually been elevated to the rank of imperial concubine. What? Could it be that the eldest daughter is pregnant again?"

Jia She stroked his beard and chuckled, saying, "You've guessed wrong... Dai Quan's visit isn't because of the eldest daughter, but because of Shu Liang."

"Little...Yuan-ge'er?" Madam Xing stared in astonishment, "Yuan-ge'er has been studying behind closed doors lately, how did he suddenly receive a reward?"

Jia She, wanting to show off, recounted the news he had heard from Dai Quan, which delighted Madam Xing.

"Wow, that's incredible! I never imagined that Brother Yuan would catch the Emperor's eye! If that's the case, won't he rise to prominence quickly after entering officialdom?"

Jia She nodded repeatedly, already considering Chen Siyuan as his ideal son-in-law.

Madam Xing was happy for a while, but then she remembered that it was her second daughter who was going to get married, and her heart suddenly felt sour. But then she remembered that the little thief had always been generous to her and her fourth brother, and she felt relieved.

So what if the second daughter is the principal wife? Second daughter, Bao girl, Lin girl... every single one of them, didn't they all get to drink the first soup as her 'aunt'?
At this moment, Jia She brought up the matter of the dowry again. Hearing that the eldest master had just mentioned this to the old lady, Madam Xing was immediately concerned and asked, "What did the old lady say?"

Jia She frowned and said, "They just said it was still early."

Madam Xing hummed twice, her eyes darting around, thinking that she had to go to Rongqing Hall later, lest the old lady really give the dowry to the eldest master.

After drinking a cup of tea, Jia She went to the study in the front. Madam Xing immediately led her maids to Rongqing Hall.

It was past 3 PM, and Grandmother Jia had already eaten dinner. Upon hearing that Madam Xing requested an audience, Grandmother Jia immediately frowned.

To everyone's surprise, when Madam Xing entered, she hesitated for a long time before saying that she was too busy with her fourth son and that since it was the second daughter's dowry, she asked the old lady to find someone else to prepare it.

Grandmother Jia, being an old and shrewd woman, quickly understood Madam Xing's intentions. The old lady was immediately amused, thinking to herself that this eldest madam was really good to her nephew, even having to be wary of the eldest master.

In front of Madam Xing, Grandmother Jia did not ask the reason. As soon as Madam Xing left, the old lady pointed to Yuanyang and asked, "Has the monthly allowance for the east wing been paid in full recently?"

Yuanyang replied, "That's hard to say... They used to be given copper coins, but recently they've switched to silver. However, the silver isn't of very good quality, and I heard that everyone in the east wing is complaining about it." She paused, then added, "I heard that the master has been busy with some business lately, throwing a lot of money into it, which is why the east wing is short of funds."

Grandmother Jia nodded, understanding dawning on her, and her dislike for Jia She only intensified. To even scheme over his own daughter's dowry—this eldest son was utterly unworthy of respect!

This world is unlike Chen Siyuan's previous life; a woman's dowry is her reputation. The more lavish the dowry, the less likely her husband's family will dare to treat her poorly; conversely, even if she marries into the family as the principal wife, she will not be well-received.

Yuan-ge'er is favored by the emperor and has a bright future ahead of him. Instead of preparing a decent dowry for Ying-chun, he is scheming to cut corners... What kind of father is this?
Grandmother Jia then said, "Since he has business to attend to, let Feng handle the dowry preparation for Second Sister." After a pause, she added, "Oh right, hasn't Feng returned yet?"

Yuanyang shook her head and said, "Second Madam hasn't been to the workshop for a long time. She must have a lot of accounts to settle. It's normal for her to be delayed for a while."

Before she finished speaking, the head maid Amber entered, curtsied, and said, "Madam, the old woman in front said that Second Mistress and Master Yuan have returned to the mansion together."

Yuanyang immediately laughed and said, "I think Second Madam should change her surname to Cao. The old lady just mentioned Second Madam and she went back."

Grandmother Jia laughed heartily, but she was in no hurry to urge Sister Feng to come and see her.

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

Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan and Feng Jie'er entered the Rongguo Mansion. As soon as Chen Siyuan returned the horses, Yu Liu stepped forward to offer his congratulations.

Chen Siyuan was completely baffled. Only after Yu Liu explained in detail did he realize that he had actually received a reward from the emperor.

Chen Siyuan pondered this for a moment, realizing it must be related to the railway. However, while the shimmering brocade was valuable, it was of little use to Chen Siyuan. Rather than that, it would be better to leak the imperial examination questions in advance.

Chen Siyuan inwardly grumbled, but he knew he couldn't cheat or slack off during the talent selection ceremony. Meanwhile, Feng Jie got off the carriage and stole a glance at Chen Siyuan chatting happily with the doorman. She assumed he had the intention but not the courage, and with a cold snort, she led Feng'er through the side gate.

She felt refreshed and relaxed. Since she had entered her own courtyard, when she saw Jia Lian in the main room, Feng Jie only gave him a sidelong glance and did not say anything else.

Jia Lian became increasingly afraid to face Feng Jie. After exchanging a few words with her reluctantly, he went to find Zhang Jinge in the back. Although Zhang was strong-willed, she was still a concubine, and Jia Lian was good at deceiving women. So, after that night, the two returned to normal.

Ping'er saw Jia Lian off, then turned and went inside. She looked up and saw that her mistress's face was fair with a rosy glow, and her phoenix eyes were languid. She was holding a teacup as if savoring the moment... How could she not know that her mistress must have been with Master Yuan again today?
Recalling the strange look in Feng Jie's eyes these past few days, Ping'er felt uneasy. Perhaps it was because of her long conversation with Yuanyang last time; Ping'er felt awkward yet secretly hopeful—as a maid who had come with her as part of the dowry, while Feng Jie and Zhang Jinge could still throw tantrums at Second Master Lian, she would never dare to. But how could Ping'er remain unmoved by Jia Lian's series of insolent acts?

If she were a proper mistress, even if she didn't dare to act like her grandmother, she would probably still be a bit cold towards Master Lian.

"grandmother?"

Ping'er called out softly, and Feng Jie'er finally came to her senses. She put down her teacup and casually asked, "Is there anything happening in the manor today?"

Ping'er said, "Nothing else, except that Chief Eunuch Dai from Daming Palace came by to deliver a reward to Master Yuan."

"Oh? You sent a reward to...his...Brother Yuan?"

"Six bolts of shimmering brocade and six bolts of superior Shu brocade were sent as gifts." Ping'er recounted what she knew, but she didn't explain why the Emperor wanted to reward Chen Siyuan.

Feng Jie, however, became increasingly dazzled and infatuated. She had long harbored resentment towards Jia Lian, and now that she had enjoyed intimate relations with Chen Siyuan, her mind and body were completely at ease, and she naturally leaned even more towards Chen Siyuan.

Sister Feng couldn't help but think to herself, "It's true that you can't help but compare people and things. It's one thing if he can't compare to his brother in terms of career and wealth, but at least he has some family background. However, he can't compare to his brother in terms of interpersonal skills... even in bed. He's really useless!"

Thinking back to when she mentioned Ping'er to Chen Siyuan earlier today, Chen Siyuan seemed reluctant and stammered for a long time, but eventually agreed. Feng Jie then said meaningfully, "There are many backlogged accounts in the workshop. I only cleared half of them today. Next time, you should come with me."

Ping'er trembled, raised her eyes to make brief eye contact with Feng Jie'er, then quickly lowered her head and responded in a barely audible voice, "Yes."

She asked Sister Feng again and learned that she hadn't eaten dinner yet, so Ping'er turned and went to the main kitchen to get a food box. But as soon as she left Sister Feng's courtyard, Ping'er frowned, twisted her handkerchief in her hands, and moved her lotus-like steps with hesitation.

Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan strode back to Qingtang Thatched Cottage.

Today everyone was present, so Xiangling, Qingwen, Wu'er, and Yunxiang came to greet them. The maids smiled and offered their congratulations repeatedly.

Not knowing the reason, the maid Yunxiang kept asking.

Chen Siyuan gave a casual explanation, but the maids looked at each other, not understanding what the railway tracks were or why carriages could save a lot of money on transporting goods on them.

Yunxiang was deliberately showing off. She didn't bother to think about what she couldn't understand, and she acted as if she didn't care about anything. She turned around and skipped out of the courtyard, then went around showing off to her close maids and old women.

Xiangling, Qingwen, and Wu'er welcomed Chen Siyuan inside. One of them brought water, and another helped Chen Siyuan change his clothes. After a quick wash, he changed into a fine linen robe. Then Wu'er brought over some sour plum soup with ice crystals floating on it.

Chen Siyuan gulped down a cup of wine before he felt alive again.

Qingwen said, "It is indeed a product of the imperial workshops. The shimmering brocade is excellent. I only saw a piece of it that the Madam received as a gift from the Empress when I was in Master Bao's room."

As Chen Siyuan's maids, Qingwen and Xiangling had no shortage of brocade and wore gold and silver every day, but they rarely saw such glittering brocade, let alone wore it.

Xiangling then asked, "Master, what should we do with this reward? Should we send it to the new house?"

Chen Siyuan disliked the extravagance of brocade and usually wore fine cloth clothes, switching to fine linen and hemp fabrics in the summer. After a moment's thought, Chen Siyuan said, "Since there are six bolts of brocade, let's divide them into three. Xiangling will be sent to Hengwu Garden, Qingwen to Xiaoxiang Pavilion, and Wu'er will go to Zhuijin Tower."

Qingwen asked in surprise, "What about Miss Biao and Miss Qin?"

Chen Siyuan smiled but didn't say anything. Xiangling, however, already knew what he was thinking. She smiled and tugged at Qingwen, saying, "Master has his own plans. Why do you need to worry about it?"

Qingwen thought about it and agreed, even though she didn't quite understand. Then, the three maids each carried four bolts of brocade and went off to their respective places.

Because it was nearby, Qingwen went to Xiaoxiang Pavilion first.

Two maids and Granny Wang stood guard at the door, fearing that Baoyu would come and offend their young lady again. Seeing that it was Qingwen who came, Granny Wang quickly greeted her and then got up to personally lead her into the courtyard. Xueyan lifted the beaded curtain and came out. Seeing that it was Qingwen, she immediately smiled and said, "Why are you here? Just now our young lady was talking about your master."

Qingwen said, "My master has once again become a benefactor, and he's been urging me to deliver the reward he just received to Miss Lin."

Xueyan smiled and accepted the four bolts of brocade, leading Qingwen inside. Qingwen looked up and saw Daiyu wearing only a light gauze dress, with her undergarments visible underneath. She was just coming out of the study in the east wing.

Qingwen quickly curtsied and stood up, smiling, "Miss Lin, my master sent me to deliver some shimmering brocade and Shu brocade to you."

Daiyu glanced at the gifts and saw two bolts of shimmering brocade and two bolts of Shu brocade, and her heart immediately warmed. With one main inheritance and two secondary inheritances, comparisons were inevitable, but Chen Siyuan had divided the gifts into three, showing no favoritism, which satisfied Daiyu. However, thinking of Xing Xiuyan, Baoqin, and others, Daiyu said, "Why didn't he keep some for himself?"

Qingwen pouted and tilted her head, saying, "To be honest, Miss Lin, I'm also wondering about it, but the master won't say."

Daiyu was naturally clever, and with a quick thought, she understood Chen Siyuan's intention. While secretly cursing Chen Siyuan for being cunning, she immediately smiled and said, "It's such a hot day, it's not good to trouble you to make a wasted trip. Xueyan, get a piece of Shu brocade and make a dress for Qingwen."

"Oh? No, this was a gift from the master to Miss Lin, I wouldn't accept it—"

Daiyu ignored all that, stepped forward, pulled out a piece of Shu brocade, and handed it to Qingwen, feigning annoyance, saying, "We've always gotten along well, so why can I accept what others give me, but not what I give you?"

Qingwen blinked, then smiled and curtsied, saying, "Thank you very much, Miss."

Daiyu then turned her anger into joy, and immediately pulled Qingwen aside to talk for a long time. She then ordered Zijuan to bring a cup of snowflake yogurt to reward Qingwen before letting her go back.

Qingwen skipped and hopped back to Qingtang Thatched Cottage, carrying the Shu brocade. As she approached Qinfang Gate Bridge, she suddenly looked back and saw Zijuan holding a piece of Shu brocade, talking to Yuanyang in front of the garden's main gate. Yuanyang was happy and shy, and after a long while, she reluctantly took it away.

Qingwen blinked, and then it dawned on her—it turned out that the master was not keeping any for himself, but leaving the opportunity to show his favor to the young ladies.

Turning her thoughts back to the Shu brocade she was holding, Qingwen felt a warm glow in her heart.

Zhuijinlou.

Wu'er was never one to be eloquent, but now she parroted Chen Siyuan's earlier pretext, which immediately made the second young lady, Yingchun, seem thoughtful.

Yingchun, of course, had no idea what railway tracks were, but she trusted Chen Siyuan completely. Connecting this with what she had read in the official gazette, she knew that Chen Siyuan's move had achieved two goals at once: first, it solved the problem of the price of iron in Da Shun being driven down by the entry of pig iron from India; second, it facilitated land transportation by building railway tracks.

While praising Chen Siyuan's ingenuity, the second young lady instructed Xiuju to bring tea and snacks, and then carefully inquired about other matters. After some subtle probing, and hearing that Wu'er, Qingwen, and Xiangling had each sent items to three different places, she knew exactly what Chen Siyuan was thinking.
However, Yingchun also had her own difficulties. She only had two head maids, Xiuju and Hongyu, by her side. Hongyu came from Qingtang Maoshe, so if she gave her to Hongyu, she couldn't leave Xiuju out. So Yingchun thought for a moment and then instructed Xiuju to open the chest and find a pair of tourmaline-set earrings to give to Wu'er.

Wu'er couldn't refuse, so she blushed and accepted it. After having a cup of tea, she hurriedly got up to say goodbye and left.

After Xiuju delivered the brocade to Wu'er, Yingchun said, "Take one bolt of Fuguang brocade to Miss Xing, and you two can divide the remaining two bolts of Shu brocade."

Xiuju remained bewildered, but Hongyu quickly thanked her with a smile. She then took a bolt of shimmering brocade and headed to the next room.

Hengwu Garden.

Baochai personally saw Xiangling out, and Xiangling naturally carried a piece of Shu brocade in her hands. As they parted, Baochai smiled and said, "This isn't the first time we've dealt with each other; we have a long road ahead of us."

Xiangling smiled and curtsied, saying, "In that case, I won't stand on ceremony with Miss Bao."

Baochai smiled and nodded, and Xiangling then got up to leave. Watching Xiangling leave, Baochai turned and went back into her room, calling Ying'er over and saying, "When you have time, send a piece of Shu brocade to Qin'er."

Ying'er blinked, mumbled her agreement, and pouted, looking rather unhappy. Baochai glanced at her and immediately smiled, "It's just Shu brocade. I have plenty in my trunk, so why worry about it? You've already sent it over; you can just open your trunk and choose one yourself later."

Ying'er was delighted and said with a smile, "I knew you wouldn't favor one over the other. I'll send it to Miss Qin first."

Watching Ying'er disappear into the distance, Baochai smiled and shook her head. She reached out and stroked the shimmering brocade, wondering whether she should go see Chen Siyuan, when Xiangyun burst in, chattering noisily.

"Sister Bao, do you know that Brother Yuan sent his reward to... Oh, so Sister Bao also received the Floating Light Brocade!"

Xiangyun stared intently at the shimmering brocade, taking a few steps closer and reaching out her hand, but afraid of getting it dirty, she just bent over and stared at it endlessly. While praising it, Xiangyun couldn't help but say enviously, "It's so beautiful! I wonder if I'll ever be able to wear clothes made of shimmering brocade in my lifetime."

As soon as she finished speaking, Sister Bao remembered Xiangyun's marriage and felt a pang of pity. After a moment's thought, she smiled and said, "What good thing is it that only Sister Yun says so? If you like it, I'll give you a bolt of silk."

"Really?" Xiangyun was overjoyed at first, but then frowned and shook her head, saying, "No, no, even if I made shoes for Sister Bao for my whole life, I'm afraid I couldn't exchange them for this piece of shimmering brocade."

Baochai felt even more sorry for Xiangyun. She stepped forward, took Xiangyun's hand, and placed a piece of shimmering brocade in her hand, saying with a smile, "We are sisters, why bother with so much? Since I said I was giving it to you, just take it."

Xiangyun's eyes immediately welled up with tears, and she threw herself into Baochai's arms through the shimmering brocade, choking back sobs as she said, "Sister Bao, you're still the best."

Baochai was both amused and exasperated, and could only pat her back to comfort her, saying, "Alright, it's nothing serious."

Xiangyun sniffed, feeling somewhat troubled. She had stayed with Baoqin for some time and had vaguely heard that Baochai was extremely harsh on Baoqin. She felt some sympathy for Baoqin and was just looking for an opportunity to mediate. Who knew that she would receive such a benefit from Baochai.

Xiangyun felt indebted to Baochai, so she couldn't say anything more. After thinking it over for a while, she decided that since the two were cousins, and as the saying goes, even an upright official can't settle family disputes, it was best for her to stay out of it. From now on, they could each keep to themselves; her friendship with Baochai wouldn't prevent her from getting along with Qin'er.

Once she understood this, Xiangyun felt relieved. Although she still felt somewhat inferior to Baoqin, she was able to talk to Baochai properly.

On the other hand, Xing Xiuyan, who received the Floating Light Brocade, was all smiles and laughter. No matter how much her maid, Zhuan'er, praised her, she remained unmoved. Baoqin, who received the Shu Brocade, tilted her head and gritted her teeth for a moment before simply giving the Shu Brocade to Xiaoluo.

The maid Xiaoluo didn't dare to breathe, knowing that her mistress and Miss Bao were probably going to have a never-ending argument.

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

Several days passed in the blink of an eye.

Chen Siyuan was focused on his studies, but today, due to the small sacrificial ceremony at Ningguo Mansion, he accompanied Madam Xing to the East Mansion.

On their way back, the two passed through Huifang Garden and headed towards Grand View Garden. Madam Xing knew that Chen Siyuan had distributed the rewards, so she gave Miao'er and Tiao'er a wink. The two paused briefly and waited until Chen Siyuan and Madam Xing had walked about ten steps before continuing to follow.

Madam Xing couldn't help but snort, glancing sideways at him with a strong garlic breath, and said, "You're so impartial, treating Er Yatou, Bao Yatou, and Lin Yatou the same. It's truly a case of bringing in new brides and discarding the old ones! I only feel sorry for my fourth brother; I wonder if anyone will protect him in the future."

Chen Siyuan said, both amused and exasperated, "What are you jealous about? Isn't your monthly share of profits enough? You're not short of clothes, why are you being so jealous?"

Madam Xing sneered, "Why do they have it, but I don't?"

Chen Siyuan said, "If we give it to you, will we give it to the second wife? Will we give it to the old lady? There's only so much of it, so it's not appropriate to give it to anyone. Now that things are like this, no one can say anything about it."

That's the logic, but Madam Xing was still unhappy, so she grumbled and gave Chen Siyuan a very unfriendly look. Chen Siyuan knew that Madam Xing was not presentable and could not compare to Li Wan. The other sister-in-law had not said anything when she had a secret meeting with him at the Jade Emperor Temple.

The two passed through the east gate in silence, and Chen Siyuan bowed before entering the thatched cottage. Madam Xing hesitated slightly, wondering if she had gone too far earlier. Then she thought, as a father, she couldn't just abandon her fourth son, could she? So she moved cautiously towards the east courtyard.

Just as they arrived at Qinfang Bridge, they bumped into Ping'er coming towards them.

Ping'er was preoccupied with her own thoughts, and it was unclear what she was thinking. She only came to her senses when Madam Xing arrived in front of her, and hurriedly curtsied to greet her.

Madam Xing was in a bad mood, so she said coldly, "Look at you, so absent-minded, has Lian'er gotten into trouble again?"

Ping'er quickly replied, "Madam, I was thinking about our grandmother's instructions and was afraid of delaying her affairs."

Madam Xing snorted coldly and led her two maids past her. Ping'er dared not be negligent, curtsied to Madam Xing's back, and only stood up after she had gone far away.

He breathed a slight sigh of relief, then silently returned to the thatched cottage.

Feng Jie hadn't said anything all day, and Ping'er, after pondering things for two days, decided to just go through the motions and not think about anything else.

Who knew that today Sister Feng suddenly ordered him to come to Qingtang Thatched Cottage and ask when Master Yuan would have time to go to the latex workshop.

Ping'er's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. She looked up and met her grandmother's gaze. Seeing the deep meaning in Feng Jie's eyes, Ping'er knew all too well that she was doomed this time. As she was walking into the garden, she couldn't help but be somewhat distracted.

But what's meant to happen will happen, and Ping'er knew she couldn't avoid it this time. However, unlike Feng Jie, she couldn't let go of what was coming. Master Yuan was handsome and talented; to be with such a man was a stroke of good fortune. But she had already given herself to Master Lian; how could she marry twice?
Unable to get over this hurdle, Ping'er was overcome with grief, and her eyes welled up with tears.

When they arrived at the thatched cottage, Ping'er managed to compose herself, said a few words to Yunxiang, and then followed her inside to meet Chen Siyuan.

Once inside, Ping'er said, "Master Yuan, our mistress sent me to ask when you'll have time to go to the workshop to settle accounts."

Chen Siyuan pondered for a moment and then said, "How about three days later?"

Ping'er nodded in agreement and was about to take her leave when Chen Siyuan exclaimed in surprise, "Why is Miss Ping'er crying?"

Ping'er forced a smile and said, "Uncle Yuan, you don't know, the wind and sand just now got into my eyes, so I rubbed them myself."

"is it?"

Ping'er met those clear eyes and felt as if Chen Siyuan could see right through her, so she hurriedly lowered her head and said, "If Master Yuan has nothing else to say, then I'll go and report to Grandma first."

"Hmm." Chen Siyuan stood up in response and said with a smile, "It just so happens that I haven't been to the east courtyard to see my aunt for a while. I'll go with Miss Ping."

Ping'er hesitated before agreeing, and the two of them left the Qingtang thatched cottage one after the other.

Ping'er kept to her duty, always staying half a step behind Chen Siyuan. When they reached the passageway, Chen Siyuan suddenly stopped and said, "Since Miss Ping'er is unwilling, I think there is no need to do it against her will."

"Hmm?" Ping'er looked at Chen Siyuan in surprise.

Chen Siyuan pondered for a moment and said, "Just make a few random hums and we'll fool your grandmother."

Chen Siyuan readily accepted the offer of Sister Feng, who was offered to him. However, the "buy one get one free" deal involved Ping'er, who was unwilling to accept the offer... Chen Siyuan was not lacking in women, and he also suspected that Ping'er might have her own ulterior motives. If she were to cause trouble behind his back in the future, his reputation would be ruined.

Ping'er felt a little comforted when she looked into those clear eyes, but then shook her head with a wry smile and said, "Master Yuan knows that our grandmother is always ruthless. How could she let me deceive her?"

Chen Siyuan thought about it and realized it made sense. Sister Feng wasn't the kind of person who was careless; she might even have to be there to observe things from the sidelines.

Just as she was pondering another way, she heard Ping'er exhale and say, "Grandma has treated me well, so I... I will naturally obey Grandma's orders."

(End of this chapter)