The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 106 Girls from Other Surnames
Xiaoxiang Pavilion, bathed in the warm spring sun, is immersed in the breeze of apricot blossoms. The newly sprouted tender leaves of Xiangfei bamboo are rimmed with gold, and millions of pieces of emerald are sifted through the clear sky, casting light spots like broken jade.

Jia Baoyu quickly stepped into the moon-shaped door. The plain gauze screen on the side was penetrated by the sunlight. He could only hear the pleasant tinkling of the glazed wind chimes on the eaves. He couldn't help but look up and saw the outline of the black bamboo cast on the blue brick ground.

The small couch under the porch outside the corridor was empty, with only the spread-out "Collection of Poems by Li Yishan" and a Qingtian stone paperweight on it.

Hearing vaguely the laughter in the house, Jia Baoyu felt warm in his heart. He was thinking about Sister Lin, but he was also nervous, afraid of angering his sister. While hesitating, his eyes fell on the page of the book, where he saw the line "The east wind blows and the drizzle comes."

I quickly looked down and saw the line “Don’t let your spring heart compete with flowers for growth, for every inch of lovesickness is an inch of ashes!”

I couldn't help but be stunned.

"Isn't this talking about me?" Jia Baoyu murmured.

I grew up with Lin Daiyu since childhood, but my sister had a weird temper. Every time she made me angry, I couldn't get angry at all. As long as I saw my sister, no matter how angry I was, it would disappear without a trace, and I would only feel happy in my heart.

Now that I've grown up, we've become more distant. It's even worse than when I was a child. At least when I was a child, my sister still knew that I was her brother.

I miss you so much, but I can't get you back. I like you so much that I don't know what to do. My heart is about to break.

"Ouch."

"Second Master is here. What's going on? You're crying."

Xueyan went out to collect the curtain and was startled to see someone in the yard. She was angry that the maids in the yard only knew how to play and didn't even know someone was coming. When she looked clearly, she saw Jia Baoyu sitting alone in the corridor crying, so she hurriedly asked.

Jia Baoyu was speechless, as if he had been caught doing something evil. He quickly raised his sleeve to wipe his eyes, saying, "Sand got into my eyes, and I rubbed them for a long time but they wouldn't come out."

Xueyan was simple and honest, and she believed Jia Baoyu's casual explanation.

He walked forward, took out a handkerchief and handed it to him, and even stood on tiptoe to look at Jia Baoyu's face, saying, "Let me blow on it for you, Second Master."

In other places, Jia Baoyu loved playing with girls and would have loved it, but when it came to Lin Daiyu, he didn't dare to do anything naughty. He took two steps back in fear, took Xueyan's handkerchief, wiped his eyes, and said with a smile, "It's all right now."

Inner room.

Lin Daiyu looked at the music.

The song is titled "Wu Geng Zhuan" and the story is about a heartbroken man who wants to commit suicide, wondering how his remains can be returned to his hometown. Who could have imagined that disaster would turn him into a lucky escape? It's like Huo Qubing, who was grateful to Teng Gong for saving his life. His gratitude is unforgettable, as wealth and poverty are all determined by fate.

A moment ago, I was reading a book in the corridor and talking about that person with Qingwen again.

Lin Daiyu felt a little regretful. Whenever she saw Qingwen, she would think of him. She couldn't help asking him questions, but she felt annoyed after asking. So she went into the house, looked at the music score, and tried to play it with the flute.

She learned to play the piano when she was young, and later came to the Jia Mansion. The Jia Mansion had strict rules. Her grandmother once said that she didn't like her daughter to read because reading would make her daydream. Lin Daiyu didn't even like reading, let alone playing the piano, so Lin Daiyu hid herself.

She has always lived by other people's rules. When she learned that her father was seriously ill, it was as if the sky had fallen. If anything happened to her father, the only relative who treated her wholeheartedly, Lin Daiyu was afraid that she would no longer have any relatives in the world.

I am just concerned about my father's illness and grateful for his kindness.

Lin Daiyu was lost in thought as she watched the music.

I was influenced by him. If it were in the past, I wouldn't be able to learn to play the flute, let alone the piano.

"When he left, his children mourned; when he returned, horns and drums sounded."

Lin Daiyu stroked the jade flute and couldn't help but recite a word softly. The sound was soft and crisp, penetrating the red gauze window lattice.

Suddenly hearing the voice of Xueyan, Lin Daiyu was stunned for a moment, then silently put away the jade flute, music score, etc. Zhou Rui's wife had just come, and Qingwen followed her. Zijuan got up from the table, and Jia Baoyu just came in and smiled when he saw them.

"Master Bao is here."

"I was feeling bored, so I came to see what you were doing." As he spoke, Jia Baoyu didn't look at anyone, but instead looked inside.

Zijuan couldn't help laughing. No one could fail to see what Jia Baoyu was thinking. She said jokingly, "What's there to look at about us? We're not strangers. Wouldn't it be annoying to see you every day?"

"Not at all," Jia Baoyu said quickly, "let alone seeing each other every day, even if I saw each other every moment, I wouldn't be bothered. I would just be happy."

As he was speaking, Jia Baoyu had already walked to Lin Daiyu's side.

Lin Daiyu picked up a book and read quietly. Her cousin had always been friendly since childhood, but now it was different from before. Everyone was growing up, but her cousin's temperament was still the same and he was quite naive. She couldn't spoil him.

The more you pay attention to him, the more excited he becomes. You can only be so cold to him. He will be more careful and not act recklessly.

"What book are you reading, sister?" Jia Baoyu walked forward with a smug look on his face and approached carefully, wanting to see what the book was. However, all he could see was Lin Daiyu's face, and he could only feel the demeanor of Ban Ji continuing history and Xie Ting chanting about snow.

The person who catches my eye is like a painting, difficult to describe, and I am also an indescribable woman.

When Lin Daiyu heard Jia Baoyu's question, she ignored it. After a while, when she heard no response, she turned around gently and saw Jia Baoyu's silly look, and finally she was amused.

This smile is amazing.

Jia Baoyu said with deep feeling: "Sister, please laugh as much as you can. The happier you laugh, the happier I am. There is nothing happier than this."

As soon as the words fell, Lin Daiyu knew that Jia Baoyu had become infatuated again. Knowing that she couldn't pay attention to him at this moment, she returned to her book. Although she was reading, she was actually thinking about the song she had just played. "Yesterday, when I was drinking outside, I heard people talking about Wang Xin."

Jia Baoyu used his ultimate move.

Sure enough, Lin Daiyu turned around again, without saying a word, just looking at him quietly. It was obvious that she wanted to listen, but Jia Baoyu was not willing to keep his sister waiting, so he said obediently: "Feng Ziying said that Wang Xin was really amazing, saying that he was very skilled in fighting and that ordinary people could not match him."

Jia Baoyu looked around and then said mysteriously, "Even the Emperor has praised it."

So that's what it is.

Lin Daiyu lost interest and was in no mood to listen.

To others, to him, Lin Daiyu understood everything, but to herself, she just wanted her family to be well. She also knew that these ideas were too naive, so she didn't ask or think about them.

Jia Baoyu became distressed.

In the past, my sister liked to listen to people talking about Wang Xin. Why doesn’t she want to listen to what is being talked about today?

Wang Xin was Lin Daiyu's uncle, a rare relative of hers in the capital. How could he not know Lin Daiyu's melancholy? Although the Jia family was also a relative, the Jia family was too big, and Lin Daiyu always felt like a dependent.

After a few more words, Lin Daiyu's face became even more impatient.

Knowing that if he continued talking, Lin Daiyu would get angry, Jia Baoyu reluctantly left. When he reached the outside of the yard, he looked back every step of the way and finally stamped his feet, thinking that he would be glad to be just a tree in this yard.

Jia Baoyu left sadly and reluctantly, and came to the flat and wide road, returning to his own Yihong Courtyard. He saw the main garden gate from a distance, and then passed by the big house where Aunt Xue and her family lived.

The Lixiangyuan where Aunt Xue used to live was close to the back street. Later, because of the construction of the Grand View Garden, various craftsmen came and went, so the Jia family asked Aunt Xue and her family to move because they were worried about neglecting their relatives.

The rearranged courtyard is located to the northeast of the small courtyard to the northeast of Mrs. Wang’s main courtyard.

Not only is it close to the inner courtyard, Lixiangyuan is also very large, with more than a dozen rooms. The courtyard where Aunt Xue lives now is two or three times the size of Lixiangyuan.

Xue Pan was a man from outside the family, and it was inconvenient for him to stay in the inner courtyard of the Jia Mansion, so there was a side door on the outer wall. Xue Pan went in and out through this side door and passed through the private alley between Rongguo Mansion and Ningguo Mansion.

The Xue family has their own mansion in the capital, but it is certainly not as big as the Jia family’s, and even smaller than the house of Lai Dajia, the chief steward of the Jia family.

The Lai family's house is half the size of the Rongguo Mansion's garden, and even the Xue family's house cannot compare to it.

Aunt Xue lost her husband and lived alone, which easily led to gossip and was not good for the future of her son and daughter. People like them were not like ordinary people. They wanted to do their best in every aspect and also chose the best ones in all aspects.

As for making the wrong judgment or choosing the wrong thing, it is a matter of personal vision.

Mrs. Wang insisted on keeping Aunt Xue's family to show her true love, otherwise outsiders would gossip.

Now the boys and girls from the second branch of the Xue family have also arrived.

Left behind together.

Even Xue Ke was kept in the Jia Mansion, and Aunt Xue would definitely not let him go.

At such a young age, without adult supervision, how could Aunt Xue let Xue Ke live alone in the Xue Mansion without any restrictions? Wouldn't that be deliberately allowing the child to learn bad things?

As for Xue Baoqin.

Xue Baoqin's personality made her easily liked by the elderly, so Grandmother Jia liked Xue Baoqin very much and couldn't bear to let her go, so she kept her by her side for a while.

Later, the Grand View Garden was divided up and Xue Baoqin was left alone, which made her feel too lonely. So Grandmother Jia let her go and she went to the Grand View Garden. However, she did not live with her cousin Xue Baochai, but was sent to Li Wan's place in Daoxiang Village.

Like the other girls in the mansion, she was looked after by Li Wan.

In fact, Lin Daiyu should also be taken care of by Li Wan.

It was really because Grandmother Jia loved her granddaughter so much and knew that her personality was different from that of ordinary girls, so she chose another place.

It should be noted that Li Wan is the wife of the eldest grandson of the Jia family. Her father once served as the chief academic officer of the Imperial College, which is equivalent to the principal of the national academy. She has a noble and elegant status. With Li Wan, a widow of good reputation, training and accompanying her in the Jia family, the Mei Hanlin family could not find any fault with the etiquette.

It can be seen that Aunt Xue has good intentions.

The younger generation usually only complains about the painstaking efforts of their elders. Xue Baoqin, the lively girl in the past, feels extremely wronged now that she is under the watchful eye of Li Wan, who comes from a scholarly family.

Although Li Wan seems like a piece of wood, she is actually very patient. Not to mention the three girls in the mansion, even the newcomer Xue Baoqin, Li Wan takes good care of her. Knowing that Xue Baoqin has an active personality, she does not oppress her harshly, but sets an example in all aspects and gives her some leniency.

Xue Baoqin finally got the chance and came to Aunt Xue. She threw herself into her arms and cried, "Auntie, you don't care about me. You pity me, this unwanted child."

If you don't look at Xue Baoqin's appearance and only listen to her voice, everyone in the room will probably be heartbroken.

Aunt Xue hugged Xue Baoqin and coaxed her, "My daughter, how could I not love you? This is all for your own good."

Xue Baochai rubbed her handkerchief and looked at her naughty cousin with a smile. Her cousin had been quirky since she was a child. She missed her very much after not seeing her for a few years, but she didn't expect that she looked so different, like a different person.

(End of this chapter)