Dream of the Red Chamber: I can see the hidden labels of the beauties.

Before long, the maid returned with news:

"Reporting to the old lady, Master Bao and Young Master Qin are playing together, while the young ladies are helping Master Can with some matters."

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia frowned deeply. Jia Baoyu had actually been associating with Qin Zhong, neglecting his sisters.

Although Qin Zhong was good-looking, he was still a man from another family. How could Jia Baoyu spend all his time with him?

Lin Daiyu and the others actually went up to Jia Can to help him?

This made Grandmother Jia feel uneasy, but she didn't want to directly intervene.

We can't let Jia Baoyu be unable to play with Qin Zhong.

Now that Jia Can is in charge of the East Mansion, the young ladies' help is out of friendship and goodwill. If she rashly stops them, she would seem petty.

After much thought, he could only frown and instruct the maid:

"Go and tell Baoyu not to play for too long, and to remember to go back to the mansion to read books, instead of just being naughty all day long."

"Then tell the girls that winter is coming, be careful not to catch a cold, and go back to your rooms to rest in a while, so they don't get cold."

The maidservant respectfully agreed, then turned and left with light steps.

Before long, they arrived at a courtyard in the backyard. This courtyard was originally an unused part of the Ningguo Mansion, but it had been cleared out and was now used as a temporary place for Jia Can to handle affairs.

Several maids stood at the courtyard gate. When they saw that it was someone from the Rongguo Mansion's old lady's side, they did not stop them, but simply stepped aside.

Inside the main room, five women—Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai, Jia Yingchun, Jia Tanchun, and Jia Xichun—were each at a table, engrossed in their work.

Some were writing accounts, others were checking documents, and still others were writing approvals and organizing paperwork. Stacks of account books were piled on the desk. All the women were intelligent and handled these tasks with ease, without finding them particularly strenuous.

Jia Can sat in the center of the hall, his face serious. Several stewardesses stood in front of him, each taking turns to hang up the items, their manner clear and unambiguous.

Two maids stood beside him, helping to pass messages and deliver things. They seemed to be in charge, and although they were young, they had the demeanor of someone in charge.

The reason Lin Daiyu and the others came to help Jia Can was because Jia Xichun suggested it.

After learning of Jia Rong's death, Jia Xichun realized that Jia Can would be taking over the important responsibilities of the Ningguo Mansion. Firstly, she felt that Jia Can couldn't handle everything alone, and secondly, seeing the Ningguo Mansion suddenly facing a great disaster, she thought she should help if she could. So she took the initiative to mention to her sisters that she would help her second brother, Jia Can, to the best of her ability.

Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai are both kind-hearted people, and since it was Xichun who spoke up, they both agreed, which is why we are in this situation now.

Jia Can was well aware that this was the most crucial moment. Whether he could establish his prestige and gain the obedience of everyone in the mansion at this time would directly determine whether he could completely control the entire Ningguo Mansion.

Although the Ningguo Mansion was in decline, even a lean camel is bigger than a horse. The combined estates of the nobles, family, and clan were still a considerable sum.

Now that Jia Zhen and Jia Rong have both passed away, countless people are eyeing their property.

If he cannot immediately establish himself and quickly take control of the situation, countless people will pounce on him like hungry wolves, fighting and vying for control, completely emptying the Ningguo Mansion, leaving not even a bone fragment.

Therefore, Jia Can personally oversaw almost everything and dared not entrust it to others.

In particular, you must have a clear understanding of all the accounts.

Otherwise, if those stewards, maids, and servants were to manipulate things behind the scenes, or collude with outsiders to seize the property, he wouldn't even know where he had lost out.

But there were just too many accounts. Even if he didn't eat or sleep, he couldn't finish reviewing them in days and nights by himself.

Jia Can was secretly worried about this matter, but the arrival of Lin Daiyu and the others instantly solved his problem.

The girls were all well-educated and refined young ladies from respectable families. They had been literate since childhood and were all intelligent and quick-witted. Helping with accounting and verification was a piece of cake for them.

With their help, Jia Can's pressure was greatly reduced. Many accounts were sorted out by the women without him having to look at them personally; he only needed to know the results.

Jia Can was secretly grateful, but he couldn't say much on the surface. He simply kept this kindness in his heart, thinking that he would repay it slowly in the future.

Lin Daiyu lowered her head and looked at the account book, but occasionally glanced at the outer hall.

Seeing Jia Can sitting upright at the head of the hall, his face serious and composed, handling affairs in an orderly manner, his every move exuding a certain majesty, he looked just like a county magistrate presiding over a case in court.

Lin Daiyu observed this and felt both admiration and amusement.

What's admirable is that Jia Can, who usually keeps a low profile, was surprisingly calm and capable at this crucial moment, showing no signs of being a concubine's son who had never managed a household before.

Interestingly, Jia Can's serious demeanor, coupled with his still-young face, made him look somewhat pretentious.

She pursed her lips, wanting to laugh, but managed to hold it back and continued looking at the account book in her hands, though the smile in her beautiful eyes was impossible to hide.

Sitting beside her, Jia Tanchun keenly noticed Daiyu's unusual behavior, quietly leaned closer, and asked in a low voice:

"Sister Lin, judging from your half-smile, what's making you happy? Tell me about it!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Daiyu's face instantly flushed red with embarrassment. She glared at her and replied irritably:

"Stop talking nonsense! I wasn't thinking anything. Checking your accounts is the real issue. Mind your own business, hmph..."

At the end, he even proudly raised his head and slightly lifted his chin, as if he felt that Jia Tanchun was being a bit nosy.

Jia Tanchun knew her temperament; though sharp-tongued, she was soft-hearted. Instead of getting angry, she smiled and leaned closer, continuing:

"Oh dear, it seems you're thinking about Brother Bao again, aren't you? It's a pity he's been missing all day, I don't know where he's gone to play, I can't find a trace of him."

As he spoke, he deliberately sighed, making a regretful expression.

Upon hearing this, Lin Daiyu's face immediately darkened. She slammed the account book on the table, flicked her hand, and her expression was full of disgust and impatience.

"Don't mention him! I don't want to think about him at all. Let him go wherever he wants; I have no interest in him!"

Jia Tanchun was taken aback and couldn't help but scrutinize her carefully. She saw that Lin Daiyu's brows were furrowed and her eyes were filled with undisguised disgust and resentment. It didn't seem like a normal quarrel, but rather that she was truly heartbroken. Jia Tanchun couldn't help but be surprised.

Lin Daiyu and Jia Baoyu often bickered and sulked, but they would make up within a day or two, and everyone was used to it.

In the past, when Jia Tanchun teased Baoyu, Lin Daiyu would also scold Baoyu, saying that he was useless and did not do his job properly, but she would never show such a genuine look of disgust.

What's going on today?