Dream of the Red Chamber: Eating, Sleeping, and Angering Baoyu

Grandmother Jia saw everything and sighed softly.

She reached out and pulled Jia Baoyu to her side, gently patting his back and comforting him, "Alright, alright, I know our Baoyu didn't mean it, he just can't quite grasp it right now."

Her words initially gave Jia Baoyu a glimmer of hope.

However, the next sentence plunged him into an even deeper hell.

"However, Baoyu, your brother is right. It's a good thing that he's willing to accompany you and encourage you. You are brothers, so you should help each other like this. From now on, you should listen to your brother more at school, understand?"

Listen to your younger brother more...

These words hurt a hundred times more than the beating I received with the ruler that afternoon.

He, Jia Baoyu, was born with a jade in his mouth, a phoenix surrounded by stars in the Rongguo Mansion, yet now he is asked to listen to his own brother. How absurd! How laughable!

[Ding! Negative emotion value from Jia Baoyu +100!]

[Ding! Negative emotion value from Jia Baoyu +100!]

……

The system notification sounds in Jia Heng's mind were almost turning into a cheerful melody.

He looked at Jia Baoyu's pale, yet stubbornly blue face and felt a surge of secret pleasure.

However, on his face, he timely revealed just the right amount of fear and self-blame.

He stepped forward and bowed deeply to Grandmother Jia and Jia Zheng.

"Grandmother, Father, Mother, it's all my fault. I spoke too hastily and didn't consider my second brother's feelings, which made him unhappy. Please don't blame him."

He turned around to face Jia Baoyu, his face full of sincere apology.

"Second brother, I was wrong, and I apologize. I only wanted to help you and never meant to discipline you. Please don't be angry with me, okay?"

This performance was truly masterful.

By taking a step back to advance, he perfectly embodied the image of someone who "understands the big picture, considers the overall situation, and loves his elder brother."

Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, Grandmother Jia looked at him with even more affection.

"You child, get up! How is this your fault? You've always thought of him, but he doesn't appreciate it at all. We've all seen it."

Wang Xifeng immediately chimed in, "Exactly! Grandmother, look at Heng-ge'er's demeanor and magnanimity—they're truly remarkable! Bao-yu, you really should learn from your younger brother!"

"Yes, Brother Baoyu, Hengge'er meant well."

Tan Chun couldn't help but speak up as well.

Each phrase, "You should learn from your younger brother," is like a poisoned knife, slowly eroding Jia Baoyu's already dwindling self-esteem.

Looking at Jia Heng and then at Jia Baoyu, Jia Zheng felt even more furious at the comparison.

With a grim face, he issued his final ultimatum.

"Jia Baoyu! I'm telling you this right now! Starting tomorrow, you'd better go to the clan school obediently!"

"You should learn from Heng'er's behavior! If I find out again that you're not studying properly and are talking back to your younger brother, it won't be as simple as a few strokes of the ruler!"

Lady Wang also took Jia Baoyu's hand and earnestly advised, "Baoyu, listen to me. Your father is doing this for your own good. Your younger brother is so sensible; as the older brother, you can't let yourself be outdone, can you?"

[Ding! Negative emotion value from Jia Baoyu +50!]

[Ding! Negative emotion value from Jia Baoyu +50!]

……

Great, we exceeded our KPI for today.

Jia Heng mentally gave himself a thumbs-up.

The gazes of the crowd were stern, admonishing, or regretful.

He stood there, like a sinner being publicly tried.

The "good younger brother" who had put him on trial was looking at him with a pitying and innocent expression.

Jia Baoyu felt a chilling sense of humiliation throughout his body; he could even hear his bones cracking.

What else could he say?

What else can he do?

Resistance? It will only bring harsher punishment and deeper humiliation.

Beg for mercy? Jia Baoyu's pride wouldn't allow him to bow down to Jia Heng.

for a long time.

So long that the atmosphere in the hall almost froze.

Jia Baoyu finally moved.

He slowly, very slowly lowered his proud head, all his resentment, anger, and humiliation finally turning into a barely audible muffled sound in his throat: "Yes."

The night was dark.

When Jia Heng returned to his courtyard, the lanterns under the eaves were still lit, illuminating two small figures.

It's Qingwen and Qiuxiang.

They had been waiting.

"Third Master is back."

Qiu Xiang, with her sharp eyes, quickly came forward, holding a clean handkerchief in her hands.

Qingwen followed behind, her movements a beat slower, and she also curtsied, but her head was lowered a little.

Jia Heng didn't say anything and went straight into the house.

Hot water had been prepared inside, and the room was filled with steam.

Qingwen and Qiuxiang served him as he washed up, one on each side.

Qiu Xiang quickly wrung out a towel and handed it to her.

Qingwen was responsible for unbuttoning his outer robe.

Her movements were somewhat stiff, and her fingers almost failed to untie the buttons several times.

This girl was still unconvinced.

Jia Heng remained motionless, letting her serve him somewhat clumsily.

After finally taking off his outer robe, Jia Heng sat down by the basin of water.

Just as Qiu Xiang was about to step forward, he spoke.

"Qingwen".

Qingwen jumped in surprise and quickly replied, "This servant is here."

"Come here."

Qingwen hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, took the handkerchief from Qiuxiang's hand, soaked it in hot water, then took it out and wrung it out with great effort.

Her hands were exceptionally beautiful, slender and fair, and were meant for delicate work, but now they were slightly red from the effort she was putting in.

Jia Heng let her wipe his face and clean his hands without saying a word throughout the process.

Silence is the best weapon.

After washing up, Qiu Xiang carried the basin of water out.

Only he and Qingwen remained in the room.

"You may all leave now; I'm going to rest."

"Yes," Qingwen replied softly, blowing out most of the candles, leaving only a dim wall lamp, and then quietly retreating to the outer room to keep watch.

Jia Heng lay in bed, but did not fall asleep immediately.

He silently recited it in his heart.

"system."

A pale blue light screen, visible only to him, instantly unfolded before his eyes.

[Host: Jia Heng]

[Identity: Third son of Jia Zheng, the legitimate son of the Rongguo Mansion.]

[Target: Jia Baoyu]

Negative sentiment score: 2158

Looking at that number, Jia Heng finally felt a sense of reality.

Today's drama was worthwhile; combined with all the negative feedback accumulated before, the negative value has finally broken through the two thousand mark.

With a thought, he opened the system store.

The store interface is pitifully rudimentary.

【Item 1: Two taels of silver. Price: 2000 negative points.】

【Item Two: 20 jin of polished rice. Price: 2000 negative points.】

【Item 3: Basic Cold Weapons (Dagger, Short Club). Price: 500 Negative Values.】

【Item Four: ...】

Gone.

Just these few things, hanging there all alone.

Two taels of silver? He is now the third master of the Jia family. Although his monthly allowance is not much, his food, clothing and other necessities are provided by the public funds, so he is not short of money for the time being.

Exchanging twenty catties of rice? That's ridiculous. Does he think he'll go hungry?

As for weapons... what use can a dagger be in this high-walled compound?

Jia Heng closed the store panel.

The task is arduous and the road ahead is long.

To survive, or even thrive, in this cannibalistic world, this amount of food alone is far from enough.

His goal was not to become a favored young master in the Rongguo Mansion.

What he wanted was the power to take control of his own destiny.

And Jia Baoyu was the best source of his accumulated strength.