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

The room was deathly silent.

The maids and servants were all terrified, their faces turning pale, and they didn't dare to even breathe loudly.

Wang Xifeng's smile froze completely, and Shi Xiangyun was so shocked that she opened her mouth wide.

Grandmother Jia jumped up from her seat, her heart pounding in her throat.

"Heng'er, let go! That's your brother's lifeline!"

Jia Baoyu was completely stunned, staring blankly at his empty chest, and then at the hand that was holding his jade pendant.

That hand was dark and bony, yet incredibly powerful.

Jia Heng ignored Grandmother Jia's anxious calls; he simply took the jade pendant and examined it closely.

It feels warm and smooth to the touch; it is indeed a fine piece of jade.

He weighed it in his hand, then raised his head, meeting Jia Baoyu's eyes filled with shock and grievance, and slowly, word by word, said, "Now, I also have 'jade'."

No sooner had the words been spoken than a stern, angry male voice boomed from the doorway.

"You wretched child! What are you doing?!"

Jia Zheng said, his anger barely contained.

His own third son was actually stealing his second son's manhood!

That's pretty cool!

He rushed forward in three strides, glaring at Jia Heng, and raised his hand to strike him.

"Sir, you mustn't!"

Lady Wang exclaimed in surprise and quickly stepped forward to stop Jia Zheng.

Although she also felt sorry for Baoyu, she was even more afraid that Jia Zheng's actions would seriously harm her son who had just returned home.

"Please calm down, sir. They're just kids playing around. Don't take it seriously."

While comforting Jia Zheng, Lady Wang hurriedly tried to exonerate Jia Heng.

Jia Zheng's chest heaved violently, and his finger pointing at Jia Heng trembled.

"Are you kidding me? Is this some kind of joke? He's trying to kill Baoyu!"

Jia Baoyu burst into tears and threw himself into his grandmother's arms.

"Ancestor, he stole my jade! He stole my jade!"

Grandmother Jia was heartbroken and tears streamed down her face. While patting Baoyu's back, she sternly scolded Jia Heng, "Heng-ge'er, you're being too naughty! Quickly return the jade to your brother!"

Immediately, many people in the room began to criticize Jia Heng.

Jia Heng, however, remained unusually calm.

Under Jia Zheng's furious gaze, he slowly released his grip.

The magical jade slipped down the silk ribbon and returned to Jia Baoyu's chest.

Then, Jia Heng did something that no one expected.

He knelt down straight down in front of Jia Zheng.

"My son knows he was wrong."

He kept his head down, and his voice, though soft, reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Your son is guilty, please punish him, Father."

Jia Zheng was stunned. His anger seemed to have been doused with a bucket of cold water, leaving it stuck in his chest, neither rising nor falling.

He had assumed his son, who grew up away from home, would be unruly and was prepared to discipline him strictly, but he never expected him to admit his mistakes so readily.

"you……"

For a moment, Jia Zheng was at a loss for words.

Jia Heng remained kneeling on the ground, his figure thin. He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible loneliness.

"It's all the son's fault."

"My son was orphaned in Nanjing at a young age, with no relatives to guide him. No one taught him manners or rules. Over time, he developed this unruly and reckless nature."

"I met my brother for the first time today and saw that he had such a beautiful jade. I was so envious that I forgot my limits and tried to snatch it. I disturbed the old lady, frightened my mother and brother, and angered my father."

"It's all my fault, I'm just ill-mannered."

His words struck Jia Zheng's heart like a heavy hammer.

Lack of manners?

Who made him so ill-mannered?

It's all because of him, the father!

Over the years, due to his busy official duties and other reasons, he has left his own son alone in Nanjing and has not cared about him at all.

He had just returned to this unfamiliar home after a long journey, and instead of asking him if he had had a hard time on the road or if he was used to the food and clothing, she immediately started yelling and killing him upon seeing him.

Jia Zheng's heart softened instantly.

That overwhelming anger transformed into deep guilt and self-reproach.

It was my fault; I failed to raise him properly; I was not a qualified father.

He looked at his thin son kneeling on the ground and couldn't bring himself to say another harsh word.

He sighed, stepped forward, and personally helped Jia Heng up.

Get up.

Jia Zheng's movements were somewhat stiff, but his attitude had completely changed.

"What happened in the past is not your fault."

"But... this won't happen again."

Seeing this, Madam Wang quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Yes, yes, it's good that Heng-ge'er knows his mistake. You are brothers, there's no need for grudges to last overnight."

Wang Xifeng immediately chimed in, smiling as she pulled Jia Heng over.

"That's right, madam, madam, look, it's all over now. It's just children playing around, it'll be fine in the blink of an eye."

Shi Xiangyun chimed in, "Brother Heng didn't do it on purpose."

Everyone agreed, and the atmosphere in the room finally eased.

But some people just aren't happy about it.

Jia Baoyu broke free from Grandmother Jia's embrace, wiped away his tears, pointed at Jia Heng, and looked at him with a face full of resentment.

"This is no small matter!"

He shouted loudly, attracting everyone's attention.

"He just tried to steal my jade! You're all on his side!"

Jia Heng turned his head and looked at Jia Baoyu, revealing an extremely surprised expression.

"No way? No way?"

He blinked exaggeratedly.

"Brother Baoyu, are you really going to blame your younger brother who just came home for such a small matter?"

After these words were spoken, the public's opinion shifted again.

Yes, Heng-ge'er just came back, and it wasn't intentional. He even knelt down and admitted his mistake. Why is Bao-yu still holding a grudge? Isn't that a bit too petty?

Grandmother Jia also felt that Baoyu was making a mountain out of a molehill, so she tugged at his hand.

"Baoyu, be good. Your little brother is just teasing you, don't be angry."

Wang Xifeng smiled and advised, "Master Bao has always been the most doting father, how could he hold a grudge against his own brother? Quickly, tell your brother that he's not angry anymore."

As everyone offered their advice, Jia Baoyu felt as if he were being roasted over a fire.

That's not what he meant!

He just felt wronged!

Why should he steal my jade, and then it becomes my fault?

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

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

In Jia Heng's mind, the system's notification sound rang out cheerfully.

It became.

[New player quests completed.]

[Task Reward: A New Player Gift Pack. Open?]

Jia Heng silently thought "No," now is not the time.

Seeing Jia Baoyu surrounded and unable to defend himself, Jia Heng decided to add fuel to the fire: "Brother Baoyu, you can't even take a joke? You're so petty."

Forced into a corner, Jia Baoyu blushed and cried out, "I...I'm very magnanimous! It's all...it's all my fault!"

After he finished speaking, he felt a tightness in his chest and tears were about to fall again.

Jia Heng immediately stepped forward and grasped Jia Baoyu's hand with a look of deep emotion.

"Brother Baoyu!"

His voice was sincere and earnest.

"I knew you weren't that petty."

"Don't worry, even though you were so fierce to me just now, and even had your maid try to hit me, I don't blame you at all."

I forgive you.

Jia Baoyu: "?"

He was completely dumbfounded.

Wait, what happened?

How did it become that he forgave me?

It was me whose jade was stolen! It was me who was wronged!

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

The others in the room didn't understand the logic behind it either, they just thought Jia Heng was a really sensible child.

Wang Xifeng was the first to praise him: "Oh my, look at Heng-ge'er, what a magnanimous child! This is what a younger brother should be like!"

Grandmother Jia nodded with satisfaction: "Good, good, it's better for the two brothers to get along well than anything else."

Everyone praised it.

"Hengge'er is such a good boy."

"So sensible at such a young age, he will surely have a bright future."

Faced with everyone's praise, Jia Heng simply smiled modestly, then solemnly addressed Jia Baoyu.

"It's what I should do."

"That's what happens when I'm the younger brother."

Looking at the dark, yet unusually "sincere" smiling face before him, Jia Baoyu felt a rush of blood to his head.

What should he do?

He forgave me?

Ah ah ah ah ah!

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

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

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