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

Grandmother Jia said, "It's getting late, everyone should leave."

She looked at Jia Heng, her eyes filled with such tenderness that it was almost tangible.

"Heng-ge'er, you've just returned, and the courtyard isn't tidied up yet. Tonight, you'll sleep with your brother Bao-yu."

"Tomorrow I'll have Yuanyang pick out a few clever maids for you, and I'll also clean up that small courtyard on the east side for you to live in."

Jia Heng immediately stood up, his posture extremely respectful, a perfect combination of gratitude and humility.

"We will follow the arrangements of our ancestors. Thank you, ancestors."

After saying that, he turned around, a naive smile on his face, and looked straight at Jia Baoyu, who was still sitting in the same spot.

"Brother Baoyu, I'm a restless sleeper and I like to talk in my sleep. You... won't dislike me, will you?"

This problem is like a dagger wrapped in velvet.

Jia Baoyu instantly felt more than a dozen gazes fall on him, his face flushed red and burning hot.

He practically spat out the three words through gritted teeth: "I don't mind."

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

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

The system notification sounded in Jia Heng's mind, like heavenly music.

The banquet finally came to an end.

Only Jia Heng and Jia Baoyu remained, and surrounded by a group of maids and servants, they walked towards the backyard.

The bluestone path beneath their feet was incredibly smooth, and the lanterns carried by the servants illuminated the way ahead, but the silence between the two was colder and heavier than the night itself.

Jia Baoyu walked very fast, his silk robes swaying with his angry strides. He just wanted to escape, to be alone, to smash something.

Jia Heng followed behind at a leisurely pace, enjoying the legendary night view of the Rongguo Mansion.

Every carved beam and painted rafter, every winding corridor, showcases immense wealth and a long history.

The group arrived at an extremely elegant courtyard, with a plaque above the door bearing the three characters: "碧纱橱" (Bi Sha Chu).

We've arrived at Jia Baoyu's little world.

As soon as they stepped through the door, a group of beautiful maids immediately surrounded them.

"Young Master Bao is back."

The speaker's voice was soft and melodious.

The one in the lead was a girl with a gentle appearance and quiet demeanor.

She was directing everyone methodically, one person going to fetch hot water, another to prepare bathrobes.

This must be Xiren.

Jia Baoyu's head maid, his first woman.

Jia Heng recognized him at a glance.

The maids began to serve the two, removing their outer robes and preparing them for washing up.

Xiren personally carried a basin of hot water and a warm towel to Jia Heng.

"Young Master Heng, please wipe your face."

Her movements were skillful and elegant, exuding a composure far beyond that of ordinary maids.

Jia Heng took the towel.

He smiled gently at her.

"Good sister, you are so kind and skillful."

His praise was direct, without the slightest hint of Jia Baoyu's usual frivolity, but rather appeared clean and sincere.

Xi Ren was slightly taken aback, then lowered her head slightly, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.

"Young Master Heng, you flatter me. This is all my duty."

Jia Heng didn't say anything more to her.

He turned his attention back to the real protagonist.

He looked at Jia Baoyu, who was staring at the interaction with an almost fiery gaze.

An idea suddenly came to Jia Heng's mind.

His face immediately changed to a pure, childlike longing expression: "Brother Baoyu, the sisters here are all so wonderful, I'm so envious."

He paused, letting his words linger in the air.

Then, he dropped the bomb.

"How about... you give me Sister Xiren?"

The air in the entire room instantly froze.

The other maids stopped what they were doing, their eyes wide open, forgetting even to breathe.

Xi Ren herself was deathly pale and her body was stiff.

Jia Baoyu's already gloomy face was now completely distorted, consumed by a rage that could no longer be concealed.

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

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

……

"No way!"

Those two words were shouted out.

That was the roar of a king when his private possessions were violated.

Jia Heng feigned surprise and even took a small step back.

"Brother Baoyu, don't get agitated. I was just joking because I thought Sister Xiren was nice."

His consoling tone was nothing short of adding fuel to the fire.

"Am I agitated?" Jia Baoyu retorted, his voice trembling with extreme anger. "Do I look agitated to you?"

He was practically roaring.

The maids were so frightened that they all retreated, remaining silent as cicadas in winter.

Xi Ren finally found her voice, and she quickly stepped forward and gave a deep bow.

"Gentlemen, it's late. You should rest early. We can talk about it tomorrow."

She tried to calm the situation and protect her master from doing something even more outrageous.

Jia Heng looked at her, then at Jia Baoyu, who was so angry he was about to faint.

He sighed softly, with a hint of grievance in his voice.

"Okay, it's my fault. I shouldn't have made those jokes."

He turned around, as if preparing to rest.

His heart was already bursting with joy.

It's too easy. This Jia Baoyu is simply a hothouse flower who has never experienced hardship, a spoiled child.

In the suffocatingly tense atmosphere, the maids quickly finished the finishing work.

The two silently washed and changed.

In a fit of anger, Jia Baoyu threw the clothes he had changed out of on the ground instead of handing them to the waiting maid.

Before the maid could frantically pick them up, Jia Heng had already bent down and gathered up the pile of expensive silk garments.

He didn't even glance at Jia Baoyu; he simply folded it carefully and handed it to the dumbfounded maid.

Everything is ready.

With eyes full of worry, Xiren led the maids out and gently closed the door.

Only the two of them remained inside.

As soon as Jia Baoyu got into bed, he immediately turned over and faced away from the outside, curling up into a ball under the brocade quilt, not moving at all.

Jia Heng also lay down and slept on the outside of the bed.

The tent was completely silent, except for the faint crackling of a candle burning in the distance outside the bed.

Jia Heng could almost feel the tangible resentment emanating from the body beside him.

He closed his eyes, pretended to be asleep, and waited patiently.

One minute.

Two minutes.

A tiny, suppressed sound broke the deathly silence.

It was the sound of someone sniffing.

Then, there was another sound.

Jia Baoyu is crying.

This precious darling of the Jia family, cherished and pampered by everyone, was hiding under the covers, silently weeping.

[Ding! Negative emotion value from Jia Baoyu +200! Host, you've gained quite a bit today!]

The system's cheerful voice created a wonderful contrast with the sadness on the bed.

Just crying? That's far from enough.

Jia Heng's plan has only just begun.

He slowly turned over in the darkness.

The slight movement of the mattress caused Baoyu, who was beside him, to stiffen, and his crying stopped abruptly.

Jia Heng lowered his voice to a whisper, filled with tender concern: "Brother Baoyu, what's wrong?"

A dead silence.

"Did I... do something wrong that made you sad?"

Jia Baoyu remained stiff and did not respond.

Jia Heng then let out a soft and sorrowful sigh, a sigh that contained enough grievance to melt even the hardest heart.

"If... if you really dislike me being here so much," he said softly, his voice trembling as if he were about to cry, "I... I'll go talk to the matriarch first thing tomorrow morning and tell her I'm moving out. I won't live in the mansion anymore, so I won't be in your way..."