Chapter 51 Third Brother Proposes Marriage? Who? Me? "Sister Lin, don't..."

Jia Baoyu had inquired and learned that Qingwen lived in the servants' quarters outside the west gate of the Grand View Garden. He left Yihong Courtyard and headed west.

However, he had a rather indescribable feeling in his heart, and he felt that this matter was a secret and should not be known to others. Moreover, he did not want people to see him wandering around during the New Year, making him seem like he had nothing to do.

So Jia Baoyu took a shortcut, going around the back wall of Xiaoxiang Pavilion, and then running north along the narrow path between the west wall of Zilingzhou and the wall of the Grand View Garden. Since none of the masters were home today, and it was the New Year, and it was cold in winter, everyone took the easy way out. Jia Baoyu crossed most of the garden without anyone noticing him.

He even peeked through the window of the west gatehouse and saw four old women sitting around the stove, chatting and eating snacks, without even looking up.

Jia Baoyu didn't even recognize the maids in his own courtyard, let alone the maids in other people's courtyards. Although there were many maids coming and going in this area, he couldn't tell which courtyard the maids of Xiaoxiang Pavilion lived in.

"I should have asked Xiren a few more questions; she would definitely know."

Jia Baoyu searched through each courtyard one by one, and only found the place after asking around in the third courtyard.

The place where the maids and servants lived was completely different from the Grand View Garden. There were no flowers, no trees, and no scenery. The eaves had only simple carvings, and the paint had long since faded.

There were quite a few people washing up in the morning, and some were emptying their chamber pots. In the middle of the yard, some people had already set up bamboo poles to air out their quilts. It was a mess, and the smell was not pleasant.

Jia Baoyu looked disgusted and moved a few steps away.

When the old woman called Qingwen out, Jia Baoyu beckoned and called out, "Qingwen, let's come out and talk."

Qingwen frowned and bowed respectfully: "Let's go to the pavilion that's sheltered from the wind."

Qingwen kept her head down and remained silent; she was somewhat averse to Bao Er Ye.

Before she came to Xiaoxiang Pavilion, she thought that Master Bao was the best master in the world.

Master Bao was not arrogant, nor did he think that they should be inferior just because they were maids. He was willing to respect and pamper them on a daily basis, so everyone wanted to come to Yihong Courtyard.

But after going to Xiaoxiang Pavilion and serving Miss Lin for a few days, she realized that Master Bao's affection was not genuine.

Master Bao treated them like exquisite porcelain; he cherished them, but they were still objects.

Miss Lin was different. Miss Lin only treated her as a maid, but she was very happy being a maid, much better than being a mistress in Master Bao's room.

Upon arriving at Xiaoxiang Pavilion, I felt completely at peace.

There's no need to decipher hidden meanings; just do your job well.

Jia Baoyu hesitated for a moment. He thought about it all the way and felt that if he asked Lin Daiyu directly, Qingwen would be sad. So he had to care about Qingwen first. She was living in such a place, and he couldn't imagine how sad she must be.

“Why are you alone during the New Year? If you’re not familiar with the maids in Miss Lin’s room, why don’t you go back to Yihong Courtyard and have a proper New Year? It just so happens that the old lady and the madam are not here, so no one will restrain us.”

Qingwen became irritated: "I finally got two days off, why do I have to go back to serve people?"

She became even more agitated after saying that. She had just learned how to be a normal maid, but she lost her composure as soon as she met Master Bao.

"If I don't ask you to serve me, how about I serve you? They all miss you. I'll ask Xiren to come and serve you too."

It sounded more and more like a game of make-believe. Qingwen said, "It's New Year's Eve today. Shouldn't the Ningguo Mansion be holding a ceremony at the ancestral hall? Why is Second Master still wandering around? If they can't find you and tell Madam, I wonder what you'll do. You should go back now; I have things to do here."

After Qingwen finished speaking, she wanted to leave, but Jia Baoyu stopped her: "I know you are impatient with me. I'll leave after I ask one more question."

Qingwen glanced at him: "What does Second Master want to ask?"

"How have you been these past few days, Miss Lin? Has anything unusual happened?"

"Miss Lin is very nice."

“Is it good? Think about it again, there must be something wrong with her.” Jia Baoyu didn’t believe her words at all.

“Miss Lin is really good! She eats well and sleeps soundly. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.” Qingwen emphasized again, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll go back now. Today is New Year’s Eve.”

Jia Baoyu watched Qingwen's retreating figure and sighed, "Why doesn't anyone tell me the truth? Even if they don't want me to worry, hiding things from me only makes me more worried."

But Qingwen had just reminded him that they would be going to the sacrificial ceremony soon, and Jia Baoyu was overwhelmed with anxiety. He didn't want to go back to Yihong Courtyard at all; he just wanted to wander around the garden until the very last moment before going back.

Jin'er has already circled around the courtyards on the west side of the Grand View Garden several times.

The master asked her to spread rumors about Miss Lin, so the area near Xiaoxiang Pavilion would be best. However, after circling around twice, she didn't see a single person, perhaps because it was too cold.

Jin'er then walked a little further north. The second young lady lived in Zilingzhou. She was a quiet, taciturn girl. This one wouldn't do.

Further north is the Third Miss's residence, and next to it is Xiaocui Hall, said to be the largest flower hall in the Grand View Garden. All the formal banquets in the Grand View Garden are held here, and there are quite a few maids and servants serving there. Perhaps it will work out.

Jin'er had only taken two steps when she saw Aunt Zhao heading towards Qiushuangzhai with a gloating expression, clearly there to cause trouble. Jin'er quickly hid behind a tree, thinking it wasn't a good place to go either. What if she heard Aunt Zhao arguing with the Third Miss? Would she still be able to speak up then?

"Fine," Jin'er stamped her foot and headed towards the gatehouse at the west gate.

Although this was a last resort, since the gatekeepers were the lowest of the low, and it was uncertain how long it would take to get information from them, they were already close to going back, so they figured they might as well pass on whatever information they could.

Jin'er opened the curtain first and said with a smile, "Good mother, I don't know where this evil wind came from, it's chilling me to the bone. Let me come in and warm myself by the fire."

Jin'er's clothes and appearance were quite expensive. Although she looked like a maid, she was definitely a favored maid.

"You're... from the Ningguo Mansion next door?"

“Mother, do you still remember me? I am Aunt Peifeng’s maid. Madam came to visit Fourth Miss, so I came with Aunt Peifeng for a stroll.”

Several young concubines of the Ningguo Mansion often came to stroll in the garden with their maids. Besides, the Grand View Garden occupied a lot of Ningguo's land, so no one thought it was wrong. The old woman made room for her and told her to sit by the stove and warm herself by the fire.

Jin'er reached out and roasted the meat a few times, then suddenly said, "Isn't there going to be a big celebration at your manor soon? I wonder how much reward money you'll get then. It's a pity our young lady is still so young; she'll have to wait another two years to get married."

What does this mean? Who's getting married?

The old women exchanged bewildered glances. The eldest was the second daughter, but…

"I haven't heard anything about the second young lady's happy occasion. The first wife can't keep secrets. If there really is something, she'll definitely make the whole family know."

"Miss Shi got engaged a few years ago, but could it be that she's getting married?"

That's how casual conversation is. Jin'er pretended to be freezing and warmed herself by the fire a couple more times before saying, "I was talking about Miss Lin. Marquis Zhongyong comes every day. What else could it be but a matchmaking meeting?"

"Ahem, Miss Lin—"

"My wife forbids me from saying this!"

An old woman next to her patted her, and the woman immediately fell silent.

Seeing their expressions, Jin'er knew that these old women also had their suspicions. She smiled and said, "But it's not good to say anything before it's settled. Sigh, we've already given so many gifts, it's practically the same as making a bet. You're all so cautious."

One of the old women couldn't hold back any longer and said with a smile, "Madam calls Uncle Zhongyong Miss Lin's brother. He's here to repay a debt of gratitude."

Jin'er chuckled twice: "Indeed, we have to consider the young lady's reputation. We've been speculating about it too. You know, the Marquis of Zhongyong isn't much younger than our Second Master Lian, and he returned to the capital after making great contributions. Instead of finding a wife to marry and have children, he's looking for a younger sister to take out and play with every day—"

Jin'er paused, then scoffed, "If he didn't fancy Miss Lin... he couldn't possibly have fancyed Master Bao, could he?"

In short, this is how you spread rumors. You can't just talk about Miss Lin, because everyone knows there's something wrong with that. You have to drag everyone you can into it.

The old women in the room all laughed: "Young lady, you mustn't go around saying such things."

"However, I overheard somewhere that the Marquis of Zhongyong does indeed have a younger sister."

"His sister also has a daughter who is three or four years old. Master Bao... tsk tsk, it's hard to say."

"Young Master Bao is handsome and considerate, what are you laughing at?"

Jia Baoyu had a good reputation among the maids in the Rongguo Mansion, but among the older women, he was just so-so.

After all, his saying that he would turn into a fish eyeball after getting married was not kept secret from anyone; the whole household knew about it.

Although they were still respectful to each other in person, after all, she was a phoenix egg from the Rongguo Mansion, some old women, after drinking, also complained in private: "Young Master Bao is quite the talker. Doesn't he ever think about how we went from being precious pearls to fish eyes? If he has the guts, he should talk to men. He can only fool young girls. Real life is not like that."

The group exchanged smiles and then began calculating the estate of the Earl of Zhongyong.

"Take the things I sent to Miss Lin, for example. Goodness, I'm forty-nine years old this year, and I'm a servant in the Rongguo Mansion. There are many of these things that I've never even heard of."

"Have you seen that glass cup at Longcui Nunnery? Once, a few of us went to deliver spring water to Longcui Nunnery. You know how particular Miaoyu is about the water she drinks. We could only catch a glimpse of it through the door. When the sun shone on it, the whole room was bathed in color. Even a fairyland couldn't compare."

Jin'er smiled and said, "It's a pity that we don't have time today. When my wife comes again in a couple of days, I will definitely go to Longcui Nunnery to take a look, even if it's just a glimpse through the door."

"He was just granted a title, and he's the only son in the family. He's the one who has the final say, and he became the wife as soon as he entered the household. Although he has a mother-in-law, she comes from a farming background and probably can't manage the household or keep anyone in check. Thinking about it this way, there probably isn't a better family in the capital than the Marquis of Zhongyong's family."

They were chatting animatedly inside. Although Madam Wang had ordered that no one should speak carelessly, the order itself had a hint of refuting rumors.

In addition, Jin'er is from the Ning family next door, so the rules of the Rong family don't apply to her. Since Madam Wang is away at the palace, Miss Lin and the Earl of Zhongyong shouldn't talk too much, but Madam Wang didn't say anything about the Earl of Zhongyong's property.

Who doesn't love money? With Jin'er's encouragement, the old women in the room became more and more excited as they talked.

"Better than Second Master Lian!"

"I'm not saying this to be rude, but let alone Master Zhen, even our eldest and second masters can't compare to him."

"Although it was a little... not good, that happened so many years ago. Now that we're married, we're family, who cares about that?"

"Although Miss Lin and Master Bao are a couple, it's no use for us to say anything. The old lady doesn't say anything, the second master doesn't say anything, and the second mistress doesn't say anything either. Besides, there's another 'golden and jade match' in the mansion. Who knows how it will end up?"

The words spoken inside the room pierced Jia Baoyu's heart as he leaned against the wall, making his eyes glaze over and his heart pound like thunder.

He returned from the outer courtyard, still taking this route. As soon as he reached the gatehouse, he heard the name "Miss Lin." He naturally stood in the corner, and then he heard them saying how well Miss Lin and Uncle Zhongyong matched.

"No..." Jia Baoyu murmured to himself, his voice weak and so low that he could hardly hear it.

He didn't want to listen anymore; he just wanted to escape this place. After much effort, he finally managed to take a step and wandered aimlessly around the garden, completely unconscious.

...No wonder Lin Daiyu has become increasingly cold towards him. Just yesterday, she asked him what he planned to do in the future. She even mentioned that the Lin family is a scholarly family with generations of scholars.

She wasn't like this before; he's always disliked these things since he was little.

They used to be so close, they'd been together since they were little.

She fell ill because of him, and he couldn't sleep at night because of her.

...A few days ago she even asked him to accompany her to the Great Buddha Hall, but in the end she went with Uncle Zhongyong instead.

...He wasn't allowed to touch that cashmere doll.

...He complained that the Nanjing cuisine he had Mingyan prepare was not tasty.

Jia Baoyu fell into a vortex of self-abandonment. When he recalled his time with Lin Daiyu over the past few months, he saw that everything he saw was evidence of Lin Daiyu's change of heart.

In a daze, Jia Baoyu saw Lin Daiyu walking towards him from afar. He went up to her and grabbed her hand, saying, "Good sister, is our past affection really fake? I've worked so hard for you that I'm sick, and you don't care at all? What's so good about the Earl of Zhongyong? When Sister Bao came, you complained that I was close to her, but why are you close to the Earl of Zhongyong?"

Lin Daiyu didn't answer a word, but simply pushed her hand away and walked away without looking back.

Lost in thought, Jia Baoyu had no idea where else in the world he could go, and his legs didn't know where to go next. In a daze, he walked back to Yihong Courtyard.

Seeing his appearance, Xiren knew that his mental illness had relapsed.

Since she was already very familiar with this process, Xiren didn't ask any questions. She first wrapped him in a quilt, then put a hand warmer in his arms, before taking out a calming pill, dissolving it, and feeding it to him.

Sure enough, after drinking two bowls of medicine, Jia Baoyu's tears fell: "Sister Lin..."

Xi Ren breathed a sigh of relief. It was normal for Master Bao to fall ill because of Miss Lin.

It wouldn't be a problem on a normal day, but there's a sacrificial ceremony tonight, and the old lady and madam will be free tomorrow afternoon. If the second master isn't feeling well then, she'll inevitably get another beating.

"Second Master must have misheard. Just now, Zijuan came to ask, saying that we should have dinner together tonight."

Jia Baoyu blinked: "Really?"

Xiren laughed and said, "Really!"

This wasn't exactly a lie. Dinner that night would still be at the old lady's flower hall. Second Madam Lian had already sent someone to tell her that it was New Year's Eve dinner, and Miss Lin couldn't possibly skip it, could she? So it would just be eating together.

"Second Master, drink some more herbal medicine."

In Qiushuangzhai, Tanchun smashed a cup in anger.

When Aunt Zhao came over just now, she started nagging again, saying things like, "I heard that Madam scolded you yesterday?"

And another thing: "You weren't born from her, so don't expect her to really care about you."

There were even more outrageous incidents, but Tan Chun didn't want to recall them again.

Shishu came to pack her things herself, without saying much. In the past, when Aunt Zhao came, the young lady was angry, but she never smashed anything. She didn't know what Aunt Zhao said today.

Tan Chun suddenly sighed, smashed the cup, and then she came to her senses.

Yesterday afternoon, Madam did scold her, and subtly reminded her to treat Xue Baochai better, just like before.

To put it simply, she used to think that her wife was perfect in every way. But that was because she had to make a living under her wife's thumb. To make herself feel better and to make her appear less subservient, she molded her wife into a saint who was perfect in every way.

But actually, the wife is not a saint.

Especially after the family's fortunes declined day by day, when real troubles arose, she discovered that her wife was not only not a saint, but not even a good person.

Rather than saying she was angry with Aunt Zhao, it would be more accurate to say she was angry with herself.

"Why are you here again?" Tan Chun frowned and asked irritably.

The wife is not a good person, and Aunt Zhao is even worse; she's lacking in basic human qualities.

"Goodness gracious." Aunt Zhao rubbed her hands on her coat again. If people knew that Master Bao was holding her hand while talking, she would be doomed.

"I don't know where this evil wind came from, it's making me feel cold all over, I've come in to take shelter." Aunt Zhao felt itchy all over. "Shishu, bring me a basin of hot water, I want to wash my hands, I just leaned against a tree."

Aunt Zhao held back for a moment, but couldn't help herself. She said, "I heard that Miss Lin and the Earl of Zhongyong are getting together? It seems that the eldest daughter of the Xue family will become Bao Er's wife. Don't always go against her, or you'll suffer later."

Tan Chun's temper flared up again: "Shi Shu, close the door and don't let anyone in!"

Aunt Zhao called out, "Bring the water in before you close the door. I really need to wash my hands."

These words interrupted Tan Chun's rhythm, making her feel even more frustrated.

"What exactly is Aunt trying to do! Is this something you should say to a young lady? Besides, Madam also said that the Earl of Zhongyong is her elder brother! Aunt is really asking for trouble!"

The mere mention of itching made Aunt Zhao feel uncomfortable all over, but she still had to suppress it.

"This time it's probably for real." If even Master Bao says it's true, how could it be false?

The past affection...tsk tsk, it's made you sick...tsk tsk, what's so good about the Marquis of Zhongyong...tsk tsk, why did you get close to him...tsk tsk.

Aunt Zhao automatically savored the memory again; there was no way she could control herself.

“This time it’s for real.” Aunt Zhao sighed. “If you don’t like Miss Xue, then get closer to Miss Lin. She’s a good girl. Once she becomes the wife of the Marquis of Zhongyong, she’ll enjoy endless blessings. In the future, you can ask your brother-in-law to find you a suitable husband.”

"Get out!" Tan Chun said angrily, pushing Aunt Zhao out.

She couldn't stand Xue Baochai because Xue Baochai was inhuman; she was close to Lin Daiyu because she was intelligent, beautiful, talented, and virtuous, and was the only person who hadn't changed over the years.

To hear Aunt Zhao say that makes it seem like everything she does is for personal gain.

Ironically, her closeness to Madam Wang was truly for personal gain.

Tan Chun's tears flowed down her cheeks. Aunt Zhao sighed and softened her voice, saying, "Don't push me. I'll walk by myself. Remember what I told you? This time it's for real. Never mind, you can decide for yourself."

After leaving Qiushuangzhai, Aunt Zhao took a few steps toward Xiaoxiangguan, but as a second wife, she couldn't very well go there without any boundaries.

With that thought, she hurried home. This time she had to teach Huan'er a good lesson. It would be so much better to go to Xiaoxiang Pavilion when she had time. Why go to Hengwu Garden? That place was a gambling den!

Miss Lin is beautiful, talented, and from a scholarly family. She's about to become a madam. Huan'er is told to ask her about her studies from time to time, since she'll be his teacher.

Sigh... For the sake of her two children, she really has to keep this to herself this time.

In the afternoon, Jia Baoyu was helped by his maid to change his clothes and went with his second brother Lian to the Ning Mansion next door to pay respects to their ancestors.

To be honest, he was actually a bit dazed, because Xiren was afraid something would happen, so she gave him two extra bowls of calming soup.

However, Jia Lian was not familiar with him, and given the solemn nature of the occasion, Jia Baoyu's dullness was well concealed and not noticeable at all.

After the ritualistic ceremony, Jia Zhen even felt that Jia Baoyu was much more composed than before, and even his speech was slower and more appropriate.

As darkness fell, Jia Lian took Jia Baoyu back to the Rongguo Mansion.

Because neither Grandmother Jia, Madam Xing, nor Madam Wang were present, the banquet at Rongguo Mansion was held separately.

Jia Lian and Jia She were drinking and watching a play together, while Wang Xifeng was in charge of entertaining the women.

Halfway through the meal, Grandmother Jia and the others returned, all looking exhausted. After exchanging greetings, they went to their inner rooms to rest. Tomorrow morning they would have to go to the palace to offer congratulations, and afterwards they would have to go to Yuan Chun's place to celebrate her birthday, which would take up another whole day. Now they were making the most of every moment to rest.

With not everyone present, Wang Xifeng was exhausted, and since it was all young ladies, Jia Baoyu, who usually loved to join in the fun, had drunk too much calming soup and didn't talk much. The banquet ended early.

Lin Daiyu didn't think much of it; in fact, she was a little excited. She planned to go back and set off the fireworks her third brother had given her. They were supposedly meant to be held in your hand and set off.

"Really—I told my third brother I didn't dare to put it in my hand, but he didn't even bother to teach me."

Lin Daiyu complained and laughed at the same time, instructing the maid to stick the fireworks in the ground first, and see how they looked when lit.

"Light it and run. This is my first time using this, so be careful not to get hit."

The little maid smiled, lit the firework with a tinderbox, and then skipped away.

Lin Daiyu noticed that colorful stars were shooting out from the tip of the thin stick, which lasted for about ten breaths.

"It looks good." Lin Daiyu stepped forward and took one. "Those of you who are brave enough can put two in too."

This thing was indeed novel; they had never seen it before. The maids jostled each other and each grabbed one, lit it on a tinder, and started spinning it around with smiles on their faces.

Lin Daiyu also set off quite a few, and as she did so, she kept saying, "Thank you, Third Brother."

Everyone was happy during the New Year, especially with such a fun thing. Everyone at Xiaoxiang Pavilion said in unison, "Thank you, Uncle Zhongyong."

Lin Daiyu's face flushed red instantly.

The young woman's voice was clear and pleasant, and it even carried a hint of laughter, which made Jia Baoyu, who was lingering outside the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, tear up.

However, the calming soup suppressed his agitated emotions, so although Jia Baoyu rushed in, he only said one sentence: "Sister Lin, I have something to ask you."

Lin Daiyu glanced at the fireworks box and said, "Leave some for me." Then she said to Jia Baoyu, "What are you talking about? If we go outside, we can still see the fireworks being set off in the palace."

Because of the overdose of calming soup, Jia Baoyu had been holding back a lot of things to say all day, but now they were all stuck in his throat, leaving him at a loss for words.

"Master Bao, are you trying to make fun of me?" Lin Daiyu said irritably, "I'm going back to set off fireworks."

"Sister Lin...please don't get along with Marquis Zhongyong anymore. Let's go back to how things were before, okay?"

"What nonsense are you spouting! If you say that again, I—I'll get Third Brother to beat you up."

Jia Baoyu felt even more heartbroken. In the past, if he offended someone slightly, Lin Daiyu would usually tell her to go to her maternal grandmother. If he really angered someone, she would tell his second uncle. But now... he directly became his third brother.

Lin Daiyu was truly close to him, how could she change so quickly?

Jia Baoyu lowered his head, his eyes stinging: "I heard them say that the Earl of Zhongyong will be coming to propose marriage soon. They also said that if... Master's official position will be in jeopardy. And..."

Lin Daiyu couldn't hear what was said after that; her mind was filled with a deafening roar.

What is he saying? Why would Third Brother threaten someone with this?

No! Lin Daiyu shook her head violently. How could her third brother propose marriage?

"Who? Who is Third Brother proposing to?"

Lin Daiyu's tone was extremely strange. Jia Baoyu quickly looked up and saw that her cheeks were flushed and there seemed to be a smile on her lips.

Jia Baoyu's resentment flared up: "Sister, aren't you asking a question you already know the answer to? Who goes out with him every day? Who calls him 'Third Brother' every day? Who were all those gifts from the Marquis of Zhongyong for? If he doesn't propose to you, does he expect to propose to me?"

"Don't talk nonsense!" Lin Daiyu was extremely conflicted. On the one hand, she felt that she should just kick Jia Baoyu out.

On the other hand, she couldn't help but ask: Who told you that? I don't know anything about it.

How could my third brother possibly propose marriage? He knows I have a marriage agreement with the Rongguo Mansion.

He seemed to care nothing about the Rongguo Mansion.

“Nonsense…” Jia Baoyu repeated sadly, “But everyone knows about this, and Madam strictly forbade anyone to say anything more, only saying that they are brother and sister. I am also the older brother, and an older brother is not like this.”

"How do you know he isn't! He's the best Third Brother!" Lin Daiyu suddenly became angry. "He never says things he shouldn't, and he's always very proper and follows etiquette when we go out. He doesn't get angry when I call him Third Uncle, he gives me whatever I want, he comforts me, and he never gets angry with me. He even said—"

Lin Daiyu suddenly stopped, as if she was about to say something, but was interrupted by Jia Baoyu.

"What did he say? He's just a boorish man! Can he play the piano with you, compose poetry with you, or read books with you? The two of us—"

Lin Daiyu's face turned cold, and she sneered, "A boor? Second Master Bao, you can't compare to him in the Six Arts of a Gentleman! Music, horsemanship, and archery—he plays the war drums exceptionally well, even Prince Zhongshun praised him. He also drove a chariot for the commander-in-chief for several years. Do you know how to ride a horse and shoot arrows? Even if you were reincarnated again, you still couldn't compare to him in these three things! What else? Etiquette, calligraphy, and mathematics—he has no flaws in dealing with people, and he is proficient in officialdom. You are only slightly better than him in calligraphy."

Not satisfied with that, she added, "Your handwriting isn't much better either; it's still no match for mine. Have you practiced your handwriting these past few years? No! Third Brother will write better than you sooner or later!"

I'll make sure he becomes like Wang Xianzhi!

Jia Baoyu didn't know where Lin Daiyu's anger came from, and even Lin Daiyu herself didn't know.

Even now, the topics they're arguing about seem to have diverged somewhat.

One regretted bringing it up, and the other subconsciously wanted to hide something. The two became more talkative, especially Lin Daiyu, who instinctively didn't want to talk to Jia Baoyu about her third brother.

"Your second uncle will be back in a few days. How much homework have you done? How many pages of calligraphy have you written? Luckily, your second uncle still has a lawsuit against him, otherwise I wonder how you would have gotten away with it! If your second uncle sees you like this when he gets back, he'll definitely give you another beating!"

Jia Baoyu was already no match for Lin Daiyu in words, and after drinking the calming soup, he became tongue-tied and slow to speak. His face flushed red, and he said "Good! Good! Good! Good!" several times before he could speak again.

“You know perfectly well that I only have eyes for you. Before, you used to tease me with your talk of a marriage of convenience, and now you keep calling me ‘Third Brother.’ What are you up to? Consider all our years of affection as a waste.”

Lin Daiyu really wanted to say that he had many younger sisters and older sisters in his heart, and that she was far less important than him. But for some reason, she just couldn't bring herself to say it.

"Second Master, hurry back and rest. Don't make any more mistakes, or your Second Uncle will ask you about your studies later, and then you'll know what it means to be truly wrong!"

Jia Zheng was like Jia Baoyu's golden headband. After being nagged by Lin Daiyu so many times, Jia Baoyu naturally wanted to run away. But as soon as he lifted his foot, he remembered that he had come to ask what he was supposed to be asking.

"I'll only ask you one question: what exactly is your relationship with Earl Zhongyong—"

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Daiyu shoved him: "Go ask whoever told you! You think you can come and ask me after hearing such nonsense from outside? Do you even deserve to be called a master?"

My third brother never does that!

After Lin Daiyu finished speaking, she quickly walked back. Jia Baoyu stood there for a while, thinking about it, and felt that her last sentence meant denial. In addition, the cold wind made his head ache. Then Xiren came to find him, and Jia Baoyu was pulled back.

When Lin Daiyu returned to Xiaoxiang Pavilion, she lost all interest in setting off fireworks; her mind was filled with the thought of the Earl of Zhongyong coming to propose marriage.

How could Third Brother possibly—

Why is Third Brother so good to her?

It was only because his father had waited with him for his lost parents and bought him a string of candied hawthorns.

But everyone said it was impossible, because the third brother had no connection with the father.

She had calculated it herself.

Lin Daiyu then remembered a factor she had overlooked for a long time: she herself didn't remember things from her childhood, so how could her third brother remember them so clearly?

He promised Zijuan he would inquire about his marriage, and he also said he would teach Baoyu more, urging him to establish himself as soon as possible. This doesn't seem like...

"Zijuan, Zijuan," Lin Daiyu called out, but when Zijuan came in, she didn't want to ask anymore. "We put too much ginseng in this afternoon. Go and brew a pot of tea to clear heat and reduce internal fire."

There was another sentence that seemed more like a cover-up: "Don't make ginseng tea anymore, it's too heaty and doesn't taste good. My third brother gave me so many Ganoderma lucidum and snow lotus flowers, I'll drink those from now on."

Zijuan had no idea what was happening outside. She smiled and said, "The ginseng was also sent by the Marquis of Zhongyong."

Lin Daiyu suddenly became unhappy: "Just change it when I tell you to."

Zijuan quickly agreed and went out to brew her some tea to cool her down.

However, the tea had no effect, and Lin Daiyu tossed and turned until the third watch of the night, unable to fall asleep.

"How annoying! Why set off firecrackers so late at night? It's disturbing everyone's peace and quiet."

How could Third Brother possibly want to propose marriage?

"Zijuan, go get two pieces of charcoal and crack the window open, it's too hot inside."

How could he possibly like me?

He was so good to me.

he--