Chapter 29 Is this my fourth aunt? "So this is how much I am in her heart..."
As the hour of Shen (3-5 PM) passed and the room gradually darkened, Grandmother Jia said, "Go back now, the road will be difficult to travel in a little while."
Everyone rose, bowed, and took their leave.
Shi Xiangyun was both bored and restless.
Living in the Rongguo Mansion, although she had Baochai and Aige to keep her company, Lin Daiyu always made sarcastic remarks, and over the years, apart from the Ningguo Mansion and the Wang family's residence, she hadn't been anywhere else. In this respect, it wasn't as good as being at home.
Shi Xiangyun asked Lin Daiyu, "Is the Princess Dowager of Nan'an going?"
"I don't know," Lin Daiyu said. "How about I give my regards?"
Isn't this just using her name to befriend the Princess of Nan'an? Shi Xiangyun shook her head: "That's not necessary."
Xue Baochai smiled and said, "The Princess Dowager of Nan'an is an elder, and she probably won't attend this kind of occasion."
That's a bit of a veiled criticism: the people I associate with are of higher social standing than the people you associate with.
Shi Xiangyun felt comforted, and she took Xue Baochai's arm, saying, "Let's go back."
Lin Daiyu understood, but she had two new dolls waiting for her in her room, only one set of new clothes, no bedding on the bed, and not even a cushion on the chair. She had no time to worry about that.
Lin Daiyu hurried back, and even Jia Baoyu, who had wanted to keep her company, looked rather repulsive.
"Aren't you going to copy some scriptures for your second aunt? The first day of the new year is coming soon, you should also show your filial piety."
Jia Baoyu thought about it and realized that it made sense. His wife always ate vegetarian food on the first and fifteenth of the month without fail. "Thank you for teaching me, sister," he said, and then he followed after Lady Wang.
Lin Daiyu breathed a sigh of relief and hurried back.
The pattern and the doll have been returned. Lin Daiyu held the pattern and compared it to the doll, and liked it very much. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Zijuan, the Marquis of Zhongyong sent some hand cream a couple of days ago. Take a jar to Qingwen and tell her to thank her and tell her to take good care of her hands."
Zijuan took the things and left. Lin Daiyu rummaged through the scraps of cloth she had left behind and found some cotton. Just as she was about to make a mattress, she suddenly put something else down.
What kind of gift should I give to my third brother in return?
"You mean none of these silver ingots, purses, and bookmarks are mine?"
Granny Shen felt a little sad and guilty: "General, in my opinion, this is actually a good thing."
Mu Chuan looked at her with a stern face, which was quite frightening.
Granny Shen was quick-witted, and she said, "Since she didn't ask us to bring it back, then... either she plans to give it to the general herself—won't they meet in a couple of days? Or it's not ready-made, and she wants to make it herself."
Now that you mention it... that's actually possible. Mu Chuan nodded: "Alright, take the things and distribute them. Make sure the carriage cushions are soft and draft-free, she gets cold easily."
Granny Shen laughed and said, "Look at what you're saying. How could our Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion have a leaky carriage?"
"Bring a few more hand warmers," Mu Chuan instructed.
Lin Daiyu rummaged through a lot of things, but felt that none of them were suitable.
The best gift for winter is a "Nine-Nine Cold-Dispelling Chart," which she can draw herself, but it's already the third nine-day period of winter. Sigh... it's not appropriate.
She wanted her third brother to give her knee pads, but couldn't she just give him one?
However... even though I haven't measured the dimensions, I can tell with the naked eye that it must have taken a lot of material.
She does have a few rabbit fur hand warmers, which are mostly brand new because she likes to use hand warmers, but even if she took them all apart, she could probably only put them together to form a knee.
Asking the Rongguo Mansion for furs might lead to some rumors.
A purse and fan pendant as a gift?
But given how her third brother looked, she couldn't imagine him using a purse-shaped fan pendant.
Lin Daiyu sighed deeply, thinking and laughing at the same time, when Zijuan returned.
"Miss, the things have been delivered." She was also carrying several sets of clothes: "Would these three sets be alright?"
Lin Daiyu turned her head and saw that everyone was wearing purple clothes, though since she was still young, they were all light purple.
"It matches the young lady's new jacket perfectly."
Lin Daiyu shook her head and said, "The Empress's niece is also going, and the host family also has daughters. Purple is for people of high status. I'm just going as a guest, so I'll change into a few orange-pink ones to make my complexion look better and to make me more lively in winter."
Zijuan agreed and quickly found a new one.
This time, Lin Daiyu nodded, and Zijuan asked again, "Does Miss think there's anything else she should bring?"
Lin Daiyu looked at the things laid out on the round table and laughed at her, "There are still a few days left, do you mean we don't need them for these few days?"
Zijuan said apologetically, "Since we're going out to a banquet, it's different from going to the East Mansion or the Wang family on ordinary days. We need to prepare in advance so as not to lose face for the Rongguo Mansion. What hairstyle would you like to have that day, Miss? I'll tell them to get ready. We also need to get up early so as not to be impolite."
In fact, Lin Daiyu did not want to take Zijuan with her.
Although Xueyan was young, she had seen many distinguished guests when she was at home. As Zijuan said, she had only been to the Ningguo Mansion and the Wang Family Mansion.
She had a married older sister in the Ningguo Mansion, who would always talk to her whenever she visited. Besides, there were plenty of maids, so she didn't have to do anything. Although she had no relatives in the Wang family, they always came in a large group, either with Sister Feng or with her second aunt. If anyone was really needed to serve her, it wouldn't be her turn.
Most importantly, ever since she tested Baoyu to the point of madness last time, and made the whole Jia family know that Baoyu couldn't live without Miss Lin, Lin Daiyu has become a little afraid of her.
This was a maid given to her by her maternal grandmother. She had been diligent and hardworking for many years, and had both merits and hardships.
It's just that... it's fine to let her make the decisions on ordinary days, but I'm a little hesitant to go out with her.
Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "I always took you with me when we went out before. This time, since we're bringing a lot of people, let Xueyan broaden her horizons."
“Xueyan is still young,” Zijuan argued, but then added, “That’s true. There are many people this time, so it’s not a big deal if a small mistake happens.”
After saying that, she forced a smile and said to Xueyan, "I'll teach you these next two days, so don't neglect the young lady when we go out."
Zijuan pulled Xueyan aside and said, "Miss only likes to drink light tea. Although she prefers sweet food, she likes savory desserts."
Xueyan listened attentively without showing the slightest impatience, and made no mention of "I have served the girl longer than you."
When Lin Daiyu decided who to take with her, Grandmother Jia was also hesitant about whether to let Yuanyang come along. The problem was that the old woman from the Marquis of Zhongyong’s mansion had come several times. Even if she didn’t know that Yuanyang was her maid, she should know that Yuanyang was not serving in the young lady’s room.
However, it was normal for the maternal grandmother to send a capable maid to accompany her when she went out.
Ke Lian'er went along too... Wouldn't that make her seem too controlling of her granddaughter?
It would be bad if people misunderstood him when he clearly liked and valued her.
Grandmother Jia sighed. Raising children is truly difficult, and she gave up the idea of having Yuanyang accompany her.
As soon as it got dark, Lady Wang asked Yu Chuan to escort Jia Baoyu back, and also gave him a bottle of Jade Spirit Ointment: "I see you look listless. Have Xi Ren make you some to drink. This nourishes the heart and calms the mind. After taking it, your complexion will be rosy and your spirits will be high."
After seeing Jia Baoyu off, Lady Wang summoned Zhou Rui's wife.
"Tell me, does that Marquis Zhongyong really look forty?"
Madam Wang was a woman who never got involved in anything, and Zhou Rui's wife was no exception. She said, "Madam, I only saw him from afar and didn't get a clear look. But I heard them say that he does look a bit old, a few years younger than Second Master Lian. But if he stood next to our master, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was his brother."
Madam Wang was amused, and she pretended to scold, "You people... after all, he is a first-class earl, yet you have no manners at all."
Zhou Rui's family has a bit of a compensatory mentality. A while ago, when Granny Liu came to deliver the news, the couple were terrified. Now it's almost the New Year, and Uncle Zhongyong hasn't made a move at all. What does that mean?
He's afraid of the Rongguo Mansion!
Why don't we give them a good dressing down?
"What First-Class Earl?" Zhou Rui's wife flattered, "With his little merit, back in the old days when your ancestors were enfeoffed as county earls, he would at most be a third-rank commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, which was still a nominal position."
"Alright," Madam Wang said with a smile, stopping her. "Since you are older, you are an elder. If anyone in the manor speaks ill of Miss Lin in the future, I will hold you responsible!"
Zhou Rui's wife readily agreed; she didn't think it was that difficult.
The only women in the manor who were truly interested in getting together and talking non-stop were the few flamboyant and troublesome young ladies in Master Bao's room. The other courtyards were all peaceful and quiet; where would they find anything to gossip about?
Is it that the second young lady was bullied by the maids and servants again? Or that the third young lady had another argument with Aunt Zhao today? Or that the fourth young lady was playing shuttlecock with the nuns? Or that Miss Lin took her medicine again today?
This is just a matter of a sentence, it's so boring. It's much more interesting to guess how many virgins are still in Master Bao's house.
If any rumors were to spread, it would either be on the orders of the master, or Miss Bao would have paid for them.
So the point is to warn those gossipy women and be wary of Bao-guniang using money.
Or they could directly hint to the Xue family to stay out of this, and they could also get some gifts in return.
Qingwen is on night duty again tonight. She's a light sleeper, and she does half of the night shifts.
Perhaps because she had drunk too much tea, she woke up after a short sleep and went to the outer room to relieve herself.
Xiren had been scolded by her today and couldn't sleep all night. When she saw her go out, she quickly got up, put on her clothes, and went in to see Jia Baoyu.
Jia Baoyu was not actually asleep.
Lady Wang gave him the Jade Spirit Ointment, and Xiren, dutifully or perhaps with ulterior motives, prepared a strong cup for him to drink.
However, Yu Ling Gao is meant for people with qi and blood deficiency. Madam Wang occasionally eats vegetarian food, and as she is middle-aged, her health is starting to decline, so it is suitable for her to drink it.
Even with the bias of Lady Wang's mother, Jia Baoyu is completely unrelated to the condition of being deficient in both qi and blood.
If I take the supplement, I won't be able to sleep.
When Xiren arrived, Jia Baoyu reached out and pulled her onto the bed. Xiren lay down and reached her hand inside.
When they first started living in the old lady's room, Xiren knew to keep her distance from people. But after they moved to the Grand View Garden, she started to bury her head in the sand.
...Anyway, I kept my voice down, moved quietly, and drew the curtains, so they wouldn't know.
Outside, Qingwen returned and saw that Xiren was not on the bed. Her expression immediately changed. When she looked inside from the doorway, the bed was shaking. She spat and opened the cabinet to find a quilt that Xiren had not used. She then waited on the daybed outside.
The matter was quickly resolved inside. Jia Baoyu didn't want to talk; he just wanted to hug his older sister to keep warm. But Xiren wanted to take this opportunity to say something intimate... or perhaps complain.
"Second Master often complains about Qingwen. We still have so much work to do at home, and she's helping Miss Lin with her chores too. She won't even let me touch that rag doll."
Jia Baoyu remained silent, looking rather listless.
Xiren added, "Miss Lin also gave her a jar of hand cream, the kind used in the trance. I wanted to broaden my horizons, but she treated me like a thief."
"Oh?" Jia Baoyu became interested: "Lin Daiyu treasures this. Tomorrow I'll ask Qingwen if she can share some with me. I also have a few hand cream recipes. Maybe I can make them. Then our family can use them."
Xiren only regretted that Bao Erye was so oblivious, but she had no other choice. She had been in the inner room for a while, and there were almost twenty maids in Yihong Courtyard. With so many people watching, if she didn't leave soon, she would be discovered.
She helped Jia Baoyu wipe his body before putting on her clothes and going outside. As soon as she got outside, Xiren saw Qingwen sitting on the daybed, half covered by a quilt and half hugging it, coldly smiling at her.
When people feel guilty, they tend to say more to cover it up, and Xiren was no exception.
She cleared her throat: "Since you're on night duty, you should keep your mind on Second Master. You've been gone for a long time, so I relieved you for a short while."
"Don't talk nonsense!" Qingwen's face flushed red. "Stand up for me? Bah! I'm innocent! If you slander me again, I'll tear your mouth apart!"
Now it was Xiren's turn to blush: "Keep your voice down, or you'll disturb the Second Master!"
Qingwen chuckled, "Then I won't go out next time. You want me to listen in and cheer you on, right?"
Xiren was increasingly at a loss for words. She chuckled awkwardly, muttered "Crazy" twice, and returned to the bed. She covered her head with the quilt, pretending not to see anything, but in her heart, she resented Qingwen even more. Only she was so aloof, only she knew how to string Bao Erye along.
Time flies, and soon it was the third day of the twelfth lunar month. That morning, Lin Daiyu got up early and dressed up, carrying the return gift she had prepared for Mu Chuan. Behind her were Zijuan and Xueyan, as well as two old women carrying bundles. Just after 9 a.m., they sat in the warm pavilion of the side hall in the front yard to wait.
Before long, Jia Lian arrived first, and greeted her with a smile: "Sister Lin."
Lin Daiyu stood up and called out to Lian Erge.
Jia Lian then said, "I'll take you there, and then I'll pick you up when I'm done."
Lin Daiyu lowered her head and said softly, "Thank you, Second Brother Lian."
Soon, Granny Shen arrived at Rongguo Mansion with two carriages to pick up the people.
Although the person opposite him was an old woman, Jia Lian still went up to greet her and told her about sending her away to pick her up. Old woman Shen didn't do anything, after all, wouldn't he be allowed to leave on the main road?
But when she saw the bundle the old woman behind her was carrying, she exclaimed in surprise.
"It was my fault for not explaining clearly. The general will blame me later. It would be best to put it in a box. Using a bundle is not very safe. If it gets wet or crushed, no one will be able to tell what's inside if it's in a box."
"It's alright, it's alright." She repeated it twice more: "Please get in the carriage, we can just borrow one from the Marquis of Dingnan's residence, we're all family."
Lin Daiyu relaxed and got into the front carriage. Granny Shen then said, "You all sit in the back."
Zijuan and Xueyan got into the car first, and waited for the old woman to hand over the things and put them away.
Zijuan was actually a little hesitant, so she delayed her actions, but Granny Shen didn't know that and only thought that Miss Lin had brought two maids and two old women with her.
This is not a big deal. Although it is said that one maid and two servants are to be brought, three people are actually enough. The Marquis of Dingnan's residence also has maids to serve them.
Seeing that Zijuan hadn't come down, Granny Shen simply said, "Let's go."
The carriage started moving with a clatter. Zijuan looked nervous, glanced at Xueyan subconsciously, and then suddenly smiled.
Lin Daiyu, of course, knew that Zijuan hadn't gone down, and she said, "Let Zijuan go down."
Granny Shen laughed and said, "It's alright, you can bring eight maids, just make sure you have two more carriages."
The procession consisted of three carriages, with Jia Lian's carriage at the very end, heading towards the Marquis of Dingnan's residence.
Both are located in the inner city, with Rongguo Mansion in the most central position. It's not far from Dingnan Marquis Mansion, only a quarter of an hour away.
The main gate of the Marquis of Dingnan's mansion was wide open, and servants on both sides were busy helping to lead the horses and drive the carriages.
Upon seeing the carriage bearing the sign of the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence arrive, the servant who had been waiting at the door hurriedly ran over and called out, "Mama Shen!"
Granny Shen jumped off the carriage first, the servant put down the stool, and then Granny Shen went to help Lin Daiyu.
The servant waited for Lin Daiyu to smile, then bowed with a grin and said, "Thank you for your generous gift, Miss Lin."
Granny Shen smiled and gently kicked him, then explained, "This is referring to the silver ingots from last time."
But in this kind of situation, tipping is a must. Without Lin Daiyu having to say anything, Xueyan handed over the tip and said with a smile, "Thank you, young man."
The servant happily accepted the silver ingot, thinking that he could probably get the general to teach him archery for one lesson. Thinking about it that way, the general seemed quite generous.
Granny Shen led Lin Daiyu toward the west courtyard: "The female guests are all over here."
When the servants of the Marquis of Dingnan’s residence saw that guests had arrived, they hurried over to lead the way. When they saw Granny Shen, they smiled and said, “Granny Shen knows the way, so please allow me to take a break.”
Xueyan handed over another silver ingot.
Shen's mother immediately had an idea. She gestured to the man to give her a reward while pulling her aside, saying, "I'll trade you this."
These are... silver ingots from the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion? Aren't they all worth one tael?
That's because their general likes to collect these things.
Mrs. Shen smiled and said, "This style is nice, I'll let the child play with it when we get back."
Having said that, the man handed over the silver ingot, but after turning around and taking two steps, he suddenly felt something was wrong. He had heard that the old woman from the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion was pitiful, as her husband and children had all died in Pingnan Town.
It's so hard to guess, it probably isn't Granny Shen.
After a slight delay, Mu Chuan arrived having received the news.
Although it was just a silhouette, and there were many people around, Mu Chuan still spotted Lin Daiyu at a glance.
"Miss Lin." Mu Chuan hesitated for a moment, because he felt guilty and calling her Sister Lin felt like he was lying to himself.
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Lin Daiyu turned her head and immediately froze.
Perhaps because she was too relaxed when she went out, Lin Daiyu felt that her mind had never been so active. She called out, "Third Brother," and smiled, revealing two dimples. She joked, "Third Brother has become much fairer. He doesn't look like Third Uncle anymore."
Mu Chuan used to be afraid to laugh, because when he did, his face would be full of wrinkles, but now he can laugh more often.
"Remember to apply the face cream I gave you—"
She interrupted Mu Chuan, saying coquettishly, "Then I dare not wipe it anymore. If I were ten years younger, I would be a child."
"You're still a child now." Mu Chuan said this very elder-like thing against his will, then, unable to bear it any longer, added a pointless question: "You're here?"
"How am I supposed to answer that? I can't exactly say I didn't come, can I?" Lin Daiyu was amused by his nonsense: "Hmm, isn't Third Brother going to greet the guests?"
"Most of our distinguished guests have arrived. It's just in time for you to come and see you. If you need anything, please ask Aunt Shen."
Speaking in front of so many people, especially with quite a few people glancing at her, Lin Daiyu felt a little shy after the initial excitement wore off. She said, "I brought a return gift for Third Brother, which is in the carriage."
Mu Chuan was delighted: "You... I'll go see for myself."
Granny Shen was waiting on the side. Hearing what the general said, she took two steps over and said with a smile, "Let's go to the warm pavilion to rest first. After all the guests have arrived, there will be a ceremony first, then a banquet, followed by a theatrical performance. If you don't want to watch the play, you can go to the large flower hall in the back. It's heated by the underfloor heating there, so it's warm."
Mu Chuan went to find his carriage from the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence, but Lin Daiyu and Granny Shen had only taken a few steps when they were stopped again.
It was Li Chengwu who came looking for Mu Chuan after seeing him leave.
The two most important guests for today haven't arrived yet. Although these kinds of guests usually arrive last, what if they do?
As Li Chengwu approached, he saw a beautiful young woman who looked like a celestial being. He immediately recalled his fourth uncle's meaningful "Guess" from last time.
This is an elder, and Li Chengwu, being very polite, stepped forward, bowed, and said, "It is an honor to have you visit, young lady."
Upon hearing this, Lin Daiyu recognized the person as belonging to the host family and returned the greeting with a few polite words.
Li Chengwu pulled Granny Shen aside and asked in a low voice, "Is this my fourth aunt?"
"Keep your voice down!" Granny Shen said in a low voice, "Your fourth aunt doesn't know yet. Be careful, or your fourth uncle will beat you."
Granny Shen was also familiar with Li Chengwu. For the first three days after Li Chengwu was rescued, Granny Shen fed him.
Li Chengwu chuckled a few times: "My fourth uncle has a good eye. I've seen so many girls since I was a child, but none of them are as beautiful as her. Let me think, shall we arrange for her to work at the Four Seasons Pavilion?"
Because it might be necessary to change clothes along the way, each girl has her own rest room.
Generally, there are three side rooms, with one girl assigned to each side.
The Four Seasons Pavilion is a two-room structure, so you don't have to share with others. Moreover, there is a wall to the north and an artificial hill to the west, which blocks most of the wind and keeps it warm.
Upon hearing this, Granny Shen laughed: "That's what the general said too, and it was arranged yesterday."
Li Chengwu was filled with respect: "Fourth Uncle knows more than I do. It seems I don't need to worry about him. Hurry up and go inside with my Fourth Aunt, it's windy now."
Granny Shen came over again, smiling, and said to Lin Daiyu, "Four—" It's all Li Chengwu's fault!
"Let's go to the Four Seasons Pavilion to rest for a while."
Mu Chuan had already received the gift Lin Daiyu had given him: two paper tubes containing two paintings.
The scent was so familiar it brought tears to my eyes; it was painted by her own hand.
One of the paintings depicts a figure drawing a bow and shooting an arrow, but only half of the body is shown. Besides the bow, which occupies half of the body, there is the hand tightly gripping the bow arm, and the leg below that is pressed down to the thigh and almost parallel to the ground.
It has a very powerful feel to it.
It turns out that I was so brave in her eyes.
Mu Chuan thought to himself with a smug satisfaction.
The second picture is a New Year's picture, with red and orange as the main colors. It depicts a smiling old man with a white beard holding an open scroll with the words "A Harmonious Gathering" written on it.
Moreover, the lines in this painting are very smooth, with the outermost circle of the entire painting being round, and the inner part also consisting mostly of curved lines.
How come she's so good at drawing?
Mu Chuan accepted the gift with satisfaction and handed it to the subordinate who came with him: "Keep it safe, send it to be framed, and hang it in my room."
After arranging the gifts, Mu Chuan went to the front yard to greet the guests, but he was stopped by someone when he reached the screen wall.
It was Ke Yuanqing who waited until the moon was full.
"General," Ke Yuanqing said with a hint of resentment, "can we get our business done now? Aren't you in a hurry at all? It's almost the end of the year, and there are many vacancies in the county government. We're waiting for your people."
Mu Chuan laughed as he took his arm and led him to his seat: "What's the rush? I'm a first-class earl, and he's a servant who doesn't even have a free will. If I put all my energy into him, that would be doing him a favor. I can't let him affect my life."
Ke Yuanqing felt even more resentful. On their side, they even wrote four different versions of the impeachment memorial, revising them word by word dozens of times.
The people waiting for the feast to begin were all seated, but the pig hadn't been slaughtered yet.
Mu Chuan invited him to sit down and said with a smile, "I will bring people to the yamen to find you tomorrow." He then lowered his voice and whispered in Ke Yuanqing's ear, "Even the emperor needs to rest during the New Year. He will not handle official business much from the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month. From the first to the fifth day of the first lunar month, the palace will be full of banquets. It will be past the fifteenth day of the first lunar month before things return to normal."
"Think about it, if things start at this time, who benefits? Who will be in a hurry?"
"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Ke Yuanqing gave a thumbs up, but his eyes were fixed on the four most distinguished guests who had just arrived.
The emperor was represented by Prince Chungshun and Eunuch Quan, while the retired emperor was represented by Prince Anshun and Eunuch Dai.
Although he had long heard that the Earl of Zhongyong was deeply favored by the Emperor and the Retired Emperor, seeing these four people, who usually spoke sarcastically to each other, appear in the same place, all smiling happily, even the most dull-witted person would know who was to benefit.
Those are naturally people who can enter the palace at any time, such as the Earl of Zhongyong.
Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit. In his view, this was a case he was sure to win; it was just a matter of how big the outcome would be. But the Marquis of Zhongyong still took all the favorable factors into account.
Ke Yuanqing cupped his hands in greeting, and suddenly his anxiety subsided, and his confidence returned: "Sir, please go over there. We must not neglect them."
Meanwhile, in the Rongguo Mansion, Jia Baoyu began to sigh and groan from early morning, restless and even eating listlessly.
Xi Ren tried to persuade her, but to no avail.
Before long, Shi Xiangyun, arm in arm with Xue Baochai, arrived at Yihong Courtyard.
Shi Xiangyun laughed heartlessly: "Brother Ai, Sister Lin went out to play today, so we came... to keep you company and cheer you up."
Xiren hurriedly went to greet him, instructing the maids to pour tea while politely offering him a seat. She added, "Master Bao is such an honest man. Miss Lin is probably already at the table, but he's still worried about her here."
Jia Baoyu was slightly dazed. Although he greeted both of them, he was thinking: So this is how she feels when I go out drinking.
But... I do have a very happy time when I go out, and I rarely seem to think about her—but that's because I know she's doing well in the Rongguo Mansion.
Jia Baoyu felt a rare pang of guilt.
Does Lin Daiyu think of me now?
She's naturally inclined to be alone rather than in crowds, so she definitely wouldn't feel comfortable in crowded places. She must be thinking of me.
Thinking about it this way, Jia Baoyu wished that his second brother Lian would bring her back immediately.
Suddenly, Xue Baochai flung her handkerchief, which nearly hit her eyes.
Huh? Jia Baoyu stared at her blankly.
Xue Baochai laughed and said, "I only know today what the silly goose that Daiyu mentioned last time meant."
Jia Baoyu suddenly remembered the time Lin Daiyu called him a silly goose. What was the reason for that?
His gaze fell on Xue Baochai's arm, drawn by the red musk bracelet... her snow-white, delicate arm, what a pity...
Jia Baoyu blurted out, "Did Sister Bao bring the red musk beads?"
Wasn't that why Xue Baochai mentioned the silly goose earlier? Although blushing wasn't something she could easily show, she turned her head and feigned shyness, then called out, "Xiren, why hasn't tea been served yet?"
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