Chapter 226 Inviting Daiyu Back to the Jia Mansion
The three sisters and Jia Baoyu, knowing that Daiyu was off work today, came to see her.
They also made an appointment with Shi Xiangyun, but Xiangyun left a little late and hasn't arrived yet.
Daiyu was unaware of their sudden arrival. She had originally planned to visit her maternal grandmother at the Rongguo Mansion the next day. She hadn't seen her grandmother for about ten days since her birthday banquet, and she felt she should go and pay her respects.
Back at Jiaoyun Garden, Daiyu changed her clothes and came out to find Yingchun and the others already drinking fruit tea and eating freshly baked Suzhou boat pastries made by a pastry chef who had just come from Yangzhou.
Although the Rongguo Mansion had chefs who specialized in making boat-style snacks, they were still not as good as the chefs who had just come from the south. The snacks were fresher and had a wider variety of dishes.
Girls love these kinds of desserts, shaped like little animals, flowers, or fruits and vegetables. They are crystal clear, lifelike, and almost too beautiful to eat.
"Sister Lin, is Granny Yuan not home today?" Having been here for so long without seeing Yuan Hongqu, Xichun felt a little disappointed.
She heard at home that Granny Yuan was the headmistress of the girls' academy, and that Granny Yuan went to the academy after it opened.
She didn't believe it when she heard it. How could Sister Lin be separated from Granny Yuan?
But Granny Yuan is not here. Could she have left the Lin family?
Before Lin Daiyu could answer, Jia Baoyu spoke first.
“Sister Lin, if Granny Yuan is too busy with official duties to take care of you, why don’t you go back to Rongyue Courtyard?”
Tan Chun's lips curled slightly, and she gave Jia Baoyu a meaningful look.
"Who was it that was shouting the other day that they wanted to kick Aunt Xue's family out? Baoyu, isn't it inappropriate for you to show such favoritism?"
"If Sister Bao finds out, she'll probably cry to you again," Xi Chun said coldly, her voice full of disdain.
"Are you two trying to stir up trouble here because there's not enough already? Baoyu, don't be afraid. Baoyu won't cry to you for no reason anymore. Your second sister-in-law already gave her a good talking-to last time." Yingchun said, looking at Baoyu's distressed expression.
Daiyu listened to their conversation with a smile, but she was very puzzled. What kind of lawsuit was this? Why was the Xue family girl crying to Baoyu, and why did Baoyu want to kick the Xue family out?
Oh my gosh, what kind of melon is this? I really want to eat it, what should I do?
However, none of them seemed inclined to continue the conversation. Daiyu, not wanting to pry directly, glanced at Zijuan, who understood and quietly left the room.
“Sister Lin, what do you think of my suggestion to go back to Rongyue Courtyard? Grandmother must be very worried about you living alone outside. Think it over, set a date, and Brother Lian and I will come to pick you up.” Jia Baoyu was starting to act like an older brother.
“Yes, Sister Lin. It was much more lively in the manor when you were here. Every day when I saw you, there were countless new things to see. Now that you’re home, our manor has gone back to the way it was before. Every day is just a repetition of the previous one. I don’t even find playing checkers as interesting as it used to be.” Xi Chun said with some distress.
Before Lin Daiyu went to the Jia family mansion, Xichun mentioned several times that she wanted to shave her head and become a nun. Many people in the mansion thought that the fourth young lady might be following in the footsteps of Master Jing of the East Mansion and eventually become a nun.
But ever since Lin Daiyu entered the Jia family, Xichun never mentioned such things again, and her personality became more and more lively and clever.
Not long after Daiyu returned to the Lin family, Xichun felt a sense of loneliness. The nun from the Mantou Nunnery brought Zhineng'er to visit her a few times, but Xichun felt that the world was not worth living and that becoming a nun was the right path.
"Fourth Sister, my house is spacious, and the yard is big too. Most importantly, there are no elders to restrain us, so we can have a lot of fun. If you have free time, you might as well come to my house more often. We can fish, paint, fly kites together... I was even thinking of playing a game of weed fighting, but a few days ago the women in my yard suddenly became a bit more diligent and cleared all the weeds away, leaving only a yard full of flowers." Lin Daiyu didn't answer their questions, but instead touted the advantages of her own family.
After thinking about it for a while and comparing it with their own families, the group realized that the Lin family was indeed more comfortable.
Putting everything else aside, this is the Lin family's own residence, and Sister Lin (younger sister) is the master here. Apart from the former nanny who can restrain her a little, who else would dare to go against Daiyu's wishes?
She lived a comfortable and carefree life in the mansion, appearing at first glance to be a pampered and spoiled young lady from a prominent family.
However, if you go to Rongyueyuan, just dealing with the elders will take up a lot of time and energy, and sometimes you won't even get any thanks for your efforts.
"Sister Lin, taking charge of the household so early on, you'll definitely be a great manager in the future," Tan Chun said enviously.
Lin Daiyu smiled but remained silent.
Yingchun was a bit older. She had stayed at the Lin family's house for a while before the New Year, and after returning home, she stayed with her sister-in-law Wang Xifeng, where she gained a lot of experience.
She knew that all of this was temporary. Lin Meimei didn't even have a brother, and she heard that her uncle's health wasn't very good. The fact that her uncle was protecting her was enviable, but what if something happened to him?
Yingchun also knew that a few days ago, Aunt Xue and the Second Madam were discussing finding a woman from their own family to be Uncle Lin's second wife.
This way, the relationship between our family and the Lin family can be maintained and continue in the future.
If Uncle Lin really does take a second wife, Sister Lin's life will probably not be easy.
"Sister Lin," Baoyu said earnestly, his peach blossom eyes fixed on Daiyu.
“When you lived in Rongyue Courtyard before, the affairs of the manor rarely bothered you. Putting aside what others in the family might say, the old lady doted on you to the bone and didn't restrict you at all. You're still young, and it's not very safe for you to live alone in this courtyard. Why don't you reconsider?”
"Thank you for your concern, Brother Bao, but really, it's not necessary." Daiyu also sincerely thanked Baoyu. "My nanny went to the academy to discuss matters today. She's usually at home when I'm home, and she's at the academy when I go there."
"Is that so!" Tan Chun exclaimed in surprise. "Granny Yuan was the headmistress of the academy while also taking care of Sister Lin?"
Daiyu nodded, and said with a hint of pride,
“My nanny said that she would only become the headmistress if I went to study at the academy. If I don’t go, she won’t go either.”
The others looked on in disbelief.
The Women's Academy now holds a greater position in the capital than the Imperial Academy.
Being able to serve as the head of a girls' academy is comparable to being the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, which is the highest institution of learning!
Are there still people who don't want to go?
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