Three Wives and Four Concubines in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Page 156

"Will you dare to cause trouble again in the future?"

"I won't do it again! I won't do it again! Ugh~..."

Two small hands weakly covered the large hand ravaging her chest. Qingwen's watery peach blossom eyes were half open and half closed, showing more joy than surprise.

My husband has such a good temper; he can get away with it with just a little coaxing...

The next morning, there were guests in Zilingzhou. After hearing a commotion outside, Xing Xiuyan looked at her sister-in-law who had come in to deliver the letter, and her face was still somewhat happy.

After all, in this garden, the person she was most familiar with was Miaoyu. Moreover, being short of money, she didn't want to go to gatherings with Daiyu and Baochai, so Miaoyu's place naturally became the most economical and practical choice.

This was the first time she had been invited by a letter sent proactively during her visits over the past few days. Xing Xiuyan opened the letter and glanced at it. Seeing that it was an invitation to come over for tea, she looked at the sky outside, tidied herself up, said goodbye to Yingchun, and went out.

It's getting colder and colder...

As soon as she stepped out the door, Xing Xiuyan couldn't help but tighten her jacket. It was getting colder as the year drew to a close, and these past few days she had wished she could stay in bed all the time.

There were hardly any people in the garden in the early morning. Xing Xiuyan looked around and decided to jog to warm herself up, like a nimble little deer, leaping along the quiet pebble path.

After passing the ceremonial gate, Xing Xiuyan could hear voices from the Yihong Courtyard at the far east end from a distance. She stopped, looked up for a moment, and took a few breaths, her face flushed from the exercise.

"Hmm... never mind, I'll just take a detour..."

Although the waterway next to Daguanlou was very humid early in the morning, it was secluded. After careful consideration, Xing Xiuyan still felt that avoiding Yihongyuan was the best option.

Rubbing her hands together, she jogged along the path beside the water. The icy air was penetrating, and the girl's fair nose quickly turned red from the cold, as if it were frozen.

Unable to hold back her sneeze, Xing Xiuyan paused in her act of covering her mouth, quickly reaching for a handkerchief to wipe it, feeling quite relieved at the same time.

Thankfully, no one saw how embarrassing this was.

"hehe."

The girl's hand, which was in her pocket, suddenly froze. She subconsciously looked up at the corner not far ahead and saw someone smiling at her.

"what!"

It wasn't until her cold, runny nose started flowing again that Xing Xiuyan realized what was happening. Her face flushed red as she turned away, hastily pulling out a handkerchief to wipe her nose, utterly mortified.

I was just looking like that... and Young Master Yu saw it!

Gu Yu hadn't expected that her plan to have a chance encounter here would lead to such an unexpected gain. Seeing the usually calm and composed girl's big reaction, she couldn't help but chuckle for a moment, but then felt a pang of sympathy.

Don't let it freeze.

Seeing that Xing Xiuyan had turned her back and wiped her hands for a long time without turning around, Gu Yu knew that she was embarrassed, so he took the initiative to lean in, directly grabbed the girl's small hand, and gently rubbed it.

"Ah! Young Master Yu, what are you doing?! Let me go!"

Xing Xiuyan was taken aback. She was stunned for a moment before realizing what was happening. She quickly blushed and tried to pull her hand away, but she didn't feel much anger or resentment. Instead, shyness took over.

"Sister Xing's hands are so cold, what's wrong with me warming them up for you?"

Gu Yu held on tightly, not because she found it exciting, but simply because the girl's hands were indeed a bit cold.

"I wish I had done it a few days earlier..."

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Subtle Influence

Xing Xiuyan had already experienced Gu Yu's sharp tongue, so she didn't argue with him. She silently tried to pull her hand away again, but the more she tried to pull away, the tighter his grip became. She even felt reluctant to pull away from his warm, large hands.

It wasn't until she saw the victorious smile on Gu Yu's lips that the girl suddenly snapped out of her daze, her heart racing slightly as she turned her head away, no longer daring to look at his unfairly handsome face.

"Men and women should not touch each other. Young Master Yu, you are an educated man, how could you..."

Gu Yu replied without looking up:

"Then Sister Xing should also know the following sentence. When a sister-in-law is drowning, it is only an expedient measure to help her. Today, Sister Xing is so cold, isn't it also an expedient measure for me to help her?"

If you're going to cover your hands, then cover them. Don't touch and pinch them like that! Besides, she's my sister-in-law. What kind of relationship do I have with you?

Xing Xiuyan bit her lip, feeling rather flustered. She glanced around nervously, afraid that someone else might stumble upon them.

Seeing that the girl remained silent, Gu Yu felt at ease and gently rubbed her delicate white hands.

However, standing by the pool, Xing Xiuyan couldn't help but shiver when a breeze blew. Seeing this, Gu Yu pulled her forward.

"What are you doing? Don't go out!"

Seeing Gu Yu pulling her towards the Longcui Nunnery, Xing Xiuyan was stunned for a moment, then excitedly tried to pull her hand away. After all, there were young nuns there, what if they were seen?

"What a domineering personality!"

Watching Gu Yu's retreating figure without turning back, Xing Xiuyan couldn't help but mutter something under her breath, feeling a little resentful, but she didn't dare to shout it out loud.

Little did she know that it was precisely her easygoing nature that allowed Gu Yu to act so recklessly.

If it were a fiery girl like Xiangyun, let alone being led away upon first meeting, she would probably end up dying together as soon as she was taken in.

Only after leading Xing Xiuyan away from the water's edge did Gu Yu release her hand. He deliberately observed the subconscious reluctance that flashed across the girl's face and couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

With my seductive charms, how could I not win you over?

Gu Yu casually untied his cloak, stood in front of Xing Xiuyan, blocking her way, and draped it over her shoulders with a touch of force. Then, he slowly leaned closer and fastened it for her.

"Miss Miaoyu said she had made an appointment with Sister Xing for tea. I happened to be free and went out for a walk. I didn't expect to run into her. It's quite a coincidence."

"Why are you going to the water wearing so little? What if you get sick? Girls should take care of their health."

Listening to Gu Yu's casual rambling in her ear, Xing Xiuyan tilted her head back uncomfortably, looking somewhat at a loss.

Over the years... it seems no one has ever said anything like that to her.

Xing Xiuyan, who was usually calm and composed in the face of others' disdain or ridicule, was at a loss for what to do for the first time. She even forgot the words she had said before about men and women not touching each other, and just stood there stiffly, letting Gu Yu speak so close to her.

But even the longest tie will eventually have to be tied, and Gu Yu kept going back and forth. Taking advantage of Xing Xiuyan's inattention, she tied and untied it three times before finally letting go with regret.

"If you're still feeling cold, come to my place tomorrow. Which shop did you pawn your cotton coat at? I'll redeem it later. Just give the ticket to the maid when we get back."

As the warm breaths emanating from her nose dissipated, Xing Xiuyan regained her composure. Upon hearing Gu Yu's words, she refused to agree and quickly shook her head in refusal.

“Young Master Yu, there’s really no need for that! Although I know you were just trying to cover for me the other day, and the sisters wouldn’t look down on me, as the ancients said, wealth and honor cannot corrupt, and poverty and hardship cannot sway. How can I take advantage of someone for no reason?”

“I can redeem it myself when my monthly allowance comes in a few days, there’s really no need to worry about it.”

"How can you say that you're getting a free advantage?"

She had already proposed marriage.

Gu Yu added in his mind, feeling a sense of triumph as if victory was within his grasp.

"Ok?"

Xing Xiuyan didn't understand the meaning of Gu Yu's sudden, nonsensical remark for a moment, but he soon had no time to think about it.

"Sister Xing said she'll go redeem it in a few days. Are we just going to endure this period like this? What if we develop a chronic illness?"

"Or... should I come over every day to warm Sister Xing's hands?"

"!!"

Xing Xiuyan stopped abruptly, almost startled by the abrupt words. Hearing no more movement behind her, Gu Yu turned around, but did not provoke her further.

"So, Sister Xing, which one do you choose? A free ticket or a free hand?"

"me…"

Xing Xiuyan felt a little flustered as she was urged to make a decision, completely forgetting that she could have chosen neither option. Her mind was filled with the consequences of those two choices.

One is owing a favor financially, the other is having physical contact... It seems like both are "dead ends"?

Seeing her bewildered expression, Gu Yu decided to stop while she was ahead and turned around to lead the way to Longcui Nunnery, as if she hadn't said a word.

Xing Xiuyan followed closely behind Gu Yu, looking at the slightly thin clothes in front of her after she took off her cloak. She couldn't help but reach out and pull the cloak that brought her some warmth closer, her expression somewhat complicated.

Strangely enough, perhaps because she had witnessed Gu Yu and her sisters' "rude" behavior many times, she didn't feel much aversion to the slightly ambiguous contact just now; it was just the natural shyness of a young girl.

However, Gu Yu's subsequent actions made her somewhat distracted, her mind a jumbled mess. One moment she was thinking about the praise she received when they first met, the next about Gu Yu's eloquent and composed manner, and then about his quiet, muttering chatter right in front of her. For a moment, she even forgot where she was supposed to be going.

It wasn't until Gu Yu greeted the maidservant guarding the door with a smile that Xing Xiuyan came to her senses. Feeling guilty, she tightened her cloak, afraid of being recognized, and quickly followed Gu Yu into the room.

Today's tea party was originally an excuse given by Gu Yu. Although Miao Yu was a little unhappy that she had to help her man, she soon cried and begged to take the initiative to drag others down with her and share the burden under Gu Yu's relentless offensive.

While Xing Xiuyan wasn't paying attention, the two exchanged glances for a while before Miaoyu happily pulled her aside for a chat. She even added an extra basin of charcoal and placed it in front of Xing Xiuyan, making the young girl feel grateful.

Little did they know, all of this came at a price.

After dragging her out for a simple meal, Miaoyu went on and on about Buddhism, tea ceremony, reminiscing about the past, and her life in the garden. She talked on and on, rehashing old topics until her mouth was dry before finally letting Xing Xiuyan go.

By the time the two said goodbye, it was already dark.

Gu Yu spent the whole day by their side, and whenever he had nothing to do, he would look back and forth at the two girls' elegant postures, and he didn't feel bored at all.

Xing Xiuyan initially felt uncomfortable being stared at, but later became used to it. Now, seeing that it was almost dark and Gu Yu was still by her side, she finally realized what was happening.

Chapter Thirty-Nine seems quite large...

Seeing her suddenly stop, Gu Yu tilted her head curiously to look at her and urged her:

"It's almost dark now, aren't you cold, Sister Xing? Why are you standing here in the wind?"

A gust of evening wind blew by, and Xing Xiuyan couldn't help but shiver. Just moments ago, the room had been so warm and cozy, but now it felt icy cold outside.

Subconsciously clutching the cloak draped over her shoulders, the girl looked at Gu Yu's tall and slender back, thought for a moment, and then took it off to return it.

"Young Master Yu, you should keep wearing it. I'll head back now."

Gu Yu turned around and casually pressed down on her raised hands, leaving no room for argument.

“I’m much stronger than Sister Xing. If you’re worried about me, this cloak looks quite large; it seems like the two of us could…”

"Pooh!"

Xing Xiuyan blushed and spat lightly, but she wasn't particularly embarrassed or angry. She didn't know why, even though she wasn't very familiar with Gu Yu before, she dared to do this now.

Avoiding Gu Yu who was blocking her way, the girl lowered her head and was about to take a few quick steps when Gu Yu hurriedly called out to her:

"Hey! It's freezing cold right now, why are you walking along the water? Why don't you take the road to the south? It'll be safer if you walk a little further. I'll take you there."

Go around to the south and you'll find the main road leading past the brothel.

Xing Xiuyan looked up and glanced around, hesitating in her heart, when Gu Yu caught up from behind, and without her noticing, she subconsciously followed in his footsteps.

"I noticed that Sister Xing seems a bit reluctant. Could it be that Baoyu offended you at some point?"

Gu Yu tilted her head and looked at the girl who was getting closer and closer to her, as if she wanted to stick close to her for warmth. She observed her expression and tried her best to take care of her life.

Xing Xiuyan's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly shook her head nervously, as if afraid of being misunderstood by someone, and hurriedly explained:

"I've only met that Master Bao a few times at the old lady's place, so how could I have offended him? It's just that men and women shouldn't be too close, and I've heard about Master Bao's temperament... so I thought it was better to avoid trouble."

Finally, the girl seemed to suddenly realize something, and quickly pulled away from Gu Yu by half a step, biting her lip and not daring to look at him.

There are only two young masters in this garden. Why is it that the other one doesn't dare to approach, but the other one does? What was the meaning of what he just said...?

Gu Yu couldn't help but smile. She felt that Yun Zhonghe, whom she had always thought was relaxed and at ease, seemed to have another side that she didn't know about. Why did he feel a bit like Xiangyun and Xiangling?

They all have a kind of inexplicable charm.

Winter evenings always darken quickly. When the two of them came out, it was just getting dark, and before they even reached the brothel, they could barely see each other's faces.

Fortunately, the area around Yihong Courtyard was always the place that the servants of the Jia family paid the most attention to. Not only could they see that the Yihong Courtyard was already lit up, but lanterns were also burning all the way from the courtyard to the east corner gate, with a density far exceeding that of other places in the garden.

Silently walking past the wall, Gu Yu could faintly hear Xi Ren trying to mediate the fight inside. Gu Yu couldn't help but chuckle, and Xing Xiuyan caught her red-handed.

"what are you laughing at?"

Xing Xiuyan's hearing was naturally inferior to his, and Gu Yu wouldn't say what he heard, so he just coughed twice and mumbled:

"It's nothing, I just thought of something funny."

Believe it or not!

Although she couldn't hear the specifics, the noise, which even the courtyard wall couldn't block out, gave the girl a sense of what was going on, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes at the unscrupulous person who was having fun.

Gu Yu couldn't help but laugh as she listened, never expecting that her casual move would have such a powerful effect. Even Xi Ren's voice revealed an unconcealable weariness.

"...You're deliberately trying to make my life miserable...!"

Suddenly, Gu Yu heard Bao Yu burst out, and then heard the maids inside chattering and crowding around, as if someone had fainted from anger. Gu Yu quickly stopped laughing, grabbed the hand of the girl next to her, and took a few quick steps.

"Why--!"

"Shh~ Something's happened inside, someone's coming out. Let's hurry up and get out of here before they see us."