Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 189 Xue Baochai's Feelings
Yue Lingfei was not a young man who had not yet begun to fall in love. Even if he had no experience in love, he must have read countless online love stories on Qidian in his previous life.

Even if you haven't eaten pork, have you seen a pig run?

It's just that the two little girls are competing with each other from a distance, and at this age, in Yue Ling's opinion, it is hard to attribute it to jealousy.

Lin Daiyu is indeed a younger sister, the well-behaved and sensible younger sister whom he has always wanted to take care of.

Although Xue Baochai is a little older, she is just approaching marriage age, so isn't she still a little girl?

So in Yue Ling's eyes, it was more like kindergarten kids fighting over a toy, which Yue Ling found funny.

How could the care he gave to Lin Daiyu and the care he gave to the Xue family be the same?

As for Xue Baochai, he was not even good to her and was even a little harsh to her. Since he could not get his job done, Yue Ling would have to look for another family.

But considering Yue Ling's status, it was a great favor for the official to give the Xue family a chance.

This is exactly what Xue Baochai was thinking.

"In that case, I will not bother you any more. My Lord, take your leave."

"Okay, I'm done."

Xue Baochai bowed again to Yue Ling and Lin Daiyu, and then returned to the sedan chair.

After getting on the sedan chair, Xue Baochai was finally able to put her mind at ease. She moistened her lips with the tea handed to her by Xiangling and slowly exhaled.

Ying'er, who had just been following behind Xue Baochai and heard fragments of her words in the wind, could not help but sigh.

Xue Baochai laughed and said, "What's wrong with you? Did you lose a copper coin to Tongxi Tonggui yesterday?"

Ying Er shook her head and said, "It's not me who lost, it's the girl who lost."

Xue Baochai was startled, then she gritted her teeth and asked, "Lost? The Xue family had such a bright future, how did they lose? Could they be like those merchants in the city, with their families destroyed and their families ruined?"

Ying'er sighed and spoke slowly, "Young lady, why do you have to deceive yourself? Is it true that your heart is with the Xue family? I have been with you since you were young. It has been ten years. How can I not understand your heart?"

"The young lady just wants to break free. Being the eldest daughter of the Xue family is just an identity. What the young lady wants is the ability to do whatever she wants. In other words, the ability to not be influenced by others. For example, if the madam wants to arrange a marriage between the young lady and the young master of the Rongguo Mansion, the young lady can veto it."

"So the girl is eager to show herself in front of the Marquis and win some recognition and favor. This is not only a turning point for the Xue family, but also a turning point for the girl. But the girl from the Lin family doesn't need to do that at all, and she can still get the Marquis's favor. Isn't the girl still a loser?"

"Not long ago, I heard from Tongxi and Tonggui that the lady was muttering in her room that the young lady had a golden locket, and that Jia Baoyu, the second son of the Rongguo Mansion, was born with a jade in his mouth, which was a perfect match. The young lady knew about this, so she was quite shocked..."

Ying'er was still talking, but she felt that the atmosphere in the sedan was becoming increasingly strange. There was a heater burning, so why did she feel a cold wind blowing on her face?

I tilted my head to look at the curtain of the sedan chair, and it was not blown open.

Looking at the girl's face again, it was as cold as autumn frost.

Ying Er patted her chest, as if relieved. "I thought the sedan chair was broken and leaking air, but it turned out to be the girl. Wait, don't girls have body heat?"

While Ying'er was still in a daze, Xue Baochai pulled her over.

Xue Baochai sneered twice and pinched the baby fat on Ying'er's face, making it red and white. "Then you are really my good sister. You can understand me so clearly. I have to thank you. If you hadn't told me, how would I know that I still lost?"

Ying Er stammered, "Losing is not the point. I'm afraid that the young lady will ruin her life if she meets the Marquis."

Xue Baochai raised her lips slightly, "After listening to the Marquis's teachings today, you have learned about 70% of them. Xiangling, bring me a ruler, I want to see if she has learned the Marquis's training of muscles and bones!"

Despite Ying'er's pleading gaze, Xiangling still timidly took out a ruler for cutting cloth and handed it to Xue Baochai.

Just as Xue Baochai raised the ruler, Ying'er hurriedly blocked her words, saying, "Miss, that's not what I meant. You misunderstood me."

Xue Baochai gave Ying'er another clue, "Then tell me, what do you mean?"

Ying'er said hurriedly, "I am the young lady's personal maid, and will be her maid for the young lady's dowry in the future. How could I not want the young lady to marry into the Marquis's mansion...ah!"

The ruler landed squarely on Ying'er's raised buttocks. Xue Baochai spanked her and said angrily, "If you dare to say these groundless words again, Xiangling will stay with me from now on. You still want a dowry? You are so beautiful, I will take you out to marry this boy!"

Outside the sedan, Lin Daiyu and Yue Ling passed by on the same horse.

Seeing the sedan shaking violently, Lin Daiyu couldn't help but ask, "Brother Yue, what happened to them?"

Yue Ling tilted his head to take a look, not knowing what was going on, "Maybe he was too happy?"

"Happy? You're actually screaming out in happiness."

……

Posthouse,

Aunt Xue had been waiting in Xue Baochai's room for a long time, but she didn't see Xue Baochai coming back. She couldn't sit or stand in the room, so she paced back and forth.

"You wouldn't know until you ask. Once you ask, you will find out that the price of food in the city has dropped this morning. It has dropped from 250 to 50 cents, and it is still falling. Judging from the trend, it may drop below 20 cents."

"I don't know how much grain these people have hoarded. If one family has several thousand stones, I'm afraid they will suffer a huge loss in one go." "This marquis is a very resourceful person. What my sister said is true."

Aunt Xue was regretting her decision to the very end at this moment. The Xue family had gotten such a good opportunity, but she had repeatedly obstructed it. Fortunately, Xue Baochai did not listen to her.

At the right time, the door was pushed open.

Aunt Xue hurried forward and helped Xue Baochai, who looked surprised, into the room. The mother and daughter seemed to be reconciled again, and they sat down beside the couch.

Looking forward again, Aunt Xue ordered, "Ying'er, what are you doing over there, covering your butt? Make some tea."

Afterwards, he held Xue Baochai's arm, and the more he looked at her, the more pleasing she became.

Xue Baochai was really confused by her mother's behavior. She was like a completely different person from a few days ago. It was like a stranger to her.

"Is there something good?"

Xue Baochai asked tentatively.

Aunt Xue nodded repeatedly.

Xue Baochai guessed, "Did my brother resolve the issue in Jinling?"

Aunt Xue was startled when she heard this, and she shook her head and sighed.

"Is mother so inconsiderate to you? How come all the good things happen to your brother?"

Xue Baochai smiled helplessly, "Is that news from the capital? Is the Rongguo Mansion planning to discuss marriage?"

Aunt Xue waved her hand and said, "Hey, what's so good about that devil in his family? My daughter naturally likes capable men. It's ok for him to be born in a military family and not be able to read, and he has never practiced martial arts. How can he be the candidate my daughter likes?"

"Although our family is higher up than the Rongguo Mansion, your brother, no matter how ignorant he is, still knows something about economics. That devil, he just hangs out in the inner chambers every day, how can a young lady like him?"

Xue Baochai resisted the urge to touch her mother's forehead, and asked again in confusion, "So you're not going to the capital?"

Aunt Xue considered and said, "I guess I have to go. After all, we agreed to it a long time ago. If I get delayed because of something, I can have an excuse. But I might as well not go. It will be difficult for us to interact with each other in the future."

"After you finish your work here, it won't be too late to go to the capital."

Aunt Xue has changed so much that even Xue Baochai has not yet turned the corner. "It will probably take several years to finish this."

Aunt Xue patted Xue Baochai's hand and said, "What's there to be afraid of a few years? You're only thirteen. It's a good opportunity to stay with her for a while and get to know her better."

Xue Baochai: “?”

Seeing that Xue Baochai didn't understand, Aunt Xue pulled Xue Baochai's arm again and asked, "What about the Marquis of Anjing? What does he look like?"

Xue Baochai replied, "He is a handsome man, one in a million, with an extremely outstanding appearance. Perhaps because he was born in the army, he was very friendly to us, but he was really aggressive, not an elegant scholar. Most likely, mother would not think he was a good person."

Aunt Xue stroked Xue Baochai's palm and said with a smile, "How can that be possible? What's the use of this scholar? It's not easy to become an official in the court. Besides, those who passed the imperial examinations are so old. How many of them are the same age as Bao girl?"

Only then did Xue Baochai realize that Aunt Xue had misunderstood her and thought that she had exchanged her body for the Xue family's wealth.

Thinking of this, Xue Baochai couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "The Marquis is such a gentleman, and mother's mind is really filthy. If mother were to meet the Marquis, it would be easy to offend him."

"The Marquis is of a high status, mother, don't think too much. Besides, the Marquis is now accompanied by a beautiful woman, mother, don't have any evil thoughts, don't ruin the Xue family's good fortune."

Aunt Xue smiled awkwardly and said, "How could that be possible? How could you think so badly of mother, precious girl? How could mother not understand the overall situation?"

"Mother, let me ask you one question today: does Bao girl have any interest in that Marquis?"

As soon as these words were spoken, all the maids in the room looked over, and their eyes were all focused on Xue Baochai.

Even Ying'er, who was delivering tea to this side, stopped and stared at Xue Baochai, with a gloating smile hidden in the corner of her mouth.

Xue Baochai knows people and knows more about things than the average lady from a wealthy family. It's not like Yue Ling wants to be her little sister, so how could she not know his feelings?
"Who can say that he doesn't like a person like the Marquis?"

How could Xue Baochai not have imagined that the one riding the horse in front of Yue Ling was herself?

After all, it was a ray of light shining into her heart.

"Yuan has orchids and Li has angelica flowers. I miss you, but I dare not say it."

You can never speak out the secret love you have for someone.

Xue Baochai suppressed her shame and murmured, "Mother, please don't tease me. This is not something that can be discussed."

She stroked her cheek with the back of her hand. Her body, which had originally been hot, was now burning hot.

Xue Baochai changed the subject again and said, "I have the help of several shopkeepers of the Xue family and the guidance of the Marquis, so nothing will go wrong. If mother has the energy, she might as well pay more attention to what happened to brother in Jinling and do something about it so that he doesn't suffer too much in prison."

Turning to Xiangling, Xue Baochai said, "Xiangling, bring me a pill. I haven't had time to take the medicine today."

(End of this chapter)