Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 200: First Stayover
Although it is said that a man of integrity fears no slander, Yue Ling did not do anything wrong, but if he returned to his room like this, he would inevitably be misunderstood by Lin Daiyu.

Lin Daiyu has a very sensitive nose and a sensitive mind, so it is better to avoid some unnecessary troubles.

As Yue Ling peeled a green tangerine, he sighed, "Miss Xue is good in every way. She is smart and capable, and she knows how to handle things. It's just that this strange fragrance on her body is really a bit troublesome."

"Her fragrance isn't unpleasant, it's just too strong. If you spend some time with her, you'll be tainted by it."

Jia Yun watched Yue Ling crush the tangerines, rub the juice on his body, and then straighten his clothes. The only scent left on his body was the sweet and sour smell of the tangerines.

Yue Ling wanted the oranges for this purpose, which surprised Jia Yun. He asked, "Master, I have never seen you go to any of the willow alleys or brothels. How come you seem so familiar with them?"

Yue Ling glanced at him and said helplessly: "What nonsense are you talking about."

Afterwards, Yue Ling picked up the remaining half basket of tangerines and walked towards the yard.

When I returned to the room, everything was still familiar.

Lin Daiyu was still as beautiful as a painting, sitting quietly beside the tea table, holding a book. She waited until Yue Ling stepped into the door before she raised her affectionate eyes and looked at him with a faint smile.

Yue Ling very naturally placed the green oranges on the round table in the middle of the hall, and then sat down next to Lin Daiyu. As usual, he picked up the tea that Lin Daiyu had poured for him and took a sip.

When Yue Ling came over, Lin Daiyu unconsciously leaned sideways to sniff him, then arched her nose and sneezed several times.

Covering her face with a handkerchief and wiping it all over, Lin Daiyu frowned slightly and complained, "Why do you smell like green oranges all over yourself? It's so pungent."

Yue Ling smiled awkwardly and said to Lin Daiyu, "I've been feeling a bit sleepy lately, so I picked some green tangerines to refresh myself, which is more effective than burning some incense."

Lin Daiyu lowered her body slightly, hunched her chest slightly, revealing her delicate appearance just like a delicate flower reflecting in the water. Then, she raised her eyes slightly, her gaze wandered, and she looked at Yue Ling leisurely, and then she spoke again: "Well, Brother Yue has been very busy recently. But if you are tired, you don't have to force yourself. The situation in the city is not as urgent as before. Brother Yue should go back to your room and rest. If you get sick from overwork, that will be a problem."

Yue Ling has a strong body, how could he fall ill just because of working hard for a few days? He is not Lin Daiyu.

But Yue Ling was touched by the little girl's concern and said, "Okay, I'll just follow Sister Lin's arrangements."

Hearing this, Lin Daiyu also felt a little satisfied and raised her head again, "After dinner, we won't look at the map or talk about government affairs. I will sit on the couch with Brother Yue for a while. When Brother Yue feels sleepy, I will go back."

Yue Ling smiled again and said, "Okay, I'll listen to Sister Lin."

At that moment, Zijuan and Xueyan came back from outside with food.

Seeing a basket of green tangerines on the table, Xueyan asked curiously, "Is this something delicious you brought back?"

Yue Ling and Lin Daiyu smiled at each other, but both of them were smiles with ill intentions.

"It's delicious, try it."

Xueyan put the food box aside and took one out with great joy. She peeled it and frowned, "It doesn't smell good."

But since Yue Ling and Lin Daiyu both said so, Xueyan did not doubt it. She peeled a whole one and bit off half of it in one bite.

The little mouth chewed up and down twice, then its eyelids fluttered and saliva started to flow from the corners of its mouth.

Yue Ling hurriedly took out a handkerchief and wiped her mouth, then called Zijuan to wipe the table.

Xueyan spat out all the pulp and muttered, "You are lying. This is not delicious. It is sour and astringent. Wuwuwu."

Yue Ling smiled and said, "We were wrong, but green tangerines can stimulate digestion, so you should eat more later."

After dinner, Yue Ling came back from bathing and saw Xueyan in the room, pouting and cleaning the hall.

Lin Daiyu coaxed him, "I'll go sit in Brother Yue's room later. You can rest first."

Xueyan snorted and replied, "You are such a bad couple. Go away and don't come back at night. This big bed is spacious enough for me to sleep in."

Lin Daiyu laughed again, "How could you not come back? Remember to leave the door open for me."

Yue Ling also stepped forward and rubbed Xueyan's head to comfort her, "I will really bring you something delicious tomorrow."

Xueyan was not one to bear grudges. After hearing what Yue Ling said, she immediately jumped around, tilted her head, and looked at Yue Ling to confirm, "Really?"

Yue Ling nodded repeatedly, "Really."

Xueyan smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll go back and lie down first."

Xueyan skipped back to her room, and Yue Ling also took Lin Daiyu into the room on the other side.

Passing a large floor-to-ceiling screen and behind a wooden cabinet was Yue Ling's bed, with dark blue curtains drawn on both sides. Zijuan had already spread out silk bedding on the bed and had also carefully placed two brocade quilts.

Lin Daiyu looked around the room and made sure that Zijuan was not there, and she felt a little more at ease.

In the old days, she didn't know what it meant for a woman to sit on a man's couch. Later, she learned from the Queen's reply that an unmarried woman would only sit on her husband's couch.

Then doesn't her sitting on Brother Yue's couch also have that meaning?
However, judging from Brother Yue's usual behavior, he didn't seem to have considered this aspect and didn't give it any thought. He still treated her as his younger sister. So Lin Daiyu couldn't worry about it anymore.

"It's okay. Brother Yue and I have nothing wrong with each other. What's wrong with just lying down?" Lin Daiyu secretly made up her mind and looked at the bed again. Yue Ling had already crawled into the quilt.

"Sister Lin, what's wrong with you? If you are tired, you can go back and rest."

Lin Daiyu, who had stopped at the foot of the couch, came back to her senses at this moment, shook her head and replied, "No, I was a little distracted just now."

As she spoke, Lin Daiyu kicked off her embroidered shoes, placed them neatly under the couch with the toes facing outwards, and then placed Yue Ling's shoes, which had been casually taken off, neatly along with hers before she got into the couch.

When Lin Daiyu came to the couch, she brought a gust of fragrant wind straight to Yue Ling's face.

People say that when you spend a long time together, you can no longer smell the other person's scent. This is the same as it is difficult for you to smell your own scent.

Yue Ling thought he had been with Lin Daiyu for a long time, but the fragrance from her body was still refreshing and made his bones soften. This might be because Lin Daiyu smelled so good.

"How can I put it? It is indeed the reincarnation of the immortal grass. It has this innate flavor."

Yue Ling thought nonsensically about his past life with a mythological background, and lay down peacefully, breathing slowly, even closing his eyes, enjoying the momentary comfort.

Lin Daiyu will leave again in a while, so Yue Ling naturally has to seize every minute.

"Sister Lin, what book are you reading recently?"

Unlike Yue Ling who was calm, Lin Daiyu was very tense. Although they were not close to each other and there was a person between them, she was still very nervous.

"Clear and innocent, clear and innocent."

Lin Daiyu muttered to herself.

Hearing Yue Ling's question, Lin Daiyu mechanically answered: "I have been reading "Chen Fu Nong Shu" and "Nong Sang Ji Yao" recently. There are people sent by my father to help with salt production. I don't know if I can help Brother Yue with Nong Sang."

"I read in Chen Fu's Agricultural Book that it usually takes three years for mulberry trees to mature. If Brother Yue wants Cangzhou to develop its textile industry, it will not work without silk. Why not try planting trees this year..."

After she started to speak, Lin Daiyu began to think, and she forgot her previous nervousness. She talked eloquently about her recent thoughts, but she heard the breathing beside her become heavier.

"Brother Yue?"

Lin Daiyu turned her head to look and saw Yue Ling tilting his head towards her with his eyes closed.

His brows were slightly wrinkled and he didn't relax even when he was sleeping. Lin Daiyu felt a little distressed when she saw this.

"Brother Yue is really exhausted. I heard that the maids in the yamen said that a lot of things were transported to the yamen today. I'm afraid something big happened outside."

Lin Daiyu raised her little hand and gently touched Yue Ling's eyebrows with one finger, slowly smoothing out his frown.

On the other side, the brocade quilt was pulled tightly by hands, covering even the mouth and nose, leaving only a pair of eyes exposed, looking at Yue Ling with sharp eyes.

"Brother Yue has gone to bed, and I should go back too."

They had just been lying there for a moment, but they had to leave. Lin Daiyu was actually a little reluctant to leave.

But since Yue Ling had already gone to bed, she had no reason to stay here any longer.

Just as he was about to pull his hand back, Yue Ling suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him under the quilt.

Lin Daiyu, whose arm was hugged, had a look of shock on her face. When she looked at Yue Ling again, he was still breathing heavily and did not look like he was awake at all.

"This, this Brother Yue's sleeping posture is too bad. Is it because he habitually hugs something when Zijuan sleeps with him?"

Yue Ling lay on the pillow at an angle, closer to Lin Daiyu. Because his arm was pulled, Lin Daiyu also leaned towards him, and the distance between them was not as far as before.

Lin Daiyu's cheeks flushed slightly, and she wanted to break free, but after trying, she failed, as Yue Ling still held her arms tightly.

Lin Daiyu brushed the hair on Yue Ling's forehead again and said silently, "Forget it, I'll go back when Brother Yue falls asleep more deeply."

As she thought this, Lin Daiyu slowly closed her eyes.

After an unknown amount of time, Zijuan, who was in the side room, was wearing a small dress and sitting on the couch, wondering, "Did the girl leave? Why didn't I hear the door close?"

"Should I go over there and take a look? If the girl leaves and I don't go, the master will scold me again. If I am tortured again..."

Thinking of this, Zijuan couldn't help but shudder.

She couldn't say anything like "you can pick me as you please" because she really couldn't bear it.

Zijuan supported her waist for no apparent reason, then slowly stood up, walked to the door and opened a small crack.

"The light is so dim that I can't see clearly. There is no movement on the couch. Should I leave?"

Zijuan considered for a moment, then walked out...

(End of this chapter)