Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 56 Night Raid (Please read again on Tuesday)

After the meal, Shi Xiangyun and Xueyan, who happened to be sitting on both sides of the table, leaned back in their chairs, stroked their round bellies, and sighed deeply.

This pair of funny guys are quite similar in their eating and drinking habits, which really made Yue Ling laugh.

Zijuan had already begun to clean up the dishes virtuously. Looking at Xueyan who was sitting there in a daze, Yue Ling reminded her, "Xueyan, it's time for you to help. You've eaten so much. If you don't move, how fat will you become?"

I’m afraid it’s going to change from a stupid goose to a fat goose.

Xueyan listened to Yue Ling's words very much. Even though she felt lazy, she still jumped up from the chair and agreed, "Okay, I'll go right away."

Shi Xiangyun also jumped down from the other side swiftly, "I'll help too."

Watching the little girls busying around in the room, Yue Ling felt a sense of harmony between his children and his family. It was no wonder that his parents always liked to watch him do housework. Yue Ling could somewhat understand this feeling of comfort.

Shi Xiangyun returned to the hall again, and Yue Ling asked, "Miss Yun, please stop being busy. It's getting late, how are you going to get home? If no one comes to pick you up, I can take you back."

Shi Xiangyun smiled innocently and said, "I don't want to go back yet. Can't I live with Sister Lin?"

"Ah?" Yue Ling looked back at Lin Daiyu and saw that they were getting along very well. There was nothing wrong with that, so he asked again, "Does the Baolinghou Mansion know about it?"

Seeing that she couldn't hide it anymore, Shi Xiangyun had to confess, "Second Aunt knows that I went to Rongguo Mansion."

"What about Rongguo Mansion?"

"Rongguo Mansion thought I would go there tomorrow."

Yue Ling was really embarrassed by these words. The way these two cheated each other seemed like the tricks used by elementary school students in their previous lives to cheat their parents and secretly go to Internet cafes.

Seeing Yue Ling's eyebrows slightly raised, Shi Xiangyun comforted him instead: "General Yue, it's okay. Sister Cuilu will help me to make up a good lie. She knows I'm here."

Yue Ling smiled helplessly, "Forget it, you can just squeeze in with Sister Lin tonight, I'll send someone to inform Baolinghou Mansion later."

When she heard that she was going to inform the Baolinghou Mansion, Shi Xiangyun became worried and looked as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Lin Daiyu came to her side, took Shi Xiangyun's hand and said, "Don't worry, Brother Yue will take care of it."

Shi Xiangyun nodded slightly and said nothing. Just as the two of them exchanged greetings with Yue Ling and were about to go back to their room together, Yue Ling called out again, "Sister Lin, wait a moment."

Lin Daiyu stopped, turned around, looked at Yue Ling with a puzzled look and asked, "Brother Yue, what's wrong?"

Yue Ling took out a brocade box wrapped in red silk from his arms. It was inlaid with gold threads all around and had a bright pearl on top, sparkling under the light.

The packaging alone was no ordinary item. Shi Xiangyun looked at Lin Daiyu with envy, knowing that it was a gift prepared by Yue Ling.

Lin Daiyu was also stunned for a moment, looking at the brocade box, and after opening it, she found that there was a string of jade Buddha pendants inside. She saw that the carving was done by a master, and the base material was crystal clear and very rare.

As the daughter of a marquis, Lin Daiyu was naturally knowledgeable and knew that this item was extraordinary. Moreover, it was not a festival, so there was no reason for her to accept such a valuable gift. Thinking of this, Lin Daiyu said shyly: "Brother Yue, I have received a lot of things in recent days, and you are taking care of me every day. How can I accept such a valuable jade ornament?"

Yue Ling scratched his head, thinking that the value of the jade Buddha was a bit too much, but since he had it back, he said according to his own wishes: "Not long ago, didn't you give the peace locket that I bought for you to Miss Yun? I thought I should give you a replacement. And knowing that you believe in Buddhism, this jade Buddha is even more suitable."

As he said this, he handed it to Lin Daiyu.

"Anyway, I've already taken it back, and there's no reason to return it, so I'll just leave it with you for now."

Lin Daiyu always thought it was too expensive, so she declined, "Brother Yue, this... this is not good, right?"

To be honest, Yue Ling didn't spend any money on this Buddha. It was just that when he was asked to choose by the great monk Juenian, he was led to a room with the best jade ornaments. Yue Ling liked this one at first sight, which made Juenian grimace with heartache. Although he was going to give it silver, Juenian refused to accept it, so he really "took" it back.

"It's not that valuable. Anyway, it's for your blessing. Since you believe in Buddhism, it will be good for you to keep it with you."

Lin Daiyu glanced at Shi Xiangyun, whose eyes sparkled beside her, and accepted it with embarrassment, "Okay, thank you, Brother Yue."

"What are we talking about thanking each other for? It's getting late, you two should go to bed."

Two little maids entered the room, and Lin Daiyu was taken care of by Zijuan to wash and dress herself, while Shi Xiangyun sighed on the side.

Reflecting Shi Xiangyun's tangled expression in the bronze mirror, Lin Daiyu couldn't help but laugh and said, "Sister Yun, why are you sighing?"

Shi Xiangyun muttered, "General Yue is tall and handsome, young and promising, and kind to everyone. He never puts on airs with me. Isn't this..."

"Isn't it nothing?"

Shi Xiangyun swallowed the words "My Ideal Husband" that she wanted to say, and said again: "I really envy you, Sister Lin. You have General Yue looking after you. It would be great if someone could treat me like this."

The corners of Lin Daiyu's mouth curled up slightly, and a hint of pride appeared on her face.

Shi Xiangyun sighed again, kicked off her embroidered shoes, and rolled onto the couch.

Not long after, the snow geese who were tidying up outside came back and all the people were lying down on the couch.

Zijuan was sitting on her little couch, while Xueyan's seat was occupied by Shi Xiangyun.

"Hey, leave some for me."

Xueyan squeezed onto the couch. The small couch, which was originally meant for two people, now seemed a little crowded. Fortunately, Lin Daiyu and Shi Xiangyun were still children, so there was still enough space for the three of them to lie down.

After a whole day of needlework and a full meal, the three of them fell asleep quickly, leaning against each other, without much conversation.

At night, at some point in the night, Shi Xiangyun was awakened by the creaking sound of the bed legs.

After taking a few deep breaths, Shi Xiangyun pulled Xueyan's arm and said, "Sister Xueyan, please stop squeezing. The bed is shaking."

Lin Daiyu was also awakened and said casually, "There's no room left, Xueyan, go sleep on another bed."

Xueyan rubbed her eyes, then staggered down the stairs holding the pillow.

Lin Daiyu originally wanted Xueyan and Zijuan to squeeze in, but Xueyan was not clear-headed and heard "another bed" as "another room".

At this moment, Xueyan's confused mind was still a little confused, "Why did the young lady send me to sleep in another room? But the young lady has already ordered me to do so, so there must be a reason for her."

Xueyan pushed open Yue Ling's door in a daze, climbed onto the bed familiarly, and pulled the quilt from Yue Ling over herself.

Yue Ling was startled and sat up, thinking that there was a night attack, but he didn't expect the person to be lying straight beside him. It was only in the moonlight that he realized it was Xue Yan.

"Ah? Why are you here?"

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(End of this chapter)