The Red Mansion.

Chapter 29 His Flower Note
Jiang Nian’s birthday banquet ended in just an hour.

Xue Pan drank a lot of wine and staggered back to the Xue family's big ship with unsteady steps. Although he was drunk, he was still somewhat sober.

He first met Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai. Aunt Xue frowned slightly when she saw his appearance, but she still asked him questions in detail.

"Did Jiang Nian ever tell you about his extraordinary background?"

"What exactly is his purpose in coming to the capital? Didn't he even tell you this?"

"He must have mentioned the idea of ​​marrying your sister to me, right? What did he say?"

"..."

However, Aunt Xue was disappointed.

At the birthday banquet, although Jiang Nian talked a lot with Xue Pan, most of them were about the Xue family's affairs. He talked less about his own affairs. He did not reveal to Xue Pan the points that Aunt Xue was concerned about.

Aunt Xue asked anxiously, but Xue Pan just shook his head and muttered drunkenly: "He didn't say this... He didn't say this... He still didn't say this..."

Aunt Xue was furious when she saw Xue Pan like this. She spat, "You foolish fellow! You've already been drinking with him and are so drunk! Why don't you take the opportunity to find out more about him? I think you're only focused on getting drunk!"

Xue Baochai, standing by, pursed her lips in silence, sighing inwardly, "Mom is so confused! She knows that my brother has always been a dullard. Even though he is the same age as Mr. Jiang, in terms of scheming and cunning, he is nowhere near as cunning as him."

Of course she wouldn't say this out loud. If she did, she would be scolding both Aunt Xue and Xue Pan.

She just stood there quietly, with helplessness flashing in her eyes.

Aunt Xue sighed and asked, "Where is Jiang Nian now? Has he returned to his ship? You don't even know about this, do you?"

Xue Pan shook his head out of habit, then nodded quickly when he realized what was happening. He said, "Brother Jiang brought me back, and I think he's already back on his boat. But Brother Jiang told me to tell my mother and sister that it will be dark in an hour, so we won't be traveling any further today. We'll just rest here at the water station for the night."

When Aunt Xue saw Xue Pan shaking his head again, she almost couldn't help but hit him, but fortunately Xue Pan nodded in response.

Aunt Xue suppressed her displeasure and immediately ordered her maid Tongxi to fetch a set of clothes and a pair of shoes and socks. Reluctantly, she said to Xue Pan, "That overbearing young man has his birthday today. I have also prepared a gift for him. You can give it to him."

Aunt Xue also specifically reminded him, "You must tell him that these clothes and shoes and socks were all bought by me just now from the clothing store in Shuiyi."

This is indeed the case.

Aunt Xue now instructed Xue Pan to tell Jiang Nianming this because she didn't want Jiang Nian to mistakenly believe that the clothes and shoes were made by her or Xue Baochai.

I sent you a gift, but it was just a perfunctory gesture. You, Jiang Nian, must not take it the wrong way, especially not blaming my Baochai...

Xue Pan said with a bitter face: "Mom, why did you send me for this? I drank too much and my head is dizzy. I just want to lie down for a while."

Aunt Xue was furious when she heard this, and was about to explode when Xue Baochai quickly interrupted, "Mother, my brother is drunk, so it's not absolutely necessary for him to go. It wouldn't be considered neglectful if I asked Mother Xie to go."

Mother Xie is Xie Jixing's wife and Xue Pan's wet nurse. After Xue Baochai finished speaking, she took the clothes, shoes and socks from Tongxi.

Aunt Xue nodded to Xue Baochai, glared at Xue Pan, and said unhappily, "Forget it! Forget it! I won't send you on this matter either. Just lie there and wait for your body!"

Xue Pan glanced at Xue Baochai before staggering out of the cabin.

Xue Baochai followed Xue Pan out of the cabin, carrying her clothes, shoes, and socks. She was about to go to the other cabin to find Madam Xie. Unexpectedly, Xue Pan stopped her, winked at her, and said with a low smile, "Sister, come to my room. I have something for you."

Xue Baochai is a thoughtful and scheming person, much more scheming than Xue Pan, and she knows Xue Pan's character very well.

Seeing Xue Pan's furtive look, she immediately speculated, "Could it be that Jiang Nian has something for me and asked her brother to bring it to me..."

Thinking of this, her heart tightened and she subconsciously glanced back. Seeing that Aunt Xue was still in the room and had not followed her out, she nodded slightly to Xue Pan.

Seeing that she agreed, Xue Pan smiled even more. He turned around and led her towards his cabin.

Xue Baochai followed behind, feigning composure, but her fingertips unconsciously tightened the clothes in her hands, wondering, "What on earth is Jiang Nian planning? What on earth did he ask my brother to bring this time?"

The brother and sister walked into the cabin where Xue Pan lived.

Xue Pan hurriedly closed the door, looking even more furtive. He then fished out a piece of flowery paper from his pocket and passed it to Xue Baochai, whispering, "Brother Jiang asked me to give this to you. Keep it quickly, and don't let Mom know. Mom is quite dissatisfied with Brother Jiang."

Sure enough!

Xue Baochai's heart grew increasingly tense, and she was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. She sighed inwardly, "That man wants me to be his concubine, and yet my brother is so kind to him that he even secretly sent him a piece of flowery paper!"

She bit her lower lip, and finally took the flower note. Her fingertips trembled slightly. When she unfolded it, she saw only the words:
"Since you have pledged your love to me, you have become my beloved. Today is my birthday, and I would like to celebrate with you, but it is not convenient for you. So I went ashore with your brother and drank together at the city tower. It is late spring, and the weeping willows on both sides of the river are all swaying like flowing snow, a truly beautiful sight. The sight inspired me, and I happened to compose a short poem. I heard from your brother that you are always fond of poetry, so I have recorded it here to express our shared aspirations."

"Linjiangxian: Willow Catkins."

"The poem goes: Spring dances before the White Jade Hall, the east wind blows evenly. Bees and butterflies swarm about in disorder. How often have I followed the flowing water? Why must I abandon my fragrance to dust? Myriad threads remain unchanged, letting them gather and disperse as they please. Don't laugh at the rootlessness of youth. The good wind takes its power and carries me to the blue sky."

"When it comes to writing, I will wait for you to finish your writing."

After reading it, Xue Baochai felt ashamed and annoyed, and could not help but spit inwardly: "Bah! He is so shameless! He actually wrote such a flowery note to me! He is also really a tyrant! Even the flowery note he wrote is so arrogant! He even said that I am the woman in his heart! Moreover, he didn't even use humble words like 'I humbly accept your kindness', 'I respectfully submit', or 'I bow my head'. Humph!"

In shame and anger, she clenched the flowery paper tightly in her hand, applying a little force with her fingertips, as if she wanted to crush it.

However, not only did she not actually crush the flower paper, but she couldn't help but read it a second time.

This time, her eyes no longer swept across it hastily, but savored it carefully.

As she watched, she was unknowingly fascinated and quietly sighed: "This Mr. Jiang's calligraphy is really good. This poem "Linjiangxian: Willow Catkins" is even more wonderful. Every word is a gem, and the artistic conception is profound. I love it very much!"

(End of this chapter)