Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

It was past noon while we waited.

The small blue cloth carriage finally arrived, followed by ten servants in plain clothes and small hats, and the leader was from Lin Zhixiao's family.

Daiyu then slowly went ashore, got on the car, and drove slowly all the way.

"Where do I live?" Daiyu asked Lin Zhixiao's family on the way.

Lin Jia smiled and replied, "Aunt Xue and the others moved out of Lixiang Courtyard the other day. Madam had long said that it was a quiet place and a secluded place for the old Duke in his later years, otherwise let my sister live there first.

"But the old lady was reluctant to let the girl go. She kept delaying the cleaning and insisted on clearing a room in her yard for the girl.

"Madam mentioned it two or three times, saying that there might not be enough space, but the old lady didn't listen. Just now, Wang'er came back and told the old lady that she had changed her mind and said that Madam's idea was the right one.

"They are busy cleaning up Lixiang Courtyard now. The girl has come back, so she has to go and pay her respects to the old lady first. After dinner, the place will be cleaned up.

"What do you think, girl?"

Lin Daiyu remained calm and said, "Very good."

The wheels of a small blue cloth cart rumbled as it entered the Rongguo Mansion through the main gate.

Lin Daiyu drove a car and changed sedan chairs along the way and walked slowly inside.

Lin Zhixiao's wife took advantage of the opportunity and left for a while. When Lin Daiyu got off the sedan chair outside the second gate, Lin Zhixiao's wife came back again, with sweat on her forehead and heavy breathing, standing beside her with a smile, asking Zijuan:

"I'm wearing too many clothes today. I'm sweating after walking a few steps. Don't make the girl feel uncomfortable. Help the girl up quickly. The old lady is waiting anxiously!"

Lin Daiyu's eyes swept over the quilted jacket and skirt she was wearing, and she subconsciously reached out to tug at her thick crane cloak. Without saying a word, she raised her hand to hold the arm that Zijuan stretched out to her, and walked inside slowly with the hem of her skirt.

Following her gaze, Lin Zhixiao's wife lowered her head to take a look at her own clothes which were obviously thinner than those of everyone else. She secretly regretted that this excuse was too hasty and perfunctory. She gritted her teeth, put on the smiling face of the housekeeper, and followed her in.

In Lady Jia's main room, all the ladies were waiting for Lin Daiyu eagerly, and each of them was a little uneasy.

Lady Jia, with her silver hair, looked a little listless, Lady Wang, with her kind face, looked a little indifferent, and Lady Xing, with her foolish face, didn't understand what was going on and her eyes kept shifting between Lady Jia and Lady Wang's faces.

All the girls and wives waited with bated breath, not daring to say much.

There was a sound of footsteps, and Lin Zhixiao's wife came in first, smiling but also a little sad: "I have finally brought Miss Lin back to you, Madam. But the girl is weak and misses her deceased father and mother so much that she has been crying all the way. I hope you will feel sorry for her!"

Lin Daiyu walked slowly behind her, then stopped and glanced at the crowd. She lowered her head to look at her toes, then looked at the cushion that had been placed in front of her, and knelt respectfully:

"Grandma, I'm back."

Grandmother Jia, who was originally a little unhappy, saw her granddaughter becoming increasingly thin and pitiful. She immediately threw away her emotions and was left with only heartache. She opened her hands:

"Come here quickly! My Yu'er! I miss you so much!"

Everyone then stood up with a clamor, helped Lin Daiyu up, and carefully brought her to Lady Jia.

Grandmother Jia pulled her to sit down beside her, holding her hand and looking at her carefully while she shed tears: "How come you are so thin? You are not in good health. Even if you are mourning for your father, you must take care of your own life first. If something really happens, your father will not be at peace down there!"

He also called Zijuan and Xueyan to come up and reprimanded them for "not serving their master attentively and not advising their master to follow the rules".

Lin Daiyu's eyes flickered, and she spoke softly, "Grandma, please don't blame Zijuan. She doesn't understand the rules of our southern region, and she just follows orders. But Xueyan is naughty, and I was just about to punish her by making her keep vigil for my parents' spirit tablets and add oil to the lamps, and she is not allowed to leave the house for three months!"

Zijuan is a daughter of the Jia family, but Xueyan is from the Lin family. Even if they really want to punish her, Jia Mu and others can only target Zijuan openly to make an example of her and let Xueyan know the serious consequences.

But according to Lin Daiyu, Zijuan should not be punished, but Xueyan should be punished. If she does not leave the house for three months, outsiders will want to find fault with her and ridicule and bully her, but they will not be able to do so.

Where did he learn this method? It's meticulous and protective, and it saves Lady Jia's face while also bringing up the issue of the mourning period for his late parents. It kills several birds with one stone - it's amazing!

At this moment, not only the Second Lady of Xing and Wang, but also the Third Lady, Jia Tanchun, who was the only one among the girls sitting below to react, could not help but look at Lin Daiyu with admiration!

As for Grandmother Jia, she paused her finger caressing Lin Daiyu for a moment, then said with a smile as if unintentionally: "Forget it, your girl, take care of yourself. I won't worry about you anymore. You just came back now, are you hungry?"

It was three quarters past three in the evening, not quite the right time, as lunch had passed but it was still early for dinner. Grandmother Jia asked Lin Daiyu if she was hungry. Based on Lin Daiyu's easy-going personality, she would naturally answer, "Not really, I'll have dinner with my grandmother in the evening."

But this time, Daiyu nodded in agreement: "I was just about to report to Grandmother, I am in mourning and should not eat any fishy or pungent food, so I am getting hungry quickly. Why don't I take my leave and go back to my residence, eat a bowl of plain noodles, and then come back to serve you."

The room suddenly stagnated.

Mrs. Wang's triangular eyes flashed with coldness, and she smiled slightly, looking at Grandmother Jia: "Lian'er said before that Miss Lin had received guidance from an expert this time and had some ideas. I didn't believe it. Now that you have said these few words, old lady, do you think she looks like a grown-up girl?"

Have an idea?!

An orphan girl who lives under someone else's roof and makes a living under the care of her aunt cannot have her own ideas! This is a disguised way of warning her to be obedient and follow the adults' arrangements!

Knowing her stepmother's methods well, Tanchun looked uneasily at Lin Daiyu, who was calm and composed, then looked at Jia's mother, who lowered her eyes and remained silent. Her mind raced, and she quietly reached out and tugged at the collar of her widowed sister-in-law Li Wan, who was standing next to her.

Li Wan is the widow of Jia Zhu, the eldest son of the second wife who died of illness. She is usually honest and dull. She just takes care of her son Jia Lan and lives a simple life at home, and does not participate in family affairs.

But facing this scene, she remembered that less than a year after Jia Zhu's death, the whole mansion had a banquet and singing and dancing because of Jia Yuanchun's entry into the palace and Jia Baoyu's first poem.

"Don't worry, Grandfather. Leave Sister Lin's daily life to me. Lixiang Courtyard is so big that Lan'er and I can move in. I promise to Grandfather that Sister Lin will eat well and take medicine well. How do you think?"

Li Wan left her seat, still looking honest, but actively helped everyone out of the predicament.

Grandmother Jia breathed a sigh of relief, her lips curled up, and she was about to nod.

But Mrs. Wang was not willing to let him off so easily. She interrupted him with a smile, "How can this be possible? Sister Lin is in mourning and cannot eat meat; while Brother Lang is growing up and needs to eat meat every meal. Are you going to let your son become a vegetarian from now on?"

"Besides, your duty is to look after all the younger sisters. If you only take care of Lin Daiyu, Yingchun and the other three will be left alone. As the eldest sister-in-law, you should treat them equally."