Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

On the first day of the new year, Lin Daiyu got up early, combed her hair into a flowing bun, inserted a white jade butterfly hairpin, a bright red peony velvet flower on her temples, long white jade water drop pendants on her ears, a crabapple red jacket, a crimson long skirt, a light gold jacket embroidered with flowers and birds, a black fox fur crane cloak, deerskin boots, and a small copper hand warmer inlaid with white jade flowers and birds. She smiled and looked back:

"Look, auntie, I don't look like a disgrace to my father, do I?"

"Elegant, not outrageous, very good." Aunt Meng put on the plum purple jacket and skirt that Qingwen made for her, and happily dressed up and went out: "I'm going to pay New Year's greetings to my master and go shopping. I'm afraid I won't be back for dinner tonight."

After breakfast, Daiyu took Zijuan and Qingwen with her, while Aunt Meng took Xueyan and Xiaohong with her. They locked the main room, and then split up into two groups and went their separate ways.

Because it was the first day of the new year, there were almost no guests coming and going in the Rongguo Mansion. They were all close relatives of the family. They greeted each other warmly, held hands, and wished each other a happy new year while chatting and laughing.

In comparison, although Jia's main room was also lively, it had more rules and etiquette. Everyone came to kowtow to Jia's mother one by one, and Jia's mother looked at her children and was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling.

Just after breakfast, when everyone was chatting and laughing in front of Grandmother Jia, they heard the maids outside happily announce: "Miss Lin is here!"

"Where is my Yu'er? Let her in quickly!" Grandmother Jia was so excited that tears welled up in her eyes.

Amber opened the curtain and Lin Daiyu walked in with a smile. Qingwen took the crane cloak and Zijuan took the hand warmer.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Daiyu had already walked up to Grandmother Jia and bowed down: "Happy New Year, Grandmother. May you have a peaceful and long life!"

Grandmother Jia smiled, her eyes narrowed, and she stretched out her hands and said repeatedly: "Good, good! I will live forever! Get up quickly!"

Lin Daiyu stood up with a smile, and started with Mrs. Xing, bowing one by one, wishing a happy new year to the elders and wishing good luck to the peers. When it came to Lang'er and Qiaojie, she took out two purses from her sleeves like a magician, one for each of them.

Qiaojie's nurse took it with a smile, and when she weighed it in her hand, she felt it was heavy. She subconsciously looked at Fengjie, and when she saw her nod slightly, she smiled and poured out the contents. When she held it in her palm, she saw that it was a jade rabbit made of mutton-fat jade!

Qiaojie was overjoyed. She reached out for the rabbit and waved it towards Wang Xifeng: "Mother! Rabbit!"

Wang Xifeng walked over with a smile, touched her daughter's little head, took the rabbit and rubbed it for a while, but it was snatched back by Qiaojie.

Wang Xifeng looked at her daughter and couldn't help teasing her, "Oh, you still know how to protect your food! It's soft to the touch, it's top-quality jade, please don't smash it!"

Qiaojie smiled and snuggled into Wang Xifeng's arms.

Wang Xifeng took the opportunity to hug her and walked to Lin Daiyu, who was already sitting next to Jia's mother, and asked Qiaojie: "You got the good things from your aunt Lin, have you thanked her?"

Qiaojie was bewildered: "I bowed."

Everyone couldn't help but watch and laugh.

"That's the New Year's bow. Aunt Lin gave you a good gift, shouldn't you thank her? Come, bow again!" Wang Xifeng taught her daughter in a soft voice.

Qiaojie understood what was going on. She was still holding the rabbit tightly in one of Wang Xifeng's arms. She clenched her other hand into a fist and shook it up and down towards Lin Daiyu: "Thank you, aunt, for the rabbit! Qiaoer likes it very much!"

Lin Daiyu smiled and wrapped her little fist affectionately, shaking it: "Good child, you're welcome! This is a New Year gift from auntie. From now on, auntie will give you a small gift every New Year, okay?"

Qiaojie nodded hurriedly: "Okay!"

Everyone laughed again.

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "Why did you give her such a valuable thing? Look at your sister-in-law and aunt, they all gave their children gold and silver ingots, just to celebrate the occasion!"

"How can that be? I just found out! All the gold ingots I got as New Year's money when I was a child were kept by my mother! She said she was saving them for me, but I never saw them later!

"It would be better to get a small ornament. At least our children can see it with their own eyes, right?" Lin Daiyu said, pinching Qiaojie's little face again.

Before Qiaojie could say anything, Langge ran to Daiyu and nodded in agreement: "Aunt, you are right! My mother saved so much New Year's money for me. The other day I said I wanted to buy a pony to ride on, but she said she had no money! Where did my money go?"

The crowd roared with laughter.

Li Wan blushed and beckoned Lang'er to go back, but Lang'er refused and opened his purse, taking out a jade piece with the inscription "You will be promoted to a marquis soon". He showed it to Lady Jia with a smile on his face: "Look, Grandmother! Aunt gave me a monkey! Oh, and a horse!"

"Well, okay! Do you like it?" Grandmother Jia patted Jia Lan lovingly.

Jia Lan was so happy that he danced with joy: "I just wanted a pony, but my mother wouldn't buy me one. But Aunt Lin gave me one! That's great! I love it so much!"

As she danced, she frowned again, "But there's a little monkey squatting on the horse. Aunt Lin, are you saying that I look like a little monkey? Although I look thin, I still have some meat on my body. I don't look like a monkey!"

As she spoke, she earnestly pulled Lin Daiyu's hand to pinch her face, "Aunt, look, my face is much fatter than Qiaojie's!"

This time, even Lady Jia burst into laughter.

Amid the laughter of the crowd, Lin Daiyu held on, pinched Jia Lan's little face earnestly, then pinched Qiao Jie'er, and nodded seriously: "Lan Ge'er is right, it seems that you are a little fatter than Qiao'er.

"It seems that Auntie gave it to me wrongly this year. I will definitely correct it next year. Do you think it's okay?"

"Maybe I won't want a pony next year." Jia Lan thought seriously for a moment, "Next year I will tell my aunt what I want in advance, so that my aunt won't make a mistake!"

"Okay!" Daiyu stretched out her hand and clapped her hands with him. "Then let's be gentlemen and keep our promises..."

"It's hard to catch up with a horse!" Jia Lan happily turned around to show off his jade horse to Li Wan. Li Wan waved again helplessly, and Jia Lan ran back again.

"It's still more lively with Miss Lin coming to the house, and the old lady is even happier." Madam Xing clapped her hands and laughed, "This year is even more festive! It's great!"

"You didn't know that Miss Lin spent so much money just for this trip!" Mrs. Wang smiled faintly.

Compared with the gifts that Lin Daiyu gave to the two children, the little New Year's money that the two aunts gave to Daiyu was totally insignificant.

Are you coming back to celebrate the New Year?!

It's obvious that they came back to demonstrate!

Who doesn't know that her father Lin Ruhai's salt administration was a lucrative job? He didn't let his family touch a penny of the huge sum of money, but now he comes back to show off. What kind of nephew is he? !

This is the enemy from the previous life!

Mrs. Wang lowered her head and drank tea, forcing herself to hide the jealousy in her eyes, and tried her best to comfort herself: It won't be long before Tanchun will pass away, and by then, the Lin family's immense wealth will slowly pass into the hands of the Jia family!