Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

Pink Pearl watched Feicui's retreating figure, waited a moment, and only after making sure she was far away did she gently push open the door and quickly walk into the room. Once inside, she collapsed onto the floor, her face pale as paper, her body shaking uncontrollably. She knew the sterilization drug was taking effect. After a while, the pain gradually subsided and disappeared.

While the room was relatively clean, it was extremely small and the facilities were sparse. There was only a small bed, a table, and a few chairs. Fenzhu glanced around blankly, then dragged her exhausted body onto the bed and fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Jia Zheng, drunk as a draught, staggered toward his study. As he walked, he muttered, "Lüqi, Qi'er, I'm back! Look what goodies I've brought you..." He stumbled into his room and looked around, but couldn't find the person he was looking for. Finally, he fell headfirst onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window like a veil, gently casting a shadow on Fenzhu's delicate face. She slowly awoke. Looking at her unfamiliar, almost foreign surroundings, Fenzhu's eyes were filled with confusion, as if lost in a thick fog.

She endured the discomfort in her body, got out of bed slowly like a snail, and walked to the door slowly like a candle in the wind. When she opened the door, she saw the servants busy outside like a swarm of ants, and panic suddenly surged in her heart.

I'm up late, what should I do? I'd better go find Feicui first! Fenzhu rushed to Rongxi Hall, rushing into Feicui's room like a gust of wind, only to find it empty. Just then, she saw a little maidservant passing by, as light as a butterfly. Fenzhu hurriedly asked, "Where's Sister Feicui?" The maidservant noticed that although Fenzhu's clothes were a little disheveled, the fabric was excellent. She said politely, "Sister Feicui went to help the old lady get up early this morning." Unable to enter the main room, Fenzhu could only sit in the corridor, anxiously waiting for Feicui to emerge. After waiting for about an hour, Feicui finally emerged, like a fairy, carrying a tray. Upon seeing this, Fenzhu rushed forward like a joyful bird and called out, "Sister Feicui." When Feicui saw that it was Fenzhu, she said like a strict teacher, "Don't get up so late in the future, otherwise the old lady will blame us and we will all be in trouble. From now on, you will be responsible for sweeping the courtyard. Remember to be careful and not be careless. In addition, you need to change your clothes. Come with me." As she said that, Feicui brought Fenzhu to the door of a warehouse.

There was a middle-aged man sitting at the door of the warehouse. When he saw Feicui, he immediately stood up like a spring to greet her and said respectfully: "Miss Feicui, you are here! Just tell me if you have anything to do, and I will do it." Feicui smiled politely, and then said to the man like a master: "Manager Lai, this is the new cleaning maid in the old lady's room. Please get two sets of work clothes for her." Manager Lai nodded quickly and turned around and rushed into the warehouse like an arrow to get clothes.

After a while, Manager Lai brought two light pink coarse cloth jackets and two pairs of trousers from the storeroom and handed them to Fenzhu. Fenzhu accepted the clothes, thanked Manager Lai, and then followed Feicui out of the storeroom. Returning to her residence, Fenzhu immediately changed into her new clothes, as Feicui had instructed. She then undid her bun and braided her jet-black hair into a large braid. This makeover obscured Fenzhu's original beauty by a factor of three, and now she looked like nothing more than a delicate maid. It must be said that Grandmother Jia's methods were truly brilliant. Even the most beautiful girl would become unremarkable against the backdrop of long hours of hard work and coarse linen clothes.

Jia Zheng was excused from duty by the rumors, and by the time he got up, it was already noon. Lady Wang, following Lady Jia's advice, had assigned a seductive woman to Jia Zheng's study. Jia Zheng felt annoyed as he watched the flirtatious woman before him. He was already in a bad mood because of the rumors, and now Lady Wang's arrangement further infuriated him.

He slammed the table hard, stood up, pointed at the woman and said, "You woman, get out quickly! I am a scholar, how can I allow you to show off your charm here!" The woman was frightened by Jia Zheng and quickly knelt down and begged for mercy.

Jia Zheng ignored her and walked out of the study. He strolled through the courtyard, his mind racing. He knew all this was arranged by Lady Jia and Lady Wang to make him change his mind.

Fenzhu began her career at the Jia Mansion. Every morning, she would get up early and clean the courtyard carefully. Although the work was hard, Fenzhu did not dare to complain.

It was a bright, sunny day. Fenzhu woke early and began cleaning the yard. She meticulously swept every corner, ensuring it was spotless and tidy. Just then, a pleasant laugh reached her ears. The sound was as clear and melodious as a silver bell, filling her heart with joy. Fenzhu raised her head curiously and looked in the direction of the sound.

A young man in lavish attire slowly approached her. He was tall and straight, with strikingly handsome features, sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. His lips curved slightly under his high nose bridge, a faint smile on his face. His hair was neatly tied up, secured with a jade hairpin, making him look particularly refreshed. His splendid attire only added a touch of elegance, a truly striking sight. Fenzhu couldn't help but stare a few times, silently admiring the young man's handsomeness and graceful demeanor.

The young master seemed to notice Fenzhu's gaze. The corner of his mouth curled up slightly, and he nodded gently at her. Fenzhu's face flushed instantly, and she quickly lowered her head and returned to her work. However, her heart was filled with ripples, as if a deer was fluttering in her heart. She had never seen such a handsome man, let alone experienced such a scene. For a moment, she was at a loss. But she tried hard to control her emotions and not let herself get too out of control.

Fenzhu took a deep breath and told herself to stay calm and not be fooled by this young man's appearance. After all, there was a huge gap between their social statuses, and it was unlikely they would have much in common. She silently told herself to keep her feelings deep in her heart and not show them easily. So, she continued to focus on her work, trying to divert her attention away from the young man.

Fenzhu's heart was pounding. While she was working, she was stealing glances at the young man out of the corner of her eye. As a result, she accidentally bumped into a tree and fell to the ground.

The young master hurried forward to help her up and asked with concern: "Are you okay? Where are you hurt?"

Pink Pearl shook her head a little embarrassedly, "I'm fine, thank you for your concern, sir."

The young master smiled and said, "You're welcome. What's your name? It must be hard working here, right?"

Pink Pearl lowered her head, a shy smile on her face, and said softly, "My name is Pink Pearl. It's not hard. This is my job."

The young man smiled slightly and nodded gently, "You are such a hardworking and kind girl. If you need any help, just tell me." After that, he took out a crystal clear jade pendant from his arms and gently placed it in Fenzhu's hand.

Fenzhu accepted the jade pendant, feeling strangely moved. She knew it was priceless, and that the young man must be of high status. However, she was only a humble servant, so how could she dare to have such extravagant expectations?

The young master seemed to have noticed what Fenzhu was thinking, and comforted her with a smile: "Don't think too much, this is just a small token of my appreciation. If I have a chance, I will come to you again." After that, he turned around and left gracefully, leaving Fenzhu standing there, looking at his departing back, her heart restless for a long time.

This mysterious young man was none other than Jia Lian, who, upon hearing that Jia Zheng had redeemed a prostitute and brought her home, became curious. He then inquired around and learned that the woman's name was Fenzhu, and that she was being kept by the old lady in the courtyard to do housekeeping.

Jia Lian, secretly plotting how to expose Jia Zheng's true hypocrisy, suddenly had an idea and decided to use this opportunity to push the boat forward. So, he and Jia He came up with a brilliant plan: "seduce" Jia Zheng and completely destroy his so-called "hypocritical" image.

From that day on, Jia Lian began to appear frequently before Fenzhu, caring for her with all his heart. He would carefully select precious gifts for her and often chat with her to ease her boredom, sharing the little anecdotes of life. Gradually, Fenzhu was moved by Jia Lian's gentleness and thoughtfulness, and a feeling of gratitude welled up in her heart.

However, Fenzhu knew nothing came free, and she clearly understood that Jia Lian's attentions might have hidden ulterior motives. Faced with her current predicament, she simply couldn't continue living that hardship, and her inner conflict plunged her into deep turmoil. Ultimately, under Jia Lian's sweet talk and material inducements, Fenzhu gradually lost herself, lowered her guard, and began to accept his kindness.

At the same time, Jia Zheng was unaware of Jia Lian's plan. He continued to act as hypocritical as ever, not realizing that he was stepping into the trap set by Jia Lian.

That evening, Jia Lian sent a message to Fenzhu through someone else, asking her to meet him at the theater in the garden at midnight. Fenzhu arrived at the theater on time, and Jia Lian had already been waiting there for a long time. He looked at Fenzhu with a loving gaze, expressing his deep love for her. Fenzhu was deeply moved when she heard these words. Jia Lian took the opportunity to hug Fenzhu and whispered, "My dear Fenzhu, give me!" Then, the two began a passionate lovemaking. Afterwards, Fenzhu looked a little pitiful and said, "Second Master, I have become yours. If the old lady knew about this, she would definitely beat me to death. When will you take me to your side?"

Jia Lian gently stroked Fenzhu's cheek and said soothingly, "Don't worry, my sweetheart. I've already thought of a plan. I'll go and tell the old lady in a few days that I want you to be my concubine."

After hearing this, Fenzhu was delighted, but then she became worried: "But will the ladies in the mansion agree?"

Jia Lian smiled and said confidently, "Don't worry, I have my own way to deal with them. As long as you are obedient, I will definitely let you live a happy life."

Fenzhu nodded and leaned into Jia Lian's arms, savoring the momentary warmth. However, she knew in her heart that this struggle had only just begun, and the road ahead was long. She wasn't sure if she could survive the complex environment of the Jia family, nor did she know if Jia Lian would truly treat her well. But at this moment, she could only choose to trust him, because she had no other choice...