Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

As the sky gradually darkened, Lin Ruhai was almost sober, and Xifeng said, "Husband, let's go home." Lin Ruhai felt particularly warm in his heart when he heard this. He and Jia Min had been married for more than ten years, and Jia Min only said "your Lin family", and she always positioned herself as a lady of the Duke's Mansion. Lin Ruhai shook his head, then took Xifeng's hand and said seriously, "Madam, won't you spend more time with your mother-in-law and second aunt? Second uncle and second aunt will be returning to the capital tomorrow." Xifeng said, "I have already said a lot to mother and aunt, it's not like we don't have the opportunity to meet. Besides, mother is waiting for us at home." Seeing this, Wang Zisheng said, "Ruhai, Feng'er, it's getting late, go back quickly! Say hello to my in-laws for me."

Xifeng and Lin Ruhai sat in a carriage, bearing gifts from the Wang family, and slowly drove toward the Lin residence. Inside, Xifeng, beaming, gazed at Lin Ruhai's head and jokingly said, "My dear, you're truly miserable!" Lin Ruhai feigned indifference, "My dear, why do you say that? I've married a divine concubine like you, how can I say I'm miserable?" Xifeng pouted and said coquettishly, "My dear, don't play dumb. You know what I want to ask!" Xifeng snorted proudly. Amidst their playful banter, the carriage unnoticed they arrived home.

The two of them first came to Madam Lin's courtyard, handed the gifts prepared by the Wang family to Madam Lin, and chatted for a while. Madam Lin looked at the two of them, her face full of love, and smiled as she sent them away, "Ruhai, Feng'er has been busy all day today, go back and rest!"

After returning to Wutong Courtyard, Xifeng and Lin Ruhai changed into light clothes. Xifeng sat at the dressing table and asked Baozhu to change her hairstyle into a loose one. Lin Ruhai had to go to the government office tomorrow, so she went to the study to review the past few days' affairs. Xifeng had nothing to do, so she asked all the maids to leave and went into the space. There she found a whipping manual. Xifeng planned to practice whipping. She had a fine snakeskin whip in her dowry. After leaving the space, Xifeng leaned on the couch to watch the whipping technique, imitating it as she watched. In the blink of an eye, the sun set and the moon rose. Candles were lit in the room. Xifeng checked her watch and it was already 8 o'clock. Seeing that Lin Ruhai had not returned, Xifeng continued to read. When Xifeng was engrossed in reading, a hand fell from the sky and took the book away. Xifeng wanted to throw it over her shoulder, but she stopped when she saw it was Lin Ruhai. Xifeng said, "My dear husband, what are you doing? I'm so engrossed in watching this." Lin Ruhai said jokingly, "I didn't expect you to be such a heroine." Lin Ruhai added, "My dear, let's wash up and go to bed! Didn't you ask me a question today? I'll tell you in bed."

Lin Ruhai was lying on the bed holding Xifeng. Xifeng stared at Lin Ruhai with a look of curiosity and asked curiously, "At the beginning, I thought that Jia Min was rejected and didn't want to marry into a military family, so such rumors spread. I was preparing for the exam at the time, so my parents didn't refute the rumors in order not to disturb me. Who knew that after I won the third place in the imperial examination, Rong Guogong Jia Daishan came to my house to propose marriage for Jia Min. My father was in no hurry to refuse. He wanted Jia Min to get married in one or two years, but after three years, she still didn't get married. Jia Daishan said that Jia Min only had me in her heart and didn't want to marry anyone else, so he drove away all the proposers. That was when I had just come out of mourning. Jia Daishan mentioned this marriage many times. My mother and I had no way to refuse and could only nod in agreement. But after the engagement, my mother always looked down on Jia Min. I always thought that my mother looked down on Jia Min's crybaby character, but I didn't expect it was because of this!" After speaking, Lin Ruhai sighed and felt a lot more relieved. After hearing this, Xifeng looked at Lin Ruhai in surprise and asked, "Lin Ruhai, when you heard that the Duke's daughter wanted to marry you, weren't you very proud?" Lin Ruhai smiled and said, "Madam, are you jealous?"

Lin Ruhai held Xifeng in his arms and said many nice things: "My dear, you are the most beautiful. It is my blessing to marry you..." As he was speaking, he heard a faint snoring sound. He saw that it was his wife who had fallen asleep. He extinguished the candle and fell into a deep sleep holding Xifeng in his arms.

As the eastern sky barely began to turn pale, Lin Ruhai tiptoed out of bed, fearing to wake Xifeng. Xifeng's hearing was exceptionally sharp from her training. She opened her eyes slightly, yawned, and said, "My dear husband, it's so early! Let me help you get dressed." Then she began to get up. Lin Ruhai quickly told Xifeng to lie down: "My dear wife, just rest well. I can't possibly tire you out!" He kissed Xifeng on the forehead and left. Xifeng fell back into a deep sleep.

Around 7: a.m., Xifeng demonstrated her whip-wielding skills in the courtyard. The whip in her hands resembled a dragon, swirling and tangling, sometimes like an arrow from a bowstring, sometimes like a sea dragon. After dinner, Xifeng went to Old Lady Lin to learn about household management. When Old Lady Lin heard from the servants about Xifeng's whip-wielding skills in the courtyard, she wasn't angry but delighted. She had been frightened by the constant sobbing and sullen faces of Jia Min and Lin Daiyu, the two sickly women. Seeing Xifeng so full of energy, she was overjoyed.

Xifeng was beaming with smiles, and looked healthy and strong. Old Lady Lin saw Xifeng coming and quickly called her over, holding her hand: "Feng'er is here, it's time to have dinner." Xifeng smiled and said: "I had dinner when Mother came. Have you had dinner yet?" Old Lady Lin smiled and said: "I'm old and don't sleep much. I got up early and had dinner early."

After handing Xifeng the household account books and cards, Old Lady Lin explained the household's operations and connections. It was noon in a flash, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had lunch together, chatted, and then helped Old Lady Lin to a nap. Xifeng returned to Wutong Courtyard, feeling a bit bored, and thinking about making some pastries. She immediately went to the kitchen, kneading the dough. She used water from the interstellar spring. After about two hours, she made four kinds of pastries: "Butterfly Cake," "Lotus Root Starch and Osmanthus Cake," "White Sugar Cake," and "Awakening Lion Cake." She packaged them, sending one to the Wang family, one to Daiyu, one to Lin Ruhai, and one to Xifeng herself. When Xifeng arrived, Old Lady Lin was already up and chatting with Nanny Su, who had grown up with Old Lady Lin and later became a nanny. "Mother," Xifeng said, "I made some pastries. Please try them," she said, placing the dishes on the table. Old Madam Lin looked at the exquisite snacks with great appetite: "I ate a few pieces of each," and said to Feng'er, "Let's go for a walk in the garden!"

The Lin family's garden is an authentic Jiangnan garden. The entrance to the garden is a small archway covered with green vines, giving people a fresh and natural feeling.

The first thing that catches your eye when you enter the garden is a green lawn filled with a variety of flowers, such as roses, peonies, and chrysanthemums, which appear particularly bright and eye-catching under the sunlight. In the center is a pond with crystal clear water.

The garden is surrounded by trees like willows, poplars, and locust trees, which sway gently in the breeze, creating a rustling sound. Beneath the trees are stone benches and tables, offering rest and entertainment. In a corner of the garden, there's a small pavilion, surrounded by flowers like wisteria, jasmine, and osmanthus. The fragrance of these flowers, wafting in the breeze, is truly refreshing.