Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

At the banquet, Lin Daiyu wore a white gauze dress. The fabric was soft and comfortable, but it seemed a bit too plain and simple. This dress, at least made by Xifeng, was originally intended for her to wear in her own courtyard, to enjoy the fresh and natural atmosphere. However, when going out to visit guests, this outfit seemed a bit low-class, lacking the necessary splendor and solemnity. Her hair was decorated with a single velvet flower, which, while delicate, could not conceal the simplicity of her overall look.

In contrast, Jia Baoyu is dressed in a festive crimson brocade robe, dazzling like a shimmering ruby. He wears a crown depicting two dragons playing with a pearl, the lifelike dragon heads and pearls complementing each other, making him appear particularly dazzling. Around his neck, he still wears the magical jade, radiating a mysterious light and becoming a highlight of his entire look.

When Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu arrived at the door, Madam Jia had already boarded the carriage. They watched the old lady's carriage gradually go away, then smiled at each other and walked together to the carriage behind. Although this carriage was not as gorgeous as the one in front, it was also very elegant.

As Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu boarded the carriage, a delicate fragrance filled the air. The interior was exquisitely furnished, with soft, comfortable seats and fine curtains draped across the windows. As they sat inside, feeling the gentle breeze caress their cheeks, they felt a particularly relaxing mood.

With a shout from the driver, the carriage slowly moved forward. The scenery outside the window gradually came into view: tree-lined streets, bustling markets, and the coming and going of people, everything was full of vitality and energy. Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu admired the scenery along the way, occasionally exchanging a few words, and their laughter echoed in the carriage.

Arriving at the gate of the Zhenguo Mansion, Old Lady Jia, supported by Yuanyang, slowly disembarked from the carriage. She was chatting with someone she knew, a warm smile on her face. However, her gaze was drawn to a scene not far away. She saw Jia Baoyu carefully helping Lin Daiyu disembark from the carriage, his movements gentle and attentive.

The ladies followed Mrs. Jia's gaze, a mixture of surprise and curiosity welling up in their hearts. One of them couldn't help but ask, "Mrs. Jia, your grandson is truly a gentle and considerate person!" Mrs. Jia smiled proudly, but replied modestly, "Oh, please don't praise him so much. He's just a mischievous little brat. If he heard you praising him like that, he'd be so proud!" She shook her head slightly, as if she understood her grandson's character quite well.

After hearing what Mrs. Jia said, the lady raised her lips slightly and a smile flashed in her eyes. She seemed to understand what Mrs. Jia meant and thought she was being modest. So, she said with a smile: "Haha, Mrs. Jia, you are just teasing us, right? I think Mr. Baoyu is not only handsome, but also kind-hearted. He is really a rare good man." Mrs. Jia smiled and was secretly proud of herself after hearing this. She knew that these ladies were sincerely praising Jia Baoyu, so she was no longer polite and nodded and smiled: "Haha, thank you ladies for your compliments. Baoyu is indeed a sensible child, but sometimes he is a little too naughty. However, boys are always a little naughty."

At this moment, another lady suddenly remembered something and said, "Madam Jia, I remember last time at Rongguo Mansion, I saw Master Baoyu and another girl getting along very well. How come it's Miss Lin today?" Madam Jia's face changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. She smiled and replied, "Haha, you two ladies are joking. Children change from day to day, who can say for sure?"

After saying this, Madam Jia glanced at Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu. Seeing that they had already approached her, she said no more. She took Lin Daiyu's hand and whispered, "Daiyu, when you enter the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, be good and don't run around." Lin Daiyu nodded obediently and then bowed to the other ladies.

When the lady heard this, she looked at the three generations of grandparents and grandchildren as if they were fools and left.

At this time, Jia Baoyu smiled and said to his grandmother, "Don't worry, grandma, I will take good care of my sister." When Lin Daiyu heard this, her heart warmed and she also smiled sweetly.

Afterward, they entered the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. The interior was splendidly decorated, and everyone was amazed. Old Lady Jia led them to the living room and exchanged pleasantries with the Duke of Zhenguo and his family. Lin Daiyu stood quietly by, observing everything around her. She thought to herself that while the atmosphere was lively, it also made her feel a little awkward.

Everyone's eyes fell on Lin Daiyu. Some people showed contempt and whispered, "This Miss Lin is too shabby. She doesn't look like a lady from a noble family at all." When Daiyu heard these words, she blushed and lowered her head.

Seeing this, Baoyu hurried to Daiyu and comforted her softly, "Sister, don't care about what others say. You are so elegant and refined, how can those vulgar people understand you." After that, he took Daiyu's hand and walked into the banquet hall together.

At this time, Jia's mother also noticed Daiyu's clothes and felt a little dissatisfied. But she did not show it. She just smiled and said to Daiyu: "Yu'er, there are many distinguished guests in the mansion today. You should go and greet them." Daiyu obeyed and bowed to the guests.

As the only male among the female family, Jia Baoyu stood out. The mistress of the Zhenguo Mansion politely suggested to Lady Jia, "Madam Jia, how about I send someone to take your son to the front hall? There are many other distinguished young men from prominent families there, and I'm sure they'll have much to talk about." Just as Lady Jia was about to nod in agreement, Jia Baoyu, looking at Lin Daiyu's pitiful expression, quickly said, "That's fine. I'm fine here, too." This left Lady Jia at a loss for words. The experienced old lady of the Zhenguo Mansion, however, broke the deadlock with a smile, pointing at Baoyu and Daiyu and asking, "Are these Madam Jia's grandson and granddaughter? They are so handsome. How old are they this year?" Hearing others praising her two treasures, Jia's mother beamed and replied, "They are my grandson and granddaughter. I'm not just boasting, they are both excellent children!" The old lady of the Zhenguo Mansion looked at her elder sister, who had been quite shrewd in her youth, feeling helpless. She wondered why she couldn't understand what people were saying! Where had she ever mentioned praising her grandson who didn't know how to avoid suspicion and her granddaughter who looked so sad? It was really a headache!

The old lady of the Zhenguogong shook her head helplessly, then said to the crowd, "Old sister, if we old ladies gather together to talk, I'm afraid these two children will feel bored. How about this, I'll have the maid take them to the garden for a walk, so they can get some fresh air."

When Jia Baoyu heard this, he immediately jumped up with joy and said excitedly, "Great!" He couldn't wait to take Lin Daiyu's hand and followed the maid out of the room.

The ladies were surprised to see this scene, but they still maintained a polite smile. They looked at each other, and seemed to understand each other's thoughts. Everyone continued to chat and laugh tacitly, as if what had just happened had not happened. However, only they knew in their hearts that they must never invite the Jia family to any banquets in the future. Because their family was too unruly and made people feel very uncomfortable.