Three Wives and Four Concubines in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Page 13

Chapter Twenty-One: The Crouching Dragon and the Young Phoenix

Gu Yu fainted due to a rush of blood to his head, but regained consciousness in a short while. Apart from Xueyan running out to deliver the news, it didn't cause any major disturbance.

After calming everyone down, Gu Yu had just reached the door when she saw Daiyu, with tears still on her face, rushing over and nearly bumping into her.

Daiyu stared blankly at Gu Yu, who was standing right in front of her, seemingly "fainted." She could even smell his faint fragrance, but the tears on her face were still wet, making her look somewhat comical.

Seeing Daiyu, who was now up to his chin, looking up at him, Gu Yu forced a smile and greeted her after a long while.

"Why is Lin Daiyu back? Did you get tired of playing?"

Daiyu finally realized what was happening, lowered her head to hide the heat on her face, and stammered a few words in response, but she didn't see the disappointment on Gu Yu's face.

Zijuan watched the two of them awkwardly chatting from a short distance away and couldn't help but want to interrupt.

Before they could even get up there, they saw Gu Yu stride towards the door, instructing a servant to call someone from outside the side gate. His expression was somewhat unreadable.

"Send two people to Taiping Street to invite the young masters of the Li and Kong families to Yingkexuan."

Daiyu, still staring at Gu Yu's back, was completely bewildered. Seeing this, Zijuan reluctantly pulled her into the room, deciding to have a proper talk with her.

……

"what happened?"

Li Wensong and Kong Chengli exchanged a glance, both filled with deep doubt.

Gu Yu pulled them out early in the morning without saying a word, just sitting there drinking. Fortunately, it was just some fruit wine with added ingredients, so they didn't get as drunk as they did yesterday.

However, since someone was treating him to dinner, Li Wensong didn't stand on ceremony and directly ordered the most expensive dish of the season, "Autumn Jade." He ate until he was half full before starting to persuade them.

Gu Yu drank another glass of wine, remained silent for a while, and then spoke.

"...I have a good friend who has a crush on a distant cousin, but after not seeing her for several years, he discovered that she has become close to another cousin. What should he do?"

Kong Chengli frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then said:

"A gentleman helps others achieve their goals; such matters of personal feelings are not worth worrying about. Since that cousin already has someone she's close to, why interfere and create trouble?"

Gu Yu's hand tightened, her knuckles turning white, and after drinking the cup, she said:

"But that cousin is actually a dissolute playboy who spends his days frolicking among women. He's neither good at literature nor martial arts, his family is too extravagant and the situation is complicated. He simply can't protect the family business. How could I be happy marrying him?"

Li Wensong, with his keen eye, personally refilled the cup beside him. As he listened, he began to discern the deeper meaning behind the conversation about rolling around in a pile of rouge.

He smiled knowingly and said to Kong Chengli, "You make it sound so easy. But what would you do in that situation?"

Kong Chengli calmly finished his drink, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"I will show her what happiness is. If all else fails, I will take the initiative and make it a fait accompli, then spend the rest of my life making it up to her."

Li Wensong's lips twitched. He was truly shocked by this guy. He never expected that a direct descendant of the Kong family could utter such wild and insolent words.

Turning his head, he saw the thoughtful look in Gu Yu's eyes, and couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

He was already vaguely certain that his friend was actually Gu Yu himself. His cousin must be younger than him. If Gu Yu really got stuck on this, he would regret it!

Thinking of this, he quickly said, "No problem! I've been roaming the flower sea for years, this kind of small matter is a piece of cake!"

Kong Chengli put down his wine glass speechlessly. This guy seems to be a virgin, right? He only pretended to go to a brothel twice, and he dares to call himself a master of the entertainment industry?

Gu Yu was already so drunk that she had lost her ability to distinguish right from wrong. Upon hearing this, she couldn't help but look at Li Wensong with hopeful eyes.

Li Wensong's forehead was sweating as he racked his brains over his limited experience with women and alcohol. Suddenly, he slammed his hand on the table, looking confident and composed.

“These children are usually well cared for and highly valued. You should... tell your friend to do the opposite.”

Thinking about how the top courtesans fawned over him, Li Wensong spoke more and more fluently.

"For example, if you pay attention to other women in front of her and deliberately show them more attention, she will feel a sense of being ignored and unhappy."

"But! This means she's already focused her attention on you, and you've already won half the battle! Then, you can subtly show her that you're special to her, and you'll achieve twice the result with half the effort. You might even be able to kill two birds with one stone and have two women on your hands!"

Kong Chengli paused, the wine glass he was about to bring to his lips, a strange glint in his eyes, as if he were considering something.

Gu Yu listened blankly, her somewhat drowsy mind suddenly jolted awake. Wasn't this just exploiting the rebellious psychology of adolescence?! She hadn't expected Li Wensong to actually be so capable!

Having never been close to a girl in either his past or present life, the more he listened, the more sense it made, and he gradually became more determined to follow this path.

"Thank you so much—...I thank Brother Li on behalf of my good friend!"

Gu Yu's face lit up with joy, and he stood up and bowed. Li Wensong breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Gu Yu cheer up. Seeing this scene, a bold idea popped into his mind.

Gu Yu readily agreed when Li Wensong asked him to grant a request, but not now, and he didn't care.

The atmosphere between the three of them finally warmed up, and they enjoyed a delicious meal before parting ways.

……

"Miss, what exactly do you think of this Young Master Yu?"

Zijuan pulled Daiyu into the inner room, where the two were alone. She looked intently into Daiyu's eyes.

Upon hearing this, Daiyu's pretty face flushed red, and her eyes darted around unconsciously.

But sitting below is a brocade quilt sent by Gu Yu, on the table are pastries and fruits sent by Gu Yu, in the dressing table are jewelry sent by Gu Yu, and on the desk are books that Gu Yu and Gu Yu read and studied together... Where is there no trace of him?

As for the small odds and ends that Baoyu brought and the cage of thrushes outside the window, she subconsciously ignored them.

Seeing that Daiyu was still avoiding the issue, Zijuan had no choice but to confront her directly.

"Miss, do you like Young Master Yu?"

Daiyu was startled, and the next moment she felt her face was almost burned, but seeing Zijuan's serious expression, she didn't dare to get up and run away.

She's almost 12 years old, nearing the age of engagement. She had her period a while ago, and being precocious, she's also developed girlish feelings. She even had a dream a few days ago about a familiar figure from behind...

The room remained silent for a long time before Daiyu let out a soft "hmm". Zijuan sighed inwardly, knowing that something bad had happened, and could only continue to ask about Gu Yu's condition.

Over the years, Zijuan has served her wholeheartedly, which she has witnessed. In addition, she is older than Xueyan, so she likes to confide in Zijuan about many things, and the two are as close as sisters.

With a blush, Daiyu began to recount her first meeting with Gu Yu. She briefly mentioned the Gu family's situation, but even went so far as to recount how they slept in the same bed when Gu Yu was receiving treatment.

Despite her attempts to cover up the fact that she was still young, not even seven years old, seeing Daiyu's shy and delicate appearance really made Zijuan feel exhausted. How did she end up with such a gifted girl?

Although reluctant to spoil the atmosphere, Zijuan still asked, "Then what is Young Master Yu's attitude? Does he also like you, Miss? Or is it just because you're his cousin...?"

Daiyu's expression froze. She thought of Gu Yu's meticulous care for her, but then she remembered that they had rarely met in recent years. Zijuan's words seemed to have a magical power, easily making her hesitate.

Seeing that Daiyu's shyness had subsided, and her beautiful, delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, making her look fragile and endearing, Zijuan couldn't help but comfort her:

"Miss, please don't worry too much. Young Master Yu is busy with his studies and doesn't have much contact with outsiders. You and Young Master Yu are childhood sweethearts, so you still have a good chance..."

"What should I do now? Should I just go and ask him... whether... whether..."

"Absolutely not! What if Young Master Yu isn't thinking about that right now? Wouldn't that scare him?"

"So what should we do?"

Zijuan was on the verge of tears. She also wanted to ask what to do. It was her first time getting married, and she had no choice but to accept it.

"I've got it! Miss, you should first let Young Master Yu know that he's different in your heart, completely different from your feelings for his other brothers and sisters!"

"??"

Unlike her other siblings... she usually plays with her sisters together. Does that mean she should ignore Gu Yu?

Seeing that Daiyu still didn't understand, Zijuan could only continue trying:

"You need to treat Young Master Yu with a special attitude. Be reserved in ordinary times, but pay special attention to the details so that he knows that you treat him differently."

After hesitating for a moment, Zijuan finally spoke up, "Miss, please don't act as if you're very familiar with Master Bao and the others in front of Young Master Yu..."

"When did I do that?"

Daiyu was a little unhappy. It sounded like she had some kind of secret affair with Baoyu. She only regarded Baoyu as an ordinary relative. When the sisters chatted and laughed together, he would say a few words when he came. When had he ever taken the initiative to smile at her?

“But… when Young Master Yu came back earlier and greeted you, you avoided him and went to play with Bao Yu. He seemed a little unhappy…”

"I..." Daiyu opened her mouth, wanting to say that she was too shy to leave in a hurry, but how could she say such a thing?

Besides, the matter is already over, and there's no point in explaining. All I can do is nod reluctantly.

Zijuan really wanted to say that the main reason was that there were some rumors circulating in the mansion that Grandmother Jia wanted to match her with Baoyu. After all, as an elder of the Jia family, she was able to find out a lot of information.

But fearing it would damage the relationship between Daiyu and Grandmother Jia, he remained silent.

Before Gu Yu returned, she was still inclined to match Bao Yu and Miss Daiyu up. After all, they had grown up together and knew Bao Yu's personality. In addition, with Grandmother Jia's love and the Jia family's background, Daiyu would definitely not be mistreated after marrying into the family.

But now that she knows Daiyu's thoughts, even though she was sent by Grandmother Jia, she is now wholeheartedly thinking of Daiyu and can no longer care about anything else.

Moreover, according to Daiyu, his family background is not bad either. If that's the case, why not let Miss have her wish fulfilled?

"In short, the most important thing for you now is to be more reserved and let Young Master Yu feel that you are different from ordinary cousins."

"I see…"

……

Chapter Twenty-Two: Theoretical Mentorship

As soon as Gu Yu stepped out of the restaurant, he was stopped by two familiar faces, one of whom was the same commander he had met in Yangzhou years ago.

Gu Yu sobered up considerably immediately. The two sides casually found a private room and held friendly negotiations on the supply of soap and perfume to the palace. Although the price was higher, Gu Yu still felt the pinch.

That bastard actually squatted outside his workshop, secretly investigating the raw materials, and figured out all the different kinds of floral fragrances that he wasn't planning to sell and that had low production volumes.

Gu Yu really wanted to keep a secret for her own people, but she hadn't yet mastered the skill of lying through her teeth when faced with a list of documents, so she could only sell it with tears in her eyes.

This Left Commander was also helpless. Ordinary people couldn't protect something like this, only Gu Yu, who was under close surveillance, could be allowed to cause so much trouble.

His own subordinates have secretly cleaned up his messes countless times!

Now, even if the higher-ups want something, he can only squat outside and waste his brain cells looking at the raw materials. When has the dignified Embroidered Uniform Guard ever suffered such humiliation! Is this something he can do?! He immediately decided to stake out the master's house and capture the leader first.

The two reached an agreement in a cheerful manner, but as soon as they left the house, their faces turned sour, a remarkably consistent occurrence.

Gu Yu simply inspected his subordinate properties as a surprise check, and by the time he returned to the Jia residence it was already afternoon.

Before even entering the courtyard, I could hear some lively noise inside, which made my already bad mood even worse.

Gu Yu recalled Li Wensong's "golden words of wisdom," tried to adjust her mindset, and then stepped inside.

"...Sister Lin, now that we have some free time, why don't we go and see Sister Bao?"

After seeing Grandmother Jia off to the opera, Baoyu returned home for his afternoon nap. With nothing else to do in the afternoon, he remembered Zhou Rui's words and decided to visit Xue Baochai.

As he approached, he remembered that Lin Daiyu was also nearby, so he decided to turn a corner and invite Daiyu to come and visit him.

Just as Daiyu was about to reply, a thought suddenly struck her. She turned her head and saw Gu Yu enter the courtyard through the window, his voice rising several octaves.

"Brother Bao, you can go ahead. I still have some trivial matters to attend to. I'll go when I have some free time."

Baoyu wore a helpless expression. Ever since Aunt Xue's family came to Pear Fragrance Courtyard more than two years ago, he had been amazed by Xue Baochai's beauty and felt that she and Daiyu were like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each with their own unique charm.

But for some reason, Daiyu could get along well with Yingchun and the other two sisters, and later she could also get along with Xiangyun. However, she was always indifferent to the most beautiful Baochai, which really gave her a headache.

Seeing that Daiyu's voice had become much louder, clearly indicating her dissatisfaction with him, Baoyu could only smile wryly and take his leave.

As soon as he stepped outside, he saw two pretty maids, Qingwen and Xiangling, who made him envious, greeting someone. He had been humiliated earlier for trying to eat their rouge, so he dared not provoke them again.

Gu Yu and Bao Yu met face to face, and saw that he was no different from two years ago, still with that affectionate look.

But haven't they already consummated their relationship by now? Gu Yu nodded nonchalantly, considering it a definite greeting.

Baoyu looked at Gu Yu, who was wearing a long-sleeved blue robe with a jade pendant hanging at her waist and a white jade hairpin in her hair.

His attire was incredibly simple, yet paired with his handsome, jade-like face, he appeared ethereal and otherworldly, like a banished immortal. I stood there, stunned, thinking:

"There is such a person in the world! Compared to him, I am nothing but a mud pig and a mangy dog!"

Gu Yu was still somewhat distant from him, and he was too embarrassed to approach her rashly. So he missed his two study companions and Qin Zhong, whom he had met a few days ago.

Although Qin Zhong was far inferior to Gu Yu, Qin Zhong treated him very well!

Thinking of this, Baoyu seemed to have awakened some extraordinary interest...

Once Baoyu left, the two remaining clever people, each with their own thoughts, exchanged polite greetings and returned to their respective rooms.

When Xiangling warmed the bed and was about to run away that night, Gu Yu grabbed her and pulled her back into bed, intending to spend the next period of time cultivating a relationship with the two girls.

Xiangling could only bury her head in the sand like an ostrich, "It's all because the young master wouldn't let me leave... Qingwen can't blame me..." Of course, it's normal to check on development during this time, it's definitely not because he, Gu, was lustful.

However, I still don't dare to go too far these days. If things go wrong, I'll be the one who suffers. So I can only say a few flirty words.

Occasionally taking a peck and seeing Xiangling's face flushed is very satisfying!