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

Page 12

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"We both know who you are, but I won't go out of my way to get close to you. I want to see what talents the Gu family scions have and keep them nagging!"

……

"When spring comes, I will not speak first... What a fine poem! It's a pity that Brother Yu is low-key and unwilling to show it to others. It would be a real shame to lose it like this! Perhaps we should write it down first and talk about it later."

……

"Good heavens, so Yingkexuan is yours! Chengli, come here quickly, let's go there for a free meal today!"

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"Damn it! Why are you getting more and more handsome? The village beauty was only looking at you, and you almost overshadowed my good looks."

"Have you no shame? Look at what you looked like when you were ten. I'm only half a head shorter than you now. And you're three years older than me. You'd better watch out, or you'll be shorter than me in a couple of years. Then you'll become Li Dalang, but you won't be able to find a Pan Jinlian to match you."

"...You motherfucker...Don't run! Stop right there!..."

……

Originally, this place was all filled with wonderful memories, but after he learned about the male homosexual acts, he suddenly felt that his brotherhood was about to change...

Watching Gu Yu's increasingly ethereal figure, Li Wensong could no longer bear the torment in his heart. When he sought out Cheng Li to confide in him, the two gazed at each other for a long time, everything unspoken...

When they took a break at a farm during their field trip, Li Wensong subtly inquired about Gu Yu's opinion on homosexuality. Gu Yu, seemingly oblivious to the situation, casually remarked, "True love knows no gender; I only wish you blessings."

Before they could even speak, Gu Yu, who was bathing in the river for the first time, pulled them along because there was no hot water, so they would have company.

As his well-defined pectoral muscles gradually revealed... his fair skin... his slightly muscular back...?

Before they could even turn the corner, Gu Yu turned back and invited them to come down together, which completely dispelled their thoughts.

"How can it be so big?!?"

The two were already more mature than their peers, and taller. Young people like to secretly compare themselves, and they were even more proud to find that they were also quite well-endowed.

I only realized today what it means to be outmatched. Gu Yu is almost three years younger than them, not only is he only half a head shorter, but he's also taller than them in the waistline, which has completely rekindled the brotherhood between the three of them...

Six months later, after someone touched Gu Yu's face while he was resting in the pavilion and Gu Yu broke his bone, Li Wensong and the others finally learned about Gu Yu's views on homosexuality and gave up their idea of ​​trying it out when they got back.

……

Since I was still hungry after coming from the examination hall, the dishes served were light Cantonese dishes to soothe my stomach.

Spicy Bird's Nest Soup, Braised Fish Maw with Mixed Grain Soup, Braised Pork Belly with Fish Maw, Skillfully Mixed Boiled Chicken, Steamed Grouper, and Giant Sea Bass...

Nearly twenty dishes were placed on the table, and then a basket of hairy crabs and sauces were brought out.

Li Wensong looked around, then slapped his forehead and finally remembered that something was missing.

"Yu Meiren, it was understandable that you couldn't drink when you were less than ten years old before you left the capital, but now that you're back, you're almost old enough to get married, so surely you can drink now!"

Gu Yu paused in peeling the crab, pointed to her glass, and weakly retorted, "Isn't fruit wine also considered wine...?"

"..." Looking at the fruit wine produced by Gu Yu's shop, which even a young woman could drink half a jar of, the air suddenly became quiet.

"...Sigh, baijiu is too strong, and it's really too much for first-time drinkers. Luckily, we have a few jars of 20-year-old Nu'er Hong in the store. How about I drink this with you today?"

"Alright, let's drink until we drop tonight!"

……

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"boom!"

Looking at Gu Yu, who had downed a drink and slumped onto the table, the two exchanged bewildered glances, seriously suspecting they had been tricked.

Just as Li Wensong, trembling with anger, was about to rebuke the actor's behavior, he saw Gu Yu suddenly sit up again, her face flushed and her eyes glazed over, and then she grabbed the jar and gulped it down.

Kong Chengli was startled and quickly went to snatch the wine jar.

"Gu Yu, let go! You're drunk!"

"I'm not drunk! Let me go!"

"Wen Song, what are you still standing there for? Help!"

……

After all that fuss, it was already past 7 PM by the time we finished dinner.

Seeing that Gu Yu seemed to have recovered, the two gave her a final reminder, telling her that she needed to go to the Imperial Academy to check her name in half a month before bidding farewell and leaving, turning back every few steps.

Watching the two figures depart, Gu Yu couldn't suppress the effects of the alcohol and had to ask the servants to take her to the Rongguo Mansion in a sedan chair.

...

After an unknown amount of time, Gu Yu suddenly felt a soft body snuggle into her arms. Her eyelids were too heavy to open, so she simply hugged it tightly and fell into a deep sleep…

Chapter Twenty: The House Was Robbed?

Gu Yu had a dream for the first time in a long time, and it was a erotic dream. Although he couldn't see the face clearly, the voluptuous body made him unable to resist, and he made love to her.

When the clouds finally cleared and the rain stopped, Gu Yu suddenly felt a chill in his crotch and woke up.

Looking at the pretty face facing him, even more refined than two years ago, yet still retaining her charmingly innocent look, he couldn't help but chuckle.

Feeling the slight trembling of the delicate body in his arms, and looking at Xiangling whose face was extremely flushed but whose eyes were still tightly closed as if she were asleep, Gu Yu couldn't help but lower his head and kiss her cheek, then looked up and called out, "Qingwen?"

Qingwen, who was keeping watch outside, had already been awakened by Xiangling's soft moans and whimpers not long ago. When she heard Gu Yu calling from inside, she roughly guessed what was going on.

Blushing, she replied and got up to prepare clothes and hot water, inwardly cursing but also feeling a pang of jealousy.

"That damned hussy, she's gone to the young master's bed again and won't come back. She'll be corrupted by you sooner or later."

After delivering the things inside, he saw Xiangling still nestled in Gu Yu's arms. He couldn't help but slap Xiangling's bottom in annoyance and said:

"Aren't you going to get up and serve the young master? I dreamt about a kitten meowing all night, which made me dizzy. I guess I don't have the energy to serve him."

Watching the charming and clever Qingwen chattering away at Xiangling, Gu Yu smiled inwardly. Although she hadn't been back for two years, she looked just like she did yesterday. How wonderful!

After Qingwen turned and left, Xiangling shyly got up to help Gu Yu change her clothes.

Young people are so hot-blooded; he almost accidentally discharged the gun again. It's a pity he hasn't been back for two years. He was about to go and pay his respects to Grandmother Jia, so he could only take a few deep breaths of incense before letting her off the hook.

Because of his drunkenness, Gu Yu woke up a little late. He asked the servants and found out that Daiyu had already left. So he had to take Qingwen to Grandmother Jia's place alone.

……

Looking at Gu Yu bowing to her from the stage, Grandmother Jia felt a mix of emotions.

In terms of family background, he was naturally inferior; in terms of knowledge, she had been studying at the Imperial Academy for several years, while Baoyu only knew how to play among the sisters and maids.

In terms of appearance, although she always said that Baoyu was blessed with good looks and had a first-class appearance, anyone with discerning eyes could see that there was still a difference between the two.

At such a young age, she was able to manage a small courtyard in an orderly manner. Although Baoyu moved out of the green gauze curtain, he still stayed in his own courtyard.

Thinking about how Daiyu's illness had gradually improved over the years, although she was still somewhat weak, she had grown into an even more outstanding young woman. Lin Hai also had the intention of bringing Daiyu and Gu Yu together, which made Grandmother Jia unhappy.

She naturally hoped that her beloved daughter's only daughter would live a good life, but she still wanted to save such a girl with a first-class family background, appearance, and character for her own son, Baoyu, so that Baoyu could live a carefree life.

As for Gu Yu, her main plan was to have one of the three sisters enter the Gu family, which would kill three birds with one stone. But Gu Yu's excellence put a lot of pressure on Bao Yu!

Gu Yu was somewhat worried that he would be avoided because of his advancing age, but seeing that Grandmother Jia kept quiet about the matter and instead encouraged him to get closer to the Jia sisters, he was happy to play dumb and agree.

After sitting for a while, Gu Yu said goodbye. On the way, she played around with Qingwen for a while, breaking the slight awkwardness that had arisen after two years apart.

As soon as I entered the courtyard, I saw two people walking towards me. The one in the lead had delicate eyebrows, bright eyes and white teeth, and a delicate and graceful appearance. She was as beautiful as a fairy. Who else could she be but Daiyu?

The two stared at each other for a long time, until Daiyu couldn't help but look away. Only then did Gu Yu wake up with a start.

"...Sister Lin, it's been a long time! Where are you going?"

"Cousin Yu... made plans with someone yesterday, and he's on his way to go play with Musk Moon and the others."

Daiyu hurriedly lowered her head, gave a perfunctory bow, and then quickened her pace to escape from the courtyard gate.

Only when Gu Yu was out of sight did Daiyu stop, clutching her pounding heart, her face flushed with embarrassment.

The thought of how she had been staring at Gu Yu so intently just now made her feel utterly drained.

"Brother Yu...you're getting more and more handsome...I just..."

"Miss...Miss?"

Zijuan, who had caught up, looked at Daiyu, who was in a daze, with a strange expression. She finally came to her senses and quickly called out to her a few times, subtly diverting her attention, but she couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

As an elder in the Jia family, she naturally knew about the gradual change in Grandmother Jia's attitude over the past few years.

Daiyu initially disliked Baoyu's attitude, but after spending several years together, she gradually realized that Baoyu's nature was not bad. As a result, her brothers and sisters gradually became more friendly and affectionate, no longer treating him like a thief, which instead embarrassed Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang.

However, the sudden rumors of a perfect match made her wary, wondering what Grandmother Jia's opinion was.

Gu Yu has spent very little time at the Jia family mansion in the past four years, and in the last two years he has been traveling and studying in the capital, so there has been little news of him.

She didn't know Gu Yu's family background, nor did she know what Gu Yu thought of Daiyu. She only saw that Daiyu seemed to have a different attitude towards her cousin. Fearing that Daiyu would meet the wrong person, she was very worried about her!

"Let's go, let's go! Musk Moon and the others are getting impatient. We have to solve those nine-linked rings today!"

Along the way, Zijuan subtly inquired about Gu Yu's whereabouts, but seeing that Daiyu was somewhat displeased, she wisely kept quiet. Little did she know that a young woman's heart is unpredictable, and her strange possessiveness could come at any time, even from her closest maid whom she could confide in.

……

Gu Yu watched Daiyu leave with "polite but distant" bows, and upon hearing that she was going to play with Mushe, she stood there for a long time, her face suddenly darkening, her mind in turmoil.

The thought of racking my brains, going to Guizhou to find chili peppers, buying potatoes from the barbarians, making soap and perfume, and finding a whole bunch of recipes like egg yolks and milk to help them take care of themselves from a young age, all for the sake of letting them enjoy a better life, is truly inspiring.

While I was out there suffering and traveling with Wen Song and Cheng Li, on my travels and explorations of ancient sites, a spoiled brat like Bao Yu could spend his days chasing chickens and dogs and having fun. We're both young masters, so why is there such a big difference?

Although Daiyu is not as close to Baoyu as she was in the original novel, as long as that idiot Baoyu is around, he will always be a potential threat.

It's better to be safe than sorry. If we get too close to them, what if that so-called "Wood and Stone Covenant" really comes true? Wouldn't we be devastated then?!

Thinking of this, Gu Yu's expression changed constantly, as if she had opened a dye shop, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of powerlessness.

"Is it really impossible to escape the ending in the book?... Must I really cry myself to death to settle this karmic entanglement?"

Seeing Gu Yu standing there in a daze for a long time, Qingwen went up to take a look and was startled to see that Gu Yu's face was extremely pale, and there was a layer of sweat on his forehead. His expression was unfocused. She quickly supported him and called for help.

"Wang Mama! Xiangling! Someone come quick! Oh dear, the young master has fainted!"

……

Although the room was filled with laughter and chatter, Daiyu seemed somewhat distracted, her mind elsewhere, and her mood was rather low.

Seeing this, Baoyu carefully stepped forward to offer a few words of concern. Before she could reply, Zhou Rui's wife walked in carrying a box.

Zhou Rui's wife came in and said with a smile, "Miss Lin, your aunt asked me to bring you some flowers."

Upon hearing this, Baoyu immediately asked, "What kind of flowers are they? Bring them to me." He then reached out and took them. When he opened the box, he saw that they were exquisitely crafted artificial flowers made of gauze, in the style of the imperial court.

Daiyu glanced at the flowers in Baoyu's hand and, seeing that the two flowers didn't even match in color, narrowed her eyes and asked:

"Is this just for me, or do all the other girls get one?"

Zhou Rui's wife said, "Everyone has received theirs; these two branches are for the young lady."

Daiyu was already feeling uncomfortable, and upon hearing this, she couldn't help but sneer, "I knew it, they wouldn't give me anything that wasn't left over."

Zhou Rui's wife was secretly annoyed when she heard this, but since she had broken the rules, she didn't dare to make a fuss.

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit dull, Baoyu tried to smooth things over by asking, "Sister Zhou, what were you doing over there?"

Zhou Rui's wife said as she walked down the slope, "Madam is there. She went to give a reply, so my concubine asked me to bring her along."

Baoyu asked, "What is Sister Bao doing at home? Why hasn't she come over these past few days?" Zhou Rui's wife replied, "She's not feeling well."

Upon hearing this, Baoyu said to the maid, "Who will go and see her? Just say that Miss Lin and I sent someone to inquire about Auntie's health and what illness she has and what medicine she is taking. Logically, I should come in person, but just say that I just came from school and caught a bit of a chill, and that I will come to see her in person another day."

With that, Qianxue agreed to go.

Zhou Rui's wife was just about to leave when Xueyan's voice suddenly came from outside.

"Miss, Young Master Yu has fainted!"

Daiyu was struck dumb. She hurriedly got up and ran out, ignoring Zijuan's calls from behind. Her mind was a mess, but tears kept flowing.

Thinking back to how they had just met not long ago, how could she have suddenly fainted? The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, and she almost fell. It was only when Zijuan and Xueyan caught up from behind that she was able to regain her senses and hurriedly head back.

……