The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Jia Lian held the book in one hand, occasionally glancing down at Xiang Ling and reaching out to touch her delicate and beautiful face.

At these times, Xiangling would tilt her head slightly, meet his gaze with her almond-shaped eyes, and convey a deep sense of attachment and ingratiation.

Jia Lian naturally felt extremely pleased.

Suddenly, a maid's voice came from behind the screen door: "Second Master..."

Jia Lian instinctively felt somewhat dissatisfied.

Although there are no dedicated staff members in this study, it is mainly managed by Xiangling and Qingwen.

However, since it was a study, not just anyone could come in and disturb him.

However, when he looked up and saw a timid, thin, and beautiful little maid standing uneasily beside the screen, carrying a food box, Jia Lian's displeasure immediately dissipated. He nodded and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Second Grandmother made ginseng soup for Second Master, and my mother asked me to bring it to him."

Jia Lian originally intended to dismiss the maid casually, but upon hearing that it was specially prepared for him by Feng Jie, he changed his mind.

"Bring it here."

"Yes."

Perhaps it was because Jia Lian's attitude was consistent with the rumors of his approachability that the young maid, who was facing Jia Lian alone for the first time, felt much more at ease.

He carried the food box to Jia Lian and placed it directly on Jia Lian's desk.

This shows that the young maid has only been in the household for a short time and has not yet fully learned many rules and etiquette.

Because if it were someone as sensible as Ping'er, they certainly wouldn't have placed food directly on his desk.

The food box should be placed on the side table or the tea table in the corner of the room.

However, Jia Lian did not reprimand him. He simply moved his body forward a little and then moved the books that were closest to him to the other side.

At this moment, the little maid opened the food box and served Jia Lian a bowl.

Jia Lian indeed smelled the delicious aroma of meat soup, and its color was quite appetizing, so he decided to try it.

Just as I was about to take it, I caught a glimpse of the little girl's clean face and clear eyes.

To be honest, those small hands and thin arms, along with that sickly look, really did resemble Daiyu's.

So instead of immediately taking the soup bowl, he asked, "Your surname is Liu, and your name is Wu'er?"

Liu Wu'er was surprised that Jia Lian remembered her name, and then lowered her head and said, "Yes, this servant's name is Wu'er..."

I don't know what she was thinking, but her lowered face already showed a hint of shyness.

As the saying goes, a young girl's shyness speaks louder than words.

Jia Lian could never tire of such springtime scenery.

He asked with a smile, "Can you serve people? My hands are busy right now, how about you feed me the soup?"

Liu Wu'er was stunned again, and then she felt her heart trembling.

Even without her mother's words, it's hard to believe that any maid in the mansion wouldn't be excited by such an incredibly glorious event.

Suppressing his inner fantasies, he gave a soft "hmm," walked up to Jia Lian, scooped up a spoonful of hot soup, and was about to bring it to Jia Lian's lips.

Suddenly she remembered that the soup had just been cooked by her mother and brought over. It was still steaming hot when it was served, so it must still be very hot.

She quickly withdrew her hand, first giving Jia Lian an apologetic look, then lowering her head slightly, pursing her lips, and blowing on the ginseng soup in the spoon.

She kept in mind the details her mother had taught her about serving her master, and her lips opened and closed very slightly to ensure that nothing other than the wind could get into the spoon and displease Jia Lian.

After two or three rounds of this, once they were sure it was no longer too hot, they handed the soup spoon back to Jia Lian.

Jia Lian smiled, lowered his head, and drank.

Seeing her repeat her previous actions, Jia Lian nodded secretly.

Indeed, as long as a person is good-looking, every move they make is pleasing to the eye.

Jia Lian's undisguised scrutiny naturally did not escape the little beauty's eyes.

Liu Wu'er felt that everything was just as her mother had said, and she couldn't help but start to think about what she should do if the Second Master wanted to bully her after drinking the soup.
Should I agree, comply, or take the initiative as my mother suggested...?

I felt a mix of anticipation and worry.

Because she was serving Jia Lian soup, she naturally stood very close to him.

Suddenly, they noticed that the silk cloth hanging from the desk down to Jia Lian's thigh was swaying.

At first I thought it was a hallucination, but upon closer inspection I found that it was really swaying with a small amplitude but very rhythmic.

A hint of doubt flashed in Xing's eyes.

At the same time, she hesitated, unsure whether she should put down the soup bowl and bend down to tidy up Jia Lian.

She felt that the tablecloth lying so carelessly on Jia Lian was somewhat incongruous with his noble demeanor.

Dressing properly for their master was a required course for these maids.

Jia Lian moved forward a little further without making a sound, and said with a smile, "What are you standing there for?"

"Oh."

Liu Wu'er quickly abandoned her distractions and focused on serving Jia Lian soup.

Soon, only two pieces of chicken remained at the bottom of the bowl of ginseng soup, and Liu Wu'er asked for more.

Jia Lian said, "That's enough, I can't drink anymore either."

Take the rest home and drink it yourself. It'll help you recover; look how thin you are.

Anyone who didn't know better would think that the Jia family mistreats its servants.

Liu Wu'er suddenly felt that she had brought shame to the mansion because of her appearance.

However, she immediately said, "How can this be? This is Second Master's soup, how dare this servant be so disrespectful..."

"What do you mean 'dare'? It's just a bowl of soup. I told you to drink it, so drink it, and you have to finish it. If I find out you don't listen to me, I'll deal with you later."

"Oh."

Liu Wu'er didn't know how to respond to that, so she could only sadly tidy up the food box and bowls.

"correct……"

Upon hearing the sound, Liu Wu'er trembled and stood frozen in place, not daring to turn around.

This made Jia Lian feel that this girl was a bit strange.

However, he didn't have time to think too much about it; he just wanted to get rid of the girl as soon as possible and pamper Xiangling, who had worked hard all day.

"Are you working in the back kitchen now?"

"Well... my mother said I was clumsy and was afraid I wouldn't be able to do things well elsewhere. So she kept me by her side, saying that after I learned the rules of the manor, she would arrange for me to go... elsewhere."

Jia Lian nodded, "With your delicate appearance, you are indeed not suitable for working in the kitchen."

In that case, you shall serve at Xiaoxiang Pavilion from now on.

After Miss Lin enters the room, you should report to her.

I will talk to your great-grandmother about this. You and your mother should find some time to go see her and ask her to make arrangements for the follow-up.

"Yes……"

"Okay, you go out."

"Oh……"

After Liu Wu'er left, Jia Lian sat back down, lifted the purple silk cloth, and pulled up Xiangling, whose face was flushed with embarrassment.

"Second Master~"

Xiangling's almond-shaped eyes were glazed over.

Although it wasn't the first time she had served Jia Lian in this way, being cornered under the desk like this still made her very embarrassed.

I feel like I'm not far off from the seductive women described in some frivolous books.

But there was nothing she could do; she simply couldn't refuse any of the Second Master's requests.

The Second Master treats her so well and trusts her so much; everything she has belongs to him.

Jia Lian was captivated by Xiang Ling's unusually beautiful appearance.

Knowing that Xiangling was probably still a little embarrassed, he comforted her, saying, "Thank you for your hard work."

Xiangling had just shaken her head, about to say that she wouldn't feel tired at all if it made the Second Master happy, when she heard Jia Lian laugh and say, "Quickly, take off your clothes, let me reward you properly."

Xiangling was taken aback: "Here?" "Of course, your master still needs to read!"

Xiangling immediately looked embarrassed and uneasy: "No, that won't do..."

Generally speaking, Jia Lian rarely made a big fuss in places like his study.

This is also why she and Qingwen developed the habit of crawling under tables.

Xiangling thought to herself, "It's alright with Liu Wu'er just now, but what if some other girl comes along and gets caught? How will she ever be able to stay in the Begonia Society again?"

She wanted to persuade Jia Lian to carry her to the large rocking bed in the back room.

However, Jia Lian misunderstood Xiangling's meaning and laughed, "Don't worry, you can sit in my lap later, and I'll wrap you in my cloak, so you won't be cold."

Xiangling glanced subconsciously at Jia Lian's large, heavy woolen cloak. From Jia Lian's impatient movements as he began to undress her, she could tell that Jia Lian's mind was made up.

So she nodded shyly, and cooperated with Jia Lian's movements, stripping herself down to only a bright red undergarment. Then she stepped into Jia Lian's arms, wrapped herself in Jia Lian's cloak, and began to dance.

……

Liu Wu'er walked out of the study with a bewildered look on her face and soon saw her mother.

"Why did it take you so long to get in?"

Sister Liu looked at Liu Wu'er with a face full of anticipation.

Liu Wu'er disliked her mother's utilitarian manner and turned around to say, "Second Master wants to read, so he asked me to serve him ginseng soup."

Upon hearing this, Sister Liu's still somewhat charming face immediately broke into a bright smile.

"Is it just serving him soup?"

Liu Wu'er's face immediately turned bright red: "No, what else..."

"Oh, you child, do you know what a great opportunity you missed? It must be because you're too shy and not proactive enough."

Well then, since Master Lian allowed you to serve him ginseng soup, it means he doesn't dislike you, and might even like you a little.

Keep up the good work and try to seize another similar opportunity to win over Master Lian in one fell swoop.

If that's the case, you'll be the greatest contributor to our family.

"At that time, even I will have to listen to you."

Liu Wu'er hadn't thought much of it at first, but when she heard that even her mother had to listen to her, she was immediately moved.

Her mother was good enough to her, but she was too talkative and kept nagging in her ear all day long, which annoyed her to no end.

After thinking for a moment, she said, "Second Master Lian said I am not suitable to work in the kitchen, and asked me to go to Xiaoxiang Pavilion to serve Miss Lin."

"I also said I should find some time to take you to see the eldest mistress, so she can arrange for me to enter the Xiaoxiang Pavilion."

Sister Liu was truly stunned. "Is this really true?"

"Of course it's true, I wouldn't dare lie to you about something like this."

Sister Liu frowned and pondered for a moment, then suddenly thought of something, squatted down, cupped Liu Wu'er's little face, and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"what are you doing……"

"Hahaha, I knew my little Wu'er was destined for greatness."

You've really made your mother proud.

Okay, I'll take you to see Grandma tomorrow, and you'll be going to Xiaoxiang Pavilion from now on.

You should never go to that smoky, unpleasant place in the kitchen again in your life.

As an old resident of the Grand View Garden, Sister Liu knew all too well what was going on and how things worked in the garden.

Ask around the whole garden, and everyone knows that our Second Master Lian's favorite person is Miss Lin. In this respect, even Second Madam Lian might not be able to compare.

Although later, Baochai was added, she was also of divine character and could be considered on par with Lin Daiyu.

However, this will not affect Miss Lin's unique status in the slightest.

Clearly, once Miss Lin enters the household, she will become the most secure and influential figure in Master Lian's household.

Besides, everyone knows that when Master Bao tried to seduce Jin Chuan, he caused her to jump into a well.

Although everyone said that Second Master Lian was acting out of good intentions and to protect his brother's reputation, he sent the Jin Chuan sisters to serve Bao's daughter.

But that's just a lie.

If Master Lian had only wanted Jin Chuan, then these explanations would be somewhat plausible.

But he's even taking away both of his sisters.

It's obvious they'd had their eye on them for a while, and were taking the opportunity to send the two sisters to Bao's room so they could be used later.

If we follow this logic, wouldn't my fifth son be in the same situation?
The more she thought about it, the more excited Sister Liu became.

Especially when I thought about how I had observed Daiyu's character when I used to deliver her meals, I felt even more that this was a good place to go.

It's even better than she had originally planned to put her daughter in the main building.

Who doesn't know the formidable reputation of Second Madam Lian?
My daughter is so sickly and weak, and she's also soft-hearted and not very clever. Who knows if she'll get along well with Second Madam Lian?

"Quick, give me the food box. From now on, your hands can no longer do any heavy work."

"When we get back, I'll tell your father he's forbidden from ordering you around anymore. Leave all the household affairs to me; you just need to relax and wait to go to the Xiaoxiang Pavilion to serve Miss Lin."

Liu Wu'er didn't know why her mother was so happy, but this feeling of being valued and respected was indeed very pleasant.

"Hmm? How come there's still so much left in the jar? Didn't you say that Second Master Lian asked you to serve him soup?"

Sister Liu took the food box and noticed that the weight was wrong. She opened the lid and took a look, and immediately asked in surprise.

Liu Wu'er said shyly, "Second Master Lian only drank a small bowl and then stopped. He even told me to take it back and drink it myself. He said... he said I was too thin and weak, and people who didn't know better would think that I was being mistreated in the mansion."

Sister Liu was relieved. She patted Liu Wu'er's head and then led her back, smiling as she said, "Since it was Second Master Lian who told you to bring it back to drink, you should just obey."

However, you can't completely trust what men say.

Although Master Lian said those things, who knows what he was really thinking?

If you really gain weight later, he might even start to dislike you.

"Oh, Mom, I know, why are you nagging?"

"Hehe, this child."

Sister Liu was just giving a casual remark, thinking that a girl of this age was in the prime of her growth and it was unlikely that she would gain weight, so she was relieved.

Liu Wu'er had only dared to say one word, which she would never have dared to do before.

Because she knew her mother's sharp tongue all too well; even her father couldn't win an argument with her, let alone her.

However, she was surprised to find that her mother, instead of being angry when she talked back to her, looked at her with a doting expression.

It seems that her words about even her listening to her from now on were not just empty talk.

Suddenly, my heart was filled with boundless anticipation for the future.

"Oh, right, Mother..."

"what happened?"

"No, nothing... I just wanted to ask what kind of person Miss Lin is, and whether she is easy to serve."

Liu Wu'er suddenly remembered the strange scene she had seen in Jia Lian's study, and thinking that her mother was knowledgeable and experienced, she wanted to ask her about it.

But suddenly I realized I didn't know how to describe it, and as a young girl, the first time I served my master, I was staring at his lower body, and I felt very ashamed.

Unable to speak.

Sister Liu, unsuspecting, carried the food box in one hand and held her daughter's hand in the other, and said with a smile, "Miss Lin is a very good person. Don't listen to the nonsense of some blind people."

Actually, Miss Lin is very easy to get along with and is very generous.

Perhaps it was a case of the superiors setting an example for the subordinates, but the girls serving her in her room were also polite and reasonable.

Unlike some who rely on their master's power to act arrogantly.

So once you get there, you must make sure to get along well with the ladies in the room, especially Zijuan.
Even Miss Lin has to listen to her.

Also, although Miss Lin is easy to talk to, she is of noble status after all. When you serve her, you must be very careful and attentive. You must not be as lazy as you are when you are with me.

If you feel tired, or if you have suffered any injustice, just bear with it.

Come home when you have some free time, and I'll cook you something delicious to make it up to you.

...(End of chapter)