The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 548 The beauty hidden in the golden house
Wang Xifeng dressed up carefully tonight. Her long hair was shiny black after a bath, and she even smoked some perfume, which made her smell delicious. Her waist was tightly bound, and she wore a goose-yellow tube top. Her upper body was covered with a light gauze, as thin as a cicada's wing, and her shoulders and collarbones were faintly visible.

Before it was completely dark, Wang Xifeng asked her wet nurse to take her three or four-year-old daughter Qiaojie downstairs to coax her to sleep, and asked Feng'er to prepare some wine and snacks, waiting for her husband Jia Lian to return.

Jia Lian is now running the honeycomb coal business. He goes out early and comes back late almost every day, but his monthly salary is very considerable, nearly fifty taels, and there are dividends at the end of the year. It is said that his salary will increase to one thousand taels next year. If the dividends are included, his salary may be as high as three or four thousand taels.

Wang Xifeng was both happy and jealous, and at the same time a little worried. She was strong-willed by nature, and in the past she could rely on her family's power and money to control Jia Lian and always suppress her husband, but now that the Wang family's power has declined, Wang Xifeng has also lost her financial power as a housekeeper, and can no longer make extra money by lending money at high interest rates, and she dare not take on lawsuits outside to make money. With this kind of growth and decline, it is naturally impossible for her to suppress Jia Lian.

Therefore, Wang Xifeng could only lower herself, use a woman's gentle offensive, join hands with her maid Feng'er, and be considerate in every way, trying to bind her husband's heart.

But as a popular saying on the Internet later said: A dog licks a dog, and in the end he has nothing.

Jia Lian was a man of romantic nature, who didn't care about food or drink. How could he give up the juicy forest outside for the sake of his "yellow-faced wife"? Moreover, he was rich now. A man with money might not necessarily become a bad person, but the probability of becoming a bad person would definitely increase greatly. How could a teddy bear like Jia Lian control his lower body?

Just like tonight, Wang Xifeng dressed up carefully and was full of anticipation. She waited until late at night but did not see her husband. It was almost midnight when Jia Lian's long-time servant Xing'er came back to report that the Second Master had drunk too much at a social event with clients tonight and had stayed out and would not be coming back.

Wang Xifeng was naturally very disappointed and became suspicious. After some coercion and inducement, Xing'er finally told the truth. It turned out that Jia Lian was not entertaining clients that night, but was staying at his concubine's house.

That's right, Jia Lian actually hid it from Wang Xifeng and secretly kept a concubine outside. He also bought a small house for the concubine and even bought two maids to serve the concubine.

Wang Xifeng was so angry that her eyes were blazing with fire and she almost bit her teeth off. After scolding Jia Lian, she scolded Jia Huan. Before this, she thought Jia Huan was kind for once, as he not only offered her husband Jia Lian a generous salary, but also included 20% of the dividends from the honeycomb coal business into the public account.

Now Wang Xifeng suddenly realized that it was not necessarily a good thing for her that Jia Huan helped her husband Jia Lian make a lot of money. Yes, Jia Lian was rich, but he did not spend it on himself or give it to the household. Instead, he spent it on wine and women outside, imitating others who had beautiful mistresses in their mansions. As his original wife, she did not get any benefits except staying alone in the empty room.

In Wang Xifeng's view, Huan Lao San was full of bad intentions and must have expected this result, so she scolded Jia Huan as well, and scolded him even more harshly than she scolded Jia Lian.

…………

The second day of June was a holiday, and Jia Huan finally had a day off instead of going to court. Jia Huan specially called the housekeeper Lin Zhixiao to check the accounts, nodded and smiled, "Yes, if this continues, our family's debts should be paid off within seven or eight years."

Lin Zhixiao smiled and said, "Thanks to the Third Master's iron-fisted reforms, our expenses have been reduced by nearly half, and our income has also increased. It is estimated that we will have a surplus of several thousand taels this year."

Jia Huan smiled and said, "We have only just begun. Things will definitely get better and better. The honeycomb coal business is still growing. By the way, when the year-end dividends arrive, I will first pay back part of the money to my concubine (Aunt Xue)."

Lin Zhixiao nodded and said, "Okay, let's see how the farm's harvest is. If the harvest is good, then I'll pay more. Money from relatives doesn't count as interest, and I feel bad about always owing them."

Jia Huan nodded, feeling lost. He hadn't seen Baochai for more than two months since the Xue family moved out of the Jia Mansion. He did meet Xue Pan once by chance. This scoundrel had a very long face, his eyes were not eyes, and his nose was not a nose. He also threatened that he would do something famous in the future to make him regret it.

Jia Huan was confused at the time. Hearing Xue Dasha's indignant tone, it seemed as if he had abandoned Baochai after having an affair with her. As for Xue Pan's "bold words" about making a name for himself, Jia Huan did not take it seriously. It would be a blessing if this guy did not cause trouble and bring trouble to the family. He also wanted to bring honor to his family and make a name for himself. It was basically impossible.

After sending Lin Zhixiao away, Jia Huan returned to the garden and went straight to Xiaoxiang Pavilion as usual. In the midsummer, the sun was scorching, and Xiaoxiang Pavilion was a good place to escape the heat. The bamboo forest was quiet and the phoenix tails were dense, making the ground cool.

"Sister Lin..." When Jia Huan lifted the curtain, he was stunned and blurted out: "Sister Bao...how early or late did you come?"

It turned out that Xue Baochai was in the room at the moment, sitting and chatting with Lin Daiyu. She was wearing a pink satin cross-collared long jacket with gold edges, which was neither old nor new, and a light blue long skirt. She was still as gentle, dignified, quiet and elegant as ever.

Xue Baochai stood up, bowed, and said with a smile, "I have been here for quite some time. I just went to pay my respects to the old lady and the aunt. Where are you from, brother Huan?"

"Oh, I just went to the mansion to talk to Manager Lin about something. Sister Bao...are you all right?"

"Fortunately, Brother Huan doesn't have to go to court today?"

Lin Daiyu chuckled and said, "Aren't you tired of standing here? It's been such a short time since we last met, and you've become so estranged?"

Jia Huan was sweating secretly, and he sat down on a stool while taking the tea handed to him by Zijuan. Lin Daiyu saw the sweat on his forehead, and subconsciously reached out her handkerchief to wipe it off, but suddenly she remembered Baochai was watching, and she quickly retracted her handkerchief, her face inexplicably feeling a little hot.

Xue Baochai seemed not to notice anything. She just lowered her head and silently sipped her tea, then said with a smile, "Oh, I was just about to discuss something with Brother Huan. Since we met here, I might as well take a break and not go to Yuewei Residence. It's hot, and I'm too lazy to walk any further."

Lin Daiyu stood up and said, "I'll go for a walk outside, you two can chat slowly."

Xue Baochai quickly reached out her hand to hold her back, saying with a smile, "It's nothing serious. It's just that Brother Huan's novel, The Heaven Sword and the Slaughterer, is selling well at the bookstore. According to the agreement, we each get 50% of the profits. This is Brother Huan's first installment of the share, three hundred taels of silver."

As Xue Baochai spoke, she took out three silver notes with a face value of one hundred taels and handed them to Jia Huan.

"I don't lack money to spend now. It's so hot in here, but Sister Bao has specially brought it to me...Oh, thank you, Sister Bao." Jia Huan changed his words halfway through his words.

Xue Baochai smiled calmly and said, "Brother Ke arrived in Beijing a few days ago. My mother and I brought him here to meet the old lady and the lady. It was just a side trip."

Jia Huan said awkwardly, "So Mr. Ke has come to Beijing. I'll invite him later." Lin Daiyu glanced at Jia Huan, then at Xue Baochai, and suddenly she covered her mouth and laughed. Xue Baochai asked curiously, "What are you laughing at?"

Lin Daiyu shook her head and said, "Nothing, I just suddenly thought of something funny, you guys continue chatting."

Xue Baochai and Jia Huan both felt a little uncomfortable. The former stood up hastily and said, "It's getting late. I'll stay with the second and fourth ladies and the maid for a while. It's time to go back."

"Sister Bao, why don't you sit for a while?" Jia Huan asked hurriedly.

"No." Xue Baochai smiled politely, stood up and walked out of the house.

Lin Daiyu and Jia Huan also hurriedly stood up and saw them out of the house, watching Baochai and Ying'er, master and servant, disappear into the depths of the bamboo forest's secluded paths.

Jia Huan was feeling lost in thought when he suddenly felt a pain on his forehead. He came to his senses and turned to look at Lin Daiyu, only to see that the latter was twisting her handkerchief with a half-smile on her face.

It turned out that Lin Daiyu had just thrown a handkerchief at Jia Huan.

Jia Huan rubbed his forehead and asked innocently, "Why did Sister Lin throw the handkerchief at me?"

Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "I just heard a cry in the sky. It turned out to be a goose flying by. I was just about to point it out to you, Brother Huan, but my handkerchief accidentally touched you. I'm sorry."

Jia Huan looked up at the sky and pretended to be stupid, "Where is the stupid goose?"

"Far away in the sky, yet close at hand!" Lin Daiyu threw her handkerchief at Jia Huan.

Jia Huan's face flushed, he picked up the handkerchief and smelled it, then stuffed it into his arms and said, "Xueyan, your daughter said you were stupid."

Lin Daiyu burst out laughing and said angrily, "Give it back to me." She reached into Jia Huan's arms.

"Haha, it's too late. The handkerchief is mine now." Jia Huan opened his arms and tied up Lin Daiyu with both her hands. No matter how the latter struggled, she could not break free.

"Who is the stupid goose now?" Jia Huan asked with a smile.

"Let go!"

"No, unless you call me brother."

"Brother Huan, I'm going to be angry!"

"Getting angry won't help!"

"Xueyan, help me!"

Xueyan said with a smile: "What did the young lady say? I didn't hear it clearly." Then she walked away.

Jia Huan said proudly: "Look, those who are righteous will have many supporters, while those who are unrighteous will have few. Sister Lin, just accept your fate."

Lin Daiyu had no choice but to whisper shyly, "Good brother, please forgive me. I won't dare to do it again."

Jia Huan then loosened his hand. Lin Daiyu's pretty face was now flushed, her hairpins were in disarray, her eyes were full of seductive charm, and she was truly charming.

Lin Daiyu rolled her eyes at Mouhuan, who had turned into a "silly goose" again, gently smoothed her disheveled hair, and turned back inside.

Just as Jia Huan was about to follow him into the house, a maid came in hastily and said, "Master Huan is here. I've been looking for him for a long time. Go and take a look. Second Madam Lian and First Madam Zhen are quarreling, and no one can stop them."

Jia Huan frowned and asked, "Why?"

The woman's expression suddenly became interesting, and she said, "It seems that Second Master Lian secretly kept a concubine outside. That person is the half-sister of Grandmother Zhen, whose name is Second Sister You. When Second Madam Lian found out, she was burning with jealousy and is trying to bring bad luck to Grandmother Zhen."

Jia Huan's heart moved. It seemed that the bomb he had buried had finally exploded. He did not want to get involved in such a mess, so he shook his head and said, "It is not easy for me to intervene in this matter. You should ask the first wife and the mistress to handle it."

Seeing that Jia Huan didn't care, the old woman had to leave in anger.

Sorry, I will go back to my hometown this weekend to visit the graves and pay respect to my ancestors. I will update once every two days tomorrow, and I may need to take a leave. I want to let you know in advance.

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(End of this chapter)