Dream of the Red Chamber: Daiyu and I swapped clothes

Chapter 69 Fair Competition
Lixiangyuan,
Xue Baochai sat alone by the window, holding a copy of "The Analects for Women" in her hands, but her eyes were drifting out the window, and she did not turn the pages for a long time.

Ying'er, who was tying knots on the side, secretly observed and was very puzzled.

Even though she hadn't hurt her own daughter that night, why had she been so absent-minded for days after they returned?

When asked, they refused to say why.

It perfectly embodies the qualities that Miss Lin should possess in Ying'er's memory.

Sitting there like this isn't a solution, so Ying'er got up to pour some water.

Then Aunt Xue walked in from the outer room, gestured for her to be quiet, and waved her hand behind her.

Ying'er understood and quietly slipped out.

"Girl, what are you looking at?"

Lost in thought, Xue Baochai was startled by the sudden appearance of Aunt Xue, and the book slipped from her hand, falling to the ground with a thud.

Aunt Xue picked up the book, dusted it off, and after confirming that it was "The Analects for Women," she became even more puzzled.

"You could recite this book when you were five years old, so why are you studying it so hard now?"

Xue Baochai patted her chest and gasped for breath, her ears turning red from the question. "Mother, how can you appear and disappear so mysteriously? You're scaring good people half to death."

"A good person? You seem like a fool. If you didn't have something to hide, why would you be frightened by someone in broad daylight for no reason?"

Not wanting to get entangled with her any further, Xue Baochai changed the subject and asked, "Has my brother returned yet?"

"Pan'er? What do you want with him?"

Aunt Xue was even more puzzled. "He's back, but what good can that good-for-nothing do?"

"No need for Mother to worry."

Xue Baochai got up and left, heading straight outside.

Watching Xue Baochai's retreating figure, Aunt Xue murmured thoughtfully, "This girl... she hasn't been acting quite right lately."

Meanwhile, Xue Baochai arrived at the porch of Xue Pan's room, but hesitated again.

In recent days, she has often thought of Lin Daiyu's graceful figure on the Lantern Festival night, and the undisguised admiration in the eyes of the Marquis of Zhenyuan.

This presented her with an immense crisis.

Although she wasn't quite sure what kind of feelings she had for Li Chen, she was spurred on by Lin Daiyu and became somewhat unwilling to be outdone.

"As Lin Daiyu said, this is fair competition. If I do nothing, what kind of competition is this?"

Having made up her mind, Xue Baochai was about to knock on the door when it opened first, and a thick bolt nearly hit her in the face.

Xue Pan quickly stopped what he was doing and asked in surprise, "Sister, what brings you here?"

Xue Baochai's face paled, and she took a half-step back in shock, frowning as she asked, "What are you doing?"

Embarrassed, Xue Pan withdrew his hand and quickly stepped aside to invite Xue Baochai inside.

"I heard footsteps moving back and forth outside the door. I thought it was some ignorant little thief. Please don't be offended, sister."

As he spoke, he instructed the servant to prepare tea.

After Baochai settled into the only clean armchair, Xue Pan rubbed his hands and asked, "What brings you here, sister?"

Xue Baochai pondered for a moment and then asked, "How is the bookstore that Young Master Li asked you to set up the other day progressing?"

"Everything has been done as Brother Chen instructed!"

Xue Pan patted his chest and said, "I've sent Manager Dong to manage things. All the original staff have been dismissed, and he's replaced them with reliable people he's chosen. We're just waiting for Brother Chen to give the word to open for business!"

Seeing the furrow between Xue Baochai's brows, Xue Pan asked guiltily, "Is there something wrong with this?"

"You're really causing us a lot of trouble. This is a completely new business, and we don't know anything about it. Why did you fire all the old people? Manager Dong, Manager Dong isn't even a scholar. How can he tell the difference between a good book and a bad one?"

"Furthermore, you're letting Manager Dong find his own people? Even the branches of Feng have never been arranged like this. From now on, will this bookstore be yours or Manager Dong's?" Xue Baochai's words came out like a barrage of bullets, leaving Xue Pan completely bewildered.

"Then, what should I do according to my sister's opinion?"

Xue Baochai said coldly, "Bring me paper and pen. I'll tell you what I'm saying, but will you be able to remember it?"

Xue Pan nodded repeatedly, hurriedly telling the servant to fetch paper and pen from outside, then said dejectedly, "Sister, even if you write it all down, I don't know many characters."

"Bah, don't you have a single shrewd person by your side? Can't Manager Dong even read?"

"Yes Yes Yes."

Once the brush and ink were ready, Xue Baochai rolled up her sleeves and picked up her brush. Right there at the tea table, she wrote a "Bookstore Regulations" in one go.

It is analyzed in detail.

Two managers are appointed, with Manager Dong in charge of the accounts, and a deputy manager who is literate and appraises books; existing employees are selected for retention based on merit, with experienced staff mentoring new ones; the accounts must be jointly reviewed by three accountants each month...

Xue Pan didn't understand it, but he thought it was very impressive, and just kept clapping and cheering.

"My sister's thinking is indeed very meticulous!"

Xue Baochai just wanted to spit on him. She had been thinking about this for several days and nights and already had a plan in mind.

After handing over the matter, Xue Baochai finally felt relieved. Before leaving, she remembered something and turned back to instruct, "Don't go looking for Baoyu too often these days. He suffered a loss outside during the Lantern Festival. Grandmother and Madam are very distressed about it. Don't let this trouble affect you."

Mentioning Baoyu, Xue Pan immediately felt displeased. "What does his business have to do with me? It's just that he got lustful and went to provoke that scoundrel. It's ridiculous, really, he can't even tell the difference between men and women."

He thought to himself, "But like me, it doesn't seem to matter much whether he's male or female."

Xue Baochai patiently advised, "He still holds a grudge about you sending Xiangling to the Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion. He might ask about it when you see him again. If you two get into a fight over it, which side do you think the old lady will take? You should avoid him."

Xue Baochai's words only fueled Xue Pan's anger.

He's a stubborn tyrant; he's never suffered such humiliation before.

However, they were only released after Xue Baochai left.

"Pah! Who does he think he is? What does it have to do with him that I gave my girl to Brother Chen?"

"This is truly outrageous! He should be glad he didn't see me. If he had, I would never have let him get away with it!"

As he spoke, he picked up the handwriting left by Xue Baochai, folded it several times, and put it into his bosom.

"Alright, I can't be careless about Brother Chen's important matter. I'll head out now, so as not to waste my sister's good intentions."

"Someone, prepare a car!"

……

The Zhenyuan Marquis's Residence

That night, Lin Daiyu sat alone at her desk, propping her head up, pondering how to write a message to Li Chen.

"Things have been peaceful at the manor lately. Apart from the thief whom even he knows about, there's not much to write about. Mr. Xing teaches every day, and his studies are full of assignments, so he doesn't have much to say either."

"As long as he listens quietly in class, he won't be noticed by the teacher. Mr. Xing doesn't seem to like asking students questions."

As she pondered this, Lin Daiyu naturally recalled the conversation she had with Li Chong in the main hall.

"Should we write down the fact that the Marquis of Zhenyuan has misunderstood that the纨绔 (playboy) has feelings for me?"

Lin Daiyu's cheeks flushed slightly, and she felt a little ashamed.

She patted her cheeks, forcing herself to calm down. "Don't overthink it. This playboy might be using my body to spread even bigger rumors in the manor!"

Lin Daiyu nodded with absolute certainty.

(End of this chapter)