The Red Mansion in its bustling glory

Jia Jue was trying to ease the tension by talking to Zhou Rui's wife, but Daiyu wasn't looking in their direction.

Zhou Rui's wife stayed there for a while, but she felt bored and had other things to do, so she said goodbye.

After Zhou Rui's wife left, Jia Jue said to Daiyu, "Sister Bao is ill. It's only right and proper that we go to see her."

Daiyu sneered at these words: "That's really strange. Why are you saying this to me? Do you expect me not to tell you to go and see Sister Bao?"

Jia Jue said, "That's certainly not what I meant."

Daiyu said, "What else could you mean? Do you think I'm holding you back and preventing you from seeing Sister Bao?"

"no......"

Jia Jue said, "Why are you saying such hurtful things, sister?"

Daiyu said, "What angry words? I'm the least likely to say anything in anger; I'm just stating the facts."

He stood up and said that he was tired from reading for so long and wanted to go back to rest.

Jia Jue had no choice but to let her do as she pleased.

The next day, Jia Jue got up with nothing to do, so he remembered mentioning to Aunt Zhou the day before that he was going to see Baochai.

He then made up his mind and went to Baochai's place.

Meanwhile, Baochai was sitting idly in her room when a maid came over to announce, "Miss, Third Master Bao has arrived."

"Baoyu?"

Xue Baochai thought to herself, "Baoyu is here again? Ever since I fell ill, Baoyu has come often. It's kind of him to have this thought in him."

Thinking about it, she quickly asked the maid to invite Baoyu in.

Before long, Baoyu came in.

Today, he was dressed in a bright red robe with gold lettering, wearing a headband with two dragons playing with a pearl on his head, and a precious jade pendant around his neck. He looked every bit the dashing young master!

When Baoyu arrived, he asked Xue Baochai, "Sister, how have you been feeling lately?"

Just as Baochai was about to answer, she heard someone outside announce, "Miss Lin has arrived!"

Upon hearing the words "Miss Lin," Baoyu shuddered and immediately turned his head to look at the doorway.

But from behind the curtain, a figure appeared faintly, seemingly real yet illusory, as it gracefully approached.

The curtain was gently lifted, and from behind it appeared an exquisitely beautiful face.

This face is the face of Lin Daiyu, whom Baoyu longs for.

Upon seeing his younger sister, Baoyu seemed to forget the existence of his older sister.

He hurried forward—"Why are you here, little sister? You're not feeling well either, why aren't you resting inside?"

Baochai, standing nearby, watched this scene with a slightly strange expression on her face.

Daiyu took a step back gently and said, "I'm so sorry to trouble you with your concern, Third Brother. I've been feeling much better lately, but I heard that Sister Bao wasn't feeling well, so I thought I'd come and visit."

Then Daiyu looked at Baochai and asked, "Is Sister Bao feeling alright?"

Baochai smiled and nodded, saying, "It's kind of you to worry about me like this, sister. I'm feeling much better now."

Just as the three were about to continue their conversation, they heard the maid call out from outside, "Second Master Jue has arrived!"

As they were speaking, the curtain moved and a figure appeared.

The three looked over and realized that it was none other than Jia Jue.

Upon seeing three people standing or sitting in the room, Jia Jue couldn't help but laugh and say, "Why is it so lively today?"

Then she asked Baochai, "Is Sister Bao feeling much better?"

Baochai smiled and said, "I'm much better now. My health has always been like this, so there's nothing seriously wrong with me."

Jia Jue smiled and said, "It's good that you're feeling better. I heard a few days ago that you weren't feeling well, but I've been too busy these past few days and forgot about it. Please forgive me, sister."

Baochai laughed and said, "What's the big deal? I'm just glad you came."

At this moment, Daiyu suddenly interjected, "So Brother Jue is here today too. If I had known he was coming, I wouldn't have come."

These words left Xue Baochai and Baoyu completely baffled.

Baoyu asked, "What does that mean?"

Daiyu laughed and said, "Third Brother is usually so clever, how come he's so confused today? If he comes today, I'll come tomorrow, then it won't be too crowded or too quiet. It's better than several people coming at once."

Her words made Baoyu and Baochai laugh.

Only Jia Jue looked strange.

Before Baochai could inquire about Jia Jue's expression, she heard Baoyu say, "Why do you smell so good, Sister? Did you wear some perfume?"

Hearing Baoyu's question, Baochai laughed and said, "Why would I need to burn any incense? I've always disliked incense. What's the point of putting incense on a perfectly good dress?"

Hearing Baochai's words, Baoyu sniffed hard again and said, "If it's not incense, then why does Sister smell so good?"

At this moment, Baochai was already a little impatient. She thought to herself, how could a young woman like her be asked by a man why she smelled so good?

However, out of consideration for their kinship, Baochai couldn't bring herself to make a scene.

So he said, "Perhaps it's the smell of the medicine I took."

Upon hearing this, Baoyu asked in surprise, "What kind of medicine smells so good? Sister, could I have a pill to try?"

Baoyu's words caused the three of them to burst into laughter. "Nonsense!" Baochai laughed. "And then there are those who take medicine indiscriminately."

Upon hearing this, Baoyu still asked, "I wonder what kind of medicine Sister is taking?"

Just then, Xue Baochai's personal maid, Ying'er, came over and said, "The medicine our young lady is taking is called 'Cold Fragrance Pill'."

"Cold Fragrance Pill?" Upon hearing this, Baoyu turned around and said, "A good name."

Xue Baochai was already quite agitated and wanted to change the subject, so she said to Baoyu, "I heard you had a piece of jade on you when we were in Jinling. I wonder if I could take a look at it?"

Baoyu always listened to pretty girls, so when he heard Baochai say this, he naturally obeyed and took off the jade and handed it to Baochai.

When Baochai received the jade, she found it to be multicolored and very beautiful.

There were even words engraved on it. When Xue Baochai read them, she heard them read: "Never forget, never lose, may you live a long and prosperous life."

"Never forget, never forget, may you live a long and prosperous life—" Ying'er murmured the name to herself, thinking, "Why do these words sound so familiar..."

Suddenly, she exclaimed, "I've got it! Our young lady's gold lock also has eight characters on it, which seem to match this one!"

Upon hearing Ying'er's words, Xue Baochai's expression changed abruptly, and she quickly said, "Ying'er!"

But since the words had already been spoken, Baoyu asked, "Sister, do you have a gold lock? May I take a look?"

Baochai now regretted her actions; hadn't she just ruined herself?

Having no other choice, she had to remove the gold lock.

When Baoyu took the lock and looked at it, he saw that there were four characters engraved on each side, which together read: "Never to part, forever young."