Dream of the Red Chamber: A Refined and Elegant Young Man in a Turbid World

Baoyu panicked and rushed forward to grab her, saying urgently, "Good sister, please forgive me this time! I was confused for a moment and said the wrong thing. If I had any intention of bullying you, may I fall into the pond tomorrow and be swallowed by a toad-headed turtle, turning into a giant tortoise. When you become a first-rank lady and pass away in your old age, I will carry your tombstone for you for the rest of my life!"

Seeing this, Jia Cong had an idea and stepped forward, pretending to offer advice.

"Brother Bao, you're mistaken. Miss Lin is very sensitive and dislikes such frivolous remarks. How could you use a joke from a book to tease her? Do you really think of Miss Lin as Yingying from the book, only caring about your own momentary pleasure and disregarding your sister's reputation?"

Daiyu was already annoyed by Baoyu's nonsense, and hearing Jia Cong's words only fueled her anger!

Young women value their reputation, and she is most averse to being compared to other women. Now that Jia Cong has pointed out the importance of reputation, she feels that Bao Yu's actions are deliberately belittling her, and she can no longer bear it.

She immediately shook off Baoyu's hand, her eyebrows furrowed, her almond eyes wide open. "I thought you were a close friend, that you understood my feelings, but I never expected you to be such a frivolous person! You use those lewd and obscene words to tease me, and even compare me to the women in those books. I've always treated you like a brother, and I never knew you were such a vile and depraved person, full of absurd thoughts!"

She grew angrier as she spoke, tears welling up in her eyes.

"From now on, I will never see a frivolous person like you again! Second Master, you'd better watch yourself!" After saying that, he didn't mention the matter of burying flowers, picked up the flower hoe, and turned to leave without even looking back.

Baoyu panicked and was about to chase after him when Jia Cong stopped him, feigning a sigh as he tried to persuade him.

"Second Brother and Miss Lin have always been on good terms. Why are you being so frivolous today? In my opinion, it would be better to let Miss Lin calm down first, and then Second Brother can go."

Baoyu was so anxious he almost went mad, repeatedly slapping his head.

"It's my fault, it's all because of these stories! Good brother, I'm so grateful for your reminder today, otherwise I don't know what wrong things I would have said to upset Lin Daiyu!"

Jia Cong suppressed a laugh and comforted Baoyu again.

"Second brother, don't worry. That Miss Lin has been your childhood sweetheart since you were little. How could she be dismissed with just a few jokes..."

Baoyu quickly grabbed his arm and pleaded urgently.

"Good brother, I know you are very talented and skilled in the study of things. Why don't you find a way for me to beg Lin Daiyu to forgive me this time?"

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible glint of mischief flashed in Jia Cong's eyes, but his face broke into a sincere smile as he patted Bao Yu's hand.

"Miss Lin is very perceptive and doesn't appreciate ordinary things. I recently acquired a fine piece of satin and asked the most skilled embroiderer in the manor to embroider a little something for her. I guarantee it will suit her taste."

The following afternoon, Jia Cong came to Yihong Courtyard looking for Baoyu, carrying a small box. He pretended to be mysterious and pushed it away.

"Second brother, look, this is Fang Su embroidery. It features twin lotus blossoms, symbolizing unity. I had the embroiderer write a poem on the side, imitating your style. Take it to Miss Lin and just say that you personally asked someone to find the embroiderer to make it. I guarantee she'll calm down a lot."

Baoyu had no interest in examining it closely. He snatched the lacquer box as if it were a priceless treasure, and turned to run towards Xiaoxiang Pavilion, forgetting even to say thank you.

Jia Cong stood there, watching his retreating figure, and finally couldn't help but chuckle softly before turning away.

Inside the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Daiyu was reclining on the couch reading a book, with Zijuan attending to her. Seeing Baoyu burst in, Daiyu immediately frowned and turned away.

"Who do we have here? It's Second Master! Be careful, I've dirtied your feet!"

Panting, Baoyu carefully took out the lacquer box and smiled apologetically, "Good sister, I was foolish and shouldn't have said those nonsense things, so I specially asked a craftsman to make a sample for you. Take a look and calm down."

Daiyu initially didn't want to pay him any attention, but the gilded lacquer box piqued her curiosity.

"What kind of junk are you trying to fob me off with?"

Zijuan quickly stepped forward to take the wooden box. Upon opening it, she found a piece of Suzhou embroidery inside. The twin lotus flowers on the silk were vividly depicted, with fine stitches. A line of words was inscribed on the side: "The lotus heart suffers the same pain, let us not betray our love."

Even more coincidentally, the calyx of the twin lotus flowers was embroidered with a pattern somewhat resembling the gold lock pattern that Baochai often wore, but it was embroidered so subtly that only a careful observer could notice the difference.

Daiyu glanced at it, not initially paying close attention, but as her gaze swept over the calyx and then fixed on the words, her expression changed drastically. She grabbed the embroidered handkerchief, her shoulders trembling with anger.

"Very well, Second Master, you're really thoughtful! Trying to fool me with this rubbish, do you think I'm blind?"

Baoyu was taken aback, and quickly stepped forward.

"What's wrong, little sister? Aren't these twin lotus flowers exceptionally beautiful?"

"Excellent?" Daiyu sneered, then threw the embroidered silk handkerchief hard at Baoyu's face.

"Look at these calyxes, they look like some sister's lock! And these words, 'Do not betray my love,' have you betrayed me, or are you going to betray someone else? I wondered how you came up with a plan so quickly, turns out you were prepared all along. I've become a laughing stock!"

Baoyu was stunned by the blow. He picked up the embroidered silk and examined it closely, but he couldn't see any resemblance between the calyx and a golden lock. He became anxious and his face turned red. "Sister, you've misunderstood! This is just an ordinary twin lotus. How can it resemble a golden lock? I asked the embroiderer to write this inscription; there was absolutely no other meaning behind it!"

"You wrote it yourself?" Daiyu raised an eyebrow, her tone sharp as a knife.

"Don't I know your meager calligraphy skills? This imitation is similar, but it lacks your naiveté and has become more slick. If you were truly apologetic, why wouldn't you even dare to inscribe your own name? I suspect it's just a facade put on by someone else; you didn't take it seriously at all!"

Baoyu was so anxious that he stamped his feet and grabbed his hair, saying...

"It's true! My third brother found the embroiderer for me, and he also took care of this item for me! I... I didn't look at it closely; I truly had no ulterior motives!"

"Third Brother?" Daiyu scoffed.

"You're really good at denying responsibility! Why would Third Brother make this for you for no reason?"

Unable to explain himself in time, Baoyu suddenly went mad, tearing the jade pendant from his waist and throwing it violently onto the soft carpet.

"Gold, jade, and precious stones—they're all just useless, harmful things!"

This action startled all the servants, who hurriedly knelt down and carefully cleaned up the jade for Baoyu. If it had broken, even Grandmother Jia would not have forgiven them.

Seeing his demeanor, Daiyu's expression grew even colder.

"What's gotten into you now? I'm the one who let you break this thing, are you going to kick me out of the house, Uncle and Aunt?!"

Upon hearing this, Baoyu quickly softened his tone and smiled apologetically.

"What are you saying, little sister? Who would dare to kick you out? It's all my fault, I'm that bastard!"

Daiyu turned her face away, her brows and eyes growing even colder.

"If you truly cared, you wouldn't have refused to even glance at the things you sent me. I'm tired and want to rest..."