Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting with a Chronicle of Tragic Love

The door creaked open.

A slender figure in green stood behind the door.

It was Liu Rushi.

She wore a simple green dress and no makeup, yet her natural beauty was undeniable.

But her bright face now looked somewhat haggard, and her eyes were slightly red, clearly she had just been crying.

Upon seeing Jiao Si, her eyes, as clear as autumn water, burst with unbelievable surprise and excitement.

"Jiao Lang...is it really you?"

Her voice trembled, cautious, as if afraid that the person in front of her was just an illusion.

Jiao Si nodded.

"It's me. I'm back."

Before he could finish speaking...

Liu Rushi could no longer restrain herself and suddenly pounced on Jiao Si, burying her face in his arms.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, as if using all her strength to meld herself into his body.

"Jiao Lang... Jiao Lang..."

She buried her face in his chest, her voice choked with sobs.

"You...you've finally arrived..."

"I've been waiting for you for so long... so long..."

Jiao Si felt a pang of pain in his heart.

He raised his hand and gently stroked her back.

Even through the thin clothes, I could feel that the body was even thinner than I remembered.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, "I made you worry."

Liu Rushi shook her head desperately, her tears soaking Jiao Si's clothes.

"No...it's not your fault..."

She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"After you entered the palace... we heard nothing from you."

"I made inquiries from various sources, and all I received was the message that 'Jiao Si has entered the palace, but the details are unknown.'"

Her voice trembled.

"I panicked and didn't know what to do... Remembering that Second Madam Lian was well-informed, I sent someone to ask..."

At this point, her voice choked, and more tears welled up in her eyes.

"Second Madam Kelian...she told me that you had already fled to a distant land to avoid trouble, and your whereabouts are unknown..."

"She also said... that there are enemies everywhere in Jinling City, and that if you stay, you will surely die; leaving is the best course of action..."

Liu Rushi gripped Jiao Si's clothes tightly, as if he would disappear again if she let go.

"I...I believe it..."

"I thought... you were really gone, never to come back..."

"During those days, I spent my days in tears, facing the Qinhuai River, only wanting... only wanting..."

She couldn't continue, so she buried her face in his chest again, her shoulders trembling slightly as she wept silently.

Jiao Si felt a pang of pain in his heart upon hearing this.

Wang Xifeng...

She actually said such a thing to Liu Rushi?

To flee to a distant land?

Whereabouts unknown?

She knew perfectly well that she had been punished and forced into slavery in the Ningguo Mansion, yet she deliberately misled Liu Rushi...

What exactly does she want to do?

Jiao Si suppressed his doubts and a hint of anger, and turned his attention back to the woman in his arms.

He hugged her tighter, gently patting her back with his hand, his voice extremely soft.

"Don't cry, I'm back now, aren't I?"

"It's all my fault. It happened so suddenly, I didn't have time to tell you."

"I was punished by imperial decree to be a slave in Ningguo Mansion. My movements are restricted, and it is difficult to send messages out, which is why you have worried for so long for nothing."

Liu Rushi sobbed, and it took her a while to calm down.

She lifted her head from her embrace and gently stroked Jiao Si's cheek.

"I've lost weight...and gotten darker..."

"Jiao Lang, you've been suffering a lot lately, haven't you?"

Jiao Si shook his head.

"No. Compared to Plum Blossom Mountain, this is nothing."

Liu Rushi seemed not to hear him, but just stared at him intently, her eyes filled with heartache.

After a moment, she remembered something, turned around and waved into the house.

"Butterfly, come here quickly!"

A petite figure timidly emerged from behind the inner room door.

It was a butterfly.

She had also lost some weight; her once round face had become more pointed, and her eyes appeared even larger.

Looking into Jiao Si's eyes, there was a girl's unique shyness and bashfulness, as well as undisguised surprise and concern.

"Um... my benefactor..."

Her voice was barely audible, her head was down, and her hands were nervously twisting the hem of her clothes.

Liu Rushi took Die'er's hand and led her to Jiao Si.

"Jiao Lang, look at the butterfly."

"Ever since learning about your accident, this child has been thinking about you, his 'benefactor,' every single day."

"I have no appetite and have lost a lot of weight."

She paused, then pulled Jiao Si's hand over, first placing it on her waist, and then gently pressing it on Die'er's thin shoulder.

Her tone was alluring and straightforward, with a hint of reproach and coquetry, and an undeniable intimacy.

"If you don't believe me, touch it."

"Butterfly and I... have both lost weight."

Jiao Si's hand touched Liu Rushi's slender waist, which was so thin it could be grasped in one hand, and felt the faint bones under Die'er's thin shoulders.

Indeed, it's much lighter than I remember.

A deeper sense of guilt welled up in his heart.

"It's my fault, I've dragged you all into this."

Liu Rushi shook her head.

"What's with all this talk about being implicated or not?"

"As long as you come back safe and sound, I'll do anything for you."

Butterfly nodded vigorously and whispered, "Butterfly... Butterfly too."

The atmosphere suddenly became warm and cozy.

Jiao Si looked at the two women in front of him, who had become thin from worrying about him, and felt a mix of emotions.

Liu Rushi pulled Jiao Si to sit down on the edge of the couch and then asked Die'er to make tea.

She sat down close to Jiao Si, leaned on his shoulder without any hesitation, and began to ramble on about his experiences these past few days.

Jiao Si picked out what he could talk about and briefly explained some of it.

But more often than not, he chose to keep it a secret.

For example, Qin Keqing's "five-day agreement," and Wang Xifeng's complex and ambiguous attitudes.

Liu Rushi listened attentively, sometimes frowning, sometimes sighing.

Die'er sat quietly to the side, holding a teacup, her eyes fixed on Jiao Si as she listened to him speak.

The three were talking, and the atmosphere inside the room was warm and cozy.

Suddenly, a series of noisy footsteps and cursing sounds came from outside the door.

"Get out of the way! All of you, get out of my way!"

"If Jiao Si can get in, so can I!"

"Do you even know who I am?"

"Jiao Si is my man. If he can come into this room, why can't I?"

The voice was full of self-righteous arrogance.

It was Jia Rong.

Jiao Si frowned immediately.

How did this idiot manage to catch up?

And it caused such a big commotion!

He was about to get up.

The door was kicked open with a loud bang.

Jia Rong stormed in angrily, followed by several Yunlou guards who looked troubled, wanting to stop him but not daring to.

As soon as Jia Rong entered the room, his eyes swept around the room.

When his gaze fell on Jiao Si, a look of dissatisfaction and anger flashed in his eyes.

But when his gaze fell on Liu Rushi beside Jiao Si.

He was completely stunned.

His eyes were wide open, and his mouth was slightly agape, as if he had seen something unbelievable.

The woman before me was dressed in green, with a slender and graceful figure.

Her face was stunningly beautiful, with a captivating charm that came with experience in the world, yet strangely radiating an inexplicable steadfastness and aloofness.

He was completely different from his future wife, Qin Keqing, who was a sheltered, naturally charming, and reserved woman.

Liu Rushi's beauty is a unique charm that has been tempered by the world and weathered by the storms of life, yet still retains its original heart and even shines brighter because of it.

It is beautiful, but not vulgar or seductive.

Jia Rong was mesmerized.

It took a long while before he suddenly came to his senses.

He subconsciously licked his dry lips and blurted out.

"Beautiful...so beautiful..."

"On par with Qin Keqing..."

"No, they each have their own merits!"

He spoke as if he were appraising a precious work of art, his tone revealing an undisguised possessiveness.

Liu Rushi frowned almost imperceptibly.