Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

"You can find your own entertainment. You don't need to follow me for now. I'll call you if anything happens. This place was just bought, and there's no kitchen yet, so you'll have to figure out how to eat lunch yourselves. Just one thing: don't cause any trouble."

"Yes."

Zhang Yong and the others naturally understood Jia Lian's meaning, and after responding, they dispersed. Thus, only Miaoyu, Jia Lian, and Jia Lian's two personal attendants, Aqi and Aqin, remained in the room.

Even so, Miaoyu still felt somewhat shy and overwhelmed with excitement. She knew this was what the book described as a secret rendezvous with her lover in the wilderness…

Jia Lian found her embarrassed expression quite amusing. Then, looking at her tall, graceful figure, with her shapely curves and slender waist, he was captivated.

He spurred his horse a couple of steps and said with a smile, "Come on up, I'll show you around first."

Miaoyu's pretty face looked tipsy. She looked around to make sure no one else was there before silently nodding.

As for Aqi and Aqin, she automatically filtered them out. She knew they were Jia Lian's trusted confidantes who had always been by his side; these two women had always accompanied Jia Lian whenever he visited her at the Muni Temple.

They were probably his maids. It was these two who went to fetch her just now.

So she stepped onto the edge of the carriage, gently raised her delicate arm, and slowly placed her jade-like hand into Jia Lian's large hand. Jia Lian leaned down slightly, wrapped his other arm around her waist, and then with both hands he easily pulled her into his arms.

She let out a soft gasp, and when she came to her senses, she found herself sitting steadily on Jia Lian's tall horse, her whole body curled up in Jia Lian's arms.

This was a position that was both incredibly embarrassing and a completely new experience, making Miaoyu feel weak in the knees and cling tightly to Jia Lian's chest, not daring to move an inch.

"Are you seated?"

She nodded, and then felt Jia Lian spur his legs, causing the horse beneath her to gallop, gradually accelerating to a speed that made her heart pound. Fortunately, a strong arm was protecting her around her waist; otherwise, she thought she would definitely have fallen off.

After weighing the options and feeling safe, she finally relaxed and fully enjoyed the pleasure of sitting in her lover's lap, galloping on horseback, and strolling in the spring sunshine.

For a fleeting moment, she felt that it would be worth exchanging all the luck of the rest of her life for this one moment.

It wasn't until the arm that had always protected her began to stir and head towards places she couldn't show that she realized she had been too gratified.

After a while, a large piece of fur was spread on the grass on the high hillside. Jia Lian, with an unknown grass stalk in his mouth, lay back on it somewhat unhappily, squinting at the deep blue sky.

Beside him, Miaoyu, dressed beautifully, sat crouching with a flushed face. After straightening her clothes, she gently nudged Jia Lian's shoulder, asking with a mixture of worry and annoyance, "Are you angry?"

"No, I think you're right. You really can't do that kind of thing if you're not married."

Jia Lian gave a reply that was not entirely sincere.

Miaoyu almost burst out laughing at his childish tone. Then, with a hint of displeasure, she huffed, "Why do you men always want, always think about such lewd things! The scenery here is so beautiful, isn't that enough for you to enjoy...?"

"Hmph."

Jia Lian sneered inwardly. Tell me, what respectable man in the world invites a goddess out to admire flowers and the moon with genuine affection?

He had just taken Miaoyu on a tour of the entire estate. With such a delicate and beautiful woman sitting in his lap, it would be strange if he didn't have other ideas.

Who knew that not only would the beauty refuse to give it to him, but she would also use the irrefutable and justifiable reason that he couldn't have children before marriage.

"What do you mean by 'we men'? Tell me honestly, don't you want to? Otherwise, why did you...?"

Before Jia Lian could finish speaking, Miao Yu was already overwhelmed with shame. She pinched Jia Lian's arm, but couldn't stop him, so she quickly covered his mouth to prevent him from saying such shameful things.

The last time at the Muni Monastery was the most humiliating moment of her life, and she forbade Jia Lian to talk nonsense.

Jia Lian stopped talking, took her hand, and with his other hand pulled her into his arms, saying earnestly, "The Longcui Nunnery I told you about has been completely renovated, and I plan to let you move in tomorrow. I was just thinking that since you'll be the abbess of our family in the future, you'll definitely have the demeanor of a sage and won't easily get close to me."

That's why I wanted to take advantage of this rare opportunity to get closer to you, but you refused.

"So fast?"

Miaoyu already knew about the Longcui Nunnery from Jia Lian. Putting aside everything else, she was secretly pleased to hear that there were hundreds of plum trees of various colors in the nunnery.

She felt that this must have been arranged by Jia Lian on his own initiative. After all, her Panxiang Temple had many plum blossoms, and her first encounter with Jia Lian was also under the plum trees at Panxiang Temple!

She was delighted that Jia Lian was able to do these things for her.

As for Jia Lian saying that she should have the "demeanor of a superior person" after entering the Longcui Nunnery, she could understand, because it was a request she had made herself.

She knew that the Jia family was large and powerful, with many members, and that Jia Lian was a marquis, so countless eyes were usually watching him.

If gossip starts circulating about her as soon as she enters the family, she will be very upset in the Jia household.

Therefore, her idea was that if she went to the Jia family, she could return to the peaceful and pleasant days she had at Panxiang Temple, and occasionally see Jia Lian, brew tea and discuss philosophy with him. That would be enough for the rest of her life.

Although she occasionally wanted to get closer to Jia Lian, she felt she could endure it for the sake of a long and happy life together. Besides, her affection for Jia Lian was, in essence, a spiritual pursuit... that's what she believed.

Little did anyone know, every time Jia Lian met her, he wanted to bully her.

As for why he didn't just return to secular life...

She had considered it, but had many concerns. After all, even if she returned to secular life, those who needed to know about her past would still know. Moreover, given her personality, she couldn't stand being judged and gossiped about. So, she ultimately decided that maintaining the status quo was best.

In this way, as long as others don't know about her affair with Jia Lian, she can continue to be her proud and aloof self, living a quiet and peaceful life.

Thinking of all this, and feeling the warmth of Jia Lian's embrace, Miaoyu propped herself up, stroked Jia Lian's face with one hand, and said very gently, "Don't blame me. Originally, given my status, I shouldn't have bothered you anymore."

I am already ashamed before the world by being with you like this. If I were to... lose my virginity to you again, I would have no dignity left.

What if, what if one day others find out about us? How could I face this world then? So, it's not that I'm unwilling to give it to you, I'm just afraid, I'm terrified…”

Before Miaoyu could finish speaking, Jia Lian already understood what she meant.

This girl clearly still carries a heavy psychological burden, so I held her in my arms, trying to comfort her with my strength, and then whispered in her ear, "Otherwise, you should just return to secular life, that way..."

"No, it's still the same. I can fool others, but I can't fool the people around me. I can fool the people around me, but I can't fool myself."

That's settled then. Give me some more time. Anyway, it'll be easy to meet again in the future. If...

Miaoyu hesitated, too shy to continue, but Jia Lian laughed. "If he ever comes to his senses, I'll give it to him. That wouldn't be bad; it'd be a challenge."

Hmm, could this be this girl's scheme, trying to keep him hanging on and make him continue to treat her well in different ways?

She probably doesn't have that much skill.

Miaoyu glanced up at Jia Lian, who was smirking, and suddenly became angry again: "Besides, you have a wife, and I've heard that you also have several beautiful concubines and maids around you. Why do you have to provoke me! Maybe one day you'll suddenly get tired of me, and then you won't have to feel guilty. You can just abandon me whenever you want, wouldn't that be better?"

"Hahaha."

Jia Lian was amused by Miaoyu's words and tone.

"If you didn't consume so much celestial dew, and you were born looking like a celestial fairy, even if you were just a little bit ugly, it might still be acceptable."

But you were born this way, and in this life, you're destined to never escape my grasp.

When Miaoyu first heard the word "ugly," she was about to get angry, but then she realized that Jia Lian was praising her beauty!

Before I could even feel happy, she turned her back to me and pretended to be very angry with me.

"What's wrong?" Jia Lian was puzzled. This girl was so smart, how could she not tell the difference between good and bad words?

He sat up, turned her body around, and looked at her face.

Miaoyu couldn't hold back any longer and said defiantly, "You're nice to me just because I was born a little bit better than others?"

"Otherwise what?"

"Hmph, as expected of a lecherous man..."

Even when a beautiful woman is angry, her demeanor is captivating. Jia Lian smiled, and felt intrigued to tease her a little.

"When you like someone, isn't it always about liking their appearance? What else could you like? Your very internal organs?"

"you……!"

Miaoyu was truly enraged. She glared at Jia Lian, stood up, and tried to leave. She looked around, but didn't know where to go.

A sense of gloom settled over her. Wasn't this exactly her current predicament? Apart from believing that Jia Lian would continue to treat her well, she had nowhere else to go and no one to rely on.

Jia Lian had no idea how sensitive she was. After standing up, he saw that it was noon, so he went over and led the horse that was tied up over. He smiled at Miaoyu and said, "Are you hungry? There's not much to eat around here. Would you be willing to condescend to come with me to a tenant farmer's house down the mountain and beg for a meal?"

Miaoyu nodded, blushing, and said, "Let's go down..."

She didn't want more people to see her riding a horse with Jia Lian, as that would be considered indecent.

"Come on up, don't worry, once we get to the bottom of the mountain, we can walk down..."

Riding with a beautiful woman, especially one like Miaoyu, was a rare opportunity for Jia Lian, and he wanted to experience it a few more times.