Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Sister You rushed into her eldest sister's room excitedly, but the scene she saw made her suddenly freeze.

Although Qin Keqing got up from Jia Lian's arms the moment she heard the voice, anyone could tell something unusual just by looking at the distance between her and Jia Lian, and by Qin Keqing's deliberate distancing.

That's one thing, but the real issue is that Jia Lian was sitting by his eldest sister's bedside, and her head was so close to his legs...

An unusual expression appeared on You Sanjie's face at a visible speed.

Lying in bed, Madam You naturally saw Third Sister You. She wanted to move her body further in, but was afraid of attracting even more attention, so she didn't know what to do.

Jia Lian remained calm, not even shifting his position. He glanced at You Sanjie and asked on behalf of You Shi, "What did your mother call you here to ask?"

"Uh, my mother asked me to inquire whether we should send someone back to our hometown to announce the good news after my sister gave birth to a baby boy..."

Having a child was a major event in this era, especially the birth of an eldest son. Since the eldest son was usually the one to inherit the family business, the good news was announced to relatives and friends from the day of his birth.

The formal announcement of the good news can wait until the baby's one-month celebration, but the bride's family needs to be informed immediately.

After all, if the daughter marries far away, and if the news isn't communicated, the old man wouldn't even know that he has a grandson.

Unfortunately, Madam You's parents had long since passed away, leaving only her mother and two daughters from her maternal family, none of whom were related to her by blood. She did have some other relatives, but they were not particularly important.

Therefore, Madam You did not care about this and simply replied that it was up to Old Madam You to decide.

You Sanjie said "Oh," and seeing that Jia Lian still didn't move at all, only looking down at his sister, she couldn't help but purse her lips, turn around and leave.

Only then did Yindie dare to step forward and apologize. Madam You knew Yu Sanjie's temperament and understood the situation just now. Therefore, she did not intend to punish her, but only warned her to be more careful and attentive in the future.

So Silver Butterfly nervously went out to guard the door again.

Inside the room, the three exchanged glances, and Qin Keqing suddenly laughed.

"What should we do? It seems like Third Aunt saw us..."

Despite her words, Qin Keqing's tone showed no sign of worry.

Having been adopted from the orphanage by Qin Bangye, she lacked a mother's careful guidance from a young age, and her understanding of matters between men and women largely came from her own perceptions and books.

Before, even after marrying Jia Rong, she had never experienced romance while still in her boudoir, so she still carefully maintained the reserve of a young girl.

Now, after experiencing so many twists and turns, even things that disregarded human ethics, she has finally gained some genuine insights.

In particular, after consummating her marriage with Jia Lian, she seemed to open the door to the world and find the true meaning of life. As a result, she gradually opened her heart and faced her inner self with equanimity.

She discovered that she seemed to particularly enjoy that kind of thing...

When Jia Zhen and Jia Rong died, she was worried that the Jia family would blame her and call her a vixen or something. Later, she found that although such a situation existed, it was not as serious as she had imagined.

In particular, the legitimate masters of the two Jia families almost never made things difficult for her. It was only some servants who, when they occasionally saw her, acted suspiciously.

She couldn't quite understand the reasoning behind it, and could only attribute it to two points.

Firstly, Jia Lian and You Shi were protecting her. Secondly, the saying that "every wealthy and powerful family has its share of scandals" might be true, and Jia Mu and the others were used to it and didn't take it too seriously.

Otherwise, it's really hard to explain why everyone is still treating her the same way.

With this realization, Qin Keqing was finally relieved. As for the servants, she couldn't be bothered to care.

That's why she dared to sit in Jia Lian's lap and act coquettishly in front of Lady You...

Anyway, she was all alone in the Jia family with no ties or worries, so why not be more carefree?

Lady You was too lazy to care about Qin Keqing's increasingly shameless behavior. She pondered for a moment, then looked up at Jia Lian and said, "Second Uncle, don't worry. I'll talk to Third Sister later and make sure she doesn't talk nonsense outside."

Lady You was afraid that Jia Lian would worry, and that if Sister You San told others about what happened today, it would affect Jia Lian's reputation and future.

Jia Lian shook his head, gently stroking You Shi's jade-like cheek, feeling that she was too humble. Clearly, if this matter were exposed, it would have the greatest impact on her, yet her words only revealed concern for him.

Seeing Jia Lian caressing You Shi with such affection, Qin Keqing finally felt jealous.

With a quick glance, she asked with a smile, "Is Uncle going home in a little while?"

Seeing Jia Lian nod, she continued, "Very well, I should go over and offer my congratulations to Aunt Xue as well. I won't bother you any longer; I'm going to Tianxiang Tower to change my clothes. See you later..."

With that, Qin Keqing gave Jia Lian a flirtatious look and left with a smile.

As Madam You watched Qin Keqing's departing figure, her eyes seemed to be lost in thought. Suddenly, she felt Jia Lian's thumb rubbing against her lips and teeth. She looked up at him, feeling both embarrassed and moved.

To be honest, it had been a long time since she had been intimate with Jia Lian. However, her body was not in a suitable condition for pleasure today, so she gave Jia Lian a slightly apologetic look, parted her lips slightly, and lightly kissed his fingers before taking them into her mouth.

Jia Lian's expression shifted slightly. As expected, You Shi was indeed the most understanding and obedient of all his women.

Perhaps that's why he likes this pretty young woman so much.

Feeling sorry for her suffering during childbirth, Jia Lian didn't want her to waste her breath trying to please him. So he patted her pretty face, turned her body a little, and let her rest her head on his lap, so that she could feel some warmth.

Madam You felt increasingly at ease, quietly looking at Jia Lian. When she met his handsome face looking down at her, she blushed again, turned her head and whispered, "Second Uncle, do you know how worried and disappointed I was when Yindie and the others told me that the child was going to be a girl? I didn't even know what to do in the future..."

Lady You did not shy away from showing that she was not noble in front of Jia Lian.

In fact, she had already discussed this issue with Jia Lian, and she even subtly hinted to him that they should prepare for both possibilities...

For example, find a few pregnant women around the same time as her, and if she really gives birth to a daughter, switch the baby with a daughter to achieve the best of both worlds.

It wasn't that she was malicious, but rather that her pregnancy was incredibly important. It not only concerned her, but also Jia Lian's interests.

Jia Lian was the heir to the Rongguo Mansion and the acting clan head. If he wanted to completely control the Jia family, it would be best if both mansions were under his control.

Although Jia Lian could select a member of the Cao generation from the close relatives of the Ningguo Mansion to act as a puppet in the Ningguo Mansion, how could someone with their own parents, elders, and vested interests compare to a nephew who was raised from childhood and could only rely on his support?

However, Jia Lian dismissed her consideration for only two reasons: first, he did not want their children to suffer, and second, he felt it was unnecessary. No matter who inherited the Ningguo Mansion, they would never dare to go against him, nor would they dare to disobey her, their legal mother!

Jia Lian's strength and confidence left You Shi speechless, and she gave up the idea that she didn't really want to pursue.

Fortunately, she was blessed with good fortune and not only gave birth to a son, but also twins, making her a perfect family with both a son and a daughter!

At this moment, leaning against Jia Lian's chest, she felt that God had truly been kind to her...

Jia Lian touched her face and comforted her, saying many intimate words before telling her to rest well and then taking his leave.

I originally wanted to go to the front yard to take a look. Today, many elders from the clan have come to celebrate, and the Ningguo Mansion will naturally provide lunch.

However, remembering Qin Keqing's words before leaving, and thinking that he would be leaving early the next morning, he turned around and led Aqin and the other two towards the Grand View Garden.

A pretty young girl suddenly blocked his path.

When Jia Lian saw You Sanjie, he frowned, but still walked towards her without slowing down.

Seeing You Sanjie looking at him with a scrutinizing gaze, Jia Lian asked unhappily, "What is it?"

You Sanjie was equally dissatisfied. What kind of attitude did Jia Lian have? She had the upper hand over him, and instead of trying to please her, he was being so aloof. Did he want her to tell others about his good deeds?

"Can you make them both step back? I have something to say to you."

Aqin was very proactive in front of Jia Lian, but she was always very respectful and careful towards the masters and young ladies of the Jia family, because she didn't want to cause trouble for herself and Jia Lian.

So, seeing that she was just a little girl, without waiting for Jia Lian's instructions, she exchanged a glance with her sister, took a few steps back, and turned to look elsewhere.

Then, You Sanjie moved closer to Jia Lian and teased, "You and my sister have a good relationship, don't you?"

"Well enough."

Jia Lian has seen all sorts of big battles; how could he be controlled by a mere young girl?

"What do you mean 'okay'? I just saw it. You were sitting right next to my sister's bed, and my sister was sitting so close to you."

"You two are the sister-in-law and the brother-in-law, yet you're so uninhibited. Aren't you afraid of what others will say?"

"Others? I didn't see any others, but I did see one person who eats my sister's food, lives in my sister's house, and still tries to talk badly about my sister."

"you……"

You Sanjie's face flushed slightly; she realized that Jia Lian was being sarcastic.

The girl's competitive spirit made her secretly annoyed, and she said resentfully, "I never intended to say anything to anyone else! However, my sister clearly told my mother that she wanted to give my sister to you as a concubine."

You even want both my second sister and I to marry you...

You even went after my older sister! I've figured it out now, you're no different from those sluts, just a bit more capable.

"Bah! What do you take our You family's daughter for? Some cheap imitation to be trampled on at will?"

The more Sister You spoke, the redder her face became.

She hadn't forgotten that last year, in order to fulfill her sister You Erjie's wishes, she didn't hesitate to seduce Jia Lian.

Although she did not succeed, Jia Lian still took advantage of her quite a bit. Moreover, Jia Lian shamelessly said that he wanted to marry both of her sisters!

Although she spat out a curse on the surface, she secretly felt a little tempted to agree!

Fortunately, she didn't agree at the time, otherwise, wouldn't all three of them have been ruined by Jia Lian? What would have become of them?

Originally, she hadn't intended to do anything when she saw her elder sister being intimate with Jia Lian today. She just thought it was a handle to tease Jia Lian and try to get some benefits from him.

For example, the brother-in-law likes to tease his sister-in-law. You Sanjie had long considered Jia Lian as her second sister's man, so she also wanted to tease him. After all, Jia Lian always acted superior, which made her very unhappy.

Jia Lian looked down at the seemingly mysterious but actually impressive young woman.

Although she was still young, she was more developed than most young women, with a full bust and shapely hips, quite the asset.

Coupled with her enviable beauty, she looks truly stunning.

Among the girls Jia Lian knew, those whose looks matched those of peach blossoms were Daiyu and Qingwen, and now, we must add You Sanjie to the list.

I still remember the comment given in the original novel after this girl drew her sword and committed suicide:

The peach blossoms are crushed and scattered all over the ground; the Jade Mountain has collapsed and can no longer be propped up.

It is evident that the woman's vibrant beauty was so striking that even Cao Xueqin himself sighed in admiration.

Unfortunately, given her age, she had probably already seen Liu Xianglian and fallen in love at first sight.

Jia Lian did not like to force other women to like him, and besides, You Sanjie was by no means a kind person. Before she put away her cynical attitude, she was really difficult to control.

It's not that Jia Lian felt he couldn't control him, but he didn't want to go through the trouble and effort, lest he encounter Liu Xianglian again and develop second thoughts.

Therefore, he never felt the urge to take her as his wife. In the past, she had just come to him on her own initiative, and he had simply taken advantage of her.

However, he was quite interested in Sister You Er. She was well-behaved, shy, and had a gentle, lovable appearance.

She probably has the same temperament as her younger sister, Yingchun.

So he casually gave Sister You a flick on the forehead and said in a tone of authority similar to that of a brother-in-law: "First of all, it is precisely because your eldest sister is close to me that she has the ability to act as a matchmaker for your second sister, giving you the opportunity to become my concubines."

You need to understand the sequence and cause-and-effect relationship.

Secondly, I never said I wanted to humiliate anyone. Aren't these things always consensual? If you're not willing, I won't force you. Why say such pointless things? It just makes you seem like you're young but have wicked intentions.

I have wicked intentions...

You Sanjie almost laughed in anger. Before she could retort, Jia Lian seemed to have run out of patience and directly pinched her cheek, saying with a smile, "Come on, if you're really willing to be humiliated by me, I wouldn't mind. How about you seriously consider what I said last year when you seduced me: become my concubine? I promise I won't mistreat you."

"Pah, pah, pah! Who seduced you? Who wanted to be your concubine? Shameless!"

After all, she was just a young girl about to come of age. No matter how bold she was, she had her limits. Being teased by Jia Lian with both words and actions, she was eventually overwhelmed with shame and at a loss for what to do.

She slapped Jia Lian's dirty hand away, glared at him, and ran off.

Jia Lian chuckled, not taking it to heart, and beckoned Aqi and her sisters to continue walking forward.

Seeing Jia Lian smiling, Aqin moved closer and teased, "The Marquis seems to be in a very good mood, even having the mind to flirt with a young lady."

Jia Lian smiled but remained silent.

They soon arrived at Tianxiang Tower. Jia Lian went up the stairs with ease and went to Qin Keqing's room.

As expected, this girl had already made preparations.

Her gorgeous, light clothes subtly revealed her delicate arms and legs, and even her slender waist.

With her stunningly beautiful face and figure, every smile and frown of hers was captivating and alluring.

"Hehe, Uncle's here? I thought Uncle wouldn't understand my invitation and wouldn't come."

In that case, wouldn't all their preparations have been for nothing?

With graceful steps, Qin Keqing ushered Jia Lian into the suite and seated him in a fur-covered armchair.

On the tall table next to them, steaming hot tea was being brewed.

Jia Lian took the hot tea from Qin Keqing and noticed a subtle fragrance emanating from her. He couldn't help but look up at her and chuckle, "Aren't you cold dressed like that?"

"It's all for Uncle..."

"Didn't Uncle say before that with her looks and figure, she would definitely be unparalleled in the world when it comes to dancing the Jiangnan dance? She has been practicing on her own for a while these days, and she invited Uncle over today to ask for your critique and guidance..."

As Qin Keqing spoke, her cheeks flushed slightly.

Young ladies from respectable families typically learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but not dance, because dancing is seen as an attempt to seduce men.

However, many high-ranking families in the capital still had the habit of keeping dancing girls.

Even Jia Zhen in the past tried to raise two, but they didn't amount to much.

If this is the case for high-class families, one can only imagine the world's most luxurious and glamorous brothels and entertainment venues, where there are countless performers and courtesans skilled in various dances.

Qin Keqing was bored and, after hearing what Jia Lian said, she decided to learn it so that Jia Lian could see it for himself.

"But they made it clear that they don't have a teacher. They just watched some dances before and practiced on their own according to the music. If they don't dance well, Uncle can't criticize them."

"Won't."

Jia Lian had been quite interested since Qin Keqing told him she would dance for him.

When men watch a dance, how often are they truly watching the dance itself, or are they just looking at the beautiful woman? With Qin's looks, any slight twist or pose, as long as her limbs aren't uncoordinated, would certainly be a beautiful sight.

Just as Jia Lian had expected, even though Qin Keqing's dance wasn't particularly passionate and her costume wasn't exactly formal, the way her clothes brushed against her skin as she swayed her body revealed a beauty that was seven times more captivating than usual.

She was already a near-perfect beauty, so even Jia Lian couldn't resist her. Just as she finished her dance, he went up, picked her up, threw her onto the couch inside, and danced with her.

Lost in their enjoyment, Qin Keqing, utterly exhausted, nestled in Jia Lian's arms. She lightly slapped him twice and said coquettishly, "It's all your fault! You've left me completely drained. I was even saying I'd dance another round for Uncle..."

Qin Keqing was very confident in her dance skills; otherwise, she wouldn't have shown them to Jia Lian. Jia Lian's praise and reaction pleased her greatly.

After a while, he even suggested going to Mrs. You's room for more pleasure.

Jia Lian was somewhat speechless. He wasn't surprised that Qin Shi was turning into a lecherous woman, because he had expected it.

What was unexpected was that he actually had a special interest in having fun with her in someone else's room!

Although the beauty brought him the ultimate enjoyment, he still had some plans for the day, and if he continued to cause trouble, he would be late. Therefore, he could only comfort the beauty with his arms and leave quickly amidst her slight resentment.