Three Wives and Four Concubines in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Page 50

Why is it that someone as composed as me would abandon all restraint and dignity the moment I meet Gu Yu?

Not only was she sexually assaulted by him in broad daylight, but now she's even willingly lying in his bed waiting for him to come in and get intimate with her—she has no shame whatsoever. Could Gu Yu be her destined nemesis?

Unable to bear the torment of her self-esteem, Baochai was about to give up when Gu Yu hugged her, and a sense of dependence arose spontaneously. Suddenly, she remembered that she no longer had to be strong alone, so she threw all the problems at Gu Yu.

Gu Yu found it both amusing and touching. These young ladies from the inner chambers had different views from him, a man who had been influenced by modern times. Yet they were willing to set aside their pride and let him tease them for his sake, which showed that they loved him to the core.

Unable to resist rewarding the somewhat dazed Baochai, Gu Yu began to explain to her what it meant to be unable to control one's emotions. He pointed out that throughout history, so many talented men and beautiful women had secretly pledged their lives to each other, and even the young lady in that ridiculous "Romance of the Western Chamber" had only met a few times before getting married to Zhang Sheng. He added that they were still far from there, not even having reached second base yet.

At this point, Gu Yu couldn't help but want to achieve his small goal of reaching second base today. Baochai had a wide range of knowledge and had naturally read The Story of the Western Wing, but it was too hard for her to pretend that she didn't know, so she could only listen to his serious nonsense.

However, after listening to his rambling, Baochai's pressure vanished, and she no longer felt ashamed of their current intimacy.

Fortunately, she had come to terms with it. If Lin Daiyu could do it, why couldn't she? Thinking of the charm on Daiyu's face just now, Baochai felt a sense of unwillingness to admit defeat, and she just blushed and let Gu Yu do as she pleased.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Heartless to Pull Out the Hanging Man? Listen to My Cunning Explanation!

Now that he had finally succeeded, Gu Yu was surprised to find that Daiyu and Baochai were so similar. When they were aroused, not only did their fair skin turn red without him having to exert any effort, but they also easily broke out in a sweat.

One was petite and charming, the other was voluptuous and curvaceous, and both were surprisingly moist, which puzzled Gu Yu.

Because Baochai was still living with Aunt Xue, Gu Yu was afraid that she would notice something amiss, so he only visited the rabbit that Baochai had raised for fifteen years before stopping there.

Throughout the day, Gu Yu was very successful in everything except for Tan Chun, and was in high spirits. Unfortunately, he still couldn't bring himself to squeeze into Daiyu's room by evening.

He had already used the excuse that once they entered the Grand View Garden, they would be separated and would hardly have time to live together in the future to coax Daiyu into having some hesitation. Unexpectedly, Xueyan suddenly laughed out loud, which startled Daiyu, who blushed and pushed him out.

"You shameless bastard! You always use those kinds of words to fool me! Zijuan, you're not allowed to open the door for him anymore!"

"..."

After giving Xueyan's little face, which had come to deliver the gift, a good pinch, Gu Yu could only go back to sleep.

Before he even entered the house, the whispered conversation between Xiangling and the other woman inside had already caught his attention. As their conversation grew increasingly outrageous, Gu Yu quickly went in to interrupt them.

"Master is back?"

Xiangling had a bitter face, as if she was about to cry, but when she saw Gu Yu return, she forced a smile and came over to serve Gu Yu.

Without any hesitation, Gu Yu picked her up, lifted her skirt, and slapped her several times, making Xiang Ling cry out in pain.

He really used some force, and the thought that these two girls actually thought that way about him made him a little angry.

"Who taught you those words just now?"

Qingwen was so frightened that she stood up. She had originally intended to persuade Gu Yu, but upon hearing this, her face turned pale, and she simply lowered her head without saying a word.

Xiangling endured the burning pain in her buttocks and dared not utter a sound, and the room fell silent immediately.

Seeing that neither of them dared to speak, Gu Yu snorted coldly, looked up at Qingwen beside her, and said in a deep voice:

"Qingwen, you tell me! Where did you learn this bullshit?"

Seeing Gu Yu so angry for the first time, Qingwen was terrified. But Gu Yu's angry gaze provoked her, and all the grievances in her heart burst forth, and large tears kept falling.

"Waaaaah~ I overheard the old women gossiping outside. They said that the young masters from wealthy families sometimes find it too troublesome to get involved with the maids... They just send them out to be sold off. My master, except for a few times, is always like that... Waaaaah..."

Gu Yu felt a headache coming on. Seeing Xiang Ling crying so miserably, and worried that she might hurt her eyes, he simply let go of Xiang Ling who was lying on his lap, pulled her over and hugged her, and coaxed her softly.

There was nothing I could do; who told me to end up with these two silly girls? I chose them myself, so I had to appease them, even if it meant crying!

"Don't listen to this nonsense. Although... although such a thing does happen, that's not what I'm after."

Seeing that he was no longer as angry as before, Xiangling breathed a sigh of relief, and the grievances she had been suppressing welled up, and she cried out with Qingwen.

Listening to the surround sound from both sides, Gu Yu was completely numb. She hugged the two of them tightly, and soon her shoulders were soaked with sweat, but she still didn't stop.

Just when Gu Yu was at a loss, the door was suddenly opened.

Daiyu put on an outer garment and led Zijuan in. Seeing Xiangling and the others crying so sadly, she quickly gestured for Zijuan to help them away. She then walked up to Gu Yu and asked in a low voice:

"What's going on? I could hear noises coming from Brother Yu's room from far away. Is Xiangling and the others not serving him well?"

Gu Yu gave a wry smile, and unconsciously kneaded Daiyu's small hand, while wondering whether she should make a statement to them in advance.

Seeing Gu Yu frowning and deep in thought, Daiyu blushed and let him hold her hand, sitting obediently beside him.

When Xiangling and the others finally stopped, Gu Yu came to her senses, took a deep breath, and then called all three of them over.

In front of the four women, Gu Yu started by recounting the whispers Qingwen had overheard and continued on to her own plans.

"Is all my usual affection fake? I really don't want you to suffer. Until you are twenty years old, except on certain days, I will not let you have the chance to get pregnant."

Seeing how bluntly he spoke, Daiyu couldn't help but stomp her foot and want to leave, but this matter was also closely related to her future marriage, so she gritted her teeth and was too embarrassed to get up.

"As for what others do, I don't care. You only need to consider my feelings. Not to mention Xiangling and the others who weren't involved... I wouldn't be involved with Lin Daiyu either—"

"I'm going to die—!"

Daiyu blushed and suddenly stood up to cover Gu Yu's mouth, preventing him from saying what he was about to say. But he had already said most of what he wanted to say, and everyone understood what Gu Yu meant. Xiangling and the others looked at Daiyu in realization and finally felt relieved.

As long as Gu Yu didn't dislike them anymore, nothing else mattered to them.

Qingwen made a blunder and was thinking of ways to make amends. After seeing Daiyu and the others off, she offered to continue serving Gu Yu that night.

But the two of them were utterly defeated last night and haven't recovered yet. How could Gu Yu bear to continue to humiliate them? She'll just punish them slightly and see if they still have the energy to talk nonsense in the future.

On the 21st, Madam Wang, who had been worshipping the Goddess of Smallpox with Wang Xifeng, also came out to attend the banquet. She and Aunt Xue were talking about something, and they were clearly in a good mood.

That makes sense. Her daughter has been visiting home recently, and she's received a lot of respect. Baoyu has also been relatively quiet these days. With her own mother by her side discussing her daughter-in-law, whom she has her eye on, what could she possibly be dissatisfied with?

Grandmother Jia and the other sisters sat at a separate table, and Baoyu and Gu Yu, as the only two male members of the family, also sat down together.

Although Gu Yu was a guest and should have been seated after Xiang Yun, due to some of Grandmother Jia's ulterior motives, she specifically stated that everyone could sit wherever they wanted today, but then arranged for him to sit on the other side.

So Grandmother Jia sat to Baochai's left, with Baoyu, Daiyu, Xiangyun, and Tanchun below her, and Gu Yu, Yingchun, and Xichun to Baochai's right.

Wang Xifeng and Li Wan, as always, stood by and served, moving between their table and Madam Wang's table.

Actually, he could accept anyone as long as they weren't sitting with Baoyu. However, Xiangyun stared at him for a few more seconds, which made him look back. But then he saw her turn her head to talk to her sisters, so he shook his head and stopped paying attention.

Xiangyun turned to Tanchun, chatting and laughing, but her heart was beating a little faster. This was the first time she had met the "Yu Brothers" her sisters had been talking about. She had initially thought it was just an exaggerated embellishment, but it turned out to be quite true!

Xiangyun felt a mix of excitement and lingering fear as she almost got caught because she couldn't help but glance at him a few more times. She quickly turned around and used Tanchun to cover for herself.

Although Sister Feng had to serve this whole family again today, she was in a good mood. After all, Gu Yu hadn't charged her for these tables. The thought of getting an extra hundred taels of silver for nothing felt like a freebie.

Not only that, she can also enjoy free meals at Yingkexuan, which costs at least several hundred taels of silver, plus a pre-ordered banquet. She would be happy to come every day for such a hardship!

Chapter Thirty: You Don't Need a Reason to Insult You

Grandmother Jia picked up her chopsticks and tasted a few bites of the dishes that Wang Xifeng had served. She praised them highly, and Xifeng smiled and accepted the credit.

However, both of them knew in their hearts that their family's cook was far from capable of such a feat, so it was obvious whose credit it was; it was better to remain ignorant.

The guests had already casually chosen a play once before, and now that the banquet was in session, Grandmother Jia asked Baochai to choose one again. Baochai then chose "Lu Zhishen's Drunken Riot at Mount Wutai".

Baoyu usually hates watching these kinds of exciting plays. Last time he went to Ningguo Mansion, he even slipped away. This time, in front of Grandmother Jia, he didn't dare to leave his seat, but he complained a little.

"What's so great about these plays that everyone seems to like them so much..."

Baochai wasn't far from him and happened to overhear these words. She was in high spirits today and couldn't help but laugh:

"You've been listening to operas for the past few years for nothing. You have no idea how good this opera is. The stage setting is excellent, and the lyrics are even more exquisite."

Baoyu was surprised that the person he was talking to had overheard him, and embarrassed, he quickly explained:

"I've always been afraid of these kinds of lively shows; I find them too noisy."

Upon hearing this, Baochai subconsciously glanced at Gu Yu, fearing he might also find it boring. However, seeing his intrigued expression, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief and decided to explain further:

“Brother Bao, you haven’t seen enough. This play isn’t about martial arts. It’s a Northern version of ‘Dian Jiang Chun,’ with a strong and rhythmic cadence. The lyrics, especially the ‘Parasitic Grass,’ are exquisitely written.”

Gu Yu sat beside Baochai as she finished reading "Parasitic Grass," a look of approval appearing on her face. However, her left hand was under the table, and it was unclear what she was doing.

At this moment, Fengjie was sitting next to Grandmother Jia, Li Wan was serving Lady Wang, and there was a curtain behind Gu Yu. Such a good opportunity made Gu Yu unable to resist teasing Yingchun.

Yingchun looked down at her bowl, her fingers gripping the chopsticks tightly, her mind blank.

She never expected Gu Yu to be so bold. While listening to the laughter and chatter around her, Gu Yu was slowly kneading her thigh, leaving her completely bewildered.

It was really just a massage, but with Grandmother Jia and Sister Feng sitting right in front of her, Yingchun was so startled that she didn't dare to move. Gu Yu was also afraid of frightening her, so she patted her and then let go.

After listening to this, Baoyu pondered it for a moment and kept praising it:

"Sister Bao is indeed knowledgeable about everything in the world."

Baochai lowered her head, took a sip of wine, and smiled faintly, letting it go. What use was Baoyu's praise to her? Besides, only someone as ignorant as Baoyu could praise her for knowing opera.

With elders present, there wasn't much to do, and everyone could only watch the show. However, most of it was the first time Gu Yu had seen it, so it was quite novel for her, and she watched with great interest.

When the performance ended in the evening, Grandmother Jia was very fond of the young female lead and the clown on stage. So after they came off stage, she ordered them to be brought in. When she looked at them closely, she found them even more pitiful.

After asking their ages, the young actress was only eleven, and the clown was only nine. Some of the students had even sold themselves into prostitution to learn the craft because of last year's floods, which made these noble ladies sigh again. Grandmother Jia ordered some more meat and fruit to be brought to the two of them, and also gave them two strings of cash as a reward.

Daiyu couldn't help but look up at Gu Yu. She knew he had been helping disaster victims, and she wondered what he would think upon seeing this scene.

Sister Feng sized up Lingguan and couldn't help but laugh:

“This child looks just like a real person when dressed up, you can’t tell the difference.”

Baochai knew it in her heart, but only smiled and refused to say anything. Baoyu also guessed it, but dared not speak. Shi Xiangyun, who was straightforward, looked carefully after hearing this and then laughed, "She looks just like Lin Daiyu."

Upon hearing this, Baoyu glanced at Xiangyun and winked at her. However, everyone who heard this looked closely and indeed saw some resemblance, and they all laughed.

Gu Yu also glanced at Lingguan, who was said to look quite similar to Daiyu. At first glance, they did look somewhat alike. However, someone like Gu Yu, who knew Daiyu well, could quickly notice the huge differences between the two.

Daiyu's expression changed, but she managed to hold back. Baochai then took her leave, and after a few words, everyone went home.

Daiyu returned to her courtyard, a lingering resentment in her heart. She had seen Baoyu giving Xiangyun a meaningful look during the banquet; was she really destined to be ridiculed for being an actress?

What was originally just a few jokes would have been fine, but Baoyu's actions made Fengjie, Xiangyun, and her all feel awkward, which was really annoying!

If it weren't for the fact that she was supported by her brother Yu, and she were living alone in the Jia family, who knows what kind of grievances she would have suffered... Thinking of this, Daiyu was momentarily lost in thought and stood there for a long time.

Gu Yu originally thought that Daiyu didn't have a place for Baoyu in her heart, so she wouldn't care too much about this. Unexpectedly, when she entered Daiyu's room, she saw her secretly grieving, her willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed, which was heartbreaking.

Gu Yu was startled and quickly stepped forward to comfort him:

"What's wrong this time, little sister? Why don't you tell me?"

Daiyu snapped out of her daze and saw Gu Yu looking down at her tenderly. Suddenly, she erupted in anger.

"Why were you laughing along earlier? Did you also want to make fun of me by comparing me to an actor?"

"???"

Gu Yu opened her mouth, thinking that this script was not right, and why it sounded somewhat familiar.

However, unlike Baoyu, he didn't feel embarrassed. He simply picked up Daiyu and said with a smile:

"Why would I compare you to an actor? I'm laughing because the two of you are clearly not alike, but people mistakenly think they are, and that's why I'm laughing."

Holding Daiyu's stunningly beautiful face in his hands, Gu Yu slowly stroked her brows with his fingers, moving downwards.

"The younger sister's eyebrows, like wisps of smoke, seemed to furrow yet not furrow, and her eyes, like pools of water, seemed to smile yet not smile, yet were full of affection—their beauty was entirely natural. Lingguan, on the other hand, only managed to achieve a semblance of beauty by deliberately applying makeup and raising the corners of her eyes, but it was merely a case of trying to draw a tiger and ending up with a dog instead."

"As for my sister's stunning beauty, Lingguan is not even a tenth as good as her, so how can they be said to resemble each other? It's just that she has a bit of a sickly look on her face, which is why people say she looks somewhat like my sister. But my sister's illness is gone now, and in two years, who will still lie through their teeth?"

Gu Yu was about to continue speaking when Daiyu finally threw herself into his arms and began to sob.

"Brother Yu... I'm so sorry, sob sob—I didn't mean to... I..."

Gu Yu gently patted Daiyu's shoulder, letting her vent her emotions. He had noticed that Daiyu's temper was a bit inexplicable earlier, so he patiently comforted her; otherwise, he would have punished her for biting people randomly.

After Daiyu looked at Gu Yu with teary eyes and asked him to take out a handkerchief to wipe her eyes, she finally revealed the reason for her earlier outburst.

"It suddenly occurred to me, what would I be like if Brother Yu hadn't accompanied me to the capital? What would have happened if I had encountered what is happening today? I—"

"Now that you know how good I am, shouldn't my sister give me some reward? Like tonight..."

Gu Yu's heart skipped a beat, and she tightened her grip on Daiyu's arms, quickly interrupting her to stop her from overthinking.

Daiyu blushed and quickly composed herself from her earlier thoughts. Those unbearable days were just her imagination, a sudden moment when she couldn't control her emotions.

Now that I've come to my senses, I naturally feel at ease having this wicked brother Yu as a source of support.

"Pah! You're always bullying me. Don't think I'm that easy to bully, waah~"

After the kiss ended, Gu Yu looked at the obedient and beautiful face in front of him, stroked her temple, and felt a pang of tenderness in his heart.

Lin Daiyu, since you have me in this life, I will make sure you are happy for the rest of your life. It's better if those days of hardship and danger never exist...