Chapter 280: Returning Home in Spring (Part 2)
But Lin Daiyu killed Mingyan with a hoe that day, and the next day she fell seriously ill due to excessive fright.
If she had been in her previous frail health, she would died prematurely.
Fortunately, in the past six months, she first practiced intermittently under Ruan Rong's urging, and then listened to Sun Shaozong's analysis in the first month of the year, and practiced diligently every day.
Although the time was not long, my muscles and bones were strengthened and I managed to survive this disaster.
On the morning of March 25th, although Lin Daiyu still felt weak in her limbs and looked pale, her body temperature had returned to normal. She was finally able to cheer up and lean on the cushion to chat and laugh with Baoyu.
But before they could say a few words of personal conversation, Xiren came hurriedly and said, "The master felt unwell yesterday, so he specially asked Yingchun to return home early. Now the girls have gone to pay their respects, and the old lady wants you to go over and take a look as well."
Jia Baoyu was still a little hesitant after hearing this, so Daiyu hurriedly urged him, "Because of my illness, you even missed Second Sister's wedding. Even if Second Sister is kind and doesn't pick on you, I still feel very sorry - if you still refuse to show up now, won't I be even more ashamed to see Second Sister in the future?!"
Jia Baoyu was obsessed with Lin Daiyu in the past few days. After Daiyu's condition worsened in the past two days, he felt sorry for Jia Yingchun every time he thought about it.
Therefore, after Lin Daiyu's advice, Baoyu also stood up, called Zijuan and others and gave them some careful instructions, and then reluctantly left the Xiaoxiang Pavilion.
The book does not elaborate.
When Jia Baoyu arrived at the east courtyard, he first visited his sick uncle Jia She. Only then did he find out that the uncle had only caught a cold. He drank some medicine yesterday and seemed to be fine today.
Especially when he was holding a few golden ingots in his hands, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up.
Seeing that there was nothing important, Baoyu asked about his health and then went to Mrs. Xing. Before he even entered the house, he saw many beautiful girls gathered there, including all the senior maids of status - but Mrs. Xing was not among them.
Baoyu peered out of the door for a long time, but when he was about to go in, he felt a little timid.
While he was hesitating, Shi Xiangyun saw him clearly. She clapped her hands and said jokingly, "Everyone, go out and see if the sun is rising from the west - otherwise, why would Brother Bao be willing to come out of Xiaoxiang Pavilion?"
As she spoke in a sweet voice with a bit of a bite to her tongue, everyone's eyes turned to Jia Baoyu. Seeing his embarrassed look outside the door, they couldn't help but burst into laughter like silver bells.
Jia Baoyu was even more ashamed, but he gritted his teeth and ran to Jia Yingchun, bowing deeply: "No matter how many mistakes I made, they are all my fault. I can beat you or scold you, but just don't take it to heart!"
Wang Xifeng, Xiangyun, Yuanyang and others were all cheering on the side, saying that he must not be let off easily.
Jia Yingchun, however, was already panicking. She hurried forward to help Baoyu up, and said with a timid smile, "I am very happy that you can come today. There is nothing wrong with that."
Hearing that she had no intention of blaming him, Jia Baoyu felt even more ashamed, and could not help but ask with concern: "Sister, are you living happily in the Sun family?"
"Of course it's very satisfying!"
Before Jia Yingchun could say anything, Wang Xifeng at the side rushed to answer: "She has only been married for a few days, and she has already brought back so many things in big and small bags!"
She pointed at the gift box on the coffee table and said exaggeratedly, "You didn't see it just now. Siqi took a bag of golden beans and distributed them to everyone who saw it, like a fairy scattering flowers. If I hadn't chased them out, Madam's rooms would have been overturned by servants asking for money!"
Wang Xifeng's words made Jia Yingchun even more embarrassed. She twisted her handkerchief nervously and stammered, "It's not... it's not like what my sister-in-law said..."
In fact, she had been wanting to stop Siqi just now, but Siqi had been feeling depressed following her for several years, and now that she finally had a chance to feel proud, she naturally wanted to show off as much as she could, and didn't care how Yingchun tried to dissuade her.
"Why not?"
Wang Xifeng raised her eyebrows and continued, "Madam just praised me so much, saying that she has been raising me for so many years and finally she can count on your second sister!"
After hearing Wang Xifeng's boasting, Jia Baoyu's impression of Sun Shaozu rose sharply. He could not help asking, "What about the sister-in-law? Did she come with the second sister?"
When Jia Yingchun heard him asking about Sun Shaozu, she hurriedly followed the explanation she had discussed with Siqi and Xiuju last night and said, "The master has to take a shift at the military camp outside the city today. He only got the news last night that he had to return home early today. He really couldn't get away, so he asked the second master to send me here."
"Brother Sun is here?!"
When Baoyu heard that it was Sun Shaozong who came, he immediately asked excitedly, "Where is he?"
Then Wang Xifeng answered, "Because your second brother is not at home right now, and there is no one suitable to entertain him, he accompanied Ruan Rong to Xiaoxiang Pavilion to visit the patient."
Have you been to Xiaoxiang Pavilion?
After a moment's hesitation, Jia Baoyu gave up the idea of chasing after him.
Firstly, he was afraid that if he went there, he would disturb the reunion of Ruan Rong and Lin Daiyu after several months; secondly, he had just rushed over, and if he had stayed in the living room and chatted with Sun Shaozong for a few words, it would have been fine, but now he just turned around and left, what was going on?
However, Jia Baoyu gave up the idea, but someone else in the room had the same idea.
This person was none other than the pretty widow Li Wan.
Because she arrived a little late, she had no idea where Sun Shaozong was going. But when she heard that he had accompanied Ruan Rong to Xiaoxiang Pavilion, she felt that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
After all, Lin Daiyu was still an unmarried girl, so even if Sun Shaozong went with her, he would probably have to wait outside - and Ruan Rong and Lin Daiyu hadn't seen each other for several months, so they must have a lot of private things to talk about.
In this way...
The more Li Wan thought about it, the more agitated she became. Seeing that everyone was talking excitedly and no one was paying attention to her, she took the opportunity to quietly leave the main room, called her personal maid Suyun, left the east wing, and headed straight for the Xiaoxiang Pavilion.
When she arrived near Xiaoxiang Pavilion, she saw the strong man she had been thinking about day and night wandering alone in the corridor outside the gate.
Li Wan felt as if her heart was filled with scorching charcoal, burning her gourd-shaped body to the point of melting.
Normally, she was not considered a smart person, but at this moment, she was blessed with a sudden inspiration.
While walking forward hand in hand with Suyun as if treading on cotton, she said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, "I have nothing to do. Come with me to the Grand View Garden. I heard that it is the quietest place."
Suyun saw that Sun Shaozong had already lost his bones, and could not tell who was supporting whom between the master and the servant. They just clamped their four legs together and moved slowly, one step at a time, for a long time before they finally left the vicinity of Xiaoxiang Pavilion.
Tsk~
But Sun Shaozong naturally saw the master and servant, and heard what Li Wan said in the corridor. How could he not know what she was thinking?
I felt a sense of embarrassment in my heart.
At first he thought it was a one-time deal, but he didn't expect it would involve applying for "after-sales service".
I want to avoid the appointment, but I'm afraid that Li Wan will wait in the Grand View Garden for a long time and then come back to pester me - if someone with ulterior motives finds out, wouldn't it be a hundred times more troublesome?
Furthermore...
The appearance of the master and servant just now really makes people's heart beat wildly!
So after a slight hesitation, Sun Shaozong called Shi Liu through the door and told her that he was planning to take a walk nearby, and if Ruan Rong asked, he would ask her to wait a moment.
With this excuse, Sun Shaozong seemed to be casually walking around for a while, and then followed a remote path and headed straight for the Grand View Garden.
Because this is where Jia Yuanchun lived when she returned home, the door is usually closed and few people come here.
However, this time, as soon as Sun Shaozong got closer, he saw the master and servant standing on the arch bridge in front of the gate, pointing and talking as if they were admiring the scenery.
Seeing that Sun Shaozong had indeed rushed over, Li Wan's heart was about to fall back into her stomach. She took a few steps to meet him, but then she vomited out with a trembling voice: "You enemy, you always torture me in my dreams. Today... today I finally see you again!"
Seeing that she was about to throw herself into his arms, Sun Shaozong hurriedly whispered: "This is not the place to talk, why don't we..."
He looked up at the locked gate of the Grand View Garden, and then said, "I'll take you inside to see the Imperial Concubine's dragon bed."
He said to take a look, but how could Li Wan not know what he meant?
Of course, it was all right, and I accompanied him to be the adulterer who climbed over the wall...
There is a poem saying:
The green and pink walls are covered with jade eaves, and the slender golden willow branches are covered with silk.
It seems that there is no one flying catkins in the air, and it seems that the wind has suddenly blown up the curtains.
The crisp sound of bells is mixed with soft whispers, and the faint fragrance of flowers is sweet.
If our love is deep, there is no need to see each other more often, for I am still afraid that you may dislike me.
