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

Page 67

Chapter Seventy-One: Long, long ago...

Gu Yu affectionately patted Xi Chun's head, but ultimately said nothing, only feeling that he still had a long way to go and had not been able to completely warm her heart.

"My sister's forehead isn't so hot anymore, but why does her complexion still look so bad? Is there anything else that's bothering her?"

Gu Yu touched Xi Chun's forehead again, wondering if she should go outside to invite a famous doctor. After all, the doctors invited by the Jia family had a remarkable track record, having cured very few people throughout the entire book.

Xi Chun blushed and hesitated for a long time before finally mustering the courage to whisper something in Gu Yu's ear, which finally made Gu Yu realize what was happening.

It turned out that Xichun had her first period a few days ago, and Sister Feng had come over to comfort her. As for Gu Yu, of course, he was unaware of this.

Gu Yu finally understood why Xi Chun looked so pale; her menstrual cramps were probably more severe than Qing Wen's. In this day and age, menstruation was considered unclean, and the only way to relieve it was to eat safflower and jujubes to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. Even the advice from straight men in later generations to drink more hot water hadn't appeared yet.

Seeing Xichun's slightly uncomfortable face, Gu Yu was about to get up and call Ruhua to bring him some hot water when Xichun clung to him and wouldn't let him leave.

"Brother Yu..."

Although Gu Yu wasn't some kind of magic pill, Chun felt much more relaxed just by staying close to him and smelling his pleasant fragrance. She would sweetly ask him to stay a little longer.

Seeing that she was still pulling him along, Gu Yu realized he was overthinking things and couldn't help but smile helplessly. He simply stopped explaining and sat down again. After thinking for a moment, he rubbed his palms together, then reached under the thin blanket and lifted her undergarment to touch it.

Xi Chun stiffened, her hand instinctively resting on Gu Yu's large, active hand. Then, her face flushed, she slumped into his arms, humming softly.

Gu Yu massaged her for a while, then took his hands out and rubbed them together to warm them up again. After several times, Xi Chun felt a warm sensation in her lower abdomen, which was much better than before. She couldn't help but stare at Gu Yu's profile, her heart filled with happiness.

Yesterday, Sister Feng explained a lot to her, saying that even after she gets married, she shouldn't let others know about such sordid matters. Unexpectedly, Gu Yu not only didn't mind at all, but also knew so many ways to help her alleviate the pain. How could one not be moved?

Gu Yu stroked Xi Chun's smooth, snow-white belly, but had no other thoughts in his mind. Seeing that Xi Chun's slightly furrowed brows had relaxed, he knew that his method had worked, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He then chatted with her.

"Is your little sister bored lying in bed? She should be almost fully recovered by tomorrow. We can send off the Flower Goddess together then, it will be quite a lively occasion."

Xi Chun's mind was mostly focused on Gu Yu's warm, large hands. She didn't hear everything he said, only acting coquettishly to make Gu Yu laugh. She couldn't help but snuggle into his arms, wishing that life could just pass by like this forever.

But her coquettishness put Gu Yu in a difficult position, and he wondered what story he could tell her to cheer her up.

Gu Yu's eyes fell on the small Buddha statue on the incense table next to her, and a thought suddenly came to mind. She wondered if a story had not yet been fully developed and passed down to the world. Why didn't she bring out the mature version for future generations in advance, so that she could hear more of the story in the future?

"Sister, have you heard the story of the White Snake repaying a debt of gratitude?"

Xi Chun blinked and shook her head in confusion. Although she had read some books, they were all serious articles, and she usually listened to opera stories. She had never heard of the story of the White Snake.

Gu Yu chuckled softly, deliberately cleared her throat, and adopted the tone of a storyteller, beginning her narration in a leisurely manner.

"Legend has it that a thousand years ago, a shepherd boy saw a small white snake being chased by a snake catcher..."

……

Xi Chun gradually became engrossed in listening and couldn't help but sit up. Just as she was hearing about the White Snake stealing the immortal herb, she suddenly felt Gu Yu pull his hand away from her lower abdomen. She was startled and was about to speak when he gently covered her lips.

Hearing the faint familiar footsteps coming from outside, Gu Yu raised an eyebrow and gestured for Xi Chun to lie back down obediently, but she kept talking. After finishing this part, she deliberately stopped and pretended to be thirsty to pour herself some tea.

As soon as Gu Yu turned around, he saw Daiyu standing outside the door, staring at him with a half-smile. However, besides her, there were several other figures following behind her; it turned out that Baochai and the others had all arrived.

Seeing that she had been discovered, Daiyu smiled faintly and turned back to her sisters to boast about her discovery.

"See? Am I right? If we hear that Xichun isn't well yet, we'll definitely run into her here!"

Baochai smiled gently at Gu Yu, then couldn't help but chuckle as she continued:

"It seems none of us understand Brother Yu as well as Lin girl does. I wonder how Lin girl's brain works. Can she see right through people at a glance?"

Daiyu blushed. She couldn't possibly see through Baochai's meaning at a glance; it was obvious... Before she could respond, Baochai curiously asked Gu Yu:

"Brother Yu, what story were you telling just now? I feel that it's somewhat similar to the story of the White Snake, who was transformed into a woman with the eyebrows, causing trouble for Xu Xian? But your version is a hundred times better than that."

Gu Yu looked at Baochai with slight surprise. Although he knew that Baochai had a wide range of knowledge, he did not expect that she would know such obscure sources.

Daiyu had heard this outside and thought of the woman with the unibrow in the poem "Ode to the Capital of Wei". Now that Baochai could also think of this, she felt even more like she had found a kindred spirit.

Seeing Gu Yu admiringly looking at Baochai, Daiyu snorted inwardly, but showed no sign of it on her face. She went over to talk to Xichun, but secretly stepped on Gu Yu's foot.

However, she was physically frail, and since she acted from behind, her movement was merely a cat-like rub, posing no threat whatsoever. Fortunately, it did bring Gu Yu back to her senses, making her realize that the girl was unhappy.

Xiangyun stood aside, watching Daiyu's little actions with a complicated expression, not knowing how to save her good sister from her suffering.

Since she had a falling out with Daiyu a few days ago, she thought they would make up in a few days. However, when they went to pay their respects to Grandmother Jia today, she went to greet Daiyu, but she clearly felt that Daiyu was much more distant.

She really couldn't understand what had possessed Baochai and Daiyu. The two of them had clearly crossed the line with this young master Gu, but they couldn't say it out loud.

Seeing Gu Yu cheating on her with two women, and her best friend disregarding her reputation and letting him torment her, Xiangyun was furious and had already labeled him a scumbag in her heart.

Now that both attempts to persuade her have failed, Xiangyun is so frustrated that she can't eat or drink. She has no choice but to focus more on Gu Yu. She really doesn't know what kind of magic he has that makes the sisters throw away their innocence and rush to give him their all.

But to my surprise, when I came to Xichun's place with my sisters, I heard Gu Yuqing's clear and melodious voice, which made me feel relaxed and inexplicably enjoyable.

Besides that, the wonderful fantasy story captivated her, a lively and outgoing girl. If she hadn't seen it in the flower garden, she probably would have become a fangirl of this young master Gu!

Chapter 72 If you know so much, how did you fall for it?

As soon as the group of young ladies arrived, Xichun's small room immediately became lively. Because they were afraid of disturbing Xichun, all the maids were refused entry, leaving only the sisters and Gu Yu inside.

Looking at the lush flowers in the room, Gu Yu couldn't help but smile smugly. He would be picking all these beautiful flowers in the future, how could he not be proud?

After passing by, Daiyu chatted with Xichun for a few more minutes before turning back to Gu Yu with a smile:

"Why did the play stop? Could it be that even the face of Sister Bao and Sister Yingchun is no longer enough?"

Baochai's eyelashes trembled slightly, but she didn't show anything unusual. Only Yingchun, who was gentle and silent and wouldn't talk back, blushed when she heard her words. Her shy appearance made Gu Yu take a few more glances.

Seeing that Daiyu still had the mind to flirt with them, Baochai took a deep breath. Although she had to cover up her actions in front of Xiangyun, she couldn't help but glance at her with a meaningful look.

"Sister Lin is too modest. In my opinion, it's Brother Yu who hasn't received your orders. If you want to hear any new opera, with Brother Yu's abilities, it would be a piece of cake to get a hundred or eighty acts. Then we can all benefit from it."

Daiyu bit her lower lip, somewhat unable to withstand these words. She slightly shielded her face from the heat with her hand. Baochai saw that she had raised the flag of surrender and smiled gently, finally letting the woman off the hook.

Seeing that the two had finally quieted down, Gu Yu coughed twice to draw their attention. He had no choice but to pretend to be deaf and dumb earlier; if he dared to intervene rashly, the fate of Bao Yu in the book when he tried to appease Xiang Yun and Dai Yu would serve as a cautionary tale!

"If you ladies want to hear more, I'll continue. Those with money, please support me financially; those without, please show your support by being here. Thank you all for watching."

Gu Yu stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and, mimicking the storyteller in the teahouse, bowed to the surroundings. He then lightly tapped the table with his palm, pretending to be holding a paperweight.

"Last time we talked about how Lady White Snake came to Kunlun Mountain to steal the immortal herb, and just happened to run into..."

The sisters couldn't help but laugh as they watched him fool around, but they soon became engrossed in the story Gu Yu was telling. When they heard that the Crane and Deer Immortals had defeated Lady White Snake, they all looked worried, but when they heard that the Antarctic Immortal had sympathized with Lady White Snake and given her a lingzhi mushroom, their worries turned to joy.

Xiangyun listened intently, as if she were already immersed in the fantastical story. Before she knew it, she couldn't help but look at Gu Yu, who was talking eloquently. But as soon as she turned her head, she saw Baochai and Daiyu staring at Gu Yu with admiration, and she suddenly became alert.

If I hadn't seen through this dissolute man's true colors early on, I probably would have fallen into his hands too!

Xiangyun felt both ashamed and angry, but Gu Yu's story was so captivating that she couldn't help but listen, which was truly torturous.

When Gu Yu finally told the story of Xu Xian being tricked into becoming a monk at Jinshan Temple, and Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing going to find their husband, all the women held their breath, waiting for the exciting plot to unfold. Suddenly, Gu Yu exclaimed "Ouch!" breaking the atmosphere in the room.

Seeing his lazy appearance, Daiyu wanted to punch him a couple of times. How could he tease someone like that?! But Xiangyun was still there, so she could only suppress her feelings and try to put on a smile.

"What's wrong with Brother Yu?"

Gu Yu wanted to joke around and say he was thirsty and needed to moisten his throat, but seeing his sisters staring at him with unfriendly expressions, he could only smile awkwardly and say:

"It's getting late, shouldn't the sisters go home for dinner?"

After his reminder, the women looked out the window and saw that the sun was already setting. They hadn't expected that listening to a story would take so long.

Since Xichun wasn't feeling well, they didn't want to keep bothering him, so they had to let him go. But Gu Yu was talking about the climax when he suddenly stopped, which made everyone feel like they were being scratched by cat claws. It made them really angry.

After bidding a reluctant farewell to Xichun, the women were all heading home. Baochai naturally walked with Gu Yu, but after Xiangyun brought this up earlier, she felt embarrassed to be too intimate and kept to herself, afraid that Xiangyun would lecture her again.

Gu Yu and Baochai were kindred spirits. Seeing the longing and helplessness in Baochai's eyes, Gu Yu could only smile bitterly and chat idly, while glancing at the bright light bulb next to them.

Unexpectedly, Xiangyun was secretly observing Gu Yu when she was startled by his sudden stare. She then glared at the lecherous man with disgust and quickly took a few steps to distance herself.

Seeing that she was walking in a hurry, Baochai did not stop her, but only told Ying'er to follow closely, while she herself was pulled along by Gu Yu and fell behind again.

Seeing that the two could no longer hear what was being said, Gu Yu touched her nose in puzzlement and looked at Baochai curiously, asking:

"When did I offend her? Why can't she even give me a friendly look?"

Baochai smiled and quietly recounted Xiangyun's advice from that day. Gu Yu glanced at Xiangyun's retreating figure with a puzzled expression. She hadn't expected that Xiangyun, so carefree and easygoing, was actually so traditional and shy inside. Truly, you can know a person's face but not their heart.

Seeing that he kept staring at Xiangyun, Baochai couldn't help but remind him:

“Sister Yun is not like Sister Lin and me. After all, she was taken advantage of by you… If you still think you have her figured out, it will only make her unhappy. She will definitely make a big scene and cause a scene with you.”

Gu Yu looked at Baochai, who was giving him advice on how to woo girls, with a mix of amusement and emotion. He couldn't help but take her hand, kiss it, and laugh.

"With Baochai's extensive experience, how could she possibly fall into my hands? Once I win over Yunmei, Baochai won't have to suffer so much..."

Baochai blushed deeply at his bold words, instinctively trying to pull her hand away, but unsurprisingly failed. She could only bite her lips, shyly turning her head away, though a hint of a smile remained on her face.

Every young girl has a fantasy about her future husband, and Baochai is no exception. She imagines him to be handsome, skilled in both literature and martial arts, and confident and radiant. These elements gradually build up her image.

But after meeting Gu Yu, Baochai realized that the truly suitable man was not someone she could fit into the image in her mind, but someone who was directly replaced by him.

Although Gu Yu was handsome, talented, gentle and considerate, which largely matched her original expectations, this was the main reason she was attracted to him.

But Gu Yu's audacity and frivolous behavior... didn't seem as unbearable as she had originally imagined? It was as if she could accept anything as long as it was Gu Yu, even if he repeatedly crossed her bottom line and principles.

Gu Yu naturally didn't understand the thoughts in the hearts of his many sisters, but he knew that in this traditional era, the fact that these well-educated young ladies would disregard their chastity and become close to him already spoke volumes.

The two remained silent for a while, holding hands and walking slowly along the path. Unfortunately, they soon encountered a group of maids busy hanging up the colorful flowers, and had to reluctantly let go of each other.

After taking Baochai to Hengwu Garden, Gu Yu returned home to spend time with his two pretty maids.

The life of a rich young master is so simple, unpretentious, and boring. Sigh!

Chapter Seventy-Three: Walking into a Trap

Early in the morning, Qingwen and Xiangling went with Baochai and her entourage to Dudanting to meet up with Li Wan and Fengjie, leaving Gu Yu alone at home to rest.

After all, it was a festival for young women, and Gu Yu had no intention of forcing herself to join in, especially with Sister Feng and Li Wan there acting as third wheels.

Why not let them have a good time on their own? That's why he refrained from doing anything intimate with Xiangling and the others last night, just in case they didn't have the strength to get up.

After giving each of them a long kiss, Gu Yu watched them leave laughing and chatting, then turned back to his study and began writing his novel.

This was an idea that quietly arose in his mind when he talked about the Legend of the White Snake: to spread those mature classical novels of later generations in advance and enrich our current cultural and entertainment life.

After all, the operas of today are quite interesting, but without classics like the Legend of the White Snake and the Butterfly Lovers, Gu Yu always felt something was missing. Perhaps if they were to be performed earlier, they could spark a different kind of brilliance among today's actors.

Since he had nothing to do today, Gu Yu simply wrote the first eight scenes in one go. After finishing the script, he would write a popular novel, so that by the time the novel was published, the opera would be almost ready for rehearsals.

Today, the maids were given the day off. In the vast Pear Blossom Spring Rain Garden, only Gu Yu was at home. After writing for half a day, Gu Yu subconsciously called for someone to pour tea. After calling several times without any response, she finally came to her senses.

Seeing that the room was quiet, Gu Yu chuckled and patted her forehead. She could only pour herself some tea, stretch, and casually look around at the furnishings in her room.

Compared to her own study at home, Pear Blossom Spring Rain's room could only be described as shabby. But this chair once held Daiyu intimately, and the two of them practiced calligraphy hand in hand at that table. As Gu Yu looked at it, she couldn't help but wonder what Daiyu was doing now.

Now, in the garden, sedan chairs and horses are woven from flower petals and willow branches, and banners and pennants are folded from silk and gauze. They are all tied with colorful threads and hung on every tree and every flower. The garden is full of embroidered ribbons fluttering and flowers swaying. In addition, the young ladies and maids are all dressed up so beautifully that even peaches and apricots would be ashamed and swallows and orioles would be jealous. The whole Grand View Garden is magnificent.

Daiyu was currently accompanying her sisters in the ceremony to send off the Flower Goddess. The previously lively group had fallen silent. Watching the wisps of incense smoke drift away from the incense burner, she realized that on any other day, this slightly melancholic theme might have already dampened Daiyu's spirits.

However, her mind was not on this at all. After asking Xiangling and the others who came to play, she learned that Gu Yu was alone at home, and her thoughts uncontrollably drifted away.

After finishing this part, Sister Feng started laughing and talking loudly again. In just a few words, she revived the group of girls and invited them to visit the Jade Emperor Temple and listen to the young actors perform a couple of shows.

Xiangyun and Tanchun, who both loved excitement, were the first to express their desire to join in the fun. Baochai, who was already tasked with leading Xiangling and the others to have some fun, naturally agreed readily. However, Yingchun simply smiled and shook her head, unwilling to go and cause any more trouble.

Fengjie and the others knew Yingchun's temperament well, so they weren't surprised. However, they didn't expect that Xichun and Daiyu would both say they were tired. The sisters decided to stay and chat for a while instead of going to see the play.

Seeing that the group unanimously expressed their desire to chat for a while, Tan Chun felt like she had missed something and felt strange, but for now she could only follow Feng Jie and the others eastward for a stroll.

Watching the large group of maids depart in a grand procession, Xichun and Daiyu stared at each other for a few awkward words before bidding farewell, each lost in their own thoughts.

Unexpectedly, the two remained silent for a long time after saying goodbye, each hoping the other would leave first so they could turn around and go somewhere else.

After a brief standoff, Daiyu and Xichun finally came to their senses. They blushed and looked at each other, but Xichun was the first to burst out laughing.

"Sister Lin, should I go back first? I don't want to keep them waiting."

Daiyu opened her mouth, but she hadn't made an appointment with Gu Yu at any time. She just thought it was a rare opportunity and wanted to seize the time to settle the matter she had promised earlier.

After all, that bad guy was trying to take advantage of her in every way possible, even when he was in the wrong, and she had already agreed to it. If she delayed any longer, she would probably have to pay interest!

Watching Xichun's departing figure, Daiyu blushed and wrung her handkerchief for a long time, but still couldn't help but stomp her foot and walk right into the trap.

……

Gu Yu was putting down her pen to let the ink dry slightly when she suddenly heard footsteps outside the door. She paused for a moment, then pretended not to hear and picked up her pen again to start writing the next chapter.

Daiyu quietly walked up behind Gu Yu, not paying attention to what he was writing, and playfully covered his eyes without saying a word.

Even though Gu Yu didn't hear the familiar footsteps, she could recognize who it was just by the fragrance in her nose. However, at this moment, she obediently cooperated with Daiyu, deliberately exclaiming in surprise, and went to take those hands.

Daiyu laughed and slapped away his large hand that was leaning towards her, then deliberately covered it even tighter, still wanting him to guess clearly.