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

Page 168

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Chapter Sixty-Three: Treating Others with Integrity

Xing Xiuyan felt as if she were a wrecked ship adrift in a storm, tossed about by the raging waves, dazed and disoriented, not knowing where she was.

Only her arms under her armpits, like the only intact mast on that wrecked ship, were her last support. Her feet, as the two men's lips intertwined, helplessly separated and joined in the air, finally hanging down naturally after one last weak upward movement.

"So this is what kissing is like..."

The girl had completely lost the concept of shame, and it was as if her soul had left her body, soberly standing on another level, carefully experiencing the changes in this body.

"It's so hot...it feels...a little itchy...no, it's not itchy..."

The girl frowned, somewhat unable to articulate her exact feelings, and then moved according to her body's instincts.

"Hmm~"

In the quiet corner, the faint sound of saliva could be heard. Gu Yu propped Xing Xiuyan up so that the two could kiss at eye level. Unexpectedly, he soon made the girl lose her mind and become infatuated with the kiss. Instead, she took the initiative to lean over and hug his head to ask for his saliva.

"Hmm~... Chu~"

Feeling the girl's restless little movements, as if she wanted to pull him into her arms, Gu Yu, who was already quite adept at this, naturally knew what the symptoms were. He chuckled to himself and obediently pressed against her. The two mounds of her breasts, which were not hidden in front of him, naturally pressed between the two of them, causing Gu Yu to subconsciously exhale a hot breath.

It's not easy to find food in winter, and the wild animals have been hungry for a long time.

Intending to give Xing Xiuyan a perfect first experience, Gu Yu suppressed any further impulses, gently put her down, hugged her tightly, and caressed her gently. Before he knew it, he had kissed the girl's slender waist so hard that she had to be supported by one hand to avoid falling to the ground.

"Ugh~ Haa~! Ha~"

Finally, with a tremor in the girl's delicate body, Gu Yu lovingly stroked her back, released her fragrant lips, and let her fall into his arms, panting softly.

"What was that just now...?"

Xing Xiuyan buried herself in Gu Yu's arms, feeling dizzy and unable to come back to her senses for a long time. The trembling sensation, as if her soul was about to leave her body, left her mind blank. Then came a feeling of weakness throughout her body, as if she had suddenly lost half of her life.

"It is an indispensable part of love between men and women."

Gu Yu gently kissed the corner of the girl's lips, helping her calm down from the afterglow of their first experience. Xing Xiuyan subconsciously responded to his intimacy until reason regained control of her brain. She then let out a soft moan, her face burning, and pushed Gu Yu's head away, unwilling to continue fooling around.

"Was Sister Xing feeling better just now?"

Gu Yu chuckled and pulled her into his arms. He was relatively well-behaved, only gently patting her back, but his words were forceful, insisting that Xing Xiuyan explain herself.

Xing Xiuyan couldn't resist him and was kissed several more times. Finally, feeling both ashamed and angry, she bit his lip in retaliation.

"He's truly the worst person in the world!"

"I was called a good person by Sister Xing before, but I could only act with restraint. Now that I've become a bad person, I'm surrounded by beautiful women. If this is how good and bad people in the world end up, then I'd rather be a bad person for the rest of my life."

Xing Xiuyan spat lightly, about to refute his nonsense, when she suddenly heard footsteps coming towards the back corridor. Startled, she turned pale and quickly broke free from Gu Yu's embrace. She wiped her mouth guiltily, moved two or three steps to the side, and pretended to be admiring the scenery.

Gu Yu recognized who it was right away, but he didn't expect Xing Xiuyan to run so fast. Before he could even finish raising his hand, she had already turned her head away. He could only smile wryly and turn around to greet the girl who had poked her head out.

"Has Second Sister finished her chess game?"

Yingchun pursed her lips shyly, then glanced at Xing Xiuyan, who was several steps away from Gu Yu. Without thinking too much about it, she smiled faintly:

"Brother Yu, don't you realize how long you've been out here? Lin Meimei and the others are saying they want to rest for a while, have something to eat, and then write poetry, so I came out to call you."

Hearing Yingchun's words, Xing Xiuyan, who had been pretending to be relaxed, finally breathed a sigh of relief. She knew her good neighbor quite well; she was probably the easiest person in the house to fool. She probably hadn't noticed anything unusual about her, right?

"If that's the case, then we should—ah!"

Before Xing Xiuyan could finish speaking, she turned around and pretended to have seen enough of the sights. Her eyes widened as she watched Gu Yu lower his head and kiss Yingchun's lips. Gu Yu then looked up and gave her a smug smile, the meaning of which was quite obvious.

See, I didn't lie to you.

Yingchun obediently opened her mouth, waiting for Gu Yu to make a further attack. Unexpectedly, they parted after only a brief touch, and she was slightly disappointed. However, she quickly realized what kind of occasion this was, and hurriedly raised her head with a shy and flustered expression to look at Xing Xiuyan, her face flushed.

Gu Yu patted her hand reassuringly, said nothing more, only let out two ambiguous laughs, and then pulled Yingchun into the house.

Before long, the sisters in the room regrouped, and even Xing Xiuyan, who came in later, composed herself and mingled in as if nothing had happened.

The women sat around the large oven, like schoolchildren waiting to be fed by their teacher, looking up at Gu Yu who was still busy. Baoqin and the others felt that this was a little inappropriate. How could they, as sisters, just sit and watch Gu Yu, a man, work so hard? But looking at their quiet sisters around them, they could only go with the flow.

They said they came to Luxue Temple for barbecue and drinks, but with Gu Yu here, it's not like they're just barbecuing alone.

First, Qingwen and the others led each person to a portion of snacks to whet their appetites, and then piled up the vegetables that hadn't been laid out before, and a barbecue party with both meat and vegetables was about to begin.

"There are...leek sprouts in this festival?"

Baoqin glanced at it and suddenly her eyes widened. She could understand the various mushrooms around her, as she could get some if she was willing to spend the money, but where did these leek sprouts come from?

Gu Yu just smiled and didn't say anything. Bao Qin also realized that she had asked a stupid question. How could she tell such a secret to others? She could only shut her mouth in embarrassment.

However, even with their mouths closed, their cunning eyes kept darting around, staring intently at Gu Yu. They were completely stunned as he skillfully picked up the meat skewers and brushed them with various seasonings.

Is he a chef or a scholar?

Baochai sat in a corner, talking with Daiyu, glancing at Baoqin and the others from time to time, her smile widening.

I'm not afraid you won't take the bait...

"This first skewer of meat... I think it's destined to be with Sister Yun."

Although the girls had delicate skin, Gu Yu refused to cook them anything too oily or spicy, only adding a light touch of flavor and leaving the windows wide open, yet the aroma still lingered in the room for a long time.

However, once the first skewer of grilled meat was ready, the question of who to give it to became a problem, especially since Baochai and Daiyu were sitting together. Gu Yu didn't want to be caught in the eye-popping attack of the other person the moment she handed it over.

Fortunately, looking at the rabbit meat skewers in her hand, Gu Yu had a sudden inspiration and remembered Dian Lai from that day at the manor. She quickly stuffed this "honor" into Xiang Yun's hands.

Chapter Sixty-Four: Changes in Mindset

Under the gaze of almost everyone present, Xiangyun felt both shy and delighted. However, being naturally lively and outgoing, she wasn't afraid of such a lively occasion. She simply blushed slightly as she stood up to accept the gift, but then, remembering something, she casually asked:

"What is the connection between this and me?"

Gu Yu didn't answer, but instead handed the second skewer she had grilled to Tan Chun, then looked at her with a smile and winked.

Seeing that Xiangyun was still looking dazed and confused, Daiyu finally couldn't help but let out a soft "Ouch!" and burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. Her laughter made the other sisters unable to hold back either, and for a moment the room was filled with silvery laughter, making Gu Yuru's ears feel as clear as if they were hearing celestial music.

Tan Chun, as one of the parties involved, couldn't help but smile. However, she didn't kick someone when they were down. Instead, she kindly turned her head to explain the story to Bao Qin and the others who were unaware of the situation, which finally made them feel less uncomfortable.

"How about we play a little game next? These are all freshly prepared this morning. Sisters, why don't you choose which meat you want to eat? I'll grill it for you. How about that? If you guess wrong, you'll have to drink a cup of wine as punishment. Don't end up just filling your stomach to satisfy your hunger."

The sisters had played this game before in the village, so they were familiar with it. They chuckled and peered into the porcelain plate, but soon they were dumbfounded.

Before, in the manor, at least you could tell what a chicken leg was, but now the porcelain plate was full of carefully prepared slices and skewers of meat. Although the textures were distinct, it wouldn't be easy for these young ladies to tell them apart.

This really put the Xue sisters and Xing Xiuyan in the spotlight.

The three of them were either well-informed and experienced, or came from humble backgrounds and had personal experience. Xing Xiuyan had even personally helped her family kill chickens and fish, let alone just discern a little bit.

Before long, they had guessed most of the meat on the plate. Daiyu, wanting to tease Gu Yu, led her sisters to each pick out the meat they liked and swarmed around him, urging him to grill it quickly. They were all busy and flustered.

Unfortunately, there has never been a shortage of traitors among the masses.

Even though Gu Yu hadn't shed a single sweat, someone felt sorry for their good brother and was afraid he would get tired, so they pulled Daiyu, who was leading the group, over to try and guess the rest of the answers. Meanwhile, someone conveniently stopped egging him on and told him to hurry up and go back to participate in Baoqin and the others' final round.

"this…"

Baoqin stared at the meat skewers on the porcelain plate on the left for a long time, looking hesitant. The strong aroma of meat in her nose further interfered with her judgment. She opened her mouth for a long time but dared not say her answer, for fear of causing some misunderstanding.

Although this meat skewer was different from the meat slices she usually saw, the faint green light made Baoqin's answer clearer, as if she had already guessed what it was.

"Fresh meat..."

Baoqin wisely chose to remain silent. Although such matters were nothing to wealthy families, they could easily escalate into serious trouble. She and Gu Yu were not close enough to joke about this, so she decided to avoid trouble and remain oblivious.

Tan Chun and the others couldn't resist making a few guesses, but Gu Yu denied them without even turning her head. The other sisters, enjoying the spectacle, laughed and shouted that they wanted to pour them drinks. After a few cups, their pretty faces were all rosy and rosy, making them very tempting.

It was getting cold, so naturally people drank warm, nourishing rice wine. But no matter how nourishing it was, it was still more potent than the fruit wines and drinks Gu Yu made. Seeing that Daiyu and the others had drunk several cups and were flushed, Gu Yu couldn't sit still any longer. She squeezed over with her plate and took the wine cups from their hands.

"I've been grilling for you guys for so long, I'm exhausted. How about I get a drink?"

Faced with his unilateral decision, the women didn't find anything amiss. Instead, they laughed and surrounded him, pouring him drinks, leaving Baoqin and the others speechless.

Although I've gradually gotten used to it these days, seeing them sharing a cup without any regard for the consequences... am I really being old-fashioned?

What happened next plunged them into even deeper self-doubt.

Why did Miss Xing, who entered the mansion with them, also offer her wine cup? Although she seemed quite shy, it was still her own initiative.

Gu Yu always valued fairness and impartiality, ensuring everyone received their share. Naturally, he wouldn't leave out the remaining three women. After a quick glance, he first walked up to Coco Lee, smiling broadly at her face until she couldn't help but turn her head away. Only then did he smile and say:

"Sister Wen?"

Coco Lee felt a jolt in her heart, as if an electric current had numbed her from head to toe. She felt as if she had suddenly become the focus of attention, and a surge of heat rose up, causing sweat to appear on her forehead and her eyes to become blurry.

"I…"

Gu Yu lowered his head and took the wine glass that she was half-raising. Before she could hesitate any longer, he drank it down right in front of her.

Looking at the scene before him, Li Qi unconsciously touched his chest with one hand. When he looked up again, he felt that the person seemed a little more unique, and his mind was in turmoil.

For some reason, she felt that her older sister, with whom she shared everything, was hiding a secret from her. Every time she met Young Master Yu, she felt a strange sensation in her body, making her both ashamed and afraid.

Without even thinking, she knew this was a feeling brought to her by Coco Lee. But what exactly had her sister and this Young Master Yu done these past few days? They had only exchanged a few words, and she was right there beside them. She didn't feel that anything was out of the ordinary, but she was still feeling incredibly hot and weak all over, making her feel extremely suffocated.

Perhaps because the blush on her face was too intense, the next moment, Gu Yu did not turn to Bao Qin who was closer, but instead turned to stand in front of her again.

Another year has passed, and Gu Yu has grown taller. While he may not be quite eight feet tall and imposing, he is at least slender. From a distance, it's not very noticeable, but when he gets close to the group of girls, he exudes a faint sense of pressure.

"Sister Qi?"

Thump!

Li Qi's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't tell if it was a feeling from her sister or her own body's instinctive reaction. Her toes were tightly clenched in her embroidered shoes, and it took her a long time to relax with a trembling grip.

Gu Yu watched calmly as Li Qi, who looked exactly like her older sister, hesitated for a long time before raising her cup. Then, she reached out and took the cup, inadvertently touching the girl's slender fingers. A slight coolness seemed to penetrate her heart, and she exclaimed with delight.

"Yeah~!"

Before a soft gasp could even escape her lips, Li Qi swallowed it back, her face flushing red. Watching Gu Yu turn and leave without a second glance, she suddenly felt a strange unease.

Although it seemed like an accident just now... I and my sister are exactly the same, so why did it take so long to get to her, but it was like completing a task when it came to me?

The earlier excitement was suppressed. The girl lowered her eyes and pouted, seemingly lost in thought. She would only occasionally look up at Coco Lee, who was also blushing and lost in thought. She felt a strong urge to give up and do nothing.

If you like keeping secrets, then I won't ask! But what if I have secrets too...? Where will I find them then?

Chapter Sixty-Five: Hardworking and Dedicated Oxen and Horses

Baoqin thought she would be left behind, since she hadn't moved an inch and hadn't participated in Daiyu and the others' jokes, so there was no reason for her to reward him.

But when she was left alone after the round of toasts, Baoqin's heart skipped a beat as she looked at Gu Yu strolling over.

If I refuse... wouldn't I seem a bit out of place?

The girl blinked, gazing at that handsome face she could never tire of looking at, her face flushing slightly, and then a strange reason flashed through her mind.

I did this to fit in...

Before Gu Yu could speak, Bao Qin pretended to be indifferent and raised her wine glass to him, but in reality, she had subconsciously turned her head away, refusing to look him in the eye.

"This girl..."

Taking advantage of the fact that she dared not look over, Gu Yu openly scrutinized her up close, inwardly admiring her.

"No wonder the old lady likes it so much..."

Everyone says she is even more beautiful than in paintings, surpassing even the most beautiful women. In Gu Yu's opinion, there's not much wrong with that.

The girls were all stunningly beautiful, so naturally, the one with the widest audience and the most fans would be the one who garnered the most attention.

Daiyu has delicate features and a cool, aloof air, like a fairy. Her pretty face is flawless, but some people feel that she lacks magnanimity and is petty.

Baochai, on the other hand, had been low-key and reserved for too long. Although she had a dignified appearance, she usually kept a low profile, so her brilliance was mostly obscured.

As for Xichun and Yingchun, their personality flaws are even more obvious, and they are far less likable than Baoqin.

This lively, well-behaved, poised, and well-mannered young lady, with her fair and radiant skin, is like a little sun in a crowd, attracting everyone's attention. No wonder she is considered more beautiful than Jin Chai.

Gu Yu took a few more glances, then looked at Xi Chun and the others beside her. Looking at the fair and tender faces of the girls after she had taken such good care of them, she couldn't help but smile with pride.

Now there are absolutely no weaknesses!

As for temperament? I like them both, so I can't really tell which is better.

Baoqin paused slightly, and seeing that Gu Yu hadn't spoken yet for some reason, she cleared her throat, offered the food, and, having already prepared an excuse, chuckled softly:

"I didn't trouble Young Master Yu to grill the meat for me, but I have a question right now. I'll pay you first, drink this cup of wine, and then tell me, how about that?"