[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber":3,"chapter-my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-72":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","My Life as a Rising Force in the Red Chamber",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2310870,4515,"Chapter 72: Intimacy and Distance, the Heart Knows Best","my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-72",72,"\u003Cp>Jia Cong didn’t learn until the next day that Daiyu had spat blood from being enraged by Baoyu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that Baoyu had smashed his jade again, he found it absurd—this jade had reportedly been shattered countless times yet never cracked a single bit; it was clearly a mockery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Baoyu’s heart wasn’t evil, his habit of declaring all the world corrupt while he alone was enlightened, mourning autumn and grieving spring, putting on airs, sometimes truly made people sick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he heard gossip that this incident somehow involved him—that Daiyu had spoken up on his behalf, which is why Baoyu flew into a rage and smashed the jade, causing such a commotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made him feel uneasy, and that same day he left the estate through the back door beside Qingzhi Studio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That evening, Wu’er arrived at Daiyu’s quarters carrying a scroll and a soup box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss Lin, this is what our Third Master sent me to bring—this calligraphy was personally mounted by him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This morning, upon hearing you coughed up blood, he went out specifically, bought many ingredients, saying they were from an ancient text’s miraculous remedy, and carefully prepared a medicinal porridge for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zijuan hurried forward to thank him: “Your Third Master truly has thoughtfulness—what is this medicinal porridge made of? It has a wonderfully sweet fragrance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu’er smiled and said: “Two qian of fresh white reed flowers, one qian of Bletilla, two qian of lily bulb, half a qian of Astragalus, and then sliced premium snow lotus root.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Master is about the same age as Second Master Baoyu, yet he appears far more composed, with finer, more perceptive thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After helping Daiyu lie down, she went to the desk and saw the paper covered in elegant, graceful script, neatly copied, ink still damp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Master says this medicinal porridge isn’t precious, but it’s mild, moistens the lungs and nourishes yin, regulates qi and harmonizes the body, and has miraculous effects on coughing up blood—just eat it a few times and you’ll see results.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second Master Baoyu usually pays attention to you, often clings to you, but his words and actions remain childish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Wu’er left, Daiyu had Zijuan hang the scroll on the wall, ate the medicinal porridge Wu’er brought, and gazed at the extraordinary calligraphy on the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zijuan couldn’t understand what was written.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So in Zijuan’s own estimation, Third Master Cong seemed more in tune with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zijuan urged: “Miss, you’re still ill—don’t exhaust yourself. Rest now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daiyu said: “Go thank Third Master for me—he’s gone to too much trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s such a fine person, yet cursed with such a birth—but these are all empty thoughts now, no need to dwell on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Master instructed me to simmer it daily in Qingzhi Studio, so it’s ready in the evening to deliver to Miss Lin—eat it, rest quietly, and it won’t disturb anyone else.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she unrolled the paper and began copying from the book, writing for nearly half an hour before yawning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today, upon hearing the news, Third Master Cong didn’t come in person—he sent you the calligraphy you love, went to the trouble of preparing medicinal porridge, and had the maid deliver it quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, sisters like Tanchun and Yingchun came often to visit Daiyu, keep her company, and ease her boredom; Jia Mu also visited frequently or sent Yuanyang to inquire after her health.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, his not coming in person, but quietly sending gifts through a maid, shows he considered your circumstances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zijuan noticed her mistress gazing at the calligraphy for a long time, as if sighing, then wrapped herself in her robe and went to the desk, pulling out a thick, yellowed book from the shelf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’re all young masters of the household—how could these two be so different in conduct?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zijuan recalled how yesterday Second Master Baoyu came, caused a ruckus, and smashed his jade, making Miss Lin so furious she spat blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soaked in water for half an hour, then slow-simmered for three hours to make it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Master Cong’s medicinal porridge is quite tasty—sweet and soothing, as if it seeps into the heart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baoyu also came several times with the sisters; Daiyu no longer grew angry at him, but her expression grew distant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Baoyu felt uneasy, he thought perhaps Lin Meimei was still angry with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a few days, when Lin Meimei calmed down, he’d sincerely apologize—sisters would surely return to their former harmony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d quarreled often these past two years, but each time it ended the same way, so he didn’t take it to heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t realized how deeply the events of a few days ago had affected Daiyu’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Baoyu smashed his jade again in her room and said those cruel words, driving her to spit blood—and it finally chilled Daiyu’s heart completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Baoyu was still Baoyu, to Daiyu he no longer seemed the same—he’d become strangely distant, as if a shadow had shattered and been lost forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, among those like Tanchun and Yingchun, she felt closer to them than to Baoyu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s very hard, perhaps impossible, to warm a heart that has turned cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the heart is the most fragile, most sensitive thing in this world—once the sea has changed, spilled water cannot be retrieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong visited Daiyu only once, accompanying Tanchun and Yingchun, then never came again, continuing to shut himself in and read.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Baoyu now wondered if he’d been overthinking his earlier words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet every evening, Wu’er still brought medicinal porridge to Daiyu’s room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, when Baoyu tried to ask Jia Mu for Wu’er in Rongqing Hall, many maids heard it—and within a day, the rumor spread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Jia Mu questioned Xiren in Rongqing Hall, little of that conversation spread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jia Cong had vaguely heard that Daiyu had intervened to stop Baoyu from demanding Wu’er, causing their quarrel—he didn’t know what Baoyu had said to drive her to spit blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew Baoyu and Daiyu were the two most important people in Jia Mu’s eyes, and he understood what Jia Mu planned for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given this situation, he naturally avoided drawing suspicion—first for Daiyu’s dignity, second because he didn’t want to stir up trouble now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What mattered most to him now was the admission letter to Qingshan Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Bi had brought one before, but because he’d been severely injured by Jia She, his enrollment had to be delayed, and the admission letter had been taken back for replacement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, the new admission letter should be nearly ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once he entered Qingshan Academy, he could temporarily escape the mire of the Jia household, focus entirely on studying for the imperial exams, and build a firmer foundation for his future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing Daiyu had secretly helped him, Jia Cong felt touched—claiming he had no feelings at all for this first most gifted girl of the Red Chamber would be too hypocritical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially after moving to the West Mansion, his contact with Daiyu had increased; this jade-like, ethereally graceful woman had already left a shadow in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to speak of deeper feelings now would be premature—perhaps that’s all it is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when Baoyu set his sights on Wu’er, even trying to get her through Jia Mu’s hand, it extinguished the last trace of goodwill Jia Cong had ever felt for Big-Face Baoyu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baoyu outwardly showed boundless tenderness toward women, but beneath it all, he was merely a fake connoisseur—lustful yet cowardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He claimed to cherish and revere Daiyu, yet would smash his jade and humiliate a girl into spitting blood over petty, selfish thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the original timeline, Qingwen and Jin Chuan both suffered because of him—he had the power to save them, yet did nothing, watching helplessly as both girls died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially after Qingwen’s death, he put on a show of grief with his essay “Elegy for the Hibiscus Maiden.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had such deep affection, why didn’t he fight to protect her while she lived? Why didn’t he cherish her properly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the so-called peerless nobleman of the Red Chamber, the saintly son of wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, Zhi Shao was coveted by Jia She, then driven to drown herself under coercion—this event burned itself into Jia Cong’s memory; he would never let anyone close to him suffer such filth again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baoyu demanding Wu’er, no matter how he disguised it, was nothing but a miniature version of Jia She.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jia family produces nothing but such descendants, allowing them to torment and corrupt without restraint—if they don’t fall into a vast, white, clean emptiness, it would be unjust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1437,"2026-06-20T12:19:54.434Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","def659c586e8b30a0462c9ec97c2661fb261e756f67a7dd4da76b0f2dcc7ee66","my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-73","my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-71",920,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmy-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-cover.jpg"]