(゜-゜) Baoyu Makes a Move
The evening banquet had begun.
The flower hall was brightly lit. The large red, gem-inlaid round table was already laden with all kinds of delicacies. The dishes shimmered with spiritual energy and filled the air with their fragrance. Now and then, wisps of steam rising from a rich soup seemed to take on the faint forms of dragons and tigers. Clearly, its ingredients were no ordinary fare.
The table was enormous, so even after the banquet had begun, the immortal maidens and serving girls continued attending to the guests, moving back and forth as they served the dishes. From a small room behind a beaded curtain not far away came the lilting, pleasing sound of strings and bamboo flutes, which seemed to whet everyone's appetite.
At the main table in the flower hall, Grandmother Jia sat in the place of honor, with Baoyu and Daiyu—the two most favored grandchildren—on either side of her. Behind them sat Lady Wang and Lady Xing, followed by Wang Xifeng, the Three Sisters, and the others. As the guest of honor, Annie had been given a spacious seat of distinction to Grandmother Jia's right.
Wang Xifeng and Lin Daiyu had already brought Annie here and exchanged greetings with Grandmother Jia and the Jia womenfolk. Even so, the striking contrast between Annie's gorgeous attire and youthful appearance had yet to fade from everyone's minds. Throughout the meal, the guests kept sneaking curious glances at her.
Fortunately, most of them were merely curious. Grandmother Jia was gracious, wearing a kind and proper smile, while Wang Xifeng was even more socially adept, keeping the atmosphere lively with one witty remark after another. The gathering never grew awkwardly quiet.
However...
As the meal went on and the food was right in front of her,