Chapter 14: Zijuan Tests Baoyu's Heart
Zijuan was Daiyu's most loyal servant and close friend. She had come with Daiyu from Yangzhou and had watched her mistress grow sadder each day. Zijuan could see that Daiyu loved Baoyu deeply, but she also knew that nothing was certain in the Jia family.
One cold spring morning, Zijuan decided to test Baoyu's feelings. She found him in the garden and told him a lie. "Miss Daiyu will return to Yangzhou next month," she said calmly. "Her family has arranged a marriage for her there." The words hit Baoyu like a thunderbolt.
Baoyu's face turned pale, and his body began to shake. "What are you saying?" he cried. "Daiyu cannot leave! She belongs here, with me!" His voice grew louder and more desperate. He grabbed Zijuan's arm and begged her to tell him it was not true.
The shock was so great that Baoyu fell into a deep confusion. He could not eat or sleep, and he spoke nonsense to everyone who visited him. The doctors were called, but they could find no physical illness. His problem was in his heart, broken by the fear of losing Daiyu.
When Daiyu heard what had happened, she wept bitterly. She finally understood how deeply Baoyu loved her. But the incident also made her worry about their future. In a family as large and complex as the Jia, love alone was not enough to guarantee happiness.