Chapter 8: Baoyu Is Beaten
Bab 8: Baoyu Dipukul
One hot summer afternoon, terrible news reached the Jia mansion. A servant girl named Jinchuan had thrown herself into a well and drowned. The reason was a cruel rumor that Baoyu had spoken improper words to her. Whether the rumor was true or not, the result was the same: a young life was lost.
Suatu sore musim panas yang panas, kabar mengerikan tiba di rumah Jia. Seorang pelayan bernama Jinchuan telah melemparkan dirinya ke dalam sumur dan tenggelam. Alasannya adalah rumor kejam bahwa Baoyu telah mengatakan kata-kata yang tidak pantas kepadanya. Apakah rumor itu benar atau tidak, hasilnya sama: sebuah kehidupan muda telah hilang.
Baoyu's father, Jia Zheng, was furious when he heard the news. He had always been disappointed in his son, who refused to study for the exams and spent his days with the girls in the garden. Now he saw Baoyu as a source of shame for the entire family. "Bring him to me!" he shouted, his face red with anger.
Ayah Baoyu, Jia Zheng, marah ketika mendengar kabar itu. Dia selalu kecewa pada putranya, yang menolak belajar untuk ujian dan menghabiskan harinya dengan gadis-gadis di taman. Sekarang dia melihat Baoyu sebagai sumber malu bagi seluruh keluarga. "Bawa dia kepadaku!" teriaknya, wajahnya merah karena marah.
When Baoyu was brought before his father, Jia Zheng ordered the servants to beat him. The heavy bamboo sticks fell upon Baoyu's back again and again. He cried out in pain, but his father showed no mercy. The other family members heard the sounds and rushed to the scene, begging Jia Zheng to stop.
Ketika Baoyu dibawa ke hadapan ayahnya, Jia Zheng memerintahkan pelayan untuk memukulnya. Tongkat bambu berat jatuh di punggung Baoyu berulang kali. Dia berteriak kesakitan, tetapi ayahnya tidak menunjukkan belas kasihan. Anggota keluarga lainnya mendengar suara itu dan berlari ke tempat kejadian, memohon Jia Zheng untuk berhenti.
Grandmother Jia arrived and stood between her son and her grandson. "If you want to kill him, you must kill me first!" she declared. Her words finally stopped the beating. Baoyu was carried to his room, his body covered with wounds. Daiyu came to see him and wept silently by his bed.
Nenek Jia tiba dan berdiri di antara putra dan cucunya. "Jika kamu ingin membunuhnya, kamu harus membunuhku terlebih dahulu!" katanya. Kata-katanya akhirnya menghentikan pemukulan. Baoyu dibawa ke kamarnya, tubuhnya penuh luka. Daiyu datang menemuinya dan menangis diam-diam di samping tempat tidurnya.
The incident left deep marks on Baoyu's body and his heart. He began to understand that the world outside the garden was a harsh place, where power and rules controlled everything. The gentle life he had known was protected only by his grandmother's love, and that protection would not last forever.
Insiden itu meninggalkan bekas mendalam di tubuh dan hati Baoyu. Dia mulai memahami bahwa dunia di luar taman adalah tempat yang keras, di mana kekuasaan dan aturan mengendalikan segalanya. Kehidupan lembut yang dia kenal hanya dilindungi oleh cinta neneknya, dan perlindungan itu tidak akan bertahan selamanya.