Explore Chapter 11 of "八十一梦 五子登科" with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
It is said that after Jinling Chun came into that unexpected fortune, he was greatly elated. He spent his days in revelry, drinking and dining, and made many friends. One day, he invited Yang Fangzhou, Liu Renfu, and others to a small gathering at a restaurant. As they chatted about recent romantic affairs, Jinling Chun could not help but beam with pride and boast extravagantly.
Halfway through the wine, Jinling Chun suddenly brought up an encounter with a certain lady the other day, his words tinged with frivolity. Yang Fangzhou heard this and felt displeased, but his face betrayed nothing. Liu Renfu, however, laughed and said, “Brother Jin, you are truly blessed with amorous fortune, but you must be more careful with your words, lest you bring trouble upon yourself.”
Jinling Chun was beside himself with joy and would not listen. Instead, he raised his voice, “What is there to fear? Now that I have money, who would not fawn on me?” The moment these words left his mouth, the whole table was astounded. Yang Fangzhou set down his wine cup and said coldly, “Brother Jin, you are mistaken. Though money is good, it cannot buy people's hearts.”
Stung by this rebuke, Jinling Chun sobered up halfway, realizing he had spoken rashly. He quickly apologized with a forced smile, “Brother, I was merely talking nonsense in my cups. Please do not take offense.” Only then did Yang Fangzhou's expression ease. He said, “We are brothers; there is no need to dwell on it. But you must be more careful in the future.”
As they were speaking, a sudden commotion arose from outside the window. The men leaned out to look. A car had stopped downstairs, and a gorgeously dressed woman stepped out. Jinling Chun recognized her at once as the very beauty he had been pining for day and night. His heart stirred, and he made an excuse to leave the table, going downstairs to greet her.
When the woman saw Jinling Chun coming down, she gave a sweet smile and said, “Mr. Jin, what a coincidence! You are here too.” Overjoyed, Jinling Chun promptly invited her upstairs to drink with them. She did not decline and followed him up. When the others saw the beauty Jinling Chun had brought, they all teased and cheered, and the atmosphere immediately became lively.
The feast lasted late into the night. After seeing the woman off, Jinling Chun returned home and reflected on the day's events. He felt both proud and somewhat uneasy. He tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. He thought to himself, “From now on, I should restrain myself a little, to avoid stirring up trouble.”