What In The World Is Lin Daiyu Talking About?
One of the most difficult parts of Dream of the Red Chamber is understanding how characters talk to each other and why.
The story we just read is pretty simple. Lin Daiyu’s maid brings her a hand warmer, which is sort of like a small metal oven designed to keep her hands warm. She chastizes the maid for listening more to her senior maid (Zijuan) than to herself, which is kind of a bizarre thing to say in this situation.
Jia Baoyu then understands that Lin Daiyu is actually talking to him, which is even stranger.
And then Lin Daiyu’s answer to Aunt Xue is strangest of all.
Let’s dig in.
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