i think thats it.... honestly i hope anyone who follows me on here has me muted because this was a lot to type out in one go

- after baoyu is healed his sister tanchun suggests that the girls living in the garden (and baoyu) come together to make a poetry club together to alleviate boredom. theres a bit to analyse about the individual writing styles of each of the girls, but i unfortunately dont know enough to write on it

to see if she is alright. a few onlookers in the house call him stupid to not even be able to notice his own burns, treating another (lesser ranked) person as if her injuries were his own, but all he does is smile and move on. he literally drives me insane. anyways

literally despite everything he refuses to place blame for anything that happens to him on anyone but himself!! in chapter 35, when he is unable to walk due to the beatings, he spills hot soup on himself but instead of acknowledging his own injury he immediately checks the maid that was feeding him

the other family members send him gifts and food he likes as consolation obviously, but the only person who really cares about him through everything is daiyu. which is really sad, as he literally tells her that despite everything he would still put his life on the line for his family

this bit also really alienates a few characters, like baochai immediately tells baoyu that he wouldnt have been beaten if he had listened to his father, even xiren tells baoyus mother that she agrees with baoyu being beaten, even after all the stuff baoyu did for her too

by the way this beating isnt fully because of the allegations, its also the culmination of his fathers frustration with baoyu for not following his family traditions, for refusing to abide by the conformities that the family keeps trying (and failing) to lay on him.. its really a tragic moment

- jia huan hears about this and spins a narrative to baoyus father that she died because of baoyu trying to assault her, leading to baoyu getting a beating so rough there isnt a spot on either of his legs that isnt bruised or bleeding

- while baoyu is having fun with his cousin, it turns out that one of his former maids (who had been fired by his mother after she found out baoyu had been playfully flirting with her) had jumped down a well and died, and brings together a funeral for her to put on airs that she felt bad

- baoyu gets into an argument with one of his other maids (qingwen) over breaking a fan and when xiren gets involved qingwen begins to berate her too, accusing her of gold digging.. baoyu defends her and breaks up the argument by telling qingwen she can break as many fans as she wants

- she pretends to be fine but when baoyu comes to visit her later in the night to apologise he discovers that she has coughed up blood
- despite her insistence baoyu secretly calls for the family doctor to treat her, but she is only diagnosed with a minor(???) bruise

- anyways baoyu sometimes has random fits of intense anger and one day he ends up accidentally kicking xiren hard in her side after leaving him outside in the rain for hours..

- daiyu and baoyu get in another fight, this time baoyu tries to destroy his jade to try and nullify the 'jade and gold make a perfect pair' narrative the family is weaving for him and baochai
- they of course make up AGAIN in the next chapter so i guess all is well

- yuanchun sends gifts for the entire family, baoyu and baochai for some reason receiving the exact same gifts. baoyu later notes baochais outer beauty which he had not noticed before, to daiyus anger
- it turns out that the entire jia family plans to get baoyu and baochai engaged