In vain her gentle, yielding ways—
In vain they say she's sweet as orchid bloom.
How enviable the actor's lucky fate!
Who knew the young lord was not meant for her?
English titles, text, and notes are AI-assisted for reading only; for scholarship cite the Chinese and authoritative editions.
Annotation
This verdict concerns Xiren (Hua Xiren). Despite her gentle nature and orchid-like virtue, she could not remain with Baoyu. The 'actor' refers to Jiang Yuhan (stage name Qiguan), whom Xiren eventually married.
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