"Be merciless and affectionate" is a famous saying of Xue Baochai in A Dream of Red Mansions. This sentence comes from the Peony Flower written by Luo Yin, a poet in the Tang Dynasty. This sentence is used in the novel to describe Xue Baochai's personality characteristics, that is, although she seems indifferent, she actually has a warm heart. This sentence can also be understood as "even people who have no feelings can touch people's hearts", which expresses Xue Baochai's deep feelings and concern for people around him.