Bai Huiru's lovely face instantly paled. "Sister Jinxiu, I didn't mean anything by it. I just came to check on Auntie."
"Flattering my mom isn't going to get you anywhere," Xia Jinxiu said defiantly.
Bai Huiru furrowed her brow. She remembered how this girl used to trail behind her when they were little, calling her "Sister Huiru" and acting so adorable. How had she grown up to be so unreasonable?
Still, she had been blessed with an enviable beauty.
"Auntie, are you home? It's me, Huiru!" Bai Huiru called out loudly, stepping past Xia Jinxiu.
In truth, she held the Xia family in utter contempt. After all these years, not a single thing had changed for the better; if anything, the house was more dilapidated and the people more unreasonable.
She hadn't come to curry favor with the Xia family. She simply hated being ignored, and she refused to accept Xia Jinjuan's aloofness toward her.
She might not marry him, but he had no right to forget her—even if he already had a wife and children.
Her charm had been enough to make the Marquis of Jing'an buy her a mansion in the Capital and brave the pressure to dower and dote on her and her daughter. Could Xia Jinjuan, a penniless scholar, really remain unmoved?
She glanced at Madam Xia Chen, who was standing by the door with her arms wrapped around her daughter, unconcealed disdain painting the corners of her eyes. "Sister-in-law, you're home too!"
*[This is my home! Where else would my mom be if not here? Mom, crush her with your presence!]*
Madam Xia Chen had never spoken harshly to anyone, but she knew very well that this woman had come with ill intent. "I... this..."
Seeing Madam Xia Chen stammering, her face sallow, her figure withered, and her clothes tattered—utterly incomparable to herself—Bai Huiru curled the corner of her lips.
*[Mom, don't be afraid! You are my dad's wife, and she's just a vixen from the outside. If anyone should be scared, it's her!]*
Feeling the strength in her daughter's grip, Madam Xia Chen took a deep breath. That was right, what was she afraid of?
"This is my home. If I'm not here, where else should I be?" Madam Xia Chen blurted the whole sentence out in one breath, then looked down at her younger daughter as if waiting for a grade.
Xia Zhiliao smiled and nodded. *[Mom, you were amazing! Just like that!]*
"Ahem..." Bai Huiru cleared her throat, a flash of awkwardness crossing her face. But she had seen the great world in the Capital; didn't the Marquis's wife herself fail to put her in her place?
A country woman like this was simply beneath her notice.
"Sister-in-law, I thought you'd gone out to work. One look at you and I can tell you're a diligent person. Just look at that face—you can tell it's constantly weathered by wind and sun. And those hands—clearly accustomed to plenty of heavy, coarse labor. Unlike me..."
Bai Huiru deliberately fluttered her fair, tender hands and touched her delicately made-up face, exuding a seductive air.
*[Disgusting. Taking a dig at my mom, aren't you? If my mom had the time to pamper herself, she'd be way prettier than you.]*
Xia Zhiliao wasn't just wearing mother-tinted glasses; she herself was the living proof. Everyone who saw her said she was gorgeous, and she looked half like her dad and half like her mom.
If her mom was ugly, could she possibly be pretty?
Having succeeded once, Madam Xia Chen realized that talking back wasn't actually all that difficult.
"I... how could I compare to you, Sister? I have work to do, and those children to look after..."
Before Madam Xia Chen could finish, however, Bai Huiru's expression fell.
Xia Zhiliao didn't understand right away why her mother's words had made this woman angry!
But after a moment's thought, it clicked.
Bai Huiru and the Marquis of Jing'an only had the female protagonist as a daughter. In ancient times there was no birth control, and the Marquis doted on her so much—if they hadn't had more children, there had to be a reason.
The Marquis surely had no problem, since he had several legitimate sons and daughters by others in his household.
So the problem had to lie with her.
Could she not bear children?
Or did the Marquis refuse to let her have them?
If it was the latter, it was very likely the Marquis didn't want her having sons, so those sons wouldn't become illegitimate rivals.
Thinking about it this way, the late Marquis of Jing'an didn't dote on Bai Huiru and the protagonist nearly as much as the surface suggested.
Bai Huiru cast a cold glance at Xia Zhiliao, who was standing by Madam Xia Chen's side, her gaze icy. "Indeed, Sister-in-law, just this one is probably enough to keep your hands full, isn't she? I already heard from Brother Jinjuan—this child is a mute."
If Madam Xia Chen had still felt somewhat timid moments before, as a mother, she absolutely refused to let anyone disparage her daughter.
A mother's love makes her strong; she was going to show some backbone for once.
"Our Zhiliao is very obedient! Everyone in the family loves her!" Madam Xia Chen spoke quickly this time, raising her head to look straight into the other woman's eyes.
*[Mom is amazing! Talk just like that, open and confident. I am your backing!]*
Madam Xia Chen stroked Xia Zhiliao's head. "Especially Jinjuan—he can't go a moment without seeing our Zhiliao. The moment he sees her, he has to carry her on his back or in his arms, putting our daughter first in everything. Even I can't compete!"
Bai Huiru's mouth twitched twice, her expression darkening a fraction more.
Chapter 029: Mother Rises Up
A mute daughter, and she still expected to turn from a sparrow into a phoenix?
Contempt filled the depths of Bai Huiru's eyes. Honestly, she'd been stuck in this wretched rural backwater for too long—no, to be precise, she'd never left this place at all and had never seen anything of the world.
Compared to her own brilliant and clever daughter, this child wasn't even fit to be a servant girl.
"Is Auntie in?" Bai Huiru didn't want to continue this topic; she truly loathed this mother-daughter pair.
A woman with neither looks nor schemes, plus a mute girl—she disdained wasting words on them.
"I brought some tonics back from the Capital specifically to visit the old lady," Bai Huiru said.
"Who gives a damn about your things? Take your junk and get lost!" Old Lady Xia had been listening for a while without speaking. She genuinely did not want to see this woman.
Yet Bai Huiru's expression didn't change at all. "Auntie, so you are home."
"Didn't my mom say not to let you in? Are you deaf?" Xia Jinxiu shouted, stepping forward as if to yank Bai Huiru away.
Bai Huiru gave a faint smile. "Sister Jinxiu, this dress of mine is made of top-quality cloud brocade. It's very expensive."
Xia Jinxiu smartly grasped her meaning. She had a temper, but the dress certainly looked lavish; if she ruined it, she probably couldn't afford to pay.
Xia Jinxiu didn't dare block her anymore, and Madam Xia Chen dared even less. As for Xia Zhiliao, just as she stepped closer, Bai Huiru had already pushed into Old Lady Xia's room.
Old Lady Xia wore a grim expression upon seeing the brazen woman.
Yet Bai Huiru didn't care. She refused to believe Old Lady Xia could resist the temptation of money. "Auntie, is your foot injured? Oh dear, how could you be so careless? Elderly people simply cannot afford to damage their bones and tendons. Haven't you seen a doctor? Why is Brother Jinjuan so unthoughtful? I'll go arrange for a physician for you later."
Old Lady Xia let out a cold hum, knowing there wasn't a shred of sincerity in her.
"It's already mostly healed."
"Auntie, your health is paramount. You were so good to me back then, it's only right that I show my filial piety now." Bai Huiru lowered her gaze to the tonics in her hands. "Just as well, they say our hearts beat as one—look, these things I brought from the Capital are precisely what you need."
*[Who knows if you bought them in the Capital or down at the village market? I've seen these exact ones sold in town.]*
Old Lady Xia had initially thought this woman wasn't an ingrate and still remembered her, but after listening to her little granddaughter, the joy she'd just felt instantly vanished.
"What are you doing coming to our house?" Old Lady Xia's expression remained stern.
Bai Huiru didn't sit on the *kang* bed; she found it beneath her, afraid it would dirty a dress that had cost over a dozen taels of silver. "Auntie, I just came to check on you. No matter what happened between Brother Jinjuan and me, you are still my elder. I've always remembered how well you treated me!"
Old Lady Xia pressed her lips together, thinking to herself that at least the girl had spoken some human sense. She hadn't treated this woman poorly, only for the girl to abandon her son and climb a high branch.
"Auntie, I'm doing well now, and it breaks my heart to see you all struggling. If the family needs any help, just say the word. Don't stand on ceremony with me—consider me... your daughter."
Bai Huiru certainly knew how to talk. Her words were earnest and came from the depths of her heart; they were enough to melt anyone's resolve.
She watched the old lady's expression. She had figured out Old Lady Xia's personality years ago—otherwise, the old lady wouldn't have favored her so much.
Thus, right now she knew precisely what to say to make the old lady happy.
Old Lady Xia cared deeply about her face; she would never actually ask for the girl's help!
"Auntie, when Brother Jinjuan goes to the Capital for the imperial examinations, you must let me know. Regardless of him and me..." She deliberately glanced at Madam Xia Chen, then let her expression turn desolate, as if she were the abandoned one who had suffered every grievance under the sun.
"No matter what happens between us, we aren't outsiders. And he must go take the exams! If there's no money, I'll provide it. I've always believed he could pass the top level; he is so talented. I don't know why all these years..."
Old Lady Xia's heart softened somewhat. After all, she worried about her son traveling alone to the Capital for the exams, and this woman's words had struck right at her heart.
*[Why? What are you trying to say? Want to claim my mom held my dad back again? Nothing's even happened yet, and she's already trying to sow discord. Evil woman!]*
Old Lady Xia thought back. Her son failing the examinations really had nothing to do with Madam Xia Chen; on the contrary, her daughter-in-law never let her son do any chores precisely so he could focus on his studies.
Thinking along those lines, she decided Bai Huiru's remarks were out of line.
Watching the woman's hypocritical act, Xia Zhiliao continued her internal rambling.
*[My dad is so great, why did you dump him anyway? Now that your man is dead, you've come eyeing my dad again?]*
Xia Jinxiu held grudges. She hadn't forgotten the woman's earlier remark about her dress being expensive. "You keep saying my second brother is so good, so wonderful—then why didn't you marry him back then, instead of running off to be a concubine to some big official in the Capital?"
*[What concubine? She's a kept mistress! The Marquis's estate doesn't even acknowledge her; she's worse off than a proper concubine!]*
"Say, how come I heard Sister Bai is actually a kept mistress? Is that true or not?"
Bai Huiru's face drained of color. She had never told anyone about this—not even her parents. How did Xia Jinxiu know?
"N... no such thing. Sister Jinxiu must have heard wrong."
Xia Jinxiu gave a cold laugh. "Mistress or concubine, either way, you weren't the proper legal wife. Sister Bai, you haven't answered my question yet. My second brother is so great—why didn't you marry him back then?"
"I..." Bai Huiru paused slightly. Even now, she had no intention of marrying Xia Jinjuan.
She simply couldn't stand the sight of a man who used to adore her treating her so coldly now.
On the other hand, she had heard her daughter talk about planning ahead. She didn't really understand such things, but just in case Xia Jinjuan happened to pass the exams, he wouldn't be a penniless scholar anymore... it wasn't completely out of the question.
In short, for the moment, she looked down on him.
"Sister Jinxiu, Sister-in-law is right here. Let's not talk about this."
*[Go on, say it! Out with it, so my mom can stop living in your shadow. Speak the truth and clear the air—say it!]*
"It's fine. Whatever happened between you and Jinjuan is in the past. I'm not that petty." Empowered by her daughter's recent encouragement, Madam Xia Chen was full of fighting spirit, and her retort came remarkably fast.
Bai Huiru shot Madam Xia Chen an icy look. Unwilling to hand her husband over to another woman, Madam Xia Chen bravely met her gaze. She used to feel as though Bai Huiru were an insurmountable peak.
Yet looking at her now, wasn't she just rendered speechless by her own retorts a moment ago?
Turns out the woman her husband once loved wasn't so peerless after all. Nothing special, really!
"Sister-in-law, you really want to hear?" Bai Huiru asked with a sneer.
*[I want to hear it anyway! Let's hear what kind of excuse you can concoct.]*
Chapter 030: Daddy is Mighty, Daddy is Domineering
With a surge of confidence in her heart, Madam Xia Chen shed her previous cowering demeanor. A calm smile even graced her face at that moment, adding a captivating grace to her already decent looks.
"If Sister wants to speak, go right ahead. I don't mind at all."
*[Mom, you rock! That's the way to do it. You're the legitimate wife, what are you afraid of? Grandma definitely doesn't like this gold-digging snob either, and she won't be bought off by cheap junk!]*
Xia Zhiliao leaned against her grandmother and rubbed affectionately against her, like an obedient little kitten.
"Ahem!" Old Lady Xia cleared her throat. She *had* been slightly tempted just moments ago; after all, gift or no gift from the Capital, she was always too stingy to buy such things herself.
Yet no gift, no matter how precious, was worth a single straw compared to her little granddaughter.
"It's nothing much anyway. What's left to discuss? Jinjuan is a good boy; once he married you, he settled down to live a proper life with his whole heart." Old Lady Xia looked at Madam Xia Chen, her tone making it abundantly clear who was family and who was an outsider.
Madam Xia Chen lowered her gaze slightly. Taking in the interaction between mother and law and daughter-in-law, Bai Huiru forced a smile as well. "Fine, I won't say it then. Sister-in-law, Auntie is right—don't go losing your appetite or your sleep over a trifle like this. It's all in the past. Nowadays, I only look at Brother Jinjuan as a kinsman."
*[Green tea bitch, saying things like that to make my mom misunderstand. Such a schemer.]*
Xia Zhiliao glared at the woman.
Madam Xia Chen was devoted body and soul to Xia Jinjuan. Never mind that there was truly nothing between them; even if there had been, she wasn't one to give up without proof. As long as Xia Jinjuan didn't tell her to leave, she would never go.
Especially not under the current circumstances.
That made her even more composed. Before she could say a word, Xia Jinxiu chimed in unceremoniously. She wasn't particularly fond of Madam Xia Chen, but there was no comparison without contrast.
Compared to Madam Zhang or this Bai Huiru, Madam Xia Chen was a hundred times better. What's more, if Madam Xia Chen and her second brother had a falling out, a child as wonderful as Zhiliao would probably get hurt.
Besides, she genuinely detested Bai Huiru.
So what if she was a kept mistress? What was there to be so cocky about? She herself was going to be a noble imperial concubine in the future!
What was she even blabbering about?
"It's not like I'm trying to pick a fight, but if there really was something unclear between you two, you would've blurted it out long ago. The only reason you're beating around the bush like this is because you want my second sister-in-law to misunderstand on purpose, right?"
Bai Huiru glanced at Xia Jinxiu. It had been over a dozen years, and the girl was no longer an ignorant little bumpkin; she actually had some cunning in her. "Sister Jinxiu, talking like that is doing me a grave injustice. Brother Jinjuan and I were already talking about marriage back then; I was only worried Sister-in-law would be upset if she found out."
*[Oh yeah, you were already talking marriage, so how come it fell through? Tell us about it! I suppose you're trying to imply you didn't dump my dad just because he lacked money and status? That face of yours must be thicker than the city wall!]*
"Well, I'm quite curious myself. Since you two had reached that stage, how come you didn't become my second sister-in-law then? Hm?" Xia Jinxiu asked, feigning ignorance.
Bai Huiru glanced at her, still a little embarrassed. She liked wealthy men of status and wanted to live a life above others; she didn't think there was anything wrong with that.
If she had married Xia Jinjuan, she'd be living the exact same life as Madam Xia Chen—slaving away as a drudge in the Xia household, raising a mute daughter, with endless chores and endless worries for the rest of her days.
Compared to the life she had now, it truly was the difference between heaven and earth.
Bai Huiru took a deep breath and offered a graceful smile. "Forget it, what's past is past, I don't care to discuss it. Sister-in-law, you needn't take it to heart."
*[My mom already said she doesn't care! You woman, keep bringing this up just to make my mom jealous. Heh, my mom loves my dad to death, she's not falling for this petty jealousy.]*
Madam Xia Chen hadn't expected her daughter to think that way, and she felt a slight flutter of embarrassment. But Jinjuan really was wonderful... she... what reason did she have not to love him?
Looking at her hopelessly love-struck mother, Xia Zhiliao could only sigh. Until the truth stared them in the face, she could only do her best to help her mother guard her own man. What else could she do?
No matter what was said right now, her mother probably wouldn't leave her father anyway.
And of course, her dad really wasn't a bad guy at the moment.
Suddenly, Xia Zhiliao drew in a sharp breath. Watching the woman's hypocritical act and her coy, squeamish manner of speaking, could it be... could it be...?!
*[This wicked woman keeps bringing up her past with my dad—could her daughter actually be my dad's?!]*
Meaning she and the female protagonist were half-sisters?!
You've got to be kidding me!
Hearing Xia Zhiliao's thoughts, the three women were startled out of their wits. None of them could process such a thing.
It was right at that moment that Xia Jinjuan returned. Unaware there was an outsider present, he called out cheerfully, "Wife, look what I brought back for you and Zhiliao!"
Hearing that, the corners of Xia Zhiliao's mouth curved upward. Gotta hand it to him—her dad really doted on her mom right now.
Old Lady Xia curled her lip slightly. What was wrong with her son, acting like a madman? Not even giving the good things to his own mother first?
Yet looking at the woman standing before them, she decided a son who doted on his wife was a good thing after all—at least it meant he wouldn't hook up with this kind of creature again.
Xia Zhiliao made a funny face at Bai Huiru, then scampered outside to greet Xia Jinjuan. At the sight of two large, fat fish, she was overjoyed—they could have a lavish feast later!
Still, she had to chase the evil woman away first.
"Zhiliao, what is it? Where's your mom? Why'd you drag me into this room?"
*[Daddy, you're finally back! If you hadn't come back, Mom would've been bullied to death!]*
Xia Zhiliao sighed. Fortunately, Grandma and Little Aunt had pulled their weight.
Tossing the fish aside casually, Xia Jinjuan stepped inside the doorway and immediately laid eyes on Bai Huiru, who was staring fixedly at him with an eager gaze charged with ambiguous emotion.
Bai Huiru waited for Xia Jinjuan to show a look of pleasant surprise. Instead, Xia Jinjuan merely furrowed his brow, his face twisting with outright loathing and disgust. "Why are you here? What are you doing in my house?"
*[Coming here to bully my mom, that's what! Talking about your past romance—Daddy, didn't she just say something about you and her? Is her kid actually yours too?!]*
Xia Jinjuan's face drained of color. This woman was utterly shameless! How could she let his precious daughter harbor such a misunderstanding?!
"What did you say to my wife? Bai Huiru, the two of us were completely innocent back then, nothing ever happened between us! If you go around spreading nonsense, I won't be polite to you."
Bai Huiru never expected such an attitude from Xia Jinjuan. She stood rooted to the spot, completely dumbfounded. This wasn't right at all!
None of the Xia family's reactions matched her plan!
Meanwhile, Xia Zhiliao clapped her hands in delight, not bothering to conceal it from Bai Huiru.
*[Daddy is mighty! Daddy is domineering! Chase this bad woman away and vent Mom's anger!]*