Chapter 17 – Even While Heading to the Countryside, Don’t Forget to Send Bai Huanxi Some Gifts

Wang Cuilan had spent the entire afternoon undergoing ideological “re-education,” and her anger was beyond control. She couldn’t believe that all this trouble had been caused by her niece.

That damned girl refused to marry in, yet still caused so much chaos. Did she even realize how messy her family had become?

Now, things were settled—her son could no longer hope to marry a wife. People in the capital almost all knew about it, and even those who didn’t know had heard. Wenwu’s marriage had been completely ruined by that damned girl.

Returning to the hospital in a fury, she saw Bai Huanxi hopping on the spot. Without hesitation, she slapped her twice.

Wang Cuilan gritted her teeth and demanded, “What do you mean by sabotaging your cousin like this?”

“Auntie, what are you talking about? How can you hit someone without knowing the facts…” Bai Huanxi held her cheek, crying out in grievance.

She deliberately spoke loudly so that her father inside could hear, letting him know how his daughter was being mistreated.

“You dare ask? You know exactly what you made Wenwu do. In the end, Wenwu was stripped and… did that thing in the alley. The whole city knows now. How will Wenwu ever marry a wife?”

Bai Yanlang, in the hospital room, was completely confused. How did this have anything to do with his daughter? Could she really have caused this trouble?

“Sister-in-law, come in and explain.”

Hearing the voice from the room, Wang Cuilan shoved Bai Huanxi aside and entered, unleashing a torrent of accusations at Bai Yanlang.

“This is the daughter you raised, sabotaging my son!”

“Sister-in-law, there must be a misunderstanding. Huanxi, come and explain.” Bai Yanlang couldn’t believe his daughter could do such a thing; he trusted she must have a reason.

Bai Huanxi leaned against the wall by the door, her face pale and flushed alternately. She forced herself to endure the pain in her foot and slowly stepped forward. She hadn’t expected things to escalate like this.

In her heart, she cursed her cousin a hundred times for being useless, yet she still kept up the act of being pitiful.

“Dad, Auntie, I didn’t know my cousin would get into trouble. I only thought that if Xia Wanwan married him, I wouldn’t have to go to the countryside, and he would have solved his marriage problem. I really was thinking for them.”

“You didn’t know that girl despised Wenwu, and you still did this?”

Faced with Wang Cuilan’s aggressive questioning, Bai Huanxi could do nothing but cry. Only then did Bai Yanlang remember his niece existed.

He had wanted to marry her off to Wenwu so that everything would be in his control, preventing them from causing more trouble.

But he hadn’t expected that damned Xia Wanwan wouldn’t like him. The past few days, with his injuries, he almost forgot about that girl.

“Sister-in-law, this matter happened because Huanxi didn’t consider carefully. I apologize on her behalf. I will certainly take care of Wenwu’s marriage.”

“Hmph!”

Wang Cuilan stormed out angrily. Since it had already happened, there was nothing she could do. If necessary, she’d buy a bride from the countryside—anyway, no girl in the capital would marry him now.

After Wang Cuilan left, Bai Yanlang turned to his daughter and asked,

“Where is Wanwan staying now?”

“The guesthouse,” Bai Huanxi replied in a low voice.

“Bring her over tomorrow.”

Bai Yanlang had already made his plans. Even if she didn’t like Liu Wenwu, he could just find someone else.

With the eldest brother and sister-in-law absent, he was her senior, and she had to obey.

If he didn’t secure connections quickly with his hands useless, he could lose his position. So she became the perfect scapegoat.

Little did he know that Xia Wanwan’s heart had completely changed. She was no longer the obedient girl who respected him—listening to him? Not a chance.

Bai Huanxi sat dazedly on a chair. Why did none of these things follow the same path as her previous life?

What was happening? Why didn’t everything go according to her previous life’s trajectory?

How could she still marry Lu Tingxiao under these circumstances?

Without her father’s help in this life, she could only meet him at the right time, assist him, and make him grateful enough to marry her. After all, she wasn’t going to give up such a good life. At worst, she could live alone.

Her cousin was utterly useless—he went to trouble Xia Wanwan and ended up troubling her as well. Truly a fat pig incapable of achieving anything.

Tonight’s two slaps? She would make sure to make him pay on Xia Wanwan later.

That night, Xia Wanwan slept soundly. Tomorrow, they were heading to the countryside. Everything was packed, and she was ready to go see her parents.

Xia Wanwan calculated the money in her pocket. With so much cash and supplies, even if she didn’t work in the countryside or earn points, she wouldn’t starve.

Besides, she wasn’t just going there to work—she could watch over her parents while enjoying a little rural life. Perfect for giving herself a vacation.

Early the next morning, the two sisters started packing again. They had to go to the registration office to sign in and exchange certificates for train tickets. But as they stepped out, they saw the last people they wanted to meet.

Xia Wanwan almost laughed in anger. Did the foot injury from yesterday lighten up? And as for yesterday’s plotting against her—did they really think she didn’t know?

The slaps on her face hadn’t faded yet—surely from someone trying to steal a march. A classic case of “fail to steal the chicken, lose the rice.”

“Where are you going?”

Bai Huanxi saw the sisters carrying large bundles of items—clearly driven out. Though, thinking about it, they probably couldn’t afford the guesthouse.

“None of your business! Mind your own affairs!” Xia Wanwan said triumphantly, hoping Bai Huanxi would struggle in a few days.

Bai Huanxi understood her hostility, but didn’t care. She turned to Xia Yuwei and asked, “Sister Yuwei, where are you going?

Our father is injured in the hospital, but he’s still worried about you and asked me to call you over.”

“Is that so? Thank you, second uncle. We’re fine—no need for him to worry.” Xia Yuwei sneered inwardly. Did he expect them to die?

In truth, the second uncle’s concern was unnecessary—they were living freely!

“Sister Yuwei, since your eldest uncle and aunt aren’t in the capital, we’re family. Why don’t you stay at my house for a few days?”

“No need.” Xia Yuwei replied curtly, signaling her sister to follow.

Xia Wanwan had long stopped wanting to deal with her. But as she left, she sprinkled a little something on her—consider it a small gift.

Knowing Bai Huanxi was lonely, she deliberately added a little “fun” to her day. Who says she wasn’t considerate?

Ah, she truly was a good little baby!