Chapter 116

Under the gentle winter sun, in the spacious and open courtyard, Li Huyu held onto Shuiqing’s hand, reluctant to let go, bidding farewell with deep affection.

Standing to the side, Bai Ziqian felt superfluous, thinking he might as well go chopping wood up the mountains by the river.

No need to feel heartbroken here.

Bai Manshan was currently repeatedly advising Fan Jin, “These potatoes are so delicious! Yesterday when I made hotpot, I found that they were soft and glutinous after cooking, just as Qian’er said, good whether fried, stewed, or cooked. Don’t eat them anymore.”

Fan Jin smiled calmly and reassured, “Don’t worry, we’ll save enough seeds. We’ll plant them next year when you come.”

Bai Manshan was still worried, “You must plant them next spring. Once you’ve figured out the planting experience, I’ll come help with the harvest. It’s a deal.”

Regardless of whether the yield is high or not, he was willing to pay the price of buying rice and wheat seeds.

As a sharp businessman, he felt that expanding the cultivation of this crop would surely earn him a lot of money!

“Okay,” Fan Jin remained composed.

Bai Manshan didn’t want to leave either, but he couldn’t stay too long. The Bai family’s business was widespread and he had many industries to manage.

Li Huyu was the same.

The two got on the carriage.

The carriage came full and returned full.

Potatoes, cured meat, fat rabbits, winter bamboo shoots, and various ingredients they loved to eat.

There are also braised fat intestines, braised pig’s trotters, pancakes, and egg cakes as ready-made food for them to eat on the way.

Just as they were about to whip the horse and move on, the sound of horse hooves clattering outside the courtyard wall.

“Who could it be?” Shuiqing asked Fan Jin.

After all, families with ox carts were already rare, let alone families with horses.

Compared to ox carts, horses were like sports cars compared to tractors.

Bai Manshan stopped whipping the horse, wanting to see who was coming first.

Then he recognized the person!

“Big Brother, you really are here! It was hard for my sister to find you.” Bai Ling stepped forward and saw Bai Manshan on the carriage frame, pouting and complaining as she walked straight over.

Li Huyu, inside the carriage, frowned deeply when she heard the familiar voice.

Bai Manshan frowned and thought first: “How did you know I was here?”

“We’re siblings. We share blood, so naturally we understand each other. This is something certain people can’t compare to!” Bai Ling glanced toward the curtain behind her and deliberately spoke loudly.

Bai Manshan asked in response: “Is it Xiao Linzi?”

Xiao Linzi was his new attendant, quick-witted and responsive. That’s why he had brought him in to train him to become a steward.

Bai Ling hadn’t expected her brother to guess right off, and her face changed a few times.

She had promised Xiao Linzi not to tell her brother that he’d revealed it. She said vaguely, “Whoever it is, they’re worried you might get into trouble outside. Besides, I’m your real sister. What can’t I know?”

Bai Manshan was sure in his heart.

Xiao Linzi couldn’t stay any longer.

He corrected his sister, who’d been married for more than a decade, “Even with close siblings, there should be limits.”

Bai Ling pursed her lips. This was definitely her sister-in-law’s doing!

When they were kids, her brother had been so good to her. She’d get whatever she wanted and he’d tell her everything. But after he married, he’d often talk to his sister-in-law behind closed doors, and it wasn’t so easy to get favors anymore. After she got married and lived far away, she rarely saw him, and their relationship had grown distant. Even her two beloved nephews didn’t seem to be very liked by her brother.

It wasn’t possible for her brother as an uncle not to like his nephews. Her sister-in-law must have incited him for the sake of her own children.

She coquettishly said with grievances, “Big Brother, you rarely come to Guangning Prefecture. Instead of staying at my place, you come to this poor rural area and poor farmer’s home. Where should your sister put her face?”

Shuiqing: … Our poor family really can’t live up to your expectations.

The old lady from the Bai family still spoke so unpleasantly!

Li Huyu couldn’t sit still behind the curtain any longer. When they were talking about her, she could tolerate it, but now that they were targeting Shuiqing’s family, she couldn’t bear it anymore!

Immediately, she lifted the curtain and stormed out, glaring angrily at her younger sister-in-law.

“Big Brother, look at Sister-in-law. Does she really despise your only sister like this? I’ve been thinking that Sister-in-law doesn’t like me, and she rarely comes home these years. Now that you’ve come to Guangning Prefecture, you didn’t even visit my place. Sister-in-law… sob, does she still dislike me so much?” Bai Ling said, wiping her tears with a handkerchief.

Li Huyu’s chest heaved with anger, and she struggled to find words to respond.

Bai Ziqian felt the familiar feeling from when he was at home.

Grandmother was often like this, and Aunt behaved similarly every time she visited the Bai family. After leaving, for one or two months, Grandmother would be even worse, as if Aunt were an unforgivable villain who only bullied them!

And Aunt would always be left speechless, trembling with anger afterward.

Shuiqing calmly said, “If she can’t accept you, you should also consider your own actions. If you know she has never liked you, have you been talking too much? Stirring up trouble? Causing chaos at home? Being your sister-in-law isn’t easy either. It’s hard for her to have a little sister like you. You should reflect on yourself more over these years. Did you contribute to a more harmonious relationship between them? Did you make their relationship as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law more harmonious?”

Bai Ling’s hand, wiping away tears, froze in place, her face full of grievance, looking up blankly at Shuiqing.

Was everything now being blamed on her?

She couldn’t even cry anymore.

Li Huyu was shocked, her mouth gaping open as she witnessed her usually talkative younger sister-in-law unable to say a word.

This feeling… felt great!

As if the pent-up frustration in her heart had been released, leaving her feeling refreshed from head to toe!

Bai Ziqian was initially puzzled, then delighted.

On their first day here, when Aunt Shuiqing argued with Fan’s mother, he had thought how good it would be if Grandmother could do the same!

He wouldn’t have to be oppressed by Grandmother and Aunt anymore, which was so frustrating.

Although Aunt hadn’t learned it, Aunt Shuiqing was doing it herself!

She was even more effective than if Aunt had learned it.

If the timing had been right, he really wanted to applaud and cheer for Aunt Shuiqing!

Bai Manshan timely revealed his suspicion and reflected, “Every time you come back, the house indeed becomes very chaotic, with many incidents happening. Even after you leave, it remains turbulent for quite a while.”

Bai Ling hurriedly turned to look at Bai Manshan, explaining anxiously, “Big Brother, don’t listen to her nonsense! She’s just trying to sow discord between us siblings. I… I’ve always hoped that you and Sister-in-law would get along well, and I also want Grandmother to treat Sister-in-law nicely.”

Shuiqing didn’t care whether Bai Ling explained or not; it was best if she did.

Because once she explained, the situation would shift from offense to defense, and she would desperately try to prove herself.

So she taught a few children that they should be the ones to attack and not always try to prove their innocence.

Proving oneself is always difficult.

Seeing her brother hesitate to agree, Bai Ling was on the verge of tears.

This time, she wasn’t pretending to be pitiful; she was genuinely about to cry.