"Everyone, come and eat! Yujing's wife, you should eat more today."
As Bai Qishi spoke, she picked up her chopsticks.
Since our family's financial situation has improved, brown rice has been replaced with finely milled rice. Paired with this sumptuous meal, every bite is full of satisfaction and happiness.
As night fell, Bai Qishi's old ailment flared up again.
This time, her headache was exceptionally severe, but she didn't intend to bother anyone. She simply took the medication quietly and went to sleep.
Xie Wenyin noticed that the light in her room was always on, and feeling curious, she came over to check on her.
Seeing Bai Qi's condition, Xie Wenying immediately understood that her old headache must have flared up again, and hurriedly asked, "Auntie, is your headache acting up again? Have you taken any medicine?"
Bai Qi managed a weak smile. "I've already eaten, and I feel much better now."
Xie Wenying sat on the edge of the bed, skillfully massaging the acupoints on Bai Qi's head with practiced and gentle movements, as if she were soothing Bai Qi's pain.
"It's really worrying. Aunt, you're not feeling well, why don't you have someone come and take care of you? Are those two daughters-in-law just there for show?"
Madam Bai sighed softly, her voice tinged with helplessness: "I originally intended to summon them here, but unfortunately, your eldest cousin suffered a misfortune today and is seriously injured. Your eldest daughter-in-law must devote all her efforts to taking care of him, and she is simply unable to spare the time."
"What about my second cousin's wife? Is she also unable to come?"
Madam Bai gently shook her head, her words revealing a hint of consideration: "If I summon your second cousin's wife, she will definitely come respectfully to stand by my side. However, she just helped the family solve a thorny problem today, and she still needs to go to the private school to teach tomorrow morning. I can't bear to let her go through all that trouble."
Xie Wenyin noticed that her attitude was very different from usual, and a bitter feeling welled up in her heart.
“As daughters-in-law, it is their duty to take care of their mothers-in-law. Aunt, you are suffering from illness, why are you still so considerate of others?”
Bai Qi patted her hand gently and smiled, "That's because I still have you, Wenyin. You are my most caring person. Whenever I feel even slightly unwell, you are always the first to come and take care of me."
Xie Wenying pouted slightly: "I will definitely always care about you, Auntie!"
"Wenyin, you are so thoughtful. Your gentle massage has made me feel much better."
After Xie Wenyin finished her massage, she personally handed a glass of water to Bai Qishi with concern in her eyes and said in a gentle voice, "Aunt, let me stay with you tonight. If you feel unwell during the night, just call my name gently and I will wake up immediately."
A kind light shone in Madam Bai's eyes. "Your child, although you are not my biological daughter, your filial piety and thoughtfulness are just like my own daughter's."
Xie Wenyin nestled in her arms, acting coquettishly, and said in a sweet voice, "I've been with my aunt since I was little. To me, you are the closest person to me in this world!"
Bai Qi hugged her tightly and said affectionately, "I don't have a biological daughter, so how can I not treat you as my own daughter?"
Xie Wenying smiled gently and said softly, "I know my aunt has always treated me very well and has always cared about me, so..."
She looked up at Bai Qishi, her eyes filled with expectation: "Could you please grant me a small request?"
"Wenyin, please speak freely."
Xie Wenyin pursed her lips, tears glistening in her eyes.
"Aunt, I long to marry my cousin Yujing as soon as possible."
Bai Qi stared at her in astonishment and asked in confusion, "Wen Yin, didn't we agree before that we would wait until Yu Jing achieved success in the imperial examinations before discussing the matter of him taking you as his secondary wife?"
“But I can’t wait any longer. I worry that by then, my cousin Yujing might not even have me in his heart anymore. I’m even more afraid that Jiang will not be able to accept me…”
Before she could finish speaking, glistening tears were already streaming down her cheeks.
Bai Qi's heart ached as if pricked by a fine needle. Seeing Xie Wenyin's tears streaming down her face, she hurriedly wiped them away, her voice gentle and full of tenderness: "My child, please stop crying."
“Aunt, I beg you to grant my request. After all, sooner or later, I am destined to become Cousin Yujing’s wife. I don’t care whether he passes the imperial examination or not; I only want to spend my life with him.”
"Auntie, please grant our wish!"
Xie Wenyin held Bai Qishi's hands tightly, her eyes filled with pleading.
Her pitiful appearance stirred up boundless affection in Bai Qishi's heart, and she almost blurted out that she would agree to her request.
However……
A hint of hesitation flashed across Bai Qi's face. "Now that this matter has been brought up, not to mention the attitude of Yujing, I'm afraid the Jiang family won't agree easily."
“Aunt, you are highly respected. With just a word from you, how could Cousin Yujing and Madam Jiang not obey your arrangements?”
"However, Yujing's path to the imperial examinations is still at a critical stage, and we dare not easily offend the Jiang family. Although Jiang Huaiyu is not a biological son of the Jiang family, he still bears the surname Jiang. No matter how weak the Jiang family's power is, it is enough to make us pale in comparison. Although the Jiang family's official positions are small, they can still overshadow us. Yujing was able to enter the Tu Jijiu position by relying on the Jiang family's strength. Jiang Shi is also busy making a living for the family now, and we still need to rely on her."
"What should I do?" Xie Wenyin's voice was choked with sobs.
Bai Qi held her hand tightly, her eyes revealing determination and tenderness. "Wen Yin, please wait patiently for a while longer. Your aunt's promise to you will surely be fulfilled. It's just that the time is not right yet. Yu Jing still needs to rely on the Jiang family's influence. Once his path to the imperial examination is settled, your aunt will definitely make proper arrangements for you."
Xie Wenyin put on a pitiful look, her voice trembling slightly: "My aunt used to hate Jiang Huaiyu, so why does she always side with her now and seem to be protecting her in her words?"
"I really don't like her..."
As soon as Bai Qishi finished speaking, silence fell.
She did indeed harbor resentment towards Jiang Huaiyu from the beginning, but why did she have such a deep aversion to this daughter-in-law?
Is it because Jiang Huaiyu is not the Jiang family’s biological daughter, and she is worried that the Jiang family will not be able to provide support to Yujing in the future?
However, Yu Jing was able to become Tu Jijiu's disciple precisely because of the Jiang family's influence.
Is it because Jiang Huaiyu did not bring a single penny as dowry and could not provide any financial assistance to the family?
However, the household expenses needed recently were all earned by Jiang Huaiyu through hard work.
Was it because on the day Jiang Huaiyu entered the family, she forced him to apologize to her in front of everyone, causing him to lose face?
But ever since Jiang Huaiyu became the teacher of the private school, the neighbors and students have all respected her and addressed her respectfully as "Old Madam".
He originally thought that he would only be able to obtain this honorific title when Yujing entered officialdom, but unexpectedly, his daughter-in-law achieved it first.
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