Isn't the person he loves in his heart Jiang Shuqin?
He married her and treated her well only because of the kindness of the Jiang family. The two were polite and courteous to each other, and she dutifully played the role of a virtuous and gentle lady. So why was he so unhappy?
How could she possibly understand the inner struggles and entanglements he was going through?
The two sat silently facing each other at the table, the atmosphere extremely heavy.
For a moment, everyone seemed to fall into silence.
After a long silence, Jiang Huaiyu finally spoke, "If you are determined not to accept your cousin Wenyin into the family, how will you explain this to your mother-in-law?"
Bai Yujing glanced at her with a deep look, then suddenly stood up, grabbed her wrist tightly, and walked out on his own.
He actually led her to Bai Qishi's room.
Before Bai Qishi, Bai Yujing remained expressionless and said in a cold tone, "Wenyin, I will not let her become my concubine, and no amount of persuasion from anyone will work."
Then, his gaze fell on Jiang Huaiyu.
"As for whether she will attempt suicide again, Madam is so intelligent and kind that she will surely handle it properly."
After saying that, he didn't linger and turned to leave.
Bai Qi was utterly astonished, muttering to herself, "What does this mean?"
Jiang Huaiyu sighed softly, "Mother-in-law, there's nothing I can do to help."
Her heart was filled with confusion and loss, as if she had lost her soul, and she slowly walked out of Bai Qi's room.
When they returned to their room, they found that Bai Yujing was no longer there.
A strange feeling welled up in Jiang Huaiyu's heart. She walked to the window and saw that the study light was still on.
She leaned against the wall, slowly squatted down, her mind filled with confusion.
What exactly caused this situation?
Inside the study, Bai Yujing sat quietly at the table, unable to concentrate on the book for a long time.
He took out the jade plum blossom hairpin he always carried with him from his bosom, and gently stroked it with his fingers. The hairpin was crystal clear and cool to the touch, and its shape and charm were just like hers.
He suddenly felt a surge of anger, as if he had been placed in an insignificant corner, and a nameless rage welled up in his heart.
But then he couldn't help but wonder if his demands were too harsh.
From her perspective, she did not do anything reprehensible.
On the desk were still the salted plums she had dismissed yesterday. He picked one up and put it in his mouth. The sour taste exploded on his tongue, but it was nothing compared to the bitterness in his heart.
Jiang Huaiyu never expected such a day would come.
Because of this trivial matter, Bai Yujing did not set foot in his bedroom for several days, choosing instead to spend the long nights in his study.
Their relationship seemed to have become somewhat distant as a result. Apart from exchanging a few words at the dining table, Bai Yujing secluded herself in her study until she set off for the county town again.
Bai Qishi had been harboring resentment, but seeing this scene, she could no longer utter any harsh words.
After all, it was her son who was too stubborn.
Xie Wenyin continued to threaten suicide every day, forcing Bai Qishi and Yangshi to remain vigilant in case she did something rash again.
This tense atmosphere lingered over the Bai family even after Bai Yujing left.
After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Huaiyu finally spoke, "Letting my cousin Wenyin continue to cause trouble like this is not a long-term solution."
Bai Qishi was exhausted from the ordeal these past few days. Helplessly, she asked, "Then, what brilliant idea do you have?"
“It’s impossible for my mother and eldest sister-in-law to focus on her alone all day long, and it’s not a good idea to let her wander around outside. So, under the pretext of recuperation, we put her under house arrest at home, making sure there was no rope or sharp object in the room, so that she would have no chance to kill herself.”
Madam Yang nodded slightly in agreement, saying, "This plan is indeed feasible."
In recent days, she has put aside many household chores, and if she continues to exhaust herself like this, it will be difficult to make a living.
Bai Qi felt a pang of pity and asked in confusion, "Then, how long will she be confined? Is she never going to be released?"
"Of course not."
Jiang Huaiyu waved her hand and patiently explained, "My husband has no intention of taking her as a concubine, so it's impossible for him to bring her into the family. My plan is to appease my cousin Wenyin's emotions on the one hand, and find her a suitable family to marry into as soon as possible. Otherwise, living under the same roof and seeing each other all the time will be unbearable for both of us. I'm afraid that my cousin Wenyin will find it even harder to overcome that psychological hurdle while she's at home."
Madam Bai frowned and asked in confusion, "Married out? Where exactly are you going to marry?"
"My cousin Wenyin's marriage will naturally be decided by my mother. You treat her like your own daughter, and your husband treats her like a younger sister. We must choose a husband who will truly care for her. Only in this way can we be at ease and ensure that she receives proper care and attention."
Hearing this, Bai Qishi's expression softened slightly, realizing that she had no intention of kicking her niece out of the house.
"It seems there is no other way. I will keep a close eye on this matter."
After being imprisoned, Xie Wenyin cried and made a fuss every day at first. However, after a few days, seeing that no one paid attention to her, she seemed to realize something and stopped crying and trying to commit suicide.
Whenever they had free time, Bai Qishi and Yangshi would go to comfort her, and perhaps their words had an effect.
Surprisingly, Xie Wenyin made some concessions.
“My aunt is my only elder, so my marriage should naturally be decided by my aunt.”
Upon hearing this, Madam Bai was overjoyed and excitedly slapped her thigh, saying, "Good Wenyin, it's the best that you understand. There are plenty of good men in the world besides Yujing. I will definitely find you a good husband so that you can marry in style. From now on, the Bai family will be your strong support, and you can come back anytime!"
However, Xie Wenyin simply smiled and said, "I will follow Aunt's arrangements."
Now that she has given up the idea of suicide, there is no need to continue to keep her under house arrest.
So, Madam Bai led her to the county town and carefully selected a brand new outfit for her, including new clothes, new hair accessories, new cosmetics, and so on...
Xie Wenyin's face finally broke into a long-lost smile, and life seemed to have returned to the beautiful days of the past.
However, she never spoke a single word to Jiang Huaiyu again after that.
They treated each other like strangers.
How Xie Wenyin treats her is irrelevant to Jiang Huaiyu. As long as Xie Wenyin doesn't cause trouble, they can live in peace.
These days, Bai Qi has become unusually busy. She shuttles between the homes of several matchmakers in town, entrusting them to find a suitable marriage for Xie Wenyin.
Perhaps because she couldn't bear to part with her niece who had been with her for many years getting married, Bai Qishi didn't allow Xie Wenying to do any housework. Instead, she let her leisurely go to town to enjoy tea and watch plays, or visit and stroll around with her girlfriends.
Bai Qishi, having been through it all, understood that once a woman marries, it's difficult for her to have such a leisurely and carefree time again.
Therefore, during this period, her indulgence towards Xie Wenyin was quite obvious.
Jiang Huaiyu showed no dissatisfaction with this.
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