As evening approached
The old man was having dinner. Bai Xinrou and Zhang Cuiyan were sitting on his left, while Bai Kangcheng and Xu Hualan were sitting on his right.
There were three empty seats opposite, and Aunt Zhang set out three sets of bowls and chopsticks.
Old Bai glanced at the three sets of bowls and chopsticks, then remained silent for a while, seemingly lost in thought.
Are those three children still in the ancestral hall?
Before Bai Xinrou could speak, Xu Hualan interrupted, "They're still here. They haven't left the ancestral hall all day. When Sister Zhao went to deliver the keys, she said it was so cold there that it hurt her bones. She couldn't stand it even after a short while. I don't know if Qianmo and the others can stand it!"
Bai Xinrou chuckled softly, "I went to see Qianmo at noon. She seemed to be in good spirits. Perhaps she was tired at the time, as she was resting on a futon."
These words imply that Bai Qianmo has not seriously reflected on her actions.
Old Bai's face darkened upon hearing this: "Hmph, it seems they still haven't learned their lesson."
Bai Kangcheng said, "Dad, I just checked the weather forecast. There will be a blizzard in the capital after 8 o'clock today. They say it's a once-in-fifty-year event. You've been insisting that the house near the ancestral hall be repaired, because you're afraid that if the blizzard really comes, the three children won't be able to withstand it. Qianmo and Yitang are our own children after all, but that Lord is a member of the Gu family..."
With just the phrase "Gu family," Old Master Bai naturally understood Bai Kangcheng's meaning.
The Bai family's children can be punished at will, but the Gu family's children have no right to punish them.
"Let Gu Jueye go back."
Xu Hualan sighed, "Given the relationship between Aye and Qianmo, if Qianmo doesn't leave the ancestral hall, how could Aye possibly leave? If Aye gets sick from the cold, the Gu family's old master and old lady will probably come knocking on our door tomorrow morning."
Old Bai frowned, looking troubled.
Bai Xinrou said, "It was Lord Jue who insisted on staying at the ancestral hall with Qianmo. It wasn't Grandpa Bai who made him go to the ancestral hall. Surely the Gu family members aren't the kind of unreasonable people, right?"
Xu Hualan sneered: "Even if the Gu family is reasonable, who will take responsibility if we freeze the Gu family's eldest grandson? Oh, right, Qianmo was punished at the ancestral hall because of you, wasn't she? If the Gu family makes things difficult for the Bai family later, why don't you step forward and explain?"
A hint of fear appeared on Bai Xinrou's face.
Zhang Cuiyan said angrily, "Our Xinrou isn't a member of your Bai family, so why should she be the one to stick her neck out?"
"Heh, not a member of the Bai family? Then what right does your daughter have to point fingers here?"
Xu Hualan's sarcastic remark left Zhang Cuiyan speechless.
Bai Xinrou bit her lip and looked at Old Bai with a wronged expression.
"Grandpa Bai, it was me who kissed him..."
Old Bai waved his hand with displeasure: "Hua Lan, Xin Rou meant well, you shouldn't have said that about her."
Xu Hualan glanced coldly at Bai Xinrou, and seeing the smugness in her eyes, she curled her lips into a cold smile.
"Dad, I'm just worried that our Bai family might be given a handle to use against us. Please forgive me if I said anything inappropriate."
Old Bai laughed and said, "Xinrou is well-behaved, sensible, and kind-hearted. She won't take it to heart."
Bai Xinrou gripped her chopsticks tightly, a surge of anger burning within her.
What is that?
Xu Hualan mocked her, and then just turned the page with a few light words?
Grandpa Bai wasn't helping her at all; he was clearly trying to exonerate Xu Hualan.
Old Bai said, "Sister-in-law Zhao."
"What are your instructions, sir?"
Old Bai glanced towards the door.
"It would be a waste not to eat all this food. Go to the ancestral hall and call those three guys back for dinner."
Sister-in-law Zhao smiled. The old man was tough on the outside but soft on the inside; in the end, he couldn't bear to see Miss Qianmo and Young Master Yitang suffer.
"Okay, I'll go get someone right away."
Bai Xinrou was very unwilling. She glared at Xu Hualan with resentment, then lowered her head in anger, a fierce glint flashing in her eyes.
Bai Qianmo, don't be too happy yet. I'll kick you out of the Bai family sooner or later.
Ten minutes later
Bai Qianmo, Gu Jueye, and Bai Yitang returned to the restaurant.
Upon entering the house, Bai Yitang was freezing cold and rushed to Xu Hualan's side.
"Mom, quickly get me a bowl of soup."
Seeing Bai Yitang's face turn blue from the cold, Xu Hualan, as a mother, naturally felt extremely distressed.
He immediately ladled out a bowl of hot soup and handed it to him.
After Bai Qianmo and Gu Jueye sat down, Xu Hualan busied herself serving them soup.
"Hurry up and have some hot soup to warm up. Look at your faces, they're so cold, they've almost lost all their color."
Xu Hualan said with heartache, these words were actually meant for Elder Bai to hear as well.
Old Bai gave the three of them a cold look.
"What are your thoughts after spending the whole day facing the wall in the ancestral hall?"
Bai Yitang drank a few sips of soup and finally felt a little warmth return to his icy body.
He quickly answered, "I have an idea! I have an idea!"
Old Bai looked at him with satisfaction: "Tell me about it."
Bai Yitang chuckled twice.
"From now on, in this family, whatever goes against your opinion, regardless of right or wrong, will be wrong. I will be your gun from now on, and I will shoot wherever you point. I promise I will never go against you again!"
Bai Yitang picked up a braised chicken leg and ate it all with gusto.
He mumbled indistinctly, "I think I understand now. In this family, right and wrong don't really matter. As long as you do what I want, everything will be fine!"
Old Bai's lips twitched twice. After hearing what the kid said, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
In the end, all I could do was wear a wry smile.
"You brat, you call this figuring things out?"
"Isn't that clear enough? I feel like I've finally seen the light today. In the face of power, a tiny ant has no right to resist. You are the power, and I am that little ant."
Old Bai glared at Bai Qianmo and asked, "And you? What have you been reflecting on all day?"
Bai Qianmo stirred the half-bowl of fish soup in front of her and slowly opened her mouth.
“I agree with Bai Yitang’s point of view. From now on, whatever you say is right. If you tell me to go east, I will never go west.”
"Hmph, after freezing in the ancestral hall all day, it seems like his brain has been damaged by the cold."
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