“That’s true. That old woman dotes on that fool, she practically wants to have him by her side. We haven’t had a chance to do anything about it.” Chen Zhi nodded. The fool has always disliked them and wouldn’t listen to a word they said, so they probably couldn’t be tricked. “How about it, Mother, we marry that fool off?” The fool is already thirteen years old, he’ll have to get married sooner or later, right? Surely the old woman won’t object to him getting married?
"Don't worry about this matter, Mother has her own plans," Chen Qiuling said, waving her hand to tell Chen Zhi to leave it alone. What she wanted was never for Bai Nuo to marry and for Bai Yu to marry a bad wife; what she wanted was for that old woman to be punished as well!
That evening, Chen Qiuling told Bai Dalin about her idea.
"What?" After dinner, Bai Dalin took a bath and then comfortably soaked his hands and feet. He was a carpenter, and every day he was either hammering or holding an axe, so his hands were covered in blisters. Every night Qiu Ling would massage his hands and feet and apply medicine, so he felt very happy.
Upon hearing Chen Qiuling's words, Bai Dalin was so startled that he pulled his foot out of the foot basin, splashing water, some of which landed on Chen Qiuling's face.
Instead of wiping the water off her face, Chen Qiuling grabbed a clean cloth from the small chair next to her, laid it flat on her lap, grabbed Bai Dalin's feet with her small hands, placed them on the cloth, and then wrapped them up. While wiping Bai Dalin's feet, she gave him a light, reproachful look and said, "Why are you reacting so strongly?"
Bai Dalin was completely baffled and asked strangely, "Qiuling, are you crazy? What kind of person is my mother? Do you want her to make things difficult for you every day?" He didn't want to live with his mother and Bai Nuo. As her son, he knew his mother's personality best—she was a busybody. Would he have any freedom living with them? Now Qiuling actually said she wanted to bring his mother and Bai Nuo's two children over. What else could she be but crazy? "And another thing, that brat Bai Yu looks at me like I'm his enemy. I wish I didn't have this son."
“Ayu just doesn’t like me…” Chen Qiuling said calmly. “Besides, they’ve always lived in that little house, and the villagers have been gossiping about it. Aren’t you afraid people will talk behind your back?” Chen Qiuling said, “I know you mean well, but I really don’t want people to talk about you or say you’re unfilial.” As she said this, Chen Qiuling seemed to have touched a sore spot, and she raised her hand to wipe the corner of her eye.
"Qiuling..." Seeing Chen Qiuling cry, Bai Dalin felt a pang of heartache. "Why are you crying? It's not like we asked them to move in; they went there on their own. It's not your fault." Bai Dalin felt a deep sense of reproach for his mother's meddling. Qiuling is such a good and considerate person, but his mother just had to find fault. Wasn't she simply trying to see him unhappy?
“But those are your mother and children, Brother Dalin,” Chen Qiuling said softly, her watery eyes full of tenderness.
When Bai Dalin saw the reproachful look in Chen Qiuling's eyes, his whole body began to heat up, and his heart felt like it was being scratched by a cat. Unable to bear it any longer, he bent down and picked Chen Qiuling up, saying, "If you like children, we can have another one."
Then he tried to kiss Chen Qiuling, but Chen Qiuling did not comply with Bai Dalin's wishes. She blocked him with her fair arm and separated them. She did not say anything and just looked at Bai Dalin. Bai Dalin was so anxious that he got angry and agreed, "Okay, okay, I'll listen to you. Whatever you say is fine."
The next morning, Bai Dalin went to work as usual, leaving only Chen Qiuling and Chen Zhi at the Bai family home. "Chen Zhi, go and move Bai Nuo and that old woman's things over here. They'll be living with us from now on."
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