NOVPUBChapter 52: Chapter 52 Spectators
Chapter 52 -52 Spectators
Bai Mei’s heart leapt with joy as she heard Bai Xiao agree, and a relieved expression washed over her face, softening her demeanor. She unconsciously touched the money in her embrace, thinking that with these funds, she should be able to live comfortably for the rest of her life.
When she thought about the expression on Bai Jianguo and Hao Fang’s faces once they discovered she had stolen the family’s money, Bai Mei refused to dwell deeper. She felt a gloomy reluctance, reasoning that after all, in her family, as in the village, sons were valued far more than daughters. No one would make an exception for her, a daughter barely regarded. If it were not for Bai Xiao, the burden, and the fact that she was from an outsider’s household drawing away the attention of her grandmother and real father, nobody would bother protecting her.
Moreover, whenever there was a conflict of interest with their sons, her parents would undoubtedly side with their boys. She was nothing but an expendable pawn to them, and if she didn’t look out for herself, her parents would probably give her away to Fang Xiaoshan upon their return.
She was adamant about not spending her life in these backwoods, slogging in the mud, let alone living with a gambler like Fang Xiaoshan. The very thought made her feel indignant.
So she would not let herself fall into a desperate state.
Of course, Bai Mei had her plans, and she absolutely would not let Bai Xiao have it easy.
Upon reaching the town, the bus stopped, and Bai Xiao got off after bidding farewell to Liu Baoguo and Li Chunmei.
Bai Mei hurriedly followed suit, a bundle strapped to her back.
In her hands, Bai Xiao held a cloth bag she had made from old clothes. Now, without the availability of plastic bags or handbags, even a net bag counted as a luxury item; not every household had one. Especially in the village, where people mostly used baskets and backpack baskets they wove from wisteria vines themselves.
Bai Xiao and Bai Mei stood on the roadside, clueless about where to find Bai Ju. Since Bai Ju had gotten married, Bai Xiao had never visited her home. It had always been Bai Ju who came back to visit. At this moment, she was truly in the dark.
However, Bai Xiao did remember that Bai Ju had married He Wang, a carpenter in town, supposedly living near the trading market. Finding the place and asking around should lead them to her.
“Why aren’t you moving?” Bai Mei asked, puzzled, a hint of deep thought glinting in her eyes. Could it be that this girl was up to no good again?
“Do you know the way?” Bai Xiao asked.
“Not… familiar with it!”
“You don’t know the way, and yet you act so tough? I don’t know it either.” Bai Xiao mocked. This girl still held herself so high and mighty, as if she and Bai Xiao were not equals. She still had no clue of the real situation.
“If you don’t know it, can’t you ask? Is that not a mouth under your nose?” Bai Mei said aggressively, mostly out of habit. She was used to showing no kindness to Bai Xiao, and she hadn’t yet corrected this behavior.
Bai Xiao gave Bai Mei a glance and turned to walk away.
As if she enjoyed her company. If it weren’t for the chance to dig into her own origins, Bai Xiao would rather have nothing to do with Bai Mei.
“Where are you going? Wait for me!” Bai Mei, not wanting to be left behind, hurried after Bai Xiao.
Bai Xiao asked a passerby for directions to the trading market and only saw the cluster of single-story houses upon arrival. In this era, single-story dwellings predominated in the town, and the factory units and town government employees occupied the rare two-story buildings, residences for the more privileged. Although cramped with multiple generations squeezed into small quarters, those were still regarded as prestigious housing.
These single-story houses, built collectively by the factories, were also known as cave dwellings, but they weren’t actual caves carved out from hillsides. They were tall, with arched roofs that allowed good air circulation, making them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. They were products of rational architectural design.
Bai Xiao stopped a woman who just came out to pour water from one of the single-story houses. “Auntie, I’d like to ask about someone. Do you know Bai Ju?”
“Bai Ju ah, right there in the middle of the third row of houses, should be the sixth or maybe the seventh house!” The aunt was quite straightforward and eagerly pointed her the way.
Bai Xiao suddenly felt scared and hesitant inside. After all, it had been a very long time since she last saw her second older sister Bai Ju, and her impression of her seemed to have blurred. She could only remember Bai Ju with two glossy black braids and a bright smile as she waved at her.
Bai Mei pushed Bai Xiao forcefully from behind, “Would you get moving? Dawdling like this, what time will it be by the time we get there?” After a morning of hassle, she hadn’t eaten or drunk anything since last night. She got up in the morning intent on leaving as soon as possible, without the thought of eating, but now, after walking all this way, her stomach began to growl with hunger.
Bai Xiao shook off Bai Mei’s hand with force, “Don’t touch me again, or else don’t blame me for being rude!” If it weren’t for trying to get information out of Bai Mei, she would have let this death-seeking Bai Mei roll away any minute.
Perhaps some people might ask, why not give Bai Mei an injection, to make her honestly confess.
Bai Xiao told everyone with a bitter smile that she had overused her special ability last night. After all, she used it three times, and although none were actual healing special abilities, the consumption was greater than using the healing ability once. So, after she went back last night, she almost froze to death. If not for heating a basin of hot water, wrapping herself in a quilt, and soaking her feet, which relieved a lot of the situation, she might not have been able to go out today.
She was too anxious.
Last lifetime she had studied her special ability for a long time and knew that the energy it required was her own body heat. The more she used it, the more heat she would consume. Like that time with Li Guoqing, she almost froze to death because Li Guoqing had a very severe myocardial infarction, a life-threatening condition, so her consumption was serious with no energy replenishment.
If she had the means, she should prepare a large amount of food that could increase body heat, along with heating equipment. She should be absorbing large amounts of heat while providing treatment. That would be the best way, the result of her research from her last life. But now, where did she have the means for that? no𝚟𝚙u𝚋.c𝚘m
So, this way of alleviating the aftermath of using her special ability was certainly a temporary fix, not a cure.
If she had that ability, she wouldn’t use it on Bai Mei. If she were to use it, it would be on Li Chunhua, because Bai Xiao believed Li Chunhua knew everything.
Bai Mei was startled by Bai Xiao’s outburst and suddenly remembered that Bai Xiao was no longer the girl she could bully at will.
She had no choice but to sulkily follow Bai Xiao. At this time, she could endure.
As long as she met Bai Ju, she would make Bai Xiao pay.
The two of them walked one after the other into the row of houses ahead in search of someone.
No sooner had they walked into the houses than they saw many people crowded around enjoying the commotion, with voices arguing and children crying, a complete messy scene, as the onlookers pointed and commented.
“That Wang Er’s wife is bullying people too much!”
“If I were Bai Ju, I’d go up there and slap her twice. The kids are fighting, and an adult goes up and hits someone else’s child. What kind of behavior is that?”
“Bai Ju is just too kind. Hasn’t it been said? ‘A kind person is taken advantage of.'”
“That Wang Er’s wife is doing it on purpose. Who told Bai Ju that her husband isn’t home, the little brother at home is paralyzed in bed, all the kids are young, and there is no one to hold down the fort.”
“Alas, it’s really not good for a home to not have someone in charge.”
