NOVPUBChapter 57: Chapter 57: Complaint
Chapter 57 -57: Complaint
Bai Xiao took the chives from Bai Ju’s hand, “Second sister, I’m your little sister, no need to be so formal with me. We are family after all, and moreover, I no longer live with grandma and my young uncle.”
She took a stool and sat under the eaves to sort the chives, that’s how it is in the row houses, each household working in their yards, everyone can see what others are doing.
Bai Ju was startled and quickly asked, “Was it grandma, did your young uncle kick you out? It’s just like grandma to do that, after we eat, I’ll go back with you. We need to talk it through with her, we can’t just let you, a young girl, live alone, what if something happens.” She thought Bai Xiao had been driven out by her grandmother.
Bai Xiao laughed, “Second sister, go ahead and start chopping the meat! It wasn’t grandma who kicked me out, I chose to leave. Anyway, at grandma and my young uncle’s place, I ate the least and worked the most. You all even give grandma money every month, why bother? It’s better I live on my own, happily and freely.”
She knew Bai Ju would say this and hurriedly explained.
In the kitchen, as Bai Ju chopped the meat, her brows furrowed, “Just endure it a bit more; I know grandma and your young uncle are not good to you, but still, it’s better to have adults around to prevent those hoodlums from taking advantage, I know you’re suffering. Once you get into university, everything will be better,” she asked, poking her head out.
“Right, I was actually going to call the village to ask how your exams went, but I’ve been so busy. Your brother-in-law has been at Liuban Slope making furniture for someone, and he’s been gone for over a month now. He should be back in a few days, and I’ve been busy managing everything inside and outside the house, everyone’s waiting to be fed, so I haven’t managed to call you.”
Bai Xiao, smiling, walked to the doorway of Bai Ju’s kitchen with the chives, “Second sister, I got into university, Aerospace Military University, even further north from here!”
Bai Ju’s knife stopped suddenly, she lifted her eyes to Bai Xiao, “Really?” Joy filled her eyes.
Bai Xiao nodded, “It couldn’t be truer!”
Bai Ju, holding the knife, lunged towards Bai Xiao! She wanted to embrace her sister tightly, the past four years of hardship were finally not in vain, as long as Bai Xiao could get into university, their parents’ last wishes would all be fulfilled, even if she died now, she would have lived up to their parents below.
Bai Xiao quickly pointed at Bai Ju and exclaimed, “Sister, sister, put down the knife first, you’re being very dangerous!”
Only then did Bai Ju realize, embarrassedly dropping the knife, she hugged Bai Xiao tightly, kissing her cheek twice.
“I always knew you had it in you to study, our parents weren’t wrong about you, you take after mom, it would be a waste if you didn’t read,” Bai Ju was blissfully forgetful.
Bai Xiao was taken aback, “How do I take after our mom? Our mom couldn’t recognize a single word.” An idea began to form in her mind; it seemed her sister Bai Ju knew about her origins, even who her real mother was.
Bai Ju went silent, her face suddenly paling, stuttering, “I mean… I was saying… your cleverness… Yes! You got your smarts from our mom,” she brushed it off and darted back into the kitchen, picking up her knife to continue chopping the meat.
“Oh, so my cleverness comes from our mom?” Bai Xiao didn’t press further, her sister must be hiding it for her sake, otherwise, she wouldn’t keep it from her.
Either her parents were disgraceful, or they had abandoned her, which was why her siblings and parents had always kept it from her.
She absolutely wouldn’t believe her sister was hiding it to harm her, because her elder brother and two sisters were not those kind of people.
In her previous life, for her sake, none of the three had a good end. If there had been malice, it simply didn’t make sense.
The two moved quickly, Bai Xiao was adept at household chores, having handled all the household chores both at the Bai Family and the Fang Family in her previous life, she was skilled in managing everything from the inside out.
She had nothing to do with eating the dumplings, but she was the one who made all of them.
As two people were working, a boy and a girl burst in, curiously staring at Bai Xiao. She instantly knew who they were.
These were Bai Ju’s other two children. Although family planning was in place, it had started in the eighties, and these two were already twelve and ten years old. Both were carrying backpacks and had just come back from school. In that era, which family didn’t have several children, even if just to strengthen the workforce?
The older one was a boy, and the younger was a girl.
However, it was evident that the girl resembled Bai Ju more, with a delicate beauty about her, while the boy looked simple and honest. Yet, like Xiaocui, both children were dark and thin, their complexion slightly sallow, clearly suffering from long-term malnutrition.
The two kids, with their curious dark eyes, glanced at Bai Xiao and then set down their backpacks.
One started sweeping inside and outside the house, and wiping down surfaces and taking out the trash.
The girl had already rolled up her sleeves, washed her hands, and came over to help them make the dumplings.
Seeing the children, Bai Ju immediately smiled, showing a loving smile that perhaps all mothers have when they see their children, a sense of love emanating genuinely from the heart.
“Xiao, this is He Huanhuan, and the one over there is your elder nephew, He Qingsheng. Huan, this is your aunt who came especially to see you today,” Bai Ju beamed as she introduced them.
Upon hearing this, He Huanhuan’s face showed little joy, but rather an expression of dislike.
Bai Xiao was taken aback. The child was only ten and, in theory, they had never met before and shouldn’t have any quarrels, but this immediate dislike seemed a very natural reaction which meant the child didn’t harbor good feelings towards his aunt.
“Huan, your aunt got accepted into university. You and your brother should learn from her and also get into a university so you can make your mom proud. If our family could have two college students, your mom would die happy!” said Bai Ju happily.
He Huanhuan suddenly widened his eyes, but the look in his eyes wasn’t one of surprise or shock, but rather anger and sadness.
“You still want me and my brother to attend college, but our family, because of the living expenses sent to you each month, is living like this now; we can’t even eat enough. If the two of us got into college, what would you use to support us? Do you and dad want to work yourselves to death?” The angry words finally made Bai Xiao understand the source of his dislike.
It was perhaps understandable. For a family that was raising three children and had one bedridden patient, the parents’ earnings were probably just enough to survive, let alone support another burden; no wonder the kids deeply resented her.
Bai Xiao patted her hands, knocking off the flour, “Huan, don’t worry. Your mom supported your aunt for four years, and in these years, she suffered a lot for my sake. But now that your aunt has been accepted into university, the tuition and living expenses will be covered by the school. From now on, it’s your aunt’s turn to support you and your brother to attend school, and your sister too. As long as you study hard and get into college, your aunt will definitely support you.”
The child obviously softened upon hearing this, his face slightly shy, but his stubborn mouth said nothing.
Just as Bai Ju realized her daughter had earlier been angry with her aunt, she was about to scold He Huanhuan when someone entered from outside.
“Oh, making dumplings, huh? You knew I was coming back today.”
Bai Xiao’s brother-in-law, He Wang, had returned.
