NOVPUBChapter 59 -59: Unveiling (Part 2)
Chapter 59 -59: Unveiling (Part 2)
Bai Xiao laughed, starting softly but eventually bursting into loud laughter. Tears streamed down her face as she laughed at the unpredictability of life, knowing that the secret of her life was finally about to be revealed.
Bai Ju embraced Bai Xiao tightly and shook her, saying, “Xiao, don’t listen to Bai Mei’s nonsense. You are our parents’ child, you are my real sister. She is talking nonsense, you can’t believe her words!” She was anxious and worried, but her strength was immense—it was a moment when this older sister truly meant to protect her.
Just as she had always protected her in the past.
Bai Mei became frantic, as things weren’t going as she had imagined at all.
Wasn’t it supposed that once Bai Ju knew this piece of information, she would drive out this child who was picked up from the streets?
“Bai Ju, it’s true, I secretly heard grandmother and my father talking about it, saying that Bai Xiao is a child left behind by a sent-down youth in the village, and her mother died in childbirth,” said Bai Mei, bringing up witnesses to completely crush Bai Xiao.
Bai Xiao gripped Bai Ju’s hand tightly. “Second sister, I believe this. These years, I know how grandma, uncle, and his family have treated me. Countless times, I’ve lain next to that pigsty in that stinky room, truly wondering if I am actually a biological child of the Bai family. Otherwise, why would grandma and uncle treat me this way?”
Bai Ju was startled, “No, Xiao, listen to your sister—”
“Sister, stop, what Bai Mei said is true!” Seeing her second sister still wanting to protect her ardently, Bai Xiao was unsurprisingly moved.
This was the sister and family who had truly shown her sisterly affection in a previous life.
Feeling victorious, Bai Mei pulled Bai Ju away from Bai Xiao, “Look, Bai Xiao believes it, second sister, you have to believe that I’m telling the truth. Bai Xiao really isn’t one of our Bai family members; you can’t be so foolish, devoting yourself heart and soul to raising an ingrate—that’s what fools do.” She wanted to clarify the boundaries between Bai Ju and Bai Xiao.
He Wang saw this and knew trouble was brewing, so he quickly ushered the children out of the room, as these words were not suitable for them to hear.
“Bai Mei, get out, we don’t want you here, leave right now!” Bai Ju roared, almost startling Bai Mei into a shiver.
Bai Ju was pushing her toward the door, and Bai Mei became desperate.
“Second sister, what are you doing? I am your sister, she has no relation to you, how can you not distinguish between insiders and outsiders? We are the real family! Now you are just turning your back on us!”
Bai Ju’s strength was immense; she hadn’t put this much effort into her earlier argument with Zhang Jie, but now she seemed unstoppable, nearly causing Bai Mei’s neck to twist in anger.
Bai Xiao grabbed Bai Ju’s wrist tightly, “Sister, let her speak. I need to know whose child I am?”
Bai Ju looked into Bai Xiao’s eyes, seeing a coldness that chilled her to the bone and broke her heart. They had always kept the secret, partly because they feared she couldn’t handle the truth and also because they promised their own parents they would never reveal it, and to love Bai Xiao as a real sister. Now, Bai Mei, careless and ignorant, had exposed it, and if Bai Xiao became distressed or thought too much about it, how could they stand it?
“Xiao, listen to your sister—”
Bai Xiao tightened her grip on Bai Ju’s wrist, “Sister, a wound must be opened to drain the pus, even if you suppress this matter today. I will go later and ask the Women’s Director Wang Meihua to clarify it. As long as someone knows the truth, it will eventually come out. It definitely cannot be concealed.”
Bai Ju was just afraid Bai Xiao would think too much, and then the situation would really become unmanageable.
Bai Mei abruptly pulled Bai Ju aside, “Sister, see, I told you it’s a white-eyed wolf. The moment she heard she wasn’t their own child by birth, she immediately wanted to know about her biological parents. If you’re not born from the same womb, you don’t share the same heart. Now you understand who really is your sister. I truly care about you to spare you the suffering of toiling away for others, raising a daughter for them. Look at the life you’re living.
If it wasn’t for taking care of Bai Xiang and supporting her education, tell me, would your life have needed to be like this? Anyway, she also wants to know, and she’s hardened her wings to go find her biological father.”
Bai Xiao immediately understood that her biological mother was dead and her father was probably still alive, otherwise Bai Mei wouldn’t have said such a thing.
“Bai Mei, you don’t need to stir up trouble here, your words don’t affect me. Have you forgotten that I am someone who has died once? What else could I possibly fear? Just say it outright!”
Bai Ju heard this and asked Bai Xiao, “What do you mean you’ve died once? What do you mean you’ve died once? Tell your sister clearly what exactly happened to you?”
Bai Xiao realized she had slipped, but if she didn’t speak, Bai Ju would still worry about her capacity to endure, so she spoke.
“Sister, a few days ago, when you told me to go with our aunt’s sister-in-law to work in the city, they beat me half to death when I refused. The next day, when I woke up hungry, I had to cook some noodle soup for myself and even added two eggs. Grandma accused me of freeloading, so I said you and my older brother and sister all gave her living expenses already, and I wanted to move back to our family’s old house.
Grandma told me if I dared to ask her for money to move back to the old house, she would die right in front of me, and I should forget about ever going to university. I remember grasping Grandma, wanting to jump into the reservoir, but she pushed me into it. I nearly drowned, but luckily, there were People’s Liberation Army soldiers training nearby, and a camp director saved me.
Otherwise, none of you might see me anymore. So even now, whatever you tell me, I can endure it. I’ve died once, took a tour around the King of Hell’s palace, there’s nothing I can’t endure.” This was also to reassure Bai Ju.
Bai Ju, hearing this, hugged her sister tightly, heartbroken, “Grandma, how could our uncle do this? Your brother and our oldest sister, the three of us each give Grandma nineteen dollars every month. Despite how hard or difficult it is, we never skimped on giving her the money, all because we were afraid you would suffer. But how could Grandma do this?
If something happened to you, how could I live on, sister? One day when I go below, I won’t even have the face to meet our parents. Our parents made it very clear before they left us: as long as we three are alive and breathing, we must support your education, as long as you can continue, we will definitely support you.” Seeing the stubborn and resolute expression on her sister’s face, she suddenly understood where her sister’s change came from.
When a person is driven to a dead end, even a cornered rabbit will bite, let alone a living person.
It’s no wonder Bai Xiao handled the situation just now so aggressively, meeting hostility with hostility. The once taciturn and shy sister had suddenly become articulate and sharp, incisive to a fault, revealing an untold backstory.
Bai Ju was even more furious.
It was all her fault. She should have kept her sister by her side, so she wouldn’t have been despised and mistreated like this.
It was all her fault.
Yet when you think about it, even her house was so cramped there was hardly any room to even plant your feet, let alone maintain privacy between men and women. Even if she wanted to bring Bai Xiao to live at her place, it simply wasn’t feasible.
That was exactly why, having no other options, they had entrusted Bai Xiao to Grandma and their uncle initially. They had hoped that, at least for the sake of the monthly sum of money, Grandma and their uncle would treat Bai Xiao a bit better.
Who knew that these people could still be so heartless.
