“Oh my, is the third daughter of the Bai family bringing her boyfriend home?”
“That boyfriend looks pretty decent.”
“She hasn’t even moved out that long, and she’s already bringing a boyfriend to the door. That third daughter of the Bai family is really something…”
Bai Lan stood at the door listening to the neighbors’ whispers and just wanted to roll her eyes. If they thought a capable daughter like Bai Ping was such a catch, let them have her—they’d probably be so angry they’d cough up blood.
She wasn’t exaggerating!
If the neighbors knew that the boyfriend Bai Ping brought back was actually Song Guoping, they’d probably explode on the spot.
And inside the house, her parents were about to explode right now!
“What exactly is the relationship between you two?”
Even if his third daughter was bringing a man home to deliver a cart of napa cabbage, Bai Dad wasn’t impressed. Who was this man? He was the same guy his youngest daughter had almost married but didn’t.
Even though things never progressed to an actual marriage, he had still been set up on a blind date with his youngest daughter. Under these circumstances, Bai Ping—who knew full well about this—still got mixed up with him. How could Bai Dad not be angry!
But angry as he was, he still had to ask the necessary questions, and he couldn’t let things blow up. He didn’t want the neighbors finding out and pointing fingers at the troublesome Bai Ping.
Thinking this, Bai Dad felt especially frustrated.
Bai Ping saw that even bringing a cart of napa cabbage home still didn’t earn her a single kind look from her family. Her expression turned sour. But mindful of Song Guoping sitting beside her, she held back.
“Dad, Song and I came back this time to deliver napa cabbage to the family. And also to tell you that we’re dating. We’re planning to get married soon.”
That short sentence revealed far too much information. Bai Dad felt a throbbing pain in his temples. Bai Mom wasn’t doing much better either.
As for Bai Lan, she was leaning by the door, completely speechless.
Even though she had long suspected Bai Ping had set her sights on Song Guoping, actually hearing her say she was planning to marry him still felt utterly surreal.
What on earth had Bai Ping dreamed about, that she was clinging so desperately to the Song family?
—
As Bai Ping spoke, her peripheral vision kept drifting to Bai Lan. Seeing the expression on her face now, Bai Ping felt a secret thrill, thinking that Bai Lan must be regretting it now!
Hmph, the way she’d let go of Song Guoping so easily—she really didn’t know how to appreciate good fortune. But then again, thank goodness Bai Lan had bad taste. Otherwise, someone like Song Guoping, a future rich man, would have been hard for her to get her hands on.
Thinking about all the effort she had put in over the past few days, Bai Ping couldn’t help but let a smug smile slip.
But as soon as she caught Song Guoping’s unchanging expression, she immediately reined it in. She continued, addressing her shocked parents: “Yes, we’re planning to have the wedding before the Lunar New Year. Once we’ve settled on the date, Uncle Song will come find you to discuss it, Dad.”
“No. I don’t agree.” Bai Dad finally seemed to snap out of it, voicing his opposition directly.
Bai Ping’s expression darkened. She shot back, “Whether you agree or not, we’re going to get married. Everyone has the freedom to marry. Isn’t that right, Eldest Sister?”
That last line was aimed at Bai Lian. The meaning was clear: you’re allowed to get a divorce, so why can’t I get married?
Bai Mom, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up: “So you came today not to discuss this with us, but to inform us. Is that it?”
Seeing her usually doting mother suddenly question her like this, Bai Ping’s heart trembled. But then she hardened her stance. “That’s right. I came to inform you.” As she said this, she reached out and tugged at Song Guoping, who had been silent all along, signaling him to say something.
But Song Guoping only managed a few words: “That’s right. We’re getting married.” After those few words, he shut his mouth again.
He looked like he had taken a vow of silence. Bai Lan couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Based on Song Guoping’s attitude, she could be certain there were no real feelings between him and Bai Ping. His decision to marry Bai Ping was most likely related to the Song family being reported.
She had heard Cao Changsheng mention this last weekend. Back then, Bai Lan had already suspected the report had something to do with Bai Ping. Now, watching how these two interacted, it was entirely possible Bai Ping was the one who reported them.
Song Guoping’s goal in marrying Bai Ping was exactly the same as when he’d tried to marry her—to have a shield.
Bai Dad had clearly thought of this too. His face darkened. “Bai Ping, have you forgotten why Xiao Lan refused that marriage match?”
Song Guoping’s expression flickered slightly at these words.
But Bai Ping shook her head firmly. “That’s different. Song and I have feelings for each other. Isn’t that right, Song?”
Song Guoping was still staring at Bai Lan. At the question, he nodded casually.
Seeing this, Bai Ping was annoyed that Song Guoping was staring at Bai Lan. She shot Bai Lan a glare, shifted her position, and blocked his line of sight directly. Then she turned back to her still-agitated parents.
“The Song family has good conditions. If I marry into the family, I’ll live in a small western-style house, not cramped together like everyone in this courtyard, where the whole alley knows what you eat and say the minute you do it. The Song family will also help me with work. Both of Song’s parents have good jobs. And Song himself is especially outstanding. Mom, Dad, what reason do you have to object? Do you want me to come back to this run-down courtyard and marry some man who also lives in a courtyard in the future?”
As she spoke, Bai Ping shot a defiant look toward Bai Lan.
Bai Lan immediately glared back, unimpressed. She didn’t think marrying into the Song family was anything good. Nor did she think a western-style house was anything special. The man she liked, the man she was going to marry, happened to live in a courtyard. So what? In another year or two, once the markets opened up, anything she wanted could be earned back with her own two hands!
In the end, Bai Lan’s parents didn’t agree to Bai Ping marrying Song Guoping. But judging by Bai Ping’s attitude as she left, the Bai family knew she wouldn’t change her mind.
“What a tragedy!”
As soon as Bai Ping left, Bai Mom couldn’t help but burst into tears.
“Don’t cry. She’s jumping into a pit even though she knows it’s a trap. Crying won’t help.” Bai Dad took out a handkerchief and wiped Bai Mom’s tears.
Bai Mom sobbed, “I just don’t understand. How did she become like this?”
Bai Lian said, “She’s always been this way. She just never showed it before.”
Thinking about what Qiu Chengcai had gone through, Bai Lan couldn’t help but nod. Bai Ping was such a selfish person. No matter how good you were to her, the moment you lost your usefulness, she would discard you. She was nothing like the rest of the Bai family. Every one of them—not to say they were saints—had solid morals. And yet, they had produced an anomaly like Bai Ping.
Bai Mom was also muttering to herself, wondering how Bai Ping had turned out this way. She even began to doubt whether she had failed to raise her properly.
—
“Rubbish. You didn’t raise her properly? You have four daughters, and she’s the only selfish one. How about saying she was just born a bad seed!”
The day after Bai Ping left, news spread like wildfire through the alley that the man she had brought home was the son of Factory Director Song from the steel plant.
When Bai Mom found out, she was so upset she nearly collapsed at home.
Just then, Bai Lan’s maternal grandmother arrived in the city on her son’s ox cart to bring winter vegetables to her daughter. Seeing the state Bai Mom was in, she launched into a merciless scolding.
“Bai Ping—to be honest, from the moment I first laid eyes on her when she was born, I never liked her. I didn’t say anything before because I didn’t want to upset you, her mother. But since she’s done this to you, I have no reason to hold back.”
Bai Grandma sat imposingly on a chair and began rattling off all of Bai Ping’s faults without mercy.
From how she always stole Bai Li’s things as a child, to how she often bullied Bai Lan, to how she stole Bai Li’s job when she grew up, forcing Bai Li to be sent to the countryside. One thing after another—Bai Grandma couldn’t even count them all on ten fingers.
Bai Lan had come home early and happened to catch Bai Grandma’s tirade.
She had to admire the old woman’s memory! Of course, after listening, she also felt that Bai Ping was simply born evil.
“Oh dear, Lanlan, you’re off work. Come here, come here. Help me talk some sense into your mother. She’s just stubborn. If Bai Ping won’t walk the straight path, let her go ahead and stumble. Once she’s battered and bruised, she’ll naturally figure out how to turn back.”
The eldest maternal uncle, watching his sister’s expression grow darker, coughed dryly and tried to stop their mother from continuing. But the old lady cut him off ruthlessly.
Bai Lan felt her eldest uncle was just being caught in the crossfire. As a younger generation, it wasn’t her place to laugh at her elders. So she stepped out of the house and sat down under the eaves to rest.
Seeing this, some neighbors in the courtyard came over to pry, but Bai Lan shook her head and refused to answer.
Finding they couldn’t get anything out of her, most of them already had a pretty good idea of what was going on.
Then they heard Widow Hu muttering, “Marrying into the steel plant director’s family is a good thing! If his family didn’t look down on my Aihua, I’d send her over in a heartbeat.”
“Oh please, not everyone is as shallow as you!” Auntie Qin fired back unapologetically.
Ever since Hu Aimin had attacked Qin Tang with a shovel, the two women had been going at each other like this for days. Even though Hu Aimin’s apology letter had been posted on the textile factory bulletin board, Auntie Qin’s grudge against the Hu family hadn’t dissipated.
Widow Hu, not one to take a hit lying down, shot back, “You dare say you’re not shallow? If you’re really not shallow, then why don’t you find your son a country girl too?”
At this, Auntie Qin’s eyes widened. “A daughter-in-law like your family’s female hooligan? Our family couldn’t afford her.”
“You…” Widow Hu was so angry she nearly jumped out of her skin. But she didn’t dare throw a punch. Gao Qingqing wasn’t exactly innocent in this matter. Even though she had consummated the marriage with her son, Widow Hu wouldn’t let her guard down until she had given birth to a child.
Bai Lan had been quietly eavesdropping on the middle-aged women’s gossip and was a little speechless. Weren’t they just talking about Bai Ping? How had the conversation veered off to Gao Qingqing again?
Just as she thought this, she noticed Gao Qingqing staring intently at her house.
Bai Lan frowned. She felt that since the consummation, Gao Qingqing had become even more sullen.
But right now, her own household was already in chaos because of Bai Ping. She didn’t have the energy to focus on Gao Qingqing. Anyway, Qin Yan was keeping an eye on her day and night. Bai Lan didn’t have a single worry on that front.
Meanwhile, Auntie Qian, who had been quietly listening to the gossip, suddenly interjected, “Aren’t you talking about Factory Director Song’s son? Does that young man have any other good qualities?”
Widow Hu was in a bad mood. She rolled her eyes at Auntie Qian. “Oh, Auntie Qian, whether he’s any good is the Bai family’s concern. What’s it got to do with you? But still—the younger sister looked down on him, but the older sister took a liking to him. No matter how good he is, there’s probably a limit.”
Auntie Qian looked a little embarrassed at Widow Hu’s first sentence. But at the second sentence, she immediately pressed, “So what flaws does he have?”
Widow Hu, however, ignored her. She reached out, pulled Gao Qingqing up from where she was sitting on the doorstep, and said, “Come on, let’s go dig some wild vegetables in the open lot. You sit around idle all day doing nothing, won’t even bring home a bite to eat…”
As Widow Hu’s voice faded into the distance, the gossip group that had just formed quickly disbanded. But Bai Lan noticed Auntie Qian was still pulling Auntie Qin aside, whispering. She thought to herself that this older woman didn’t usually talk much. Lately, though, she seemed to have become more chatty.
Leave a Reply