Chapter 394 - 342: Even a Silly Girl Knows How to Play
Chapter 394: Chapter 342: Even a Silly Girl Knows How to Play
Bai Qingyue still remembered how wonderful she felt when she heard those words. ’He’s finally not mentioning that damn Gu Qi Yue. This is progress! I’ll keep at it, and one day, I’ll win this man over!’
Tang Qingshan was a man of his word, and Bai Qingyue considered herself the one who knew him best. Since he’d said that, he definitely wouldn’t be thinking about marriage. So, she let her guard down. But then, while she was distracted with other things, Tang Qingshan had inexplicably and quietly gone and gotten a marriage certificate with someone!
When Bai Qingyue heard the news, she almost fainted from anger. She went home and smashed an entire set of expensive tea service.
’How could Tang Qingshan treat me like this? What about the bond we’ve shared since childhood? He was engaged to Gu Qi Yue, but weren’t he and I childhood sweethearts? Gu Qi Yue jilted him and then died in childbirth. He was heartbroken and fell into despair, drinking, smoking, and ignoring everyone. Who was it that cast aside her maidenly reserve, ignored the long distance, and endured days of jolting on that old-fashioned bus every month just to visit him? Who quietly kept him company through those dark times? It was so hard back then! Now we’re both in our forties, him unmarried and me unwed. We’re companions in misery. If he was going to marry someone, it should have been me, Bai Qingyue! Otherwise, he has no conscience!’
’Who does this woman who popped out of nowhere think she is? If she were some delicate, beautiful girl in her early twenties, I could understand it as a man’s lust getting the better of him. But she’s just a plain-looking old maid, leagues below me. And with that uncultured air about her, you can tell at a glance she has no social skills, let alone the ability to manage a household. Meeting her and then rushing into marriage... why? If he wanted a woman to warm his bed, why not choose someone he knows inside and out?’
Tears welled in Bai Qingyue’s eyes as she stared at the handsome figure in the distance. She watched him approach the stout woman in a bright red dress, his hand resting on the woman’s shoulder to guide her away with him.
Bai Qingyue’s eyes narrowed, her resentful gaze fixed on the bride’s stout back. She nearly ground her teeth to dust. ’With a face like that, she’s supposedly from a prestigious family? I must be seeing things!’
’Originally, I was going to have someone take care of things and get this woman away from Tang Qingshan. But I didn’t expect that, on top of having some social standing herself, her family background would be so formidable. Her father, Ai Baoguo, is a famous leader. I heard her mother also holds a high position, and one of her uncles-by-marriage is...’
Bai Qingyue shook her head forcefully, unwilling to think about it anymore.
’Perhaps I had never truly understood that man, Tang Qingshan. He wasn’t above worldly desires after all. He was just another person who adapts his behavior to the situation. What did he see in the Ai Family? And this Ai Wenli... plain-looking, thirty years old, yet she possesses talent and fame that would make anyone jealous!’
Only when the bride and groom had disappeared into a side hall did Bai Qingyue realize her feet were sore. Somewhat drained, she leaned against a veranda pillar. She was just about to take a cigarette from the small clutch looped around her wrist when she caught sight of Xiao Man. She immediately put her bag down, pulled herself together, and approached the young girl with a gentle smile, taking her by the arm. ’The big fish has gotten away for now, but this little one can be very useful. I have to hold on tight!’
Xiao Man did not like Bai Qingyue. In fact, ever since she saw Bai Lihua and Wu Xiaowen pretending to be a couple while taking Tang Yaxuan out shopping, she hadn’t had a single good impression of the Bai family.
But ever since seeing Xiao Man at a banquet, Bai Qingyue had acted as if she’d taken an instant liking to her. Whenever the Bai Family got some fresh fruit or other delicious foods and health supplements, they would always save a portion for Xiao Man. They would either send it to the Tang Mansion or, on the pretext of visiting a classmate who worked at the Medical College’s administrative office, "coincidentally" drop by to see Xiao Man and give it to her. In front of Xiao Man’s classmates and roommates, Bai Qingyue would talk about Bai Junfan, deliberately misleading them into thinking that Xiao Man and her "Brother Junfan" had a special relationship. Xiao Man was already very unhappy about this. She had saved Bai Qingyue some face by not doing anything that would embarrass them both, but the woman had pushed her luck. She would ramble on to Xiao Man about the bond she shared with Tang Qingshan, pry for information about Ai Wenli, and tell blatant lies to slander her. She even put on a frank and open act, asking Xiao Man to prepare some "Heart Nourishing Pills" for her, adding that if it wasn’t convenient, just copying down the prescription would be fine too.
Xiao Man demurred, saying she didn’t know how to compound medicine yet. But Bai Qingyue actually brought up Grandpa Tang, swearing up and down that Grandpa Tang himself had told her Xiao Man knew how, and that she should ask Xiao Man directly if she needed any because Grandpa Tang had given the word... That smug look on her face was just like Lin Aizhen’s. She was treating Xiao Man like a naive, gullible child.
Infuriated, Xiao Man had simply stopped letting Bai Qingyue find her on campus. She’d had a peaceful month or two, but she never expected to run into her again today.
This was her own home, during a wedding banquet, so it wasn’t appropriate to be rude to a guest. No matter how much Xiao Man disliked her, she had to pretend to be well-behaved and greet Bai Qingyue politely.
"Aunt Bai, it’s very lively inside. You can go in and have a seat."
"Manman, you forgetful child. You should call me Auntie!" Bai Qingyue stroked Xiao Man’s hand, her eyes soft and smiling, putting on an act of someone who doted on Xiao Man endlessly.
"Oh, right. I should call you Auntie. I forgot that Aunt Bai once said my father has seen you as an older sister since he was little." Xiao Man was disgusted by her and deliberately wanted to disgust her in return.
Bai Qingyue’s smile stiffened. As expected, she was displeased. She touched her face. "Manman, do I look that old? I’m two years younger than your father!"
"Eh? So you’re two years younger than Tang Qingyun?"
Bai Qingyue: "..."
’What is this girl playing at? Hasn’t she already been adopted by Tang Qingshan and calls him ’Dad’? What does Tang Qingyun have to do with anything?’
"I meant Tang Qingshan..." Bai Qingyue tried to explain.
Xiao Man smiled and cut her off. "Oh, you mean my father? Aunt Bai, haven’t you noticed? My father has gotten even more handsome and youthful recently, hasn’t he? He’s actually more than ten years older than my mother, but when they stand together, everyone says they’re a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman! It’s true that a happy occasion lifts the spirits. He’s met his soulmate. They have so much in common, so many shared interests. They’re so happy together, the two of them will surely grow younger and younger..."
"Enough! Stop talking!" Bai Qingyue hadn’t expected to lose control like that, but the vicious words just burst out of her.
Her face paled, and she quickly glanced around. A few women were standing nearby to her left, speaking in low voices. Thankfully, she didn’t know them. But their gazes, as if they were looking at a monster, swept over her, making Bai Qingyue’s heart clench.
Xiao Man looked completely startled and stared at her innocently. "Aunt Bai, what’s wrong? Didn’t you say you and my father have a very good relationship? He’s in his forties and has finally left the ranks of bachelors. You should be congratulating him. Why aren’t you happy?"
The women exchanged glances and shifted their feet as if they were about to come over and ask what was going on. Bai Qingyue was completely flustered. She waved a hand at Xiao Man and fled into the house.
Xiao Man watched her retreating back and sneered inwardly. ’Taking me for a fool? This fool knows how to play, too, you know.’