Chapter 416 - 363: Treatment
Chapter 416: Chapter 363: Treatment
Once outside the department store, Xiao Man stopped and said goodbye to Weiwei, but the child grabbed her hand and wouldn’t let go. After a moment’s thought, Xiao Man took three Jade Gourds from her backpack. They were Amulets she had carved herself. Though she was just practicing, they were still effective. She had Yang Liu’er tie them onto red strings for herself, Lu Jianling, and Weiwei to wear, telling her:
"These were obtained from a great temple by our elders. They’ve been consecrated, so they can ward off evil, calm the spirit, and keep you safe. You won’t even be scared walking at night if you wear one."
Yang Liu’er, despite being young, was extremely superstitious. Overjoyed, she accepted the Jade Gourds with both hands and hurriedly asked if Xiao Man had one too. Xiao Man pulled her collar aside slightly to show the red string around her own neck. Yang Liu’er’s face flushed with excitement. She said she would put one on Weiwei as soon as they got back, and that she and Lu Jianling would also wear theirs. She thanked Xiao Man profusely, and after thanking Xiao Man, she began thanking Xiao Man’s elders, nattering on like a little old woman. Tired of her rambling, Xiao Man waited until Weiwei was distracted by the Jade Gourd, then waved to them and walked away.
Meanwhile, back at the Overseas Chinese Store, after Xiao Man and Yang Liu’er had departed, the gazes of the onlookers all fell upon Bai Qingyue and her nieces. Their pointing and whispering followed her, and though she held her head high, feigning composure, she was seething with an unbearable frustration. No longer in the mood to shop, she led her two nieces out of the Overseas Chinese Store in disgrace and took a car home.
As she walked into the courtyard of the Bai Mansion, she saw Shun Ma standing on the steps of the main house’s veranda. Muttering under her breath, she was directing Luo Chunxiang to air out cotton quilts in the yard. The sun was strong, and Luo Chunxiang squinted against the light, a thin layer of sweat beading on her face. In contrast, Shun Ma, standing in the shade of the veranda, looked cool and comfortable.
For the first time in years, Bai Qingyue found herself studying Shun Ma closely. She realized the old nanny wasn’t as decrepit as she had always thought. ’She can’t even be sixty yet, can she?’ Her skin, though a little slack, was still fair and delicate. Her neat, ear-length hair was more black than white, held perfectly in place by rows of hairpins. Normally, in Bai Qingyue’s presence, she kept her back slightly hunched. But now, facing Luo Chunxiang, her posture was ramrod straight. With her hands folded over her abdomen and her head held high, she spoke down from her superior position on the steps. This stance gave her an unexpected air of authority. That, combined with her clean, crisp, blue-gray slanted-placket shirt and the blue cloth apron at her waist—both obviously starched and ironed with care—made it so that a stranger visiting the Bai Family for the first time might mistake her for the matriarch of the family.
Bai Qingyue narrowed her eyes, Yang Liu’er’s words echoing in her mind. A wave of irritation washed over her. ’That old one and young one from the Yang family are both trouble. The younger one is delusional, and the older one only pretends to be honest. Who knows what schemes she’s plotting underneath!’
When she was just old enough to understand, her mother had told her that she and her eldest brother were full siblings, while her second brother, Bai Lihua, was the son of their nanny, Shun Ma.
Shun Ma had originally been her mother’s personal maid. Her mother, despite being born physically weak, was a progressive woman who had given up a life of privilege and wealth to join the revolutionary cause. Shun Ma, holding traditional values, had followed her mistress faithfully, never leaving her side and tending to her health. She refused to marry anyone else. Because her mother’s constitution was so poor, she had risked her life giving birth to the eldest son and needed a long recovery. However, the master of the house was in his prime. Left with no other choice, they had Shun Ma "serve" him in her mother’s stead. One thing led to another, and Shun Ma became pregnant. Grateful for her loyalty, Bai Qingyue’s mother allowed her to have the child, ensuring Shun Ma would have someone to care for her in old age.
Aside from key members of the Bai Family, no one knew of this matter. Outsiders all assumed the Bai Family’s second son, Bai Lihua, was the son of Old Mrs. Bai. Bai Qingyue never imagined that Yang Liu’er would know this secret!
’Just how did Yang Liu’er find out?’ In the Bai Family, she interacted most with Shun Ma. ’Of course, the person she’s closest to is Bai Junfan.’ But Bai Qingyue trusted her eldest nephew. He was a shrewd and disciplined man; he would never do something so foolish. ’The one most likely to have leaked the secret... must be Shun Ma!’
’Why would Shun Ma tell Yang Liu’er about her connection to Bai Lihua? It must have been vanity, a way to flaunt her status and intimidate the girl. And just listen to the nonsense Yang Liu’er was spouting: *Shun Ma could also be considered an Old Mrs. Bai,* and *the Yang family and the Bai Family are practically relatives!*’
’As if they’re worthy!’
Fuming, Bai Qingyue’s dark gaze met Shun Ma, who was approaching with a wide smile. "You," she said icily. "Come with me."
In Bai Qingyue’s sitting room, when Shun Ma heard that Yang Liu’er knew she was Bai Lihua’s mother, she was utterly astounded. Coming to her senses, she began to cry, swearing to heaven and earth as she adamantly denied being the one to leak the secret. "Miss, you have to believe me! From the day the Second Master was born, he was raised by the Madam’s side. I never even nursed him! My only thought was to take care of the Madam with all my heart. I swear I never had any ulterior motives!"