Chapter 417 - 363: Treatment (Part 2)
Chapter 417: Chapter 363: Treatment (Part 2)
Bai Qingyue was already in a bad mood, and seeing the girl’s sniveling only made her more impatient. She snapped a few words at her, telling her to get out, then changed her clothes and went to see Mr. Bai.
Mr. Bai was in his study, leaning on his desk as he practiced calligraphy with a large brush. Although he still used a wheelchair when he went out, at home he could walk on his own with a cane for nearly half an hour. The muscles and bones in his legs were still weak, but his circulation was good and he had feeling in them. More importantly, his cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health had recovered remarkably well. To what extent? Previously, the slightest emotional fluctuation could have triggered a heart attack or a cerebral hemorrhage. Now, he could laugh heartily, even slam his fist on the table in anger, without any incident!
A single "Life-saving Pill" casually given by Tang Renqian had such a miraculous effect, it was practically no different from being brought back from the dead. No wonder that after Mr. Bai woke up and learned of his good fortune, he sternly instructed Bai Qingyue and Bai Junfan not to make it public. Secretly, however, he supported his grandson in getting close to and pursuing the Tang family’s granddaughter. So what if the Gu and Tang families had a marriage contract? Even if they were married, there was always divorce!
And so, Mr. Bai placed high hopes in his grandson, expecting him to use a combination of hard and soft tactics to win the beauty’s heart. As for whether the Gu family would grow to hate the Bai family because of this, Mr. Bai couldn’t care less and felt not a shred of guilt. As fellow military aristocratic families, they should all understand the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak and the victor reigns supreme. The Bai family had never feared the Gu family, and Mr. Bai was highly confident in his own grandson’s Combat Power, certain it was greater than that of the Gu family’s grandson!
Bai Qingyue called out, "Dad." Mr. Bai nodded and gestured for his daughter to help him. He had finished a large piece of calligraphy and it was time to sit and rest. The father and daughter pair went over to the sofa to talk.
Luo Chunxiang came in with a tray bearing two plates of pastries and two cups of tea. One cup was Mr. Bai’s ginseng tea, and the other was Bai Qingyue’s health and beauty tea, specially formulated for her by Doctor Jia. With a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner like Doctor Jia advising them, even on the hottest summer days, the Bai father and daughter would never indulge in cold food or drinks. They always drank freshly brewed hot tea.
Luo Chunxiang arranged the tea and pastries, then lowered her head and excused herself.
Only then did Bai Qingyue tell Mr. Bai about running into Yang Liu’er and Xiao Man on the street, and how Yang Liu’er had somehow overheard the secret of Bai Lihua’s parentage.
After listening, Mr. Bai pondered for a moment before speaking. "Lihua’s situation is of no consequence. If we don’t acknowledge it, what’s the point of arguing over baseless claims? Look at all the great manors in Beijing—which family doesn’t have some skeletons in its closet? Besides, Liu’er is just a little maid. Her words carry no weight. How many people would actually believe her? There’s no need to panic. Rumors die when they reach a wise person."
Bai Qingyue thought about it and realized he was right. But because Yang Liu’er had been the one to expose the matter, she felt an inexplicable dislike for Shun Ma. She tentatively asked, "Dad, I’m pretty sure Shun Ma must have let it slip in front of Yang Liu’er. To prevent anyone from hearing the rumor, taking it seriously, and coming to our house to ask tactless questions, what if we send Shun Ma back to her village for a while?"
Mr. Bai picked up his teacup and took a sip, pausing for a moment. "Back to which village? Pan Kou Village? No, forget it. Her brothers are getting old, and the younger generation is distant and might refuse to support her. That would just make Lihua worry and unable to focus on his work. A mere rumor can’t stir up any real trouble, so there’s no need to pay it any mind. Shun Ma has always known her place. It’s fine. Let’s leave it at that."
Knowing her old man would react this way, Bai Qingyue dropped the subject. Her gaze flickered for a moment before she continued, "What about Yang Liu’er? We brought that wild girl to Beijing and let her get used to the good life, and now she’s grown ambitious. We knew she wasn’t the type to be quiet and well-behaved when she lived with us before. She didn’t even respect Yifen and her sisters. Now she’s quietly latched onto Tang Manman. I’m afraid she heard from Shun Ma that Junfan wants to marry Manman and is doing this on purpose. She already knows far too much about our family’s affairs. I’m really not comfortable letting her run around freely, spreading nonsense all over the world!"
Mr. Bai’s expression didn’t change as he slowly sipped his hot tea, one mouthful at a time. He finished about half the cup before setting it down. "From this perspective, Liu’er actually has a bit of cleverness to her," he said. "According to you, Tang Manman seems soft and easy to fool, but in reality, she’s slippery as an eel and can’t be coaxed no matter what. So why was Liu’er able to get close to Manman and get Manman to speak up for her? Ah, Yueyue, this is her good fortune, or you could call it her skill. In terms of scheming and tactics, Liu’er is certainly no match for you, but sometimes it just comes down to chemistry between people. Perhaps her personality is just what suits Manman’s taste. Don’t forget: Manman also grew up in the countryside. Therefore, you don’t need to be in a hurry to deal with Liu’er. On the contrary, you can treat her like a relative, take good care of her, and let her come live at home again. Junfan won’t be back for another two years. When the time comes, we can just find a young man from within the Bai family’s network and solve the problem. As long as she is under our control, she won’t spread nonsense. Even if rumors do spread, it’s nothing to fear. As I’ve said, our Bai family is not afraid of gossip. Let others say what they will; I will remain as unshakable as a mountain. You must remain calm. In the end, the rumors will collapse on their own."
Bai Qingyue frowned. "Dad, are you saying we should let Yang Liu’er move back into our home?"
"Yes. And not only that, if she wants to attend university, arrange everything for her. Let her go."
"Dad..."
Mr. Bai waved his hand dismissively. "Yueyue, listen to me, you won’t go wrong. Getting Manman to walk through the Bai family’s doors of her own volition—that is the most important thing of all! Yifen and Yifang couldn’t do it, but Liu’er did. Therefore, from now on, she deserves to enjoy the treatment of a Bai family granddaughter."