Chapter 14 Apology

  He Bo Hai and Zou Shi were whispering to each other, when He Huan stepped into He Xin's room with a smile all over her face. She explained insincerely: "Second sister, I'm truly happy for you, that's why I said a few more words in front of Third Aunt. I didn't know it wasn't allowed to talk about your engagement with the Lü family casually. You won't blame big sister, will you?"

  He Xin pursed her lips, flared her nostrils and turned away in a huff. From young to old, everyone said that He Huan was more beautiful than her, so she couldn't help but show off in front of her. At the time, she was clearly scared pale, but unexpectedly, half a month later, she actually came knocking on her door.

  "Your goal has been achieved, what else do you want to do?" He Xin struggled to suppress the anger in her heart. Compared with He Huan's provocation, her own second half of life was more important.

  "Second sister, you're right." He Huan sat down beside He Xin, "We grew up together since we were young and have always been good sisters. I remember when we were kids, I often 'lent' things to you, many things that you still haven't returned to me until now."

  "But they're just some worthless trinkets!" He Xin casually tossed a few silver coins onto He Huan's body, "Here, take them back. From now on, we don't owe each other anything."

  He Huan pinched the silver coins in her hand, speaking slowly and steadily: "So in Ermei's eyes, I'm not even as good as a beggar. I wonder what the people of the Lu family will think when they find out?"

  He Xin suddenly stood up and pointed at He Huan's nose, angrily saying: "What exactly do you want!"

  He Huan grasped He Xin's index finger and gave it a slight twist. He Xin let out a soft cry of pain, unable to help but withdraw his right hand. He Huan wiped the smile off his face, tossed the silver coins back at He Xin, and said in a low voice: "Apologize!"

  He Xīn stared at her with wide eyes. How could she possibly apologize to her?

  He Huan looked at He Xin in the same way. Slowly, a faint smile reappeared on her face. She shook her head lightly and turned to walk away, her expression seeming to say, "I gave you an opportunity, it's your own fault for not cherishing it, don't blame me for being impolite in the future."

  He Xin suddenly became anxious and loudly threatened: "You're plotting against the Shen family, don't think I don't know. If you dare to ruin my good deed, don't blame me for retaliating tooth for tooth and eye for eye."

  "Huh, Second Sister, could it be that you've changed your mind and think I have a good chance of marrying Mr. Shen?"

  "You, you have no shame!"

  "Is your sister being sold into prostitution something you're proud of? Or do you think that having a prostitute as a sister will give you face?"

  He Xīn regretted it after hearing He Huān's words. Although they had already separated, in the eyes of outsiders, they both shared the surname "He". At first, she boasted about marrying into the Lǚ family just to make He Huān jealous and envious. Later, seeing her acting like a young daughter-in-law, she became too proud and blurted out those words. She regretted speaking without thinking, but as for apologizing to her timid and useless older cousin, she absolutely couldn't do it.

  In the silent confrontation, Qingtong knocked on the door and said respectfully: "Young lady, tea and refreshments are ready, please follow me to the flower hall." She was ordered to "guard" He Huan and Cao Shi, but as a result, Cao Shi asked east and west, she turned her head back, and He Huan disappeared.

  He Huan didn't respond to Qing Tong outside the door, but instead said to He Xin: "Do you want to apologize now or in front of everyone..."

  "I know you're just crazy for money."

  "Yes, I like silver, but now I want you to apologize." He Huan's tone became heavier and more threatening: "To put it crudely, a barefooted person is not afraid of one who wears shoes. I'll count to three, one... two..."

  "Sorry." He Xin gave in.

  "What's wrong?"

  "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those things two weeks ago."

  "What else?" He Huan asked.

  He Xīn glared at her angrily. She had already apologized, what more did she want!

  He Huan cleared her throat and said word by word: "You'd better remember, we both have the surname He, and in this life, I am your elder sister. If you dare to provoke me again or make any small moves behind my back, it won't be settled with just a 'sorry' between us, got it?"

  He Xiner's cheeks flushed bright red as she reluctantly spat out the words "I know".

  He Huan turned around and opened the door, walking out in big strides. She had only taken two steps when she heard a loud "bang" coming from inside the room, clearly He Xin was so angry that he threw something. She shook her head lightly and followed the bronze footsteps back to the flower hall, where she saw that the plate of pastries on the table was already empty.

  Cao's face was not pleasant, and he said to Qingtong with displeasure: "What are you looking at? Hurry up and bring some melons and fruits over." Seeing Qingtong lower her head and retreat, he then said to Hehuan: "I didn't eat it all, I left half for you."

  "What did you hear, instead of just eating?" He Huan asked.

  Cao said in a low voice: "As for the division of the family, how can we know the inside story? Those servants won't know either." She leaned closer to He Huan and whispered with a smile: "By the way, I accidentally heard something two days ago. I just asked quietly, it seems to be true."

  "What's wrong?"

  "Your third uncle has a mistress outside." Cao's eyes were filled with amusement.

  He Huan slightly furrowed her brow. In the past, He Baihai had always been in charge of the three houses, and if he wanted to take a concubine, it would be as simple as having a small sedan chair carried into the house - there was no need for secrecy. "Speak more specifically." She vaguely felt that something wasn't right.

  "I didn't know the specifics, I just heard the little maid say that your third uncle is busy with business and often stays in the shop these days. I'm guessing he's not staying in the shop, but rather in the small courtyard behind it."

  He Huan hesitated for a moment and whispered to Cao Shi: "Don't mention this matter to anyone for the time being."

  Cao was originally angry with Zou, and had wanted to expose the matter of his outer chamber in order to vent her anger at Zou. Hearing He Huan's words, she suddenly felt a bit displeased, muttering under her breath: "You're still just a young lady, whether or not it's an outer chamber is none of your business..."

  "Mother Cao, think about the ten taels of silver in your pocket. In your eyes, what's more important, the silver or the pleasure of speaking loudly?" He Huan believed that He Baihai didn't have a mistress, there must be another hidden reason behind this matter.

  Aunt Cao's eyes sparkled with delight as she exclaimed: "You mean that all ten taels of silver will be mine?"

  He was delighted to see her joyful expression, and he secretly sighed in his heart. Twenty or thirty years ago, the He family had just built their current old house. The four-entry courtyard with a large garden was considered "one of a kind" in Jizhou. Over the years, not only did the garden disappear, but the four-entry mansion became three-entry, and then two-entry. Nowadays, it's not just a problem to repair the house, but even warmth and food have become a big issue.

  In fact, if Lin Xiyu hadn't married Shen Jinglun, Shen Jinglun would have deliberately supported the Lin family, and the Lin family would probably have ended up in the same situation as the He family. However, even so, the current situation of the Lin family today cannot be compared to that of twenty or thirty years ago. In fact, even the Shen family, which has never been involved in maritime trade, has also suffered a significant loss due to the rampant piracy.

  Of course, fishermen like Cao's family were the direct victims of pirate atrocities. Cao's father and brother both died at the hands of pirates.

  He Huan had never seen a pirate, nor did she understand why pirates were rampant and grain prices would rise. She didn't understand why families who didn't do business on the sea would have harder days. All she knew was that both Lin Xiyu and He Huan's fathers died at the hands of pirates. Lin Xiyu understood the hardships of life at nine years old, while seventeen-year-old He Huan was forced to take her own life in front of her parents' graves. It was all a case of injustice with a clear culprit!

  Unfortunately, He Huan didn't know where the pirates were or what kind of people they were. For now, she could only follow Qing Tong to He Bai Hai's study.

  Compared to the living room's gaudy decorations, He Bo Hai's study didn't have too many ornaments, but the quality of the antiques and calligraphy paintings was clearly a notch higher. If it were a few years ago, He Huan might have thought that these were similar to those in the living room, but after being married to Shen Jing Lun for over a year, her perspective had already changed.

  He Baihai glanced at He Huan, pointed to a chair beside him and said with emotion: "Your third aunt told me that your days are very difficult. In these two or three years, for the sake of your younger siblings, I have been busy running around and haven't fulfilled my responsibilities as an elder to take good care of you and Jing'er. Although we also have our own difficulties, at least we have food to eat." As he spoke, he patted a small box on the table, "This is the dowry that your third aunt and I prepared for your second sister, now let's lend it to you first, can't let you go hungry."

  He Huan glanced at the small box, and with her rough estimate, there was at most one hundred taels inside. She nodded and said: "Don't deceive Third Uncle, our family is indeed having a hard time, but the one who wants to marry Second Sister is the Lü family of Ling City. Second Sister's dowry must not be reduced in any way, otherwise she will definitely be looked down upon by her mother-in-law in her husband's household. I am the elder sister and cannot ruin Second Sister's lifelong happiness."

  "The dowry can be saved, we may have separated households, but how can I just watch you all go hungry?" He Baihai impatiently pushed the small box in front of He Huan.

  What a delightful surprise, He Bo Hai was warning her to stop while she's ahead. Her gaze swept over the landscape painting behind him once again. She remembered it clearly, Shen Jing Lun's study also had a similar style of landscape painting, which Shen Jing Lun treasured and forbade anyone from touching.

  She had quietly inquired with Shen Jinglin's servant, Wen Zhu, and it was said that the painting was from the hand of Qi Dashi, a famous landscape painter. This person had a proud personality, and before his death, he burned most of his paintings. The one in Shen Jinglin's hands was given to him by the former crown prince, and it was priceless.

  He Xuan stood up and pressed his right hand on the small box.

  He Baihai saw her action and smiled slightly. Just as he thought the whole thing was about to be resolved smoothly, he suddenly saw He Huan push the small box in front of him. "Huan'er, aren't you dissatisfied with the amount of silver?" His face showed displeasure.

  "Third Uncle, you dote on your niece and my niece understands that in her heart. However, I absolutely cannot take Er Mei's dowry." He Huan shook his head gently, looking embarrassed, and once again fixed her gaze on the landscape painting. She discovered that the seal patterns and positions on the painting were exactly the same as those on the Shen family's painting.

  He Baihai followed her gaze and took out a silver ingot from his bosom, saying: "This is your elder brother's gift, now I'll give it to you too."

  "It's not just the younger brothers' burden, I can't take it either." He Huan shook his head repeatedly and said with his head down: "Third Uncle, why don't you give that painting on the wall to your niece, let her take it to the pawnshop to exchange for some rice?"

  He Baihai's expression was stifled, and he looked deeply at He Huan for a moment.

  He Huan didn't raise her head, but she clearly felt that the atmosphere in the room had changed. Her heart was even more puzzled, and she said softly: "Third Uncle, Second Sister's dowry, Eldest Brother's betrothal gifts, I really can't accept them. Actually, I often pawned Father's calligraphy and paintings with the owner of the painting shop. I think that Third Uncle's paintings in the study room are naturally more valuable than Father's calligraphy and paintings, enough for us to live a few days."

  He Baihai hastily composed himself and said with regret: "This is just a fake, it's not worth much money."

  "How can a fake be painted so well?" He Huan was shocked, her eyes wide with surprise. Taking advantage of He Baihai's inattention, she quickly walked around the table and carefully identified the brushstrokes of the calligraphy and painting, which were indeed exactly the same as what she had seen at the Shen family. She pretended to accidentally touch the signature.

  "What are you doing?" He Baihai pushed He Huan away with one hand.

  He Huan stumbled and innocently asked: "Third Uncle, what's wrong with you?"

  "There's nothing." He Baihai awkwardly withdrew his hand and perfunctorily said: "I'm afraid you'll get your own hands dirty."

  "It's like this." He Huan smiled and turned his head to look at another painting on the side.

  He Baihai hastily blocked her line of sight, grabbed the silver on the table and stuffed it into He Huan's hand, saying: "You take the silver back home first, as long as we have a meal to eat, we will never let you go hungry."