Chapter 7 Dialogue

  Hao Huan saw that Tao Shi's mind was made up, and his tone was not without the meaning of breaking the cauldron and sinking the boat, so he didn't continue to persuade him. After sending Tao Shi away, Hao Huan sat alone at the table for a while. She looked around, sizing up the whole room. Her room was located in the west wing of the He residence, although it was an independent small courtyard, but the doors and windows were already broken and worn out, the room was dark and damp, making her feel suffocated. She walked to the window, propped herself against the windowsill with both hands, and looked out at the courtyard. The yard was empty and bare, without even a single weed.

  Bai Miao washed her face, changed into clean clothes and hastily pushed open the courtyard door. "Miss," she called out softly, and her eyes reddened again.

  "Stop crying all day!" He Huan scolded discontentedly, inspecting the furniture arrangement in the house, and casually asked about Cao Shi's situation.

  Bai Rou hastily wiped away her tears, and only then told He Huan that Lady Cao had claimed to be unwell and gone to bed. As she spoke, she became sorrowful again, and timidly asked: "Miss, what can we do from now on?"

  "Can't you understand what I'm saying? I've already said it, as long as you don't keep shedding tears and annoying me." She said while walking to a large screen, patting the thick wooden frame, instructing: "First help me move this outside, then go call Zhang Bo to invite Huang Zhuanggui from Yongji Pawnshop over."

  Miss, you've always liked this screen.

  "Put it here, and the sunlight is blocked, making the whole room gloomy."

  Upon hearing this, Bai Shao hastily helped move the heavy screen away, and then under He Huan's direction, they removed the excess furniture from the room. When He Huan personally pulled down the window curtains, the room finally became bright and airy, and the oppressive musty smell was replaced by the fragrance of sunlight.

  He Huan patted the dust off his body and instructed Bai Miao: "The flowers that Jingdi planted under the west wing corridor, I want to move one pot to the windowsill, go tell him."

  Bai Miao nodded in confusion. She didn't understand, at this time, how her young mistress still had the mood to tend to flowers and plants. She retreated with a bow, just about to step out of the house, when she heard her master call her to wait a moment.

  He Huan took out a small purse from under the pillow, handed her two coins and said: "I've been to the kitchen and there's no food left. You go buy two pancakes on the street to fill your hunger."

  Bai Mian took the copper coins in a daze, feeling that the two copper plates in her hand were unusually hot. These two coins were given to her by He Xiang's father, He Bai Xian, more than ten years ago before he went out to sea. It was the last time they spoke as father and daughter. Over the years, He Xiang had treasured them dearly, even when she was starving, she never thought of using them.

  "Miss, these two mao were given to you by the old master..."

  "No matter who gave it, nothing is more important than filling one's belly. And in the future, if someone else tries to bully you and you can't beat them, won't you just dodge?"

  Upon hearing this, Bai Rou became even more bewildered. All along, her master had always told her that in all matters, she must endure and absolutely not offend her elders. Over the years, they had been living like this, never fighting back or retorting, enduring every day.

  She had already guessed seven or eight points from her appearance. She said seriously: "No matter what I said before, from now on you must remember that crying all day is one day, and laughing all day is also one day. There's no need to make yourself unhappy! If someone can't get along with us, if they really can't be provoked, just stay far away, and absolutely don't be a scapegoat for nothing, understand?"

  Bai Shao was frightened by these words and muttered: "Miss, you said that old lady, wife, and big wife are all elders, and Third Young Master is the only male in the family, while you are like a floating duckweed..."

  "I've said it all, forget what I said before. From this moment on, we'll live our lives with a smile and make the most of every day."

  Bai Rong walked away in a daze, He Huan didn't have time to bother with her and went straight to the wardrobe to look for something. She needed a suitable dress to attend the funeral at the Shen's house.

  After a cup of tea, He Jing held a potted plant and stood at the door, calling out "Big Sister".

  "Quickly, Jingdi, come in." He Huan smiled at him and took the potted plant, placing it on the windowsill. As he examined it, he said, "I think they're growing well, full of vitality, so I came to ask you for one. Look, with your flowers and plants, the whole room looks brighter and more spacious."

  "Sister, if you like it, I'll move the other few pots over too." He Jing stared blankly at He Huan. It was the first time he discovered that his big sister looked so good when she smiled, to be precise, it was the first time he saw his big sister smile so happily, before this, she was either frowning or secretly wiping away tears.

  "That's not necessary." He Huan shook his head and continued in a serious tone, "Jing brother, big sister has called you here for a reason, actually to apologize to you."

  "Sister, why are you saying this?" He Jing looked at her in confusion.

  He Huan pulled him down and apologized sincerely: "Sorry, it was me who told Bai Zuo to secretly lock the door of the west wing earlier..."

  "Sister, I understand, you're afraid Aunt will come find me to plead on her behalf, that's why you locked the door..."

  "Jingdi, listen to me. This time I was indeed wrong, it's because I didn't trust you enough. Before, I only saw your kind heart and filial piety towards elders, but I didn't realize that my Jingdi had already grown up. Just now, when you called Cao Niang 'Niang', you must have felt uncomfortable in your heart, but for the sake of considering Dajie's difficulties, you were willing to let Cao Niang misunderstand and willing to put yourself at a disadvantage. Dajie is very moved and happy."

  "Sister, I'm not wronged, really." He Jing nodded heavily, his nose sour. He knew that He Huan had locked the door to prevent their mother from coming to plead with him, putting him in a difficult position. But when he suddenly found out that the door was secretly locked, he did feel a little disappointed. Now hearing He Huan say this, he only felt ashamed.

  After a long silence, He Jing whispered: "Big sister, rest assured, I have always remembered that although Aunt Cao gave birth to me, it was Eldest Uncle's wife who raised me and taught me to read and write. She is my mother. No matter what happens in the future, I will not forget this, nor will I let big sister be embarrassed."

  He Huan looked at He Jing and sighed silently. Adversity makes people grow up. She reached out to touch He Jing's hair, and then straightened his collar for him.

  He Jing was taken aback for a moment, and his face suddenly turned red as he said in a low voice: "Sister, I'm already a man..."

  "Yes, you are a man now, but in my heart, you will always be my little brother. However, from now on, I will remember that you have really grown up and are no longer the little brother who needed me to change his diapers and coax him to eat."

  "Big sister!" He Jing's face turned even redder, and even the roots of her ears were a deep red, just like persimmons hanging on branches in late autumn.

  After He Jing left, He Huan sat at the table for a moment, picked up his pen and wrote a deed of sale, took the deed of sale out of the west wing, walked towards Cao's residence in the east wing, and pushed open the door directly.

  Mrs. Cao heard the sound, suddenly sat up, was about to scold, and then lay back on the bed, turned over and lay on her side towards the inside of the bed, pretending not to have heard the noise. She saw her son carrying a potted plant to the west wing early in the morning, and it wasn't until after a while that he returned to the west wing room.

  He Xuan walked slowly to the bedside and said calmly, "Aunt Cao, this is the contract I mentioned earlier. I know you can't read, just press your fingerprint."

  Cao's family turned over and got out of bed, with a pale face and angry eyes staring at He Huan, trembling and saying: "You, you must not be too arrogant."

  He Huan coldly retorted: "If you're unwilling, you can go back to your mother's house. I won't stop you."

  "You're clearly taking advantage of me being helpless." Cao's wife turned around and wanted to walk out.

  He Xian took a step forward to block her way, saying word by word: "I'm reminding you for the last time, it was your own words that promised to let Third Brother be adopted by Eldest Uncle and Eldest Aunt. From that day on, Third Brother had nothing to do with you anymore. Listen clearly, this is my last reminder to you."

  Cao stared at He Huan, as if she didn't recognize her. She still remembered that just a few days ago, she was chasing and hitting her, but now, she was actually afraid of her from the bottom of her heart. Was it really like what she said, that she had died once, so she wasn't afraid of heaven or earth?

  "You are driving me to death with all your might, is there still a bit of your father in your eyes?" Cao's wife sat on the ground and wailed, tearing at her hair and opening her collar.

  He Huan stood high and looked down at her, without speaking, but only coldly slanting his eyes at her.

  Before long, Tao's voice was heard outside the door, asking: "Huan'er, what happened?"

  "It's nothing." He Huan said with a relaxed tone, "Aunt Cao is singing a tune for me to listen to, hurry back and accompany Third Brother."