The sudden change in Old Madame Bai’s attitude caused Bai Yu Yan’s brows to rise. She wasn’t behaving this way just a while ago where she was ready to berate her even for the nonexistent things. But now she was giving her a warm look which she wasn't expecting.
Lu Tong Xiao’s grip on her hand didn’t loosen. He wasn’t ready to leave her. Suddenly, Old Madame Bai started to cough violently which startled everyone present in the dining hall.
“Sister, Grandmother is not feeling well these days. She is already so old and her health problems are only rising more and more. Last time she even vomited blood but we didn’t want to tell you because you might worry about it.” Chun Hua looked at Bai Yu Yan like she couldn’t hide it anymore.
“Hearing that you would be coming today, she insisted on getting up from her bed when the doctor had advised her not to do so,” Madame Bai had a worried look on her face as she said it.
Although Bai Yu Yan felt something was not right, she couldn’t stand still seeing the wrinkles on her hand and the tears in the old woman’s eyes from coughing too much. She was standing closest to Old Madame Bai so she let go of Lu Tong Xiao’s hand and poured a glass of warm water which she helped her to drink.
When the old woman’s coughing finally stopped, Bai Yu Yan turned towards Lu Tong Xiao who was looking at them with slightly furrowed brows and said in a mild tone, “You should go and rest for now. I’ll come back after accompanying Grandma for a while.”
Lu Tong Xiao looked like he didn’t want to leave her alone with these people. He didn’t turn to leave but stood there looking at her. Seeing this, Bai Yu Yan lightly smiled and said, “It’s alright.” These people were still her family. They would possibly not do anything to hurt her, thought Bai Yu Yan.
Seeing this, Lu Tong Xiao nodded his head and left the dining hall. Chun Hua’s anxious eyes finally settled to its calmness.
“Yu Yan, you can accompany your grandmother in her room. She must be tired from moving around so much today,” Madame Bai looked at Bai Yu Yan with a smile and said. “We will also be retiring for the night,” saying, she pulled Bai Chun Hua who looked excited for some reason and left in a hurry.
With everyone gone, Bai Yu Yan was left alone with Old Madame Bai. She helped her stand on her feet and supported her as they walked down the open corridor of the manor that led to Old Madame Bai’s room.
For someone who wanted to have a chat with her, Old Madame Bai was quiet throughout the way. The servants were busying around, ready to finish their work for the day, and rest in the comfort of their bed. On their way, she dismissed the servants and told them to finish their remaining work the next day.
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Only when they reached the room did she finally open her mouth to say, “How is it like living in the Lu manor? It must be comfortable.”
Inside, a servant helped the old woman lie on the bed. To Bai Yu Yan’s ear, it didn’t come as a question but rather a statement. Ever since she came to the Bai manor, none of them had asked if she was well or was she having difficulty adapting to such a huge and prestigious family like the Lu. Not that she minded but hearing the old woman now, it seemed they had already assumed that she was living a dream life in the Lu manor.
Bai Yu Yan smiled to herself. She didn’t want to disappoint them by being modest, “Yes. It’s quite comfortable if you ask. In fact, what we had thought about the Lu family doesn’t even come close to what they actually have.” She was implying their wealth and every other thing possessed by high-class nobles, where the Lu lied just below the imperial family.
Hearing it, Old madame Bai was surprised as well as irked at how openly Bai Yu Yan was flaunting the Lu family’s wealth and the status which she received just by pure luck or so she thought. Her clothes, jewelry, and the gift she brought, none of it was something an average noble could afford. In their eyes, Bai Yu Yan had discovered a gold mine.
“Then, as an older sister, shouldn’t you be thinking about Chun Hua, your younger sister? She is at marriageable age now. If she can marry into a prestigious family, you will also benefit from it.”
Although Bai Yu Yan didn’t know how she would benefit from Bai Chun Hua’s marriage, she didn’t say anything about it. A long silence stretched in the room.
After a while, Old Madame Bai said, “His Excellency will have to be away from home frequently because of his work. You must be lonely at home at that time. It’s better to have someone by your side than to be alone. So..” Old Madame Bai gauzed Bai Yu Yan’s expression which showed a mild surprise and added, “how about you ask him to take your little sister as his concubine?”
Old Madame Bai hadn’t even bothered to be subtle about it and said it directly. Bai Yu Yan raised her eyes to look at her and laughed at herself for even expecting that the old woman had invited her here for a genuine reason. “Grandmother must be tired. You should take rest, I’ll take my leave.” She saw no point in staying there and doing this pointless conversation. Bai Chun Hua’s actions gave her intentions away but to think that even the Bai family had this in their mind, Bai Yu Yan had never expected it.
But when she reached the door and pulled the wooden handle to leave, she found that it didn’t budge. She applied more force to it and tried to pull it again but the door remained unmoved. It wouldn’t open at all.
“Did I say anything wrong? Why are you in a hurry to leave?” Old Madame Bai calmly leaned on the bed head and asked Bai Yu Yan.
Bai Yu Yan turned back to look at her, her eyes turning serious, “What’s the meaning of this?” She had no idea that when the servants closed the door on their way out, they had locked it from the outside. Finally, all of their actions made sense.
“Later, Chun Hua will also live with you in the Lu manor. You two sisters should look after each other in the future,” saying this, Old Madame Bai rested her head on the pillow as if she had nothing more to say.