The Old Madam chuckled. “What do you mean ‘talking back’? Little Ninth has finally gained some human warmth—I’m happy about it!”
Wu Xiaoya choked. “But she’s so arrogant…”
The Old Madam waved her hand dismissively. In her kind voice, there was a hint of pride—
“So what if she’s arrogant? She’s Little Ninth’s wife, the Ninth Madam of the Bai family. Not just here in Yang City—even when we return to the capital in the future, if she wants to be arrogant, others can only endure it.”
Wu Xiaoya fell silent, feeling both sour and jealous. She knew the Old Madam was right.
Yun Manxia had followed out to see the Old Madam off, intending to say a few words, and just happened to overhear the conversation.
Seeing Wu Xiaoya’s expression, she almost laughed, the corners of her lips curling slightly.
What was the use of all those little tricks? In the end, what isn’t yours will never become yours.
Ambition is a good thing—but without the strength to match it, and still jumping around overestimating yourself, you’ll only become a clown!
Wu Xiaoya happened to turn back and saw her. Her face changed abruptly.
Yun Manxia smiled at her, though there was no warmth in her eyes, and called out in a clear voice, “Grandma!”
The Old Madam turned around. Seeing her, her tone softened compared to before.
“Why did you come out?”
Yun Manxia held a packet of medicine. “Ninth Master isn’t very convenient, so he asked me to see you off.”
She handed over the packet. “I heard your legs aren’t very good. This is medicine prepared by an elder in my family. If you soak your feet with it every night, it should help a bit.”
The medicine was actually prepared by herself. A few days ago, she had thought of the Old Madam’s condition and quietly made it.
But if she said it was her own work, it might not be trusted. The Old Madam might not even use it, so she borrowed the name of an “elder.”
After all, everyone knew her mother was a miracle doctor—it wouldn’t be strange for her to have a highly skilled elder in medicine.
The Old Madam was a little surprised but still had someone take it. “You’re very thoughtful.”
After seeing her off, Yun Manxia turned back. Wu Xiaoya was already gone, but she didn’t care and started walking back.
Suddenly, she heard faint sounds of an argument.
Her ears twitched. She changed direction, lightening her steps as she approached.
At a glance, she saw Xiaomei and Wu Xiaoya pulling at each other beneath a flourishing bougainvillea wall!
Xiaomei whispered urgently, “…They said if I don’t pay, I’ll go to jail! Xiaoya, don’t treat me like a fool—what you told me yesterday was clearly intentional! If you hadn’t provoked me, how could I have done something so impulsive?!”
“And those flowers—you were the one who told me to help you steal them!”
“Xiaomei, be reasonable. Smashing the jade Guanyin on purpose and framing Yun Manxia—that was entirely your own doing. What does it have to do with me?”
“So you’re not paying the fifty thousand at all? Then don’t blame me for going to Ninth Master! Do you think he’ll also believe it has nothing to do with you?!”
“You…!”
Before they could continue, they suddenly noticed Yun Manxia.
She stood behind two clusters of vines, partially concealed, arms crossed, posture relaxed—no one knew how long she had been listening!
Wu Xiaoya’s face changed drastically.
Yun Manxia sneered. She had known it—Wu Xiaoya was behind this!
Her gaze swept over the two of them. She didn’t bother saying much, only telling Wu Xiaoya, “I’ve recorded your conversation. You’d better behave from now on, or I won’t mind handing the recording over to Ninth Master.”
With that, she turned and walked away gracefully.
“Xiaoya, you need to cover at least forty thousand of that fifty thousand, or I’ll also go tell Ninth Master!”
Wu Xiaoya’s face looked extremely unpleasant.
Yun Manxia walked back lightly, empty-handed—she hadn’t brought her phone at all. A recording? Of course not. She had just been bluffing Wu Xiaoya.
Back in the living room, Bai Hedu was still there, and Lin Shen was speaking to him in a low voice.
Her steps quickened as she ran over.
“You’re back?” The man gestured for Lin Shen to pause and looked up at her. His deep, unfathomable eyes reflected her small, approaching figure.
“Mhm!” Yun Manxia curved her lips slightly. She hadn’t expected that just a casual mention from her would make Bai Hedu agree to deliver the medicine. He hadn’t said a single word about how the Old Madam already had many doctors and didn’t need hers.
Thinking of how he had defended her twice earlier, sweetness spread in her heart. She ran over and sat beside him, deliberately asking, “Husband, were you just helping me on purpose so Grandma wouldn’t misunderstand me?”
Bai Hedu’s expression remained calm. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Naturally, I shouldn’t let Grandma misunderstand you.”
Yun Manxia felt moved, but she said, “Next time, don’t speak up for me in front of Grandma. I don’t want her to think you’ve forgotten—” she coughed lightly, “—her, now that you have a wife. You and Grandma are so close. I don’t want there to be any cracks because of me. I can handle it myself!”
Thinking of how foolish she had been in her previous life, and how he had hurt the Old Madam’s feelings multiple times just to defend her, she couldn’t help but feel guilty.
When Bai Hedu first heard her say “don’t speak up for me,” he thought she was upset. But then he heard the rest.
After a brief pause, he said, “It’s fine. Grandma isn’t that petty.”
There was a hint of warmth in his voice.
Even Lin Shen couldn’t help but sigh inwardly—what kind of absolute sweetheart was this new Madam?!
No wonder Ninth Master treated her differently. The previous ones—forget caring about him or considering him—even speaking to him, they looked terrified. Who could like that?
Wu Xiaoya walked in and saw Yun Manxia sitting close beside Ninth Master, speaking with him. That distance was practically intimate for someone like him—yet he showed no sign of annoyance. If anything, there was even a faint trace of indulgence.
She felt both jealousy and unease.
Damn Yun Manxia—what was she saying to Ninth Master? Just now, she even glanced at her. Would she really keep her promise not to hand over the recording?
Her gaze darkened. No, she couldn’t trust that woman. She had to destroy that recording—and find a way to deal with the forty thousand Xiaomei mentioned…
Gritting her teeth, she quietly returned to her room.
Yun Manxia had no idea that a casual glance from her could make Wu Xiaoya think so much.
She hadn’t mentioned her at all. Instead, she was talking to Bai Hedu about another matter—the banquet hosted by the Bai family in Yang City this week.
The Bai family was divided into the main branch in the capital and the Yang City branch.
Bai Hedu was the sole heir of the main branch, while Bai Chengxuan’s family was just one of many branches in Yang City.
This time, it was their family hosting the banquet.
That morning, Yun Yiyi had specifically messaged her, telling her she must attend—who knew what she was planning.
Unexpectedly, Bai Hedu brought it up as well.
He nodded slightly, his handsome face calm, his tone indifferent. “Hearing of my recent marriage, they invited me to attend with my new wife. The host, Bai Jianggong, is my uncle’s illegitimate son. His son, Bai Chengxuan, is said to also be a student at A University—you might know him.”
Bai Chengxuan?
Hearing that name suddenly made Yun Manxia’s heart skip.
Meeting the man’s unfathomable gaze, she felt a bit uneasy.
For a moment, she couldn’t tell whether he knew about her past with Bai Chengxuan—or if he was testing her now…
Bai Hedu looked at her. “Do you want to go?”