Chapter 212: Provided with Good Food and Drink
After leaving the Public Hall, Bai Zepei, to avoid suspicion, didn’t go to interrogate Mister Li, and instead left the County Government Office with the Bai family. Bai Ruozhu was the last to leave. She quietly grabbed Xiaosi’s hand and asked in a soft voice: "Xiaosi, are you okay?"
The demeanor of the child was somewhat cold and emotionless for his age, but it stirred when Bai Ruozhu spoke. He looked up at her and asked, "If I were not your brother, would you still be nice to me?"
A surge of emotion welled up in Bai Ruozhu’s eyes, almost causing her tears to spill over. She earnestly looked at Xiaosi, at his dark, clear eyes, and replied, "No matter who you are, you will always be my brother, and I will always care about you."
A smile bloomed over Xiaosi’s somewhat wooden face. The smile was slightly stiff, but in Bai Ruozhu’s eyes, it was the most endearing and beautiful sight.
Before the sibling’s heartfelt moment had fully concluded, they were interrupted by the grandpa’s shouting.
"What on earth is going on? Haven’t you caused enough trouble? Yesterday someone publically beat up your aunt, and today you drag people into court. What exactly are you trying to achieve?" Bai Fu was seething with anger. Normally, with his prideful personality, he would not have started shouting outside the County Government Office.
"Grandpa, did Aunt tell you we hired someone to beat her?" Bai Zepei frowned. Although a faint displeasure slipped across his face, his voice was steadily calm, unlike that of his angry grandfather.
"She’s all swollen! How can there be any doubt about that?" Grandpa’s voice lowered a little, but he was still brimming with anger.
Bai Zepei stared at Wang Family’s representative, his tone signalling his disapproval. "Did Aunt not tell you how she offended the stall by the side for no reason, slandering their wife for seducing men, causing an embarrassing scene for the couple? You could very well investigate, that couple themselves beat her up. If it weren’t for my mom and dad intervening, Aunt’s injuries would be much worse than they are now."
"Why would I taunt Lin Family’s wife for no reason? Isn’t it because Bai Ruozhu was instigating, prompting Lin Family’s wife to look for trouble with me?" Wang Family’s representative protested.
"Even if they were looking for trouble, you couldn’t slander them publicly. Can you back up your accusations? If it weren’t for my parents’ persuasion, the Lin family could have gone to court. Ridiculous comments like yours could result in at least twenty spanks. It’s a light punishment." Bai Zepei spoke now with less courtesy, expressing his discontent at Wang Family’s representative bringing up Bai Ruozhu again.
Bai Ruozhu kept silent, standing in the back. She knew the grandpa didn’t care for her much now so the more she talked, the more mistakes she might make. Any word from her could push grandpa to side with Wang Family’s representative. Her priority now was to deal with Wang and rescue Xiaosi from his maltreatment. Everything else would have to wait.
"All the neighbouring merchants and customers can bear witness. On the first day Aunt arrived, my mom and dad treated her well and provided her with the best and most expensive food at the stall. Aunt even ate more than one hand-grab pancake, which is a feast compared to our regular customers. How have we failed her? The next day, customers were plentiful and my mom and dad were so busy, they didn’t even spare time for lunch. Isn’t it the norm in a business to eat after the customers have been served? But Aunt wasn’t happy with it. She complained she didn’t even get a bite to eat. The neighbouring stalls took offense and made a comment, and she began to argue with them."
Bai Zepei narrowed his eyes, "Maybe Aunt has never endured hard times and cannot tolerate even a little hardship. We might have wronged her in this regard, but she should not have shouted at our neighbours from the Lin family."
Grandpa looked at Wang Family’s representative: "Is this true?"
Just as she was about to speak, Bai Zepei interjected: "Grandpa, you can just go to our stall and ask around. See if I’m wronging Aunt, or if there’s any ill intention against her."
Grandpa was silent. Over these years, wasn’t he aware of Wang Family’s reputation for laziness and indulgence? But since the Wang family was financially well-off, they had been generously supplementing the Bai family’s silver cash, so grandpa had always turned a blind eye to it.
Finally, Grandpa still planned to visit the stall, not because he wanted to investigate yesterday’s incident as suggested by Bai Zepei, but rather because he didn’t want to embarrass the boss after finding out the truth.
The moment the grandmother heard that they were going to the stall, she wholeheartedly agreed. She was salivating just thinking about it, as if she hadn’t eaten good food for hundreds of years. Bai Fu deeply inhaled to suppress his discontent. Outside, he didn’t want to scold the grandmother.
What made Bai Fu regret his decision was that he shouldn’t have gone to the stall. Even without asking, the people around were complaining to him incessantly.
"Father, mother, why have you come here? Please take a seat. You must be tired from the journey?" Bai Yihong wasn’t too surprised to see Grandpa because his daughter had already tipped him off.
Lin Ping’er also warmly greeted the elderly couple. When customers saw elders had come, they made room for them. But since there was limited space, the rest had to stand.
Bai Yibo sniffed the air, commenting, "This smells really good. Brother, you seem to be doing better every day?" His tone rose just a little towards the end. Although his words sounded flattering, they also carried a hint of provocation and sarcasm.
Bai Yihong didn’t answer, he just turned to Lin Ping’er and said, "Wife, hurry up and make our parents some hand-grab pancakes!"
"Sure!" Lin Ping’er began to work with her hands. They had already discussed among the family before that upon grandpa’s arrival they would take good care of him so that he couldn’t fault them. No one hits a person who offers them a smile, so it would be difficult for Grandpa to publicly embarrass them.
Bai Ruozhu went over to help her mother. Lin Ping’er looked at Bai Ruozhu, her eyes questioning, and Bai Ruozhu whispered in reply: "The hearing continues tomorrow."
Lin Ping’er glanced at Xiaosi again and sighed quietly.
Soon, Lin Ping’er had made two meat-stuffed hand-grab pancakes and poured two bowls of soup. Bai Zehao and Bai Zepei took them to the elders.
Someone nearby praised: "Elder Bai, Madam Bai, look how filial your grandchildren are. You’re truly blessed!"
"Oh, it’s nothing." Elder Bai wasn’t fond of these merchants. In his eyes, the social hierarchy was scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants — the merchants being the lowliest. So he responded indifferently, but luckily the neighbouring merchants and customers at the stall thought he was not good with words and didn’t make a fuss about it.
Lin Family’s couple thought that elder Bai had brought so many people to cause a scene. Looks of alert flashed through their eyes, but they restrained themselves out of respect for Bai Ruozhu’s family.
At this moment, Wang Family’s representative was lost in thought. Bai Yibo, on the other hand, was gazing with envy at the bowls of elder Bai and the grandmother. He had waited for half the day and nobody offered him a pancake. He got irritated, yelling at Bai Yihong, "Why aren’t you inviting us to sit and eat? We have been standing half the day, and you won’t even spare a pancake for us? Do you look down upon your older brother?"
Bai Yibo’s comment attracted some attention. Bai Yihong felt embarrassed, managed an awkward smile, and said, "Big Brother, it is rather crowded at the moment, isn’t it? Once there’s a vacant seat, you, sister-in-law, and Ruolan will certainly be seated."
"Don’t touch me with platitudes. I am your real big brother. How can I be less important than some strangers?" Bai Yibo expressed his displeasure.