Chapter 796 - 798: Xiaoning’s Wild Daydreams
When asked about the waist pendant by his younger sister, Bai Zehao didn’t seem nervous at all, saying frankly, "It was a young worker from the Colorful Embroidery Pavilion named Xiaoning who gave it to me. The poor girl’s father was sick, and in order to get him treatment, she was going to sell herself into servitude. I just happened to be there and helped her. Her embroidery work is pretty decent. Now she’s working at the Colorful Embroidery Pavilion and says she’ll repay the money as soon as possible."
Whenever Bai Zehao mentioned Xiaoning, there was always an appreciative tone in his voice. It was clear that he admired Xiaoning’s filial piety and ambition.
Bai Ruozhu took off his waist pendant, held it in her hand, and said, "Indeed, she is a skillful girl, and the knitted rope is beautiful. But has she married or been engaged?"
"I don’t know about that. Never asked her about it," Bai Zehao answered, laughing sheepishly.
Bai Ruozhu observed her brother’s expressions closely. It seemed he truly had no feelings for Xiaoning. She breathed a sigh of relief. If her brother had an extramarital affair, especially while his wife was pregnant, no matter if he was her biological brother, she would still look down on him.
Just because there’s nothing now doesn’t mean there won’t be in the future. If an unpleasant scandal broke out, the man often has to take responsibility. She didn’t want her brother and sister-in-law’s relationship to be affected by outsiders.
"It is likely she is a girl who is not yet engaged. Elder brother, it is not good to casually accept gifts from others," Bai Ruozhu said, sighing profoundly, "You are educated, even if our Danliang Country doesn’t stress much about rigid segregation of sexes, if someone with bad intentions saw this and claimed that you are giving and receiving gifts in private, it might affect the young lady’s prospects for marriage."
Bai Zehao’s expression changed slightly and he replied awkwardly, "Really? I am her benefactor and also her boss. Shouldn’t it be normal for her to express her gratitude by giving me something?"
"Elder brother, you are going to be a father soon. Why not start showing a little more consideration? Some things should be avoided. If you don’t believe me, show this waist ornament to sister-in-law and see if she feels uncomfortable? It’s good that you explained it to me, but if sister-in-law finds out later and misunderstands, I’m afraid she will be upset for a long time," Bai Ruozhu said this while tossing the waist pendant in her hand. "Why is a waist ornament just taken out already worn on Zehao’s waist?"
"Besides, when you wore it, it was definitely not voluntarily. I’m afraid the young girl helped you wear it, right?" Bai Ruozhu said, her face already showing a smirk. She admired a girl with ambition, but she still looked down on those who actively tried to seduce married men, wanting to be a concubine, especially when the man’s wife was still pregnant.
Everyone in the Colorful Embroidery Pavilion knew about Bai Zehao’s situation. She didn’t believe that Xiaoning hadn’t inquired about it.
Bai Zehao was left stunned by her words, and soon his face showed a hint of shame. "Ruozhu, you’re right. If someone saw it and started spreading rumors, it could cause trouble. I’ll return the waist pendant to Xiaoning tomorrow to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings."
Bai Ruozhu nodded, satisfied, and tossed the pendant back to Bai Zehao. But after thinking for a while, she snatched it back again and said, "Elder brother, let me help you return it. If you go looking for her to return the waist pendant, and someone sees it, it could be messy and create misunderstandings."
"But... wouldn’t that be too embarrassing for her? She’s quite a proud girl," Bai Zehao asked worriedly.
Bai Ruozhu snorted in her heart. Proud? A truly proud girl would not want to involve herself with a married man.
"Elder brother, don’t worry, I’ll talk to her diplomatically. If she’s willing, I can help her find a good family. It’s fulfilling our family’s duty," Bai Ruozhu said.
Bai Zehao nodded, "Alright, I’ll have to trouble you then."
The next day, Bai Ruozhu went to the Colorful Embroidery Pavilion with the pendant. Even though she didn’t often visit there, everyone in the shop, from the shopkeeper, to the waiters, to the embroiderers, knew her. Xiaoning was observing Bai Ruozhu secretly, feeling she was exceptionally pretty and carried an air of elegance, which made her feel somewhat inferior.
Xiaoning was upset in her heart. If it hadn’t been for her mother being a drug addict, spending all the saved money and leaving home, she could have been a small trader’s daughter. Even if she couldn’t compare with the daughters of the Bai family, she wouldn’t have to be an embroiderer, would she?
Bai Ruozhu quietly observed Xiaoning’s facial expressions, becoming more certain that this girl was not simple. She asked the others about the shop’s operations then dismissed everyone. She pointed to Xiaoning and asked, "Are you a new embroiderer? You look pretty young."
Everyone left but Xiaoning had to respond to Bai Ruozhu. She turned around and bowed respectfully, "I am, Miss. My name is Xiaoning and I’m fifteen years old."
"That’s quite young," Bai Ruozhu muttered. When everyone else had left, she took out the waist pendant from her sleeve and raised it, saying, "This is yours, right? You really have skilled hands."
Xiaoning’s face instantly changed. Many possible scenarios raced through her mind. Bai Ruozhu could have asked Bai Zehao for it, or maybe Bai Zehao misplaced it, and Bai Ruozhu had picked it up. No matter what, she was upset. Bai Zehao, who had always been kind to her, how could he carelessly give the gift she gave him to others?
Seeing Xiaoning’s disgruntled face, Bai Ruozhu sneered and said, "Just return this to you. You can sell it in the shop. It might help you repay my brother sooner. Then you can be free and no longer have to work so hard as an embroiderer."
Upon hearing this, Xiaoning got anxious and said, "Miss, being an embroiderer is not hard, I like it here. I promise I will work hard. Please don’t make me leave." As she spoke, tears trickled down her face.
Look at Xiaoning, with her tears-like-drops-of-pearls look. If you didn’t know, you’d think Bai Ruozhu was bullying the poor girl and trying to drive her out. Had Bai Ruozhu said she wanted Xiaoning to leave now? Although she indeed had this power.
"You misunderstood. You are an unmarried girl and should keep your things in order. If someone else picked it up, it would be troublesome, right? What would you do when it’s time to get married?" Bai Ruozhu said, smiling, "You are skillful and you’re beautiful. I can help you find a suitable husband later. Would you like that? Some of my guards are not yet married."
On hearing this, Xiaoning’s face turned pale and she immediately shook her head, "Miss, you shouldn’t bother about this. I’m still young, and my father is unwell. I want to take care of him longer, I don’t want to get married so early."
"Then you need to keep your belongings safe. What if uneducated and despicable men found it, ran to you and claimed you had been giving and receiving items in private? Then you won’t be able to take care of your father for a few more years," Bai Ruozhu said with a mean smile.