CHAPTER 41: 040: INSIGHT

In the living room, Ye Ling didn’t want to watch her mother’s pretentious behavior, so when she stood up to go into the East Room, she gave a pointed reminder, "Mom, my grandmother was working in the fields a few days ago and got sick from exhaustion. When you sent the telegram yesterday, she was seeing a doctor in town. She rushed here by train afterward, and I’m afraid her body can’t take it. You better fix her something to eat first, otherwise if she can’t help and falls ill, it’ll delay you taking care of Ye Qian."

Bai Xue’s crying immediately quieted down. She looked up with resentment, "Lingzi, if you hate me so much, hate me, but don’t blame your sister. She’s sick now, and we don’t even know if it can be cured."

"Sis, you can blame me, not Dad and Mom. They’re just worried about my illness." Ye Qian’s eyes reddened, and she wisely relented, "Mom, hurry and make some food for Grandma."

Ye Ling smirked coldly and turned to go inside.

Ye Qian had indeed become smarter, realizing there was no advantage to be gained here. If she didn’t wisely pull back, Ye Ling wouldn’t have spoken kindly to her at all.

As for Ye Qian’s illness, Ye Ling knew a bit about it. Some people got it from a virus in their body, and others were due to food allergies. It wasn’t something incurable. Plus, judging from their mother’s insistence that Ye Qian practice dancing, it seemed the illness wasn’t too severe.

With the older daughter inside and the younger providing a platform for retreat, Bai Xue stopped crying, got up, and went to cook. She wanted to make peace with the older daughter, but she also heard about her mother-in-law’s condition. If something really went wrong and they couldn’t help but became a burden instead, it would be adding insult to injury.

It’s just a shame that Bai Xue prepared the meal, but Old Mrs. Ye in the East Room was in no mood to eat. She didn’t even get up, only saying she felt achy all over and had no appetite. Bai Xue lowered her head when she came forward, but Old Mrs. Ye ignored her, leaving Bai Xue to come out of the East Room with a grey face.

As for Ye Qian, she had already gone to rest as advised by the doctor and was lying down in the West Room. At the dining table, it was only the older daughter sitting there eating. When Bai Xue thought of her older daughter’s scathing tongue, she swallowed her words and turned to the West Room.

When Ye Qian came out of the room, she saw Ye Ling holding a handkerchief to her mouth, her eyes glued to it. It was because that handkerchief was given by Liu Zhiyuan’s mother, Aunt Wu, brought from Xinjiang. You couldn’t find anything like it here. The handkerchief was apparently given to that temporary worker, so how did it end up in Ye Ling’s hands?

.

Perhaps Ye Qian’s gaze was too intense, Ye Ling noticed her looking, turned her head to meet the gaze, and as she saw Ye Qian’s eyes follow her hand, she knew full well and raised her handkerchief in front of Ye Qian.

"Do you like it? You can have it if you do." Ye Ling thought she was being quite wicked, knowing full well how upset Ye Qian was but still acting this way.

Ye Qian curled her lips, "Sis, this handkerchief is really pretty. Where did you buy it?"

Truly able to endure.

Inwardly, Ye Ling admired Ye Qian, outwardly she casually said, "Ah, that temporary worker gave it to me."

Seeing Ye Qian barely able to force a smile, Ye Ling asked, "Why? Do you know him?"

Ye Qian shook her head at the handkerchief waving before her eyes, "No, it just looks nice."

"If you like it, take it. It’s just a handkerchief." Ye Ling genuinely didn’t think of it as something valuable.

Besides, she was quite curious why Ye Qian gave the handkerchief to Shen Bin, and why Shen Bin gave it back to her. Ye Ling didn’t believe that Ye Qian was interested in Shen Bin, especially since he was from the countryside and divorced.

"No need, I have one too." Ye Qian sat down at the table but had lost interest in eating.

Bai Xue came out from the West Room too, "Qianqian, Mom made shrimp for you. Don’t eat yet; it’s in the pot."

"Lingzi, are you done eating?" After saying this, Bai Xue noticed the older daughter and didn’t feel guilty, "The doctor said your sister needs to eat good food to recuperate. Don’t complain."

"Mom, I read in a magazine that Henoch-Schönlein purpura is related to food allergies. Don’t give Ye Qian random things to eat. She might have another allergic reaction." Ye Ling kindly reminded her.

"It’s fine. Xiaoqian has eaten it before." Bai Xue didn’t think there was anything wrong with her younger daughter eating shrimp.

Ye Ling raised an eyebrow, "Did you talk to the doctor? Perhaps it’s from eating that very thing that she got sick."

It wasn’t exactly fearmongering. Shrimp was something available in coastal areas; in the north, they were rare, and some people’s bodies couldn’t handle it and often got allergies from eating too much.

Bai Xue froze for a moment and waved her hand afterward, "Alright, alright, go rest."

Ye Ling didn’t care to say more. She had given her reminder, and it wasn’t her concern if they didn’t take it seriously. Continuing would make it look like she was fighting for a meal.

Once the East Room’s door was closed, Old Mrs. Ye sat up, "Did you see that? Such favoritism, no wonder you’re so cold to them usually."

Originally, Old Mrs. Ye wanted to improve the relationship between them and their parents, but seeing this now, it seemed impossible. It’s like the parents were pushing their children away with their own hands.

"Grandma, I’m fine." Ye Ling genuinely didn’t care and comforted her grandma instead, "As long as I have you, it’s enough. The more they don’t want me to study, the more I’m going to study hard and do a good job to make you proud. When I earn money in the future, I’ll only take care of you."

"Silly child." Old Mrs. Ye felt both saddened and comforted by her words.

free\NovelBin.c o(m)

But her anger towards her son grew even more. When Ye He Ping returned in the evening, Bai Xue greeted him, "Go and persuade your mom. She’s been upset all day and hasn’t eaten a thing."