Meanwhile, Xia Chuan went to heat some bath water, and Xia Mian brought two large laundry basins from the house. After adjusting the water temperature, she said to Chenchen and Xiao Feng, “Come on, boys, let’s wash up. One basin for each.”
Chenchen, already feeling intrigued after seeing Qiangqiang enjoying himself, cheerfully ran to the basin, reaching out to Ning Shaobai, “Uncle, wash me.”
Ning Shaobai, who had spoken little since arriving, had been largely unnoticed until then. Most of the time it was Ning Shaoyun who talked with the Xia family. When he was quiet, others didn’t dare to initiate a conversation with him, treating him as if he were just a driver. The Xia family also thought Ning Shaoyun was the decision-maker, which is why they felt comfortable entrusting Xia Mian and Xiao Feng to the siblings.
Called by his muddy nephew, Ning Shaobai helped Chenchen undress while pinching his nose disdainfully. Next to them, Xia Mian assisted Xiao Feng.
Before long, the three boys began to bathe in the basins, and soon after, under Qiangqiang’s lead, they started a water fight.
Of course, it was mainly Qiangqiang and Chenchen who busily splashed around, with Xiao Feng generally not participating, only occasionally sneakily splashing Qiangqiang when Chenchen was cornered.
The kids were having a blast, but the adults bathing them inevitably got caught up in the crossfire. When Qiangqiang saw he couldn’t splash Chenchen, and saw Xiao Feng not moving, his eyes twinkled, and he scooped up a large ladle of water and threw it towards Xiao Feng.
Xia Mian instinctively closed her eyes, but the splash she anticipated didn’t come. Opening her eyes again, she saw Ning Shaobai had stretched his arm in front of her, shielding her. He turned back and said to Xia Mian, “Let me wash them. I think your second aunt seems to need you for something.”
But Xia Mian’s eyes inadvertently fell on Ning Shaobai’s chest. The white short-sleeved shirt on his upper body had been completely soaked, clinging tightly to his torso. Xia Mian couldn’t resist letting out a short whistle. Whoops, who would have guessed that this sharp-tongued guy had such a nice body?
Ning Shaobai tapped her on the shoulder, saying disgustedly, “Girl, please behave.”
Xia Mian chuckled, “We’re good ‘sisters’, what’s there to be shy about?”
Then, before Ning Shaobai could react, she quickly stood up and slipped away.
Even with Xia Mian gone, Xiao Feng didn’t react much, obviously feeling relaxed with Qiangqiang and Chenchen around.
Xia Mian had only walked a few steps when she encountered Mao Huimei carrying a towel towards her.
“I thought you got wet.” Huimei looked at Xia Mian and exclaimed in surprise. As she spoke, she glanced behind Xia Mian, and her face suddenly turned red.
Xia Mian looked back and realized the situation. She took the towel from Huimei and draped it over Ning Shaobai’s shoulders, “Thank you, but remember, men should also take care to protect their innocence.”
Ning Shaobai watched as she hurriedly ran away again, rolling his eyes in annoyance.
Although he was worried about her getting wet and revealing too much, Ning Shaobai wasn’t making things up; Xia Wenyue indeed wanted to talk to her.
Xia Wenyue pulled Xia Mian aside to a quieter part of the yard, then shared her thoughts, “Mianmian, could you take Huimei with you?”
“Your second aunt has been thinking it through, and you do need someone to take care of things. You know your sister Huimei, she’s diligent and capable. She can cook for you, and it won’t be a problem for her to drop off and pick up Xiao Feng from school.”
Xia Mian didn’t agree immediately and instead asked back, “What’s going on with the Mao family? What are you planning, Second Aunt?”
Xia Wenyue recalled her conversation with her daughters and sighed, “That Hao family is indeed wealthy and influential in this county. If they really team up with that old hag, I don’t see another way out unless I resort to a drastic measure.”
Xia Wenyue sighed deeply, “But I’m afraid that even risking my life might not protect Huimei… and there are also my two other girls…”
At this point, Xia Wenyue took a deep breath and forced herself to smile, “There I go again, you’re still a child too, why am I burdening you with our problem? As long as Huimei goes with you, they won’t have a way to trouble her anymore.”
“When your grandmother said she wanted to go with you, Second Aunt thought of your sister Huimei, but I didn’t expect this to happen too.”
“This is perhaps my own selfishness,” Xia Wenyue continued, “Second Aunt knows you’re capable, and with Huimei following you, who knows, she might also find herself a good future.”
“My life may be ruined, but now my only hope is for my children to grow up without worries. As long as my girls make something of themselves, I won’t consider it a loss!”
Xia Wenyue smiled, but her eyes were moist. Xia Mian truly admired this woman, who, despite enduring so much hardship, remained optimistic and strong, always providing a sense of security to others.
Such a person deserved better.
“Second Aunt, have you ever considered coming with us?” Xia Mian asked.
Xia Wenyue was taken aback for a moment, “Ah?”
Xia Mian shared her thoughts, “Xiao Feng and I are going to Yan City for schooling, and we indeed need help. Sister Huimei alone is not enough. Why don’t you take the rest of your girls and come with us to Yan City?”
“You’re only thirty-seven, aunt. It’s too early to say your life is set. Nowadays, many men don’t start making their mark until their forties or fifties, and you are far more capable than they are.”
Xia Wenyue chuckled, “Stop joking. What can a rural woman like me do?”
Xia Mian was not speaking impulsively. She laid out her plan, “Sister Huimei is twenty now; she could surely find a job in Yan City. Small businesses are growing very fast there, and it’s not hard to find work in a big city.”
“Sister Huimei could work part-time and attend night school. With education, she might find a better future.”
“As for Huilan and Huizhu, they can attend the school with me and Xiao Feng.”
“The reason I want to seize the opportunity to move to a big city is that the difference in teaching quality is just too vast.”
“You heard what Sister Ning said today about the university admission rates, didn’t you? Just look at Chenchen; he’s only in kindergarten. While Qiangqiang, who is the same age, is still playing wild all day around, Chenchen can already read and write many characters, knows many idioms, and can even speak English. That’s impossible here.”
“Don’t worry too much about the tuition. I have some money, which should cover our education. You can consider it a loan to you.”
“Yan City offers many opportunities. You could also start a small business, whether selling clothes or opening a restaurant. In a big city, small business owners can earn more than factory workers, sometimes over a thousand a month. You’ll definitely be able to pay me back.”
Xia Wenyue could see that Xia Mian was trying to help her, but her apprehension was stronger. She was just a rural woman without a proper diploma—how could someone like her manage so easily with three children in a big town, as Xia Mian suggested?
Yet the vision Xia Mian painted was too enticing, especially when it came to her children’s future. Having only finished junior high, she knew the importance of education too well. She had once dreamt of a future that was forcibly cut short by her own family member, so she had been determined to give her children freedom.
What’s more, with the Mao family’s patriarchal views and the old lady’s autocratic nature, only if her girls carved out their own successful paths could they control their destinies.
The usually decisive Xia Wenyue hesitated. She could confidently suggest Huimei go because Huimei could genuinely be of help, but if she and her daughters all went, they might burden Xia Mian…
“Let me think about it…” She needed to think thoroughly to find a better solution.
“Stop thinking, just go!” a voice, ambiguous in gender, interrupted.
Xia Mian turned around to see a very slender man entering from the doorway—he was Xia Wenyue’s husband, Mao Zhishan, the second son of the Mao family.
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Translator’s Note:
I have added a new novel, Three Years After Falling Off A Cliff. This is a historical romance novel similar to Greetings Ninth Uncle, by the same author of Eight Treasures Trousseau and To Be a Virtuous Wife. This is a replacement novel for Daughter of the Dao and Devil Venerable and will follow the same schedule (Monday and Wednesday). Hope you will enjoy it!
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