Chapter 29: My Heart Aches for Erlang

Pei Yuanxing turned his head and glared at Qin Hanxiao with annoyance. "This is all because of you."

Qin Hanxiao sometimes wondered if he suffered from a split personality. However, whenever outsiders gave her trouble, he always stood up to defend her, and his calls of "Second Sister-in-law" were quite earnest. She decided not to bicker with such a difficult child.

"Yes, it's all my fault. Let's go back quickly. Mother doesn't look well, so I should examine her when we return."

Pei Yuanxing snorted again but sat down to continue driving the cart. "If you hadn't run off, Mother wouldn't have been so worried that she fainted."

So, Mother Bai had fainted because of her; no wonder she looked so pale. And Pei Yuantang, too—he was clearly much more haggard than before. Yet, even in that state, he had stood in front of her earlier. Once she cured them, they would be square.

As soon as they arrived home, Pei Yuansheng sought her out. "Sister-in-law, I spoke wrongly before. Please do not hold it against me. Here is five taels of silver for your medical fees; please go and treat my mother now."

Initially, Granny Jiang was naturally unwilling to part with five taels of silver. Extracting money from her was more painful than cutting her flesh. Moreover, this money was intended for the eldest daughter-in-law's treatment, only to fall into Qin Hanxiao's pocket. She ground her teeth in hatred, feeling she had tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice. But since Pei Yuansheng claimed it was for the sake of next year's imperial examinations, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and pay up. She hoped Qin Hanxiao would obediently introduce them to the official; otherwise, she would make her pay.

Qin Hanxiao had no idea what they were plotting, and even if she did, she would only find it laughable—a display of their absurd stupidity.

Upon entering the ancestral home, she was met with various looks from everyone: suspicion, jealousy, and resentment. Qin Hanxiao thought to herself that if any of them said a word against her, she would turn around and leave immediately. To her surprise, no one spoke. Even Granny Jiang just shot her a hateful glare before turning to head into her room. She could not help but glance at Pei Yuansheng, who had led the way. To think he could actually make Granny Jiang hold her tongue. Then again, she realized, he was her golden boy, after all.

When she saw the eldest sister-in-law, Qin Hanxiao could not help but frown. In less than a month, the woman had become skin and bones, radiating an aura of death. She was merely unable to move or speak; there was nothing physically wrong with her body. If anyone had bothered to feed or turn her over, she would not be in such a miserable state. She had a husband and children, yet no one took care of her.

After Pei Yuansheng left, Qin Hanxiao pulled back the covers and discovered the woman was stark naked, lying only on a tattered sheet. The family must have found it too much trouble to clean her when she soiled herself, so they treated her this way. She supposed this was a case of reaping what one sows. However, the woman was still conscious, and the look in her eyes suggested she wanted to tear Qin Hanxiao to pieces.

Qin Hanxiao simply pulled the sheet over her face. "If you want to hate someone, make sure you hate the right person. It shouldn't be me."

She said no more and quickly administered the acupuncture before leaving. Outside, she saw Pei Yuansheng. "You should see results by tomorrow."

Pei Yuansheng nodded and thanked her, but did not ask a single word about his mother's condition. Instead, he offered to see her home. "I will escort you, sister-in-law; there is something I wish to discuss with you."

Qin Hanxiao did not want to spend more time with him. "Say what you have to say now."

Pei Yuansheng was anxious and had no desire to beat around the bush. "I was unaware that you knew the Prefect?"

As expected, he had an ulterior motive, and his ambition was not small. Qin Hanxiao answered directly, "I don't know him."

Pei Yuansheng did not believe her. "You are joking. How could you not know him? I spoke to those two yamen runners this morning." Seeing her deny it, he tried to provoke her. "Or is it that you don't want us to know because you are afraid we might benefit from your connections?"

He was actually right; she was afraid they would cling to her like dog excrement—disgusting and foul-smelling.

"I said I don't know him. If there is nothing else, I am leaving."

Pei Yuansheng tried to continue, but Pei Yuanxing cut him off. "My second sister-in-law said she doesn't know him, so she doesn't. Why all the chatter?"

Taking the opportunity, Qin Hanxiao left, leaving Pei Yuanxing behind to mock Pei Yuansheng. "You’ve studied for twenty years only to be a failure. You think you’re worthy of meeting the Prefect?"

Qin Hanxiao liked this kid, Pei Yuanxing, more and more. His mouth wasn't just for show; she would cook him something good tonight.

In the afternoon, she proceeded with the acupuncture for Mother Bai and Pei Yuantang as usual. Although Pei Yuantang's face remained pale, the results were evident. Previously, when she needled him, he only felt a sense of heat in his lower abdomen, but this time, he could actually feel his legs. Though it was fleeting, it was enough to excite him. Pei Yuantang looked up at her—using favors to save her was not a loss after all.

Afterward, she told Pei Yuanxing to help him out into the sun and, while they were at it, have the brothers fix the chicken coop.

There had been chickens at home, but Pei Yuantang had eaten most of them over the past few months; they would need to buy more.

Pei Yuanxing grumbled, "Second Brother isn't fully recovered yet, and you’re making him work? You said you liked him and cared for him. Is this your version of caring—by tormenting him? If you don't feel sorry for him, I certainly do."

Qin Hanxiao was taken aback by his retort. She looked back at Pei Yuantang and, seeing his fragile, sickly appearance, felt a twinge of hesitation. But she didn't waver. "He isn't a porcelain doll; he can do what he is capable of. Besides, doing this is better than sitting in the room staring at account books all day—he needs the exercise." She hummed softly. "Whether I feel sorry for your brother or not, he knows. Second Brother, don't you agree?"

Pei Yuantang, being addressed, glanced at his younger brother with annoyance. "Get to work."

Qin Hanxiao went into Mother Bai's room after teasing them, missing Pei Yuanxing shaking his fist behind her back, as well as the unnatural expression and complex look in Pei Yuantang's eyes.

She was truly acting as if she were a member of this family now, as if the person she used to be had never existed. If she was putting on a show, she would keep it up.

While administering acupuncture to Mother Bai, the older woman spoke naturally about Pei Yuantang. "Second Brother has been weak since he was little. It’s my fault for having a premature delivery; he was never as sturdy as the eldest and third sons."

Qin Hanxiao smiled. "He is fine just as he is, and he will only get better. I have never seen a man more handsome than him. It is all your credit, Mother, for giving birth to him so well." She thought to herself: It was fortunate Pei Yuantang wasn't as muscular as Pei Yuanxing; she couldn't bring herself to like men with rock-hard muscles. She preferred his type—handsome and tall in his clothes, yet with a lean, healthy frame underneath.

"Hehehe..."

Her words put Mother Bai in a cheerful mood. How could a mother not be happy to hear her son praised by her daughter-in-law? Furthermore, the daughter-in-law had complimented her as well.

That night, the family gathered for dinner, but the pleasant atmosphere was shattered by Granny Jiang. She had come to demand money again—not just the five taels of medical fees from earlier that day, but she was also demanding they hand over their shop in the prefecture city.