The Eunuch Has A Wife - Chapter 26

“If Wanwan really wants to use it, it’s not impossible for me, your husband.” Bai Zhi suddenly smiled, her voice tinged with amusement, but her eyes were icy.

What should one do when encountering shameless people?

Her adoptive father had said that when faced with situations one cannot handle, the simplest solution is to return the favor in kind.

Although the current situation was not exactly what her adoptive father had taught, Bai Zhi had no better way to deal with it.

Sometimes, the enemy’s weapon can also become your own.

Wei Ziwan raised her eyebrows in surprise, seemingly not expecting such a reaction from the person before her.

Was this a case of being embarrassed into anger, or just giving up entirely?

Seeing her silent, Bai Zhi felt more confident.

“What? Are you afraid?”

Isn’t it just about who is more shameless? Copying the same approach, it turns out, isn’t that difficult.

Wei Ziwan’s mouth twitched. Was this eunuch getting addicted?

She smiled and said, “Husband, you should hurry and deliver the silver. Important matters come first. Save such jokes for later.”

“Me, joking?” Bai Zhi couldn’t believe it.

Who was the one who brought up that booklet first, and now it’s her who’s joking?

This troublemaker really doesn’t know what she’s talking about.

Bai Zhi glanced at Wei Ziwan, who looked calm and composed, as if urging her to attend to important matters. All her confidence dissipated, and now it seemed like she was the one being frivolous.

She snorted in anger and left the room.

Calm down, stay steady. Bai Zhi took a deep breath, but couldn’t help clenching her fists. If she ever bothered with this troublemaker again, she wouldn’t be surnamed Bai!

Bai Zhi composed herself and went to find Manager Lu, only to be told by a servant that he had been called away by the young master. If she wanted to find him, she should go to the main hall.

The young master was Bai Li.

Thinking of Bai Li reminded her of the main hall. Bai Zhi thought this way because every time her elder brother called for her, it was to the main hall, and this time was no exception.

It seemed he had anticipated she would come looking for Manager Lu. After all, it was late autumn, and if the radishes weren’t sown soon, the four acres of land couldn’t wait any longer.

Bai Zhi didn’t think much of it and went straight to the main hall. Upon arrival, she noticed the servants and attendants were all standing outside, keeping a distance just far enough not to hear any commotion inside.

This was different from before.

Bai Zhi paused, then walked in. She looked up and saw Bai Li wasn’t sitting in his usual seat at the head of the table. Instead, he and a scholarly-looking man stood on either side.

Sitting at the head was a middle-aged man who looked both unfamiliar and familiar.

Unfamiliar because she had never seen him before, and familiar because his features seemed kind.

Bai Zhi couldn’t help but be stunned. She finally understood why she had felt a sense of familiarity when she first met Bai Li—they looked somewhat alike.

If Bai Li’s features were three parts similar to hers, then the man sitting at the head was five parts similar.

Almost instinctively, a name popped into Bai Zhi’s mind: Bai Shu, the uncle who had never shown his face.

But this didn’t make sense, because her adoptive father and she were not related by bl00d.

Strangely, her adoptive father, being Bai Shu’s younger brother, didn’t resemble the Bai family at all.

Instead, she bore an uncanny resemblance to this so-called uncle.

Seeing Bai Zhi stunned, Bai Li and the scholarly man bowed their heads in silence.

After a moment, Bai Shu’s eyes showed a hint of relief, and he said warmly, “So it’s Zhi’er who’s come. Come forward, let your uncle take a good look at you.”

He had waited nineteen years for this day.

Bai Zhi snapped out of her daze. She had many questions, the biggest being why she felt an inexplicable desire to get closer to this uncle, as if she had found her own family.

But she had no family. Her adoptive father had said she was an orphan.

Bai Zhi thought of her childhood, feeling a bit disoriented. In her daze, she unconsciously took a few steps forward until she stood before Bai Shu, only a step apart.

The relief in Bai Shu’s eyes was palpable. He even slowly stood up, reaching out to pat Bai Zhi’s head. “The little girl who was once only two palms big has grown so much. You look just like your mother. Good! Good!”

Two exclamations of “Good!” echoed through the hall, seemingly filled with infinite melancholy and sigh with emotion.

Bai Zhi’s expression was complex. If she still thought she had no connection to the Bai family at this point, she must be a fool.

Clearly, judging by appearances alone, her adoptive father and this uncle might not be bl00d brothers, but she definitely had some relation to the Bai family.

“Go to your uncle, he will protect you.”

“Once you’re with your uncle, I can rest easy.”

“With your uncle around, you’ll surely have food and clothing…”

In an instant, Bai Zhi recalled many things her adoptive father had said, always reassuring her to go to Ninglin Prefecture, to seek refuge with her uncle.

Could this man really be her uncle?

The hand on her head lingered too long, and the gaze of the man before her was too affectionate.

Bai Zhi instinctively called out softly, “Uncle.”

Bai Shu nodded. He withdrew his hand and looked at the scholarly man beside him. “Brother Qiu, from now on, this child is in your hands.”

The scholarly man, with a serious expression, cupped his hands and said to Bai Shu, “Qiu will not fail your trust.”

Bai Zhi: “?”

What was going on? Should she voice the questions in her heart?

Bai Shu seemed to know what she was thinking and slowly explained, “Zhi’er, you’re new here and probably not familiar with farming matters. From now on, Mr. Qiu will teach you. As for other things, you’ll know when the time is right. Young people must learn to be patient.”

Bai Zhi frowned. This sounded familiar. Her adoptive father often taught her to be patient, to stay calm in the face of adversity.

Staying calm—she was good at that.

But she really wanted to know what was going on!

Right now, she didn’t feel like staying calm at all.

Unfortunately, Bai Shu didn’t give her much time to react.

“Uncle is getting old and feeling a bit tired. You and Mr. Qiu go ahead.”

With that, Bai Shu glanced at Bai Li, and the father and son left the hall in tacit understanding.

Bai Zhi’s mouth twitched. Uncle, you don’t look old at all. You’re clearly in the prime of your life.

Moreover, where was she supposed to go?

She pursed her lips, realizing that some questions wouldn’t be answered just by asking, especially since these people clearly had no intention of explaining.

The only thing she could do now was to stay calm.

So, Bai Zhi turned to the scholarly man and bowed. “Mr. Qiu, where are we going?”

Mr. Qiu laughed heartily and asked, “To your place. Do you have good wine there?”

Bai Zhi was taken aback. Good wine? Did she look like someone who could afford good wine?

“No.”

Mr. Qiu’s laughter subsided, looking somewhat disappointed. “Then we won’t go. I live in the side room next to the accounts office. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.”

With that, he laughed a few more times and walked away.

Bai Zhi: “…”

She had come to find Manager Lu for seeds, and the silver in her pocket hadn’t been handed over. She hadn’t accomplished anything, but instead was left with a head full of confusion.

These people were either mysterious or eccentric and unreliable, more dramatic than the people in the cold palace.

Her adoptive father was right. Life outside the palace was indeed hard.

She returned to her room, filled with doubts, and sat down silently across from Wei Ziwan. “I’m back.”

Wei Ziwan looked at Bai Zhi’s empty hands and frowned. “Didn’t you get the seeds? What new trouble have they given us?”

Bai Zhi felt the silver in her pocket burning. Her fingers twitched in her sleeves, and she blurted out, “Do you think I look like my elder brother?”