The Eunuch Has A Wife - Chapter 55

Wei Ziwan lowered her head, resting it on Bai Zhi’s shoulder, her ears quietly turning red.

Bai Zhi looked down at the person in her arms and smiled. “Wanwan, are you shy because you’re thinking about our wedding night?”

As soon as these words were spoken, the person in her arms reacted like a cat that had been suddenly poked, instantly bristling and refusing to let her touch her anymore.

Wei Ziwan buried herself under the covers, turning her back to Bai Zhi.

Bai Zhi reached out, but Wei Ziwan pushed her hand away. Bai Zhi persisted, but Wei Ziwan remained steadfast.

Bai Zhi sighed helplessly. “Wanwan, if you’re really that shy, we can wait. But don’t keep hiding under the covers; you’ll suffocate.”

Wei Ziwan, still hiding under the covers, didn’t move.

Bai Zhi’s hand reached out again, and this time, Wei Ziwan’s body trembled slightly, but she didn’t refuse.

The person behind her seemed to be afraid of her resistance, so she simply placed her hand on Wei Ziwan’s waist, making no further moves.

Wei Ziwan: “…” Shameless and infuriating eunuch.

The next day, Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan followed the villagers to the village entrance early in the morning.

Zhou □ waved to them, signaling them to come forward. The two walked over and stood in the front row with Zhou □, followed by the five elders, and then the rest of the villagers lined up behind them.

Before long, a group of people came into view. The elder walked at the front, and beside her was a woman in green robes wearing a veil. Behind them were a few guards.

As they approached, the elder patted the green-robed woman’s hand and spoke to her, or perhaps to everyone: “Hong Mo, I leave the village to you now. I’m old and useless.”

“Aunt Song, please don’t say that. Go back to the temple and rest. Your health is the most important. You shouldn’t have come this time.” the woman named ‘Hong Mo’ said, her voice full of concern.

“Alright, I’ll leave you here. From now on, it’s up to you.” the elder said, her eyes filled with affection, but her tone carried infinite indulgence.

After speaking, she glanced in the direction of Zhou □ and Bai Zhi, gave no further instructions, and turned to leave with the guards, presumably returning to the Qing Shi Temple for meditation.

Only after the elder had gone far away did the green-robed woman turn back.

The villagers bowed in unison: “Welcome, Elder Bai.”

Bai Zhi was startled. Seeing everyone kneeling, she hadn’t expected such a grand gesture. She hesitated for a moment, noticing that Zhou □ was also kneeling, and then looked at Wei Ziwan.

This Elder Bai was no ordinary person. How could her arrival be more ceremonious than the elder’s return to the village?

Wait, wasn’t her surname supposed to be Bing or something?

Bai?

Wei Ziwan paused, unsure whether to kneel.

Zhou □, standing nearby, whispered reproachfully: “Bai Zhi, Ziwan, kneel down.”

The surroundings grew even quieter. Bai Hong Mo shifted slightly, as if looking over. “No need. Everyone, please rise. □er can stay with me.”

With that, she slowly removed her veil, revealing her face.

Bai Hong Mo was a gentle-looking woman with an orchid-like demeanor, appearing to be in her thirties. Her eyes calmly surveyed the crowd, showing no extra emotion.

The villagers bowed once more, then dispersed under the guidance of the five elders to attend to their tasks.

Zhou □ had already stood up. She glanced at Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan, who were still standing there dumbfounded, and sighed inwardly.

“Aunt, why have you come at this time?” Zhou □ approached Bai Hong Mo, her gaze flickering toward Bai Zhi.

Bai Hong Mo’s tone was indifferent. “I came when it was time. Who are these two?”

Zhou □ gave her aunt a complicated look, then turned to Bai Zhi, who was standing there like a wooden chicken, and Wei Ziwan, who was full of curiosity. For a moment, she didn’t know how to introduce them.

After a moment’s hesitation, she said, “This is Bai Zhi, and this is Wei Ziwan.” Then, as if possessed, she added, “Ziwan is Bai Zhi’s wife.”

Hearing this, Bai Zhi finally snapped out of her daze. She took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on Elder Bai.

If the resemblance between her and the Bai family at Lingjue Manor was only a slight similarity in spirit, meeting this woman, Bai Hong Mo, made her realize what true resemblance meant.

Their facial structure and eyebrows were so similar. The only differences were that Bai Zhi’s lips were thinner, and Bai Hong Mo’s features were colder and more aloof.

Bai Hong Mo’s gaze lingered on Bai Zhi’s face, then glanced at Wei Ziwan, but she said nothing.

Bai Zhi steadied herself, trying to remain calm. “Junior Bai Zhi pays her respects to… Elder Bai.”

Despite her efforts to stay composed, her voice trembled with emotion. As she looked at Bai Hong Mo, her heart ached, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

“Junior Wei Ziwan pays her respects to Elder Bai.”

Wei Ziwan pressed her lips together, hesitated for a moment, then walked over to Bai Zhi and took her hand. “Husband, it’s all in the past. Everything will pass.”

She didn’t know how to comfort her, but she couldn’t bear to see Bai Zhi cry alone. No matter what happened, she would stand by her side without hesitation.

Bai Hong Mo watched silently for a moment, then turned her gaze elsewhere, as if repeating Wei Ziwan’s words to herself: “Yes, it’s all in the past. Everything will pass.”

Zhou □ felt a pang of discomfort. She opened her mouth as if to say something but ultimately remained silent.

Bai Zhi gripped Wei Ziwan’s hand tightly, forcing herself to stay calm despite the waves of sorrow in her heart. “Elder Bai… do you… do you know my mother?”

In her past life, she had no family, only her adoptive father and the old concubine.

After leaving the palace, she never saw her adoptive father or the old concubine again before her death.

She had never imagined that she might still have family—the Bai family at Lingjue Manor, and now this woman who might be even closer to her. But why?

Why, at the moment of her death, had none of them come to see her?

Not a single one of them had appeared.

In this life, she had only Wei Ziwan by her side, the two of them supporting each other until now. She had thought she should be content and grateful.

But looking at Bai Hong Mo’s calm expression, Bai Zhi felt ridiculous.

Ridiculous that after two lifetimes of building emotional defenses, countless times telling herself that it was okay to be an orphan, that it was okay to have no parents, that being alone was fine, that everyone had their own fate.

And now, the appearance of this person shattered all the defenses she had built for herself.

It was as if someone was whispering in her ear, “Look, you’re not an orphan. You have a mother, and maybe even a father. But they didn’t care about you. In your past life, they didn’t even come to see you before you died.”

How laughable life was.

Bai Hong Mo’s gaze slowly returned to Bai Zhi. The redness in the young girl’s eyes made her own eyes flicker slightly.

After a long while, she turned to Zhou □. “□er, take us to your place.”

“Aunt, this way.” Zhou □ said, her eyes lighting up. Had her aunt finally come to a decision? Was it what she had hoped for?

Bai Zhi followed numbly, her eyes never leaving Bai Hong Mo, her mind wandering. Is this woman my mother?

Wei Ziwan quietly released Bai Zhi’s hand and wrapped her arms around her. “Husband, you still have me. No matter your origins, you are still yourself.”

Bai Zhi stopped in her tracks, the arms around her waist tightening. Wei Ziwan gave her a firm, heartfelt hug.

It was like an umbrella forcefully breaking through a thunderstorm, shielding her from the relentless downpour.

Tears welled up in Bai Zhi’s eyes, on the verge of falling. “Wanwan, do you think she’s my mother? If she is, what should I do?”

What should she do? Should she be happy or resentful? Should she feel wronged or forgive?

Wei Ziwan gently patted her back. “If you want to cry, cry hard. When we get to Sister Zhou’s place, we’ll be strong, okay? It hurts me to see you like this.”

“Mm… Wanwan…” Bai Zhi choked back a sob, hugging Wei Ziwan tightly. Tears streamed down her face like broken beads, silently pouring out amidst restrained sobs.

The faint sound of crying from behind made Zhou □ pause. She glanced at Bai Hong Mo.

Bai Hong Mo’s expression remained calm, as if she hadn’t noticed anything, and she continued walking at a steady pace.

Zhou □ didn’t stop or look back, only sighed inwardly and continued leading the way.

Bai Hong Mo suddenly lowered her head, taking a slight breath. A glimmer of moisture flashed in her eyes, but when she raised her head again, her expression was as composed as ever, as if nothing had happened.

Zhou □’s courtyard wasn’t far from the village entrance, and they arrived in about half an hour.

Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan were still trailing behind, not keeping up.

Zhou □ glanced at Elder Bai. “Aunt, should we wait for them?”

“No need. Go make some tea. We’ll go in first.” Elder Bai said indifferently.

Zhou □ fell silent, feeling a pang of sympathy for Bai Zhi. Her aunt seemed too cold and detached.

After a while, Bai Zhi’s emotions had stabilized. Aside from her red-rimmed eyes, which betrayed her recent tears, her face had regained its composure.

Zhou □ and Bai Hong Mo sat facing each other.

The room was quiet, with only the steam rising from the teacups breaking the silence.

Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan walked over to Zhou □’s side and sat down quietly.

Bai Hong Mo glanced at Zhou □, signaling her to speak.

Zhou □ forced a natural smile. “Bai Zhi, actually, I know you’re not some young master Bai. You’re my cousin, originally surnamed Zhou. Bai is your mother’s surname, which is also my aunt’s surname.”

The implication of her words was clear. She had been calling someone ‘aunt,’ and that aunt’s surname was Bai, making Bai Hong Mo Bai Zhi’s mother.

“You were raised in the palace, and we couldn’t visit you. You couldn’t leave either. You’ve suffered all these years.” Zhou □ continued, seeing that Bai Hong Mo showed no intention of speaking.

Being a cousin was exhausting. She had to play along before, and now she had to facilitate this reunion. Sigh.

“No.”

Bai Zhi softly interjected, then added, “I didn’t suffer. My adoptive father treated me well, and the old concubine treated me like her own daughter. I never lacked food or clothing. Aside from not being able to leave the palace, everything was fine.”

So, even without parents, she had lived well. She hadn’t suffered much, aside from living cautiously. Everything else had been fine.