Chapter 167: Chapter 160: Lingering Fright
She is, Bai Zhengxiang is the same.
Bai Fengmao took Bai Sixian for a tour of the entire estate, especially the floral gardens at the back of the estate, speaking of them with much pride.
"How about it? Is Dad’s flower growing skills worse than your husband’s?"
"Chengji can’t compare to Dad! Haha!"
Bai Sixian laughed.
"It’s getting cold now, but come next spring, when you see it again, it’s stunning!"
"I remember you said, Mom loved flowers the most when she was alive. She must be very happy."
Bai Sixian said.
Bai Fengmao nodded.
On the other side, Su Xiaomeng was supporting her grandfather’s other hand, listening eagerly to him talk about many things related to the estate.
Bai Sixian was also listening intently, and before they knew it, over an hour had passed.
They returned to the living room, ready to eat.
Su Xiaomeng brought out the bowls and chopsticks, Bai Sixian looked at Su Xiaomeng and felt something was off.
"You... still not going back to the Yin Family?"
Su Xiaomeng was startled for a moment, her heart beating anxiously, worried her mom would bring this up, but couldn’t avoid it in the end.
"The walk seems a bit too long, doesn’t it..."
Earlier Bai Sixian already mentioned this, Xiao Meng said the ancestral rituals hadn’t started, so she went for a walk.
By now it’s already lunchtime, but she hadn’t mentioned anything about going back to the Yin Family for the rituals.
"I just recognized my grandfather; I don’t want to go back to the Yin Family... I want to stay with my grandfather."
Su Xiaomeng leaned on Bai Fengmao and acted coquettishly.
"Hahaha!"
Bai Fengmao hearing this, laughed heartily, rubbing his granddaughter’s shoulder, and then said, "The Yin Family’s ancestral rituals aren’t trivial, you should go back, let your uncle Zhengxiang take you there. You can come back to accompany grandpa after it’s done, how about that?"
"But I’ve already texted Shixiu... saying I won’t be going..."
Su Xiaomeng blinked and said.
Bai Fengmao was momentarily stunned.
"Grandfather, there are a lot of Yin Family members, and the walk earlier had some unpleasant encounters, especially at this time, the rituals might already be finished... I don’t want to go."
Su Xiaomeng said poutingly.
Bai Fengmao actually wanted to educate Su Xiaomeng a bit.
Ancestral rituals aren’t trivial; although Bai Family doesn’t have as many rules as the Yin Family, Bai Fengmao understands that for a family with as deep a history as the Yin Family, traditions passed down by ancestors shouldn’t be taken lightly.
But seeing his granddaughter’s adorable face, and considering it’s almost one o’clock, they might really be late for the rituals.
The words meant for education changed in tone.
Indulgently following his granddaughter, he said, "If you don’t want to go, then don’t go."
"Hehe..."
"But you can’t do this next time! At least don’t make it too difficult for Yin Shixiu."
"Yeah, yeah!"
Su Xiaomeng nodded, slightly relieved.
Bai Sixian observed every expression on Su Xiaomeng’s face.
"Come, help me in the kitchen to serve the food."
She said to Su Xiaomeng.
"Okay!"
Su Xiaomeng responded and followed Su’s mother into the kitchen.
The servants brought out the dishes, leaving just the mother and daughter in the kitchen.
While scooping rice into bowls, Bai Sixian said, "You said Yin Shixiu insisted on bringing you... You were lying to me, weren’t you?"
Su Xiaomeng’s hand froze.
Bai Sixian handed a bowl of rice to Su Xiaomeng, glanced at her, "I found it strange at the time, how you would be walking alone on the mountain... going for a walk... Su Xiaomeng, you don’t even blink when lying to Mom now, do you?"
"... I didn’t."
"Still lying!"
Bai Sixian scolded her, "Or do you want me to call Yin Shixiu now and have him tell me the truth?"
"No!"
Su Xiaomeng hurriedly said!
Bai Sixian looked at her speechlessly.
Su Xiaomeng lowered her head...
Sometimes she really feels, her mom is too sharp, nothing escapes her...
"Still not telling?"
"At first, uncle didn’t intend to attend the rituals, but Yin Meng came to the house and said... so I wanted uncle to bring Shuangshuang and Huang Huang, but uncle refused..."
Bai Sixian’s brows furrowed slightly, as if assessing the truth of her words.
"What I’m saying is true, later when you came back, I said he insisted on taking me, but really it was just pushing ducks onto a fence..."
"Jinxi and Huaiyu need to be registered, but Mrs. Yin doesn’t like me, she... doesn’t want to see me, nor does she intend to... acknowledge me. But I can’t ignore the importance of it, whether I am registered in the Yin Family’s records is minor, whether I attend the rituals is minor, but whether Shixiu will face criticism within the family is major, whether the children can recognize their roots and ancestors is major..."
Su Xiaomeng murmured while bowing her head, then looked up at Bai Sixian, "Mom, am I right?"
She used to think Su Xiaomeng was just a child who wouldn’t grow up, but now... she realized, regarding her daughter, she might barely know enough.
Xiao Meng is far more mature and considerate than she imagined.
Even if... this maturity and consideration are built on her own grievances.
"So Shixiu is currently at the Yin Family with the children?"
"...Yes."
Su Xiaomeng replied, then hurriedly added, "But uncle didn’t mean to leave me behind, he initially..."
"The old couple at the Yin Family won’t let you attend the rituals?"
Suddenly, Bai Fengmao’s voice sounded behind the mother and daughter.
Bai Sixian and Su Xiaomeng both felt a chill down their backs, knowing things were not looking good.
"Those old couple want grandchildren, but not a granddaughter-in-law? Is that what you mean?"
Bai Fengmao’s voice grew deeper, with a hint of chill.
"Grandfather, that... it’s not..."
Su Xiaomeng suddenly didn’t know how to respond; she was frightened by her grandfather’s stern expression.
"I mean, in this cold weather, why are you walking alone in the mountains!"
"Grandfather..."
"Seems like my granddaughter, marrying into the Yin Family, actually wronged those old folks, right?"
Last time Su Xiaomeng had an accident on the mountain, he knew that couple didn’t like this little girl, nor did they appreciate her.
Truth be told, Bai Fengmao could understand the thoughts of the Yin Family old couple at that time, but now this little girl has become his own granddaughter!
All his previous understanding had now turned into disagreement!
This morning, Bai Sixian said Yin Shixiu took Meng Meng and the kids to the mountain to pay respects to ancestors, and he thought the Yin Family elders had come around.
Who knew...
Su Xiaomeng knew her mom was a strong character, so she lied, saying Yin Shixiu wanted to take her.
Today, learning Bai Fengmao is her real grandfather, and he especially cherishes her, she couldn’t say she was excluded by the Yin Family.
Both of them care for her, not allowing her to be wronged.
Even if it was a grievance she was willing to bear.
Now it’s all out, mom knows, and grandfather heard it too.
Seeing her grandfather likely to grow more furious, Su Xiaomeng quickly clung to his hand and hurriedly recounted everything from when Mrs. Yin came to the apartment trying to accept her, but she messed it up.
Bai Fengmao listened quietly, very silent.
Su Xiaomeng finished speaking and felt a bit anxious, "Grandfather... it takes time for Mrs. Yin and me to adapt to each other."
Bai Zhengxiang looked at his little niece and didn’t initially think she resembled Bai Sixian, but now looking...
At least in some aspects of personality and approach, very alike.
"Don’t keep a stern face, smile... haha!"
Su Xiaomeng grinned.
Bai Fengmao picked a chopstick of food and placed it in Su Xiaomeng’s bowl, then symbolically grinned back.
"Eat."
Su Xiaomeng said so much, primarily for two reasons.
One, don’t blame Yin Shixiu, he’s already tried his best.
Two, don’t intervene on my behalf; she wants to earn the Yin Family elders’ approval through her own efforts.
Bai Fengmao understood this in his heart, but that didn’t mean he accepted it.
Su Xiaomeng is his only granddaughter, a direct granddaughter who hadn’t returned home in twenty years...
Such grievance, it’s not easy to swallow just like that.
"Grandfather..."
"I understand! You have your thoughts, I won’t interfere today, okay?"
Bai Fengmao sighed and said.
Su Xiaomeng was relieved at this.
Bai Sixian, though a bit uneasy, knew in her heart that her father was a wise man.
If her father stepped in for Su Xiaomeng, at least for a short time, Su Xiaomeng wouldn’t suffer any grievances.
But what about long term?
It is Su Xiaomeng herself who will deal with the Yin Family elders, not under the title of Bai Fengmao’s granddaughter.
Thinking this way, she rather wished Xiaomeng would bear this temporary grievance.
The four finished lunch, and it was already half-past one.
Outside, someone knocked on the door, and the servant went over to open it. Soon the servant led the security guard from the mountainside security room inside.
"Mr. Bai, here’s the surveillance footage Mr. Bai had me retrieve."
The guard handed over a USB drive.
"Alright, thank you."
Bai Zhengxiang took the USB drive and replied.
"If there’s anything else, call the security room. I’ll head back.", he said.
"Yes, thank you for your hard work."
Bai Fengmao said.
After the guard left, Bai Zhengxiang got the computer, plugged in the USB, and played the complete footage...
Bai Fengmao’s face, lined with countless wrinkles, turned pale!
His fists clenched tightly!
Even Bai Sixian’s expression was rigid at this moment.
And Su Xiaomeng watched, still feeling a bit alarmed...
Su Xiaomeng was walking normally on the mountain road, and the Ferrari went into a sharp turn as if it was a racing track!
If it wasn’t for Xiaomeng’s strong survival instinct to retreat quickly, followed by an unfortunate fall...
Then what they would see now wouldn’t be Su Xiaomeng’s legs trapped under the front of the car!
Instead, her legs might have been struck, causing her entire body to be flung out.
The skid marks from the Ferrari’s emergency braking were stark in the snow, hanging onto Su Xiaomeng’s life!
Side Bai Zhengxiang regretted deeply the words he uttered without understanding after stepping out of the car...
Anyone facing such a dangerous accident couldn’t easily say "It’s alright", especially with the perpetrator showing such a bad attitude afterward.
Bai Zhengxiang’s face grew stern, silent for a long while, then slammed the table, "And even dare say those shameless words! Do they think the Bai Family has no one?"