Chapter 7
Usually, she could still strut around in the Xiao family and act almighty. However, once things got to this point, she was not sure if the Cai family would stand on her side. After all, the Xiao family had been in the limelight for the past few years, and she was just a concubine’s daughter. Her mother had died early and she still remembered the kind of life she had led in the Cai family.
“That’s enough. It’s not good for you to just stand there with your stomach sticking out. Hurry up and come over. Help Young Madam into the room and sit down.” Madam Xie was not a tactless person. Seeing that Madam Cai was starting to loosen up, she gave her an out at the right time.
“Don’t be angry with yourself. You have to think for the child.”
“…I just feel wronged,” Madam Cai said. She was no longer as arrogant and domineering as she was before. She seemed to be challenging the entire world by using a steel knife in her hands. But suddenly, she started crying. Her tears started flowing down her cheeks.
The speed at which her face changed was breathtaking.
They had lived together for eight years, but Xiao Baoshan had never seen this before. It was probably because she had used the Cai family’s name to suppress him in the past, so she didn’t need to show off other tricks.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. She was the one who had beaten his son to death, and his mother was crying even more miserably than her!
“Enough!” He gritted his teeth.
Madam Xie glanced at him. At least he still had some tact and didn’t rush up.
“Let’s go.” Before Madam Xie could finish her sentence, Madam Cai shrieked and clutched her stomach. “Ouch, it hurts so much!”
Madam Xie’s expression changed immediately. “Someone, go and get the doctor! Zhang Erzhu’s family, hurry up and help her into the room…”
The courtyard instantly became busy, and Xiao Baoxin and Xiao Baoshu were squeezed into a corner. The two of them looked at each other and saw that Xiao Baoshan, who was next to Madam Cai, did not even step forward. He only tightly frowned and impatiently sized up the crying Madam Cai. Obviously, he did not believe that she was in pain.
This pain was too coincidental.
Xiao Baoxin didn’t really believe it either. Madam Cai had put on a lot of acting this day, and her tears flowed freely, as though it did not cost anything. Despite this, as a husband and a father, it was really cold-hearted to see him still very calm.
Xiao Baoxin knew that this was not the time to settle scores with Xiao Baoshu. Compared to Xiao Baoshan, his younger brother was like a warm baby who was much more well-behaved.
“It’s none of your business here. Go back to your courtyard first. Don’t leave the residence for the next few days. Stay at home and reflect—”
“Sister!” Xiao Baoshu was so agitated that his thick eyebrows almost flew up. “What do I have to reflect about? Look at Xiao Baoshan! He’s the one who should be reflecting! He doesn’t even care for his own family!”
Xiao Baoxin glared at him. He didn’t care if Xiao Baoshan, who was still standing in his original position, heard him. She grabbed Xiao Baoshu by the front of his shirt and dragged him out of the courtyard, then pushed him in front of Papaya and Qiong Ju.
“Keep an eye on Young Master and don’t let him leave the residence. If you fail your duty, you guys and Young Master can become monks together! When the time comes, you can go around soliciting donations and eat rice and vegetables.”
Papaya and Qiong Ju were scared out of their wits. No one wanted to live such a life. They said in a trembling voice, “Yes!”
Xiao Baoshu immediately realized that he had taken in two disloyal servants.
Everyone in the residence seemingly acted in accordance with his wishes, but secretly, they were all acting in opposition. Whenever there was trouble, they would run around like a leaking sieve, and everyone in the residence would know about it. When facing his sister, they would act all servile, charming, and groveling to the point of making one’s hair stand on end. Were they his manservants or his sister’s?!
Don’t think that he didn’t know why Sister would always pull him out in time and beat him up!
“You guys will suffer!” Xiao Baoshu watched as Xiao Baoxin walked far away before he shouted in a low voice, “How dare you betray me, doesn’t your conscience hurt?!”
Papaya pulled his sleeves and cried.
“Young Master, please spare my life. This lowly one was also… forced to do so. The Eldest Miss is extremely beautiful and domineering. She always keeps her word. This lowly one doesn’t dare to disobey!”
Papaya and the others had been serving by Xiao Baoshu’s side since they were young, so they were naturally influenced by him. They would use a few idioms every few sentences, and by now, they had already become accustomed to it. It didn’t matter if they used it right or wrong, they just followed their heart.
He was not trying to defend himself, but he was speaking from his heart.
This Eldest Miss of their family had a domineering aura. When they saw her, their knees would involuntarily tremble, and they would want to kneel at any moment.
It was not his wish to betray the Young Master.
It would hurt his conscience to betray him, but it would hurt his entire body if he did not betray him!
It was true that he was a servant, but he was not stupid. He could tell what was important.
“Young Master, look at Eldest Miss’s upright posture—”
Xiao Baoshu was still angry. Subconsciously, his gaze followed Papaya’s words and shifted to Xiao Baoxin. Then, perhaps because his gaze was too aggressive, Xiao Baoxin sensed it and turned her head to meet his eyes.
With just one look, that gaze was like the cold stars in the winter night. Xiao Baoshu shivered when he saw it and actually could empathize with Papaya.
If it were him, he would probably also turn traitor!
Since when did his sister’s aura become so strong that he would tremble at the sight of her?
Now that he thought about it, he had spouted all those nonsensical advice in the carriage. At first, he had thought that he was guiding her, but now it seemed that he was actually just teaching her to follow the flow and not pick on men…
Was he courting death?
Because Madam Cai was pregnant with the sole heir of the third generation of the Xiao family, and belonged to the family of the first wife who had passed away early, Madam Xie had always been considerate in order to avoid being gossiped about by other families. After Madam Cai was confirmed to be pregnant, Madam Xie hurriedly invited a midwife to stay in the residence. To separate between men and women, she also invited a medical lady who had retired from the palace to stay in the residence.
Sure enough, at this time, the medical lady came in handy. In less than ten minutes, the medical lady rushed over. Fortunately, she was only agitated, so there was not much of an effect.
“Fortunately, everything’s fine.” Madam Xie stood outside the door and chanted ‘Amitabha’.
Buddhism was prevalent in the Liang Dynasty now, and the aristocrats treated Buddhism as a standard for verifying talents. Even Emperor Yu Heng was conferred the title of State Preceptor. From time to time, he would invite people into the palace to preach about Buddhism and Dharma. People like the Xie family, who did not share much faith, could also recite a few scriptures.
Actually, she did not even care if the two of them fought to the skies. It was not up to her to control her son, let alone this son was not her biological one.
She only pitied the child in Madam Cai’s womb for having such worrisome parents. She had been pregnant for six to seven months, yet she had been quarreling so frequently. It was as if she was singing the martial arts song.
“Madam, don’t worry. Nothing will happen to Madam Cai. She knows her own priorities.” Xiao Baoshan calmly said.
He was obviously implying that Madam Cai was using her body condition to manipulate him.
It was at this time that Xiao Baoxin walked over. After hearing such a cold sentence, she looked down on him even more.
It was not that she was born to be hostile towards her half-brother, but he was really not worthy of being mentioned.
Was this the attitude to discuss with the other party to solve the problem? Was he not planning to completely fall out with her and become enemies instead? Even if he knew that it was fake, couldn’t he cooperate and put on a performance so that both parties would be able to give in?
She was a 16-year-old girl who had yet to marry, yet she could see through everything. Don’t tell her that he couldn’t?
Where was his brain?
It was a good asset. Too bad he didn’t seem to have one.