Judging from the interactions between Bai Mo and Ning Xian, it seemed different from what he had heard. Was this the natural relationship between a husband with another woman in his heart and his newlywed wife who was neglected at home? He knew Bai Mo too well; he had Yue Ji in his heart and couldn't let go of anyone else. And this was precisely what his wife could not and should not tolerate. Why was there no trace of this rift between them?
—Brother Bai, how can there be any rift between two people who have never had any connection or entanglement from the beginning?
He watched as Ning Xian turned her head away, her eyes darting between the other dishes, and couldn't help but smile inwardly—although she was married, she was still just a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl. He picked up the stir-fried bamboo shoots that Ning Xian had been holding and placed them on the plate in front of her—her bowl was already quite full.
"Brother, don't be so rigid. Eating less of anything won't harm your health. Just eat more of what you like."
Ning Xian nodded in agreement and unceremoniously picked up some stir-fried bamboo shoots to eat.
Bai Mo glanced at her happily eating. Anyway, picky eating isn't something that can be corrected in a day or two. He'd just pretend he didn't see it happening once or twice.
(—Touch-touch classmate, your very idea is encouraging bad habits and indulging in bad behavior.)
The three were eating when a servant walked in, seemingly hesitant, "Young Master..."
"What's up?"
The servant glanced furtively at Ning Xian, hesitated, but seeing Bai Mo's questioning gaze, he steeled himself and whispered, "There's a Yue lady outside the door who says she has urgent business..."
"Yue Ji!?" Bai Mo suddenly stood up. Yue Ji was always sensible and knew her place. Why did she suddenly come to the Bai residence? Thinking this, he had already started to leave and headed towards the gate.
"He left so decisively, without even glancing at the 'wife' beside him." Ning Xian shook his head, stuffed a large piece of chicken wing into his mouth, wiped his mouth, and prepared to join the fun to see what kind of audacity this little lover who suddenly showed up at his door had.
"Yue Ji is not a woman who doesn't know her place; she probably really has something urgent to attend to."
Ning Xian had just stood up when she heard Bai Yan offer a seemingly casual explanation. She was slightly surprised and looked at him—was this supposed to be comforting her? Shouldn't this guy be kicking her while she was down, taking the opportunity to make her completely disillusioned with Bai Mo so he could then take advantage of her vulnerability?
She suddenly smiled and said, "You're not as bad as you seem on the surface."
Bai Yan's brows furrowed suddenly, and he wanted nothing more than to take back what he had just said, throw it on the ground, and stomp on it twice!
Ning Xian chuckled inwardly. He seemed to have a bad intention, but he was just a stubborn child. She walked to the door and saw that he was still upset about the words he had blurted out. He was sitting firmly in the chair, but how could he not want to join in the excitement? How could he miss the opportunity to find out what was going on so that he could give Bai Mo a good hard time?
So she turned around, not exposing his true intentions, and smiled ambiguously, mimicking his previous manner, asking, "Aren't you coming with me?"
Bai Yanjiang sat for a moment before getting up with a stern face and walking out without saying a word. Ning Xian followed behind him, muttering, "Tch, he doesn't look convincing at all when he's putting on a stern face. All that effort for nothing..."
—What's wrong with this woman?!
...
At this moment, in the Misty Rain Pavilion—
"Miss Ni Chang, Yue Ji has gone to the Bai residence. Is that alright?"
"What's wrong with it?" Ni Chang asked casually, trimming her nails.
The young girl who came to report was the only one in the Misty Rain Pavilion who had been trained by Ni Chang, so she naturally knew the connection. She worriedly asked, "Wouldn't this push Yue Ji to Young Master Bai's side? Won't Lord Jialing be in trouble?"
"Why do you care so much?" Ni Chang raised her ten fingers to look at the result of the repair, and said irresponsibly, "As long as the trouble is not on our side, it doesn't matter where it is. Let Lord Jialing handle Lord Jialing's affairs."
"……yes."
—If Lord Gandharva were here, he would surely say that Ni Chang did a great job. She truly deserves to be one of Gandharva's top generals. Her actions are similar to how she got rid of Bai Mo by associating with Ning Xian in order to keep herself at peace.
...
Bai Yan and Ning Xian walked out together and saw that Bai Mo had already ushered Yue Ji inside. Yue Ji had her head down, looking somewhat aggrieved and vulnerable, but she tried her best to appear calm. She said with a bitter smile, "Master... I didn't mean to cause you trouble... I don't know why, it seems I've been kicked out of Yanyu Pavilion... I really don't know where to go..." Her words were choked by a soft sob. Her attempt to appear indifferent and her sobbing voice tugged at one's heartstrings. Bai Mo pressed her shoulder to stop her from continuing, "What are you saying? Just stay here. A place like Yanyu Pavilion is better left untouched."
"Master..."
"It's okay, it's alright..."
Bai Mo turned around and saw Ning Xian staring at them both without any emotion, and Bai Yan looking at them with undisguised disdain. He paused slightly, and when he met Ning Xian's open and honest gaze, devoid of any like or dislike, he felt a pang of guilt.
Ning Xian swore that she really just wanted to come and see, just like when she saw people being affectionate and knew she should avoid it but still wanted to watch. Could he please stop looking at her with that apologetic expression, as if they had some kind of "affair" between them? ...Uh, no, they are husband and wife, not "affair".
Bai Yan slowly took a step forward, standing close behind Ning Xian, looking at Bai Mo with an accusatory yet provocative expression.
Bai Mo was taken aback, sensing that Yue Ji was slightly uneasy due to the subtle atmosphere, and Ning Xian was even sweating slightly... What, what was going on? It was practically a melodramatic love quadrangle, but she preferred not to be in this quadrangle so she could watch the show and shout "adultery"—but now, it was obvious... these two brothers were doing their best to pull her into this melodramatic relationship.
"Um, I haven't eaten yet..." she whispered, trying to suggest that she could leave first and the three of them could keep staring at each other—but the Bai brothers remained deadlocked. Bai Yan uncooperatively reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her closer to him, and gestured with his chin to Bai Mo.
Bai Mo frowned, wanting to speak, but Yue Ji behind him tugged anxiously at his sleeve.
They can neither advance nor retreat.
Ning Xian rolled his eyes and said, "Uncle, Young Master Bai, Second Master Bai, if you want to have fun, don't drag me into it, okay?"
Bai Yan lowered his head, a half-smile playing on his lips. "Starting today, I'm not going to play around anymore. Sometimes, it's time to be serious. Xian'er, don't you feel a little wronged?" He looked up at Bai Mo again. His words seemed directed at Ning Xian, yet also at Bai Mo. Bai Mo's expression changed. "Bai Yan, don't be ridiculous!"
"I've been fooling around for years, and it's rare for me to want to be serious for once. Why won't you grant my wish, brother?"
She's your sister-in-law!
"Then who is behind you? How long can this sister-in-law position last? If you divorce her, she won't be anymore, will she?"
Bai Mo's face was deathly pale. Bai Yan knew that when he was truly angry, his face would turn pale. Angry, even angrier—why was it always him, forever serene and composed like a pale ink painting, elegant and courteous, seemingly unmoved even if Mount Tai collapsed? From a young age, he had always been outstanding, handling everything with perfect order and precision, without the slightest mistake—
If you still have any humanity left, let people see your human side. Let them see clearly how others grow up under the gaze of others, in the shadow of your near-perfectly correct older brother persona.
Ning Xian was held tightly by Bai Yan, and could only lean against him, looking up at his face. She was slightly taken aback by the emotion in his eyes...
"Hey? It seems quite lively here? I wonder if I've arrived at the wrong time, or just the right time?" A leisurely, smiling voice came from outside the door. The four turned to look, and a woman in flowing white robes, her slender and alluring figure slowly ascended the steps and entered through the door—
"We meet again, 'cousin's husband'."
Chapter 45 Yue Ji Reveals Her True Form