Although Bai Xue was angry, she didn’t have the heart to show a bad face to her niece. Having her daughter’s suggestion cheered her up, yet she still didn’t get up to cook lunch. Hearing noises from the kitchen made her feel better, and Ye Ling knew she was being disliked. However, cooking wasn’t a difficult task for Ye Ling; with electric appliances, it was convenient and easy. She stewed so eggplants and cooked rice, and the lunch was ready.
Ye Qian hadn’t eaten breakfast, and seeing such a simple al, she initially had no appetite. But after taking a bite, she found Ye Ling’s cooking quite tasty, and started eating.
Bai Xue just felt foolish; how co she only thought now to have her eldest daughter help with chores, wasting several months in vain. So after lunch, she naturally waved her hand, "Lingzi, tidy up the table and soak the rice for tonight. I need to talk to your cousin."
Ye Ling saw the task falling on her again, looked at Ye Qian and the restless Bai Hehua, and chuckled, "I’m working while several people sit around; anyway, I don’t feel embarrassed."
"I ask you to do so chores, and you have sothing to say. Look at any other girl around your age not doing chores?" Bai Xue’s face darkened, "Your cousin just arrived, and Ye Qian isn’t well. What’s the big deal about tidying up the table?"
"Mom, you said you felt unwell this morning, so I cooked. Now you want to tidy the table and prepare dinner, both Ye Qian and Bai Hehua have reasons, but what about you? I saw you ate quite a lot at lunch, not like you’re unwell," Ye Ling replied without budging, still sitting there.
Bai Xue’s face flushed red, "I’m not sick, can’t I ask you to do so work? How old are you now? You complain about tidying the table, Ye Ling, you’re no longer a child, soon to be in high school. Normally girls your age in rural areas are working in the fields earning labor points; do you know how many people envy you now?"
Bai Xue wanted to get angry, but thinking of past events, she didn’t tear it all apart.
Ye Ling wasn’t fazed, "Tidying the table isn’t work, cooking isn’t work either. One or two als are fine, but constantly being asked, even if I’m willing, I’m afraid mom would be gossiped about. After all, Ye Qian isn’t bedridden, doesn’t need mom to care for her, yet mom lets a student cook while others wait to eat; that wouldn’t sit well with you either?"
"Are you cursing your sister?" Bai Xue, already embarrassed, got furious upon hearing such words about her youngest daughter, pointing, "Ye Ling, if I can’t manage you, we’ll wait till your dad cos back. Do you think your dad will keep indulging you? So you dare go against ? I want to see if your dad can indulge this matter."
Although speaking tough, it was obvious she lacked confidence.
Ye Ling stood up with a cold face, "Not just my dad, anyone in the courtyard, I can confidently say I’m not wrong. If mom was working outside, I wouldn’t complain cooking at ho, but mom’s always lounging, I need to study, yet being asked to do chores, I’m not satisfied."
Having said that, she glanced at Ye Qian before returning to the East Room.
Bai Xue’s chest heaved with anger, while Ye Qian consoled her, "Mom, I’ll tidy up, don’t be mad at sis; I see she’s studying high school textbooks."
"What good is studying? Just wasting ti on useless things," Bai Xue retorted while starting to clear the table.
Bai Hehua, intimidated by the mother-daughter argunt, didn’t dare raise her head. Seeing her aunt clearing the table, she got up to help pack up the dishes.
Once the living room and kitchen were tidied, Bai Xue spoke to her niece about her brother, "Your dad returned ho first, so you stay here until he cos again to go back together."
Bai Hehua kept her head down and quiet.
Bai Xue knew her brother must have instructed her upon leaving ho; despite feeling aggrieved, she couldn’t bear anger towards her niece, nor had the patience to say more, "Alright, you head back to the room too."
Like scared, Bai Hehua hurried back to the East Room, which originally housed her older daughter whom Bai Xue didn’t favor; now with the addition of a niece, she had even less desire to step inside.
Ye Qian scratched her head, "Mom, my head is itching, could you help see what’s going on?"
Concerned about her youngest daughter’s issue, Bai Xue imdiately paid attention, letting Ye Qian lower her head, "Where’s it itching? When did it start?"
"It’s been itchy since washing my hair in the morning; no idea why, it’s sumr, shouldn’t be exposed to wind," Ye Qian said, scratching again.
After examining a few sections without finding any bumps, as Bai Xue was about to stop, she noticed a small black spot. Surprised, she gingerly picked it off and placed it on the table, unable to believe it.
Ye Qian sat up, "Mom, is there sothing?"
When seeing the thing her mother pinched to death, she scread, "What is this? How did this get on my head?"
Still incredulous, she clung tightly to her mother’s clothes, suddenly shrieking, startling Ye Ling in the East Room. Glancing at the pale-faced Bai Hehua, she lowered her eyes, realizing it had transferred to Ye Qian on just the second day.
In the living room, Bai Xue remained calm, seemingly having figured it out, soothing her daughter, "It’s okay, just wash your hair more often, I’ll buy so dicine and apply it, it’ll be clean in a few days."
"Mom, these are lice; we’ve never had them at ho before," Ye Qian couldn’t maintain her usual gentle deanor, nearly losing sanity, "Mom, I don’t want lice on my head, I don’t want them, how can I face people? They’ll laugh at ."
Bai Xue wiped her daughter’s tears, soothingly, "Alright, alright, we won’t have lice. Qianqian, how about this, let’s cut your hair, make it easier, otherwise it’s hard to deal with such long hair. While there aren’t many now, let’s clean it up; who knows how many might pop up overnight."
"I don’t want to cut my hair," Ye Qian grew more upset.
In the East Room, Bai Hehua trembled, now even losing the thought of secretly observing Ye Ling, only worrying about what to do. She knew she brought it over from her, unafraid of Ye Ling but fearing Ye Qian. After all, her aunt favored Ye Qian. (To be continued. If you like this work, welco to vote for it on Qidian (qidian) with recomndations and monthly tickets; your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian to read.)
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