Chapter 584

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Chapter 584: Sharing Worries

Uncle Bai Chang and Aunt Luo Shu were kind-hearted but not very productive, according to Bai Wei’s memory.

They got married early, but never laid any eggs.

It seemed like they were busy with work, yet they always found time to wander around and travel.

Their income was high, but Bai Wei’s grandfather’s instructions didn’t work on them. Bai Chang always managed to make everyone laugh it off.

Bai Wei knew Uncle Bai Chang quite well, but he didn’t know Aunt Luo Shu very much. Upon closer thought, she rarely had the chance to interact with Bai Wei and the others. She looked just like a young girl, similar in age to Yagyū Simozi.

Now Bai Wei understood the reason.

[Fairy in a Painting]

A painting that connects spirits, an ink fairy.

It can be understood that Maliang drew a wife for himself, it means the same thing.

The woman in the painting was naturally a paper figure, but after coming to reality, she gained depth, which was of course mysterious.

Since she is a fairy in the painting, her existence naturally comes with a corresponding cost, one of which is eternal youth without the ability to have children.

Ordinary monsters have the power of bloodlines, they have physical bodies and can practice cultivation; in contrast, paintings are only vessels for spirits, without the conditions for cultivation, not even considered living beings. It’s extremely difficult for inanimate objects to possess spirits. Take a look at the Crouching Tiger Sword, it took a long time for it to develop intelligence, and it follows the path of beheading enemies as a weapon. The more enemies it kills, the stronger it becomes, but it also needs to consume a large amount of materials.

After Ba Xia’s death, Bai Wei obtained the demon pill, and it has already been fed to the Crouching Tiger Sword. The massive demon power needs to be digested, so it is still in a deep sleep.

Perhaps the woman in the painting can also be compensated in this way, but Bai Chang obviously cannot have as many monsters to kill as Bai Wei.

Bai Wei is quite curious. The relationship between the two may be pure love and true love, but love that spans across different races surely has some stories to tell, right?

The most curious thing is how Uncle managed to win over Aunt. Can he also arrange one for me?

How about having a paper wife, drawing a Moebius, or an Alesia, I don’t mind.

Unfortunately, I can’t ask.

Once I ask, it’s not just a matter of whether my aunt will answer, but it will be even more troublesome if she becomes suspicious of me.

The atmosphere in the family is still harmonious. After all, she is my aunt and has taken care of me for many years. Yagyū Simozi treats her with ordinary politeness and a little bit of gentleness. They get along well. She also has a broad knowledge and quickly reveals her scholarly family background. At the same time, she intentionally or unintentionally talks to Yagyū Simozi about some comparisons and things to pay attention to before and after marriage.

This touches upon Yagyū Simozi’s knowledge blind spot, igniting her thirst for knowledge. Even Sakurai Shiru listens attentively, being enlightened by Aunt Luo Shu’s passionate words and teachings.

Bai Wei can’t say a word, so he can only sit aside, drinking tea. He thinks it’s not a bad thing to have an older relative visiting. Look, Luo Shu is here. Yagyū Simozi’s expression becomes gentle, and even Sakurai Shiru feels welcomed.

The young girl who just arrived in the Ming Country doesn’t have many family members to meet. Of course, she would suspect whether she is unwelcome. She is smart and sensible. Although she doesn’t ask or mention it, she might feel a bit down inside. Governing a big country is like cooking a small fish. The same goes for a family and a nation. We should take care of our emotions, otherwise, it can only be said that the head of the family hasn’t done a good enough job. Bai Wei looks at his loved ones, sips his tea with a smile, and his gaze is gentle.

Then he hears a knock on the door. His gaze seems to penetrate through the door. He sets down the teacup and in his heart, he says, "Oh no."

Even without opening the door, he knows that this knocking has a soulful touch…

"Who is it?" Yagyū Simozi wonders.

"I’ll go take a look." Luo Shu got up on her own initiative, wondering if Bai Chang was back. She opened the door and saw a beautiful woman’s face. "Oh, it’s Xinghui. Long time no see."

"Auntie." Bai Xinghui politely greeted the elder with a bow. "I didn’t expect you to be here."

"Come see the children." Luo Shu smiled. "Can we consider Simozi as my daughter?"

…no matter if she was born or raised.

Bai Wei took a sip of tea and looked away, avoiding Bai Xinghui.

We’ve already gone on two blind dates, the third round shouldn’t come so soon. Even if there is, I definitely won’t go.

First it was Ao Hanli, then Ying Mu, is the third one Xue Hanlei?

If a married woman comes to blind date with me, I might as well change my name to Mengde.

Simozi asked lightly, "Do you need something?"

"Nothing important." Bai Xinghui said lightly, "Just enjoying the break and visiting friends."

Yagyū Simozi got up and poured a cup of tea, though her expression was cold, she still knew how to be a good host.

With two younger sisters present, the atmosphere became a bit tense. Auntie was not used to handling such situations. It was difficult for her to mediate, as she was not authoritative enough as an elder of the family…it would be better to draw.

Sakurai Shiru sensed something and silently sat near Bai Wei, very clever…that area was already a battlefield beyond her level. Otherwise, she would find herself in the same state as a fallen chess piece on a chessboard.

"I hope you’re not here to argue with me again." Yagyū Simozi said, "I personally don’t like engaging in such verbal conflicts."

Bai Xinghui said lightly, "Funny, I feel the same way."

"Didn’t your older brother’s blind dates end?" Simozi asked with a neutral attitude, "Did you arrange another one?"

"I’m only responsible for screening them, not for arranging them." Bai Xinghui corrected, "You seem surprisingly calm."

"What else am I supposed to do? Cry, make a scene, or even hang myself?" Yagyū Simozi laughed it off, "What’s the point of making all that fuss?"

"That’s good." Bai Xinghui nodded with satisfaction. "Just stay positive, otherwise, I wouldn’t know how to comfort you."

"Comfort?"

"Helping you see reality is a form of comfort too." Bai Xinghui said, resting her cheek on her hand. "Little sister Simozi."

Yagyū Simozi ran her fingers through her shoulder-length hair. "You sure came to argue with me."

"I also came to keep you company and pass the time. Staying home all day must be boring, right?"

"Not boring, but…" Yagyū Simozi hesitated. "the Ming Country is great, but unfortunately, it feels too big for me here."

"If you all stay indoors, of course it will be boring." Bai Xinghui stood up, pressing her hand on the table. "Tomorrow, I’ll take you shopping. It’s settled."

"Wait?" Simozi interrupted, wearing a puzzled expression. "Isn’t this topic too sudden?"

"Sudden?" Bai Xinghui countered. "Don’t you have the idea of welcoming guests in Yingzhou?"

"Guests?" Yagyū Simozi asked in confusion, "In name, I’m at least…"

"In name, the Ming Country follows formalities, in reality, they have their own ways," Bai Xinghui shook her head and said seriously, "Though subtlety isn’t always a bad thing, sometimes it can be. I invited you all to go shopping as a gesture of respect, you don’t need to suspect any other intentions. If I have the chance to visit Yingzhou in the future, I hope to receive the same warm welcome and treatment from you, as it is a matter of reciprocity."

"You’ve come from afar, and I feel guilty for letting you be treated poorly. Sadly, even I cannot change my grandfather’s mind. Now that my brother’s matter has been resolved, it’s time to change your mood. Leaving you here to wither like dried fish only makes it appear that the Bai family lacks unity. It not only makes our neighbors laugh at us, but also makes things difficult for my brother. It simply annoys him."

She spoke these words with a calm demeanor, her heart and mouth in agreement.

She felt neither shy nor guilty, and she didn’t feel the need to hide anything. Her honesty was open and graceful.

This conversation was about etiquette and principles of being a good person. Yagyū Simozi listened intently, but as a young girl who was not yet mature, she couldn’t compare to Xinghui in terms of experience and wisdom. The latter was more suitable to teach the former a lesson. Yagyū Simozi shouldn’t only focus on shaping herself into a skilled warrior, but also learn how to be an elegant and graceful lady. In the future, she would have to support the Yagyū family, and many things would require her personal involvement.

Memories from the past flooded Bai Wei’s mind, deepening his understanding of Bai Xinghui.

Yes, Bai Xinghui is exactly like this," Bai Wei realized. "The Bai family is an esteemed martial arts family, and Grandfather Bai Zhao is equally straightforward and even stubborn. Bai Xinghui, raised in this environment, not only inherited the straightforwardness of her elders and the family, but also retained the sensibility and intuition unique to women. She knows how to take detours to solve problems and handles herself perfectly in society. Looking at it this way, she is more like the eldest daughter of the Bai family, even more qualified than me.

"Well said," Bai Wei praised. "Indeed, that’s the elegance my daughter of the Bai family should possess."

He rarely showed his older brother identity, "Simozi, since Xinghui has invited you, why don’t you go out with Little Shiru tomorrow for a stroll?"

Yagyū Simozi softly replied, "Okay, brother."

She always felt like she had lost a game, being in her sister’s position, but she didn’t really mind because she didn’t want that position either.

Bai Xinghui added, "Actually, I said that on purpose to gain favor from my older brother, so that he wouldn’t be mad at me for being stubborn a few days ago."

Bai Wei shook his head and chuckled, "Why would I be mad at you? After all, you meant well and I have the final say. It’s not excessive."

Bai Xinghui sighed with relief, "I’m glad my older brother understands. Xinghui doesn’t want to be the villain, but grandpa is just too stubborn, so we had to find a compromise."

"I know I’ve been stubborn and made things difficult for the family, but there was no other way." Bai Wei rested his cheek on his hand, "Honestly, I’m not very fond of being the eldest son. There shouldn’t be so many constraints in this era."

"But you’re still the older brother, and no matter what you want to do, just let the family know… even if you only tell me, Xinghui will definitely help you." Bai Xinghui spoke earnestly, "I’ll try to handle these trivial matters at home as best as I can. I’m the older brother’s sister, like the right hand to the left, no need to be polite. It feels like my older brother is distancing himself, trying to solve everything alone, and that’s not good, really not good."

Bai Wei didn’t expect his true nature to be easily seen through by her, and he couldn’t help but be taken aback.

No way, this is just who I am, a person trapped in my narrow-minded beliefs… I am responsible for my own successes and mistakes.

But, maybe when dealing with family relationships, we can try to be more flexible?

"Alright, I’ll leave them in your care," Bai Wei said with a smile. "I hope you all have a fun day tomorrow."