Chapter 122: Chapter 122
As a result of Bai Guoping’s action, Ye Qian immediately glanced over from across the table, her eyes fixed on Ye Ling, seemingly provoking and waiting for Ye Ling to lose her temper.
Meanwhile, Bai Hehua and Bai Xue were pretending not to notice, head down, focusing on their food.
Ye Ling didn’t believe they were oblivious, but since it was just a bowl of rice, she didn’t fuss over it. She turned around and served herself another bowl. It was rare for the family to cook plain rice. The first time, Ye Ling only took a flat bowl, and since there was still half a pot left, she pressed down the rice in the bowl, making it overflowing. This time, it took up almost half of the remaining rice in the pot, exposing the bottom of the pot.
As Ye Ling walked from the kitchen to the table, just a few steps away, she took a mouthful of rice. Bai Guoping, eating fast, had already consumed most of his bowl and had originally planned to take some from Ye Ling’s bowl. Seeing Ye Ling eating already, he had to abandon that idea.
As for the braised pork on the table, more than half had been eaten. Ye Ling wasn’t concerned with whether she ate it or not, but looking at the people around the table, she felt competitive. Quickly, she picked several pieces, managing to eat five or six. Bai Xue had been pretending not to notice, but with the pork diminishing, she couldn’t hold back anymore.
She picked up the remaining pieces, placing two in her younger daughter’s bowl, two in her niece’s bowl, and the last two in her brother’s bowl, "Eat more, in the rural areas, you don’t get meat often. Our Ye Qian suddenly fell ill, so the household is tight, and we didn’t cook much meat."
After her last sentence, she cast a glance towards Ye Ling.
Ye Ling picked up the dish of braised pork, pouring the gravy into her own bowl and said, "Indeed, it’s been half a year since we returned home, and we’ve only had meat twice."
Seeing that the soup meant for her rice was taken by her eldest daughter, Bai Xue listened to Ye Ling’s remark, fuming inside. She managed to hold it back seeing her youngest daughter transferring a piece of meat into her own bowl. Bai Xue felt that having such a daughter was enough, the other would do as she pleased; the less she saw, the less she got angry.
Bai Guoping finished his bowl and said, extending it towards Ye Ling, "Get me another bowl of rice."
"Alright, Uncle, eat more; you look so thin." Ye Ling, in high spirits, took the empty bowl and went to serve more rice, leaving only a bowl of rice in the pot.
Bai Guoping, never taken seriously in the village, was naturally happy seeing his niece favor him. The large bowl of rice delighted him even more, "Lingzi is sensible, your aunt is pregnant with a little cousin now, it all rests on me. If I don’t work more, we’ll go hungry. So, for the sake of this family, I have to work hard."
Ye Ling feigned admiration, nodding. Half the rice in her bowl was gone and she continued to pick eggs into her bowl. Her eye caught her mother’s displeased expression and she felt smug, indifferent to Ye Qian’s mocking gaze.
When Bai Hehua served the last bowl of rice and Bai Xue was adding rice for her younger daughter, she saw the empty rice cooker and was utterly speechless. Seeing the three people still head down enjoying their meal, she did not know what to say, so she returned to the table with an empty bowl.
"There wasn’t enough rice today, I’ll make some noodles for you later," Bai Xue said, sympathetically looking at her younger daughter.
Ye Qian was momentarily stunned, glanced at the three at the table, and then smiled, "No worries, Mom, I’m full."
"You’re at the age to grow, I’ll make some to rinse," Bai Xue was distressed despite her daughter’s understanding nature.
Ye Qian squinted her eyes, smiling, "Alright, then."
Bai Guoping lifted his head, "Big Sister, make more, I haven’t had noodles this past year. You know how the family is; the collective rationing gives barely enough for Hehua, now that she’s pregnant, just enough for her supplements. We, father and son, dare not eat much, thinking to save every bit."
So is that why you’re thinking of sending your daughter here to be raised?
Bai Xue nearly burst in anger hearing her brother, but he was her only brother. The second year after his marriage, their parents passed consecutively, and their family conditions were poor. She wanted to help but felt powerless. Despite her anger at her brother’s incapacity, she pitied him more.
"Alright, alright, I understand," Bai Xue still pretended to ask her eldest daughter, "Lingzi, are you full? Do you want a bowl later?"
"No need, I’m full with this bowl. You know I have a small appetite, little sister is growing, she should eat more," Ye Ling replied with a meaning behind the response.
She believed her mother understood this just as well. The same bowl of rice, the eldest daughter was full while the younger needed more, clearly showing favoritism.
Bai Xue listened, holding back her anger, but sighed outwardly, "Your sister is ill, if she doesn’t eat more, how will her body cope?"
This damned girl, she didn’t even see how much was in her own bowl.
Ye Ling nodded in agreement, she would be glad to see Ye Qian eat and gain weight.
Finally, Bai Hehua put down her chopsticks after finishing, guiltily said, "Aunt, it’s all my fault. If I ate less, then my little sister would have enough."
"My dear, at your aunt’s house you must eat your fill; there’s no way you would starve," seeing her niece so thin, Bai Xue affectionately stroked her head, visibly troubled.
Her brother had already spoken about leaving his daughter here, which would mean another mouth to feed, and additional strain on the household. If it were before the younger daughter’s illness, it might have been manageable, but not under the current situation.
"Aunt, I’m full of energy, let me help you make noodles for little sister later." Bai Hehua, encouraged by her aunt’s kind smile, felt a bit braver.
"At your aunt’s, there’s no need for you to work. Stay with your big sister indoors while I do it," Bai Xue sighed inwardly, wishing her eldest daughter would be as obedient.
Only then did Bai Hehua smile shyly and nod. At the dinner table, Ye Ling and Bai Guoping finished up, not leaving a scrap, and though Bai Xue felt angry seeing that earlier, she didn’t anymore. After dinner, she sent her eldest daughter back to her room, out of sight so she’d feel less annoyed.
Ye Ling, tummy full, lay on the bed after heading back to her room. Not bothering with Bai Hehua sitting there properly, she picked up a book, reading and dozing off.
Little did she know, someone in the living room was plotting against her. (To be continued. If you work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)