Chapter 356: Chapter 356

Ye Qian and Bai Xue sat to one side, while Ye Ling sat alone near the window. On the opposite side of the Kang table were Ye He Ping and Shen Bin, eating when a guest arrived at the house.

This person was in a suit, making even Ye Ling take a second look. It was none other than Bai Hehua, whom they hadn’t seen for years. With short hair, though darker than before, she appeared much stronger. The short hair revealed her facial features, making her look even more delicate and pleasant than Ye Qian, quite soothing to the eyes.

Seeing her niece arrive, Bai Xue was quite surprised too and quickly got off the Kang, "Hehua is here? Have you eaten?"

"Not yet." Bai Hehua answered generously.

Bai Xue laughed, "That’s perfect, let’s eat together. You sit, I’ll get bowls and chopsticks."

Ye Qian moved inward, getting closer to Ye Ling. Bai Hehua exchanged greetings with those in the room, nodding amicably at Shen Bin, as if nothing awkward had ever happened between them.

Once Bai Hehua sat down next to Ye Qian, Bai Xue brought back bowls and chopsticks. Bai Hehua thanked her as she received them, waiting for Bai Xue to sit down before asking, "Is the company on break?"

"No, I just happened to have a day off. I thought I didn’t visit during the New Year, so I came to take a look, and it’s a coincidence both my elder and younger sisters are here." Bai Hehua ate elegantly, her eyes squinting into slits when she smiled, bringing a joyful aura.

Bai Xue looked at her niece, then thought about the matter between Shen Bin and the Li family, feeling both upset and regretful. If the affair between her niece and Shen Bin had worked out, it would’ve been great.

With that thought, Bai Xue steered the conversation towards marriage, "Hehua, you’re not young anymore. Is there anyone being introduced to you in the company? With your parents not around, I have to keep an eye out for you. If someone gets introduced, you can’t hide it from your aunt, hear me?"

Ye He Ping was drinking with Shen Bin when he heard his wife bring this up. A look of embarrassment flashed across his face, but he pretended he didn’t hear it and continued conversing with Shen Bin. Bai Xue felt somewhat disappointed, especially since Shen Bin didn’t glance once at her niece.

Bai Hehua’s eyes shifted slightly, "Aunt, there are so many people watching, please don’t embarrass me. At the company, I still want to work hard. I haven’t considered personal matters, and anyway, no one would be interested in my conditions."

"Child, I used to worry about this, but now you’re doing well at the company. You’re good-natured and capable; I don’t know who will be lucky enough to marry you." Bai Xue sighed, putting down her chopsticks, "Unlike your elder sister, who’s still in college, she needs a steady job before marrying. But you can marry anytime."

Ye Ling couldn’t stand it anymore and burst out laughing. Ye Qian’s expression darkened and she placed dumplings into Bai Hehua’s bowl, "Eat, don’t listen to my mom. She’s just idle at home and worries about this all day." Fresh chapters posted on Nov3lFɪre.ɴet

Ye Ling smiled at her mother, then exchanged glances with Bai Hehua, "Exactly, your aunt is right. You can marry whenever you want now."

This was a subtle hint for Shen Bin. At 27, he was considered a bit older. In her mother’s mind, she should still be with Shen Bin, but compared to Bai Hehua, who could marry anytime, she had to at least graduate university first.

Having circled around the topic, now that Shen Bin was related to the Li family, they hoped to pair Bai Hehua and Shen Bin together, making it so obvious that those who knew would easily grasp her intentions. Seeing her father’s face growing darker, Ye Ling stifled her laughter and stuffed dumplings into her mouth.

Ye Qian thought her mother was being too simplistic and felt embarrassed. Despite trying to stop her earlier, she didn’t expect her mother to continue unabated, so her tone grew impatient, "Mom, let’s eat. Look, Dad and Uncle Shen are chatting. Why ask Sister Hehua now, making her embarrassed."

Receiving a warning glance from her younger daughter, Bai Xue finally dropped the subject. Bai Hehua, not knowing her aunt’s intentions, also found it embarrassing to discuss such matters in Shen Bin’s presence, so she could only feign shyness and lower her head, inwardly puzzled by her aunt’s behavior today.

When Bai Hehua entered and saw Shen Bin, she did feel awkward. Without getting into details, Bai Hehua initially didn’t think much of Shen Bin. Only after her affair with Lin Tao did she appreciate the steady Shen Bin. However, after lowering herself to plead with Shen Bin, he rejected her, making her aunt angry at her because of it.

Bai Hehua felt self-pity because she knew Shen Bin looked down on her rural background, though Shen Bin himself was rural and divorced. Yet, he humiliated her greatly, which Bai Hehua never forgot. Thus, once she joined the company, she worked hard to prove herself.

However, having her aunt bring this up in front of Shen Bin today made Bai Hehua unable to raise her head.

Not until they finished eating did Bai Xue bring it up again. Instead, she asked Ye Qian about her company matters, finally allowing Ye Qian to breathe a sigh of relief. After the meal, Ye Ling didn’t help clear the table, as Bai Hehua had already considerately taken on the task.

Ye Ling directly returned to the West Room. Ye He Ping drank too much, and if not for Shen Bin stopping him, who knows how much more he would have drunk. Only after Shen Bin left did he return to the West Room without glancing at his wife.

Once Shen Bin was gone, Bai Xue quieted down too, sitting in the East Room, glancing towards the West Room. Seeing its door tightly shut, she asked Bai Hehua to close the door, then waved her over to sit beside her.

Bai Xue explained the situation in detail, making Bai Hehua finally understand things more clearly, "Aunt, let it go. Shen Bin and I didn’t work out during the matchmaking, and it’s even more impossible now."

Bai Xue, angry at her lack of effort, poked her head, "You haven’t even tried, so how do you know it won’t work? I think it’s great. I still have to go to the Li family to test the waters."

"Aunt, better not." Bai Hehua thought about it, "Aunt, remember I used to work in the canteen of the Grain Bureau? I ran into a colleague from there recently who wanted to date me, but I declined. I’m still in the military, and it’s not suitable for me to date right now." (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please go to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest encouragement. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)