So, You’re the Henpecked One? 23

Chapter 23

Ye Liuxiang and Chu Ningyi looked at Chu Xihuan’s expression and fell silent for a moment. The number of people Chu Xihuan would speak up for could be counted on one hand, yet she had accepted that person so quickly.

“Mother, is there something you want to say?” Chu Xihuan took the initiative to start the conversation, saving them the trouble of figuring out how to broach the subject.

However, after she asked, the atmosphere fell into a strange silence once again. Chu Xihuan looked at the two of them, neither of whom spoke, and couldn’t help but look at them with a bit of confusion.

“You wouldn’t listen to what we have to say, and even if you did, you wouldn’t change. What’s the use of saying it?” Finally, Ye Liuxiang sighed softly, feeling a little tired.

She felt that her two daughters were truly two extremes, just like their names.

One was as gentle as water, with a temperament so good she almost had no temper. She always spoke in a soft, gentle voice and never got into conflicts with anyone. She also didn’t know how to handle conflicts well. This worried her and her husband so much that they were not at all at ease with her marrying into another family, afraid that she would be bullied in a place where they couldn’t see.

So the best outcome for their second daughter was to find a live-in son-in-law, to keep her under their noses and prevent anyone from daring to bully her.

And Chu Xihuan? She had been very opinionated since she was a child. This had once been a source of comfort for her, as at least someone with her temperament wouldn’t be easily bullied. She had thought she would have to worry much less about her, but now she had become the one who caused the most headaches.

In truth, it was impossible that she hadn’t noticed that her daughter liked women in the past. It was just that such things were rare, so she had held onto a sliver of hope and was unwilling to confirm it.

But then, more than a month ago, as if stimulated by something, Xihuan had, during a family dinner, directly announced in front of everyone that she liked women and already had someone she wanted to marry.

At that time, even the usually calm Ye Liuxiang had almost choked on her soup.

Chu Xihuan picked up her teacup and took a sip. She blinked innocently at her mother’s words and didn’t say anything more to provoke them.

Chu Ningyi thought for a moment and said with a hint of hesitation, “But little sister, I still don’t understand what you like about her. Did you know each other before this?”

Chu Ningyi was truly a little confused. She and her little sister had always been very close. In the past, she would tell her all her joys and sorrows, but she had never heard her mention the name Lin Zhao. However…

Chu Ningyi’s expression froze.

She had heard the name Cao Jing the most…

At this thought, Chu Ningyi’s gaze toward Chu Xihuan became a little more probing.

“We weren’t familiar,” Chu Xihuan said honestly. “Don’t you think this is very exciting, second sister?”

Hearing her outrageous words, Ye Liuxiang felt a pain in her liver. Seeking excitement? Was she joking with her own life’s major event!

“Xihuan, tell me the truth. Didn’t you used to like that girl from the Cao family?” Ye Liuxiang’s face hardened slightly, and she looked at Chu Xihuan with a gaze that seemed to see through people, making it impossible to lie to her.

Chu Xihuan’s face clearly froze, and she fell silent.

Chu Ningyi looked at her mother with a surprised expression, clearly not expecting her to ask so directly.

But… she was also very curious about the answer.

The atmosphere in the room was so quiet it was unnerving. It wasn’t until Chu Xihuan spoke that the suffocating atmosphere was broken.

“Yes, I used to like her.”

Chu Xihuan’s tone was calm, with no trace of affection for the person she was talking about.

It was as if she were a stranger in her life, a passerby with whom she would never have any more contact.

Chu Ningyi’s lips parted slightly, her expression dazed. She hadn’t expected her little sister to admit it so readily.

She subconsciously turned to look at the doorway, and after confirming that no one was eavesdropping, she sighed in relief. She also hesitated, wondering if Lin Zhao needed to know about this. Finally, looking at her little sister’s expression, she silently closed her mouth and leaned back, seeking a sense of security.

Her little sister was so smart; she naturally had her own ideas. She would just listen and not interfere in their affairs.

Ye Liuxiang got the answer she had been guessing, but she didn’t feel any sense of relief.

“Was it because of her that you hastily chose to marry Lin Zhao?”

This time, Chu Xihuan pressed her lips together slightly. “I guess so,” she said after a moment of thought.

“Why?” Ye Liuxiang’s brow furrowed, as if she had thought of something. “Was it also because of you that that girl Cao Jing suddenly went to join the army?”

At the mention of Cao Jing joining the army, Chu Xihuan’s face visibly turned cold, a hint of sarcasm on her lips. “Perhaps. Maybe I was the catalyst for her decision to join the army?” she said coldly.

Chu Ningyi thought for a moment. “Because she didn’t want to accept your feelings, so she used this method to avoid you?”

Apart from this possibility, she couldn’t think of any other reason why Cao Jing would suddenly run away.

Chu Xihuan’s face grew even colder, as if she had remembered something. “Who said she didn’t want to accept my feelings? She just didn’t dare to make our relationship public,” she sneered.

If she hadn’t been willing, with Chu Xihuan’s personality, how could she have kept such a thing hidden?

“What do you mean?” Ye Liuxiang’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Chu Xihuan.

Chu Xihuan lowered her gaze slightly, avoiding Ye Liuxiang’s eyes. “Mother, since it’s already in the past, there’s no need to bring it up again.”

Ye Liuxiang stared at her. “Then do you think this is fair to Lin Zhao?”

Involving an innocent person because of a conflict with someone else.

Chu Xihuan seemed to have been hit where it hurt and grew even more silent.

Seeing this, Chu Ningyi bit her lip slightly and chose to speak up for Chu Xihuan.

“Mother, since little sister no longer likes Cao Jing, and I see that she and Lin Zhao are getting along well, perhaps Lin Zhao is a better match for her than Cao Jing?”

She had seen her little sister and Cao Jing together many times. When they were together, it was mostly her little sister who accommodated Cao Jing. It wasn’t as relaxed and at ease as when she was with Lin Zhao.

Ye Liuxiang said no more.

Chu Xihuan took a deep breath. “Mother, I know what I’m doing.”

At her words, even the usually calm Ye Liuxiang couldn’t help but glare at her. How could she have the nerve to say she knew what she was doing? Which of the things she had done could possibly live up to that?

Chu Xihuan pretended not to see her mother’s glare and stood up. “I’m going to find Lin Zhao.”

She felt that if she stayed any longer, the conversation wouldn’t get any lighter.

After she left, Chu Ningyi quickly followed and pulled on her little sister’s sleeve. “Little sister, if you need anything in the future, just tell me,” she said in a low voice.

Although her sister’s choice was indeed puzzling, what was done was done. It was better to do what she could to make her sister’s life a little better.

With that, she quickly stuffed a money pouch into Chu Xihuan’s sleeve, afraid that their mother, who was behind them, would see.

Feeling the heavy weight in her sleeve, Chu Xihuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Had her older brother and sister conspired together? They had both chosen to give her money.

“Sister, big brother already gave me some,” Chu Xihuan said in a low voice, telling her that she might not be in such a difficult situation.

Chu Ningyi’s eyes widened slightly, as if she were a little unwilling to be outdone. “Then use mine first!”

Hearing this, Chu Xihuan was helpless. It was as if they were back in their childhood, when both her older brother and sister would bring her snacks, and when they found out the other had also brought some, they would fight over who she would eat from first.

Seeing Ye Liuxiang also walking over, the two of them instantly separated and continued walking forward as if nothing had happened.

Ye Liuxiang, who was behind them, found their little actions a little amusing. Even if they didn’t say anything, did they really think she didn’t know what they were doing?

The few of them arrived at the garden and saw Simeng standing in the distance with a look of utter despair. They couldn’t help but wonder why they didn’t see Lin Zhao.

However, after a closer look, the three of them fell silent.

Who was that person who had tucked her skirt into her waistband, rolled up her pants and sleeves, and was bent over, working alongside the gardeners?

Chu Xihuan was speechless.

She rubbed her forehead and walked over to stand next to Lin Zhao, just looking down at her.

A nearby gardener noticed Chu Xihuan’s approach and was about to call out to her, but was stopped by Chu Xihuan.

However, Lin Zhao was so engrossed in her work that she didn’t notice anything. It wasn’t until she felt that the surroundings had become unusually quiet that she looked up in confusion and saw Chu Xihuan standing two steps away.

Lin Zhao was startled and quickly straightened up, wanting to tidy her clothes. But her hands were covered in mud, so she could only stand there stiffly, looking at Chu Xihuan with a mix of apprehension and a desire to please.

Seeing her disheveled and with dirty hands, Chu Xihuan found it amusing. “Were you bored waiting?”

Lin Zhao cautiously glanced at Chu Xihuan’s expression. Seeing that she didn’t seem to be angry, she felt a little relieved and shook her head. “No, I thought it was interesting to watch this gardener sister transplanting, so I wanted to learn.”

Gardener sister???

Since when was this person so sweet-tongued?

Chu Ningyi and the others watched silently from the side. Why did it seem that compared to Lin Zhao, Chu Xihuan looked more like the bully?

Considering that her mother and sister were still watching, Chu Xihuan didn’t say anything. She just told Lin Zhao to go to the nearby pond and wash her hands, then said, “Let’s go back.”

“Oh, okay.” Lin Zhao naturally had no objections to her words.

Chu Xihuan then said goodbye to Ye Liuxiang and the others and led Lin Zhao toward the main gate.

Ye Liuxiang and Chu Ningyi remained where they were. Chu Ningyi looked at the backs of the two of them, her gentle brow furrowed with worry.

“Mother, why do I feel that Sister-in-law Lin might be in danger?”

Ye Liuxiang didn’t speak, just snorted softly.

Of course she was in danger. She was in a hurry to go home and deal with her.

**