The Young Matriarch

When the police showed up, it was Bai Guofu who talked them down, paying the fine without detention, finally putting an end to the matter.

Bai Guofu looked at his granddaughter, whose face was still somewhat pale, and said with grave concern, “Yinyin, don’t always dispute with the old ancestor. Get along well with her, and she will protect you in the future.”

Bai Yinyin shuddered at the mention of “old ancestor,” a sense of inexplicable fear creeping up from the depths of her heart; she shook her head repeatedly, “I don’t—I’ll go back to my room first.”

Seeing his granddaughter like this, Bai Guofu softened his tone, “You don’t have to study or practice calligraphy and piano today. Just rest well.”

Bai Yinyin was indeed a well-nurtured girl of the Bai family, trained in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting from a young age. Although her calligraphy wasn’t at the level of a grandmaster, and her piano skills were not enough to hold a solo concert, she possessed talents respectable enough to show off.

Watching Bai Yinyin dash upstairs to her room as if running for her life, Bai Guofu couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy as he turned his gaze towards the attic on the third floor, hands clasped behind his back.

Now that the old ancestor was living at home, even if the Bai family faced colossal troubles, they had the old ancestor’s support.

It was just a pity that his descendants were too foolish, mistaking a fine jade for a mere stone.

*

It wasn’t until the three little paper men had finished the task of copying homework and the sky had turned dark that Bai Chuwei’s elixir was finally nearing completion.

The faint bitter scent of the medicine wafted down from the attic on the third floor. Aunt Chen came up under the pretense of helping Miss Chuwei clean, only to find Bai Chuwei on the vast platform outside the attic… practicing alchemy?

As the firewood burned one stick after another, Aunt Chen was choked by the smoke and hurriedly left, muttering to herself, “What is she up to now? There’s natural gas in the kitchen. Does she think she’s in some backwoods needing to make her own fire? Utter nonsense.”

Seeing the poor spectacle, Aunt Chen couldn’t help but feel a sense of superiority.

She was indeed a poor girl from the countryside.

After toiling for four or five hours, Bai Chuwei finally produced a small bottle of elixir. She popped one into her mouth and the extreme bitterness spread crazily across her lips and teeth, making her face scrunch up like a dumpling.

“Duan Xiuqi, if I ever encounter you again, I swear I’ll strangle you,” Bai Chuwei bit into the medicinal pill in her mouth, the bitterness making her shudder.

Xue Qiu looked at Bai Chuwei with some concern, ‘Old Ancestor, do you want some candy?’

Bai Chuwei sat at the desk, her eyes glistening as she stared out into the night, “Candy? Right now I’m craving the taste of Tang Seng’s meat!”

Bai Chuwei sipped some sweet, honeyed water while picking up her phone to send a WeChat message to Duan Feihan.

[Your Old Ancestor ah: [picture]]

At that moment, Duan Feihan was working from home and saw the message immediately.

Bai Chuwei sent him a picture, to be precise, an emoji that featured a plump hamster with two adorable blushes on its cheeks, extending its little paws as if asking for a hug.

Duan Feihan’s eyebrows knitted slightly. What did this mean?

[Duan Feihan: ?]

[Duan Feihan: …Are you cold? Or not feeling well?]

After asking, Duan Feihan felt something was off; after all, Bai Chuwei was a doctor herself.

[Your Old Ancestor ah: I’m quenching my thirst by thinking of plums.]

Duan Feihan held the phone, his frown deepening. He was only six years older than Bai Chuwei, and logically there shouldn’t be such a great generation gap; yet for a moment he was unable to understand the meaning behind her words.

[Your Old Ancestor ah: I want to hug you.]