Blossom in Adversity

C36. Heart-to-heart Between Mother and Daughter.

Chapter 36: Heart-to-heart between Mother and Daughter

Walking through the courtyard gate, Hua Zhi hesitated for a moment before continuing a few steps into the room, bowing gently in front of her mother. "Mother, I'm back."

Zhu shi quickly helped her up and looked her up and down. "You've lost weight and your complexion is not as good."

"It's not as good outside as it is at home," Hua Zhi said, bowing slightly to the two women behind Mrs. Zhu. "Aunt He, Aunt Qin."

Both women couldn't accept her full courtesy, and they quickly helped her up with only half the courtesy. Concubine Qin, who was a bit shorter, kept saying she had lost weight, pulling her daughter forward to greet Hua Zhi.

Hua Zhi had a plain impression of this half-sister, she should say that besides Bai Lin and her fourth uncle's son, Bai Jun, she didn't have a deep impression of her other siblings. Seeing her smiling obediently, she smiled back at her.

Her father only had these two concubines. Concubine He was her father's first concubine and had a son. She didn't talk much, and after her son was exiled, she could hardly exchange a few words in a day.

Concubine Qin was a distant cousin of her grandmother. After giving birth to Hua Zhi, her grandmother decided to bring her in as the concubine because her mother's belly had no movement.

She was also competitive. She gave birth to a son within a year of entering the house and a daughter the following year.

She thought it would be lively in their room, but unexpectedly, her father didn't stay with Concubine Qin for most of the year except to visit his children. The arrogant attitude for most of the year dispersed, and later, after her mother gave birth to Bai Lin, she had to settle down completely.

It was not a very powerful method, but it was very effective in quelling the impending disputes, and Hua Zhi then realized that her father was not someone who only read books and didn't know anything about the outside world.

Indeed, once a man holds his ground, how can there be so many sinister and secretive things in the backyard?

Her hand was held by a pair of soft hands. Hua Zhi heard her mother say, "I want to talk to Hua Zhi. You all can leave, don't wait for me here."

"Yes."

Mother and daughter returned to the room. Hua Zhi personally prepared a bowl of pork and peach soup and placed it by her mother's side. "It's from Zhuangzi, try it."

"Is this what you made?" Zhu shi said as she took a bite immediately, her eyes lighting up. "Delicious."

"It's the one. I brought some back, I'll have someone bring a few barrels over later."

"My daughter is really capable." Zhu shi said after setting down the bowl, stirring it absentmindedly, and sighing, "You don't know how worried I was when you said you wanted to take charge. I don't need to know you well, but I know you're lazy. You only care about your own little world, not willing to take on more responsibilities. Being in charge is not an easy task, and you never touched these things before. With the situation at the Hua family, I was afraid you would struggle."

Zhu shi shook her head with a smile. "I never expected you to do better than any of us expected."

This was the mother and daughter confiding in each other since the incident at Hua family. Hua Zhi was once again surprised. She thought she would see a mother who cried with watery eyes...

"Mother, I made you worry."

"I have only two children, who else would I worry about?" Thinking of her husband who was far away, Zhu shi held back the tears and said, "Your father never belittled me. Now thinking about it, if he did, it might be better. If he belittled me, I would naturally make changes. As the eldest daughter-in-law of the Hua family, being so useless, I have to rely on you, a girl, to take charge. It's a laughing matter to talk about."

"What's so funny? Aren't I raised well by you?"

"Don't flatter me," Zhu shi chuckled and wiped her eyes, "Mother won't cry. I'll save the tears to drown him when your father comes back. And don't worry about me, with you shielding me from the wind and rain, I dare not be bad."

"Mother..."

Zhu shi held her daughter's hand and patted it, saying, "Bai Lin always listens to you. Teach him well. I won't interfere. The eldest grandson of the main wife can't be raised as a waste in my house."

Hua Zhi understood what her mother saw and heard about the situation before. This was good. Bai Lin wouldn't spend so much time in the back yard where he couldn't see or hear anything. If his mind wasn't filled with it, his brain wouldn't naturally think about it.

Suddenly, Zhu shi smiled. "I was shocked by your handling of Bai Lin's lie. Obviously, you are more caring than anyone else, but you could still be so ruthless with him. Nevertheless, Bai Lin is still close to you. Every chance he gets, he comes to you. I was worried that he would have a falling out with you."

Hua Zhi blinked. She thought her parents had kept that matter a secret.

"Your father doesn't know. I covered it up." Thinking back to that time and thinking about it now, Zhu shi's heart sank, and her smile gradually faded.

"Mother, it will be fine. Everything will be fine."

"And you? Will you be okay?" Zhu shi tightly held her daughter's hand, her voice trembling as she whispered, "The marriage with the Shen family has been called off. What will you do in the future?"

"Mother, you have to believe in your daughter's ability. I can handle even the big Hua family. Are you afraid I won't be able to live my own life well?"

"You know I'm not talking about that."

Hua Zhi certainly knew, but she also knew that it was definitely not the answer her mother wanted to hear. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Who knows what might happen in the future?"

"To be honest, Mother knows what you're thinking."

"Mother..."

"Tell me!"

Rarely persistent, Zhu Shi looked at her, and Hua Zhi spoke the truth, "I am actually happy not having to serve my husband and in-laws, not having to deal with the rivalry of concubines."

"Women all hope to not have to face these things, but have you ever thought about the rumors and gossip a woman will face if she doesn't get married?" Zhu Shi trembled as tears streamed down her face, but she held back from crying out loud.

Wiping away more and more tears that seemed to never end, Hua Zhi spoke softly but firmly, "You say I'm lazy, but have you seen me go out in these years? Even if they talk behind my back, I won't hear it. When the time comes, I will buy a small and delicate house, lock the door and live as I please. No one will dare to come climbing walls to insult me."

With a quiet smile, Hua Zhi continued, "If I'm not worried about you crying or about our family's reputation, back when grandmother arranged my marriage, I wanted to refuse. But now, it seems to have worked out in my favor."

"A lifetime is so long, how will you live alone? Your father and I will always be ahead of you, and when the time comes, you won't even have someone to support you."

"Just a few dozen years, it will fly by in the blink of an eye. You say I'm lazy, but have these years been bad for me? I doubt anyone has had a better life than me. Bai Lin grew up by my side. Even if the men of the family haven't returned by then, do you really think they would harm me? If the men of the family do return, even better. I will gladly hand over the family's power and if anyone dares to trouble me, I won't be afraid of anyone. Mother, I have thought it through, no one will be able to harm me, you don't have to worry."

But can a mother truly not worry?

A mother worries every day she is alive, but Zhu Shi held back her tears until she had lunch with her daughter and sent her off to rest before finally allowing herself to cry in bed.