Blossom in Adversity

C150. Bonding Over the Same Bedding.

Chapter 150: Bonding Over the Same Bedding

Hua Bailin shook his head, not wanting to cause trouble for the Hua family, but unable to be heartless enough to let someone die.

"Even eldest sister can't solve the trouble?"

"Yes."

Hua Bailin pondered for a moment, "Can't we keep Ah Jian inside the house? I can lend him my clothes, share my food with him, and come up with a reason to stay in the courtyard with eldest sister, so no one will know he's here."

Naive as he was, Hua Zhi couldn't help but smile. If one day Hua Bailin severed all ties and became incredibly powerful, she wouldn't acknowledge him. Her brother could be too kind, even allowing for weakness, but he must never be heartless. She had experienced that before, and hated it.

"Alright, we'll do as you say."

Hua Bailin jumped up, "I'll go fetch some things, eldest sister, rest assured, I'll take good care of Ah Jian."

"No hurry," Hua Zhi said softly, "Starting tomorrow, eldest sister will be busy with something, and you'll need to handle the teachings for the clan's studies."

Being a teacher was nothing new for Hua Bailin, and he accepted it eagerly. However, he still asked, "Is eldest sister busy with the new store?"

"Du Cheng is handling that, my concern is a different matter," Hua Zhi consciously involved Hua Bailin in household affairs, explaining in detail, "There's a manor to the east of the city that I want to utilize."

"Another workshop?"

"It could be considered a workshop. I've made some preparations there already. Remember, the main branch of a family must be stronger than the branches to maintain control. But being too dominant isn't ideal; the branches may have capable individuals. If managed well, they can be your allies. Those who refuse to listen must be subdued to gain their loyalty. A single chopstick is easy to break, but a bundle may break the hand of someone with ill intentions."

"Yes, eldest sister, I understand." Hua Bailin listened attentively, "Are you planning to utilize the members of the branches?"

"With the current situation, who else can I rely on? A household full of women, I just need to earn enough silver to ensure their comfort, and they'll obey. But I must make them aware of the challenges of earning money, I won't instigate conflicts."

Hua Bailin understood, "Eldest sister will involve the branches in the upcoming tasks and let them shine."

"Yes," Hua Zhi took a sip of tea, "We don't have many people available in the household, and the newly recruited ones are not ready yet. We'll have to rely on the branches."

"Can we trust the members of the branches?"

"That's not important." Hua Zhi tapped her head, a rare hint of self-satisfaction showing, "Everything important resides in here. What can they do?"

Hua Bailin looked at his eldest sister with admiration on his face, feeling like he still had a long way to go. How could his eldest sister be so amazing?

She was incredibly talented!

No one could compare to her!

Hua Zhi patted his head like a puppy, realizing she had already decided to treat him as an adult. Yet, the atmosphere felt so much like their interactions from the past few years as siblings.

Every time Hua Bailin looked at her with those eyes, it made her heart ache with tenderness. She wanted to teach him everything she knew to give him a better foundation in life.

"It's getting late, go and pack your things, and spend time with Ah Jian."

"Yes." As he reached the door, Hua Bailin turned back, "Eldest sister, did someone bully Ah Jian, and you saved him?"

Though it deviated slightly from the truth, Hua Zhi nodded. She didn't mind painting a positive image of herself in Hua Bailin's eyes.

Hua Bailin's face immediately lit up with pride and gratitude. He then left the room with a light step.

Hua Zhi was in a good mood. It had been a day of intense emotions, but it ended on a positive note.

*

As the hour grew late, Ah Jian finished tidying up and was about to lie down when he saw Hua Bailin entering with two large parcels. He sat up, surprised.

"I told Eldest Sister that from now on, we'll share a bed, you'll wear my clothes, and we'll split the food. That way, no one will know you're here."

But hadn't Hua Zhi already made arrangements for all this?

Ah Jian, who was more perceptive than Hua Bailin in this aspect, didn't mention it and wanted to get up to help him unpack.

"Don't move. I assured Eldest Sister I'd take care of you." Hua Bailin approached him, gently guiding him back to bed and helping him lie down with practiced ease.

The overwhelming kindness made Ah Jian feel almost suffocated for a moment, finding it difficult to breathe. He took a few deep breaths, a smile of genuine gratitude forming. What he never received as a prince had come effortlessly as a person of unknown status. He wanted to make a joke, but unexpectedly felt a twinge of emotion.

They squeezed into the same blanket, each sleeping at one end. This closeness made Ah Jian feel a bit uncomfortable but mostly delighted. It was the closest he had ever been to someone, and it was with a person he had only met two hours ago. It was unimaginable yet undeniably real.

Hua Bailin was not used to sharing a bed with others before, but after his younger brother had been crawling into his blankets for the past few months, he had grown accustomed to it. However, he could see Ah Jian's discomfort.

From Ah Jian's behavior, he could tell that Ah Jian's background was definitely not simple. It seemed to involve some old resentments or connections, which was why his eldest sister refrained from speaking directly to him.

He believed that his eldest sister must have had a compelling reason to risk saving Ah Jian. The most likely explanation was that Ah Jian had some past ties to the Hua family. Knowing his eldest sister's nature, she wouldn't have taken the risk if it wasn't for this connection that might cause trouble for the family.

In the darkness, Hua Bailin's eyes no longer held the innocence they did when facing his eldest sister. This child, raised by Hua Zhi, had grown in ways beyond everyone's expectations, including Hua Zhi's.

The weather in early March had started to warm up a bit, and the sun finally had some warmth to it.

Hua Zhi stood on the veranda, squinting up at the sky before instructing, "Go and invite the three paternal grandaunties to the courtyard in the west."

Ying Chun, Bao Xia, and Nian Qiu each went their separate ways. Liu Xiang took a step forward, ready to comply with any further instructions.

"Send someone to invite the Fourth Lady and Second Aunt, and have Steward Xu come as well."

With a nod, Liu Xiang left.

Walking out of the courtyard, Hua Zhi saw Mr. Lu standing in the sunlight, his sturdy outfit adding a lively air to him.

Hua Zhi had encountered many men, but few possessed the masculine charm of someone like Mr. Lu. His masculinity was not cultivated in a gym but stemmed from a blend of nobility and confidence, inherent in him. It seemed as though no one under the sun could make him bow, and yesterday's defeat was probably a rare occurrence in his life.

Despite the chaotic thoughts in her mind, her face remained composed as she gave a polite bow and walked towards the Moon Gate.

Mr. Lu watched her until she disappeared from view, feeling pleased by her consistent treatment towards him.

This was fine with him; he was in no rush.