Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C373. The Scriptures of Each Family.

Chapter 373: The Scriptures of Each Family

As the opening of Liyun Lane drew near, Hua Zhi paused for a final look. Chen Liang, the steward, had everything meticulously arranged. The area, now calm and quiet, had lost all traces of the previous chaos. It seemed no different from Green Moss Alley.

The street in Green Moss Alley, however, was far from tranquil. The bustling crowd moved through the alley as Hua Zhi stood by the riverbank, taking it all in without stepping closer.

"Miss, Master Bai is here."

At the sound of the announcement, Hua Zhi turned to see Bai Mingxia, standing tall with an air of authority.

"Uncle," Hua Zhi greeted, bowing in respect.

Bai Mingxia dismounted gracefully and joined her, his gaze fixed on the lane ahead. "There are so many eyes on this deal now. You’ve done well, getting the Zhu family involved," he said.

Hua Zhi understood what he meant. If the Hua family had been handling this deal, she would have found it impossible to manage. People would go to great lengths for wealth, and just the thought of her own family's internal affairs made Bai Mingxia visibly disgusted.

"You look like you've lost some weight, Uncle."

It was more than just a few pounds. His clothes hung loosely on his frame, his appearance noticeably thinner. Hua Zhi could guess the cause. She had heard about the Bai family’s internal splits during a recent visit to her maternal grandmother’s, though she had no idea if Bai Mingxia had achieved what he was aiming for.

Bai Mingxia gave a faint smile. "I’ve separated from my family," he said, his voice cool but laden with meaning.

Hua Zhi nodded, a slight acknowledgment, though she chose not to probe further.

He looked at her then, his eyes betraying a sharp, almost cruel mockery. "I knew my dear brother wouldn’t let me get the upper hand, but I didn’t expect him to be this ruthless. He only gave me a handful of shops and thirty thousand taels of silver. Hell, that's not even the dowry for a legitimate daughter of the Bai family."

"I thought the one responsible for the division was the Bai family patriarch?" Hua Zhi responded, her tone as composed as ever.

Bai Mingxia's tense expression revealed a hint of pain. Yes, how could the elder brother be in charge of the split?

That was why he was even more upset.

Because he took the lead, he endured, backed off, and compromised. Wasn't that enough?

How much money did he earn for the family in the past few years?

How much benefit did his network of relationships provide for the family?

Why couldn't they see what he had done, only remembering that he was the youngest son, unable to compete with his elder brother for assets?

If he had actually taken it, so be it, it would have been fair. But did he take it?

Wasn't it always his elder brother who was being so aggressive?

Always claiming not to let him suffer, but he suffered greatly in the end.

That was family for you.

"What's wrong with that? I think it's quite good."

Bai Mingxia looked at Hua Zhi.

Hua Zhi smiled, looked up at the clear sky, where a row of swifts flew by, signaling the approaching autumn. "It's better to see things clearly at thirty than to be completely taken advantage of at forty or fifty and then kicked out."