Transmigration: The Fate of the Villainess

130 The old Bai Yu was just like her father Part II

“Fourth sister...” Bai Yu called Bai Yue with an affectionate tone. “Apart from other people’s businesses, is there anything else you’re interested in?”

“Keh...” The third Furen pretended to cover her mouth to be polite, though she intentionally let out a sound of chuckle when Bai Yu insulted Bai Yue.

“I...” Bai Yue sent her mother a glance.

“Do you want to go and stay at our ancestral temple like your third sister? Maybe you’ll find something you’re good at.”

“I like painting!”

“Oh.” Bai Yu nodded. She made the noise without realizing that it was the same as what Ouyang Feilong would say to her when he was acting indifferent to tease her. “Then, should I increase your painting lessons, sister?”

Suddenly, the war turned into silence. Both second and third Furen did not dare utter a word. It was not because they could not refuse, but because everyone had to turn to Yue Mei, the first Furen who had the authority to manage everything in the household.

“Big sister, please slow down. First mother hasn’t said anything yet...” Bai Yue tried to escape by using her mother as an excuse. It seemed she was telling Bai Yu that she had no power to decide anything in the mansion without receiving approval from her mother.

Bai Yu was still smiling, despite being slighted. Yue Mei, who had been listening all along, then raised her hand to stop Bai Yue from saying anything else. “You should listen to your older sister.”

.....

“What does that mean, jiejie?” The second Furen was anxious for her daughter.

“It means that from now on, the first miss will be the one to manage the Bai household in my place!”

—————–

“Thank you, mother, for believing in me.”

“You have proved to me, Yu-er, that you can rule this mansion. Now you’ve truly changed.”

“Mother, please don’t worry. While you’re away, I’ll do my best to take care of the mansion.”

“I’m proud of you, my dear child.”

“I love you, mother.”

“I also love my Yu-er the most.” The mother and daughter remained in an embrace for a while before Yue Mei got on the carriage heading to Yue Mansion.

The day Bai Yu came back to Bai Mansion was the same day Yue Mei went to Yue Mansion. It was the agreement they had made when they met at Bai Yu’s business launching event. Yue Mei had promised that she would do one thing Bai Yu asked if she won the Lady Meihua competition.

And that one thing Bai Yu had asked of her before the competition was for Yue Mei to go back to live at Yue Mansion as soon as Bai Yu returned to Bai Mansion.

Yue Mei had agreed, intending to create an incentive for Bai Yu to focus on practicing for the competition without being distracted. They had also agreed that they would not tell Bai Han. Thus, Yue Mei’s sudden departure today was without Bai Han’s knowledge at all, and she did not say farewell to her husband.

Others only knew that the first Furen’s body was unwell, so she wanted to rest in her parents’ home while being treated by her nephew, who had studied in the divine valley.

As for Yue Mei, she understood that Bai Yu wanted her to be the one to take care of Bai He until the new year passed. Only Bai Yu knew the truth.

“Yu-er.”

“Greetings to father.”

“There’s news that your mother...”

“It is true.”

“Is it severe? Why did I not know anything? Her condition...”

“Father...” Bai Yu touched his arm. “Please calm down first. I’ll tell father everything.”

After Bai Han had left the morning meeting, he was stopped by the officials who heard the news that his first Furen had returned home because of an illness. That had made him hurriedly return to the mansion to confirm the news. However, as soon as he stepped into the main building, he was met with his eldest daughter instead of his own wife.

Bai Yu felt guilty for keeping him in the dark, but she told herself that she had to do it for him. Then, she started telling her father the truth behind Yue Mei’s departure.

Hearing the real reason from his daughter, Bai Han was finally relieved. Even though he now knew Yue Mei was not sick, he was still worried if Bai Yu’s plan would truly help bring them back together or not.

“Father, don’t worry.”

“But your mother has never loved me, no matter how much time has passed...” He was still concerned. He could not bring his heart to accept the fact that the woman he loved never loved him back.

“As long as father doesn’t make the same ‘mistake,’ I believe that mother will forgive father. There will be a second chance.”

Bai Han knew exactly what she meant by ‘mistake.’

“Yu-er.” He took his daughter’s hand, feeling its roughness from training with swords and practicing guqin.

“I know what you’re doing all this for.” He knew how much she had been trying. She had been doing her best to grow up beautiful and strong under her mother’s resentment that had stemmed from him. She had tried so hard not to be influenced by it.

“I don’t know how I can thank you enough, my sweet.”

“I’m not doing it for you, father.” She smiled. “I’m doing it for our family.” If her eyes did not fool her, Bai Yu thought she saw his tears.

“Do you know the reason why I made that ‘mistake’?”

“Why?” she asked, even though she had already known it from the series. This man had kept his thoughts to himself for far too long. Yue Mei was never willing to listen, and he could not say it to Li Rong. In the end, Bai Han had to bear his sin in silence for over sixteen years.

“Because I’m selfish.”

Today, Bai Yu decided to put her family first, and so she would be the one to hear everything her father wanted to say.

“I’ve wronged her. I had never thought that my actions would push her away further. I put my own comfort first, and it cost me your mother’s trust. Be it good or bad, no matter what I did, she never looked at me. I’m willing to do anything for love, and for that, I’m selfish...But do you know? I actually wanted to be a general more than an official...” Bai Han lightly laughed at himself.

“But I know that I can do everything, try everything, and never come close to that man in your mother’s heart. That’s why I have to build the foundation for our family as royal officials...” That must be the reason why he allowed her brother to walk his path in the military, instead of following in his footsteps. Even now, Bai He never realized that he was fulfilling his father’s dream.

“I started from a minor position, slowly building influence and creating favors, until I could ask for marriage from the emperor. For my own love, I took your mother away from her love. Your father is horribly selfish, right?”

“Yes. Father is very selfish.”

Bai Han was not angered by her answer. He only closed his eyes, accepting his fault. Bai Yu looked at him, then continued, “But I think I can understand.” Because his selfishness was no different from the old Bai Yu’s...

Clinging on to love, willing to sacrifice everything, and not choosing the method. Tearing lovers apart, being selfish, and hurting others… The old Bai Yu was just like her father!

“You say you understand?” Bai Han stared at his daughter’s smile in confusion.

“Because father saw that mother’s maid was understanding and caring. She was the opposite of mother who never cared about father at all. And so that day, father chose to wrong her, right?”

“It is so.” Bai Han did not know how he could calmly discuss the past with Bai Yu, even though he had never thought of uttering a word about it before. He wanted more than anything to explain, yet at the same time, he also wanted to avoid misunderstanding. In the end, he kept everything to himself. He knew his action was beyond excusable, but somehow, it was now seen through by his own daughter.

“Father could do that because father never loved Li Rong. Am I correct?”

“You...” Bai Han’s eyes widened. “...How did you know?”

Bai Yu smiled. “Because if father truly loved Li Rong, father would never let mother do everything she did. She was imprisoned and bullied, but father never seriously said anything about it. Father feels guilty for using her as a ‘tool’ to prove mother’s love. That’s why father loves and cares for Bai Hua, even though mother hates her.”

“That...”

“I don’t agree with father’s actions, but I can’t turn back time to fix the past. Today I came to help free father and mother from this.”

“Then...” Bai Han fidgeted. “What should I do?”

“Father must change your mindset. And take a good look around.”

“Hm...”

“Then wait. Father and mother have been together for so long. One believes the other will never be able to love. And one believes the other has destroyed her life and betrayed her. Obviously, both were then blinded to the love and connection that had formed after all these years. But I will do it. I will make you see.”

“Yu-er.”

“Yes?”

“Can I hug you?” Bai Han’s voice was hoarse. Bai Yu moved to put her arm around her father and pretended not to notice that the wetness on her clothes was from him.