Bai Da looked at the table, wanting to reach out and take Ye Xiu’s hand, but Ye Xiu harshly slapped it away.
At that moment, the blood on Bai Da’s head began to flow, but he acted as though he didn’t see it. Did he stubbornly look toward Ye Xiu?
"It’s no use, it’s not about the bracelet. It’s about you, Bai Da, your attitude toward Xingxing, the way you protect Nan Xi, and even your behavior over these many years..."
Ye Xiu hesitated for a moment before finally uttering two words.
Yes, control. Their business had been made public knowledge. Whether they were major or minor issues, wasn’t this control?
"I used to think, I was very happy, having a husband who loved me. But now I realize, it was just complete control."
Ye Xiu sneered at herself. She took pride in having a husband who doted on her, who was always agreeable to whatever she said.
But that very thing sent shivers down her spine.
"Xiuxiu, how could I possibly control you? What are you talking about?"
Bai Da looked at Ye Xiu in a daze, as if he couldn’t understand, his eyes blank like a child’s.
In Bai Zhi’s eyes, this was over the top.
Bai Da was definitely sick.
"Do you really not know? Why does everyone in the village know all that happens in our house? No, I should say, does everyone know about your kindness to me, no matter how big or small? Do you want everyone to know how much you love me and then I can never leave you?"
"Do you know this only makes me feel that you’re too frightening, and my life is under everyone’s scrutiny? I’m scared, I want to escape..."
That fear of living under everyone’s watchful eyes made her feel it was truly terrifying. This Bai Da was too scary.
And then there was Bai Yu’s intelligence, Nan Xi’s sweet sensibility—they were all illusions he created for everyone, including her, but he neglected Xingxing.
He was like a puppeteer, controlling everything from behind the scenes.
This thought brought waves of fear in Ye Xiu’s heart. She took several involuntary steps back, looking at Bai Da with terror in her eyes.
Bai Zhi was also stunned. She thought Ye Xiu was naive but had not expected her to see through the facade.
She had never considered this issue before—that Bai Da controlled everyone. Such a thought was indeed shocking.
Could this seemingly honest person be that powerful?
Or was it because he seemed so unlikely that no one noticed?
Controlling Ye Xiu was possible; after all, his love was somewhat morbid, revealing all his acts of kindness to her to everyone—that was pressuring Ye Xiu.
Whenever Ye Xiu had the slightest desire to escape, people around her would come out and speak of Bai Da’s goodness toward her, all the deeds...
Wasn’t that insane? To tell others your family affairs.
Bai Zhi walked over and supported Ye Xiu, gently patting her shoulder. Though she didn’t speak, she silently told her,
The chill in Ye Xiu’s heart gradually dissipated.
Bai Zhi then turned to look at Bai Da.
"You place your hopes on outsiders, yet you don’t realize, they just want to see a joke. What you say is nothing but their idle chatter."
Bai Da had no idea how to truly be good to Ye Xiu, instead pinning his hopes on strangers. It was truly ludicrous.
"People say, ’Oh, you’re so good to your wife,’ and then what? What else can they do for you?"
Bai Zhi really couldn’t understand whether Bai Da was being self-righteous or just plain stupid.
To say he controlled everyone—no, no, no, he didn’t have the intelligence for that.