The previous Ye Xiu seemed somewhat aware there was a problem, but she dared not face it. Yet today’s Ye Xiu appeared much more confident, or should I say, her aura seemed stronger.
She said she would do what she ought to do, instead of evading as she did in the past.
Ye Xiu choked up; Xingxing really was direct, leaving her unsure of what to say.
Wu Wa and Bai Dan continued to eat as if they hadn’t seen their exchange at all. After finishing the meal, Bai Zhi immediately started cleaning up. It was bad enough to have a guest cook, so naturally, she had to do the tidying.
"Xingxing, although I know you may have been disappointed in me for a long time, I still want to say I’m sorry. I have to return to school tomorrow. I need to take my brothers and sisters to a competition, a very important one, so..."
Ye Xiu also felt uncomfortable. She had intended to spend a few good days with her daughter, but this had been scheduled a long time ago. She needed to go back and give them two days of intensive training, so she had to return to the school.
"It’s okay; you should go and be busy. Your students need you."
Bai Zhi looked at Ye Xiu and spoke earnestly. Ye Xiu was a good teacher, and her students needed her, but honestly, she didn’t. It would be too awkward.
She was not the original owner; no matter what Ye Xiu did, she had no right to make any decisions on behalf of the original owner, neither to forgive nor to understand.
As for Bai Da and the others, oh, no need to decide—they were outright enemies. The kind you don’t even need to think about.
"Xingxing, thank you for understanding me. I am a teacher, and I have my responsibilities. I apologize for no longer being a good mother, but I can’t afford to be an irresponsible teacher."
From the day she set foot in the school, she had hoped to do something for those children.
At this moment, Ye Xiu was confident and excellent, radiating a glow. She truly was different; the hesitant Ye Xiu seemed to have disappeared in an instant.
Bai Zhi responded indifferently and continued diligently with the clean-up. Had this Ye Xiu suddenly gained enlightenment? Or what was going on? Her demeanor had completely changed; the current Ye Xiu was assertive and confident.
"Xingxing, I’m sorry I neglected you before. But you know what? We women need to have our own dreams and perseverance."
It seemed this Ye Xiu wasn’t too likable either; she had been hesitant and soft-hearted before, but now she was confident and charismatic.
Ye Xiu’s departure in the early morning didn’t seem special; she left with Bai Dan and Bai Xiang.
As she left, Ye Xiu couldn’t help but look back. Not for anything else but because she wanted to see her daughter one more time.
As for Bai Yu and Bai Ye, isn’t there Bai Da? After the events of the past two days, in the still of the night, Ye Xiu would wonder just how strained things had become between her and Bai Da.
After their departure, Bai Zhi took Bai Fei and Wu Wa to look for soapberries, which they remembered having seen somewhere before.
The soapberry tree was quite old and very tall, so they spotted it easily. They hurried over, and Bai Zhi grabbed a sickle, ready to tie it to a bamboo pole and use it to cut the berries. As for not being afraid of the tree...
It was because she was afraid—though the original owner could, she was not the original owner, and had that feeling of fear.
Soon they cut the bamboo and prepared everything. Bai Zhi began to harvest, while Wu Wa and Bai Fei were responsible for picking up the soapberries.
They fell with a pit-a-pat, and not far away, Bai Yu’s voice could be heard.