Bai Guang, accompanied by two comrades, arrived under the Banyan Tree and told them that this was their usual spot for conversations. Indeed, Aunt Niu was there chatting with someone.
"Aunt Niu, I need to talk to you about something. Come over for a moment..."
Bai Guang called out directly to Aunt Niu who ran over and looked at the two comrades, her face turning somewhat pale.
"What’s the matter? What’s happened?"
She didn’t think she had done anything wrong. Why were the comrades here?
"It’s okay, it’s okay. Hello, we are here to inquire about something. Of course, we hope you can cooperate and tell us the truth.
Bai Zhi has had needles inserted into her body, and we suspect it was her father, Bai Da. So, we want to ask, over the years, has Bai Da been good to Bai Zhi?"
The comrade’s words made Aunt Niu gasp in shock, unable to speak.
"Bai Da really is nothing good, comrades, let me tell you, Bai Zhi is truly pitiable. Have you seen her? She’s as thin as a stick. Her little face, at one point, became terribly emaciated. Such a small child, and she handles everything both in and outside the home, carrying who knows how many backbaskets to work. It’s unbearable for us to watch..."
Aunt Niu, truly the village gossip incarnate, knew everything and tended to get emotionally involved. As she spoke, the tears even started flowing, her heart aching.
Her heart ached for Bai Zhi.
"You have no idea, in the dead of winter, she would carry so many clothes and wash them by the river by herself. I never saw her hands in good condition; they were always covered in cuts.
The only reason she looks a bit plumper now is that her grandfather couldn’t stand it and took her in.
In rural areas, we expect children to work, but he had her doing all the work meant for an adult.
Just think about carrying corn and digging, those are adult jobs, but Bai Zhi did all that herself..."
Talking about the pitiable situation, Aunt Niu outright began cursing loudly.
"You might not believe it, but last time at the cinema, their children admitted it themselves. Moreover, Bai Da is particularly deceitful, always boasting to people how well he treats his daughter, so obedient and sensible, never mentioning Bai Zhi’s good qualities. He really is a brute..."
Of course, Aunt Niu’s testimony alone wasn’t enough. They also asked other people, all sharing the same opinion that Bai Da favored his other children and even intentionally tormented Bai Zhi.
All the work that wasn’t meant for children was being done by Bai Zhi, yet he only ever praised his other children.
Just as Bai Ye was scolded by a teacher and stood at the door finally out of school, he saw the comrades who had come to the school waiting for him.
It was then that he understood what it felt like to be so exhausted that one could sleep standing up, why Bai Zhi would fall asleep during class, and why her grades were a mess.
She was simply too exhausted to absorb anything.
He rushed home, eager to feed the pigs so he could start dinner and do his homework sooner.
Yet, he was stopped by the comrades.
"Hello, are you Bai Ye? We have something to discuss with you, could you possibly cooperate with us?"
They had actually waited quite a long time, not wanting to trouble Bai Ye, but obviously, everyone noticed.
Bai Ye nodded and obediently followed them to a small shop.
Worried that Bai Ye might get nervous, they even bought him a cup of juice.