Remembering this filled her heart with hatred, that the man wouldn’t marry her was one thing, but now he was even helping his mother to deal with her. In her fury, she thought that once she gave birth to a son, she would definitely take over the entire estate.
Under the resentful gaze of Aunt Lai, Hongji’s father began to feel soft-hearted again, but having already spoken, he could only offer consolation, saying,
"Aunt Lai, your husband cannot accompany you back to your parents’ home, but you can stay there for a few days, and then someone will fetch you back."
Aunt Lai... Back at her parents’ home, she would have to help with family chores. Here she was living comfortably, why would she want to stay at her parents’ place? Asking to "return home" was merely a ploy to have the man accompany her and make a grand entrance.
But if the man did not accompany her, returning with lavish gifts would also be nice.
After placating the concubine, Hongji’s father turned and, looking down at Mrs. Lai who was still sitting on the ground, scolded her,
"A woman of your age, not as sensible as Aunt Lai, what are you doing sitting there? Aren’t you ashamed? Do you also want to go back to your parents’ home?"
Mrs. Lai... Initially she had wanted to make a fuss. Her husband wasn’t following that temptress home, so she had already stopped crying, but his suggestion that she also return home—was that an implication that he would send her back to her parents’ home?
If she really was sent back to her parents’ home, she could imagine the misery of her later years. She already felt that her eldest son and daughter-in-law were unreliable; by then, her daughters certainly wouldn’t be able to help, and that would leave the temptress to benefit.
Ye Shiqi and her elder sisters watched the events at home with cold eyes. They had discussed it with their mother, and then the sisters walked together towards the estate near the entrance of the village.
Mrs. Li instructed her eldest daughter to take good care of the younger ones and also sent a little maid to accompany them.
The five sisters were walking in the alleys of the village. By this time, those who had work had gone to do it, and the children who weren’t working helped with whatever chores they could at home.
The six of them—sisters and maid—met no acquaintances who wished to join them in their play.
Ye Shiqi observed the old people in the village who were able to walk about; all of them took very young children to the fields to help with work, fearing it wasn’t safe to leave small toddlers at home.
As for why elderly people took such small children to the rice paddies and what they could do there?
She learned that the elderly would do whatever tasks they were capable of, like weeding the vegetables or watering them, while the younger children could only be placed under the shade of trees at the edge of the fields. Those without shade wore straw hats and basked in the sun.
Slightly older children could help even more, truly exemplifying that poor families’ kids had to grow up quickly and become sensible early on.
After understanding this situation, Ye Shiqi could only sigh inwardly. In her previous life, she was born into a relatively wealthy family and never suffered much hardship. Although she lacked family warmth, she was never short of money.
Now, realizing this family was too poor, she decided to use her advantages to make a change.
Even as a little child, she could imagine that if she didn’t try to change something, she would have to work in the fields just like her elder sisters did when they were so little.
"Oh, the young Misses are walking, do you want a ride to help you on your way?"
As the sisters were about to reach the entrance of the village, a bullock cart passed by them, and a coquettish woman’s voice came from the cart.
Without turning around, the sisters could tell who it was from just the sound of her voice.
"Aunt Lai, we sisters are not accustomed to sharing a cart with you. Or perhaps, Aunt Lai, you’d like to climb down with your gifts since it’s not far from your village once we’re out of ours."
Third Sister Ye Xinqi’s sarcastic comments showed the sisters’ dislike for Aunt Lai.
Second Sister Ye Mei Qi also chimed in,
"Second Sister is right, we forgot to tell grandfather that actually, Aunt Lai does not need a cart to return to her parents’ home."
"You...!" Aunt Lai’s eyes flashed with fury. In front of these little girls, she had no need for pretense—her pretense at home was for one person’s eyes only.
Ye Luoqi, the eldest sister, protectively held the youngest sibling and pulled the others to the side of the road, pausing their walk. The little maid also stood alertly, watching for Aunt Lai’s next move from the cart.
"Stop the cart..." Aunt Lai’s vengeful eyes deepened as she decided to punish these young girls here and now.
However... it seemed as though the driver atop the cart couldn’t hear Aunt Lai’s command to stop; instead, he urged the oxen on faster, causing the cart to speed up as the animals were whipped.
The cart driver had worked for this family for several years, mindful of the good treatment Mrs. Li and the young Ladies had shown him.
Hongji and his father barely dealt with these matters; Mrs. Li was in charge of managing them, even dispersing their wages. She was essentially the high-powered boss in full control.
Now this Aunt Lai, who had just entered the door, was trying to use him to punish the young Ladies? He wasn’t foolish; he knew who his direct employer was. What significance did this Aunt Lai hold?