“Sorry, Miss Bailian, even if I were to hand it over, it wouldn’t be to you.”
Lin Yun turned, offering the Meridian Condensing Pill back to Bailu.
“Lin Yun, I traded my family resources for this, it’s my personal property, Cousin Bailian has no right to dictate who I give it to, take it,” Bailu mustered her courage.
“Bailu, your wings have grown, haven’t they? This man shows up, and you dare defy your cousin? I’ll take this to Elder Zhang of the disciplinary hall!” Bailian’s haughty face burned with rage.
To her, Bailu—who usually took her scolding silently—daring to challenge her now was an affront to her authority.
Bailu’s pale face grew more helpless, lost.
She knew Elder Zhang was Bailian’s grandfather, the reason she feared her, never daring to resist her bullying.
If this reached Elder Zhang, he’d side with Bailian.
With some embellishment—claiming Lin Yun swindled her—Bailu might face punishment and Lin Yun expulsion, or worse.
“Scared now, Bailu? I told you yesterday, we’d see, don’t let me catch you out!” Bailian smirked, venomous as a scorpion.
“Miss Bailian, aren’t you being a bit too overbearing?” Lin Yun finally spoke up.
He could tolerate her targeting him, but threatening Bailu crossed a line.
“A cripple dares butt in? Believe me, I’ll make you fully useless!” Bailian’s gaze turned venomous.
Just then, a middle-aged man in a mink coat entered the courtyard.
Lin Yun recognized him—the one who’d brusquely told him to leave the caravan when he’d asked for directions.
“Bailu, Bailian, what’s all this noise? I could hear you from afar passing by, family should be harmonious,” the man said.
Bailian crossed her arms, haughty, “Uncle Bai Yongzhi, Bailu gave this guy a Meridian Condensing Pill worth over ten thousand spirit crystals, I tried reasoning, and she talked back, I suspect he tricked her into getting it, I’m taking this to Elder Zhang for judgment!”
She pointed at Lin Yun, eyes glinting coldly, “Plus, he’s swindling Bai family goods, he must be punished!”
“Uncle, it’s not like that,” Bailu said, aggrieved.
“Enough! Bailu, apologise to Bailian now!” Bai Yongzhi snapped at her.
“I…” Bailu fell silent.
“Hurry up!” he barked.
“Cousin Bailian, I… I’m sorry,” Bailu choked back tears, bowing.
Bailian’s expression softened at the apology.
Bai Yongzhi smiled, “Bailian, since she’s apologised, give your uncle some face, let this slide, no need to bother Elder Zhang, he’s busy enough, right?”
“Since Uncle Yongzhi puts it that way, I’ll give you face, but this cripple can’t stay for free, if he wants to stay, he can be a servant,” Bailian said loftily.
She turned to Bailu and Lin Yun, smug, “Bailu, figure out our status gap, next time, I won’t spare you!”
To Lin Yun, “And you, cripple, watch yourself!”
With that, she strutted off.
After she left.
Bai Yongzhi approached Lin Yun, face stern, “You took the pill?”
Bailu quickly clarified, “Uncle, I gave it to him.”
Bai Yongzhi eyed Lin Yun, “I’ve seen your injuries, they’re hopeless, this pill won’t save you, you’ll be a cultivation-less wreck forever, don’t waste it.”
“I think it’s worth a shot,” Lin Yun replied.
For most, it’d be futile, but with his body refinement and the pill, he’d manage.
“You’re just unwilling to accept being a cripple, so you want to try, right? But it won’t change your fate!” Bai Yongzhi said.
He shifted tone, “Want to stay? Be a Bai family servant, I’ll inform the steward, and stop causing Bailu trouble! Next time, I won’t be lenient!”
“Bailu, come out, I need a word.”
He walked off.
“Oh.”
Bailu followed, subdued.
Under a tree outside.
“Uncle.”
Bailu’s head hung low, tears brimming but held back, her face etched with grievance.
“Bailu, you’re kind-hearted, I know, but this is a dog-eat-dog world, kindness gets you nowhere, your father died young, entrusted you to me, I can’t let Bailian drag you to Elder Zhang, I had to make you apologise, she’s got more sway here, no choice,” Bai Yongzhi explained.
“I understand,” Bailu murmured.
“As for that Lin Yun, he’ll be a cripple forever, letting him stay as a servant is his lifeline, a proper status here, don’t give him more pills, keep your distance, this world runs on profit, a cripple offers you nothing,” Bai Yongzhi continued.
“Oh,” Bailu didn’t argue, nodding outwardly.
“Go back,” he waved.
In the courtyard.
“That Bailian’s awful, she thinks Miss Bailu’s fatherless, easy to bully!” Xiao Huan, the maid, fumed.
Lin Yun’s face darkened too.
Bullied by dogs indeed, but to spare Bailu trouble, he’d held back against Bailian’s provocations.
Bailu returned.
“Bailu, I’m so sorry, I’ve caused you trouble, if not for getting me that pill, this wouldn’t have happened,” Lin Yun said, guilt heavy.
He felt bad for her, a pure girl facing such grief.
“Big brother Lin Yun, it’s not your fault.”
Though wronged, Bailu forced a smile, her kindness unwilling to burden others.
“Big brother, heal with the pill first, don’t worry about the servant role, it’s just a title to stay, you won’t need to work, leave whenever you’re better,” she said.
“Alright, I’ll heal first,” Lin Yun nodded.
Strength was key to facing anything, so recovery was urgent!
Bailu’s kindness, he’d etch into his heart!
