C18 Seeing the Shaang Family People

Bai Yun decided to head to the back hills first. Based on her memories, even if Bai Shao and the others went along, Bai Yun was the one doing all the work while they relaxed by the creek, playing in the water to pass the time.

If things got tight, she could always slip back just in time. As long as the Shaang family saw her face, Mrs. Chen's plan to substitute Bai Shao for her would be completely foiled. If anything happened to her, the fifty silver coins would be lost for good. The Shaang family might even face trouble if they didn't get the bride. Mrs. Chen probably didn’t have the guts for that.

The wedding was in three days, but to prevent Mrs. Chen from tormenting her with schemes during that time, Bai Yun knew she had to be subtle. Even if she returned, she needed a good excuse.

With Bai Shao tagging along, Bai Kou, the little sidekick from the second house, naturally followed suit, leaving Bai Wei at home to clean. Each carried a basket with a small sickle inside. As they walked, Bai Shao tossed her sickle into Bai Yun's basket and handed her basket to Bai Kou. Bai Shao preferred the hills to being at home, where she could slack off.

At the creek, Bai Shao stopped as expected. "Yun, why don't you go ahead and find some wild vegetables? Kou and I will gather some firewood here. If you finish first, come help us. If we finish first, we'll come help you. How does that sound?"

Bai Yun chuckled softly. Bai Shao always said that, but when had she ever gathered more than half a basket of firewood? And even then, it was likely Bai Kou who did most of the collecting. However, since Bai Yun planned to split up with Bai Shao anyway, she didn't mind this minor issue. She acknowledged Bai Shao with a nod and headed into the woods.

She had fully integrated the original owner's memories into her own, and this body seemed particularly familiar with the path. Reaching the spot where wild greens grew, Bai Yun quickly gathered more than half a basket. Satisfied that it was enough to fulfill her task, she slung the basket over her back and dashed down the small path, making her way back to the Bai family home.

From a distance, Bai Yun noticed a crowd gathered at the Bai family’s entrance. Two carriages and several horses were parked outside, with people in matching outfits standing around—likely servants or coachmen from a merchant family.

Bai Yun knew that entering through the main gate would likely lead to a confrontation with Mrs. Chen, who would undoubtedly try to stop her. Fortunately, the original owner was well-acquainted with the back paths and side entrances. Bai Yun took the route she had used that morning to sneak into the backyard.

Even though it was just the merchant's steward who had come, it was still a significant event for the Bai family. The backyard was empty, with no one in sight. Bai Yun quietly moved forward and, as expected, saw Mrs. Chen standing in the front hall, occasionally glancing outside, likely worried about Bai Yun's sudden return.

Yun had been quietly observing for a while. Taking advantage of Mrs. Zhao's momentary distraction as she called Mrs. Chen to refill the tea, Yun quickly dashed through the front hall and into the room. "Grandmother, I... I didn't realize we had guests. I'm sorry for the intrusion. I'll leave now."

"Hold on a moment," the housekeeper gestured, "Yun? Is this Miss Yun?"

"No..." Mrs. Chen instinctively started to protest, but seeing Mrs. Zhao's gaze on her, she immediately fell silent, not daring to say more for fear of arousing suspicion. She felt a bit frustrated, though. When she came in earlier, she hadn't seen Yun. Where did she pop up from? That troublesome girl, Bai Shao, was supposed to keep an eye on Yun. There was still a glimmer of hope, but now it’s all messed up again!