The Bai Family considered themselves an old, distinguished family. Although they might have had their ups and downs, they always prided themselves on being an aristocratic family and carried themselves with that certain air.
In ancient times, aristocratic families had hereditary servants. While that concept didn’t exist in modern society, this nanny was no ordinary nanny.
Her grandmother had been the nanny hired by the Bai family patriarch’s generation. Later, her daughter, and then her granddaughter, also stayed with the Bai family.
Three generations had worked for the Bai Family. Though she was a nanny, a job that sounded like serving others, it was actually quite good. Their lives were better than that of the average person.
Because the Bai Family was very generous with their daily food and provisions, everything was wonderful as long as they were diligent.
Even though she was a nanny, she was a gentle person. In terms of bearing, she even seemed more refined than Su Li’s classmate, Qu An, and Mrs. Qu.
The nanny, Sister Li, had a grandmother who was now enjoying a comfortable retirement. Currently, she and her mother worked for the Bai Family; her mother looked after Mrs. Bai and the elders, while she was primarily assigned to Bai Xinyue.
She was about ten years older than Bai Xinyue and had been looking after her since she was a child. She was deeply loyal to and protective of Bai Xinyue, acting more like a big sister than a mother.
Sister Li saw clearly how much Bai Xinyue cared for Wu Sheng. She had originally thought that since Bai Xinyue had lost an eye, she would at least get the man of her dreams. Who would have thought Wu Sheng would speak to Bai Xinyue like this?
She was both furious and heartbroken.
"Miss was completely devoted to protecting you! After saving you, she even told us not to mention it, afraid it would put you in a difficult position. She even said she couldn’t use the fact that she saved your life to pressure you. I spit on that!"
Sister Li supported Bai Xinyue. "Miss is just too kind-hearted, that’s why she lets people like you bully her! Let me tell you, our Bai Family is not to be trifled with. Don’t you dare slander Miss!"
Bai Xinyue desperately clung to Sister Li, her face a mask of misery. "Sister Li, don’t say any more. I’m begging you, please stop."
Clenching her teeth, she held back her grievances and sobbed, "I was wrong. I never saved anyone. I deserve to be blind. This is all my own fault..."
Sister Li was so heartbroken for her that she trembled all over.
"This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! Miss, don’t cry. Get up."
Seeing Bai Xinyue sobbing so hard she could barely breathe, Sister Li’s heart ached. When she couldn’t help her up, she simply bent down, lifted her into her arms, and carried her back to the bed.
"To think that someone so widely praised is actually this kind of person behind the scenes... it’s truly been an eye-opener. Miss, don’t be afraid. I’ll go get the Madam for you..."
Sister Li coaxed Bai Xinyue.
Bai Xinyue shook her head. "No, don’t get Mom. Don’t get anyone. I can’t bear the humiliation..."
She muttered to herself, then suddenly took two deep breaths, wiped her tears, and looked at Wu Sheng.
"Wu Sheng, if that’s what you truly believe, then let’s just pretend it’s the truth. You can go. Let’s act as if we’ve never met."
Wu Sheng stared at Bai Xinyue and Sister Li as if they were two freaks, listening without saying a word.
Watching Bai Xinyue and Sister Li’s performance and hearing them use terms like "Miss," all he could do was sneer.
’Are they shooting a movie or something? This whole act is ridiculous... heh.’
As Wu Sheng sneered, he saw Bai Xinyue wipe away her tears, her face turning ice-cold. "I will explain to everyone that I never saved anyone. It was all my own hysteria. I deserve to be blind."
After speaking, Bai Xinyue turned, leaving Wu Sheng with nothing but her cold silhouette.
Then, she barked a command: "Sister Li, show them out."
This was an order to leave.
Sister Li shot a vicious glare at Wu Sheng and Su Li, who was by the door. "Our Miss needs to rest now. Please leave."
Her "please" was spoken with heavy, deliberate emphasis.
Wu Sheng looked at Bai Xinyue’s back and scoffed.
"I thought since we lived in the same era, we could still communicate. I see now I was wrong."
Compared to when he first came in, the look in Wu Sheng’s eyes had only grown colder.
"You and I both know what the truth is. No matter what you say, my conscience will always be clear. If your Bai Family—if you, Bai Xinyue—want to hold me responsible for your eye and demand compensation, I’m not afraid. We can review the situation at any time."
"But remember this: don’t let just any Tom, Dick, or Harry run up to Su Li and tell her to leave me."
"If it happens again, I can’t say what might come out of my mouth."
’If Bai Xinyue was really that desperate for a man, if she was so set on playing the role of a savior, he wouldn’t mind obliging her.’
After speaking, Wu Sheng turned and left.
Having just watched a huge drama unfold, Su Li idly thought that Bai Xinyue would be perfect for a historical drama about palace intrigue. Shaking off the thought, she scrambled to support him.
The two of them departed calmly, leaving behind a furious Sister Li, who looked ready to explode with indignation, and Bai Xinyue, her face slightly contorted.
"Miss, I’m so angry I could die! I’m just furious! How can such a person exist..."
Amidst Sister Li’s curses, Bai Xinyue remained silent, her nails digging deep into the soft flesh of her palm. In her one remaining eye, a crazed undercurrent swirled.
’So what if he wasn’t afraid? So what if he said that if the Bai Family, if she, Bai Xinyue, wanted to hold him responsible and demand compensation, he wouldn’t be intimidated?’
’He *should* be responsible for her blind eye. As for compensation, could he even afford it?’
’Who could possibly afford to compensate for one of Bai Xinyue’s eyes?’
’If Wu Sheng had shown some guilt, if he had been sensible enough to leave Su Li and be with her, she might not have pursued the matter further. She would have even accepted being blind.’
’But Wu Sheng had treated her like this. How dare he treat her like this!’
’Did he think that just because his conscience was clear, everything would be fine?’
’He could forget it. Look at the life she was living now. And he wanted to live happily ever after with Su Li? In his dreams!’
A determined, dark light gleamed in Bai Xinyue’s eyes, but the chattering Sister Li didn’t notice.
For the next two days, Bai Xinyue did not appear before Wu Sheng and Su Li again.
However, they heard that quite a few friends had gone to visit her, and that she had "clarified" the matter of saving Wu Sheng.
It was just that the method and process of her "clarification" were a bit problematic. Whenever Su Li occasionally ran into the young ladies from Bai Xinyue’s circle, who were chauffeured around in private cars, they would give her nothing but dirty looks.
Wu Sheng was awake and had clearly stated that Bai Xinyue did not lose her eye saving him. These two facts gave Su Li a spring in her step, and she couldn’t care less about their expressions.
Their scowls were of no importance.
The day after Wu Sheng woke up, Su Li stepped out of the hospital room and saw a back in the hallway that was both strange and familiar.
Su Li watched for a moment before realizing it seemed to be Li Xian.
He had probably heard that Wu Sheng had woken up and came to see him in secret.
As for Little Hei, Su Li and the others hadn’t had time to worry about him. But she later heard that someone had secretly donated money, paying off all of Little Hei’s medical bills and even prepaying a large sum—enough to keep him in the hospital for several years, even if he didn’t wake up.
When Su Li saw Li Xian, she inexplicably suspected he was the one who did it. After she saw him, Ye Xilan, who had been bouncing around the hospital at times that specifically avoided Wu Qihua, also suddenly vanished.
Su Li finally got two days of peace. She thought the matter was over and that they could wait quietly for Wu Sheng to be discharged.
But on the third day, the peace was shattered.
Bai Xinyue had attempted suicide.
Right there in her hospital room, she had locked the door from the inside and slit her wrists.
She left a suicide note. In it, she said she couldn’t accept the blow of losing an eye, and on top of that, couldn’t bear the humiliation, so she simply couldn’t go on living.
Not being able to accept losing an eye was understandable. But "couldn’t bear the humiliation"... that was something worth mulling over.