Chapter 752
Chapter 752
Chapter 752 He Can’t Marry You
An Xia didn't fall for his tricks as she tossed a pillow at him and simply ignored him.
Later on, Bai Jingshu hesitated for a while but eventually decided to climb into bed.
The weather was indeed cold, and An Xia couldn't possibly let him sleep on the floor for real.
...
The following day was Saturday.
After breakfast, Bai Yeqi and his wife went out, and An Xia was clueless about their plans.
She had no interest in asking either.
Shortly thereafter, Bai Mingxu came downstairs and glanced in Bai Jingshu's direction. He said, "Jingshu, I need to attend to some matters at the military base. Grandpa requires something, so come along with me and help bring it back."
"Okay," Bai Jingshu replied without hesitation, holding An Xia's hand as he got ready to leave.
Bai Mingxu then looked at An Xia and said, "Miss An, you can just stay at home."
His tone was assertive and unquestionable.
An Xia glanced at Bai Jingshu.
Bai Jingshu frowned slightly, his expression darkened slightly.
He understood that Bai Mingxu wanted to take this opportunity to have Old Master Bai talk to An Xia. Content is property of NôvelDrama.Org.
Old Master Bai, having experienced real battles in his youth and having held a high position before retiring, had a commanding presence and a strong temperament. If he had any issues with An Xia, she wouldn't stand a chance against him.
Bai Jingshu hesitated for only a couple of seconds before deciding to refuse, but suddenly, An Xia pushed him out.
Perplexed, he turned back and saw An Xia's smiling face.
She nudged him again. "Hurry up, Mr. Bai is calling you. Don't keep him waiting."
Bai Jingshu wanted to say something, but with so many people around, he couldn't easily express himself.
An Xia briefly held Bai Jingshu's hand, reassuring him silently before letting go. She wanted him to know that there was no need to worry and that she wasn't afraid.
Suddenly, Old Master Bai's voice echoed from the stairs. "What are you dawdling for? Have you grown bold now that you won't listen to me and refuse to go with your father to help me bring something back?"
Although Old Master Bai was in his sixties, he had a strong presence and good spirits when he spoke. His unexpected remark startled An Xia, who was unprepared.
With his grandfather expressing his disapproval, Bai Jingshu found it hard to say anything more. He reluctantly followed Bai Mingxu and left, glancing back three times before finally departing.
Observing her grandson's behavior, Old Master Bai became angry and pointed at him with his cane. "Bai Jingshu, is it worth going to such lengths for a woman? Do I look like I'm going to chop her up and eat her?"
Bai Jingshu couldn't help but think, Aren't you?
That was precisely what he had been worried about.
An Xia understood why Old Master Bai was angry.
She communicated with Bai Jingshu through her eyes, urging him to leave quickly. Subtly, she made a phone gesture with her hand. It was only then that Bai Jingshu departed with a sense of peace.
After Bai Jingshu and Bai Mingxu left, Old Master Bai came down the stairs.
An Xia hurried over to support him.
Old Master Bai raised his hand and declined An Xia's assistance. "Why do you need to help? Do I look so old that I can't walk anymore?"
An Xia silently withdrew her hand.
She recalled Bai Jingshu's warning about Old Master Bai's strange temper.
In fact, An Xia could understand Old Master Bai's behavior. After all, he used to be a formidable person in his youth, and now that he was old and idle at home, it was inevitable for him to want to assert his authority and find a sense of existence by meddling in things.
Trying to play along, An Xia smiled and said, "No, you look energetic."
Old Master Bai snorted. "Don't flatter me with nonsense. I have a lot of health issues. Why else would they give me a cane to lean on?"'
An Xia found herself at a loss for words.
She could now see why Bai Jingshu had been so snarky when they first met, as the words he uttered had the power to provoke anyone's temper.
As it turned out, the family's sharp tongue seemed to run in the blood.
Feeling uncertain about what to say, An Xia sighed. It seemed like anything she said would be rebutted by Old Master Bai.
He sat down on the sofa with his cane and looked up at An Xia. "Speak up! Why aren't you speaking? You're as timid as my grandsons. Every time I say something to them, they dare not reply!"
In a soft voice, An Xia replied, "Well, they are your grandsons, after all." It was only natural for them to be timid and submissive.
Old Master Bai couldn't hear her clearly and raised his voice. "What did you say? Speak louder!"
His loud shout made An Xia's heart tremble, and she raised her voice too, asserting, "Grandsons are meant to be timid!"
Old Master Bai's expression became serious as he retorted, "You've got some guts! How dare you come to the Bai Residence with my grandson!"
An Xia lowered her head, looking sincere. "Of course, I'm afraid too. However, it's precisely because Bai Jingshu is willing to bring me to the Bai Residence that I can't just back down and disappoint him."
After finishing her statement, she looked up at Old Master Bai.
She realized that the members of the Bai family were all exceedingly shrewd, and her little cleverness wouldn't be enough; honesty and speaking the truth were her best approach.
Although she kept her head lowered, she could feel Old Master Bai's gaze fixed on her.
He was scrutinizing her every move.
After a while, he let out a sigh. "You're a bit plain-looking."
An Xia touched her face. Plain-looking?
She was well aware that the siblings of the Bai family were all exceptionally attractive, but she hadn't expected Old Master Bai to be such a beauty critic.
Although she admitted that Bai Jingshu might be slightly better-looking than her, she had been considered a class beauty since childhood.
"Compared to Jingshu, I might be a little less good-looking." An Xia smiled and nodded along.
Understanding Old Master Bai's peculiar temperament, she knew arguing with him would be futile. It was better to go along with what he said.
But then, the next words from Old Master Bai wiped the smile off An Xia's face.
"Our Bai family is not ordinary, and not just anyone can enter," he asserted. Seeing An Xia's expression change slightly, he continued, "I can tell that you are a nice person, and Jingshu likes you a lot. I'm not that narrow-minded of a person. Both of you can be together, but there is one condition: he can't marry you."
An Xia's face turned pale, and she was left speechless.
She understood the implications behind Old Master Bai's words.
They wouldn't stop her from being with Bai Jingshu, but they wouldn't allow Bai Jingshu to marry her either. They were only willing to let him keep her as a lover.
This kind of statement was even more embarrassing and hurtful than not allowing her to be with Bai Jingshu at all.
Suddenly, Old Master Bai looked behind An Xia and remarked, "Weren't you going to a friend's
wedding with Yeqi? How come you're back alone?"
An Xia turned her head and saw Shu Yanian, who had dressed up carefully, standing quietly not far away. She hadn't noticed when Shu Yanian had returned.
With a smile, Shu Yanian walked over and explained, "I felt a bit unwell, so I came back first."
Old Master Bai's words carried a hint of reproach as he said, "You left Yeqi alone there. What if he drank too much and can't come back?"
An Xia felt a strange sense of balance in her heart. Even if Old Master Bai didn't like her, it didn't seem like he was particularly fond of Shu Yanian either.
Shu Yanian lowered her head, appearing as if she had been wronged, and didn't dare to speak up. "I wasn't feeling well, so I came back early."
Old Master Bai seemed quite impatient with her demeanor and waved his hand repeatedly. "Go rest then. Why are you standing here for?"