Chapter 118: Too Ashamed to Show One's Face

Old Mrs. Chen did not blame others, nor did she harbor any resentment. After all, who in the village did not owe a debt of gratitude to the Bai family? If it were her, she would certainly have stood at that person’s doorstep, spitting and cursing for days and nights on end.

Watching her grandmother head toward the aunt’s room, Chen Tianming shifted his leg slightly, wincing in pain. He knew he had been wrong, but now, struggling even to get out of bed, how could he go to apologize to the Great-Aunt?

That little toddler, so tiny, had saved his aunt and cousin, yet he had shouted and raged at her.

The others were right to scold him. Setting aside the deeds of their ancestors long ago, even his grandfather and uncle—which of them had not been saved by the Great-Ancestor Bai? Now that the Great-Ancestor was gone, and the Great-Aunt was still just a child, he had actually… A wave of deep remorse washed over Chen Tianming’s eyes.

Yet, he knew that if he were to live those moments again, he would still make the same mistake. After all, his aunt was like a mother to him.

"Mother, how is Tianming?" Xiao Tao was nursing her child when she saw her mother-in-law enter and quickly asked.

"He is fine; he has already been treated with medicine. You are still weak; put the baby down once you are finished nursing, don't hold him constantly."

Xiao Tao acknowledged the instruction but did not immediately put the child down. This was the baby she had risked her life to bring into the world; no matter how much she looked at him, it was never enough.

"Mother, I am actually feeling much better. Please don't overexert yourself. Leave the chores that aren't urgent. In two days—no, tomorrow—I will be able to..."

Old Mrs. Chen interrupted, "That’s enough. I am not the type to mistreat my daughter-in-law. You just walked through the gates of hell; your body needs time to recover. There isn't much work to do right now, so resting and getting your strength back is the right thing to do."

In these times, for a woman giving birth, those in good circumstances might manage a ten-day or half-month confinement. A full month was something few dared to dream of; in the countryside, most women were back in the fields performing simple tasks after just a few days of rest.

Niuluo Village was relatively humane. Since it was winter and there was little to do, and given how much Xiao Tao had been depleted—having fallen into a deep sleep for two full days—she was forbidden from leaving her bed.

Several days passed. Old Mrs. Chen cared for all three of them alone, feeling so tainted by the shame of the situation that she lacked the face to go to the Tree House to beg for forgiveness. If not for the neighbors occasionally helping with water and other chores, she would have collapsed from exhaustion long ago.

"Mother, should I go to apologize to the Great-Aunt? Tianming only acted out of desperation..." Xiao Tao paused, then continued, "The Great-Aunt is our elder and has always been broad-minded; she won't hold this against us."

Xiao Tao knew that her mother-in-law cherished her nephew like the apple of her eye. If he were driven out, how could she face her mother-in-law, or her husband who was away in the military with no home to return to?

Old Mrs. Chen frowned in disapproval. "Absolutely not. With your current health, it would be a feat just to walk out of the house." The midwife had warned that this time, her constitution had been fundamentally damaged; even after the confinement period, she would need to nurse her health for three to five years. "Besides, if you go, wouldn't that look like a threat?"

"What? No! Mother, how could I ever threaten the Great-Aunt?" Xiao Tao shook her head vigorously; she would never dare harbor such a thought.

Old Mrs. Chen explained, "If you drag your sick body over to plead for mercy, do you think the Great-Aunt would feel compelled to agree? That is exactly what a threat is."

Xiao Tao realized this immediately, a flash of embarrassment crossing her face. The fault lay entirely with their family, and surely the villagers were cursing them behind their backs. If people also thought she was trying to threaten the Great-Aunt, their family would truly have no place left in the village.

"Mother, then..." Xiao Tao said anxiously, "Are we really going to drive my nephew away?" He was still so young; she had raised him herself since she married into the family, and he was not a child with a malicious heart. Besides, at such a young age, if he were cast out, how would he survive?

"It’s alright, don't worry. I will find a way. Starting tomorrow, I will go to the villagers and beg for their intercession..."

As they spoke, the sound of someone visiting the courtyard reached them. Old Mrs. Chen quickly patted Xiao Tao’s hand to tell her to rest, then lifted the curtain and went out.

"Elder Aunt is here. Come, sit inside."

The visitor was surnamed Chen and lived next door. Though she was under forty, her seniority in the clan was higher than Old Mrs. Chen’s.

"I won't sit. I steamed some three-grain buns at home, so I brought a few over for you." She handed a small bamboo basket to Old Mrs. Chen.

Old Mrs. Chen thanked her and took it, but instead of rushing to empty the basket, she held the woman’s hand and asked, "Elder Aunt, is the Great-Aunt well? How is her appetite?"

Inside the room, Chen Tianming and Xiao Tao were listening to the activity in the courtyard. Over the past two days, these were the questions Old Mrs. Chen asked most often whenever she saw the neighbors.

The Elder Aunt sighed softly. "I haven't gone to pay my respects to the Great-Aunt these past two days either. But I heard Chen Rui mention that the Great-Aunt’s appetite is fine."

How could they go? The face of the Chen clan was hanging by a thread. Aside from the few who regularly attended to the Great-Aunt, no one else had the courage to show their face before her.

Old Mrs. Chen sensed the underlying meaning and was filled with guilt. "Elder Aunt, it is all..."

"Sigh, don't talk to me about it. I’m not in a hurry for the basket; just return it when you’ve emptied it." With that, the Elder Aunt called out a greeting to Xiao Tao inside, asked a couple of questions, and turned to leave. As for Chen Tianming, she didn't ask a single word, treating him as if he didn't exist.

Old Mrs. Chen stood in the yard holding the bamboo basket, her heart heavy with bitterness.

On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, Chen Daliu came to visit.

When Old Mrs. Chen saw the village chief arrive without a trace of a smile on his face, her heart sank. It had come.

"Chief, please, sit." Old Mrs. Chen hurriedly moved a chair for him.

After Chen Daliu sat down, he saw the woman—over sixty years old—who had just moved a chair for him, standing to the side, nervously twisting her sleeves and looking completely distraught. His expression softened slightly. "Don't just stand there, sit."

"Oh, yes, of course." After sitting, Old Mrs. Chen leaned toward him, asking urgently, "Chief, is the Great-Aunt well? How is she eating? Is she sleeping well?"

"I haven't gone to see the Great-Aunt today, but I went yesterday. She happened to be feeding Little Black, so I didn't disturb her."

Old Mrs. Chen nodded, her worry easing slightly. If she had truly angered the Great-Aunt to the point of causing her harm, her family would be the greatest of sinners.

"Several days have passed. Do you have a plan for how to handle this?" Although Old Mrs. Chen was older in age and seniority than Chen Daliu—in fact, he should technically address her as "Elder Sister"—he remained formal.

It had come. It was finally here.

From the moment the village chief stepped through the door, Old Mrs. Chen's heart had been racing. Hearing his question, she felt a strange sense of relief—the inevitable had arrived.

Fortunately, the village chief had come on his own. If he had come with the clan elders, there would have been no room left for salvation.