Chapter 11: The Seeds of Change
The faint evening light spilled through the small cracks of the window, casting long golden lines across the humble wooden room. Bai Xia could tell from her mother's expression that Chu Sun had already understood her intentions. Her goal was simple—she wanted her mother to see that even without the Bai family, their family could still live, still thrive.
"Xia'er," Chu Sun finally said, her voice trembling slightly, "don't tell anyone about this. Not your siblings, not anyone. Just wait till your father returns. For now, keep this money—it's yours. You earned it, so I won't take it from you."
Bai Xia smiled faintly. "Mom, you can take some. Buy something nice for us. I haven't eaten since yesterday morning."
Chu Sun's heart clenched. How could she not take it when her daughter said that? After a moment's hesitation, she took ten yen and left for the market. She and her husband could go hungry, but the children—never.
Once Chu Sun was gone, Bai Xia took the chance to enter her space. The familiar light surrounded her as she appeared inside the vast expanse of green fields and clear air. She walked toward the shining silver building labeled Everything Mall and tapped on the floating screen.
"Search: simple clothes," she murmured.
In an instant, rows of plain yet clean clothes appeared before her. Shirts, trousers, and sandals—all simple but neat. She carefully picked a few for herself, along with headbands, hairpins, and dresses. The system automatically adjusted them to her size.
Curious, she typed again, "Simple clothes for all sizes."
The display shifted. Now, men's and women's clothing of every size filled the shelves. Bai Xia picked out a few sets for her father and younger brother, and some for her mother and elder sister. When she finished, a large bag of clothes materialized beside her, filled with the fruits of her quiet labor.
Though plain, these garments were clean, well-stitched, and far better than the tattered hand-me-downs her family wore. A small smile tugged at Bai Xia's lips. "One day," she whispered, "we'll wear beautiful clothes openly. No one will look down on us again."
She exited her space, clutching the plastic bag tightly. Standing behind the bushes near the house, she waited until she spotted her mother returning from the market. Then, pretending to have come from the opposite direction, she walked out to meet her.
"Mom, you're back," she called softly.
Chu Sun saw the bag in her daughter's hands and hurried to help. Once inside the small wooden room, curiosity got the better of her. "Xia'er, what's inside?"
When Bai Xia pulled out the clothes, Chu Sun froze. She saw her daughter's hard-earned money turned into neat piles of shirts, dresses, and shoes for everyone in the family. Tears welled up and streamed down her cheeks.
Bai Xia panicked. "Mom, what's wrong? Don't you like them?"
Chu Sun quickly wiped her tears, forcing a smile. "Xia'er… shouldn't you have kept this money? You'll need it later."
Only then did Bai Xia understand. Her heart softened. "Don't worry, Mother. I bought them at a discount and still have some money left. Look at us—our clothes are worse than anyone else's in the village. Even poor families dress better. We have to look decent too."
Chu Sun nodded slowly. Her husband's small salary never left anything for them, and they had always worn the unwanted castoffs of the Bai family. She touched the fabric of a new dress—soft, light, almost too good to be true.
Then Bai Xia asked quietly, "Mom, when will Big Brother come home?"
The question struck deep. Chu Sun swallowed hard before replying, "Your brother is staying with some friends, doing small jobs to get by. He wanted to leave this place after the old lady refused to treat us fairly. When our lives get better, he'll come home. Don't worry, he's safe."
That reassurance was enough for Bai Xia. She smiled and went to review her school notes while her mother prepared lunch.
Inside the dim room, she flipped through her notebooks. Before, she had always struggled to memorize lessons. But now—she could understand everything instantly. Her skill, Master of All Tongues, was truly working. She read English words effortlessly and understood even difficult Chinese idioms at a glance.
"This skill is amazing…" she whispered, eyes shining with excitement.
Time passed quickly. By the time the sky darkened, her elder sister Bai Xuan and her younger siblings, Bai Yang and Bai Xin, had returned home.
"Don't disturb your sister," Bai Xuan reminded them gently. "She's still recovering from her injuries."
The two nodded obediently.
Later, Bai Xuan entered the room and saw the glow on Bai Xia's face. "Xia'er, how do you feel now? Are your injuries healing?" she asked softly. But before Bai Xia could answer, Bai Xuan's eyes widened—some of the wounds had nearly disappeared.
"I-I can't believe it," Bai Xuan murmured. "Your skin heals so fast… you've always been so beautiful."
Bai Xia chuckled. "Maybe I just got lucky."
Then Bai Yang and Bai Xin burst in. "Sister, we're back!"
"How's school?" she asked, smiling.
"Good!" Bai Yang said proudly. "Except for math. Math's evil."
Bai Xin giggled. "Brother says that every day!"
Everyone laughed, their laughter filling the small, cold room with warmth. When Chu Sun entered, she paused at the doorway, smiling at the lively scene. How long had it been since she'd seen her children so happy?
Dinner was simple: steamed rice, pickled vegetables, and a small portion of stir-fried cabbage with bits of salted egg. The food of the poor—but tonight, it smelled heavenly.
"Mom," Bai Yang said between bites, "why is dinner so good today? Is it a festival?"
Chu Sun smiled faintly. "No, it's thanks to your elder sister. She earned money and told me to buy this for you all."
Both Bai Yang and Bai Xin froze, chopsticks in midair. Then they turned to Bai Xia. "Thank you, Sister!" they chorused, eyes bright.
Bai Xia blinked away the sudden sting of tears. Was this what happiness felt like?
After dinner, Chu Sun took out the new clothes, distributing them to everyone. The children's laughter echoed through the small courtyard as they admired their fresh garments. For once, they didn't have to wear someone else's leftovers.
Later that night, Bai Sung returned home from the factory, tired and covered in dust. Before he could head to the main house to greet his mother, Chu Sun quietly pulled him aside. "Come with me," she whispered.
She then went to fetch Bai Xia and Bai Xuan. When the two girls entered their parents' room, Bai Xia carried a small cloth bundle in her hands. Inside lay two large, golden-rooted ginseng.
Bai Sung's eyes widened. "This… this is ginseng! Where did you get it?"
"I found it on the mountain," Bai Xia explained softly. "I was looking for herbs and vegetables to sell."
Bai Sung's jaw tightened, torn between shock and pride. Then a smile slowly spread across his weary face. "Xia'er, you've done well. You've done better than I could ever imagine."
Bai Xuan moved closer and hugged her sister tightly. "You're amazing, Xia'er. So clever, so brave… and you still think of all of us."
For a brief moment, the small room was filled with warmth, hope, and quiet laughter. But then Chu Sun's words cut through the gentle air like a blade.
"What should we do about the old lady?"
The room fell silent. Bai Sung's smile faded, replaced by a heavy, serious expression. "Maybe…" he began slowly, "maybe we should tell her."
And just like that, the fragile peace of their night trembled—because in the Bai family, even a small truth could ignite a storm.