Chapter 793: 793 Thinking it over for the long term
So from the time she first got her period at fourteen until the end of her life, she had to endure those couple of days each month.
Ye Jiu had heated the water, but she didn't need to bring it in, because Mrs. Zhang had just finished her other chores and come back.
However, when Mrs. Zhang entered and saw her daughter's bald forehead, she was stunned and couldn't react for a long time.
Once Mrs. Zhang came to her senses, she smacked Ye Qinghua on the arm, "You reckless girl, your body and hair are gifts from your parents, how could you cut your hair? This is unfilial!"
Ye Jiu was also taken aback at the doorway.
She had heard the saying that one's body and hair are gifts from one's parents, but she had forgotten it, which was her oversight.
"Sister-in-law, Qinghua's hair was burned to such a state, it was unsightly even without cutting it, and it was me who suggested she cut it. If you must blame someone, blame me," Ye Jiu said as she entered.
Ye Qinghua also felt wronged, "Mother, I'm only cutting it this once, and besides, I've already collected the hair and will burn it in a while, so please don't be mad at me."
Remembering the mess her daughter's hair was in, Mrs. Zhang felt distressed. Indeed, though hairless, the bald head was much better looking than the tangled nest of hair before.
And indeed, though it's said that one's body and hair are gifts from one's parents, this doesn't mean never cutting it at all, only that it should be kept at least waist-length.
As for the cut-off hair, it cannot be kept for personal use, it should either be preserved or burned, as a sign of respect for one's elders.
But Mrs. Zhang had her own worries, "Mother isn't blaming you, I'm just too anxious. You are fourteen, and it's the perfect time to receive suitors, but such an incident just had to happen now; you…"
Mrs. Zhang originally wanted to say how could you meet people looking like this, but thinking about it, her daughter was already feeling bad with no hair, and she truly didn't have the heart to continue.
Ye Qinghua, being grown up, could of course discern Mrs. Zhang's implication, but this time, instead of the sadness she felt before, she was filled with hope, "Mother, my aunt just gave me a medicinal solution, saying if I add two drops when I wash my hair each day, in half a month's time, my hair will grow back to its previous length."
"Really?" Mrs. Zhang was very surprised, she had never heard of such a solution.
"It's true, sister-in-law, you can be assured," Ye Jiu said.
Although Ye Jiu was younger, her words were very credible, and Mrs. Zhang immediately let go of her worries, saying eagerly to Ye Qinghua, "Qinghua, you must remember the kindness your aunt has shown you and be filial to her in the future, do you understand?"
Ye Jiu felt quite embarrassed.
She was two years younger than Ye Qinghua, yet now she was to receive filial piety from her, which was a strange feeling.
However, in ancient times, filial piety was paramount, and respect for elders was determined by seniority, not age. Otherwise, if this were in the present day, she would probably be the one getting bullied as the younger aunt.
"Sister-in-law, you should hurry and help Qinghua wash her hair; the water will cool down if you keep chatting," Ye Jiu thought, feeling an urge to hide underground if this conversation continued.
After all, the Ye Family's current crisis was indirectly caused by her.
And, with Prince Jing arriving in a few days, her original plans needed to be adjusted!
The Ye Family was her Achilles' heel, residing here, they could be manipulated by enemies at any time.
Yet, with so many people in the Ye Family and a web of relatives and friends, some matters had to be carefully strategized.
Every room in the house was now occupied, and they had reverted to the old days where the whole family squeezed into one room. Ye Jiu had no choice but to wander outside before coming back.