Chapter 691: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 691: Xiao Ruiyuan's Schemes (4)
Mo Yan snapped out of her daze and looked up, meeting Xiao Ruiyuan’s smiling eyes. His slightly upturned lips captivated her, leaving her mind blank and her heart fluttering.
Seeing this, Mo Qingze’s face darkened. Despite the impulse to scold his daughter for her obvious infatuation, he forced a stiff smile and said to Xiao Ruiyuan, “My daughter must be too tired. She may have been impolite in front of Lord Xiao. Please don’t take it to heart.”
At this point, Mo Qingze was still trying to defend his daughter and salvage her reputation, showing just how much he cared.
Xiao Ruiyuan, noticing Mo Yan's flushed face at being called "Lord Xiao," smiled even more broadly. His voice was deep and pleasant as he said, “Your daughter is straightforward and charming. There’s no need to be concerned.”
“Ha ha, Lord Xiao is truly a person of genuine character. This friend of yours, Ziyu, I am determined to establish a connection with!” Mo Qingze laughed heartily, his admiration for Xiao Ruiyuan growing. The more he looked, the more pleasing Xiao Ruiyuan seemed.
Little did Mo Qingze know that this seemingly agreeable person would soon transform into a predator who would whisk away his beloved daughter, making him regret the decision to “invite the wolf into the house.”
“Friend?” Xiao Ruiyuan’s lips twitched almost imperceptibly, though his expression remained increasingly gentle, filled with respect for his elder. “As the elder, you are revered, and I admire your talents. If you don’t mind my humble abilities, perhaps we can establish an uncle-nephew relationship, and you can guide me.”
Mo Qingze’s eyes revealed a hint of disappointment. While he had read a few more books and gained some knowledge, the person before him was truly talented and ambitious. He knew the offer of guidance was merely a polite gesture.
Nonetheless, Xiao Ruiyuan’s proposal to call him “uncle” was a sign of respect. After all, he was much older.
With this in mind, Mo Qingze’s face brightened again, and he smiled, “Guidance is too much to ask for, but if you have any questions, feel free to come by anytime. It will be a great pleasure to discuss things with you, ha ha!”
“Then I thank Uncle Mo!” Xiao Ruiyuan eagerly accepted the offer. Even the transition from “Master Mo” to “Uncle Mo” was seamless and without strain.
Mo Yan, witnessing this historically significant moment, was stunned. She realized that her previous attempts to deceive the villagers paled in comparison to the skillful manipulation she was witnessing.
If Xiao Ruiyuan were not so reserved, she could almost imagine him as a wolf in sheep’s clothing, swaying a long fox tail…
With Mo Qingze around, Mo Yan and Xiao Ruiyuan couldn’t find an opportunity to be alone. It wasn’t until lunchtime when Mo Yan brought out a jar of fine grape wine that Mo Qingze, in high spirits, insisted on having a few more drinks with Xiao Ruiyuan.
The wine was of high vintage and had a strong aftereffect. Mo Qingze, who had a low tolerance for alcohol, began to feel dizzy after a few cups. However, with a distinguished guest present, he didn’t want to retreat to his room alone, so he forced himself to drink a few more.
Xiao Ruiyuan, with a much better tolerance for alcohol, noticed that Mo Qingze was slurring his words and was concerned for his health. He quickly pretended to be drunk and declined any more drinks.
Mo Qingze, not one to push, put down his cup upon hearing this and urged Xiao Ruiyuan to eat more. After forcing himself to eat a little, he ended up leaning on the table and falling asleep.
Mo Yan, wearing an apron and bringing out dessert soup, saw Xiao Ruiyuan helping her father to stand. She quickly set down the soup and supported her father from the other side, glaring at Xiao Ruiyuan, “My father has a low tolerance for alcohol. Why didn’t you stop him? Now he’ll sleep until midnight, which is bad for his health!”
Xiao Ruiyuan’s face showed genuine remorse as he apologized sincerely, “It is my fault. It won’t happen again.”
He offered no excuses for his future father-in-law’s low alcohol tolerance and didn’t seem to mind Mo Yan’s direct rebuke.
Mo Yan huffed and eyed him, “Do you dare say you weren’t doing it on purpose? Don’t think my father is easily fooled. When he figures out your little scheme, don’t blame me for not helping you!”
“I understand!” Xiao Ruiyuan’s gaze grew deeper, his voice like rich, aged wine. “But I miss you.”
Because he missed her and wanted to be alone with her, he took a risk of offending his future father-in-law, using a little trick to create a brief opportunity for them to be alone.
Mo Yan, who had intended to tease him further, found her words disappearing at the sound of “I miss you.” Her gaze remained locked on his deep eyes, and she heard only the heartfelt sentiment of his confession.
Unaware of the carefully planned maneuver to create this moment alone, Mo Qingze slept soundly, his daughter having fed him a bowl of hangover soup, cleaned his face, and covered him with a blanket.
After closing the door softly, Mo Yan joined Xiao Ruiyuan in the front courtyard for dinner.
Xiao Ruiyuan, having eaten little, was still hungry. With him being the honored guest, Mo Yan and the others had refrained from eating. Now that Mo Qingze was asleep, Mo Yan naturally invited others to join Xiao Ruiyuan, including the reluctant Xiao Shiyi, who was dragged out of the kitchen.
Li Xiu, her niece, and Tang Xin were unwilling to join the table, and Mo Yan, fearing they might feel uncomfortable, didn’t press them. With Zhen’er present and the five beasts occasionally lightening the mood, the dinner table was lively and enjoyable.
Mo Yan remained preoccupied with the second imperial edict from the Emperor. After sending the children to nap, she eagerly led Xiao Ruiyuan to the vine-covered courtyard to discuss his views on the matter.
It turned out their thoughts aligned, and both believed the Emperor’s actions had deeper implications…
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