Chapter 771: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 771: Du Shi Seeks Help After Being Released (4)
When Mo Yan went out to greet the guests earlier, she noticed that Liu Tinglan's complexion was not well. There was a trace of melancholy and irritation in her brows. Now, seeing her face more clouded, Liu often seemed distracted, almost letting the fire in the stove die out.
Mo Yan understood that her usually bright and sunny friend’s current state was all because of the marriage to the Du family, or more specifically, because of Master Liu.
Once, when Mo Yan went to the Liu family to deliver New Year’s gifts, she ran into Young Master Du, who was also there. Her first impression was that he was an average-looking man. His slightly raised brows and the self-satisfied air he often unconsciously exuded showed a certain scholarly aloofness. Beyond that, there was nothing remarkable about him.
She later learned that his fiancée had a friend from a peasant background, and Young Master Du had repeatedly advised Liu Tinglan not to associate with her, fearing she would become tainted by the vulgarity of peasant life. After hearing that she had been titled a County Princess, he became eager to advise Liu Tinglan to maintain a good relationship with her. The drastic change in attitude made it clear that Young Master Du was not as aloof as he seemed, and could even be described as petty and materialistic.
Originally indifferent to Young Master Du, this incident suddenly increased her disdain for him. Of course, it wasn’t out of any positive feelings!
At the same time, Mo Yan felt sorry for Liu Tinglan. The Du family wasn’t worthy of her, and there were times when she thought of encouraging her friend to break the engagement. Perhaps even persuading the Liu family to abandon the idea of having Young Master Du as their son-in-law and find a more reliable match. However, since the engagement with the Du family had been settled, breaking it off was not easy.
Compared to the gentle and courteous Shen Ji, who passed the imperial examination on his first try, Young Master Du—who failed and had an arrogant attitude—was instantly cast aside. Liu Tinglan deserved someone much better, and Mo Yan often wondered if she should encourage her to reconsider.
Not wanting to see her friend so depressed, Mo Yan spoke up: "Sister Lan, you haven't come in a few days, Mao Tuan misses you. Let me bring him in to keep you company!"
Actually, Mo Qingze had been imprisoned last month, and Liu Tinglan had stayed behind to accompany Mo Yan until the public trial. It wasn’t until Liu Tinglan’s mother fell ill that Mo Yan convinced her to leave, and the two hadn’t seen each other for half a month.
Liu Tinglan’s heart warmed, and a small smile appeared on her face: “Alright, I’ve missed him too. It’s been so long, I wonder if he still remembers me…”
As soon as she finished speaking, a yellow blur darted into the kitchen. Who else could it be but Mao Tuan, who wasn’t outside playing?
Hearing his name, Mao Tuan assumed that Mo Yan had made something delicious for him and rushed in excitedly. When he saw that Mo Yan only wanted him to play with Liu Tinglan, his enthusiasm waned slightly, but he obediently began to act cute in front of her, making her laugh.
Mao Tuan was quite the gentle and affectionate creature. When he wanted to act cute, he was just as entertaining as Xiao Hua when it came to making people laugh. Except for not allowing anyone unexpected to pet him, he was usually very easygoing, especially when Liu Tinglan teased him with a bamboo ball, which made him even more excited.
“Ah, that move was beautiful! Mao Tuan, you’re amazing!” Liu Tinglan praised him without reservation, her smile becoming more genuine.
Encouraged by the praise, Mao Tuan played even more energetically, jumping and grabbing with graceful movements that looked fierce, but in reality, he resembled a large cat, giving off a playful aura rather than a threatening one.
Seeing her friend finally smile, Mo Yan couldn’t help but smile herself and rewarded Mao Tuan with a piece of freshly braised pork.
The dishes were half done when Xiao Ruiyuan and Chu Heng arrived, a little later than expected, but it wasn’t intentional. Chu Heng was still recovering, and with the cold weather, they had to prepare carefully before leaving the house.
Xiao Ruiyuan brought with him a full cart of birthday gifts, ranging from valuable antiques and calligraphy to everyday essentials, covering all bases. These gifts would have made even a crown prince's visit pale in comparison.
Knowing that their presence might make others uncomfortable, Chu Heng excused himself, saying he was tired, and Mo Qingze arranged for him to rest in the room he had used during his previous visit.
Once Mo Qingze left, Xiao Ruiyuan, who had been tense ever since entering the Mo household, finally relaxed. Whether it was because he had to do something very important that day, he couldn’t quite tell, but since stepping into the Mo household, he had felt a tight knot in his stomach, especially seeing his future father-in-law. He was nervous about saying the wrong thing or coming off badly, leaving a poor impression.
This behavior made Chu Heng feel completely embarrassed—he couldn’t even acknowledge this person as his cousin. It was just too much of a humiliation.
Xiao Ruiyuan was unaware of Chu Heng’s thoughts. Once he calmed down, he returned to his usual demeanor but ended up asking a question that completely undermined his image: "Cousin, is it possible to talk about that matter on another day?"
Chu Heng was thoroughly defeated by his cousin and didn’t even hesitate to throw the pillow from the bed at him, shouting, "You can talk about it yourself another day!"
Xiao Ruiyuan silently caught the pillow and, under Chu Heng’s disgusted gaze, walked over to place it back in its spot, silently marking himself with a big red cross in his mind.
In the kitchen, Mo Yan finished the last dish. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she mixed some creamy glutinous rice with translucent regular rice and placed it in a steamer.
Glutinous rice on its own can be a bit too heavy, but when mixed in the right proportions with regular rice, it becomes aromatic and delicious.
The dining room was already set up with two large round tables—one for the men, and one for the women and children. The dishes were served one by one, filling the tables with delicious, well-presented food.
Seeing the feast, everyone’s appetite was piqued. Once Chu Heng joined the table after Mo Qingze invited him, everyone sat down to enjoy the rare delicacy.
Mo Yan washed her oily hands in the rice water, untied her apron, and moved to sit with the women, but then she heard the bell on the eaves ringing loudly.
A distinguished guest had arrived. Since Li Xiu and her niece, Tang Xin, couldn’t join the main table, they were eating in the kitchen. Mo Yan didn’t interrupt them, excusing herself politely before going to open the door.
However, when she saw who was standing outside the courtyard, her expression changed abruptly, and with a loud bang, she slammed the gate shut!
(End of Chapter)
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