Chapter 785: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 785: A Troubled Marriage (2)
Li Xiu paused her chopping for a moment before calmly replying, "There's nothing unusual; you're just overthinking it."
Though she said this, her heart secretly rejoiced for Mo Yan. A gentleman stays away from the kitchen, yet here was a man stepping into it just to sneak a few more glances at a woman. He must be deeply smitten!
Li Yan, however, remained doubtful, her gaze shifting skeptically toward Xiao Ruiyuan. She didn’t feel she was overthinking at all.
Among everyone present, Liu Tinglan was the most shocked. As someone who had "been there, done that," she immediately recognized the meaning behind Xiao Ruiyuan's unabashed gaze. But who could explain to her when this cold-faced man had set his sights on her dear friend? Should she warn Mo Yan to be cautious? If Mo Yan ended up in Xiao Ruiyuan’s clutches, his icy demeanor alone might freeze her to death!
“Sister Lan, hurry up and add more firewood! The flame’s dying down!” Mo Yan called out as the crackling sound in the pot weakened. She grabbed some chopped scallions and ginger, preparing to toss them in.
Noticing no response from Liu Tinglan, Mo Yan looked up in confusion. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Xiao Ruiyuan standing at the doorway and exclaimed in surprise, “Why didn’t you go to the fields?”
“Cousin asked me to stay behind and inspect the carriage,” Xiao Ruiyuan replied smoothly, a faint smile curving his lips. He took the opportunity to subtly build favor for his cousin in front of Mo Yan.
“Ah, His Highness really is... really such a thoughtful older brother!” Mo Yan replied with an awkward chuckle, feeling compelled to praise him, though she inwardly knew better. Her father would surely see through such a ploy, though whose account he would hold it against was another matter.
This otherwise ordinary exchange left Liu Tinglan dumbfounded. This... this tone of ease and familiarity between them—what was going on? Could it be that they harbored mutual feelings?
Liu Tinglan, being a straightforward person, couldn’t leave her suspicions unresolved. If the matter wasn’t too sensitive, she would pursue the truth.
When Mo Yan finished cooking the dishes and handed the stove over to Li Xiu, Liu Tinglan wasted no time grabbing Mo Yan’s wrist and dragging her out of the kitchen. As they passed Xiao Ruiyuan, she shot him a warning glare, clearly indicating he shouldn’t follow.
Xiao Ruiyuan remained unfazed and made no move to trail them. He didn’t need to eavesdrop to guess the topic of their conversation.
However, Liu Tinglan’s voice was rather loud, and words like "that cold-faced block of ice," "lacking any romantic sense," and "break it off" floated clearly to Xiao Ruiyuan’s ears. His expression darkened with each phrase. While he felt these judgments were unfair, he also started reflecting on whether he truly had such shortcomings, even identifying areas for improvement.
In a quiet corner, after much questioning, Liu Tinglan finally confirmed her suspicions. She looked at Mo Yan with a pained expression, shaking her shoulders as she exclaimed, "You ungrateful girl! I’ve always treated you like a sister, sharing everything with you, and yet you kept this hidden from me! If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, how long were you planning to keep me in the dark?"
“Uh, Sister Lan, calm down! Please, calm down!” Mo Yan’s head was spinning from the shaking. “I didn’t mean to keep it from you. I hadn’t even told my father yet and didn’t know how things would turn out, so I didn’t mention it to you!”
Liu Tinglan stopped her assault at this explanation, her eyes sparkling as she asked, “So, Uncle Mo knows now? Does that mean he’s approved of you two?”
Mo Yan shook her head, then nodded. “My father knows, but he hasn’t agreed.” She then recounted Mo Qingze’s exact words from the previous day.
“I see,” Liu Tinglan said knowingly. “You’re still young. It would be surprising if Uncle Mo agreed so soon.”
“Maybe…” Mo Yan, a young woman housing an adult soul, felt a bit awkward. Technically, she was a few years older than Xiao Ruiyuan!
(End of Chapter)
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