Chapter 851: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 851: Unexpected Incident During the Competition (4)
"Then... let’s go with that!" Liu Tinglan and Shen Ji reluctantly agreed, though a faint thrill of nervous delight bubbled up in their hearts.
The elders present didn’t object either. This outing was meant to be a relaxing excursion, and as long as things didn’t go too far, they were fine with however the younger ones wanted to enjoy themselves. With everything happening under their watchful eyes, they weren’t worried about the four doing anything inappropriate.
As for Mo Yan’s suggestion, aside from Mo Qingze, who guessed the reason behind it, the others assumed she simply wanted some time alone with Xiao Ruiyuan. They all cast knowing, subtle smiles in Mo Yan's direction. Mo Qingze didn’t approve of his daughter’s decision but trusted she had her reasons and chose not to voice any opposition.
Mo Yan indeed had her own motives, but her primary goal was to test the waters between her friend and Shen Ji. She glanced at the six beasts not far away, reconnected with Snowball in her mind, gave a few instructions, and then casually handed her hoe to Xiao Ruiyuan, freeing herself to focus on searching the ground for promising bamboo shoots.
Xiao Ruiyuan held two hoes and followed closely behind her, his gaze never leaving Mo Yan.
Meanwhile, Liu Tinglan and Shen Ji also got to work, each searching separately while maintaining a moderate distance between them.
Time was tight, so none of them dared to waste it. However, the six beasts, who had been frolicking nearby, gradually shifted their playful antics toward Liu Tinglan and Shen Ji. Every time Liu Tinglan spotted a bamboo shoot and was about to dig it up, one of the beasts would get there first and “claim” it—by urinating on it. With the shoots thus ruined, Liu Tinglan found herself unable to dig them up.
Shen Ji faced the same predicament. Left with no other choice, the two had to search in areas untouched by the beasts. Unknowingly, they drifted farther away, though they remained within sight, about a hundred paces apart from the others.
When the timing seemed right, the six beasts stopped interfering with Liu Tinglan and Shen Ji. The crimson python swayed its massive tail and hissed softly. The frequency of its hissing was slightly different from usual, a nuance understood only by itself and Snowball within the spatial realm.
On the other side, though Mo Yan’s eyes were fixed on the ground, her attention was focused on Liu Tinglan and Shen Ji. Seeing the pair crouch down to dig up a bamboo shoot, she slowly edged closer to their direction.
Xiao Ruiyuan didn’t notice anything unusual about Mo Yan. Thinking she might be tired from searching, he said, “Take a rest. I’ll do the searching.”
Hearing this, Mo Yan truly stopped searching. Pointing toward Liu Tinglan and Shen Ji, she asked, “Brother Xiao, do you think they’re a good match?”
Xiao Ruiyuan followed her gaze to see the two working together to dig up a shoot. After a brief moment of contemplation, he answered earnestly, “One is bright and outgoing, the other steady and composed—they complement each other well.”
Mo Yan kept her gaze fixed on them and smiled faintly. “I think they’re a good match too. That’s why I’ve decided to break up Sister Lan and her fiancé, so she and Brother Shen can become a couple. What do you think, Brother Xiao?”
Xiao Ruiyuan’s expression remained unchanged. Turning slightly to shield them from prying eyes, he gently ruffled Mo Yan’s hair and said softly, “As long as it makes you happy.”
Hearing his response, Mo Yan’s expression became conflicted. She was satisfied with his answer, but wasn’t it a bit... indulgent of him to support her in breaking off someone else’s engagement without even asking why? And wasn’t there a touch of indifference in that?
Thinking about Xiao Ruiyuan’s upbringing, Mo Yan felt as though her heart had been stung by a bee—sharp and painful. That he grew up without going astray was already remarkable. If he seemed cold and detached, who could blame him? Deep down, he carried a great sense of love; otherwise, he wouldn’t have saved her back then.
With this in mind, Mo Yan felt at ease. Compared to when they first met, the man she loved now exuded much more warmth. The icy frost that had once enveloped him had thawed considerably. In time, he would only improve, and that was enough.
Immersed in her thoughts, Mo Yan didn’t notice what was happening with Liu Tinglan and Shen Ji. Suddenly, Shen Ji’s panicked shout rang out across the bamboo forest: “Miss Liu, watch out—”
(End of Chapter)
No comments: