Chapter 939: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 939: Tooth for a Tooth, Identity Exposed (4)
If that time ever came, it would require a great number of physicians. Mo Yan intended to cultivate her own talent, even if not every healer possessed perfect medical ethics, it was still better than hiring those whose backgrounds were unknown.
Running a medical clinic and training physicians was no small feat—it was a monumental task that couldn’t be completed in a short time. These plans were still part of Mo Yan’s future goals, but when they would come to fruition, she had no idea.
Once the medicinal herbs were dried, Mo Yan returned indoors and heard the sound of chopping wood coming from the backyard. She saw the lean young man swinging the axe with all his might and, surprisingly, hitting the log accurately with every strike. She smiled. Had he truly gotten better with practice?
Although the log was still intact after each strike, it seemed like a good way to build his strength.
Mao Tuan, lounging in the shade under the eaves, lazily opened one eye and watched as Cui Ping’an chopped wood. When it noticed Mo Yan approaching, it immediately stood up and rubbed against her legs, sticking out its bright red tongue and licking its lips with a "smack-smack" sound.
Mo Yan immediately understood what the little creature wanted. She smiled, retrieved three freshly picked watermelons from the well, and instructed Mao Tuan to go inside and invite the five beasts hiding in the cool shade to eat.
“The sun’s too hot. You should rest for a while, eat some watermelon, and then continue chopping,” Mo Yan said as she entered the kitchen to slice the melons, calling out to Cui Ping’an outside.
Cui Ping’an, feeling exhausted and thirsty, perked up at the mention of watermelon. He immediately dropped the axe and rushed into the kitchen. Upon seeing the large, round watermelons, he nearly drooled. After washing his hands and face, he returned with the others and the five beasts.
Mo Yan cut the watermelon into pieces, giving the two largest ones to the six beasts with hearty appetites, while the smallest one was shared among the seven people.
The watermelons were homegrown, planted just outside the courtyard walls. Thanks to regular watering with spiritual spring water, they grew large and juicy with a refreshing, sweet taste.
For Mo Yan’s family, eating the watermelons was a common occurrence, but for Cui Ping’an, it was his first time tasting them. He found them to be the most delicious watermelon he had ever eaten, devouring three large pieces in one go, yet still feeling unsatisfied.
Mo Yan stopped him from eating a fourth piece—not because she was stingy, but because his body was in such a fragile state. While the watermelon was filled with beneficial energy, it was also cold in nature, and consuming too much could cause diarrhea.
Cui Ping’an clearly understood that he couldn’t eat too much. His greed had gotten the better of him, but after Mo Yan pointed it out, he no longer insisted. After a short rest, he went back to chopping wood.
Mo Yan said nothing further. Just as she was about to return to her own courtyard to take a nap, the birds she had sent out earlier to gather information began to return one by one.
Listening to Xue Tuanzi translate the feedback from the birds, it turned out just as Mo Yan had suspected—the young man indeed came from an extraordinary background. However, she had never expected that he was actually Cui Ping’an—the very same Seventh Master Cui, whom the matchmaker had once brought to her for a potential match!
Mo Yan rubbed her aching forehead, unsure if Cui Ping’an knew the truth. Whether he knew or not, she could no longer keep him around. She went straight to the point, saying to him, “Your family is searching for you everywhere. They’ve turned the capital upside down looking for you. You should go home as soon as possible.”
“No, I won’t go back!” Cui Ping’an immediately shook his head in refusal. But as soon as he realized what Mo Yan had just said, his eyes widened in shock. He stared at her and even dropped the axe in his hand, “How do you know my family is looking for me? You know who I am, don’t you?”
Mo Yan waved her hand impatiently. “Don’t worry about how I know your family is looking for you. I don’t know who you are, but I can’t keep you here anymore. If you insist on staying, I’ll send someone to your family and have them come get you.”
“No, you can’t do that!” Cui Ping’an cried out in panic, blocking Mo Yan’s path as though afraid she would really go to his family. “The capital isn’t my home. I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to marry my cousin from my uncle’s side. I want to go back to Yuan City. I want to find Fang Cao.”
Mo Yan was taken aback, noticing how strongly he resisted. Her tone softened. “Your family is searching for you because they care about you. How could you bear to make them worry like this? Your grandmother treats you so well. She’s so old, yet she’s still worried about you. Do you think it’s fair to put her through this?”
Cui Ping’an instinctively shook his head. He thought back to how weak and worried his grandmother had looked when he had run away last night. A trace of concern appeared on his face.
Mo Yan continued, “So why not go back? If you make your grandmother worry so much that something happens to her, do you think you’ll ever find peace in this life?”
A conflicted look appeared on Cui Ping’an’s face as he struggled to speak. “But that’s not really my home. I’m not happy there. I don’t want to go back! If my grandmother is willing to come back to Yuan City with me, I’ll take care of her for the rest of my life.”
Mo Yan looked at him, suddenly feeling a twinge of sympathy for this seemingly naive young man. Perhaps he wasn’t very clever, but it seemed like he understood more than he let on. When he mentioned going back to Yuan City to find someone named Fang Cao, Mo Yan guessed that Fang Cao was probably a girl—perhaps the one he had feelings for.
Cui Ping’an had no idea what Mo Yan was thinking. Seeing that she remained silent, his anxiety grew, and he clenched his fists. “Miss Mo, I’ll write a letter to my grandmother. Please, you can send it to the Cui family. Once she sees the letter, she won’t worry anymore.”
Seeing his pleading expression, Mo Yan’s heart softened. She sighed and nodded. “Go ahead and write it. I’ll find someone to send it, but if your family finds me and comes to take you back, you must go with them.”
Cui Ping’an nodded vigorously, his delicate face full of gratitude. “Thank you, thank you, Miss Mo.”
(End of Chapter)
No comments: