Mo Yan knew very well that if Mo Feng was fired like this, there would definitely be another argument when she returned home. She really didnât want to go back, but she still had to endure, at least until Mo Ling got married.
Guessing that the workshop was about to close for the day, Mo Yan went to wait for Mu Ling, wanting to vent to her.
Complaining about Mo Feng was an inevitability, and she also said that Xiuying and Ms. Li were both really thick-skinned to just ask Mo Feng for gifts.
They chatted while walking, and when they reached the entrance of the village, they saw Mo Feng standing there. Following his gaze, they turned around and saw Xiuying not far behind them.
Mo Yan asked Mo Ling quietly, âHow long has she been following us?â
Mo Ling stuck out her tongue, âProbably the entire way.â
Then she had heard everything they had said!
Xiuying was usually very passionate towards them, but this time she walked past them without even a greeting. However, it didnât matter if she heard them, since what they were saying was the truth anyways.
Mo Yan took her sisterâs hand, âLetâs go home and discuss what kind of wedding dress and jewellery you want. They must be the best.â
Behind them, Xiuying and Mo Feng were muttering. They had to be talking about Mo Fengâs two sisters.
Before entering the house, Mo Yan stopped and took a deep breath, and Mo Ling said gently, âItâs okay, have you forgotten our mother can make a fuss about nothing? Just ignore it.â
When they entered, Ms. Liang was getting firewood for the kitchen. When she saw Mo Yan, she asked, âWell, why did you fire your brother?â
âHeâs taken a lot of things from the firm. Mother, have you seen any of them?â
Ms. Liang shook his head, âNo! Iâve never seen him take anything home.â
âThen think about it, where did those things go?â
Ms. Liang threw the firewood in her hand to the stove, âMs. Li is more greedy than those crows from the Mo family! There hasnât been a single talk of a marriage contract! Itâs shameful to let your daughter ask for things from men all day long.â [1]
As soon as she finished speaking, Mo Feng ran in with tears in his eyes. He pointed at Mo Yan and complained to Ms. Liang, âItâs all her fault. Xiuying knows that Iâm no longer the manager of the firm, so she wonât give me the time of day!â
Mo Ling replied, âThatâs fine. Itâs better to cut off ties with people like her as soon as possible.â
âWhat do you mean thatâs fine! Can you find me a better wife than Xiuying?â
No one dared to answer him!
Mu Ling threw the water ladle into the water tank, âA good wife? Why would she be with you? Because youâre greedy and lazy, or because you canât even carry a load of water?â
Mo Feng actually dared to smack the table, âXiuying left me because she heard you insult her and her motherIâ
Mo Ling turned around and pointed at Mo Feng with a fire poker, âShe said she wonât be with you, right! Well, make her return everything she took from you, and fire her from the workshop. Otherwise Iâll spread this to the streets. Letâs see who dares to marry her!â
Ms. Liang stopped her and said, âOkay, your marriage has just been dealt with, so donât cause trouble. That Ms. Li isnât a pushover.â
Mu Feng took the opportunity to say, âIf Xiuying really doesnât want to get together with me, I will destroy your marriage and make it impossible for you to get married!â [2]
Mo Yan also slapped the table, â If you dare to do that, I will make your life miserable!â
âIf you helped Mo Ling marry, you have to help me too. Get Xiuying to marry me.â
Ms. Liang came over and tugged at Mo Yanâs sleeve, âItâll be really difficult to find him a wife better than Xiuying. Although their family is greedy, Xiuying is attractive and hard-working. In the future, if she marries into the family and has a child, I will die with no regrets.â
Mo Feng chimed in again, âIf you donât want to give up even a little money, why would she marry me! Zhong Cheng only became a suitable choice because he was kind and willing to work hard.â
Unfortunately, there was no way Mo Feng would be able to earn enough money on his own in this life. If he couldnât get married, then Ms. Liang would probably jump down the well.
Mo Yan thought, Iâll leave this family when sister gets married, so who Mo Feng marries has nothing to do with me, since weâll be living separate lives anyway.
âAs long as you listen to me and stop making trouble, I promise that you will marry Xiuying.â
Mo Ling scolded, âYanâer, donât. That Xiuying will be a calamity, he canât marry her.â
âWhether theyâre happily married has nothing to do with us. If he wants to marry her, let him. Heâll bear the burden himself in the future.â
Ms. Liang asked Mo Feng again, âHave you made up your mind to marry Xiuying?â He nodded repeatedly, âIâll only marry her.â
âShe might not want to marry you! What if we find a matchmaker and then she refuses?â
âSheâs willing, but she got angered after hearing what those two were saying about her.â
Ms. Liang turned to Mo Yan again, âYanâer, youâre young, so go talk to her.â
Mo Ling sneered and said, âYanâer, you see! If she marries into the family, you wonât be able to have a good life.â
Mo Yan sighed and shook her head, âWe canât apologise to her. Anyways, I just have to let you marry her.â
What people like Xiuying and Ms. Li need is not an apology, but something more practical.
After dinner, Mo Ling washed the dishes, and Mo Yan stood in the yard looking up at the starry sky. The sky here is so beautiful!
The sound of a willow flute came vaguely from the direction of the pond. Mo Ling didnât know if it was because the willow flute was made poor, or because the person who played it didnât use enough force, but it sounded a little depressing.
Lu Junming? No, he would definitely muster his strength and blow loudly. Mo Yan wanted to ignore it, but the sound of the willow flute made her want to go out and have a look.
Mo Yan looked at the pond. Under the moonlight, the two willow trees were a pitch-black mass. Thinking of the owls hooting the other day, Mu Yan couldnât help but shiver, and didnât dare to go over there.
The door next to her opened, and Dagan came out. When he saw Mo Yan standing there, he knew that she had been drawn out by the sound of the willow flute.
âItâs Cao Zhang. When I went to fetch water in the evening, I saw him sitting under the willow tree in a daze. I didnât think he wouldnât have gone back by now. I wanted to go and see him, and confirm that nothing happened to him.â
âLet me go!â
Knowing that the person by the pond was Cao Zhang, Mo Yan was no longer afraid, and walked quickly towards the pond. But there was no figure beside the pond, so he had to be under the willow tree.
She called âCao Zhangâ, and there was a response from under the willow tree, so she walked over. A figure walked out from the shadow of the willow tree, with a dark robe and a tall and straight figure, but it looked cold and lonely under the shadow of the moon.
âYanâer, itâs dark, what are you doing out here?â
His voice was a little hoarse. Just now Mo Yan heard Brother Dagan say that he had been here since the evening, but he mightâve been here all day.
âHave you eaten yet?â Mo Yan asked.
Cao Zhang shook his head lightly, but did not speak.
Post-translation notes: Soâ¦Mo Fengâs being condemned to a fruitless marriage and Cao Zhang is depressed. I see pretty much nothing wrong with that.
[1] Sheâs referring to Mo Yanâs aunt and her family.
[2] Just more of typical Mo Feng, doing standard Mo Feng things.