Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 1105 - 353: Cousin, Child_3

Chapter 1105: Chapter 353: Cousin, Child_3

Thinking that the day after tomorrow was New Year’s Eve, and her close friend had braved the heavy snow to visit, it surely wasn’t just for a simple check-up. Mo Yan took the initiative and asked, "In this kind of weather, your father and mother allowed you to come out, you must have something else on your mind, right?"

Liu Tinglan hesitated before nodding and said somewhat embarrassingly, "Brother Shen didn’t place high in the exams this year and is planning to try again the year after next. Seeing him studying so hard day and night, it’s really tough, so I wanted to ask if you know any Grand Scholars who could give Brother Shen some guidance."

"Tsk tsk, you’re already worrying about him before you’ve even married into the family," Mo Yan clicked her tongue and looked at her friend whose cheeks were flushed with feigned depression, "I wonder if Brother Shen did something in his past life to save people, to have met a wife like you who thinks of him wholeheartedly. Ah, getting a mouthful of dog food first thing in the morning, it really suffocates the heart."

Upon finishing, Mo Yan even clutched at her chest as if she was deeply struck.

"What nonsense are you spouting, I haven’t even married Brother Shen yet, what wife, not wife," said Liu Tinglan annoyed as she picked up a large pillow and threw it at Mo Yan. She was already used to her friend randomly spouting all sorts of strange words, although she didn’t fully understand them, she was more or less accustomed to it.

Mo Yan reached out her hand and caught the pillow steadily, then tossed it back, "If it weren’t for that sudden incident in the Shen family, wouldn’t you be Brother Shen’s wife by now?"

The wedding between Liu Tinglan and Shen Ji was originally set for December, but during November, Shen Ji’s aunt suddenly passed away. Although Shen Ji didn’t have to observe the three-year mourning period, if there was a death in the family or among relatives, auspicious events for that year had to be avoided to prevent bad luck. As a result, their wedding was delayed and rescheduled for after the New Year.

The specific auspicious day would be set after the New Year, and it seemed the wedding would take place at the latest by March.

However, Liu Tinglan sighed with a hint of sorrow on her face, "His aunt had a daughter, who is his cousin by blood and two years younger than me, and she is now living in his house."

Mo Yan’s mind quickly grasped what her friend was worried about and couldn’t help but chuckle, "Doesn’t every family have one or two cousins? Aren’t you thinking too much?"

Liu Tinglan shook her head and said with a bitter smile, "I wish I was overthinking it, but in the recent letters he has written to me, he keeps mentioning his cousin, even praising her as a sensible and well-mannered girl. Wouldn’t you think more about it if you were in my shoes?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Yan frowned. Shen Ji’s behavior did seem a bit off; after all, who praises another woman like that in letters to their fiancée? This wasn’t his sister but a cousin, no wonder Sister Lan was overthinking it.

If this had happened with Xiao Ruiyuan, she would have stormed to the General Mansion to confront him face to face.

Seeing her friend’s despondent face, Mo Yan reassured her, "The truth isn’t necessarily what you see. If you have doubts in your heart, why not ask them directly? If he has developed other affections, kick him to the curb and find someone better. If it’s all a misunderstanding and you take it for real, won’t you hurt yourself in the end?"

Liu Tinglan pondered for a moment and hesitantly said, "What if not, won’t he think I’m narrow-minded and can’t tolerate his cousin? His cousin’s family isn’t well off, and her father has been profligate and squandered their wealth long ago. If this weren’t the case, his aunt wouldn’t have been driven to her death by rage. Precisely because of this, his parents took his cousin in, and from what he says, she will live in the Shen family from now on."

Looking at her friend who was torn with worry, Mo Yan sighed and said seriously, "If you don’t ask, won’t you be the one suffering? If his conscience is clear, he will just think you care about him when you ask, why would he overthink it? If he has a guilty conscience, he will suspect you, and such a man isn’t worth keeping."

Actually, Mo Yan didn’t believe Shen Ji would be fickle. Every time he looked at her friend, his eyes were filled with profound affection; it was unlikely that a cousin could sway his heart. However, it was harder to predict with Father Shen and Mother Shen; if they pitied their niece and wanted to push her onto their son as a concubine, it wasn’t impossible.

And about that cousin, who wasn’t so young herself, and with Shen Ji being a charming and talented man, it was possible she might develop other intentions, which definitely warranted caution.

Having made up her mind, Mo Yan suggested, "It’s better to clear things up sooner rather than later. Isn’t he supposed to visit your house to celebrate the New Year on the fourth day? Ask him privately, and if he really harbors any thoughts, it’s better to call off the marriage. If there’s nothing, that’s for the best, and you won’t have to be suspicious all the time."

After pondering for a while, Liu Tinglan decided to follow her friend’s advice and said resolutely, "Then I’ll ask him to his face. Although I like him very much, if he truly can’t be relied on, I won’t force myself to marry him."

"That’s the right attitude to have," Mo Yan looked at her friend and smiled with relief. Suddenly she understood why they hit it off so quickly and became good friends; when it came to handling matters, their attitudes were strikingly similar.

After pouring their hearts out, Liu Tinglan felt much lighter, collapsing comfortably onto the bed and placidly stroking the unwilling Mao Tuan, not even mentioning the search for a Grand Scholar.

Mo Yan originally wanted to inquire, but then she realized her friend probably had used the excuse as a reason to be allowed to leave the house; she might indeed have the intention of finding a Grand Scholar, to encourage Shen Ji to come to Jing City sooner so she wouldn’t have to worry about him being constantly with his aunt’s cousin and developing inappropriate feelings.

Now that she had figured it out, the idea was dismissed. Mo Yan didn’t bring it up again, but she took note of Shen Ji’s cousin in her mind.

Liu Tinglan ate lunch at the Mo Family and prepared to return home with the coachman who came with her, leaving behind New Year’s gifts.

Since it was customary to reciprocate gifts, the Mo Family also needed to prepare something in return. Fortunately, the New Year’s gifts had already been prepared early. However, they hadn’t been sent due to concerns that the heavy snow would cause more trouble for the Liu Family.

Now that the Liu Family had sent theirs first, Mo Yan had no such worries. She packed the return gifts and put them on Little Black’s back, instructing it to accompany Liu Tinglan and deliver the New Year’s gifts to the Liu Family.

But no one expected that when Little Black returned, it would be carrying a child in its mouth who was nearly frozen to death...

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