Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 1268 - 397: The Unromantic Yanyan_4

Chapter 1268: Chapter 397: The Unromantic Yanyan_4

As the sun began to set, Mo Qingze and Cui Qingrou returned, and with them came Xiao Ruiyuan, whom they had encountered on the road.

Mo Qingze didn’t express any objection to Xiao Ruiyuan joining their family outing, which eased the somewhat anxious Mo Yan.

However, she let her guard down too soon. The next day, when the group arrived at the foot of Bao Hua Temple mountain and saw the steps rising steeply out of sight into the clouds, along with Xiao Ruiyuan carrying six large bundles for their family of five plus himself, she couldn’t help but marvel at the old saying, "The ginger gets hotter with age." Her father was too cunning.

That being said, Mo Qingze’s cunning couldn’t withstand his daughter’s sabotage. Mo Yan decisively distributed the six parcels among the Six Beasts, each beast holding one in its jaws.

Bao Hua Temple was located halfway up the mountain. There was a flattened shortcut that could be taken by carriage directly to the top, yet that would be less interesting.

Therefore, the family took a detour to the rear of Bao Hua Temple and began ascending the steep staircase, enjoying the scenery along the way and challenging themselves. Should anyone get too tired to continue climbing, they could descend and take a carriage from the front.

It was said that the staircase leading to Bao Hua Temple had sixteen flights, each with ninety steps, adding up to a total of fourteen hundred and forty steps. It was quite difficult for those without strength and willpower to make it to the top.

In the beginning, it was manageable, with the steps not too steep, and everyone chatting and laughing with ease. Approximately fifteen minutes passed before lifting their legs became a struggle, especially for Cui Qingrou who had the weakest constitution and could barely ascend with Mo Qingze’s support. The two of them gradually fell behind.

"What are you looking at?" Mo Yan, alongside Xiao Ruiyuan who had the best physical strength, were leading the way. She couldn’t help but ask with curiosity when she noticed him looking back from time to time.

Xiao Ruiyuan, glancing at his fiancée who seemed to have endless energy as if slightly disappointed, said, "Nothing." He paused for a moment and then initiated, "Are you tired?"

Mo Yan shook her head, speaking with the tone of a tomboy, "Not tired, if I wasn’t waiting for my parents, I would have climbed up a long time ago."

Hearing this, the disappointment in Xiao Ruiyuan’s eyes grew more intense, and without saying another word, his pace gradually slowed down.

Mo Yan, thinking he was tired and couldn’t walk any further and seeing her parents and younger sister trailing from afar, asked, "Shall we stop and rest for a bit? Wait for them and then continue together?"

Xiao Ruiyuan shook his head and kept climbing step by step.

Mo Yan could clearly sense something was off with his mood but couldn’t pinpoint what it was. Scratching her head in confusion, she just followed him.

By the time the group reached the ninth flight of stairs, Cui Qingrou’s legs were so weak that she could hardly walk. Fortunately, each flight had a pavilion where they could rest. Thus, the six of them stopped at the ninth flight to take a break.

Mo Qingze, Xin Er, and Shengsheng were also significantly tired and needed to rest and gather strength to continue. Even Xiao Ruiyuan, who had good stamina, was starting to breathe heavily. Mo Yan was the only one appearing normal aside from her slightly flush cheeks and a forehead beaded with fine sweat, hardly looking disheveled.

Mo Yan looked at the sun directly above and, while using a cloth to wipe the sweat off Shengsheng, who was sprawled motionless on a stone table, she sought the opinions of the others, "It’s noon now, and we won’t make it in time for the vegetarian meal at Bao Hua Temple. How about we eat some dry food here and rest before we continue?"

"Mm," replied Mo Qingze with a nod, and none of the others objected, clearly they were already exhausted and hungry.

Seeing this, Mo Yan shouted up the stairs, and in no time, the Six Beasts came running down with the bundles on their backs.

However, just as Mo Yan was about to open the bundles and take out the dry food, two Little Novice Monks descended, each carrying a meal container...