Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 224: Discussing Marriage Affairs in the Boudoir, a Wine Banquet Hides Schemes (8)_1

Chapter 224: Chapter 224: Discussing Marriage Affairs in the Boudoir, a Wine Banquet Hides Schemes (8)_1

Just then, Zhenzhen ran in with two children, and Mo Yan looked up to see Yun Zhao Yun Sheng, the siblings. It turned out that the Punishing Shopkeeper had arrived and brought the siblings with him.

"Come over here, sit next to big sister." Mo Yan said with a smile, beckoning them to sit down, then brought over some pastries and pear juice from the tea room.

With strangers around, the Yun Zhao siblings were a bit shy, but eventually, it was Liu Tinglan who took the initiative to play with them, and the atmosphere warmed up.

As noon approached and it was almost time to start the feast, Mo Yan asked Zhenzhen to go out and check if all the guests had arrived at her father’s.

Zhenzhen ran out and soon returned, reporting that only Old Man Mo’s family had not yet arrived.

"How come they haven’t arrived yet? Did Dad go to call them?" Mo Yan frowned. It wouldn’t matter if they didn’t want to come, but showing up in the middle of the feast would be embarrassing for her family.

Zhenzhen looked quite unhappy, "Dad is busy greeting guests and arranging the banquet, he does not have a moment to spare. He said that if they hadn’t arrived before the feast started, he would go and call them."

Mo Yan nodded and said nothing more. Old Man Mo was an elder. Even if they went to invite him, it had to be Mo Qingze, his nephew, in person. If they sent one of the younger generation, knowing Mo Hong’s temperament, she would likely seize on that as another cause for commotion.

Seeing that she had no duties to attend to, Zhenzhen invited Yun Zhao to play with her.

Yun Zhao didn’t really want to go; playing with those little kids was truly uninspiring. But he came today not only to offer his congratulations, so he took his sister and followed Zhenzhen.

With the children gone, the room quieted down again. Having been indoors for half the day, Liu Tinglan also felt stuffy and mentioned that she wanted to go out for a walk. Mo Yan then planned to take her to the orchard.

But before they could leave the courtyard, Old Man Mo’s whole noisy family came bustling in, followed by Lizhong, who was holding firecrackers and standing awkwardly, unsure whether he should light them.

Upon seeing this, Mo Yan understood the situation and said to Lizhong, "Grandfather Li, come in after setting off the firecrackers. We still need your help to organize the banquet!"

Lizhong, upon hearing this, smiled at Mo Yan, hastily took the firecrackers, and went to the entrance.

Except for the clueless few including Mo Hong’s and Mo Niu’s, Lao Mo’s family all stood embarrassed at the entrance, listening to the loud firecracker sounds outside, their awkwardness growing heavier.

In this kind of warm room gathering, it didn’t matter how much or little the guests brought as a gift, but it was customary to set off a string of firecrackers at the host’s door, symbolizing prosperity and exuberance. The hosts would then take a string of firecrackers and light them as the guests’ firecrackers were about to finish, to express thanks and welcome.

Now, the Lao Mo’s family had arrived empty-handed, not even willing to set off a string of firecrackers. If this were to get out...

Mo Wu’s and others felt extremely embarrassed and dared not lift their heads. They had intended to ask a villager to buy a string in town yesterday, but all the silver was tightly held by Mo Hong’s, who would not even spare a single Wen money, and no one else had the face to borrow money to buy it.

They arrived so late today because Mo Hong had been making a fuss at home, insisting that Mo Qingze formally invite her three or four times before she would agree to come. After waiting for half a day and not even a single invitation from Mo Qingze, it was only when Old Man Mo grabbed her to beat her that she sullenly followed them with a long face.

On such a joyous occasion, Mo Yan did not want to argue with them over this, but with Mo Hong, a troublemaker, present, she couldn’t feel at ease. If a scene were caused in front of everyone, it wouldn’t just be her face that was lost.

Thinking of this, Mo Yan apologized to Liu Tinglan, "Sister Lan, the banquet is about to begin. I’ll take you to the orchard after, okay?"

"No worries, you go and get busy. Besides, the sun won’t be as harsh later, which will be just fine!" Liu Tinglan said with a smile, waving her hand to show she understood.