The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 759 - 748

Chapter 759: 748

Manbao returned to her room with a heavy heart. The next day, she stood in the doorway, measuring her height for quite a while until a servant came to inform her that guests had arrived. Only then did she compose herself and head towards the front of the house.

Old Madam Zuo had brought along her daughter-in-law and her two grandsons and two granddaughters. Being from the same clan, they could sit together without many reservations.

Old Madam Liu directly instructed Bai Zhi, Bai Shan, and Manbao to take them to play in the garden, while the older folks chatted among themselves.

After all, they had met and conversed just the day before, so they were fairly familiar with each other. It was only a matter of a change in host and guest.

As the only girl on this side, Manbao naturally assumed the responsibility of entertaining the Bai Jiashi sisters and walked with them.

Bai Shan and the others walked ahead. Bai Jiashi, possibly feeling a bit out of place, deliberately slowed down and, admiring the garden’s scenery, laughed, "The view of this garden is quite nice indeed."

Manbao looked at the potted plants in the flower beds and found herself speechless.

Perhaps because the residence had only recently been purchased and the flower beds were previously overgrown with weeds, once cleared, they were left bare. These potted plants had only been bought during their shopping trip the day before yesterday, and were few, just scattered here and there.

Manbao thought that, once the weather warmed up a bit next year, she could transplant some of the flowers and plants from their small courtyard over, which might be even better than those bought from outside.

Bai Jiashi, seeing Manbao’s pure, wide eyes on her, felt slightly embarrassed and suggested, "We seldom play with the boys at home, so we are a bit uncomfortable. Manbao, how about we separate from them and play on our own?"

Manbao said, "But we only have this one garden at home. If you do not like playing with them, then we can just play by ourselves."

"No, no," Bai Jiashi hurriedly clarified, worried that she had been misunderstood, "It’s not that I dislike playing with them, just not used to it, that’s all."

Next to her, Bai Jialin said, "Manbao, in our family, boys are usually taught in the front courtyard, while girls are instructed in the back. It’s rare for us to be together in one place."

Bai Jiashi quickly added, "We don’t really mind, but we’re afraid that Cousin Bai Zhi and the others might find us annoying."

"Not at all," Manbao immediately replied with a smile, "Brother Bai is a particularly nice person, very humble and generous. How could he find us bothersome?"

She reached out and took Bai Jiashi’s hand, saying, "It’s not fun to play alone when there are so few of us. It’s more lively and enjoyable with more people."

Bai Jialin, being of similar age and somewhat lively, asked upon hearing this, "What game do you want to play?"

"There are so many games we can play. Let’s go find them and see what they’d like to play," Manbao said, grabbing one sister with each hand and rushing to catch up with the boys.

The boys were also talking. Manbao approached and asked, "Do you have any game in mind that you’d like to play?"

The Bai Residence’s eldest son, Bai Ling, laughed, "Coincidentally, my second brother just suggested we play a poetry chain game."

Manbao exclaimed, "Oh!" and then smiled, "That game is fun too; let’s play that."

Bai Ning glanced at her and asked, "Are you going to play too?"

Manbao was taken aback and asked, "Can’t I play?"

Bai Ning replied with a light smile, "It’s not that you can’t, but are you able to keep up?"

He glanced at Bai Shan with a tease, "Brother Shantang is a student at the academy, after all. I’m afraid his poetry might not be something ordinary people can match."

Manbao frowned and retorted, "The poetry chain game isn’t about composing our own poems; what’s there to not keep up with about reciting others’ poetry? I’m asking you—are you playing or not?"

Bai Ning was taken aback, and Bai Zhi, noting his discomfiture, immediately intervened with a laugh, "The more the merrier in this game, and since it was Brother Ning’s suggestion, of course we must play it."

Bai Jiashi and Bai Jialin hesitated and cautiously tugged at Manbao’s sleeve, whispering, "You go ahead and play. We—we’d rather not."

"Why not? It’s really fun," Manbao replied.

Shaking her head slightly, Bai Jiashi whispered back, "We only recognize a few characters and have read a handful of books. We don’t know much about poetry, so we wouldn’t be able to keep up. You should play; we’ll just watch from the side."

Manbao felt that leaving the guests behind while going off to play herself would be very impolite.

Thus, she hesitated whether to find another game for Bai Jiashi and the others to play, but then Bai Shan tugged at her, saying, "Then join us. Let’s play a round and then move on to something else. Please wait for a moment, dear cousins."

It seemed he was very certain the game would end quickly.

Bai Ning sneered, settled himself arrogantly on a stone stool, and, tilting his chin upward, said, "So let’s begin. Who’s first?"

Bai Shan casually picked a plum blossom from a nearby pot and suggested, "Let’s throw it at random. Whoever the flower points to will start, and we’ll go in turn from there."

Bai Zhi clapped and laughed, "That’s a good idea; shall we form a circle?"

The group shuffled their feet a bit, and the order was more or less determined; they didn’t need to form a perfect circle. Bai Jiashi and Bai Jialin stood aside, not moving forward to join in.

Bai Shan then tossed the plum blossom, and with a pat, it fell toward Bai Erlang.

Bai Erlang hadn’t expected his luck to be so good and was elated, exclaiming, "Then here I go."

Bai Zhi and Bai Shan nodded with faint smiles.

Bai Erlang rolled his eyes thoughtfully before reciting, "The fragrant orchid grows in front of the courtyard, waiting for the pure breeze with its scent."

Unluckily, Bai Erlang’s turn was followed by Bai Zhi, who recited without hesitation, "The wind blows through the paulownia and bamboo with no rain to fall, an ill man’s heart longs for home when white hair calls."

Bai Shan nudged Manbao, who continued, "Every home brews the fragrant wine; everywhere music plays, and swallows fly."

Bai Shan gave Manbao a deep look and then continued, "Gathered in the orchid hall under the flying canopy, a toast with a cup made of cypress wood is passed among company."

He then turned to Bai Ling.

Bai Ling was silent for a long time, sweat forming on his forehead, and finally, he took a step back and said with shame, "I must admit my limited knowledge and fear I cannot follow."

Bai Ning frowned slightly but nevertheless quickly replied, "The cup is drunk to its dregs, the host sits high in the east, the sword belt long untied, the stars strain with each toast’s boast."

Bai Erlang scratched his head for quite a while before replying, "Strain not your delicate hands with shrimps’ whiskers’ roll, in jade chambers where the beam of light adds pearls to the whole."

Bai Zhi...

He secretly glared at Bai Erlang before following up, "The chamber filled with young men wearing pearl shoes, and the white-clad wanderer also follows the noble’s cues."

Manbao felt a tinge of regret but followed, "Though officials may be honored, they do not seek recompense, speak of the land of immortals and away they commence."

Bai Shan, "At the time of fragrant swimming, one declares one’s life complete."

Bai Ning thought for a moment before saying, "After all, forgetting words is my path, the monk’s robe doesn’t suit making polite gestures towards Xiao and Cao."

Bai Erlang rolled his eyes, covertly looking at Manbao. Manbao winked at him, after which Bai Ning cleared his throat and asked, "Can you follow up or not?"

Bai Erlang huffed and stepped back, "I can’t. You all go ahead."

If you can beat my brother, Bai Shan and Manbao, if you can continue for two more rounds, you win!

With ruthless thoughts, Bai Erlang muttered to himself.

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