"Silly girl, it’s not proper for a married woman to stay at your house!"
Mo Wu found it somewhat amusing. Her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law were a source of constant worry. If she did not return, she couldn’t fathom the rumors they would conjure up, causing widespread gossip. Over a dozen families had fled from Mo Family Village to Liu Yang Village to escape hardships, and she had to be considerate of them!
"Uh..."
Mo Yan scratched her head awkwardly, not having considered this. After thinking for a moment, she suggested:
"In a couple of days, we still need to go for a follow-up at the medical hall. In such cold weather, running back and forth isn’t ideal. How about leaving Shitou here, and then the Count’s wife can come back in a few days?"
Upon hearing this, Mo Wu was quite tempted. Her home was a mess, lacking even warm quilts, and there was hardly enough food to eat, much less a place to recuperate. But they had already imposed enough on others, how could she have the face to leave her child behind? She therefore declined:
"I appreciate your kind offer, but Shitou is still young, and I’m worried he’ll cause trouble without his mother around. I should take him home, and we’ll come back the day of the follow-up."
Seeing that she was resolute about leaving, Mo Yan didn’t push further. Looking at the frail and listless Shitou, she just felt so sorry for the child.
Just as their house had finally gotten a child to keep her own company, and Zhenzhen had not even had the chance to be happy about it, she saw they were leaving, which made her anxiously protest, "We could have San Ni come and take care of Shitou. With his sister here, he won’t make a fuss!"
At this idea, Mo Yan thought it wasn’t a bad plan. San Ni was the Count’s wife’s second daughter, the same age as Xin Er, also nine years old. Having the brother and sister at her home could improve their living conditions, and it would be a way to pay back the Count’s wife for her years of care for Mo Yan and her siblings.
After much persuasion by the three siblings, Mo Wu reluctantly agreed. She carefully instructed Shitou to be good and listen to his cousins, and although Shitou did not want to be away from his mother, he obediently agreed.
Mo Yan escorted Mo Wu to the street and called a donkey cart for her.
Mo Wu, already feeling like a burden, refused to let Mo Yan spend money on her behalf. Mo Yan then explained that the cart was needed anyway to bring Qingze and San Ni back, so it was just a matter of convenience. Only after Mo Wu expressed her thanks repeatedly did she agree to get in.
When Mo Yan returned home, she found Zhenzhen had already kicked off her shoes and was sitting on the bed, playing with Little Stone, who was shy and not quite familiar with his little cousin, merely watching quietly as Zhenzhen played with a wooden horse and sugar figurines, not daring to touch them himself.
Seeing that Little Stone’s clothes were worn and thin, and recalling the cotton fabric left at home, Mo Yan decided to make him a set of cotton clothing.
Upon learning that his beautiful cousin was going to make him new clothes, Little Stone’s spirits visibly lifted, and he cooperated as Mo Yan took his measurements. At the end, he even bashfully kissed Mo Yan’s cheek, which delighted her immensely, and she felt even closer to her little cousin.
While there was harmony here, the scene in Liu Yang Village was starkly different.
"What, you’re too high and mighty now to acknowledge your poor relatives?"
In the fields, Mrs. Hong, with her age-dimmed eyes, grabbed her daughter Mo Yongxi and glaring at a helpless Mo Qingze, indignantly accused, "I was the one who raised you, and now you can’t even let your cousin and niece stay at your place for a few days, showing such a reluctant face?"
Humph, that thunderstruck white-eyed wolf, wanting to rid himself of the Mo family now that he’s risen above his station. There’s no door on that road!
"My poor children cry with hunger every day, yet their wealthy uncle indulges in good food and refuses to lend a hand," she wailed.
At her side, Mrs. Niu, holding Erni and pretending to cry, wiped away her tears while stealing glances at Mo Qingze through her fingers. Seeing that he was tightly frowning and silent, she broke down crying louder, accusingly, blaming Mo Qingze for being heartless.