"Mr. Orz, Mrs. Orz, this is He Zhilan, the friend I’ve mentioned to you before. She is a very kind and brave girl!" Lihua greeted her old friends while introducing them to Zhilan and proceeded to say, "This is Mr. Orz, and the lady next to him is Mrs. Orz. They are the owners of the manor."
"Hello, I’m not sure if you’ll like me at first sight, but I hope my presence won’t disrupt your life," Zhilan smiled softly at the elderly couple, then stood somewhat flustered, unsure of what to say next.
"Not at all, we always welcome friends from abroad. Come in and have a seat, it’s getting dark. We can show you around the manor’s garden tomorrow," Mrs. Orz nodded and smiled gently, sensing Zhilan’s apprehension. She stepped forward, took Zhilan’s hand, and reassured her, "Don’t worry, child. We’ll like you."
Under the guidance of Mr. and Mrs. Orz, Zhilan and John entered the manor. The house was quite large, and apart from some servants, there was also a middle-aged man who seemed familiar with the household and a Chinese woman in a cheongsam.
"Mrs. Orz, has Lihua’s friend arrived?" the woman in the cheongsam approached them and finally spotted Zhilan next to Mrs. Orz.
"Lihua’s good friend, and likewise our friend too, He Zhilan," Mrs. Orz introduced her to the woman in the cheongsam, continuing, "This is Mrs. Irdo, who comes from the same country as you. Over there is her husband, Mr. Irdo."
"Hello," Zhilan initially thought they were Mr. and Mrs. Orz’s children, only to discover they were friends of the manor’s owners. She was slightly curious about why she hadn’t seen any children of the owners, but she knew better than to ask.
"What a delightful day with so many friends visiting the manor," Mr. Orz said, his white beard trembling as his eyes crinkled with mirth. After entering the house, he and his wife invited everyone to the dining room for dinner.
It was only then that Lihua explained to Zhilan why she hadn’t seen any children in the manor.
As it turned out, Mr. and Mrs. Orz had a daughter when they were young, but she died in an incident at a very young age. The couple had not had any more children since then.
While they were young, they could distract themselves with work, but as age caught up with them, the couple began yearning for more companionship in their leisure time. Hence, they extended invitations to a multitude of guests.
Mr. and Mrs. Irdo were the children of Mr. And Mrs. Orz’s friends, and their kind hearts often brought them to the manor to visit the elderly couple.
Once everyone was seated at the dinner table, Zhilan, a little girl unfamiliar with their dining, was mesmerized by the dishes brought out by the maids. Each dish seemed to be decorated with a variety of floral motifs.
"I knew you would love it!" Seeing this, Mrs. Orz laughed, her entire face creasing with wrinkles. Yet, to her, it didn’t matter, "Do you know? Your expression just now was just like that of my daughter. When she first saw these dishes, she had the same curved eyes full of joy. If she were still here, I guess she would have become very good friends with you, despite the vast difference in age."