Lan Tian strolled along the flowerbed path, flanked on both sides by neatly trimmed shrubs about waist-high. She paused, flipped her hand to put the piece of iron into her Sleeve Universe, then turned around and walked over.
"That was quite interesting," Lan Tian said as she reached Mr. Mo’s side.
"Come, come, let me introduce you," Mr. Mo waved Lan Tian over and started from left to right, "These gentlemen are all my old friends. Starting from the left, your Grandpa Wei, Grandpa Ma, Grandpa Zhang, Grandpa Zhao."
The elderly gentlemen looked kind and benevolent, smiling at her.
With a cool demeanor, as if unaware of their scrutiny, Lan Tian pursed her lips into a slight smile, greeted each grandpa, and then retreated to Mr. Mo’s side.
Her behavior was proper and measured, displaying the elegance of a lady from a distinguished family. A look of proud satisfaction appeared on Mr. Mo’s face, feeling that his granddaughter truly did him proud.
"This is my granddaughter Lan Tian, who I found when I returned to my hometown. What do you think? Isn’t she better than your granddaughters? Haha." Mr. Mo laughed heartily. He finally had a granddaughter to boast about; every time his old friends gathered, he had to listen to them bragging about how sweet and filial their granddaughters were.
After the laughter, he pointed at Mo Junhua and said, "This is my nephew, Mo Junhua, a soldier." The old man hadn’t had a chance to talk with Mo Junhua and didn’t know his situation. Mo Junhua’s uniform lacked any rank insignia, making his military grade indiscernible—a passing mention of his service in the military.
Mo Junhua stepped forward to greet the elders and then retreated to Lan Tian’s side, continuing with his background setup.
"Old Mo, look at how smug you are, your mouth practically reaching the heavens, acting as if none of us have granddaughters. How did such a wonderful child end up in your family?" Old Sir Zhang couldn’t stand Mr. Mo’s attitude, as if his granddaughter was the best in the whole world. He lamented that the heavens were blind, observing Lan Tian facing their scrutiny without humility or arrogance, and kept nodding in approval.
"Quite an impressive young lady. Your Grandpa told me, did you plant this Cha Hua? Come, come, tell the old man, how did you grow it?" His tone was so familiar, as if speaking to a younger family member.
Once Mr. Mo returned to Shanghai, he called his old friends, claiming he got hold of an extraordinary Cha Hua, inviting them over to appreciate the flower. Old Sir Zhang and the others thought he was duping them, but upon seeing the Cha Hua for themselves, they were awestruck and pressed him on its origin.
Back then, Mr. Mo’s smug and triumphant demeanor still irked them.
The old gentlemen, worldly and well-informed, recognized at a glance that this Cha Hua was extraordinary. Leaning closer and taking a gentle breath, they felt immediately refreshed—what a treasure!
They pestered Old Man Mo about where he got it, but no matter how they asked, Mr. Mo refused to spill the beans, staunch in his silence. After all these years as old comrades in arms, Old Mo must have his reasons for keeping it a secret.
A few days earlier, when these old fellows gathered, a few drinks in, Mr. Mo finally revealed that the Cha Hua was a gift from his granddaughter, and mentioned she would be coming to Shanghai for school soon.
Hearing that a young girl had arrived at his home, they guessed it must be Old Mo’s granddaughter, so they shamelessly paid a visit.
And Old Zhang got there first!
Mr. Wei, Mr. Ma, and Mr. Zhao kept their displeasure hidden, inwardly cursing Old Zhang for being too sly. Previously, they agreed to stick together, to share the good and face the troubles as one. Yet, the moment he entered, he hadn’t even seen anyone, and he started heaping praises on Old Mo’s granddaughter. While the rest still maintained the dignity of elders, he turned around and praised her to her face.
The older they got, the less shame they had, daring to say Old Mo was shameless.
Lan Tian looked askance at Mr. Mo, her smile faint, making Mr. Mo feel particularly guilty. He knew all too well the origin of that Cha Hua—it was after pestering the girl relentlessly that he had acquired it.
After clearing his throat, he waved his hand to send Lan Tian and the others away, "Tired, aren’t you? Go back to your room and rest. Old men’s talks are dull and uninteresting. Off you go!"
Mr. Mo had Lan Tian and Mo Junhua come over just to show their faces to his old friends, his understanding of their true intentions clear as day. In a letter from Mo Yuanle, there was a specific instruction to not meddle in Lan Tian’s affairs.
Lan Tian nodded slightly to the elders and turned to leave; Mo Junhua also nodded to the old men and followed her out, with Wu Zongyu, Lin Guohao, and others not staying much longer either.
Watching the two departing, especially Lan Tian’s air of grace, they mused that it would be hard to find many like her in the entire Dragon Country. "Old Mo, your granddaughter is truly not a common fish in the pond!"
"That’s for sure. Who else’s granddaughter would she be?" Mr. Mo agreed with pride, "I know why you old brothers have come. To tell you the truth, if I weren’t her elder, and if the girl’s grandma hadn’t spoken up, this Cha Hua wouldn’t have ended up with me."
The elders knew that Mr. Mo’s granddaughter was acknowledged halfway through his life, and their request was indeed a difficult one for him.
"Isn’t there any other way?" Mr. Wei looked at Mr. Mo and asked, "My brother, you know our conditions. In the past, we relied on our youth and strong bodies and didn’t care much. Now that we’re old, we realize how many ailments are hidden in these bodies; we won’t last many more years."
During the war, the elders had fought and survived death together, a bond forged through life and death experiences. Now that his health was improving, while his old friends’ health deteriorated with each passing year, plagued by chronic old diseases and nearing their life’s end, Mr. Mo couldn’t bear it and said, "I’ll talk to the girl again, see if we can spare a few pots, but don’t get your hopes up too high."
"Old Mo, don’t be too hard on the child." Having lived to this day, the elders had learned to let go of many things—cherishing good fortune and accepting fate; surviving longer would naturally be better.
After tasting tea and admiring magical flowers, the elders took their leave one by one.