Having said that, without waiting for Mo Sanniang to react, he sharply turned around and told Lin Yuan, "I’m leaving first," then ran out of the fabric store as if fleeing. Because he left in such a rush, he almost forgot about the threshold and nearly tripped over it.
"Hey!" Mo Sanniang stood up anxiously from her chair, "Be careful!"
Meng Liangdong managed to steady himself against the door frame, barely avoiding a fall. He awkwardly turned his head and laughed loudly, saying sheepishly, "It’s all right, it’s all right," then hurriedly left.
Lin Yuan couldn’t suppress her laughter and burst into fits of giggles. Meng Liangdong was truly adorable. She had never noticed before that he could be so careless. It seems, love really does make one foolish.
Mo Sanniang’s attention was brought back by Lin Yuan’s laughter. She gave Lin Yuan a white look, walked over to her in a few quick steps, and poked Lin Yuan’s forehead with her long finger, huffing, "It’s all your fault! Always teasing people, look, look, he almost fell! If something had happened to him, I would have seen to it that you pay!"
Lin Yuan clasped Mo Sanniang’s finger tightly in her hand, and deliberately mimicked Meng Liangdong’s expression and tone, "Dear wife, don’t be angry, your husband knows he was wrong."
"Tsk!" Mo Sanniang’s neck also blushed this time as she forcefully retrieved her finger, "Who is his wife? Don’t talk nonsense!"
"It’s only a matter of time!" Lin Yuan glanced at the silver hairpin on the counter, "Look, he just got his salary and already bought you a silver hairpin. I was wondering why I didn’t see Mr. Meng just now in the store; turns out he went to buy you something nice. Hee hee, he’s really a good man."
Mo Sanniang pouted and didn’t say anything, instead she carefully picked up the silver hairpin, looked at it closely, then cautiously wrapped it in a handkerchief and placed it in her bosom.
Lin Yuan watched her amusingly and took out the hairpin, saying, "Hey, Sister Mo, why did you put it away? Hurry up and wear it!"
Mo Sanniang’s ears turned as red as adzuki beans, snatched the hairpin back from her, and said with a low voice, as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, "I already have one in my hair, don’t I?"
"How can that compare with the one Mr. Meng just... "
What was this look of hesitation on Mo Sanniang’s face all about? Could it be that...
Lin Yuan raised her head to look at the hairpin that Mo Sanniang was wearing -- it was emerald green. The jade wasn’t of the finest quality, but it was adorned with a small and delicately designed plum blossom which was both cute and beautiful.
"Oh!" Lin Yuan realized, "So, this one was also a gift from Mr. Meng! Ha ha, I was wondering why you, Sister Mo, were willing to put away that silver hairpin. It turns out you two have already..."
Lin Yuan intentionally winked at her, her meaning quite clear. Mo Sanniang quickly grabbed Lin Yuan to explain, "Sister, don’t say things recklessly, Liang Dong and I, we haven’t... nothing has happened yet."
As she spoke, Mo Sanniang bashfully lowered her head. Lin Yuan had never seen such a shy and delicate side of Mo Sanniang before—it was extremely cute, almost irresistible not to go up and pinch her blushing cheeks.
No longer teasing her, Lin Yuan sat down and got back to the point, "Sister Mo, don’t you mind that Mr. Meng doesn’t have a house or money?"
Lin Yuan’s concern was understandable, Meng Liangdong had really been left with nothing after he sold his shop to her. He even lacked a home of his own and was living in the accountant’s room in the store every day. And without money and only knowledge which had nowhere to be applied, would Mo Sanniang truly not mind? And even if she didn’t, what about her parents? Mo Sanniang was the youngest daughter in her family, doted on by her parents and cherished by her elder sister. How could they bear to let her live a hard life?
But Mo Sanniang simply shook her head, her tone calm and natural, "What use is having so much silver? He works as Mr. Accountant for you, and I run this fabric store. Our lives certainly won’t be difficult. As for a house, it doesn’t matter if we don’t have one—we can buy one ourselves. Liang Dong told me that he hasn’t spent any of the wages he’s earned these past months. Although it won’t buy a big house, it is definitely enough for the two of us to live in. Besides, I have also saved up quite a bit of silver myself."
Lin Yuan smiled. It seemed these two had already made up their minds to be together, and had nearly planned out their future life. All that was left for her to do was to offer her blessings.