Chapter 975: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 975: Fondness (4)
After bathing and washing off all the sweat and dirt, Cui Ping’an changed back into the clothes he had worn when he first arrived at the Mo household. To his amazement, he discovered that his sleeves were now a bit too short—just by a little.
“Aunt, look! I’ve grown taller—I’ve grown taller again!” Cui Ping’an rushed out of the bathhouse in excitement, forgetting to even button up his clothes, eager to share the good news with his aunt.
Ever since he turned seventeen, his height had stopped increasing, leaving him noticeably shorter than his peers. Now that he was growing again, even if he didn’t surpass others, he likely wouldn’t fall too far behind. For someone who had always felt self-conscious about his height, this discovery thrilled him.
“Mm-hmm, Xiao Qi has grown taller. It won’t be long before you surpass your aunt,” Cui Qingrou said fondly.
She hadn’t expected such a surprise from this visit to the Mo family. Watching her nephew filled with joy, she didn’t even know what to say. All she could do was quietly tuck her gratitude toward the Mo family deep into her heart.
Declining Mo Yan’s offer to stay for dinner, Cui Qingrou urged the reluctant Cui Ping’an to leave. But just as the three of them reached the entrance, a carriage slowly pulled up. A gentle voice called out, “Zhen’er, slow down. Wait until the carriage stops before getting off—don’t trip.”
Cui Qingrou found the voice oddly familiar, as if she’d heard it somewhere before. Then she saw Mo Yan skipping happily toward the carriage and calling out with a smile, “Father, why are you back so early today?”
At that moment, Cui Ping’an nudged her and said, “Aunt, Uncle Mo is back. Let’s say hello before we go!”
Cui Qingrou snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him, smiling with satisfaction. “You’re right. Xiao Qi really is growing up.” In the past, her nephew wouldn’t have thought of such a thing.
Cui Ping’an blushed, not from her praise but from shame over how thoughtless he used to be.
By now, Zhen’er had already jumped down from the carriage and was about to run into the house. But when he saw two unfamiliar figures at the entrance—one he recognized and one he didn’t—he stopped.
Zhen’er ran over and looked at them carefully. Seeing that they resembled each other a bit, he curiously asked, “Brother Ping’an, is this beautiful lady your aunt—the one you said was really, really nice to you?”
Zhen’er had visited twice before and always pestered Cui Ping’an to tell him stories. Since he wasn’t much of a storyteller, Ping’an had simply shared his experiences in the south, often mentioning his aunt Cui Qingrou. So Zhen’er remembered her well.
Cui Ping’an nodded proudly. “You guessed right—this is my beautiful aunt.”
“She really is! Brother Ping’an, you’re so lucky!” Zhen’er looked genuinely envious. He had an aunt too, but she was a cousin and neither pretty nor kind. He didn’t like her at all.
But Brother Ping’an’s aunt was so beautiful and treated him so well. Why couldn’t he have a perfect aunt like that?
Even with all those thoughts in his head, Zhen’er didn’t forget his manners. He took small steps forward and bowed politely to Cui Qingrou. “Zhen’er greets Madam.”
Cui Qingrou had already been amused by the conversation between her nephew and the little one. Now, seeing how well-mannered Zhen’er was, she liked him even more. She reached out to help him up herself. “So your name is Zhen’er? What a good boy.”
As she spoke, she gave a look to the maid behind her. The maid, perceptive and quick, immediately brought out a pouch and respectfully handed it to her mistress.
Cui Qingrou took the pouch and spoke gently to Zhen’er. “This is our first meeting. I don’t know what you like, so take this and play with it, alright?”
Though her words sounded casual, Cui Qingrou had come prepared. Aside from a chest of thank-you gifts, she had specially prepared small presents for the children of the Mo household.
Zhen’er understood this was the custom of wealthy households. Declining would only seem impolite, so he accepted it with ease and smiled as he cupped his hands in thanks.
He was just too adorable. Cui Qingrou had to resist the urge to pat his head. Her gaze drifted past him and landed on the man who had just stepped down from the carriage—only to unexpectedly meet his gentle, water-like eyes. She froze.
Mo Qingze was also stunned. But he recovered quickly and looked toward his daughter for answers.
Mo Yan didn’t notice her father’s odd reaction, but she did catch Cui Qingrou’s brief moment of daze. Pretending not to notice, she calmly said, “Father, this lady’s surname is Cui. She’s Cui Ping’an’s aunt and came today to take him home.”
Cui Qingrou also snapped back to her senses and recognized that this man was the one who had helped her out the night her nephew went missing. Seeing him again stirred a strange flutter in her heart—an unfamiliar sense of joy.
“Greetings, Lord Mo,” she said, suppressing the unfamiliar emotion. She stepped forward and gave a respectful curtsy, her smile warm but not frivolous.
Hearing her gentle, clear voice, Mo Qingze felt a strange familiarity—as if he’d heard it before. He thought hard, and suddenly it clicked: the woman he had helped outside the restaurant not long ago—it was her.
The voice was exactly the same.
Could they be the same person?
It had just been an ordinary encounter, but he couldn’t figure out why it had stuck in his mind. Perhaps it was her beautiful voice, or maybe her elegant demeanor had left such a strong impression that when he encountered someone with the same aura and voice again, the memory came rushing back.
Noticing her father staring blankly at Cui Qingrou, Mo Yan couldn’t help but glance at Cui Qingrou as well, a thoughtful look appearing in her eyes…
(End of Chapter)
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