"I’ll study hard when I go back, no need to worry about holiday stuff, I’ll talk to Brother Lin about it," Lan Tian quickly packed up her things, ready to take her leave.
Dr. Lin had said during my arrival that there’s no need to rush about holiday work, just to take good care of Sanwa and that I could go back to work anyti, since I have connections!" She hugged Lan Tian with a giggle, and Lan Tian pinched Chunhua’s nose, scolding her for her teasing.
Mo Junhua, asleep, listening to their laughter and chatter, curved his lips into a smile. Just thinking of his elder brother’s family... He’ll have to find ti to visit them one of these days.
After the two had enough fun, Lan Tian ca over to pat Mo Junhua’s face, putting on a serious act, "Wake up, I’m leaving. You listen to Chunhua and strive for a speedy recovery. See how many people are worried about you."
Mo Junhua slowly opened his eyes, his expression calm, "Okay."
They hadn’t seen each other long before having to part ways again, Mo Junhua was really reluctant to let her go, but Lan Tian’s academics were equally important. He comforted Lan Tian in return, "After you go back, make sure to eat properly, rest when you should, don’t keep thinking about studying. Isn’t there a saying, ’combine work with rest’? Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, just be like usual. It’s a pity I can’t accompany you." It was truly a regret that he couldn’t be with Lan Tian during the most critical ti of her life.
"I’m not nervous about the exams, they’re more than a month away," Lan Tian said, with her grades, ascending to university was a matter of minutes, what was there for her to worry about?
"As for my injury, don’t let grandma and the others know, just keep it from them to avoid worrying them." Mo Junhua instructed again, not trusting the situation, and Lan Tian nodded, "Don’t worry, I will keep it a secret for sure."
After going back, Lan Tian certainly wouldn’t tell them about Mo Junhua’s condition, it might even lead to her coming over to look after Mo Junhua, she wasn’t that foolish. If Grandma knew, she would definitely co to see him. Being so old, she couldn’t withstand such an upheaval, and seeing Mo Junhua in that condition, she would lose sleep for several nights.
Once all that needed to be said was said, Lan Tian left with graceful composure.
Mo Yuanle dug up a few lotus roots from the pond and brought them back, and Grandma Sun was cleaning them in the yard. Hearing the yard door, she looked up and saw Lan Tian walking in.
"The girl is back," Grandma Sun ca over, pulling Lan Tian to look at her, "You’ve been gone so long, what happened at the military base? Is there any news from Sanwa? That kid on his mission, gone for years without a single word, it’s worrying."
Lan Tian hugged Grandma Sun, "Grandma, you really are God-like, spot on. The military called back just to let know that Mo Junhua is coming back soon, probably in about a month. I heard he’s being honoured for a great deed," Lan Tian said.
"Is that so? As long as he’s safe and sound," the old lady cared not for her descendants making a na for themselves, only that the whole family was safe and sound.
"Where are my uncle and aunt?" Lan Tian asked, as she hadn’t seen the two of them after talking for so long.
"They went to the orchard at the back. Let tell you, your uncle found himself sothing to do, always running off to that orchard, as if those fruits could run away. Your aunt said your uncle planted so herbs there, tending the land even more ticulously than our ancestors."
That was pretty much the extent of her uncle’s hobby.
"Oh right, a classmate of yours ca looking for you, sothing like Huānlè," Grandma Sun recalled but couldn’t quite rember the na, though she was sure it had the character ’Huān’ in it.
"A classmate?" Lan Tian had quite a few classmates from Jingli Middle School, but only a handful she was friendly with. There used to be a Huanhuan, but the two hadn’t kept in touch, could it be her?
"Grandma, did that classmate say what she was here for?" Lan Tian let go of Grandma Sun and went to fetch water to wash her face.
"She didn’t say what she ca for, just asked where you went and when you’ll go back to school. She stayed for a bit and then left. That girl must co from a wealthy family, she arrived by car, I heard the driver calling her ’Miss’." Grandma Sun went off to wash the lotus roots; the girl would be back later, she’ll make lotus root pork rib soup for her to replenish her strength at noon.
In the evening, Mo Yuanle and Zhao Li returned, and Lan Tian repeated what she had told Grandma Sun during the day to both of them. Mo Yuanle glanced at Lan Tian, feeling that the girl hadn’t told the truth. Seeing Mo Yuanle’s suspicious look, Lan Tian grinned and laughed.
"Tomorrow when you go to school, bring so lotus roots to Granny Lin, as a gift. You promised last ti to go for a al and you didn’t show up, they were waiting for you, you should really apologize properly for that," Grandma Sun reminded Lan Tian.
"I know, Grandma."
From her house to the Mo Mansion, it took Lan Tian a re ten minutes or so by foot. The servant who opened the door for her hurriedly welcod her in.
"The young lady is back," she called into the house.
Granny Lin and Aunt Lin, who were busy in the kitchen, quickly ca out to greet her. Lan Tian walked over and handed the lotus roots to Aunt Lin, "Granny Lin, my uncle dug these up from our garden; I’ve brought so for you to try."
"Thank your grandma for , always thinking of us when there’s sothing good," Granny Lin said. Although she hadn’t spent much ti with Grandma Sun, the two got along well due to their similar temperants. They called each other old sisters, and Granny Lin frequently sent goodies through her grandsons for her to try.
"Have you had breakfast? There’s lean at porridge in the kitchen, I’ll go get you a bowl." She got up to serve the porridge, but Lan Tian quickly stopped her, "Granny Lin, no need to fuss, I’ve already eaten at ho. I’m sorry about last ti, there was an ergency at the base, and I didn’t manage to inform you in ti, and I left your whole family waiting for to start the al."
"Such a small matter, why do you still rember it? Sanwa ca back and told you had an ergency at the base and you’d have to stay for a while. I was wondering if it had anything to do with your brother-in-law? When I asked him, he claid not to know. Did the base say when your brother-in-law would co back?"
Lin Guofu might not seem reliable on a daily basis, but he kept a tight lip when needed. Lan Tian repeated what she had told Grandma Sun, and Granny Lin was pleased, it’s a good thing if the brother-in-law had earned great rit.
"How are things in Beijing? Is Grandpa well?"
"There’s nothing much with the old man; he even called the other day, seed really happy, probably because the patient is getting better." Granny Lin wasn’t very clear about the situation in Beijing.
"That’s good to hear. I’m off to school now, goodbye Granny Lin."
As she left the mansion, she saw the gate of the house across the street wide open; a small car drove out and stopped in the alley. Behind it, Huanhuan ca out with her school bag, accompanied by a middle-aged woman. They talked, and then the middle-aged woman hugged Huanhuan.
Lan Tian guessed the middle-aged woman must be Huanhuan’s mother. She glanced over, withdrew her gaze, waved goodbye to Granny Lin, and sauntered off.
"Lan Tian," Huanhuan saw the person walking ahead, paused for a mont, and then ran after her.
Lan Tian stopped and looked back at her, "What is it?" Her expression remained indifferent.
Huanhuan hesitated; seeing Lan Tian, she had chased after her instinctively, wanting to ask if that thing was true? These days, gossip had spread wildly throughout the school; the stories beca more exaggerated as they circulated, and despite the school authorities’ announcents to not believe rumors, the rumors only grew more rampant, even reaching the university section.
Soone as aloof as Lan Tian couldn’t possibly do such a thing.
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