Chapter 2: Joy from Heaven

Chapter 2: A Joyous Surprise from Heaven

Mo Yi had only stood at the doorway for a short while, but she was already chilled to the bone.

She hurriedly closed the door.

Seeing the almond soup still sitting on the table, she picked it up and drank while thinking: Although they were sisters by the same mother, her elder sister had never once stepped foot in her room!

It seemed that her mother had gone out to handle an... important matter related to her.

Waiting idly for news, feeling restless, and wandering about aimlessly had led her sister to this place. What could it be...

Ah!

She tapped her forehead: Now that the young lady is grown, what other "important matter" could there be?

It must be about a marriage proposal!

Could it be that things with Brother Liang You were finally coming to fruition?

The image of that young man, always dressed in a blue cloth robe, appeared in her mind, and a smile involuntarily tugged at the corners of her lips.

Hmm. It truly is a good match!

In the future... I, too, want to marry someone like that!

Xiangzhi leaned over: "Young Miss, I’ve suddenly figured it out. Here, you bend it like this, fold it like that, and then thread it through... look!"

Mo Yi looked and nodded with a smile: "It really is! How did you get so clever all of a sudden? Was it the eldest young lady who scared you into it?" She joked casually, not appearing as dull as she usually did.

"Yes!" Xiangzhi stuck out her tongue. "Our eldest young lady is truly formidable! In front of her, I don't even dare to speak."

Mo Yi smiled again and took out the work she had intended to do from the chest.

Xiangye, who was younger, felt a bit unconvinced: "Sisters born of the same father and mother, why is the young miss afraid of her?"

Mo Yi fumbled with the stone materials as she looked at them, answering unconsciously: "There’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s just that Mother is biased, and it’s pointless for me to fuss about it. No matter how hard I fight, it’s only a matter of a word or two pieces of clothing. If I make a scene and drag Father into it, making him angry... it wouldn't be worth the loss. Instead of wasting effort on that, I might as well do more work!"

Hmm, these two small pieces are excellent; they can be carved into magnolia earrings with silver hooks.

Wearing these earrings, and then using magnolia-scented incense. How beautiful that would be?!

They will definitely sell for a good price!

The summer before last, she and her father had secretly started a small business. They used jade, agate, green jade, rose quartz, amber, tourmaline, and other materials to make various items, such as jade locks, necklaces, earrings, lapel ornaments, bracelets, fans, and purse pendants.

Father was responsible for finding the materials.

She was responsible for drawing the designs and weaving the knots.

They also found a skilled carver.

They rented a small stall and sent a trusted servant to act as a clerk to sell these items.

Once the stall was set up, it sat idle for over three months before they finally made their first sale.

But even so, that year, the father and daughter cleared a profit of fifty taels of silver.

A smile appeared on Mo Yi's lips.

Last year, they worked for the entire year, and not only did they earn nearly three hundred taels of silver, but they also had quite a bit of material left over.

This year, although they hadn't balanced the books yet, it looked even better than last year.

Her father’s official career was not going smoothly, and his salary was meager.

The family’s assets were all controlled by her mother.

Although she wasn't stingy with clothing and food, she was extremely calculating when it came to money.

Year-round, her father didn't even have a few coins to his name.

Her father didn't have any other hobbies; he only liked drinking tea, buying books, and engaging in high-minded discussions with friends in small teahouses and eateries...

But, he had no silver in his pockets.

Always letting others treat him, how could he feel comfortable?

If he wanted to treat his friends, he had to ask her mother for money long in advance.

He was often scolded: "You only associate with the poor and destitute; what use is that for your official career?"

Heh! In the end, he usually didn't get the money and just ended up full of anger.

Her father’s temperament wasn't exactly broad-minded; when he got angry, it was genuine, and he would stay angry for a long time...

Ever since the father and daughter’s small business started...

Although the money earned wasn't much, her father seemed to have found his confidence, and the smile on his face had become much brighter.

He even brought her back storybooks, pine nut candies, pastries, soy-sauce beef tripe, and little trinkets.

The father and daughter truly realized: having one's own money is better than anything!

This time, her father was traveling with his superior, and the place they were going was famous for its various materials and carvings.

She had let him take all their silver; if he bought stock there, it would surely be high-quality and cheap!

With better products, they would earn even more next year.

Thinking of this, Mo Yi was full of motivation.

This matter had to be kept from everyone in the house, especially her mother... that wouldn't be easy!

Her nose was filled with the scent of narcissus, and her mouth with the taste of osmanthus.

Life was so peaceful!

It’s just... were her mother and eldest sister talking about a marriage proposal?

...

On the other side, Mo Wen was burning with anxiety, her footsteps hurried.

She hadn't even draped her cloak properly.

Although the chill was biting and her face was instantly cold, her ears were burning.

Entering her mother’s courtyard, she stopped, took a deep breath, and walked into the room with a feigned air of leisure.

The maid, Qiuxiang, hurriedly opened the door curtain and smiled first: "Eldest Young Miss!"

She then turned and shouted to the side room: "Mistress, the Eldest Young Miss is here!"

The mistress of the Mo family’s second branch, Wang Xiue, responded from the inner room.

"Eldest Young Miss, the Mistress just got back and is changing her clothes!"

"Mother, why did you only just return!?" Mo Wen entered the room, handed her cloak to Dujuan, and stared at the embroidered curtain of the inner room.

No one answered. After a while, Mistress Mo came out accompanied by the maid, Qiuhong, and sat down.

She was in her early forties and had given birth to five children.

She enjoyed eating, especially sweets. So now, she had a belly and no waist, looking quite wealthy.

However, she had fair skin and jet-black hair, which made her look quite young.

She had just changed into a dark-colored, everyday silk-padded long jacket and silk-padded trousers in the inner room.

She was still wearing the jewelry she only wore when going out.

After Mo Wen bowed gently, she looked intently at her mother’s expression, trying to see the result...

The result... there was no expression!

Qiuhong stood behind her, removing the jewelry from her head, placing each piece on a tray.

Mistress Wang personally took off her jade and gold bracelets and put them away. Only then did she pick up her teacup and sigh: "The weather is still quite cold!"

"Mother..." Mo Wen said with a hint of reproach, urging her, her heart pounding wildly.

Mistress Wang turned to look at her and suddenly burst into laughter: "Wenwen, don't be impatient... that matter..." she dragged out the sound: "It's done!"

The light instantly ignited in Mo Wen’s widened eyes, and her cheeks flushed with a rosy glow.

"Really? Mother... please don't lie to your daughter."

"Why would I lie to you?" Mistress Wang lifted her chin, her eyes crinkling with a smile.

That this matter could succeed was completely beyond her expectations.

"Look at you! My good daughter..." She looked at Mo Wen with affection.

The eldest daughter before her had thick hair, temples as if carved, an oval face, large, watery apricot-shaped eyes, a high nose bridge, and a small, bright red mouth. She was stunningly beautiful and incredibly pretty!

Her figure was even more like her own!

Although she was still a young girl and a bit thin, she had curves in all the right places, and one look told you she was well-suited for childbearing.

Wasn't this exactly the appearance that wealthy families looked for in a daughter-in-law?!

What’s more, she was graceful and appropriate in her speech and actions. She also played the zither well and was the most outstanding young lady among their relatives!

It was just a pity...

Thinking of this, Mistress Wang couldn't help but start grumbling: "If it weren't for the fact that the Mo family is truly failing! That father of yours can't get ahead and can't provide you with support... just based on you, what kind of family couldn't you marry into?"

Once she started, it was all complaints.

"Mother... please tell your daughter!" Mo Wen saw that she had gone off-topic again and hurriedly pulled her back.

"A joyous surprise from heaven! No one would have expected you to have such a marriage!" Once Mistress Wang was happy, she became radiant!

"It seems you left such a good impression on Young Master Xu. When your aunt and Madam Jiang met with Madam Xu, they spoke of you in every way possible..." She clapped her hands: "And look? The Xu family came to propose marriage on their own initiative!"

Mo Wen’s naturally fair little face flushed red.

Mistress Wang took out a marriage document. "On the way back, Mother specifically took a detour to the Red Thread Studio and asked the master to calculate it. Your horoscopes are simply a perfect match!"

Taking the document, Mo Wen thought of that day, and that person...

(End of chapter)