Chapter 9: Second Brother is the Best

Mo Yi was having a lively time in her room, but the Wang-shi, who had gone out, was unaware of it.

Upon returning home, she immediately had someone call Mo Wen.

"Your aunt says she is free the day after tomorrow to accompany us to look at furnishings. Let’s take a look first; there will be new ones in early spring. No rush!"

"Yes!" Mo Wen replied. This was her being shown her dowry.

"Also... regarding the Liang family matter, I asked your aunt about it. As soon as she heard, she shook her head. She also said... Mo Yi is far inferior to you. The Liang family isn't desperate to marry a Mo girl! They wouldn't be willing!"

After saying this, Wang-shi let out a long sigh. That this matter didn't work out was within her expectations, but she couldn't help feeling dejected.

Mo Wen didn't care, smiling as she said, "Whether it works out or not, you’ve done your best for my sister. Mother, just now while you were out, something happened..." She then recounted the incident with the narcissus.

After hearing it, Wang-shi was furious.

"Liu-shi is becoming more and more disgraceful! To make a scene over two pots of flowers and drag it into the juniors' rooms—she really has no shame! I don't know how the Liu family raised her!"

Mo Wen nodded arrogantly: "Especially Mo Yuan. She’s so petty; she just can't stand me wearing new clothes! She can't compare to me, yet she’s so annoying!"

In this regard, Wang-shi could really see eye-to-eye with her eldest daughter: "Hmph, crying over things she can't get—look at that behavior! It’s so seductive and cheap; she doesn't look like a proper young lady at all..."

"With her like that, how could she ever be a mistress of a household? She actually thinks that looks good!" Mo Wen didn't hide her disdain.

Wang-shi said mysteriously, "I suspect your Third Aunt might be looking for a high-ranking family to marry Mo Yuan into as a concubine!"

"Ah? This... this isn't right, is it?" Mo Wen hadn't expected her Third Aunt to have such an idea and quickly weighed the impact on herself.

"Liu-shi’s biological mother was a concubine, and she came from... that kind of place into an official's household. She’s tasted the sweetness of it, that's all!" Wang-shi curled her lips. "But honestly, it’s not easy for her to find a good match. Her eyes are higher than her abilities... Take the Xu family marriage, for example. It’s true that your appearance and temperament are outstanding, but you still need your aunt to arrange things, don't you? Mo Yuan? Who would bother with her!? The Liu family doesn't even let them go back easily!"

The more they talked, the more Wang-shi felt a fire burning in her chest. She ordered Qiu Hong, "Call Mo Yi here!"

As soon as Mo Yi entered the room, Wang-shi unleashed her anger on her.

"Tell me, you have nothing better to do, why are you fussing over those things!? If you like them, just grow two pots for yourself. But look at you! Like a dog grabbing at eight piles of dung, licking none of them clean! You didn't even get a 'thank you' for your trouble, and you ended up being squeezed out by others. What do you want me to say about you?!"

Mo Yi remained silent.

Seeing her wilted appearance, and then looking at her eldest daughter’s bright and generous demeanor, Wang-shi became even more furious: "Your eldest sister is right here; can't you learn by example? You’re like a wooden block all day long; you can't even grasp a good opportunity when it comes."

Mo Wen waited for her mother to finish her lecture before speaking up to persuade her: "Mother, don't be angry. This isn't entirely the younger sister's fault."

Wang-shi was still furious: "Look at her! She looks average and has no impressive talents. On normal days, she doesn't even bother to dress up. And she let herself be bullied right in her own room! It’s simply disgraceful!"

Mo Yi kept her head slightly lowered; she had nothing to say.

"Are you a flower farmer that you need to tend to these things? If your eldest uncle wants to give gifts, there are plenty of flower sellers outside! Which one of them doesn't tend to them better than you? Why are you trying so hard to curry favor? It’s really... I’m telling you, Mo Yi, this is the only time! Next year, let’s see if you dare to grow any more narcissus!"

"I'm talking to you, did you hear me?!" Wang-shi asked with wide eyes.

"Yes, Mother. Daughter has heard. I won't grow them next year."

"Qiu Hong, bring over the silk-padded robe made for Bao-ge'er!"

Qiu Hong brought over a small bundle.

"This is your younger brother's new robe. If there are any parts that don't fit, take it apart and redo it. If there's anything you don't know, ask Nanny Wang!"

Mo Yi took it: "Yes."

"Be careful! I want to see it when it's done; don't make it look like a spider crawled all over it!"

"Yes!" Mo Yi promised.

"Go on, go on!" Wang-shi dismissed her.

She then said to Mo Wen, "Liu-shi always thinks I'm easy to bully! If she dares to provoke me again, just watch how I scold her!"

...

In the evening, Mo Rushan returned and wandered around the front, looking at the narcissus flowers.

He was in his early forties, with a thin and upright build. Although there were wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, his pitch-black pupils were exceptionally spirited. Stroking his beard, he nodded with a smile: "I have to say! This little girl Mo Yi really has a knack for it! Look at these different postures. The leaves are only a span high, yet there are so many buds; they are no worse than those tended by professional flower farmers. The Madam probably doesn't know, but by the end of the year, a pot like this could fetch seven or eight taels of silver!"

"Really? Heavens!" Zhuang-shi knew everything was expensive during the New Year, but she hadn't expected it to be that expensive! "Then for these next two days, we must let Mo Yi watch over them; we have to wait for them to bloom."

"Once they look about right, I'll start sending them out as gifts!" Mo Rushan had long forgotten how many he had bought, nor did he care if Mo Yi had kept a pot for herself...

Just then, Mo Fan returned home and saw the narcissus upon entering.

As soon as Zhuang-shi spoke, Mo Fan cried out: "Father, Mother! These narcissus flowers weren't just bought by Father! Father only bought fifty or sixty bulbs. Second Uncle knew Fifth Sister liked them, so he specifically bought some more for her. I even gave her some! Mother, why did you move them all here?"

Zhuang-shi was displeased. "Who knew all that? Mo Yi didn't mention it!"

"The adults were yelling at her, how could she have the nerve to say anything?! Even if she didn't say it, you shouldn't have moved them all here! You didn't leave her a single pot! Did she do all that work for nothing?"

Zhuang-shi sneered: "What 'nothing'? Who is she? How is it for nothing? Your father is giving gifts—isn't it for the sake of the Mo family? Isn't it to make your lives better? Didn't Mo Yi benefit from it too?"

Seeing his mother lose her temper, Mo Fan didn't dare raise his voice, but muttered: "Still, you shouldn't have left her without a single pot. I have to take a few back to her!"

Zhuang-shi rolled her eyes at him. "They're already here! You want to send them back? Let it be for now! We'll talk about it next time."

Mo Fan wouldn't have it: "But there are Second Uncle's too! Second Uncle is away from home; when he comes back and sees that Fifth Sister doesn't have a single pot, won't he be angry?"

Mo Rushan, who was drinking tea and listening to his wife and son bicker, finally spoke up: "Alright! Why don't you take two pots to Yi-yi? No need to worry about your Second Uncle; they'll be placed in the living room, he'll see them!"

With his father's word, Mo Fan didn't dare to argue further despite his unhappiness, and he carried two pots away.

"Is Fifth Sister in her room?"

Mo Yi was sewing clothes for Mo Bao with Xiangzhi.

Hearing the voice, she hurriedly got off the kang to welcome him, smiling: "Second Brother is here!"

Mo Fan had been afraid that Mo Yi would be crying, but seeing her full of smiles, he felt relieved: "I pried two pots from my father's hands. Bringing them back for you!"

Mo Yi not only didn't cry, but she smiled quite sweetly and gave a thumbs up: "Second Brother is capable and has a good eye; these two pots you chose are truly beautiful."

"I thought you'd be crying," Mo Fan teased with a mischievous grin.

"Although I didn't cry, I was sad for a long time. Second Brother is the best!" Mo Yi happily arranged the narcissus.

"If you want to grow them again next year, make the terms clear beforehand. If they want them, make them buy the bulbs and pots in advance."

Mo Yi felt bitter inside: If they were reasonable, how could this have happened?

"Okay! I'll remember that! Thank you, Second Brother!"

"We're family, why be so polite? Third Aunt is just like that... don't be angry. I heard from my mother that she was making a scene about the carriage this morning!" He made a funny face. "Women, their perspective is just so short-sighted!"

Mo Fan wasn't good at his studies and hadn't passed the entrance exam for Xishan Academy.

If he weren't the eldest uncle's only son, he would likely have been beaten often.

But Mo Yi felt that he was sincere and thoughtful.

He was much better than that arrogant, haughty eldest brother who took everyone's kindness for granted!