Chapter 95: CH 95

It’s almost the New Year, and Mo Zenian still hasn’t come back. Mrs. Liang’s cough was much better. Seeing the weather was good today, she went to town to help.

In the back, Mrs. Liang and Mrs. Hua packed the gift boxes, while the sisters sold them in the storefront. The two of them decided that they’d only sell gift boxes in two days’ time.

The two of them were working when someone outside the stall said, “Give me a wrap. I didn’t eat breakfast and I’m hungry.”

Mo Ling found the voice familiar, and when she looked up, it was her father whom she hadn’t seen for over a year.

“Father, you’re back!” There was joy in her voice.

Mo Yan raised her head and looked at the man in front of her. He looked less than forty years old and was very fair. His facial features were very similar to Mo Feng’s. He was wearing ordinary clothes, and although they looked nice, they weren’t made of a good material.

She didn’t want to call a stranger her dad, but Mo Ling tugged on her sleeve and kept urgingher, “Yan’er, greet your dad!”

Mo Yan reluctantly greeted him in a low voice, and didn’t look at him directly.

Mo Zenian just glanced at Mo Yan indifferently and said coldly, “You’ve grown taller, but you haven’t become more outstanding at all.”

As expected, he hated Mo Yan in every possible way!

“Ling’er, why are you here?”

“We’re doing business to make money! Mother is here too, she’s working at the back, let Yan’er take you there.”

Mo Yan didn’t want to be alone with him, “Sis, you go! I’ll look after the shop.”

“Alright then! Be careful with the stove, don’t burn anything!”

Mo Ling left the storefront to go to the back, but Mo Zenian said impatiently, “Tell your mother to go back home, I’m so tired!”

Remembering that he was about to buy food, Mo Ling quickly made a meat wrap and handed it to him, “Father, please have this first, and Yan’er will call our mother.”

Mu Yan ran to the back rapidly. When she heard her husband had returned, Mrs. Liang immediately stopped what she was doing, stood up, and went out, “I had just prayed for something good to happen yesterday, and now your dad has returned!”

When people were happy, their steps were brisk, and Mo Yan couldn’t catch up with her. As soon as she got to the front, she said with a smile on her face, “You’re back!”

“Yes, I’m back two days earlier than usual!”

“Your boss is really generous, go home quickly!”

Seeing that he was carrying a backpack and a gift box, Mrs. Liang hurriedly took them for him. Mo Zenian turned his head to the shop and said, “Ling’er, if you have nothing to do, go home early. An unmarried girl can’t show themselves outside so much!”

Mo Ling agreed, “You go back first! I’ll buy the meat for the New Year before going back.” Then, she handed a gift box to Mrs. Liang, “Let Dad take this when he goes to the back yard.”

After they left, Mo Ling began to blame Mo Yan, “You’re usually so good at talking, why are you so speechless when you see your father?”

“He doesn’t like me. Everything I say and do is wrong, so it’s better to not say anything.”

“When mum was pregnant with you, the fortune teller said that my dad was destined to have two sons. He thought you’d be a son, and never expected to have another girl, and a weak one at that. He was in a bad mood.”

“It’s the fortune teller who lied to him. Why am I involved in this?”

Mo Yan’s parents had been disappointed with her since her birth. [1]

The braised meat shop will close in two days, and there were long queues in front of it. If shopkeeper Zhou hadn’t left some for them, they wouldn’t be able to buy any at all. The two sisters decided to stop selling wraps from tomorrow onwards. If the customer had special requirements, they could make it on-site.

Mo Yan could sell gift boxes on her own, so Mo Ling went to buy meat for the New Year.

She bought five kilograms of pork belly, one and a half of pork dumpling filling, half a kilogram of pork skin, and some pork ears and pork offal.

Everyone was buying meat for the New Year, and the younger shopkeeper Zhou sold a lot of meat in the past few days.

Zhou Liangsheng saw Mo Ling buying so much meat and said, “You bought so many things! Let me help you with some of it.”

Not only was this child fair, he was also well-spoken. He came over to take the things in Mo Ling’s hand, “Big sister, don’t you want to buy some smoked sausage and bacon to make cold cuts for the New Year?”

Mo Ling patted his head, “You’re smart. I bought too many things today, and I don’t have a cart, so it’ll be hard to take home. I’ll buy them tomorrow! Save some good ones for me, I’ll be buying it for my family to eat.”

Back at the storefront, Zhou Liangsheng saw the neatly packed gift baskets, “What’s in it?”

Mo Yan said, “Dried fruits and jerkies.”

“This looks nice and is easy to pack. Can our braised pork be packed like this too?”

“Of course. There are so many types of braised meat in your store, you can easily make gift boxes. It’s too late to order baskets, however.”

“Big sister, you’re really smart!”

Mo Yan was embarrassed by the compliment, “Go back quickly! Your store must be busy!”

At noon, Zhao’er came out from the clinic to buy some wraps, and Mo Ling found out Ms. Hua hadn’t cooked for Mr. Cao in the past few days. [2]

“Zhao’er, we won’t be selling wraps from tomorrow onwards, please tell your master to prepare something else for lunch.”

Then, Mrs. Hua came to ask if she needed any help. Mo Yan said, “I can handle it here, you can help pack the gift boxes at the back! I will give Zhao’er a larger red envelope for New Year, to bring him good fortune.”

“There’s no need, it’s not like I have anything else to do. I want to ask if the textile factory you mentioned earlier still needs people.”

Before, she tried to avoid going there, but now she’s asking about it again!

“I’ve recruited a young man. If it’s too busy, I’ll definitely ask you for help.”

“Alright! Then remember to ask me if you need help.”

They asked her to go to Jiaolan Courtyard before out of desperation, and she didn’t understand the things there. Xiao Chuzi was much better at doing odd jobs than her. Now there were more and more things to do at the back, they couldn’t spare her.

“We can’t spare anyone here! But thank you for offering. After the new year, I’ll discuss paying you more rent with Mr. Lu.”

Ms. Hua thanked her profusely and went home. Zhong Cheng drove his carriage over again, after delivering goods to who-knows-where.

“Ling’er, is there anything to eat?”

Mo Ling made him a wrap and handed it to him, “It’s already the end of the year, why are you still delivering goods?”

“I’m not going far, just a dozen miles away. Today may be the last delivery I’ll make this year, so I came to see you.”

Mo Ling teased him, “You’ve come to see me, but have you brought me anything?”

While eating the wrap, Zhong Cheng said, “Of course. I’ll bring them over while visiting your house during the New Year.”

“We’re not family or close family friends, why are you visiting my house for the New Year?”

Zhong Cheng gestured back and forth between him and Mo Ling, “Aren’t we business partners? Why can’t we pay you a visit during the New Year?”

Mo Yan handed two gift boxes over to him, “Brother Cheng, you’ve helped us a lot in the past six months. Here, take this back and give it to the elderly and children.”

“How can I accept a gift from you!”

“Didn’t you say that we’re business partners? Besides, it’s not worth much.”

Zhong Cheng didn’t refuse any more. After eating the wrap, he took the gift box and said with a smile, “Ling’er, you should wear the hairpin during the New Year.”

Post-translation notes: Yeah, the dad seems like a jerk. I hope he meets a bad end or sees the error of the ways, either work. Although the former is admittedly more satisfying. As always, thank you for reading!

[1] An inauspicious birth, especially if you’re a girl, is truly a quick way to be a downtrodden cannon fodder. Unless you get transmigrated, of course.

[2] Hopefully Ms. Hua has given up on Mr. Cao by this point.