CHAPTER 285: CHAPTER 243: THE PEACH TREE IS GONE

"Slow down when eating, don’t scald yourself. If it’s not enough, I’ll cook some more." Zhao Li took off her apron and sat down beside her, suddenly mentioning, "Oh right, girl, I have something to tell you. The peach tree in our backyard has suddenly disappeared. When we came back, we only saw a big pit there."

It was a strange incident. Grandma Sun and the others didn’t dare to make a big fuss about searching for it, thinking someone might have stolen it while they were away. They thought about the peach tree being brought back by Little Tao, and secretly searched for it for a long time without success.

Lan Tian didn’t hide anything. "I know, Little Tao came to find me. When she saw me, she even told me to apologize to you, afraid that you would come back and couldn’t find her."

The courtyard fell silent suddenly, and after a long while, Zhao Li spoke softly, "Did the peach tree really turn into a spirit, and can walk now?"

Grandma Sun and the others had always known that the peach tree in the backyard was not ordinary, but they had never imagined it could become a spirit.

"The peach tree came to find you? It knew where you are?" Grandma Sun found this too miraculous, it sounded like a fanciful tale.

"I know." Lan Tian nodded, it was a promised meeting, how could she not know where I am.

"Why didn’t it come back with you?" Grandma Sun and the others were used to the presence of the peach tree, suddenly not seeing it made them uncomfortable.

"I was in retreat, upgrading my power. It also benefited from me and had to retreat, along with Master." Lan Tian lied glibly, without a hint of embarrassment.

"Grandma, I need to head to Beijing in a few days, probably for half a month," Lan Tian suddenly said.

"Your Grandpa came a few days ago and told us," Grandma Sun smiled and playfully tapped Lan Tian’s head from afar, "What your Grandpa said is different from you. He found a good school for you in Beijing, you can directly get admitted when you go there." Seeing Lan Tian’s unwilling face, Grandma Sun felt amused, the girl was good in all aspects, just too homebound. She hates to leave home so much as if she wishes to tie her family to her trouser’s belt.

"You have nothing much to do at home, really planning to wait for a year? I feel exasperated just looking at you. I even asked your uncle, with your grades, you won’t fall behind. Don’t worry about home; I’m in good health, your uncle and aunt are here too, what’s there to worry about; it’s convenient to buy anything you want, it’s not like our old home in the Mo Village, where going to the street isn’t easy. Relax, Grandma even wants to bring you a grandson."

Lan Tian still looked listlessly unexcited. Zhao Li walked over, tapped her on the head, "Go away, when you come back you just stick to your uncle. Previously, you went to the mountains, one trip lasting several months, and I never saw you like this."

Lan Tian smoothed her forehead hair and calmly got up to give Zhao Li her seat, sitting next to Grandma Sun.

Was this not infuriating, surely infuriating.

"It’s different, I have to stay in Beijing for four years," Lan Tian gestured with four fingers, "Four years, not seeing me for four years, you won’t miss me."

"What do you mean four years, won’t you come back during summer and winter vacations?" Zhao Li was amused by Lan Tian’s words, "Other people’s children can’t wait to be away from their parents, and here you are, still not weaned, wishing you could tie us to your waist."

Zhao Li laughed out loud at her own words.

"Alright, alright, I’ll be the one going, and if I play wild there, don’t blame me for not telling you," Lan Tian said irresponsibly, spreading her hands.

"Hua Zi, you need to keep an eye on her." Zhao Li turned back towards Mo Junhua, "And don’t spoil her too much. You still have to say what needs to be said. You can’t just indulge her every whim. That girl’s got a wild streak; if you’re not careful, she’ll bring a whole heap of trouble home."

Mo Junhua really enjoyed this kind of atmosphere where family members could gather and speak freely. He looked back at Lan Tian, adoration nearly spilling from his eyes, "I think the girl’s temperament is quite fine."

"Good gracious, a case of ’wife sings, husband follows!’ You’ll have your hands full later, don’t say I didn’t warn you." Although she said this, deep down Zhao Li was quite pleased with Mo Junhua’s attitude. If Mo Junhua had criticized Lan Tian, hmm, Zhao Li had her ways of dealing with him, "The water is heated up in the house, go and take a bath; I’ll take care of the dishes."

At her own home, Lan Tian lived like the Empress Dowager, with everything from clothing to food served up to her, managing her clothes, food, accommodation, and travel.

When Lan Tian wanted to take a bath, Mo Junhua went to the kitchen to fetch water for her, carried the heated water inside, adjusted the temperature, and even picked out clothes and laid them on the bed. The wooden tub in the house was one meter high, not easy to get in and out of, so Mo Junhua also found a small stool and placed it next to the tub to make it easier for Lan Tian.

Despite Zhao Li finding fault with many aspects of Lan Tian, when people talk about their children’s shortcomings, they often do so with a loving attitude. Seeing someone badmouth their kids one moment and fuss over them like the Old Buddha the next is not to be taken seriously. If you took it to heart, you’d be in for it.

Seeing Mo Junhua bustling about for Lan Tian, the family wasn’t displeased at all; they even smiled, clearly pleased, which showed he cared about their girl.

Mo Yuanle dropped the phrase ’saying one thing but meaning another’ and went to his room to sleep, leaving Zhao Li baffled. She turned to ask Grandma Sun, "Auntie, who is he talking about?"

Grandma Sun chuckled, walking slowly back to her room with her hands behind her back, muttering, "I’m old, can’t keep up with you young folks anymore, I’m off to sleep."

Of course, Mo Junhua was happy, especially serving Lan Tian with the bath; he loved it, and would have been even happier if he could join her, but that was just a thought kept to himself.

"Girl, the water’s ready, you can bath now."

After preparing the water, Mo Junhua didn’t leave but went to lie on the bed facing the wall, turning his back to the tub. Lan Tian came in and looked towards the tub, not seeing Mo Junhua, then glanced towards the bed and saw him lying motionless.

"I’m going to take a bath, aren’t you going out?"

"If I go out, grandma and the others might be suspicious. I am your man; it’s completely normal for me to be in the room. Going out deliberately might make the elders overthink." Lately, Mo Junhua often insisted on pointing out he was her man.

"Don’t worry about that; my uncle even waits outside the courtyard while my aunt bathes, and only goes in after she’s done. So, the one overthinking is you. Hurry up and go out, otherwise the water will get cold, and you’ll have to heat it up again."

Chopping wood isn’t exactly free; alright, the wood itself costs nothing, but it takes manpower and effort to go up the mountains and chop it.

Mo Junhua went to the closet, grabbed a pair of trousers and left the room. While Lan Tian bathed inside, he used cold water to bathe in a corner of the courtyard, choosing a spot right beneath Lan Tian’s window. The shadow of his bathing figure reflected on the curtain, the sound of splashing water, his robust physique, the towel slowly moving across his shoulders...

"Seductive," Lan Tian muttered, sinking underwater with her eyes closed.

Mo Junhua choosing that spot was purely coincidental. The corner was near Grandma Sun’s room, and the old lady was already asleep. Going there to bathe and waking her up wouldn’t be nice. It’s not like he could run to the backyard to bathe; moreover, there was no water there.