©WebNovelPub
She Lost Memory Before the Divorce-Chapter 122 - 0: Really Thought She, Mu Lan, Was Easy to Bully (2)
Chapter 122: Chapter 0122: Really Thought She, Mu Lan, Was Easy to Bully (2)
Mu Lan expressionlessly covered the gift box again, leaving everyone present confused.
“Miss Sheng, perhaps… let’s not unwrap the gift for now.”
Seeing this, Sheng Xueqian took the gift box from Mu Lan’s hands, tilted her chin up, and exuded a wilful demeanor.
“Why can’t we open it now? My sister put a lot of thought into preparing this for Grandpa Huo.
What, are you afraid that the gift prepared by my sister will outshine others? So you don’t want to open it in front of everyone?”
Sheng Xueqin was very pleased to have her cousin as a pawn—she could say the things that were not good to say, do the deeds not good to do, while always remaining the elegant lady of good breeding in others’ eyes.
Pretending to take on the airs of an elder sister, Sheng Xueqin spoke:
“Xueqian! Miss Mu, my little sister is young and speaks without a filter, you mustn’t take a child’s words to heart.”
Mu Lan watched as the sisters played off each other, but she wasn’t annoyed. She dealt with each move calmly and without any sign of perturbation.
“Miss Sheng, what are you talking about? As the saying goes, ‘A visitor brings blessings.’ As guests to our Huo Family, I’m only worried about not being hospitable enough; how could I take a visitor’s jest to heart?
I just wanted to kindly remind…”
With a few words, she adopted the stance of the Huo Family’s elder daughter-in-law, calling them ‘guests,’ as if deliberately reminding the Sheng sisters to be aware of their place.
“Remind?”
Sheng Xueqin looked at Mu Lan but didn’t believe she had any good intentions.
“It’s nothing.”
Mu Lan stepped back, obediently standing beside Han Yongmei, no longer speaking.
Sheng Xueqian, as if revealing a treasured artifact, opened the gift box for Old Master Huo.
“Grandpa Huo, look, this is the ‘Pine Crane Prolonging Year’ robe my sister had custom-made for you. She hired the best master in our Sea City to embroider it, waiting just for today to add to the celebration.
Please try it on and see if it fits. The robe carries good fortune, hoping that you stay healthy and live for a century.”
“Oh my, our Xueqin is so thoughtful, isn’t she? It’s said that girls truly are caring. Old Master, you should see how well this is embroidered.”
Before Old Master Huo could even say anything, Huo Qitang started lavishing excessive praise.
The others followed suit, with the exception of Han Yongmei and Huo Qiyuan, who remained silent.
The former, because her daughter-in-law was present, had no reason to praise someone from another family, while Huo Qiyuan… upon seeing the embroidery pattern, paused, her expression becoming somewhat awkward, trying to change the subject.
But Huo Qitang, as if injected with chicken blood, couldn’t stop lavishing praise.
“Xueqin, you are still so considerate. It seems like the younger generation of our family needs to learn a lot from you.”
Initially, it was just an attempt to mock Mu Lan, but the statement ended up offending both younger sisters. Huo Qiyuan didn’t want to speak out, but upon hearing that, she immediately felt unwilling.
“Older sister, if you’re talking about learning this kind of sincerity, we agree. But as for this gift…”
Hearing an undertone in Huo Qiyuan’s words, Sheng Xueqin subconsciously felt something was amiss. Before she could speak, Mu Lan had already opened her mouth.
“Auntie, it’s the thought that counts. Miss Sheng didn’t know, otherwise…”
Mu Lan deliberately left her words hanging, piquing the curiosity of everyone present.
Everyone looked at each other, pondering the meaning of her words, while Sheng Xueqian hastily defended:
“What do you mean by that? Are you suggesting there is something wrong with the robe?”
Sheng Xueqin sensed that something was off and hurriedly tried to intervene:
“Xueqian!”
But the spoiled Miss would not be stopped, adamant about getting an explanation.
“Sis, she’s obviously trying to smear you,” Grandpa Huo, you’re not unaware of how she caused my sister to hurt her ankle last time. Today, of all days, she still wants to trouble my sister, isn’t this going overboard?”
Old Master Huo’s face turned cold, highly displeased with Sheng Xueqian’s brash behavior.
The sourc𝗲 of this content is frёeωebɳovel.com.
This is the Huo Family, after all, Mu Lan is one of their own, and it’s inappropriate to do this in front of so many people, even if they are relatively close relatives and friends.
“Xueqian, wasn’t last time’s misunderstanding already cleared up?”
“Grandpa Huo, if there really was a misunderstanding, then why is she still trying to find fault with my sister today? Where is the problem with this dress? It was embroidered by the most famous master in Sea City with Double-Sided Embroidery.
Oh, I get it now, it must be because you prepared the same gift, afraid of wearing the same thing and losing face, so that’s why you’re doing this, right?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the room erupted in a buzz of discussion, with everyone looking towards Mu Lan.
“Yes, what has Mu Lan prepared as a gift? Why hasn’t she brought it out for us to see?
Could it be that she really… prepared the same thing?”
Huo Qitang had just finished speaking when he was met with a fierce glare from the old master.
This turncoat, at such a moment, still doesn’t know what should be said and what should not!”
“This…”
Mu Lan, with head bowed, looked as though she had been hit by the accusation.
Han Yongmei glanced at Huo Qitang and then at Mu Lan, finding this daughter-in-law a bit disappointing. On such an important birthday as the old master’s, she’d prepared a gift that clashed with someone else’s, wasn’t this blatantly embarrassing?
“Today, everyone came for a good time, and whatever they’ve prepared is the children’s own way of showing their heart.
Dad, it’s almost noon, let’s get ready for lunch.”
This topic could have been gently glossed over, but Sheng Xueqian was relentless.
“Grandpa Huo, it’s better to clear things up clearly, isn’t it? We’re here to celebrate your birthday, and now there’s a problem with the birthday gift, wouldn’t this make people laugh at the Sheng Family for not understanding etiquette?”
Mu Lan watched Sheng Xueqian continue her relentless pursuit and subtly curved her lips into a smile.
“Looks like Miss Sheng wants to leave no stone unturned, huh?”
“I just want to be completely convinced. Do you dare to bring out your gift for everyone to see?”
Old Master Huo didn’t want to continue the commotion, thinking that even if the gifts were identical, it wasn’t a big deal, just bring it out.
“Lanlan, whatever you’ve prepared, grandpa likes it. Bring it out for us to see.”
As these words ended, Sheng Xueqin’s expression changed; such obvious support, it seemed today’s plan to embarrass Mu Lan wasn’t perfect.
But she never expected Mu Lan to refuse outright.
“Grandpa, it’s not that my birthday gift is shameful. I’m afraid… if I take it out now, Miss Sheng will feel awkward.”
“What do you mean, Miss Mu? What could be so awkward for me?”
Seeing Sheng Xueqin growing impatient, Mu Lan knew this fish was on the hook.
“Miss Sheng also wants me to take out the birthday gift right now for everyone to scrutinize?”
“It’s all for Grandpa Huo’s joy. Miss Mu, stop being modest, let me broaden my horizons too.”
Glancing at Sheng Xueqin with her assured demeanor, Mu Lan’s face revealed a faint smile.
“Then I’ll boldly show my modest gift.”
Saying this, she turned and started unwrapping the gift from the pile that resembled a little mountain.
The instant she took the garment out of the box, everyone present couldn’t help but exclaim in unison.