She Lost Memory Before the Divorce-Chapter 120 - 0: The Eve of the Birthday Banquet (2)
Chapter 120: Chapter 0120: The Eve of the Birthday Banquet (2)
Huo Tingxiao noticed her hesitation to speak and couldn’t help but press her for an answer.
“What?”
Mu Lan shook her head, quickly masking her emotions with a different expression.
“It’s nothing.”
She actually wanted to say how uncomfortable it had been last time at the Sheng Family gathering when a bunch of people bombarded her with questions about pregnancy, and who knows what new tactics they might use this time.
The people of the Sheng Family, each and every one of them, were sharp and cunning, not to mention Huo Qitang, the aunt who especially bolstered outsiders’ pride.
Huo Tingxiao seemed to perceive her concerns, speaking in his usual calm tone, yet each word carried the weight of a thousand catties.
“Huo Family is your home ground too, so be more confident.”
Mu Lan looked up at Huo Tingxiao. To say her heart wasn’t the least bit stirred would be too false. Even more so, his words inexplicably gave her a sense of security.
“Mhm.”
Upon returning to Maple Forest Garden, the night was pitch black. After a week without seeing her, the way Huo Tingxiao looked at Mu Lan was indescribably dark and suggestive. Mu Lan wasn’t foolish; she knew these past days of abstinence must have turned someone into a starving wolf.
But she had somewhat grown used to the coldness of a celibate life, so she deliberately avoided the signals emanating from Huo Tingxiao’s eyes.
Sensing her intentions, Huo Tingxiao had prepared well in advance. Before she could head to the guest room, Mu Lan was swept off her feet by Huo Tingxiao, who carried her directly to the master bedroom.
“Huo Tingxiao! Put me down!”
“We’d end up back here in the middle of the night anyway, so why bother?”
Huo Tingxiao spoke with conviction, leaving no room for argument. Mu Lan thought to herself that her sleepwalking excuse would probably not work this time.
After carefully placing Mu Lan on the bed, Huo Tingxiao didn’t rush to eat, but rather squatted in front of her, gazing at her at eye level, quietly observing her for quite a while.
Mu Lan felt a little uneasy under his stare.
“Why… are you looking at me like that?”
Huo Tingxiao simply uttered three words.
“You’ve lost weight.”
Mu Lan was startled. Such common words, yet they felt like three stones cast into the lake of her heart, creating ripples that reverberated in waves.
“Just… think of it as dieting.”
Looking down, Mu Lan dared not meet his deep, dark eyes. Her hands rested on the bed, her fingers nervously picking at the sheets, producing a soft rustling sound.
Watching her nervousness, Huo Tingxiao reached out, gently caressing her long hair, and said earnestly:
“You’ve worked hard.”
Mu Lan blinked her clear, distinct eyes, looking at Huo Tingxiao. How could this man suddenly be so gentle?
“It’s okay. It was just a bit difficult to adjust at the beginning, but I’ve gotten used to it.”
Their eyes met, and Mu Lan felt the atmosphere around them grow increasingly amorous, until Huo Tingxiao gradually drew closer and the warmth on her lips reminded her of how real it all was.
Indeed, no matter how she guarded herself, she still fell for his trick.
———
The day before the banquet, Teacher Yao had someone deliver the dress, and as Mu Lan looked at the embroidery, her eyes brightened.
Even Huo Tingxiao, who was so discerning, couldn’t resist complimenting:
“It’s lifelike.”
Mu Lan lifted her chin a little proudly.
“Right, when a master crafts, the results are extraordinary.
But…”
“But what?”
“I feel like something’s off, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Anyway, it’s not a big deal since it already meets the standard of perfection.”
Watching her laugh like a child, Huo Tingxiao’s mood was also affected.
“The banquet is arranged at the Huo Family’s hotel, and there will likely be quite a few people at the old mansion tomorrow morning. Relatives are planning to go there first to liven things up.
Do you want to visit the old mansion first, or just go directly to the banquet?”
Although it was almost a rhetorical question since, as the granddaughter-in-law of the Huo Family, how could she possibly only show up at the banquet? Yet, Huo Tingxiao’s considerate gesture still touched her a little.
“You go about your busy day tomorrow, don’t worry about me. With Yun Xi around, she can drive me to the old mansion. As for my mom and brother, they are likely to visit the old mansion in the afternoon to present their birthday gifts, and we’ll see how to arrange things at that time.”
Hearing her well-reasoned plan, Huo Tingxiao no longer worried.
“That’s good.”
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Because there were important matters to handle the next day, Huo Tingxiao fortunately had the conscience not to tire her out.
——-
The next morning, after breakfast, Mu Lan got ready and Yun Xi drove her straight to the Huo Family’s old mansion.
The old mansion, located at No. 75 Mountain Top Road in the southern suburbs, is a large estate with nearly a hundred years of history, covering an area of 120,000 square feet. Its exterior is a Western-style building with a green glazed tile roof, Chinese archways, and a five-story pagoda, perfectly blending Eastern and Western architectural styles.
The usually quiet mansion was bustling with vitality today.
The car stopped at the fan-shaped parking spot to the right of the fountain. Mu Lan got out of the car and glanced at the row of luxury cars with plates from various places. It seemed that these people had all arrived yesterday.
“Young Madam.”
The butler stood at the entrance respectfully welcoming her. Mu Lan responded with a polite smile and followed the butler through the small garden into the main house.
Seeing Mu Lan, the elder Mr. Huo, who was chatting with the guests, immediately waved his hand.
“Mu Lan is here.”
Mu Lan, observing the elder Mr. Huo looking sprightly and in high spirits—a typical sign of happiness on an auspicious occasion—thought he shone brightly among the crowd as today’s star.
“Grandpa, may your fortune be as boundless as the Eastern Sea and your longevity surpass the southern mountains’ evergreen pines. May you have this day every year, and this moment each and every day.”
With her sweet talk, Mr. Huo smiled until his eyes almost disappeared.
“Good, good, good. May you have this day every year, and this moment each and every day.”
“Grandpa, please take a seat. Tingxiao has some matters to attend to and will arrive later. I couldn’t wait, so I came over by myself first.”
“No rush, no rush, it’s not even noon yet.”
Mr. Huo was in a very good mood. It had been a long time since the mansion was this lively, and he was very happy to see so many relatives and guests today.
Mu Lan stealthily scanned the room and realized that besides Huo Qitang, she truly had no recollection of anyone else. She wondered what she should do when the time came.
But seeing that everyone else seemed just as unfamiliar with one another, she guessed they probably wouldn’t mind her either.
Just as she was pondering this, Han Yongmei, surrounded by people, came over with a beaming smile.
“Lanlan has arrived. We were just talking about you. Dad, I’m going to borrow your granddaughter-in-law for a moment.”
“Good, you two chat. I’ll rest awhile.”
Mu Lan was pulled aside by her mother-in-law, quietly sighing in her heart, knowing she couldn’t avoid this.
“Mom, I don’t really remember some of the relatives. Can you remind me later when it’s time?”
Han Yongmei hadn’t expected her to be so straightforward. She wanted to chastise her but felt it wasn’t the right occasion, so she just agreed.
“Play it by ear.”
“Alright, thank you, Mom.”
With her mother-in-law’s assurance, Mu Lan finally felt at ease.
“Cousin, that dress looks stunning on you. It must be a Dior haute couture, right? I’m so envious of you, Cousin, to have Cousin Huo doting on you like this.”
Looking up, Mu Lan saw a young girl smiling at her warmly. Although she didn’t know which aunt’s daughter she was, calling her ‘cousin’ was surely right.
“With your talent and beauty, Cousin, you will surely find someone who adores you just as much.”
As soon as Mu Lan finished speaking, a few women exchanged surprised glances. Mu Lan had always been quite subdued, but today, how come she was so outgoing?
