Crossing Over to Yamada Love

Madam Feng's chest heaved; she really wanted to slam her chopsticks down and make a scene, but there were guests today. She could say a few words, but if she started a fight, her own husband probably wouldn't tolerate it. So she slowly calmed her anger.

"Lanlan is so eloquent, I'm afraid she won't be able to find a husband in the future. Sister-in-law, you've raised Lanlan to be so shrewd, I wonder what kind of family will want her in the future." Madam Feng slowly revealed a smile, as if she was considering Molan's future.

Wang's face immediately darkened. A woman's marriage is a lifelong matter. Given their current status, Lan'er can only marry into a peasant family. If Feng and Cui were to spread the word, Lan'er's marriage would become a problem, because no mother-in-law would like her daughter-in-law to be talkative and shrewd. They'd be afraid they couldn't control her!

"Grandma, Mother, if Lanlan can't get married in the future, will you despise Lanlan and abandon her?" Molan looked at Wang Shi and then at Qiu Shi, and asked seriously.

“How could that be? No matter what, Lan’er will always be Grandma’s beloved granddaughter. Grandpa and Grandma will never dislike Lan’er.” Wang’s face was firm, her eyes revealing determination and heartache.

"Lanlan is my own flesh and blood, what mother would dislike her own daughter? If that were the case, I would raise you for the rest of my life!" Qiu's eyes were red. There were many elders at the table, so she didn't dare to speak. But seeing her own daughter like this, her heart ached.

"That's right, our Lanlan is so good, what's there to be afraid of! When the time comes, Grandma will find Lanlan a good one. If anyone dislikes our Lanlan, your uncle and I will take care of you for the rest of your life." Qiu Changshi glared at Feng Shi. Everyone was eating happily, but she was the only one who was making trouble and making everyone at the table unhappy.

"Yes, Lanlan, don't worry. Your aunt will always support you," Qiu Huangshi assured Molan, worried that her young age might leave her with some emotional scars.

“Your aunt and uncle don’t have any children, so Lanlan is our child. From now on, your aunt will treat you both like her own! Lanlan, don’t be sad. We all want you.” Liu Shi spoke up, her voice soft but firm. A gentle glow shone on her face—a symbol of maternal love!

"Since that's the case, what are you all worried about? Lanlan is already very content with so many people loving her. As long as her family is well, Lanlan doesn't ask for anything else. Now, shouldn't we happily eat our meal?" Molan gave everyone a mischievous smile and made a face at them.

"You silly girl," Wang said with a laugh, then urged everyone to pick up their chopsticks and start eating. However, this time, everyone's expression of support for Mo Lan had brought them all closer together.

Throughout the meal, although Madam Feng and Madam Cui kept making sarcastic and unpleasant remarks, no one paid much attention to them. Everyone chatted and laughed, and they were quite happy.

After finishing their meal and cleaning up, the second branch of the family went back to their rooms to rest. Madam Wang asked Mo Mei and Mo Lan to take their maternal relatives back to their rooms first, while she kept Madam Liu, Mo Changhe, and Madam Qiu behind.

Mo Quan and his son sat on the stools, while Wang Shi had her two daughters-in-law sit on the kang (a heated brick bed). After a moment of contemplation, she slowly began to speak: "Eldest son's wife and second son's wife, I didn't keep you here for any other reason. I have a few words I want to say to you."

"Mother, just tell me what you need to say," Qiu Shi hurriedly replied, urging her mother-in-law to speak freely.

Madam Wang looked at them and smiled kindly: "I'm getting old, and there are many things I can't do anymore. Lan'er has been staying with me recently, so I've been thinking about training her. You probably know a little bit about it; I experienced a lot when I was younger and have seen a bit more. I thought that since Lan'er is so smart, I should teach her properly. The family needs someone who can take care of things."

"Mother, we are very grateful that you can teach Lanlan. Lanlan has become much more sensible recently and is more organized in her work. This is all thanks to your good teaching, Mother. We are just sorry to have troubled you." Qiu Shi quickly got off the kang and bowed to her mother-in-law. Of course, she was happy that her child was doing well.

She had initially suspected her daughter's change, but after asking, she realized the girl remembered everything from her past. Her mother-in-law seemed to have been a well-bred lady, so it must be her recent influence on her daughter. That's why she'd changed.

"Sit down, why are you being so formal with us? You all know I've never had a daughter, only my two granddaughters, Mei and Lan. Mei is too gentle; even if I teach her, she can't learn. But Lan, she learns everything I teach her right away, which is why I decided to teach her. I've taught her quite a bit lately, so if you see her knowing anything new or interesting, it's all because I secretly taught her. Don't blame me for being biased, though. I just really like that girl." Madam Wang teased her two daughters-in-law with a smile.

"How could that be? Lanlan is a kind-hearted child. She thinks of everyone in the family, and she's especially good to her uncle. I dote on her. How could I think I'm being biased? I myself wish I could teach her everything I know." Liu smiled gently, her expression absolutely genuine.

Qiu was filled with gratitude, and Mo Changhe looked at his mother and wife with shining eyes. As long as his parents were healthy and his wife and children were well, he was content.

"Alright, you can all go back to your rooms. Changhe, go keep your father-in-law company. I taught Lan'er a few new styles a few days ago, and she's teaching her grandmother now. The eldest son's wife and the second son's wife should also go and learn. Your father and I are going to rest for the afternoon." Wang Shi waved to the group, signaling them to go back to their rooms.

The three left the main house. Liu smiled at Qiu and said, "I'll go back to the house to check on your older brother first. There were too many people today, so I didn't let him eat with us. I'll go over later."

“Alright, sister-in-law, you go ahead.” Qiu replied, then returned to her room with Mo Changhe.

The room was now full of people. Three men sat on benches, looking at the group of women of all ages on the kang (a heated brick bed), and chuckled.

"No, no, Aunt, you're wrong here. It should be like this."

"The position of the second aunt should be folded up like this."

"Grandma, you've done it wrong here. That's not how you do it."

"Cousin, take note: you should do this whenever you have free time."

Mo Lan's little mouth never stopped, teaching the others how to make sachets. Before long, her throat felt dry, and her temper began to flare. It seemed that being a teacher wasn't for her.

She used to think that making those small, delicate sachets during the Dragon Boat Festival would be very simple. She figured it would just take a few stitches. Little did she know that actually making them would be so difficult.

More than an hour later, Qiu Fangshi finally made a decent-looking sachet. Mo Lan immediately handed over the task of teaching her to teach everyone, while she herself lay down to rest.

She listened intently as her second aunt patiently explained methods and techniques to everyone. Meanwhile, she lay on the kang (heated brick bed) examining the room. She had rarely been to this room since she had entered, and now she realized how shabby it was. There wasn't even a proper piece of furniture.

There were only a few stools and a few boxes, presumably for storing clothes. Mo Lan's eyes stung with tears; her mother's dowry hadn't been much. That's why she'd always been looked down upon by the second wife's family. She vowed to make sure her mother had a better life someday.

Thinking of this, Mo Lan sat up from the kang (a heated brick bed) and began to teach her mother to use scissors to cut larger pieces of cloth into very thin strips to make colorful ropes.

Originally, the five-colored rope was supposed to be braided from rope, but when she accompanied Liu to buy silk thread last time, she saw that only red rope was available, no other colors. The red rope was sold by the piece, and each piece was quite long. At that time, she had Liu buy a lot, which could now be tied to sachets and worn around the neck. However, only red could be used to make the five-colored rope, so she came up with the idea of ​​cutting the cloth into small strips to make it.

"This is so pretty! It looks like a bracelet on my wrist." Mrs. Qiu looked at the colorful rope her daughter had braided and put on her wrist. She happily twirled her wrist back and forth, admiring it.

"This is called a five-colored rope. You wear it on your wrist on the Dragon Boat Festival, and then take it off and throw it away when it rains for the first time. Legend has it that throwing it away means throwing away illness. Of course, this is just a saying in some places, and it may not be true. It also looks nice to wear on your wrist normally." Mo Lan looked at the effect and thought it was pretty good, then explained the use of the five-colored rope to everyone.

"This is good, this is good. Everyone should wear one when the time comes. Throw it away when it rains, and all illnesses will be cured." Qiu Changshi was an old woman and somewhat superstitious. After hearing what Mo Lan said, she thought it was a good thing. She was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling.

Mo Lan smiled and continued, "This sachet is also called a lucky bag. It's for bringing good fortune. You can put dried mugwort leaves, rose petals, and other flower petals inside. When the time comes, just hang it around your neck with a string. It's not only pretty, but it also has a light fragrance."

"Yes, after hearing what Lanlan said, I'm thinking of getting one myself. Lanlan, you must save one for your aunt to wear when the time comes," Qiu Huangshi said cheerfully, her laughter equally hearty.

"Of course, everyone in the family has to wear one," Mo Lan chuckled. Since no one knew whether the sachets were actually called lucky bags, she could just say whatever she wanted.

"Oh, right, we brought back four sacks of fabric scraps last time. Grandma, you can take two of them back later. Make sachets and five-colored ropes like this. Fill the ones with less desirable fabric with mugwort leaves, and the ones with better fabric with flower petals. It's best to finish them in the next few days and bring them to us in five days, because the sixth day is the day my aunt delivers the goods, and we need to take them to town." Mo Lan looked at her grandmother and aunt with a serious expression and gave them instructions.

“Okay, we’ll do nothing else for the next few days but this. We’ll definitely finish it.” Qiu Changshi slapped her thigh and readily agreed.

"Have Brother Dajun bring it over on that day. He can stay here tonight. Have him come to town with us the next day. Once we've sold it and made some money, have him take it back with him," Mo Lan instructed her grandmother.

"What, Grandma doesn't believe you? What's the rush for money? Even if we don't give you the money, will your aunt and I just back out?" Qiu Changshi's face darkened, clearly dissatisfied with Mo Lan's meticulous calculations.