Chapter 176 – Rice Ball

Chapter 176 - Rice Ball

He Zhiran became increasingly intrigued and probed further, "And then what happened?"

Speaking of the aftermath, Mo Zhongyuan's tone turned melancholic.

"At the beginning of the year, for some unknown reason, the pair of iron-eating beasts no longer came to me.

I was worried that they might have encountered danger, so I searched the mountain many times but failed to find them.

Until last month, a severely injured iron-eating beast carried its child to me.

It was too gravely wounded; after entrusting this little one to me, it passed away.

I pitied the little one for losing its parents at such a young age, so I've kept it by my side ever since, taking care of it."

Upon learning that this little creature was an orphan without parents, He Zhiran felt an immense pang of sympathy. She hugged it even tighter.

As Mo Zhongyuan recounted the little ball's story, he indirectly explained the cause of the ghostly occurrences here.

No wonder Ma Junshan mentioned that the easternmost room was haunted; it turned out to be the result of these two giant pandas seeking to repay their gratitude.

Mo Zhongyuan could tell that Ninth Sister-in-law was genuinely fond of the cub.

"If Ninth Sister-in-law likes it, then keep it. As a big man with clumsy hands and feet, I wouldn't be able to take proper care of it."

Upon hearing this, He Zhiran's face lit up with a broad smile – it was the first time since her arrival in ancient times that she had appeared so unreservedly happy.

"Since that's the case, thank you, Fifth Brother."

Mo Jiuya witnessed He Zhiran's joy for the very first time.

Her happiness mattered more than anything else.

Approaching the cub, he gently stroked its back. "If you're going to keep it, you should give the little one a name."

He Zhiran pondered for a moment before smiling. "It looks round and plump like a rice ball, so how about we call it Steamed Rice Ball?"

Mo Jiuya affectionately patted her head. "Alright, Steamed Rice Ball it is."

The couple walked ahead, indulging in their affection, leaving Mo Zhongyuan and Mo Chuhan behind, unable to bear watching.

To avoid disturbing Ninth Brother and his wife's intimacy, Mo Chuhan pulled Mo Zhongyuan along, hastening their steps.

"Brother Fifth, let's quicken our pace. Mother and Fifth Sister-in-law Zhao Jiajia are still waiting for you."

At that moment, He Zhiran was still thrilled with the joy of having a precious treasure.

To provide better sustenance for the panda cub, she entered the space mentally, spending three thousand yuan to cultivate a bamboo forest filled with delectable shoots.

Additionally, she prepared bowls of milk for the cub, to be fed when it was convenient.

Her beloved pet, He Zhiran decided, must receive treatment akin to a national treasure.

Despite Mo Chuhan and Mo Zhongyuan's hastened strides, they didn't manage to outpace Mo Jiuya and his wife by much over such a short distance.

The quartet eventually returned to the area where the Mo family members were resting.

Mo Zhongyuan, under Mo Chuhan's introduction, first acknowledged his mother, then his wife.

Upon learning of Mo Zhongyuan's amnesia, both of them broke down in tears simultaneously.

Especially Fifth Sister-in-law, who had been a widow for many years. Her husband had barely returned from the dead, yet he failed to recognize her.

Such a situation was too much for her to bear all at once.

In disbelief, Fifth Sister-in-law clutched onto Mo Zhongyuan's arm. "My dear husband, do you truly not recognize me anymore? You once said that when you returned victorious, you would take me to the Moonlit Pavilion in the capital to savor Dongpo pork. You also mentioned that you would find time to accompany me to the temple to pray for a child from the goddess. Have you truly forgotten all these?"

Looking at the woman before him, now weeping uncontrollably, Mo Zhongyuan struggled to recall her words. However, the more he tried, the more his head ached, forcing him to cradle it with his hands and crouch on the ground, his expression contorted in agony.

He Zhiran recognized this as a common symptom among amnesiacs. This usually occurred when the patient strained to recollect their past, eventually causing intense headaches from overthinking.

Actually, for Mo Zhongyuan, this was a positive sign, indicating a high likelihood of his memories returning.

Nonetheless, it was crucial not to overstimulate a patient in his condition.

Seeing Fifth Sister-in-law Zhao Jiajia's agitation and her eagerness to jog Mo Zhongyuan's memory, He Zhiran promptly stepped in to intervene.

"Five Sister-in-law, with Brother Five's head injury, such intense stimulation could easily harm him."

Fifth Sister-in-law didn't fully understand how her actions might injure her husband, but she placed complete trust in Ninth Sister-in-law's words.

Realizing that her behavior might cause harm to her spouse, all the words she wanted to say vanished as she held her tongue.

Especially when she saw Mo Zhongyuan's suffering expression, her heart ached with concern.

She gently helped him sit up.

"Husband, I won't press you anymore. Take your time to recall if you can't now. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future for me to share our past with you."

Madam Mo also wished to spend more time with her son, but observing the reunion of this young couple, she, as an elder, knew it was not appropriate to intrude at this moment.

Thus, Madam Mo called everyone to gather around the fire.

Mo Chuhan and Mo Jiuya took the initiative to update their mother about Fifth Brother's situation.

Only then did the sisters-in-law and Mo Hanyue direct their attention to the rice dumpling in He Zhiran's embrace.

Mo Hanyue's eyes were still brimming with tears, which she hastily wiped away before joining He Zhiran's side.

" Ninth Sister, the little thing in your arms looks very much like the giant panda dolls we made."

Gently turning the rice dumpling over, He Zhiran positioned it so that its face was now facing everyone.

"This is a giant panda."

Mo Hanyue's eyes immediately lit up.

" Ninth Sister, is this really a giant panda? It's so adorable! Can I hold it for a moment?"

It was only a brief hug, so He Zhiran didn't hesitate.

Unbeknownst to them, as soon as the dumpling came into contact with Mo Hanyue, it recoiled abruptly and let out a faint cry.

Startled by the sudden movement of the dumpling, Mo Hanyue instantly withdrew her hand.

"Nine Sister, it seems the little one doesn't take a liking to me," she said.

"Fifth Brother mentioned that the dumpling is somewhat timid around strangers," replied He Zhiran.

Mo Hanyue blinked her big eyes, slightly disbelieving.

"Isn't Nine Sister a stranger too?"

He Zhiran was equally perplexed. Ever since the dumpling had landed in her arms, it had been incredibly well-behaved, showing no signs of discomfort at all.

Could it be that she really possessed the so-called "cat-attracting physique"?

To verify this, He Zhiran attempted to pass the dumpling to her other sisters-in-law.

The outcome was consistent—the dumpling outright refused their embrace.

At this point, He Zhiran was now utterly convinced that the fate between her and Little Rice Ball was predetermined.

Little did I expect that a dream unfulfilled in my past life would come true after transcending into this new world.

The ladies playfully interacted with the rice balls for a while longer. Raising their eyes, they noticed Liang Hao and the others still sitting alone.

Considering He Zhiran was still unaware of Liang Hao's actions tonight, Second Sister-in-law eagerly opened the conversation to retell the events to her once more.

He Zhiran had originally intended, once they were settled here, to visit Magistrate Cui's residence with Mo Jiuya. Unexpectedly, however, Liang Hao and his associates had beaten them to it.

As long as the wealth doesn't fall into foreign hands, it matters not who does the taking.

However, rumors had it that Cui County Magistrate's residence still held many valuable antiques and paintings that were yet to be seized. This stirred He Zhiran's interest once more.