Chapter 497: Does Lan’er Know Your Feelings?

Chapter 497: Does Lan'er Know Your Feelings?

"These silver notes are what I've saved over the years of practicing medicine. The amount isn't much, only eight thousand taels. If building such a courtyard is too expensive, we can simplify some details."

He Ziming wasn't clueless. Not to mention building a house in this barren land of the Northwest, even in the Imperial City, eight thousand taels could buy a large house.

However, like Mrs. He, he also believed the glazed windows were expensive, so he worried the money might not cover everything.

"Elder brother, building a courtyard like ours wouldn't cost so much silver." Plus, she didn't plan on taking their money.

He Zhiran pushed the silver notes back.

"Don't worry about the construction; consider it my way of showing filial piety to our parents."

As the eldest son, how could He Ziming let his sister pay for their parents' house?

He offered the silver notes again.

"Are you saying I can't take care of this for our parents?"

"Elder brother, that's not what I meant. You're a child of our parents, and so am I. It doesn't matter who pays, does it? Besides, you're planning to open a medical clinic here, and you'll need money for that too. I've earned some money in the Northwest; please allow me this act of filial piety?" He Zhiran firmly refused to accept He Ziming's silver notes.

Seeing the silver notes being pushed back and forth between the siblings, Mrs. He felt deeply comforted.

The harmony between brother and sister was exemplary.

In many prominent families in the Imperial City, siblings would compete and manipulate each other for more advantages.

Her children, however, were thinking of each other. Having such children was her greatest fortune in this life.

"Enough, both of you stop arguing. Your father and I have saved some money over the years. We'll pay for the house ourselves.

If you truly want to show filial piety, just live your lives well and give us less to worry about. That's more valuable than giving us a mountain of gold and silver."

Mrs. He's words were down-to-earth. Every mother wants her children to live happy and comfortable lives.

He Zhiran was not a fussy person. Since the construction won't cost much, it didn't really matter who paid for it.

"Since that's the case, let's listen to Mother. Tomorrow, I'll ask my husband to seek help from Brother Hu."

They would finish building the house before winter arrived.

Even though they got off track, He Zhiran hadn't forgotten about Lan'er and her brother's situation.

"Elder brother, does Lan'er know your feelings?"

"She doesn't seem to." He Ziming had never been so lacking in confidence before. It was clear that he thought this was one-sided.

He Zhiran understood Lan'er's personality and the purpose of her coming to the Northwest.

If it weren't for her and Mo Jiuya's intervention, Lan'er might not even be alive today.

After some time together, she knew that Lan'er was very resolute. Even if she had feelings for He Ziming, she might not agree, remaining faithful to her original promise.

"Elder brother, don't rush to express your feelings. I'll find time to feel out Lan'er.

A relationship is about mutual agreement. If Lan'er isn't interested, we shouldn't push it."

She didn't want He Ziming to get his hopes up, because the higher the hopes, the harder the fall.

"I understand this. If Lan'er isn't willing, I promise not to pressure her." He Ziming quickly stated his position.

Mrs. He listened to the siblings' conversation and didn't know what to say.

The siblings seemed to have completely ignored her, and they wouldn’t listen to her opinion on whether her son should marry Lan'er.

Oh well, she wasn’t too against her son’s relationship anyway. Everything should just be left to fate.

He Zhiran, seeing that her mother had nothing to say, stood up.

"I’ve been out for a while. I’ll go back and check on the kids."

"I’ll go with you." Mrs. He also stood up. Her two little grandchildren—she’d start to miss them if she didn’t see them for a while.

At this point, she didn’t need to return to the Imperial City. Without seeing those two darlings, she’d probably lose her appetite.

When He Zhiran and Mrs. He returned to the room, Lan'er was still there, but neither of them showed any signs of abnormality.

It wasn’t until everyone dispersed when it was dark that Lan'er brought a basin of water into He Zhiran’s room, and He Zhiran called out to her.

"Lan'er, when we brought you and Yu'er back to the Northwest, I never asked about your age."

Lan'er was very sensitive, and the Lady He often found topics to chat with her, but she had never asked such a question before.

Still, she answered properly, "Lady He, Lan'er and Yu'er are the same age, and we just turned eighteen this year."

In the Great Shun Dynasty, women usually started discussing marriage at the age of fifteen, and if there were no physical disabilities, they would typically be married by sixteen.

Lan'er and Yu'er were already eighteen, which made them considered late bloomers by local standards.

"You and Yu'er look so young and fresh. If you hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have guessed you’re already eighteen." He Zhiran didn’t immediately get to the point but noticed Lan'er’s evasive gaze, as if she had something on her mind.

She intended to keep the conversation light.

"Look at me—I was already a mom to two kids before I even turned eighteen."

"That’s because Lady He is blessed, having two children at once, a son and a daughter." Lan'er thought He Zhiran was lamenting something and felt her earlier tension ease.

He Zhiran continued to chat casually with her, and once Lan'er had completely relaxed, she said, "Have you and Yu'er thought about what you want to do with your lives in the future? You can’t stay in the Mo Family doing household chores forever.

Besides, you don’t have any indenture contracts; you’re both free people."

Upon hearing He Zhiran’s words, Lan'er knelt down in front of her.

"Lady He, when Yu'er and I came back to the Northwest with you, we only wanted to wait until the princess’s revenge was fulfilled, so we could visit her grave and tell her the news. We never thought about anything else.

At first, I had nothing to live for, but the Mo family’s kindness gave me a new reason to live.

Now, I’m willing to stay in the Mo Family forever, even if it means working as hard as a horse."

Lan'er was clever and immediately understood the implication in He Zhiran’s words.

Moreover, when she met Young Master He Ziming earlier, Mrs. He was also there. She blushed for a moment, wondering if Mrs. He had noticed anything suspicious. If that was the case, and Lady He intended to arrange a marriage for her, it would be troublesome.

Therefore, she needed to make her position clear before Lady He could bring it up.

Once He Zhiran started the conversation, she wasn’t going to stop until she got her point across.