17 Chapter 17 Treatment (1)

When it was Ziwan's turn to serve food to everyone, no matter what she offered, Lady Mo and the others happily ate what was given to them. The food on the table rapidly vanished.

"This marinated pork knuckle is not bad, you should try it too." Mo Linglong was startled when Ziwan also served her food. It took her a while to overcome her surprise.

"Don't you like it?" Mo Ziwan asked innocently. If not for her usual meek demeanor, and perhaps a hint of pity towards her, she wouldn't have bothered.

"Rude. You should at least react," Chancellor Mo looked discontentedly at Mo Linglong, utterly dissatisfied with her apathy.

Lady Mo and Mo Qingfeng didn't say anything, perhaps to keep the pleasant atmosphere of the meal intact.

"Thank you, it's very delicious." Mo Linglong finally reacted, complex emotions within her as she placed the pork knuckle in her mouth.

Mo Ziwan's eyes lit up with laughter.

"You're easily satisfied," Lady Mo put down her chopsticks, her happiness that evening making her feel full without even eating, "If you ever want more of this dish, I can cook it for you every day."

"Mother, you're truly partial. You've never personally cooked for us," Mo Qingyun pretended to be jealous and complained.

"Grow up, acting girly won't work," Lady Mo ignored her son, her gaze filled with affection towards her daughter.

"This...this is unfair... neglecting your sons for your daughter!" Mo Qingyun continued to protest.

"You should be glad your mother isn't tough on you, a grown man shouldn't squabble with his sister," Mo Qingfeng shot a sidelong glance at him.

"I don't want our mother to work hard every day on my account; once a year is enough." Mo Ziwan gestured with sincerity.

"No one loves a mother as much as a daughter." Lady Mo adored her daughter no matter how she looked at her. Mo Qingyun touched his nose and quietly sipped his tea.

"I can bask in your happiness, Father is extremely lucky." Chancellor Mo was in a great mood, and his voice was particularly full of vigor.

Mo Linglong sat there silently, feeling out of place.

"Father, Mother, I've finished my meal, I'll take my leave now," she finally couldn't help but stand and take her leave.

"Very well, go then," Lady Mo replied coldly, there wasn't a shred of intention indicating she wanted Mo Linglong to stay.

"Mother, I am also full and would like to take a stroll to digest the food," Ziwan also got up to leave given how late it was.

Contrary to her response to Mo Linglong, "Have your brothers accompany you wherever you go," Lady Mo was very reluctant to part with her.

"Alright, let's take a walk together. Mother's food is so delicious, I'm quite full too." Mo Qingyun also got up. He didn't forget to flatter his mother. "We truly cannot eat more. If mother cooks every day, we would soon become tubby."

"Huh, no use flattering me," Lady Mo affectionately slapped him. Mo Qingyun laughingly dodged.

"Take good care of your sister," Chancellor Mo reminded them.

Mo Qingfeng and his brother agreed. Xueyan fetched a cloak for Ziwan. The large group then headed back.

"Miss has gone back," Mo Linglong was reminded by her maid before she returned to reality. She walked slowly, accompanied by her maid.

"Miss, don't be sad. Considering your talent and beauty, Minister Xiang will one day appreciate you. The Eldest Miss has just woken up and they are only being especially kind to her because they feel guilty. Lan Xin had been with Mo Linglong for a long time and understood her thoughts. So, seeing her lose heart, she tried to comfort her.

Guilt? Even if there wasn't any guilt, just because Mo Ziwan was born of their father's beloved woman, she would be the apple of his eye. But she herself was the result of a scheme, a thorn in his heart. Every time he saw her, it would remind him of his disloyalty to Lady Mo. How could he like her?

Mo Linglong was always smart and saw Chancellor Mo's heart clearly. Because of her clear understanding, she did not lose her kind nature and did not become as vicious as some other daughters of big families.

Lan Xin tried to comfort her more but gave up at the sound of Mo Linglong's long sigh.

"I overate and now I'm stuffed." Ziwan's face was filled with regret.

"It's fine, just walk it off." Mo Qingfeng amusingly watched her face filled with regret. How wonderful it was to see such a lively Ziwan.

"Alright, you should show me around your courtyards." Ziwan was curious about her brothers' courtyards.

"Fine, we will show you around." Mo Qingyun took her hand and started to lead her away.

Mo Qingfeng's courtyard was on the left side of her courtyard, filled with clusters of bamboos. The ones near the wall had grown into giant bamboo stalks. Even in winter, these bamboos remained green with only the leaves turning yellow. The ground was covered with bamboo leaves, probably not cleaned yet.

There will be bamboo shoots to eat in spring. This was Ziwan's first thought. Mo Qingfeng was unaware that his favorite bamboos had already been remembered by Ziwan as he continued to introduce the other types of bamboos.

"Can this osmanthus tree bloom?" The stout osmanthus tree in the yard had also caught her attention. Apparently, osmanthus cake was quite delicious.

In modern times, while she wasn't a picky eater, she was quite particular. She had tasted almost all of the world's delicacies. What's more, the Mo family ran a chain of restaurants around the world. Everywhere she went, she could enjoy VIP treatment. But let's not digress!

"My yard doesn't have as many bamboos, but in spring and autumn, there are all kinds of flowers and fruits." Mo Qingyun was proud that his courtyard contained more practical plants.

He wasn't lying. This yard had pear trees, apricots, plums, and even grapevines. This was a man who knows how to enjoy life. The wide variety of fruit trees were exactly to Ziwan's liking and she praised him endlessly. Mo Qingyun found a like-minded person; when he determined to fill his courtyard with various fruit trees, against the opposition of his parents and brother, he persisted. Their enjoyment of the fruit can now be considered a testament to his success.

Back in her courtyard, Ziwan was still unable to sleep. She was still too full. Desperate times called for desperate measures. She asked Xueyan and Xueyuan to spread a thick blanket on the floor. She then took off all her outer clothes, just wearing her underwear.

"Miss, you can't take off your clothes here. It could cause a chill," Xueyan exclaimed, assuming that she was going to wash up and recommending, "go to the warm washing-room instead."

"Wait a bit, I need to do some exercises first to aid digestion and improve my fitness." Actually, doing yoga on an empty stomach was better, but Ziwan couldn't wait for that right now.

Xueyan and the other maids didn't understand what "exercise" meant. They watched in awe as Ziwan twisted her body into daunting poses. They wondered about what their Miss was doing. Does it hurt to twist oneself into those shapes?

This body was not used to exercise, and Ziwan couldn't perform these movements very comfortably, but it still caused her pain. She decided that she had to exercise more regularly and sighed at this realization.