Chapter 177: Mofan Returns to the Mo Family (Part 6)

Elder Xian sighed. If he had a choice, he would rather not take the risk. Although he had reached his advanced years, he was not yet ready to depart this world so soon. He longed to witness this group of children marry and have families, and to see whom Qian Yin would ultimately choose.

Yet, if he refused to lend a hand, could he simply stand by and watch the Mo family march toward utter ruin?

"I am deeply grateful that you are willing to go to such lengths for our Mo family, Elder Xian, but I do not wish for you to take this risk. I have already lost so much; I cannot bear to lose you as well," Mo Lan stepped forward, taking Elder Xian's hand, and said with profound sincerity.

"You foolish child, I never said I was certain to die. Why are you all in such a panic? The depths of Cloud Mountain hold countless precious medicinal herbs; I have long wished to harvest them. Since we finally have a rare opportunity to go together, what is there to worry about?" Elder Xian spoke with nonchalant ease, gently patting Mo Lan's hair like a benevolent grandfather.

Everyone present knew full well that Elder Xian spoke thusly merely to spare Mo Lan from overwhelming guilt. Yet, this upcoming journey would undoubtedly be fraught with peril, demanding the most thorough preparations.

A sudden ringtone shattered the tranquil atmosphere. Mo Lan picked up her phone, saw that the call was from Qian Yin, and immediately answered. She had finally received word from her.

"Such a massive crisis has befallen the Mo family, and you didn't even breathe a word to me? Where are you all right now?" Qian Yin was frantic, her voice laced with fury and agitation.

"Miss Mo, could you please tell us if our boss is still with you? Is he safe?"

Blocked outside the main gates of the Mo estate, the two bodyguards spoke loudly right beside Qian Yin's ear, earning them a sharp glare of annoyance. She had happened to run into them on the road and traveled back with them. Upon driving up to the Mo residence, they discovered it had been sold off, and the guards refused them entry or explanation regarding the situation.

Hearing Qian Yin's tone, Mo Lan could not help but smile. She glanced at the others in the room and said with a chuckle, "We are all at An Feng's place. Some unexpected events occurred at home; I'll explain everything to you when you return."

With a brief acknowledgment, Qian Yin hung up the phone and glared at the two bodyguards while rolling up her sleeves. She then marched straight to the back seat of the car, sitting quietly without another word to the pair—she still hadn't caught up on her rest.

The two bodyguards let out a collective sigh of relief, narrowly fearing that their earlier outburst had enraged Miss Qian and that she might beat them to a pulp. It seemed Miss Qian's temper was quite agreeable after all. Obediently, they got into the car and drove toward young master An Feng's residence.

"Who called to put such a delighted smile on your face?" An Feng asked with a hint of suspicion. Who possessed such remarkable ability to make Mo Lan beam like that? Driven by an unmistakable trace of jealousy, he spoke with feigned nonchalance while his gaze continually drifted toward the phone in her hands.

Mo Lan smiled as she looked around the room, her expression brightening further upon catching sight of Boss Jin. She announced loudly, "Qian Yin is back, and Boss Jin's two little sidekicks are back with her!"

"That's wonderful!" Cheers erupted among the group. This was undeniably joyous news. Although the Mo family had lost their estate, Qian Yin was back, and Mo Fan had returned. This meant they could gather once more as they had in the past, overcoming every obstacle together and facing whatever lay ahead side by side.

Dong, Nan, Xi, and Bei also set their worries aside. Since Qian Yin had returned and cared deeply about the Mo family's plight, she clearly wouldn't hold onto her anger toward Mo Lan. Choosing not to argue with Mo Lan earlier had undoubtedly been the right decision.

One by one, they stepped out of the courtyard. The uncle accompanied Mo Lan to prepare a lavish feast in anticipation of Qian Yin's homecoming. The rest remained seated in the living room, gazing at unfamiliar surroundings, each lost in their own thoughts and pondering their next moves.

As the master of the house, An Feng had no choice but to busy himself pouring tea. Cup by cup, he carried the refreshments to each person, making several trips before everyone had a drink in hand.

In truth, Qian Yin had spent the past two days simply clearing her head; it did not mean she had forgiven the foolish actions of Mo Lan and An Feng. However, with the Mo family in crisis, she could not simply fold her arms and watch. Even if not for Mo Lan, she owed it to Elder Mo to put forth her best effort.

Driving at breakneck speed, the two bodyguards—truly eager to reunite with Boss Jin—arrived at the gates of the An estate within minutes. Qian Yin stepped out of the vehicle and cast a glance at the villa. Would this place become Mo Lan's home from now on?

The guards stationed at the entrance, who had previously served at the Mo estate, immediately swung the gates open upon seeing Qian Yin and greeted her with warm smiles. Their expressions were so pure, as though the Mo family had not gone bankrupt, but merely moved to a different villa.

"Welcome back, Miss Qian."

"It's good to still see you all," Qian Yin murmured with a hint of emotion, returning their smiles as she walked inward. The two bodyguards remained silent, trailing quietly behind her like a pair of devoted attendants.

Upon stepping into the foyer, a familiar scent washed over her—the faint fragrance of traditional medicinal herbs. Qian Yin inhaled deeply, drawing the herbal aroma into her lungs. Step by step, she ascended the stairs and finally reached the living room. Seeing everyone sitting about, heads bowed and lost in their phones with troubled expressions, Qian Yin smiled faintly.

"I'm back, and this is the welcome I get?" Qian Yin directed her remark toward Dong, Nan, Xi, and Bei. Those four little rascals were so engrossed in their phones that the tea cups in their hands were dangerously close to spilling onto the floor.

Dong, Nan, Xi, and Bei sprang to their feet, carefully setting their cups down on the table one by one before rushing forward to surround Qian Yin in a group embrace, pressing in so tightly they looked like a band of bullies ganging up on a young girl.

The two bodyguards also stepped forward promptly, standing quietly behind Boss Jin without voicing the longing of the past few days. They were grown men; such sentimental displays were unnecessary. Boss Jin merely smiled with quiet satisfaction.

Although they had countless things to say upon this reunion, the moment Qian Yin caught sight of the tables beginning to groan under the weight of incoming dishes, her stomach chimed in with a very cooperative rumble. With no other choice, she claimed a comfortable seat and looked around at the gathered company.

Everyone took their places at the table, smiles gracing every face. Mo Lan, the uncle, and several housekeepers bustled about bringing out the dishes. Once the feast was fully arranged, the servants were excused to have their own meals in the kitchen.

Then came the matter of seating. The four youngsters, Dong, Nan, Xi, and Bei, immediately staked their claim on both sides of Qian Yin, two to each flank. Mo Lan and Elder Xian could only mutter in silent resignation, choosing to ignore the antics as they found seats elsewhere.

The meal proceeded in relative quiet. Qian Yin surveyed the culinary delights spread before her, sampling a bit of everything. Indeed, she had not eaten properly over the past couple of days.

Those seated around her vied to pile food onto her plate, while others chatted merrily, occasionally raising a glass of wine. The atmosphere was reasonably cheerful, yet certain heavy truths still needed to be addressed.

Once the meal concluded and everyone had eaten their fill, Mo Lan recounted the entire sequence of events to Qian Yin, including their impending expedition to Cloud Mountain to gather herbs. In her heart, she felt a profound sense of helplessness; the troubles of her household had burdened so many friends, causing them to suffer injuries and endure heavy losses.

Qian Yin listened attentively, nodding as her eyes swept around the room. In truth, she was searching for Elder Mo, Mo Fan, and Grandpa Mo. Where had these three members of the Mo family gone?