Chapter 83: Guarding the Mourning Hall
Translator: Noodletown Translated Editor: Noodletown Translated
"Huo Mian? Which Huo Mian? That bastard daughter my dad had with a random woman?" Huo Yanyan, the mistress's daughter, said venomously. She was completely spoiled and disregarded everyone.
"Bastard daughter? Well, if you put it that way, your mom is also a mistress, does that mean that you are a bastard daughter, too?" Huo Siqian said with a smile, as if he was joking.
Shen Jiani's expression changed after she heard his words…
Huo Yanyan was also displeased. "Big brother, how can you compare me with her? I grew up in the Huo Family and my mother has a title. Her mother is nothing, she's just a b*tch who ran away with dad's chauffeur."
Huo Mian only looked coldly at Huo Yanyan and said, "Those who are well educated would never speak such vulgar words. It seems like the manners of a dignified daughter of the Huo Family is subpar."
"Are you saying that I have no manners?" Huo Yanyan was so angry she almost launched to her feet.
However, she was stopped by Shen Jiani, "Yanyan, don't cause trouble, remember where you are at right now."
"Since you are here, let's guard the mourning hall together. Quan, give her a piece of the filial cloth." Huo Zhenghai finally opened his mouth to speak.
"Yes, Elder Master."
Then, the servant brought over a long, white filial cloth. Huo Mian took over the cloth and tied it to her head.
Then, she slowly kneeled down by the side of the mourning hall.
Her grandmother's portrait was in the center of the room. She looked amiable and kind.
Huo Mian felt sad, but not to the point of crying her eyes out. That would be too fake.
The members of the Huo Family would kneel for a while before taking a break. Huo Yanyan only kneeled for a moment before complaining of dizziness, and she was escorted back to the mansion.
Huo Siyi also escaped on the grounds of entertaining his friends. In the end, only Huo Mian and Huo Siqian were left in the mourning hall.
"Mian, you should rest if you are tired. You don't need to keep kneeling here."
"I'm not tired," Huo Mian said as she burned the joss paper in the basin.
"It's almost time for dinner. You should go and wash your face."
"I'm not hungry," Huo Mian refused once again.
Huo Siqian stared at her face silently.
After a long while, he said, "If it weren't for grandmother's death, you wouldn't have entered this house again, right?"
"Yes."
"You are so direct," Huo Siqian said with a curled smile.
Huo Mian did not speak; she only silently muttered words of blessing.
- 30 minutes later, at the dinner table -
Huo Zhenghai looked around but did not see Huo Mian, so he asked, "Where is she?"
"She is still guarding the mourning hall. I asked Siqian to invite her to dinner but she said she wasn't hungry," Huo Zhenghai's wife, Jiang Hong, said.
"Not hungry? I think she is just faking it to leave a good impression on dad. What a fake woman," Huo Yanyan interjected.
"Yanyan, don't mutter nonsense."
"Mom, I'm speaking the truth. My classmate said that people of ordinary backgrounds all seem innocent, but they scheme the most. They live at the bottom of society so they've seen so many ugly things. Dad, you shouldn't believe her…"
Huo Zhenghai glanced at Huo Yanyan but did not speak…
"I don't think Huo Mian is faking it. She doesn't need to suck up to dad. After all, he hasn't done much for her all these years. She seems to be used to it."
Huo Zhenghai's expression changed when he heard what Huo Siqian said.
It was true, he had forgotten that he had this daughter. If his mother did not ask him to invite Huo Mian to come back at her deathbed, he wouldn't have even contacted Yang Meirong…
"Let's eat," Huo Zhenghai said after a moment of silence.
20 minutes later, everyone gradually gathered back in the mourning hall.
Jiang Hong said slowly, "Zhenghai, the feng shui master said that someone needs to guard the mourning hall tonight. One person needs to stay here the entire night, and it would be best if it were a woman because a man's aura would interfere. Mother liked Yanyan before she passed, so maybe Yanyan should guard the mourning hall tonight?"
Huo Yanyan's expression immediately changed. She said, "Mother, I can't. I have low blood sugar so I am always dizzy. My mom contacted a doctor who is coming later to give me an IV drip. Why don't you ask my brothers to guard the mourning hall instead?"
Guard the mourning hall alone? How could she do such a horrific thing? She was the princess of the Huo Family!
Shen Jiani hurriedly said, "She's right, Elder Sister, Yanyan isn't feeling very well. Why don't I guard the mourning hall for her?"
"No, it must be a member of the younger generation."
"Mom, let Huo Mian do it," Huo Siqian said.
Then, everyone looked towards Huo Mian. Huo Mian was listening to what they were saying. It was not a big deal for her since it was also her wish to send her grandmother off for the last time.
"Are you going to be okay doing it alone?" Jiang Hong asked.