"That’s enough firewood for today, take a rest. You can co over tomorrow to chop more, and it’ll be just fine," Lian Yeye stopped him.
Yuan Tan rubbed his bald head, thought for a mont, and then nodded.
Seeing Xiao Tanzhi stop working, Xiao Qi wanted to play with him. Xiao Tanzhi didn’t agree, just smiled foolishly and looked at Lian Yeye and Lian Manman.
"Play in the yard, don’t go elsewhere," Lian Manman said, and gave Xiao Tanzhi a reminder, "Xiao Tanzhi, could you keep an eye on Xiao Qi?"
"Got it," Xiao Tanzhi replied foolishly, and then ran outside with Xiao Qi.
Imdiately, the sounds of two children laughing and playing ca from outside, accompanied by the cheerful barking of Da Pang and Second Fatty.
"Sister Manman, I heard sothing today," Lian Yeye said as she moved closer to Lian Manman, lowering her voice slightly.
"What is it?" Lian Manman quickly asked.
"This morning, Liulang said our grandfather could speak," Lian Yeye replied.
In Lian Shouli’s ho construction, the old house sent Lian Jizu, Erlang, Si Lang, and Liulang to help. These four ca every day and ate three als a day at Yeye Household. However, when it ca to work, Erlang was a good hand, Jizu was not, Si Lang liked to slack off and didn’t want to work, he just liked to chat, and Liulang was diligent but because of his age could only do limited tasks.
"What? When did this happen, how co we didn’t know?" Lian Manman was shocked.
"We didn’t know either. Liulang said he accidentally saw it, our grandpa and Duoduo’s dad were secretly talking," Lian Yeye explained.
"Oh..." Lian Manman elongated the sound, and understood in her heart.
Old Master Lian could speak, yet he was hiding it from people, not letting outsiders know, including them and Lian Shouli’s family.
"Are you sure?" Lian Manman asked.
"I only heard it from Liulang, shall we find Liulang and ask?" Lian Yeye suggested.
"Okay," Lian Manman nodded.
Lian Yeye went out and soon returned.
"Just as I went out, Xiao Tanzhi asked what I was doing. I said I was looking for Liulang, and Xiao Tanzhi went for . Xiao Qi also went along," Lian Yeye said with a smile.
"No wonder you returned as soon as you went out," Lian Manman smiled as well, "Xiao Tanzhi is quite observant."
Soon, Xiao Tanzhi and Xiao Qi brought Liulang back. As the three kids entered, Da Pang and Second Fatty jumped through the door, wagging their tails vigorously and grinning. These two dogs loved running around with Xiao Qi, they were ecstatic.
Lian Manman told Xiao Tanzhi and Xiao Qi to take Da Pang and Second Fatty out to play, leaving only Liulang inside the house.
After giving him so snacks to eat, Lian Manman asked about Old Master Lian and Lian Shouren talking.
"It was last evening," Liulang said, gobbling up a snack, "I went to the backyard to use the toilet, passed by the outer room of the Upper Room, and heard so noise from the east room, our grandpa’s room. I peeked through the curtain."
"What did you see?" Lian Manman pressed.
"Grandpa was sitting by the bed, our uncle was next to him. Grandpa was talking to our uncle," said Liulang.
"Did you hear what they were saying?" Lian Manman asked.
"No," Liulang shook his head.
"Liulang, are you sure you didn’t mistake it?" Lian Manman pondered for a mont and said, "How can you be sure Grandpa was speaking?"
"Grandpa’s mouth was moving," Liulang replied.
"His mouth moving doesn’t necessarily an he was speaking," Lian Manman said, "Grandpa had a stroke, his mouth can move, but he might just be going ’ah ah’.
Liulang wasn’t a particularly smart child. By questioning as much as she did, Lian Manman wanted to find out the truth of the matter.
"...Grandpa’s mouth was moving differently... it wasn’t ’ah ah’, it was speaking, I heard it, just didn’t catch what was said. Our uncle was nodding," Liulang seed a bit confused but still insisted.
"Was there anyone else in the room?" Lian Manman asked again.
"No one else, our grandma and the others went out, it was just Grandpa and our uncle," Liulang said definitively this ti.
"Liulang, don’t tell anyone else about this. And don’t ntion you even told us, okay?" After asking, there was no need to continue, so Lian Manman instructed Liulang.
"Okay, I won’t tell anyone," Liulang nodded.
After sending Liulang away, Lian Manman sat with Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye for a while, then went outside to call Xiao Qi, taking Da Pang and Second Fatty ho.
At lunchti, Lian Manman told the family what Liulang had said.
"Our grandpa can speak now, hiding it from everyone, only talking to Duoduo’s dad," Wu Lang contemplated.
"Your grandpa can speak now, isn’t that great news? Why hide it?" Lady Zhang was puzzled, sighing, "We’ve been so worried for him!"
Lian Shouxin remained silent for a long ti.
"It was agreed that when Old Master recovered and could speak, he would finally decide on the positions of Big Master and Second Master. Old Master is still hiding it; hasn’t figured out how to deal with this yet?" Lady Zhang added.
"Probably trying to figure out how to help them evade punishnt," Wu Lang said, "with those few issues, everyone knows. If not penalized, finding a convincing explanation for everyone won’t be easy."
"But with this, wouldn’t the Big Master and Second Master still get ten whippings daily?" Lady Zhang remarked.
"That’s still better than being stripped naked and kicked out of the village, heading to the far north where their fates are uncertain," Lian Shouxin finally spoke up.
"What should we do about this, pretend we don’t know?" Lian Manman asked.
"Later, we’ll go over to the old house and see," Wu Lang suggested.
"Then... we’ll act accordingly..."
*****
First, here’s an update. Countdown to the end of the month, please support with votes. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit qidian to cast recomndation and monthly votes, your support is my greatest motivation.)
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