Lian Shouxin stord off, leaving Old Master Lian standing there, motionless for a long while. It wasn’t until Lian Shouren and Lian Jizu noticed sothing was wrong and went to support Old Master Lian with questions that his stiff body suddenly felt a little weak.
Old Master Lian was helped into the house by Lian Shouren and Lian Jizu. At this mont, Lady Zhou was still sitting on the kang, wiping her tears and muttering curses.
The old couple exchanged a glance and understood everything without needing to speak. They both hadn’t gained any benefit from Lian Shouxin.
Old Master Lian sat down on the kang with a sigh.
"When daughters grow up, they don’t belong to their mothers; when sons grow up, they don’t belong to their fathers. Let’s just leave it," Old Master Lian sighed.
"How did Old Fourth change into a different person," Lady Zhou lanted, unwilling to let it go. "Didn’t you hear how he spoke to ? In the past, he wouldn’t even dare to breathe loudly when talking to ."
"Well, it’s because he made a fortune, got a temper, and doesn’t see anyone in his eyes anymore," Lian Shouyi chid in.
"Shut your filthy mouth," Old Master Lian imdiately glared at Lian Shouyi and said, "Second Son, keep an eye on your wife. Don’t let her do nothing all day but gossip around. It’s annoying, you know. I just ran into Wang Liuzi from the back street, and he gave ears full of it."
"You all are included," Old Master Lian turned his head, eyeing the sons and grandsons in the room. "About the Zhang Family’s daughter’s marriage, you all should stop talking nonsense outside and offending people. What are these families like? If they co to your door, what are you going to do then?"
The Zhang family had once co to their door, and the Lu family was the kind that never took any hardships quietly. Lian Shouyi obviously knew the consequences and looked downcast.
With everything chaotic at ho, Lian Shouxin couldn’t easily deal harshly with them. But the Zhang and Lu families, if not for Lian Shouxin’s face, wouldn’t treat them kindly in the slightest.
"We are all relatives; maintain a bit of dignity. When I’m gone, you’ll need people in your lives. Even if you don’t ask for their help, don’t make enemies that trip you up," Old Master Lian’s tone softened and he spoke slowly.
Recently, Old Master Lian had often spoken with such a tone, always talking about what would happen if he were no longer around.
As usual, whenever Old Master Lian spoke like this, the atmosphere in the room would beco extraordinarily heavy, and even Lady Zhou would lose her spirit, her eyes staring blankly ahead.
"Everyone, return to your rooms and rest early. Tomorrow morning, get up and go collect manure with . Old Fourth is planting winter wheat, harvesting twice a year, using one mu of land as two. It’s no wonder they made a fortune; it’s from hard work. You all, learn from that," Old Master Lian laid out the plan for the next morning and waved them off, dismissing Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi.
Only the old couple was left in the room, facing each other in silence.
"Old Fourth has changed," after a long while, Old Master Lian sighed.
"We’re straightforward, everything on our faces. The Zhang family is cunning, and they’re good at currying favor. They speak softly, which we don’t know how to do!... This son, we raised him for nothing; he’s being raised for others," Lady Zhou said bitterly. "Xiuxiu is his real sister, and when she got married, they went all the way, just gave so few things. I said back then Old Fourth’s wife’s intentions weren’t good, and you still contradicted . Look at now, how they treat their niece? I bet, all that dowry was all taken by them."
"Enough, enough, did you see it with your own eyes, or what?" Old Master Lian was also feeling vexed, but he was more rational than Lady Zhou. "Can you believe the words of the second daughter-in-law? The Zhang family is living well now, with money in their hands. Their daughter’s marriage, Old Fourth’s side most likely gave sothing extra, but to say completely taking over, that’s impossible."
"When Old Fourth first separated and was poor, didn’t they help a lot? Now that Old Fourth’s family is doing well, repaying them is only natural," Old Master Lian sighed lightly.
"Old Fourth’s family now has a mountain of gold and silver; even covering it all, a few taels of silver, it’s nothing to him, why couldn’t it be done?" Lady Zhou disagreed with Old Master Lian’s view. "The Zhang Family helping Old Fourth was also for their own daughter. If not for their daughter, would they have helped Old Fourth? Besides, even if they helped, how much could they have helped? The things sent over by Old Fourth’s family during festivals long paid them back, with nothing owed to them!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers