Actually, Lady Zhou has always been a very clever woman. She can instinctively discern what is true malice and true danger, and choose the auspicious while avoiding the ominous.
"It’s not that we’re not letting you go, but we need to co up with so rules first." Old Master Lian spoke gently to Lian Shouyi, Lady He, and Si Lang, and then asked Lian Shouxin, "Old Fourth, don’t you agree?"
Lian Shouxin responded vaguely, his attitude rather ambiguous.
Lian Shouyi, Lady He, and Si Lang were visibly unsatisfied, but ultimately they sat back down.
Old Master Lian asked Lady Chiang to serve everyone tea and opened the snacks that Lian Manman had brought, instructing Lady Chiang to distribute them. Lian Manman noticed this and understood that Old Master Lian wanted Lian Shouyi’s group to calm down so they would listen to what he was about to say.
"...It’s unfortunate that Si Lang’s engagent fell through, but a forced lon isn’t sweet. This one didn’t work out, so we’ll keep looking for an even better one. Marriage is about fate. Without fate, it won’t work no matter what you do. But if fate is there, everything will naturally co together without you having to do anything."
Once everyone had tea and snacks, Old Master Lian spoke slowly and sincerely.
"Sitting here on this kang, I don’t favor outsiders over my own children and grandchildren. But everything has to be reasonable. What that matchmaker said was groundless. A matchmaker’s words are always inflated. If we impulsively go to his aunt about this, it would cause a family feud, and other people would just laugh at us."
Groundless, aning without evidence.
"We can’t just let this go. If it really was his aunt who did this, I won’t let her... Everyone needs to calm down; don’t do anything in a fit of rage that would damage the sibling bond, leaving regret later."
Old Master Lian’s words were reasonable and emotionally charged, and if it were Lian Shouxin and his group, they might listen. But for Lian Shouyi’s group, Old Master’s earnest advice would likely be wasted.
"It was her, no one else," Lian Shouyi sneered. "What sibling bond? We have feelings for her, but she doesn’t have any for us. If she had feelings for us, this wouldn’t have happened. There’s no bond. Between her and us, it’s an irreconcilable enmity. Isn’t there a saying, sothing about killing the wife and taking the children? She ruined Si Lang’s marriage, it’s exactly that. This won’t end well for her!"
"If you two elders can’t bear to see them go to prison, then we’ll compromise. They need to compensate Si Lang with a wife." Lady He said in a loud voice.
"I don’t want their Yin Suo," Si Lang imdiately said. "Compared to Miss Wang, she isn’t even fit to carry her shoes!"
"Then make her pay," Lady He said, "Her family is well-off, they even have a shop..."
Without waiting for Old Master Lian or Lady Zhou to speak, Lian Shouyi, Lady He, and Si Lang concluded with two choices. First, send Lian Lanlan’s family to prison. Second, demand compensation from Lian Lanlan: they want her family’s grocery store for Si Lang.
"She’s saved up enough money over the years for them to live on. If Si Lang had that shop, even with gossip, he wouldn’t have trouble finding a wife."
Lady Zhou had been holding back, but finally she couldn’t bear to listen anymore.
"You’re planning to extort them, demanding their shop? On what grounds? Do you not want face anymore? Can’t live? Aren’t you afraid of being laughed at till your teeth fall out?" Lady Zhou’s tone was full of sarcasm and contempt.
Lian Manman and Lian Yeye exchanged a glance. Lady Zhou’s temper is only tolerated within the family. If she were outside, with her temperant and sharp tongue, who knows how many troubles and enemies she’d make?
And now, she was pressuring and provoking Si Lang. Si Lang is not like the other Lian children; who knows what might happen in the future?
"Let’s discuss this slowly," Old Master Lian said, avoiding eye contact with Lian Shouyi’s group. "Back when his aunt ca to see , her demands were similar. And I didn’t agree to anything then. Today... let’s discuss this slowly..."
Old Master Lian’s words were gentle, but the aning was clear: he did not agree with the demands of Lian Shouyi’s group.
Lian Shouyi’s group naturally wasn’t pleased. The two sides argunt continued, with Lady Zhou making sharp comnts while Old Master Lian remained calm yet firm in his stance.
Initially, get soone to send word asking Lian Lanlan to co and clarify the matter.
Don’t let Lian Shouyi’s group confront Lian Lanlan or make direct contact. Regardless of the truth, the family must not create a public fuss and work together on a solution.
These are the explicit instructions, while the implicit ssage is to oppose any demands for compensation from Lian Lanlan.
"Si Lang should take a break for the next couple of days, stay ho, relax, and return to work when this is over. The family might not be wealthy, but we’re not worried about those couple of coins." Lastly, Old Master Lian said.
"The dicine from the last ti, there are still a few doses left, right? Boil one for , I’m dizzy from anger, my head is buzzing and aching." Old Master Lian said to Lady Zhou afterward.
"I’ll go prepare the dicine now." Upon hearing this, Lady Zhou imdiately put on her shoes, fetched the dicine from the cabinet, intending to prepare it personally for Old Master Lian.
Lian Shouyi, Lady He, and Si Lang fell into silence.
...
Not feeling well today, forced myself to finish writing, going to lie down... (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian (qidian) to vote for recomndation, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian to read.)
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