Back in the house, Lady Zhang glanced at Lian Manman, who was still giggling, and smiled while shaking her head.
"Sis, what are you laughing at?" Xiao Qi also noticed Lian Manman’s smile and asked.
"Nothing much," Lian Manman certainly couldn’t voice her thoughts, so she said perfunctorily, "Xiao Qi, rest for a bit, then go to the study with our brother to read."
"Let him rest a while longer. Studying is ntally taxing and exhausting," Lady Zhang quickly said, then asked Xiao Qi, "What snack do you want today?"
Speaking of which, Lady Zhang wasn’t a strict mother; often, her attitude towards the children was indulgent and doting. Fortunately, all the children were very self-disciplined.
"Mom, you don’t have to keep bringing snacks. I eat well during als and am not hungry," Xiao Qi said.
"So, is there anything you want to eat today?" Lady Zhang asked again.
"Mom, can we have hotpot today? I want to eat fish," Xiao Qi thought for a mont and said. Lian Manman, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi all loved hotpot made with silver carp fish head as the base.
Even though he was loved by parents and siblings alike, Xiao Qi was still a very sensible child. Whenever there was sothing good to eat, use, or play with, he wouldn’t only think of himself; he would rember his parents and siblings. Because of this, the whole family adored him dearly.
"Sure!" Lady Zhang gladly responded upon hearing her youngest’s request, "I’ll have the kitchen prepare it soon."
"When we opened the fish pond that day, we got a silver carp over five pounds. Let’s have that one today," Lian Manman said with a smile.
In the Lian family’s fish pond, aside from the most sellable two to three-pound fish, they intentionally kept so bigger fish.
"Alright." Lady Zhang naturally had no objections, "I’ll also have the kitchen make so fish balls. Speaking of fish balls, let’s have so cooked balls for lunch."
As they chatted, Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye arrived. Lady Zhang invited the two onto the kang to sit and had soone serve tea and snacks.
"What’s going on? Didn’t sleep well?" Lady Zhang noticed the dark circles under Lady Zhao’s eyes and asked concernedly, "I’ve told you, work needs to be done at the right tis. Don’t stay up too late at night. You should sleep when it’s ti to. No matter how much work there is, there are enough people to ensure it gets done on ti."
"I didn’t sleep well, but it’s not because I stayed up working," Lady Zhao said sowhat embarrassedly.
"My dad wasn’t ho last night," Lian Yeye explained for Lady Zhao.
"Where did your third uncle go?" Lady Zhang was surprised.
"He went into town," Lady Zhao explained about Old Master Lian sending Lian Shouli to town to find Lian Lanlan.
"It was pretty late that day, wasn’t it? How did he go? Why didn’t he co to us? We have a cart at ho," Lady Zhang said.
"It’s no big deal; he’s used to walking. Thirty miles isn’t much," Lady Zhao replied.
"My dad said it’s just a small matter; he could walk there, no need to borrow a cart and mule, making it seem like such a huge deal. Besides, Uncle and Aunt’s cart and mule also need rest, don’t they?" Lian Yeye added.
"Your third uncle is...," Lady Zhang sighed, "Next ti sothing like this cos up, don’t be so reserved. I know you don’t like to trouble others, but you have to assess the situation. We have it readily available at ho, it’s not like we don’t."
Lian Shouli, Lady Zhao, and Lian Yeye were all very self-aware, hardworking, and didn’t like troubling others. Lian Shouli’s actions were typical of ordinary tenant farrs.
In a village, neighbors with good relationships often share what they have. Onions, bundles of vegetables, these can be given just by ntioning them. But things like large carts and mules are considered valuable assets. If they’re theirs, they cherish them deeply. If they’re soone else’s, they absolutely wouldn’t ask to borrow them unless absolutely necessary.
So, if Lian Shouli could walk to Jinyang County Town on foot, he wouldn’t co to Lian Manman’s family to borrow a cart or mule.
Compared to such simple behavior, Si Lang’s previous actions of borrowing a cart, coachman, and mule seed all the more abrupt and inappropriate.
No need for comparison, such behavior would draw criticism from ordinary tenant farming families.
"With so many people in the old house, when sothing happens, you still have to... ah," Lady Zhang shook her head.
"What good is having so many people if none of them live properly?" Lian Yeye said sowhat angrily, "We never get a share of the good things, but when there are errands, those thankless tasks, we’re the first they think of. Everyone’s gotten used to bullying us."
User Comments
0 comments from readers