"Mom, I heard from Uncle Zhao that he’s only thinking of Brother Erlang and Sister-in-law Xiu E’s best interests, and Dad has agreed to diate for them. Why isn’t Uncle Zhao happy, always bringing up money?" Lian Manman said in a hushed voice to Lady Zhang, pretending to be discreet.
But the room was too small, and Lian Manman’s voice wasn’t that low. Every word she said clear and distinct reached Zhao Wencai’s ears.
"Old Brother Zhao, maybe you could think this over again," Lian Shouxin said, seeing Zhao Wencai staying silent.
Zhao Wencai felt very uncomfortable inside. To think it over, what more could he ponder. Letting Zhao Xiue stay with his family was out of the question, but just allowing Zhao Xiue to return like that would an waving goodbye to his money for good. Either way, he would be at a loss, yet he still wished to minimize the damage.
The Lian Family had relatives at the Song Family of the County City, and the Shen Family showed a special fondness for the Lian Family during their visit this ti. With these two connections, it was possible that soday, the Old Lian Family could rise in fortune. Zhao Xiue was pregnant, how could she marry again? Even if she remarried, she could only find ordinary farmhands. It would be better to stay with the Lian Family, in case they grew prosperous later, that would truly be a case of suffering before enjoying success.
Only that ant swallowing the present loss.
He couldn’t accept this. Wasn’t Shouxin a simpleton with a tender face? They sold him an extra pound of sugar, and he even treated it as a favor, fearing they would refuse his money. Even when the sugar was underweight, he never heard a word of complaint from his family. Why wasn’t he fooled this ti?
"About this matter, I don’t have much to say. It’s just that, what your Lian Family did... anybody would find it hard to swallow," Zhao Wencai said after thinking for a while. "Well, forget about others. Shouldn’t I look at the face of my brother Old Fourth? I’ll go back now and try to persuade Xiue and her mother again. Old Fourth Brother, trust my word."
Lian Manman knew that Zhao Wencai was rely trying to save face by saying these words. The one who was indecisive was actually himself.
Zhao Wencai said that and got off the kang to leave.
Lian Shouxin also got off the kang, took the rice cake bucket that Zhao Wencai had brought, and asked him to bring it back.
"This has already been given away, how can this be done. Old Fourth Brother, if you insist on this, you’re showing disrespect to your older brother," Zhao Wencai protested verbally, but in the end, he still took away the two packages of rice cake.
The two packages of rice cake were a guarantee to lure Shouxin into ensuring. If Shouxin refused to vouch, then giving away the rice cakes was in vain. Wouldn’t that be a loss for him? If Shouxin insisted on returning them, then it wasn’t like he had asked for them back himself.
After sending Zhao Wencai off, the family of three returned to their room.
"Manman, you’re not allowed to do that again in the future," Shouxin lectured Lian Manman. Shouxin was aware that Manman disliked Zhao Wencai. He noticed that Manman had intentionally scalded Zhao Wencai with hot water.
"Dad, he’s so scheming against us as if we’re made out of clay!" Manman argued, "And those words he said didn’t even make him blush!"
"No matter what, we don’t do that in our family." Shouxin’s tone softened a bit.
Manman secretly pursed her lips.
"Let it go, wasn’t it also an accident on Manman’s part?" Lady Zhang defended Manman, "And I’ll say it again, asking us to vouch is just asking us to pay money for him. I can’t believe he has the cheek to say that. If we agreed, the mont Zhao Xiue has a problem, she’ll co looking for us. Can we bear the noise or the scolding? Should we pay for her? Did our money co from a windfall?"
"I didn’t agree, did I?" Shouxin stopped reprimanding Manman.
"Dad, if Grandpa and Grandma had asked the sa, would you agree?" Manman inquired.
"There can’t be such a situation. Your grandparents aren’t foolish enough to say such things," Shouxin replied.
"That’s fine then." Manman did not continue the conversation.
Everyone’s mood began to settle down a bit, and Lady Zhang’s sympathy erged.
"...I heard that Erlang’s wife fell ill recently, thankfully the child in her womb is still fine. Speaking of it, she’s also quite aggrieved in this situation..."
"Mom, we agreed. We can’t get involved in those things at all," Manman hastily said. Whether right or wrong, the key issue was that the parties involved were difficult to handle. Compared to them, Shouxin and Lady Zhang were like lambs to the wolves. If they got involved, not only would no one be grateful, but people would take advantage of them, leaving nothing behind.
They weren’t omnipotent, thus regarding people and matters beyond their ability, they could only stay clear.
"I will go back ho and discuss this with Old Master, so our family is prepared," Shouxin stood up and announced.
"Hmm, that’s a good idea." Manman nodded in agreent, thinking it’s best to have a preemptive asure in place.
Shouxin loaded a cart with manure but didn’t take it directly to the fields, instead he made a detour through the village to the old residence, with Manman also returning with him, sitting on the edge of the cart.
Unexpectedly, soone had gotten there ahead of them.
The visitor was an old man from the town who had also been in rchandising and knew Old Master Lian from when he managed the shop. It seed he had been there a while and after exchanging a few polite words with Shouxin upon his arrival, the visitor took his leave.
"A guest sent by the Old Zhao family," Old Master Lian told Shouxin after seeing off the visitor.
’Coming from soone’, in the dialect of Thirty Mile Camp, usually referred to a diator. When farmstead families experienced disputes or faced major issues, they would sotis call upon one, or even several, eloquent and respected individuals to coordinate and diate the situation.
"Dad, what did the visitor say?" Shouxin asked eagerly. Zhao Wencai had just left his place not long ago, and this guest arrived at the Lian Family shortly after. What was Zhao Wencai planning?
"Sir, just now Sister-in-law Xiu E’s father ca looking for my dad," not waiting for Old Master Lian to respond, Manman rushed to say.
***......***(To be continued. If you like this work, welco to Qidian (qidian) to vote for recomndation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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