...
The next day, Lian Manman pricked up her ears, listening for news from outside.
Both the Wang Family and the villagers had searched all night, but they had not found Yingzi. Everyone’s opinion was that Yingzi had sought short-lived relief. Liu Laosi and his wife were released by the Wang Family; they seed terrified and only said that Yingzi got what she deserved, whether she was dead or alive, it had nothing to do with the Wang Family. They also said that even if Yingzi were still alive, they would kill her themselves to prevent her from bringing sha upon them.
It was said that Eldest Lady Huai was very sorrowful and had even shed tears. She said that she had not intended to punish Yingzi so severely, and had she known this would be the result, she wouldn’t have confined Yingzi in the first place. No matter how valuable the jade bottle was, Yingzi’s life was still a life.
Everyone praised Eldest Lady Huai for her kindness, and it was heard that Scholar Wang’s wife was very fond of this daughter-in-law, picking out many interesting antiques and jade items from her own chest to give to Eldest Lady Huai. It was said that Scholar Wang and his wife had called Wang Youhuai into the room and had instructed him for about a Chinese hour, telling him to respect and treat his wife well.
Because of the incident involving Yingzi, almost everyone had ended up forgetting Yingzi; instead, Eldest Lady Huai’s good na for being virtuous and rciful spread far and wide. The Wang Family was also praised as humane, generous, and lenient - because Yingzi, despite having stolen and broken valuable items, had fled out of fear for her cris, the Wang Family did not demand any compensation from Yingzi’s family.
Of course, no one sought out Lian Shouxin to force him to give up the old shop.
Lian Manman’s family discussed and decided to renew their lease with the temple for another year, continuing to use the old shop’s rooms as a storage space and also as a front for a laundry business.
On the road from Jinyang Town to the mountain, the best locations belonged to these few rooms and Lian Manman’s current shop. Aside from these two spots, if one wanted to open an early-rising snack bar, the location would be inferior, and they would also need to build new houses. With Lian’s place there, doing so would an a significant investnt, and to expect a return, one would also have to take on much greater risk.
Could anyone compete with Lian’s? Even with Lian’s present, would a new shop still have room to survive?
Anyone with a bit of sense could figure out that the answer was negative.
With no other stores to divert custor flow from Lian’s, the business there naturally went unquestioned, and Lian Manman’s family could be spared of much worry.
...
After the hot period passed, the seasonal phase entered early autumn, yet aside from mornings and evenings which had beco cooler, the rest of the ti, it was even hotter than during the dog days of sumr. If one was exposed to the sun for too long around midday, their skin would feel a slight pain. The weather was hot, but the air was drier than during the sultry days, and this was what was referred to as the "autumn tiger."
Lady Gu had returned from the county seat.
Lian Huahua had given birth.
"It’s a girl," Lady Gu, sitting on the edge of the kang in the Upper Room, said to Lady Zhou and the others in the room with a smile, "This is the first child of the Song family’s grandchild generation. You didn’t see Old Madam Song burst into tears when she heard that both mother and daughter Huahua were safe and sound. The stuff given to Huahua to nourish her body piled up in two rooms, they couldn’t even fit it all. They also sent people to the temple to invite monks to chant scriptures, and also to light eternal lamps for both mother and daughter Huahua to pray for their blessings. These past few days, the Song Residence has been so busy from top to bottom, all for the sake Huahua and her daughter."
As she spoke, Lady Gu seed unable to hold back her laughter anymore and chuckled twice.
Lady Zhou stared at Lady Gu’s face for a while, then let out an "oh" sound.
Lady He and Zhao Xiue were much more blunt.
"The Old Song Family, isn’t there only Huahua’s husband left as their only root? The first childbirth and Huahua has given them a girl. Can Old Madam Song really be happy?" Lady He said.
"Having a boy or a girl, that thing is really unpredictable; it’s all hereditary. My sister-in-law’s village has a case like this, where the mother could only give birth to daughters, and after her daughters got married, they also gave birth to one girl after another. My mother first gave birth to my brother and then to at the end; my grandmother and my aunt also followed this pattern. As for , people say for sure that I’m carrying a boy," Zhao Xiue said.
Lady Gu’s expression turned unpleasant, as Lady He and Zhao Xiue were obviously provoking her. Especially Zhao Xiue, who was clearly implying that she could only give birth to daughters; Lady Chiang also only had a daughter, so naturally, Lian Huahua was fated to give birth to daughters as well.
"Blossoming before bearing fruit, there is a rationale in this," Lady Gu said, "Old Madam Song also sent soone to consult for Huahua and her husband, and they are destined to have at least four sons. A good flower is a sign of good fruit to co. Huahua’s giving birth to a girl is a fortunate sign. Old Madam Song said that once Huahua is out of confinent, she wants to take her granddaughter to raise personally."
Even though Lady Zhou kept silent and Lady He and Zhao Xiue watched with mocking eyes, Lady Gu kept talking about how happy Old Madam Song and Song Hailong were, and how they cherished Huahua and her daughter, praising them to the skies.
"Eldest daughter-in-law, go to the back yard and pick so Chinese cabbage for the chickens to peck at. Haven’t you heard the chickens clucking outside, they’re calling out in hunger?" Lady Zhou waved her hand at Lady Gu.
Lady Gu, who was speaking enthusiastically, had no choice but to get off the kang and get to work.
In the backyard vegetable garden, leading the way were two beds of cucumbers grown on dry land, with vines having already climbed high and the trellis set up well. Further north were several beds of Chinese cabbages, which by now had grown about half a foot tall; the cabbage seedlings were planted densely and needed to be thinned. All the spare seedlings from the Lian Family Main House’s vegetable beds were fed to the chickens.
Lady Gu beckoned Lady Chiang to join her in the backyard.
"What’s the deal with Liu Laosi’s Yingzi, how did she end up running to the county seat, and even getting involved with Huahua?" With no one else around, Lady Gu’s face imdiately swapped its joyful expression for one of concern and, lowering her voice, queried Lady Chiang.
***......***
Here’s a second update, asking for your pink encouragents. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welco to co to Qidian (qidian) to vote for recomndation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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