Chapter 68: Lian Man Er's Design

  While eating lunch, Lian Man'er brought a bowl of braised chicken with beans and a large piece of bread to Lian Laoye, who tasted it and said it was delicious. Then, Lian Man'er returned to the west wing, where the whole family sat around the table to eat.

  At the dinner table, they couldn't help but talk about what had just happened.

  "Hua'er, this child, was still okay when she was young. These years living in the town, how did her heart become so bad." Lian Shouxin frowned, "Did Ya'er hear those words? Not reliable. If it's really like that, we should think of a way. Hua'er is like this, marrying into someone else's family, isn't that harming them?"

  Lian Man'er didn't make a sound. Alright, she had to admit that Lian Shouxin was indeed a good person. And as for her, she couldn't wait for Lian Man'er to get married soon and leave the house, so she wouldn't continue to be a burden at home.

  "What can be done?" Zhang said, "I see that his uncle and aunt are quite convinced by Hua. They are of one mind."

  Zhang's implicit meaning is that the flower has a backstage manipulator, and even Shouren and Gu are also involved.

  Lian Shou Xin didn't say anything anymore.

  "Old Lady Wang from the town just came and proposed a marriage for Second Brother." Lian Mian'er then brought up another topic.

  "This is a good thing. Erlang has been neither high nor low in recent years and cannot be delayed any longer." Lian Shouxin was obviously more interested in this topic, "Which family are you talking about?"

  "Town's wealthy general store owner Wang Xiuxiang." Lian Man'er said, "I see that both Second Uncle and Second Aunt are willing."

  "What did your grandfather and grandmother say? Is it settled?" Zhang asked.

  "Grandpa and grandma said they want to reconsider again, but it's not settled yet." Lian Man'er said, pausing for a moment, then continued, "Her family is asking for a lot of betrothal gifts."

  "Oh." Lian Shouxin and Zhang exchanged a glance, and then fell silent.

  "Dad, eat some more. You've been exhausted from working in the fields these days." Lian Man'er then picked up a large piece of chicken and gave it to Lian Shouxin, and another piece to Zhang Shi, "Mom, you also eat some more. Don't rush to work in the fields, first take care of your body. There's not much work in the fields now, just these household chores. We can handle them."

  Lian Shouxin and Zhang's family were comforted by Lian Man'er's words and forgot their worries, both smiling with joy.

  After lunch, Lian Miao slept for half a time and got up from the kang. At this time, Lian's yard was quiet, and Lian Shouxin, Lian Shoulai, and Lian Shouyi took Erlang and Sanlang to help Wu's family with their work. Lian Miao came down from the kang and went to the upper house to take a look. In the east room, Master Lian was sleeping soundly on the head of the kang. After all, he was an older man who had been exhausted these days. Zhou Shi and Lian Xiuer were also sleeping on the edge of the kang.

  Lian Man'er walked to the door of the west house and looked inside. Lian Shouren and his son Lian Jizong had gone to town after lunch, saying they were attending a poetry meeting. Inside the west house, Gu Shi, Lian Hua'er, Lian Duo'er, and Jiang Shi mother and daughter were all taking a nap.

  Lian Wan'er took a good look at the situation upstairs, then came back, thought for a moment. She took out the bangle that Lian Hua'er gave her and put it on her wrist, also picked up a handkerchief flower and inserted it into her hair, only then did she take a small bamboo basket and pack some boiled garlic flavored peanuts.

  "Second sister, where are you going?" Little Seven saw her and asked.

  "Go talk to Second Aunt," said Lian Manger.

  "Second sister, I'm going with you." Little Seven ran over.

  Lian Wan'er nodded, then took Xiao Qi to the east wing of the house. Xiao Qi sat on the threshold to keep watch for her as she carried a bamboo basket straight into the east wing.

  The east wing has three rooms, but only one room is occupied by Lian Shouyi's family, so the layout is slightly different from that of the west wing. As soon as you enter, there is still an outer room on one side, and the wall of the house is on the other side, with a stove installed on the other side. Lian Menger walked past the stove, lifted the curtain of the inner room, and walked in.

  Lian Shouyi took Erlang and Sanlang to help with the work, while Silang and Liu Lang followed. Although they couldn't do much, they could at least get a good meal. In the house, only He Shi and Lian Rou'er were left. Lian Rou'er was sleeping on the kang, while He Shi, unusually, wasn't asleep but sat on the kang frowning and cracking melon seeds.

  "Second Aunt." Lian Mian'er called out with a smile as soon as she entered the door.

  "Ah, it's Man Er!" He Shi was startled and saw the basket in Lian Man Er's hand, immediately grinning from ear to ear. "What's this? You've come to deliver food to Second Aunt, you guys have spent quite a bit on peanuts."

  He always spoke with a bad tone, even when Man Er came to talk to her about something serious, she just smiled and didn't take it to heart.

  "Give Second Aunt a taste." Lian Miao immediately handed over the bamboo steamer, then sat down beside He Shi herself.

  He put down the melon seeds in his hand and picked up the peanuts from the bamboo basket to eat.

  "I'll go congratulate Second Aunt," said Lian Muer as she looked at He Shi.

  "What's there for me to be happy about?!"

  "Is Second Aunt hiding it from me again? I heard everything in the upper room, Second Brother is going to marry a wife, and she's still a girl from the town, with a dowry worth at least one or two hundred taels of silver." Lian Man'er smiled and said, "Second Aunt is a lucky person, I heard that the girl is not only beautiful but also capable and comes from a wealthy family."

  These words pierced He's heart like a sharp knife.

  "Man Er, you've heard it all, your grandfather and grandmother are a bit unwilling."

  "What a good marriage, it's hard to find even with a lantern." Lian Man'er said, "Why wouldn't Grandpa and Grandma agree?"

  He He just pouted.

  "How could I not? You're complaining that our betrothal gift is too expensive."

  "But others have a lot of dowry too."

  "It's not just that, they also said that the betrothal gift is also a matter of face, and later it will be sent back together with the dowry." He Shi said.

  "Your grandfather and grandmother couldn't afford the betrothal gift, I've been so worried about this that I haven't been able to eat or sleep well."

  "It's a pity that such a good thing was delayed because of the betrothal gift, isn't it? Are you going to delay Second Brother?" asked Lian Man'er with wide eyes.

  "Who says it isn't," said Mr. He.

  "Second Aunt, as a mother, you should think of a way for Second Brother." Lian Wan'er chimed in.

  "What can I do? The money is all in your grandfather's and grandmother's hands."

  "Second Aunt, we've moved out and separated from the family, but you haven't. Eldest Uncle's family has money, doesn't that mean you have money too?" Lian Man'er reminded her.

  "As for the borrowed money, you didn't see them buying so many things, it's all spent already." He said with a huff.

  She had discussed with Lian Shouyi, and this marriage was really a case of "once you leave the village, there's no more shop". However, they couldn't come up with the money at the moment, so she thought about whether it would be possible to postpone for a few days, until Lian Hua married into the Song family, then immediately borrowed some silver and finalized Erlang's marriage.

  "What a good marriage! Can't some families rush to fix it?" Lian Man'er reminded.

  He's lips pursed, and in her heart, she was also afraid of this.

  "All the money has been spent by the eldest son's family, what are we?"

  "Second Aunt, I feel that the five hundred taels of silver from Eldest Uncle are not quite right. Eldest Uncle said that Yang Chengfeng borrowed five hundred taels from him and used it all to buy jade pendants. But the Sun family only allowed three hundred taels for buying people, where would Yang Chengfeng get the extra two hundred taels?" Lian Man'er said. "Actually, Eldest Uncle probably used the three hundred taels to buy the jade pendants."

  "Man Er, you're saying......" He Shi understood some of it and widened her eyes.

  "Second Aunt is such a clever person, what more can I say? Eldest Uncle's character, Second Uncle and Second Aunt still don't know." Lian Man'er just smiled.

  Mr. He slapped his thigh.

  "He's presenting another fake bill." Madam He shouted loudly.

  "Hush, speak softly, don't let the people upstairs hear." Lian Man'er smiled again. It seems that He Shi knows more than one thing.

  "Second Aunt, look at this silk flower and this bangle." Lian Mian'er shook the bangle on her hand again and let He Shi see the silk flower on her head. "These were all given to me by Hua Er Jie. They weren't bought by her, but were given to her by the Song family in the county town. The Song family is a respectable household, and Hua Er Jie has a good relationship with the young master of the Song family. Who knows how they secretly helped Hua Er Jie behind her back? Otherwise, why would Hua Er Jie be so generous with her money?"

  Lian Man'er was smiling all along, half of what she said was guessing and the other half was made up. Didn't Lian Hua'er make up stories about Zhang Shi buying things for them? Didn't she give her silk flowers and bangles? And then go to Lian Xiu'er's place to stir up trouble? But in the end, everything was returned to her, this is called using someone else's method to deal with them.

  "How did she give you all these things?" He's a little envious now.

  Lian Man'er pulled up her sleeves and hid the bangles.

  "...About that thing before, she owed my mom an apology. Old Auntie pushed my mom, it was her who did evil behind our backs, she's afraid we'll tell others about it. Right, this matter, Yuer heard it and told me." Lian Man'er glanced at Lian Yu'er who had just gotten up and was rubbing her eyes.

  "What did you say to Man Er?" He Shi asked Lian Yu'er as she turned her head.

  "Fourth Brother said so." Lian Rou nodded dazedly.

  It turns out that Mrs. He had known about this matter long ago. No wonder Si Lang was originally going to follow her to the upper house to tell Lian Lao Yezi, but after hearing Mrs. He and Lian Shouyi talking in the upper house, he ran away. It should be Mrs. He who instructed them not to let this matter out.

  He turned his head and smiled at Lian Miao with a sly smile.

  "These few children, and this matter, haven't been told to me." said Mrs. He.

  This is also too fake, okay? Even though Man Er secretly laughed in her heart, she didn't expose it.

  "Man Er, aren't you going to settle accounts with Hua Er?" He Shi asked again.

  "My parents said to forget it, fearing that it would cause trouble and that Hua Er Jie wouldn't be able to marry again. Besides, Hua Er Jie has already given your mother these benefits." Lian Man Er then said, "Originally, Hua Er Jie only agreed to say that after she got married, she would do this and that. She sounds good, but I don't believe her. That kind of person can still remember the bridge after crossing the river. What's the use of saying those nice things if they're not substantial? It's better to have something real in hand now, and talk about the future later, right, Second Aunt?"

  Lian Man'er glanced at He Shi and smiled, saying, "This bit of reason, Second Aunt is even clearer about it than I am."

  Mr. He nodded thoughtfully.

  "As for my uncle's house, it's still Hua Er Jie who is in charge." Lian Man Er said another sentence and then picked up the bamboo basket to leave.

  "Man Er, how did you make these peanuts? They're even better than the ones sold at the general store in town. Are there any more? Give me some too, and let your second aunt try some." He Shi said immediately.

  "Second Aunt, is this peanut thing more important or Second Brother's marriage more important?"

  Lian Wan'er came out of the east wing, bringing Xiao Qi back to the west wing. After a while, Lian Ya'er walked out of the east wing and went upstairs. In a short while, Lian Hua followed behind Lian Ya'er and headed towards the east wing.

  Things have become five points, and Lian Maner grasped Xiao Qi's hand tightly.

  "Xiao Qi, you're going down soon."

  Hot and cold, weak complexion, caught a cold, tears.

  Continue to ask for pink, and it has been updated for more than half a month. Pink still hasn't exceeded 100, and it's about to be surpassed. The poor third place can't even be kept, tears.

  Everyone, let's make some effort! If Pink can reach 100 today, there will be an extra update. If it reaches 110 votes, there will be two more updates, which means three updates today.

  In short, after 100 votes, I'll add one more chapter for every ten pink tickets!!!