Chapter 62: Sucking Up

  Lian Man'er and Lian Zhi'er returned home to cook, only to see the carriage they had just seen stopped at their door, with large Song characters embroidered on the curtains.

  "It's the Song family's carriage!" Lian Zhier gently pulled on Lian Man'er's hand.

  "Which Song family?" asked Lian Man'er casually.

  "There's another one, it's Hua Er Jie's husband's family." Lian Zhi pointed to one of the carriages and said, "This carriage was here when we came to make a deal, I remember."

  The two sisters walked through the gate and saw Lian Shouren and Lian Jizong sending someone off. The person was walking with his head held high, about forty years old, with a pair of eight-character mustaches on his upper lip, slender and tall, wearing a felt hat, a straight-lined silk robe, and blue satin shoes.

  "Housekeeper, I'm afraid this humble abode of mine is not worthy of your presence. Please, let's have a meal before you leave." Lian Shouren smiled and slightly bowed his waist.

  "Master Xiaocai is too polite, this time I really don't have the leisure to attend to it. Master Xiaocai also knows that our master is not accustomed to collecting rent, and most things need me to take care of them."

  "Fu Ye is the younger brother-in-law's right-hand man, and they can't be apart for a moment." Lian Ji Zu also smiled and said.

  Lian Man'er was walking in the opposite direction with these three people, and seeing Lian Shouren's father and son being so respectful, they called him the housekeeper. Guessing that this person was the Song family's housekeeper, she stepped aside with Lian Zhier.

  Song Fu saw Lian Man Er and Lian Zhi Er, and stopped in his tracks, looking at the two sisters, stroking his beard.

  "This is the second daughter of our fourth house." Lian Shouren said, "Country girls, haven't seen the world, quickly give a salute to Master Fu."

  Lian Wan'er was unhappy. Lian Xiuer is going to marry the eldest son of the Song family, and Song Fu is the steward of the Song family. It's your own business that you, Lian Shouren, are willing to bow your head and lower your status, but how can you speak out and humiliate us as soon as you open your mouth?

  You're humiliating me. Don't blame me for not giving you face later.

  "Is it Auntie and Hua'er who have returned?" Lian Man'er showed a naive and confused expression. "Auntie lost a tooth and said she would get it capped and return immediately, but she's been gone for so many days. We're busy with the harvest at home and can't keep up. And we still need to cook meals and feed the pigs. Several times I sent messages asking her to come back and help with work, but there was no response. Once Hua'er gets married, it'll be fine. Auntie won't have to do these chores anymore. Sir, is it you who brought Hua'er back? Thank you so much. If Hua'er doesn't return, she'll have to get married at someone else's house, and by then it will be too late."

  The future grandma's house seems to have a story, shouldn't we ask around and listen carefully, madam will surely love to hear it. Song Fu's mustache twitched twice, his small eyes narrowed.

  Lian Man'er spoke without reserve. Lian Shouren and Lian Jizong's faces both turned quite unsightly.

  Lian Man'er saw the expressions of the three people and felt secretly pleased in her heart. She was just a country girl, only ten years old, and hadn't even had her hair pinned up yet. Whatever she said, others couldn't argue with her. If they said she was inexperienced and didn't understand things, she would show them that she didn't understand by making them speechless and unable to say anything.

  Lian Shouren and Lian Jizong were busy following Song Fu to make up for it, while Lian Man'er turned around and pulled Lian Zhier inside.

  Xiao Qi heard the sound and came out of the west wing room.

  "Sister, Big Aunt is in our house." Little Seven whispered to Lian Mian'er while pulling her.

  "Oh?"

  "She brought many things for her mother." said Xiao Qi again.

  Did Mr. Gu send something to Mrs. Zhang? Lian Mian'er found it a bit strange and hurriedly came into the house.

  "Branch and Vine are back, don't cook lunch today, I brought some food from the county. Let's go eat upstairs for lunch." Gu Shi smiled as soon as she saw Lian Man Er and Lian Zhi Er come in.

  There's a saying: "Don't hit someone with a smiling face." Gu Shi is like that; even when facing Cang Yan, he can only force a smile.

  "Great Aunt is back, Great Aunt has always been good."

  "Good, good, look at this child being so polite." Gu praised for two sentences, then turned to Zhang and continued what he was saying earlier.

  "…Who would have thought that I just left for a few days, and something big happened at home. Ah, listening to it makes me heartache for you," said Gu Shi, intentionally glancing out the window before continuing, "Not that I'm speaking as your sister-in-law, but Xiu'er has been spoiled too much, she's unreasonable, her words and actions are all over the place. It's really pitiful for you, fourth brother..."

  "Let's just forget about the past, there's no use in bringing it up." As soon as Zhang mentioned her lost child, her eyes reddened again.

  "Hey, look at me, I couldn't help but say that again. Alright, let's not talk about it." Gu Shi hastily put on a smiling face, "But how did you guys end up separating households like this? I was just saying to our eldest brother earlier, don't mind what the second household thinks, he's the big brother, he should be the one to stop you all from separating."

  "This matter of dividing the family property is up to Father, we don't have much say in it." said Zhang.

  "Alas, one stroke of the pen and we're separated, but we're still close relatives. Here are two packages of brown sugar and pastries to help you regain your strength. I don't know about this matter, but if you need more, be sure to tell me and I'll think of a way. Fourth brother and sister, if you need anything else, be sure to let me know."

  Gu said, and then handed two rulers into Zhang's arms.

  "These two bolts of cloth are for making clothes for the kids. It's getting cooler, just in time for each of them to have a new outfit, and Zhī'r and Màn'r should also get a new skirt."

  Two pillowcases are made of cotton, one is autumn-colored with a pattern of folded branch flowers, and the other is slightly darker in color, red silk floss.

  Lian Man'er watched from the side, feeling astonished in her heart. This Gu Shi was like a completely different person now, although she had always been sweet-tongued before, but would never have spared these things to give them away.

  "How can I let sister-in-law spend so much money." Zhang Shi then declined and refused to accept.

  "You take it." Gu said with a smile, "The wedding day of Hua Er has been set, it's October 5th. This month on the 20th, the Song family will come to propose. I originally wanted to say that you, Fourth Brother and Sister, are a blessed couple, so I should invite you to go along with me to prepare the bed. But now, looking at you like this, I don't dare speak up. However, staying home is also good, when the time comes, it's still best for you, Fourth Brother and Sister, to put in some effort, so that everyone can save face."

  "As long as my sister-in-law doesn't mind, I'm fine with anything," said Zhang.

  Lian Man'er, however, heard the implication that when the Song family comes to pay their respects and escort them back, if they are dressed too shabbily, it would be a loss of face for the entire household. It would also lead to Lian Hua being ridiculed in the Song household later on. Therefore, Gu Shi sent over these fabrics specifically so that they could make new clothes, which would be fitting to wear at the time.

  Mr. Gu said a few more words and was just about to leave when he heard footsteps outside, and Lianhua walked in with a small box in her hand, lifting the door curtain.

  Lian Hua'er walked in with a big smile on her face, swaying like a willow tree in the wind as she approached Zhang Shi. She greeted him with a bow and then smiled at Lian Man'er and her sister.

  Zhang's busy let Lianhua sit on the kang.

  "I'll give some things to Man Er." Lian Hua sat on the kang, opened the small box in her hand, and inside were two brightly colored silk flowers with golden threads and colorful beads as stamens, which swayed gently when moved.

  “……This is what the noble people in the palace use, the Shen family brought some from Beijing and gave two to the lady here, the lady knew I was in the county and sent me two. I couldn't bear to wear them, nor could I bear to give them to Jin Suo and Duo Er, thinking that such good things only suited Man Er to wear.” Lian Hua'er said with a smile.

  Gu saw Lianhua take out the handkerchief, and he glanced at Lianhua, who also secretly gave Gu a look.

  "Vines, come, sister will put it on you for a try." Lian Hua took out a piece of embroidered flower and beckoned to Lian Man.

  Lian Man Er guessed why Lian Hua Er came, so her face was just pale.

  "Hua Er Jie, I'm just a country girl, I don't have the fortune to wear such precious things, you'd better keep it for yourself." said Lian Man Er.

  "You're my sister, who dares to say you're a country bumpkin. I have good things, if not for my Melia sister, then for whom." Lianhua'er smiled and said.

  Gu also accompanied by smiling, constantly praising Lian Miaoer.

  Lian Man'er felt a chill run down her spine, these two women were practically putting her on a pedestal, if you didn't know better, you would never guess they were talking about Lian Man'er.

  Lian Hua'er saw Lian Man'er insistently refusing to accept, and even except for the beginning, she didn't even glance at those two pieces of silk flowers again. A hint of gloom flashed across her face, but immediately turned back into a smile.

  "Vine, we are biological sisters, don't let some rumors and misunderstandings ruin our relationship." Lianhua said, taking off a bracelet from her wrist, "Vine, this bracelet is the new style in town, I made it myself, this one is only for you, do you like it?"

  Gu's couldn't help but take another glance at Lian Hua, who secretly pinched Gu's hand.

  Just now, General Manager Song Fu went out and met Man Er and Zhi Er returning. Man Er is more talkative than before." Lian Hua said.

  "Fourth brother and sister, I regret what happened with Man Er last time," said Gu Shi.

  "Mother, I said at that time, even if we are far apart, although we can talk about it, what if something happens and we can't take care of Man Er?" Lian Hua said to Gu Shi with a tone of complaint.

  "I was also blinded by my own foolishness at the time, only thinking that the family was extremely wealthy and that Man Er would be able to live a life of luxury in the future. I had no idea it would turn out like this. It's all because I trusted people too easily, almost harming Man Er... My heart has been tormented every day..." Gu Shi said, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief again and sobbing quietly. "Father can scold me, beat me, but fourth brother and sister, if you're not satisfied, you can beat me again, I'm willing to accept it. Just please, for the sake of our family's reputation, let's resolve this matter within our own family and not let outsiders know."

  Zhang didn't understand why Gu brought up old matters again and honestly said: "We promised Dad, we won't talk about it."

  "Man Er!" Lian Hua'er immediately pushed the handkerchief and bangles over to Lian Man Er.

  Lian Man'er didn't even look at them and pushed them all back to Lian Hua'er.

  Lian Hua'er gritted her teeth. She had just been upstairs and heard Lian Shouren and Lian Jizong sending Song Fu back, saying those words that Lian Man'er said to Song Fu, she was furious and even more afraid. This Lian Man'er was not like before, and had become so reckless. Although Lian Shouxin and Zhang Shi promised in front of Old Master Lian that they would not mention the matter again, Lian Man'er had clearly become a variable.

  So she hastily fetched a handkerchief to appease Lian Miaoer.

  But Lian Man was completely unmoved.

  Lian Hua had no choice but to turn around and kneel down in front of Zhang Shi.

  "Fourth Aunt..."?