Chapter 63: Family Harmony

  Lianhua knelt down in front of Zhang Shi, who hastily tried to pull her up.

  "What are you doing, flower?"

  "To be honest with you, Fourth Auntie, the eldest lady of the Song family is a person who attaches great importance to dignity. Although she is extremely in favor of this marriage and treats me very well, if any unfavorable rumors were to spread from our side, the eldest lady would feel that her dignity has been compromised, and I'm afraid this marriage would be difficult to achieve. As a girl from a good family, how could I live with myself afterwards? I am the elder sister, and if anything were to happen to me, my younger sisters' reputations would also be affected. Fourth Auntie, you have the kindest heart in our family, I beg of you, please help me achieve this marriage, and I will be grateful to you for the rest of my life." Lian Hua tearfully implored.

  "This is what she said," Zhang said. "Fourth Aunt also hopes you'll marry well, but what can Fourth Aunt do for you?"

  "I'll ask Fourth Aunt to listen in for me. If she hears anyone say something unfavorable about us, Fourth Aunt can just clarify a few points and that will be fine." Lian Hua hurriedly said.

  "It goes without saying." Zhang naturally agreed with a mouthful of assent.

  The several children of the fourth house were all very filial, and Zhang Shi agreed, so this matter became a done deal. Of course, there was also Lian Wan'er.

  "These things, let Mian'er take them too." Lian Hua'er said with a somewhat flattering tone, looking at Lian Mian, "Mian'er mustn't despise the meager gifts. When I marry into the Song family, if there's anything good, I will definitely not forget you, Mian'er."

  "Hua'er, I agree with what you said. This thing is too precious as you said, Man'er doesn't dare to want it, so just take it back." Zhang Shi said.

  "This is a sincere gift for Mian'er, you must accept it." Lian Hua still knelt there, as if she wouldn't get up unless Mian'er accepted the gift.

  Zhang was unable to, and discussed with Lian Man Er.

  "It's a token of goodwill from Hua Er Jie, so you'd better accept it." said Zhang Shi.

  Lian Wan'er took a look at Gu Shi and Lian Hua'er, as the saying goes, "Those who eat from others' mouths have short tongues, those who take from others' hands have short arms." Lian Hua'er seemed to have accepted this truth. She had to watch her accept the gift before she could feel at ease.

  Lian Hua's thing, she doesn't want it. But she knows people like Lian Hua. If you don't accept the thing, she'll think you're not sincere about agreeing to her request. She won't give up easily. Who knows what she might do behind your back? So it's better to just accept it and put her mind at ease first.

  "Hua'er sister really gave it to me, won't you feel heartache?" Lian Man'er said intentionally.

  "What I gave to Man Er, how could I be reluctant." Lian Hua'er smiled and said.

  "What's important is not whether things are valuable or not, but rather the sincerity..." said Lian Man Er.

  "We are close relatives, sisters of the same family, and I am sincere with my own sister." Lian Hua hurriedly said.

  Lian Man'er again made excuses for a while before finally putting away the things.

  Lian Hua and Gu Shi both let out a sigh of relief, exchanged a few more words, then stood up and left.

  "I and your father, there is still a set of clothes that can be worn. These two pieces of fabric, the autumn-colored one, will be cut into a jacket and a skirt for each of you sisters. The red one will be cut into a suit for each of Wu Lang and Xiao Qi. I'll sew them slowly, and by the time we go to the Song family's house for the engagement, they can be worn."

  "Eldest Auntie sent this over, just in case we don't dress properly and the Song family sees us being looked down upon." Lian Man'er said, "The second and third branches should have also sent some, right?"

  Xiao Qi ran out with a patter, and soon came running back.

  "Second Uncle's side sent three chi tou, but Third Uncle's side only sent one." Little Qi reported to Lian Mian'er.

  Lian Man'er patted Xiao Qi's head, "My Xiao Qi is indeed clever."

  Xiao Qi smiled slyly.

  "Vines, flowers suddenly sent you handkerchiefs and bangles, what's going on?" Zhang Shi lowered her head to think for a while, then raised her head to ask Lian Mianer. "Was it something you said earlier or did something happen?"

  Zhang really wasn't stupid and had also noticed something strange, of course there was also the reason that Gu Shi and Lian Hua had intentionally told her just now.

  "I didn't know, huh. Yeah, it was just when I came in the door, and coincidentally met the steward of the Song family being sent out by my uncle..." Lian Man'er didn't hide anything, and told Zhang Shi everything that had happened at the entrance.

  "Sister, you judge this reason. That Song Fu is the steward of the Song family, and Flower Sister married into their household as the first lady. We and Flower are sisters of the same generation, but Eldest Brother's tone of speech makes it seem like we're maids or servants. He even wants to curry favor with a mere steward of the Song family, yet he dares to belittle us in this way."

  "Mans words make sense, I listened to Dabo's words and felt uneasy in my heart, it was hard to say clearly, now Mans said it and I understand, that's what it is."

  "The Song family is a wealthy and noble family, your elder brother-in-law is only a scholar, that money still has to rely on others to repay, and also has to rely on others to help him get an official position. In front of the Song family members, one's back can't straighten up, and can't say much either. This Song Fu who manages the household seems to be in power in the Song family." Zhang said to herself.

  "Uncle wants to fawn on people, that's his own business. We rely on our own two hands to work and eat, and don't need to bend over to fawn on others," said Lian Man Er.

  "Great Uncle Bai is really something, he actually dares to treat us like servants." Lian Zhier also said.

  "That's right, it is like that." Lian Wan'er echoed.

  Her own child was so strong-willed, and Zhang's heart was delighted.

  "Branches and vines, you two shouldn't become weak just because the Song family is wealthy and noble. Mother's heart is delighted," said Zhang Shi. "However, in front of outsiders, we should still give your eldest uncle some face."

  "Mother, everyone has already trampled on our face, why should we still give him face?" Lian Man'er disagreed.

  "One stroke cannot write two connected characters, although we have separated from the family, after all, we are still people of the same family. Your words have exposed the bottom line of your uncle's house, letting others know that our family is not harmonious, which is not good for our family." Zhang said seriously.

  Lian Man'er sat down on the edge of the kang, and Lian Zhi'er and Xiao Qi also got up onto the kang and sat next to Lian Man'er.

  "Daughter, what you said makes sense. Sister, Xiaogui, from now on we must remember that even if we have different ideas, we can't reveal them in front of outsiders." Lian Man'er said. In fact, Lian Shouxin and Zhang Shi had always done well in this regard, for example, when facing outsiders, they had always been very supportive of their children.

  Lian Zhi'er and Xiao Qi both nodded.

  "When brother comes back, I will tell him about this too." said Xiao Qi.

  Lian Man'er nodded slightly.

  "But mother, this matter is different with Uncle Zhang." Lian Man'er turned to Zhang Shi again, "It was Uncle Zhang who spoke first, and what he said made people know that he didn't consider me and my sister as his nieces or family members, but rather as inferior people, as servants. If I don't say anything, it's like we're acknowledging his words, and others will look down on us too. If we must endure this to have a harmonious family, then this harmony is meaningless."

  Lian Zhi'er and Xiao Qi both nodded heavily.

  Lian Wan'er's reason for patiently explaining things to Zhang Shi was not only to persuade her, but also to let Lian Wan'er's children hear. They were influenced by what they saw and heard, and would naturally become like Bao Zi in the future. Lian Wan'er wanted to tell them how to think correctly when encountering things.

  It seems now that even if the big baozi's transformation still needs to continue to work hard, at least there won't be any more small baozi.

  "Mother, I didn't directly refute Big Uncle, and already gave him face." Lian Man'er said again. If she had just now righteously refuted Lian Shouxin, she could have made Lian Shouxin lose face completely. Of course, her "unbridled mouth" seemed to have an unexpectedly good effect.

  Zhang was left speechless by Lian Mengan's words.

  "Man Er, what your uncle's family did was not right. After a while, Zhang Shi finally spoke again, "However, Hua Er's marriage, we can fulfill it or should fulfill it. Man Er, I know they wronged you, you hate them, and Mom hates them too, Mom doesn't like them. But the matter has passed, your grandfather has also punished them, we don't live together in one pot anymore, but we are still relatives, if we can put it down, let's put it down, a family shouldn't become sworn enemies."

  Mr. Zhang's words were sincere and heartfelt.

  "Sister, regarding Hua'er's marriage, I won't go out of my way to make it happen, nor will I intentionally sabotage it." Lian Man'er said.

  She was sincere and didn't want to ruin Lianhua's marriage, but she also never thought of going all out to make this marriage a success.

  About Lian Hua's marriage, Lian Man had thought carefully.

  What if Lian Hua's marriage didn't work out? First, the betrothal gifts would have to be returned to the Song family. Could the fake jade really pass as genuine? Even if it did, there was still the usury debt to repay. Would selling Lian Hua be enough to pay off the usury debt? In the end, the burden would still fall on every member of the Lian family. What could the Lian family use to repay this usury debt? They would have no choice but to sell their house, their land, and even risk their lives in the salt mines to earn money. This would be a disaster for the entire Lian family.

  Even if they split up, they can't completely avoid disaster. Usury won't reason with you, first of all this house, can they live in peace? The land they divided, can it really fall into their hands? Even if they don't care about others, can they just watch as Lao Ye Zi and Zhou Shi become homeless and beg for a living, selling themselves into slavery?

  They have just separated, and their own foundation is not yet stable. Even if she had just applied eye drops to Lian Hua, it was only a temporary measure. However, this idea of hers could not be let known to Lian Hua and the others, lest they think they had some backing. The first wife's family has been living comfortably off their support all these years, precisely because they have taken the pulse of Old Master Lian, and are fearless. Lian Man'er cannot repeat the same mistake, it is a matter of attitude and strategy.

  "Man Er, if you think so, mother will be at ease." Zhang Shi saw that even Man Er said she wouldn't go to ruin things, and her heart was also at ease.

  Upstairs in the west wing, Gu Shi was talking to Lian Hua'er.

  "Man Er actually said that, no wonder you gave her the handkerchief and the bangle, which cost nearly two taels of silver. Good girl, you did the right thing." Gu Shi said.

  "Mother, I'm not reconciled." Lian Hua'er gritted her teeth and said.

  Regarding update times, I've been busy with some things these past few days and will slowly adjust to fix the update time, causing inconvenience to everyone, I sincerely apologize.