Chapter Eighty: Lianhua Has Returned

  Three watches, seeking powder.

  Lian Man'er followed Xiao Qi's pointing direction and saw a horse carriage coming from Qingyang Town to Sanshili Camp.

  "It's coming to our village." Lian Man'er put down the basket in her hand, and she didn't care about that horse cart at all. "Xiao Qi, take a look south, see if Dad is back?"

  Yesterday evening, people went out to look for Lian Duo'er. In the second half of the night and this morning, they returned one after another. None of them found Lian Duo'er. Even when asking people in surrounding villages and Qingyang Town, no one had ever seen a little girl like Lian Duo'er.

  Everyone has eaten breakfast and dispersed, and Lian Shouyi and his two sons are making up for sleep in the east wing. However, Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli have not returned yet. The two of them are very stubborn and it's unknown how far they've gone to find something.

  "I didn't see Father." Little Qi raised her foot and looked around, saying with a bit of disappointment.

  Standing on the rooftop, the view is much broader and you can see far away at once. However, there are mountains and trees around the village, so it's not necessarily visible everywhere.

  "Perhaps Father is on his way back, we just can't see him." said Lian Mian'er.

  Xiao Qi nodded slightly.

  "Let's get to work first." Lian Man'er called out to Xiao Qi.

  The brother and sister laid out several tarps on the roof, one next to another, then spread the peanuts from the basket evenly over the tarps. Today's weather is great, with a scorching sun that will dry up the moisture in the peanuts, almost achieving the effect of drying them.

  "Man Er, Xiao Qi, how did you two run to the roof first?" Lian Zhi and Wu Lang carried a bucket of water back from outside the yard. As soon as Lian Zhi looked up, she saw Lian Man Er and Xiao Qi squatting on the rooftop, and she immediately became anxious. "Didn't we say wait for me and Wu Lang to come back? You two are too bold."

  Lian Shouxin was not at home, and the water in the water tank had run out. Lian Zhier and Wu Lang had no choice but to go fetch water. Before they left, it was agreed that when they returned, she and Wu Lang would go upstairs to dry the peanuts. She was worried about Lian Man'er and Xiao Qi being too young and didn't dare let them climb so high.

  Lian Man Er and Xiao Qi both laughed.

  "Huh, the carriage has arrived at our doorstep." Lian Man'er heard the sound of a horse-drawn vehicle outside the gate and got up to take a look. The carriage from earlier was indeed parked in front of the Lian family's gate. Lian Man'er found it strange that there was no sign of the Song family on the carriage curtains. Lian Hua had gone to the Song family's shop to treat her injuries, so why didn't the Song family send a carriage to pick her up on the way back?

  "Great Uncle, Great Aunt and Hua Er Jie are back!" Lian Man Er loudly shouted towards the main house.

  Lian Jizong and Jiang rushed out of the house to greet them. Lian Shouren stuck his head out of the car, was helped down by Lian Jizong, then the two turned around to receive Lian Hua'er, and finally Gu Shi, who was helped down by Jiang.

  Lian Wan'er and Xiao Qi came down from the rooftop, watching as the whole family of Dafang entered the upper house.

  "What's happened to Flower's legs?" Lianzhi asked in a low voice.

  Gu's complexion wasn't very good. Lian Hua'er, on the other hand, had her head buried, and her face couldn't be seen. In this state of affairs, things shouldn't have been going well, at least not up to their expectations.

  "They still don't know that Lian Duo'er is missing..." Lian Hua'er thought for a moment and said. She felt very strange, how could the Gu family return so quickly? In the past, they would find excuses to stay in the county town for a few more days, but this time they hurried back. The distance from Sanshilipu to Jinyang County is thirty miles. Lian Shouren and his group must have left Jinyang County before dawn to return now.

  It's really strange.

  Lian Wan'er hadn't thought of an excuse yet when she heard Lian Shouren and Gu Shi simultaneously exclaiming in surprise from the upper room. Gu Shi's voice was both shocked and angry. It turned out that after they had put Lian Hua'er in the west wing, they went to the east wing and found out about Lian Duo'er getting lost.

  "...Third Uncle and Fourth Uncle's group hasn't returned yet, perhaps they can bring Duer back." Lian Ji Zu comforted Gu Shi.

  "My life is so bitter. My poor flower, my poor bud..." Gu Shi burst into tears.

  Even Lao Yezi and Zhou Shi were gloomy, Jiang Shi was silently wiping away tears beside them, the whole room was silent.

  "I've just been gone for a day and you've already...my good daughter..." Madam Gu cried.

  "What are you crying for? It seems that we lost Duer, and we owe you an apology?" Zhou Shi had been busy since yesterday, hearing the sarcasm in Gu Shi's words, she got annoyed. "Elder sister-in-law, yesterday when Er Gu (second daughter-in-law) told you that Duer couldn't be found, you didn't take it seriously, you didn't go look for her or tell us a word. Now you still have the face to cry?"

  Gu heard Zhou's words and changed his expression, covering his mouth and making a muffled crying sound, but he didn't dare say anything else.

  "Duo'er can go wherever she wants, she's just a little kid." Lian Shouren sat there with furrowed brows.

  At this time, the gate creaked and Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli brought several people back.

  The people in the upper house heard the noise and guessed that they had returned, so they walked out of the house. Gu Shi, although with a pair of small feet, was walking at the front. When she saw clearly that those who came in were all men from the village and there was no Lian Duoer, she immediately cried and fainted on the ground. Jiang Shi hurried to support Gu Shi but was pushed away by Gu Shi. Jiang Shi lowered her head, and it was still He Shi who pulled Gu Shi up from the ground.

  "Perhaps she has hidden herself and will return in a couple of days," said Mrs. He.

  Of course, this remark could not comfort Gu's family and instead added fuel to the fire.

  "... We searched all night, and we've looked through Xia'antun and Da'antun, alas..." Lian Shouxin sighed. His face was covered in dust, his pants legs, shoes, and soles were all muddy, with many blades of grass and wheat straw stuck to them. Lian Shouli and the other men who had gone with him looked about the same.

  After searching for a whole night and still can't find her, either Lian Duo'er is dead or she has been kidnapped, there are almost no other possibilities.

  Gu's throat made a gurgling sound, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

  "Help your mother into that house and rest for a while." Lian said hurriedly.

  Lian Shouren, Lian Jizu and Jiangshi helped Gu Shi to the west room.

  "Let's cook some food," said Lao Lao to Madame Zhou, "Everyone has been tired from a whole night, let's eat something hot first."

  Several men all said no need.

  "That won't do, how can you not eat a meal? If you don't eat, it's like looking down on old uncle." Lao Yezi said.

  In the village, people help each other out, and generally don't ask for wages. However, it's customary to provide food. The better the food is prepared, the more face both the host family and the helpers will gain. After a few rounds of polite refusals, they didn't say anything else. They all said they would go home to wash up first, then come back to eat.

  Only the people of Lian's family were left. Lian Shouyi was also woken up and came to the upper house, where they discussed what to do among themselves.

  "Dad, Mom, no matter what, we have to find Duer back!" Gu Shi cried out at this time.

  Lao Lao Ye's face was gloomy and he didn't say a word. All the villagers who could help had arrived yesterday. They had been searching for a whole night, but no one was made of iron, they needed to rest, and it was hard for Lao Lao Ye to open his mouth.

  "I'll go with you to take a look." Lian Shouxin said.

  "I'm going too," said Lian Shouli.

  "Then I'll go too." Lian Shouyi said, looking around.

  "You two are useless." Lian Shouren's mind moved, and he looked at Lian Shouyi, "Our village can't find anyone, but...but Erlang's uncle is in Xicun, not far away. Let his uncle find a few people from their village to help search."

  Lian Shouyi and He Shi exchanged a glance.

  "It's autumn harvest time, every household is busy." Madam He said with some difficulty.

  "No matter how busy, Duan's affairs are the most important. If your brother doesn't help, I'll cut ties with him." Lian Shouyi said loudly.

  "Good. Good, then let's get things done." Lian Shouren said gratefully.

  "Big brother, I can make decisions for my uncle's family. If we need to find someone else from their village, our families don't have much interaction anyway. Who isn't busy harvesting crops and whatnot? It's hard to get anyone to come."

  "What's to be done now?" Lian Shouren hadn't expected such a turn of events from Lian Shouyi.

  "I'm paid for my work," said Mr. Gu.

  After dinner, Lian Shouyi didn't even change his shoes and went out with Lian Shoulai to find Lian Duoer, bringing a few young men who were willing to continue helping. Lian Shouyi had the silver ingot given by Gu in his pocket, and He with several children all went to Xicun. Then Siliang came back and said that He Laoyi had found many people, who had already dispersed in all directions to find Lian Duoer.

  When the sky turned dark, Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli returned first, followed by Lian Shouyi, but still couldn't find Lian Duo'er.

  Everyone knows in their heart that after losing her for so long, Duan is gone forever.

  Upstairs in the west wing, Gu Shi lay languidly on the kang.

  Jiang walked in quietly from outside and handed Gu a cup of hot tea.

  "Mom, have a cup of tea."

  Gu raised an eyebrow, and with a flick of his hand, he knocked the teacup out of Jiang's hand. The cup fell to the ground and shattered into several pieces, while Jiang let out a startled cry. The tea was hot, and it splashed onto her hand, immediately turning red. Jiang's eyes also turned red.

  "What tea are you drinking? If I had three long and two short ones, I wouldn't need to live anymore." said Gu Shi.

  Jiang's eyes flickered and he silently went to pick up the broken porcelain pieces on the ground.

  "Mother, there's no outsider in this courtyard. If Duan didn't leave on her own, who could have forced her to? It's not that she doesn't understand things, what does it have to do with Eldest Sister? Eldest Sister has always been good to Duan, and Eldest Sister's heart isn't feeling well either." Lian Hua suddenly spoke up.

  Lian Hua had been sitting on the kang since she got back, and this was her first spoken sentence.

  Chiang was somewhat surprised and also grateful.

  "Mother, it's all my fault. You can scold me or beat me, I won't complain." Jiang said tearfully.

  Gu looked at Lianhua and then at Jiang, letting out a long sigh.

  "Yu'e, I don't blame you. It's just that my heart aches, and in front of your grandparents, I have to endure it, only with you two can I show it." Gu Shi sat up, wiping away tears, "From now on, I'll be the daughter of both of you."

  …………

  In the west wing room, Lian Shouxin returned and was so tired that he didn't even eat dinner, and fell asleep on the bed in his clothes.

  Zhang and her daughter Lianmeng sat on the kang with several others, speaking in hushed tones.

  "Fourth Sister." A voice said outside the door.

  Friend recommendation: "Rebirth" by Gui Ren (book number: 2273205). Introduction: The grudges of this life will be resolved in this life, reborn to show off one's splendor again! Updated twice a day, good quality, please enjoy.

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