Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 133 - 68 Lian Manman’s Design_1

Chapter 133: Chapter 68 Lian Manman’s Design_1
When it was time for lunch, Lian Manman carried a bowl of green beans stewed with chicken and a large slab of millet cake to Old Master Lian, who declared it delicious after trying it. Then, Lian Manman returned to the West Wing Room, where the family gathered around the table to eat.
At the dining table, it was inevitable that they would talk about what had just happened.
"Huahua was a decent child growing up, but after living in town these years, how has she become so spiteful?" Lian Shouxin frowned, "Were those words really overheard by Yaya? Are you sure? If this is really the case, we need to think of a solution. If Huahua is like this, marrying her off to someone else’s family would only bring them harm."
Lian Manman kept silent. Alright, she had to admit, Lian Shouxin really was a decent man. As for herself, she couldn’t wait for Lian Huahua to get married off earlier to stop being a burden at home.
"What can we do?" retorted Lady Zhang, "I see her grand-uncle and his wife are quite taken with Huahua. They are of one mind."
Lady Zhang implied that behind Huahua’s manipulation, Lian Shouren and Lady Gu were not free from blame.
Lian Shouxin then fell silent.
"Matchmaker Wang from the town came by earlier, talking about marriage for Brother Erlang," Lian Manman brought up another topic.
"That’s great news. Erlang has been neither advancing nor settling these past few years; we can’t delay any longer," Lian Shouxin was more interested in this subject, "Which family is it?"
"It’s Wang Xiue from the Fuda Grocery Store in town," Lian Manman explained, "Second Uncle and his wife both seem to be in favor of it."
"What did your grandpa and grandma say, is it settled?" inquired Lady Zhang.
"Grandpa and grandma said they need to consider further, it’s not settled," answered Lian Manman, pausing before adding, "Their family is asking for a hefty betrothal gift."
"Oh," Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang exchanged a look and then remained silent.
"Dad, eat some more, you’ve been worn out from winnowing these past few days," Lian Manman picked a large piece of chicken for Lian Shouxin and another for Lady Zhang, "Mom, you should eat more too. Don’t hurry to work in the fields, you should first recuperate. There’s not much work in the fields now, we can manage the household chores."
Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang, coaxed by Lian Manman’s words, forgot their worries and began to smile and chuckle.
After lunch and a half Chinese hour’s nap, Lian Manman climbed out of the kang bed. It was quiet in the courtyard of the Lian Family; Lian Shouxin, Lian Shouli, and Lian Shouyi had taken Erlang and Sanlang to help out with the Wu Family’s work. Lian Manman got off the kang and first went to check on the Upper Room. Inside the eastern room, Old Master Lian was fast asleep on the edge of the kang, exhausted from the recent days’ toil. Lady Zhou and Lian Xiuxiu were also lying at the foot of the kang, sleeping.
Lian Manman then went to the door of the western room to peek inside. Lian Shouren and Lian Jizu, his son, had gone to town after lunch to attend a poetry gathering. Inside the western room, Lady Gu, Lian Huahua, Lian Duoduo, and Lady Chiang with her daughter were all sleeping as well.
After ensuring everyone in the Upper Room was accounted for, Lian Manman returned and, after some thought, took out the bracelet that Lian Huahua had given her and put it on her wrist, then placed a silk flower in her hair. She then filled a little Chinese basket with boiled peanuts flavored with garlic.
"Big Sister, where are you going?" Xia Qi asked upon seeing this.
"I’m off to talk with Second Aunt," responded Lian Manman.
"Big Sister, I’ll come with you," Xia Qi ran over.
Lian Manman nodded and led Xia Qi toward the eastern wing room, where Xia Qi sat on the threshold to keep watch while she carried the basket straight into the room.
The eastern wing room consisted of three chambers and housed only Lian Shouyi’s family, hence the layout was slightly different from the West Wing Room. Upon entering, one would first see a front room with the stove placed on one side as the opposite side was just a wall. Lian Manman walked past the stove and pushed aside the curtain of the inner room to go in.
Since Lian Shouyi had taken Erlang and Sanlang to work, and even Si Lang and Liulang had followed, they might not be able to work much, but at least they would earn a good meal. The room only housed Lady He and Lian Yaya. Lian Yaya was asleep on the kang, while, surprisingly, Lady He was not asleep but sitting on the kang, frowning and eating melon seeds.
"Second Aunt," Lian Manman greeted cheerfully upon entering.
"Oh my, it’s Manman," Lady He startled, but seeing Lian Manman’s basket, she immediately broke into a smile, "What’s this, brought something tasty for your second aunt, huh? You lot must have harvested quite a bit of peanuts."
Lady He’s words still managed to sound unpleasant, but Lian Manman, who had come to discuss important matters, just smiled without taking it to heart.
"Here, try some," Lian Manman offered the basket, then sat down beside Lady He.