Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 184 - 96 Lady Zhang’s Achilles’ Heel_1

Chapter 184: Chapter 96 Lady Zhang’s Achilles’ Heel_1
The sixth watch, the final half hour, earnestly seeking pink support.
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Lady He blocked Lian Manman, yet her eyes were not on Lian Manman herself but on the bowl in Lian Manman’s hands.
"Manman, what’s that in your bowl? I smell a delicious scent all over the courtyard; it’s stewed meat, isn’t it?" Lady He asked, stretching out her hand to lift the bowl that was covering the one Manman was holding.
Lian Manman stepped to the side to avoid her.
"Old Master, I’ve brought you some food." Lian Manman intentionally raised her voice a bit.
"Ah." Old Master Lian responded from within the room.
"Second Aunt, it’s just some stewed bones." Lian Manman smiled at Lady He, lifted the door curtain, entered the room, and placed the bowl on Old Master Lian’s table.
"...Today after the market selling peanuts, I bought some meat bones, stewed them, also stir-fried some liver slices, and here are some steamed buns made from mixed grain flour. Father and Mother asked me to bring some for Grandfather and Grandmother to try," Lian Manman said to Old Master Lian with a smile.
"Good, good," Old Master Lian nodded in approval.
Lian Manman left the Upper Room and returned to the West Wing Room.
"I’ve taken the food to your grandfather; come on, let’s get on the kang and have our meal too." Lady Zhang had already set the table neatly, and the whole family had taken off their shoes, got on the kang, and sat around the table, starting their meal.
"...It was last year during New Year’s that we last had spare ribs," Lian Shouxin remarked with a sense of nostalgia.
"Just those few pieces, stewed with two big pots of sauerkraut, and there wasn’t even one piece per person," Lady Zhang agreed with a nod.
Lian Manman thought back to when she had first arrived and saw Xiao Qi’s reaction to meat, and she felt sad for them.
"Let’s eat quickly; I think Second Aunt definitely has plans to come over soon," Lian Manman said.
"Yeye said that the last two times we brought food to grandfather, Second Aunt stopped eating halfway through her meal and left the table. She’s usually the last one to stop eating at any meal; the only reason she’d do that is to come to our place looking for something to eat. Yeye said grandfather saw it, scolded her, and told her to eat properly and not to wander off needlessly," Lian Zhizhi explained.
"This time it’s spare ribs; I don’t think grandfather will be able to stop her."
The children glanced at each other and sped up the pace of their meal. It wasn’t that they were stingy, but Lady He was not someone who knew the meaning of restraint, and no matter how much food there was, it would never be enough for her.
Sure enough, while Lian Manman was only halfway through gnawing on a piece of spare rib, someone knocked at the door outside.
"Old Fourth’s wife, why are you still dining with the door bolted?" Lady He’s voice came from outside the door.
"Manman, did you bolt the door?" Lady Zhang asked quietly.
Lian Manman finished gnawing the spare rib clean, took out her handkerchief to wipe her mouth, and then nodded. Having guessed that Lady He would come over, she had naturally bolted the door beforehand.
"What’s this, in broad daylight, you don’t allow me in?" Lady He complained while knocking on the door.
"Second Aunt, please wait a moment, I’ll open the door for you."
The women quickly tidied up the table, and only then did Lian Manman get down from the kang to open the door for Lady He.
"Why bolt the door in broad daylight?" As Lady He stepped in, she chided Lian Manman, "What are you up to, afraid of being seen?"
"Second Aunt, what kind of talk is that? We’ve got mice here, always stealing food. We kept a jar of oil in the outer room, afraid that without someone watching, the mice would come steal, so we bolted the door," Lian Manman replied with a smile, and then purposefully added, "Aiyo, just now a big fat mouse sneaked in when I was opening the door!"
"Why didn’t I see it?" Lady He said, hurrying toward the inner room, whether she didn’t catch the implication that Lian Manman referred to her as the mouse or did catch on but was too preoccupied with the thought of eating and didn’t bother to react.
Lady He strode into the room and saw Lady Zhang and Lian Zhizhi tidying up the table, which didn’t even have a single bone left on it.
"This is to guard against me," Lady He muttered unhappily under her breath.
"Second sister-in-law, it’s time for dinner, and we’ve just finished, please have a seat." Lady Zhang had Wu Lang move the dining table out and invited Lady He to sit.
"Second sister-in-law, please sit." Lian Shouxin greeted Lady He briefly, then went out to visit neighbors.
"Old Fourth’s wife, your days are getting better and better." Smelling the lingering scent of meat in the house, Lady He spoke with a sour tone. "Look at us, how pitiful we are, swallowing bran and chewing vegetables day in and day out. Your nephews are craving meat so badly that at night they’re biting their own limbs."
"Second sister-in-law, your good days are ahead. Once his uncle becomes an official, you’ll all become members of an official’s family. Unlike us, we’ll just be scrounging for food from the soil for the rest of our lives," Lady Zhang said after some thought.
Lady He pursed her lips.
"That might take an eternity," Lady He said, and then she leaned closer to Lady Zhang, lowering her voice, "Huahua, that girl, has injured her leg. They say it’s healed, but I have my doubts; I’m afraid it’s scarred. That marriage with the Song Family, I’m afraid it’s going to fall through."
"Really?" Lady Zhang shifted away from Lady He to avoid her spittle. "The wedding date is almost here, and they haven’t said anything. Jizu’s wife even told me that there’s no scar on Huahua’s leg... This matter is no small issue, we can’t speak carelessly."
"I know that," said Lady He. Both Lian Shouren and Lady Gu had come to Lian Shouyi and her about this matter. She understood that Huahua’s marriage was tied to Lian Shouren’s future prospects, and Lian Shouren’s prospects would affect their whole family’s future. "I’m only telling you, I wouldn’t tell anyone else."
Manman and Zhizhi, having finished washing the dishes, came in from outside and overheard Lady He’s comment. In her heart, Manman thought that even though Lady He claimed that, she might not be able to keep her mouth shut.
"Manman, did you go to the market to sell peanuts today?" Lady He asked Manman.
"Yes," replied Manman.
"Oh my..." Lady He exclaimed, her eyes roamer over Zhizhi, "Don’t mention it, our Zhizhi has become so much more radiant these days."
Manman found it strange that Lady He would suddenly make such a remark.
Lady Zhang also scrutinized Zhizhi and nodded. She too had noticed that Zhizhi’s complexion and hair seemed much improved recently; she felt very pleased inside.
"My Zhizhi is also fourteen years old," sighed Lady Zhang. Fourteen, and soon she would have to leave for marriage. All at once, Lady Zhang realized that in pursuit of the reputation for virtuous and decorous daughters, she had neglected her own eldest daughter.
"Looking closely at Zhizhi, she’s truly charming, no wonder selling peanuts attracts those wealthy young masters," chuckled Lady He.
"What are you saying, second aunt?" Lady Zhang took her gaze off Zhizhi and looked straight at Lady He.
"I’m saying our Zhizhi is appealing. You don’t know, today at the market, Zhizhi attracted a wealthy youn..." Before Lady He could finish her sentence, she was slapped across the face by Lady Zhang.
"You, why did you hit me?" Lady He covered her face with one hand, looking incredulously at Lady Zhang.
Lady Zhang’s eyes widened in fury as she grabbed a fistful of Lady He’s hair.
"Why did I hit you? I’m going to tear your mouth apart!"
Manman and Zhizhi were both stunned by the scene.
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The sixth update is here, diligent Ruoyan has already uploaded six Chapters today, totaling 12,000 words, and is looking forward to your pink encouragement.
Upon checking, there are already 449 votes, everyone’s support is strong, big kisses to all.
Countdown for the pink list, if everyone could push harder, help Ruoyan reach 500 votes, let’s go!
Ruoyan remembers this Chapter is the bonus for reaching 430 votes, the next will be for 440. Keep count for Ruoyan, writing so many words today has made me lose track of numbers. 440, 450, 460, 470, 480, 490, 500, 510... I will catch up on these bonus Chapters in early July.
(Ruoyan continues to pray, 500 votes will come, and with every 10 votes, there will be an extra Chapter.) (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to go to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation.)