Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 198 - 103: Lian Huahua’s Revived Fighting Spirit_1

Chapter 198: Chapter 103: Lian Huahua’s Revived Fighting Spirit_1
"Old Fourth, wait for your big brother..."
Old Master Lian’s words stopped there, as if he thought of something, then he didn’t continue. After taking a couple of puffs of his dry tobacco, he waved his tobacco pipe.
"It’s nothing, you go about your business." Old Master Lian said.
"Alright." Lian Shouxin glanced at Old Master Lian and walked out of the room.
Lian Manman could guess without thinking what Old Master Lian wanted to say—it was nothing more than how Lian Shouren, once he became an official, should compensate Lian Shouxin. And the reason why he stopped halfway through saying it was probably that he felt such promises had been made too often without being fulfilled, which left him feeling powerless. Besides, Lian Shouxin didn’t show any intention to fight for the property, and he was indifferent to the so-called "future compensation," which probably made Old Master Lian think it unnecessary to pledge so solemnly anymore.
Back in the West Wing Room, Lady Zhang was already preparing dinner.
"How did the discussion go?" Lady Zhang asked how the issue with the house was resolved.
"Our family will be welcoming a new member soon." Lian Manman said.
"Oh." Lady Zhang nodded, not needing to say more, she understood.
Upper Room West Room
Lady Gu had fainted from distress at that time, but now she had come to and was sitting on the kang, crying intermittently.
"Why are people so cruel, they are pushing us to death... If I hadn’t scrimped and saved, could we have bought a house in town? If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have bought that house. With that money, we could have bought so much food and clothing, we wouldn’t have had to live so miserably these years..."
Lian Shouren, Lian Jizu, Lady Chiang, Lian Huahua, and Lian Duoduo all kept silent.
"This is your good brother, seeing us down on our luck, he’s bullying us to the end. If we continue like this, he’ll swallow us whole in the future!" Lady Gu complained to Lian Shouren as no one else spoke up.
"How are we down on our luck, isn’t everything pretty good?" Lian Shouren didn’t like to hear such things, "Huahua’s burn is not a problem, and Duoduo was safely found."
Some matters truly depend on the perspective from which they are viewed. Seen optimistically, Huahua got burned but didn’t suffer any obvious disability, and Duoduo, lost for several days, was eventually found. These were lucky outcomes. Clearly, Lady Gu did not view these events in the same light.
"I feel like we’re clashing with this old estate," Lady Gu raised her head and glanced around, "ever since moving back, one thing after another, there have been no good outcomes. When we lived in town, things were so much smoother. Old Master, let’s just move back, and let’s lend this house to Erlang for his marriage."
Having said this, Lady Gu secretly regretted not thinking of this solution earlier.
"The method Mother spoke of is good." Lian Jizu said.
Lian Huahua and Lian Duoduo nodded along too; they did not like the old estate, and Lady Gu’s words resonated with them—if they hadn’t moved into the old estate, none of this would have happened.
Lady Chiang did not speak; as the granddaughter-in-law, it wasn’t appropriate for her to comment, but in her heart, she agreed with Lady Gu’s opinion.
"You think I haven’t thought of this?" Lian Shouren’s face looked unpleasant, "Better put that thought away, we can’t get it past father."
Old Master Lian was determined to keep them in this old estate, under his watchful eye, and they all clearly understood why.
The room fell silent again for a while.
"Huahua and Duoduo are both meant to be married off, I and your dad are getting older, where can’t we live? That house is left for you all. It has been tough on you kids now," said Lady Gu to Lian Jizu and Lady Chiang.
Lian Jizu and Lady Chiang exchanged glances, and Lady Chiang said, "Mom, wherever you and dad live, of course we will live there too, to take care of you both."
"Good child," Lady Gu wiped the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief, "Jizu is a bit too honest, you are the eldest grandson, and it’s only right that house goes to you. What right does Erlang have to it? I spoke up for you and got scolded by your grandpa and grandma so much I couldn’t raise my head." She still couldn’t bear to let go of that house.
Lian Jizu just hung his head and stayed silent.
"Mom cares about us, Jizu and I both understand that," Lady Chiang said.
"Grandpa didn’t say that house would definitely be Erlang’s in the future," Lian Jizu lifted his head and said, "Grandpa mentioned it was for Erlang to use for his wedding."
"You silly child," Lady Gu said, "Once Erlang moves in, who can get him to move out again? What kind of people your second uncle and his wife are, you can’t see? They will never willingly give up that house."
"Besides, when dad speaks, not even the second and their lot dare not listen," said Lian Shouren.
Old Master Lian had indeed not determined the ownership of that townhouse at the time, he merely let Erlang use it for his wedding first.
"That’s not necessarily the case, didn’t you and your father see today? Erlang, Sanlang, Old Fourth, they are all out to get what they can," Lady Gu grew sad again. With many sons in the second household, they always got the better of everything. If it weren’t for Lian Shouren having a Scholar’s headcloth, the second household would have oppressed them long ago. Sadly, she only had two daughters, and one son who wasn’t even her own flesh and blood, certainly not as close to her heart.
These words, however, couldn’t be spoken out loud in front of others, so Lady Gu could only cry quietly.
"Mom, don’t cry, you still have me," Lian Huahua, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke up, "What’s so great about that house in town? In the future, I’ll buy a bigger and better one for you."
"My Huahua," Lady Gu grabbed Lian Huahua’s hand, moved and heartbroken at the same time. Moved because this daughter understood her thoughts the best, heartbroken because the injury on Lian Huahua’s leg dimmed the prospects of her marriage and the rest of her life.
"Right, we still have Huahua," Lian Shouren’s spirits lifted, "I think it’s about time, the Song Family’s betrothal gifts should also be arriving soon, shouldn’t they?"
Lady Gu gave Lian Shouren a glance with a somewhat strange expression.
"Mom, the townhouse is a minor issue, the marriage with the Song Family is the big concern," said Lian Huahua, "Right now, we need the help of my second uncle’s family for many matters. You should be more open-minded, ’impatience spoils great plans’. Once I’m married into the Song Family, everything will start to get better."
Ever since she had returned from the county after treating her injury, Lian Huahua hadn’t been very spirited, but now she seemed full of fighting spirit again. Lady Gu, watching her bright, shining eyes, felt hopeful for the future once more.
"Let’s call for second uncle, we need to..." Lian Huahua lowered her voice, discussing in whispers.
......
Because of the dispute over the house in town, Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi had a falling out, but it didn’t last longer than the time it takes to smoke a bag of tobacco before Lian Manman saw the two brothers huddling together again, whispering about something, even seeming closer than before. It’s said that a husband and wife bear no grudges overnight, and it seemed that brothers were not much different.
However, Lian Manman didn’t have the time to pay attention to them; she had to dry vegetables and make garlic-flavored peanuts.
That day, just as she had finished drying the garlic-flavored peanuts and was about to bring them down from the rooftop to sell them in town the next day, she saw Lian Duoduo standing by the doorway of the West Wing Room.
"Lian Manman," Lian Duoduo called out.
(To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation.)