Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 36 - 23: The Egg Incident (Part 2)_1

Chapter 36: Chapter 23: The Egg Incident (Part 2)_1
Second watch, request for all kinds of tickets.
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It’s common for tensions to arise between sisters-in-law, but the situation between Lady Zhang and Lian Xiuxiu was a bit strange. Lian Xiuxiu seemed to always want to belittle Lady Zhang, yet Lady Zhang’s attitude toward Lian Xiuxiu was as if she were treating her own child.
As Lian Manman puzzled over this anomaly, the rebukes from Lady Zhou, along with Lady Zhang’s feeble defenses and crying, snapped her back to reality.
Lady Zhang cared a lot about her reputation, so Lady Zhou’s accusation of theft without discerning the truth dealt a heavy blow to her. Even when faced with various difficulties from Lady Zhou, Lady Zhang still insisted on not eating a bun before Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou. After spending these past two days together, Lian Manman believed that Lady Zhang would never commit theft.
She couldn’t let Lady Zhou wrongfully accuse Lady Zhang; she had to clear Lady Zhang’s name.
"Older sister-in-law, since you saw it so clearly, then tell me, which hens laid the eggs?" Lian Manman asked.
Lian Xiuxiu glanced at Lian Manman.
"Let me convince you completely," Lian Xiuxiu said before walking inside. When she came back, she held four eggs in her hands, "This red-shelled one was laid by the red-spotted hen, and this white one is..."
Lian Xiuxiu, truly her mother’s daughter, remembered exactly which egg was laid by which hen.
"That white hen in the pen lays an egg every other day; it’s never wrong. And it lays the biggest eggs; you guys really picked the right one to steal," Lian Xiuxiu concluded.
"The matter hasn’t been cleared up yet, so hold your tongue, elder sister-in-law, and don’t constantly accuse us of stealing. If it turns out it has nothing to do with us, I’m afraid you won’t be able to take your words back," Lian Manman retorted.
"Ptui! And I’m wrong about you, am I? If you can prove it has nothing to do with you and find the eggs, I’ll swallow those chicken eggs whole," Lian Xiuxiu declared defiantly.
"Just make sure you don’t deny it when the time comes," Lian Manman said, looking toward the chicken coop. The white hen was nestled against a wall, huddled with the other chickens.
Lady Zhou and Lian Xiuxiu had both said that these hens who laid eggs hadn’t left the coop today. During the commotion earlier, everyone had searched the yard without finding any eggs. So...
"Maybe it hasn’t laid its egg yet," Lian Manman suggested.
"Impossible," Lady Zhou and Lian Xiuxiu said in unison.
"We’ll know if we check," Lian Manman reasoned.
Wu Lang jumped into the chicken coop, and as he did, the hens all got up. Lady Zhou caught a glimpse of something heavy under the white hen’s rear end and her eyes flickered.
"Sister-in-law, if you stole it, just admit it. I can’t stand people who do things but won’t own up to them," Lian Xiuxiu said.
But Lian Manman caught Lady Zhou’s expression and suspected a possibility, which reinforced her confidence in vindicating Lady Zhang.
"My mother is honest and shouldn’t be falsely accused, carrying the stigma of a thief. Granny, just feel for it and vindicate my mother," Lian Manman’s clear voice demanded.
Lian Zhizhi and Xiao Qi came over to stand silently by Lady Zhang and Lian Manman’s side, showing their support.
"Just an egg, if it’s eaten, it’s eaten; what innocence? You little girl, what do you know about innocence," Lady Zhou said sternly, "Xiuxiu, let’s go, back to the house."
Lady Zhou turned to leave for the house.
Lian Xiuxiu, uninformed of the context, grabbed Lady Zhou.
"Mother, we can’t let this matter drop. She stole the egg and won’t admit it, who knows what she’ll steal next?"
Lady Zhou glared at Lian Xiuxiu but refrained from saying anything harsh in front of others.
Lian Manman understood even more clearly now.
"Granny, if you’re reluctant to check, this village has others who can. Let’s ask Tiger’s granny from next door to help check; she can also bear witness," Lian Manman said.
Today, she had seen Lady Zhou’s expertise in feeling a chicken’s behind when they were out digging for wild vegetables. Lian Zhizhi told her many old women in the village knew this trick, and among them, Tiger’s granny was the most accurate.
"Our granny doesn’t get along with Tiger’s granny, saying she’s too talkative... Tiger’s granny has spoken up for my mother before," Lian Zhizhi had mentioned at the time, so now Lian Manman brought up Tiger’s granny.
When Lady Zhou heard that Lian Manman was about to invite Tiger’s granny, she no longer headed towards the house.
"Come back, who told you to find her?" Lady Zhou demanded forcefully, "This matter is over because I say it’s over; don’t you dare stir up trouble for nothing."
Who in the end was stirring up trouble for nothing?
"Granny, theft is a serious accusation; it could land someone in the Yamen. Isn’t my mother a member of the Lian family too? Should she be falsely accused for no reason?" Lian Manman contended.
"I’ll go invite someone," Lian Zhizhi said, moving to leave the house.