Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 48 - 29 Idle Words_2

Chapter 48: Chapter 29 Idle Words_2
"How is this style old? It’s currently popular in the county town. You’re always stuck in the village, what do you know!" Yingzi immediately said.
Xiao Hong’s face turned red from being talked about.
"The bracelet looks tight on you, it wasn’t originally yours, was it?" Xiao Hong said.
"Did I not tell you that it was given to me by my grandmother?" Yingzi rolled her eyes at Xiao Hong.
"The bracelet is pretty, but it’s tight on the wrist. Yingzi, doesn’t it make you uncomfortable?" Qi Qiao said.
But she feared it was intolerable, Lian Manman thought to herself.
"The bracelet is lovely, but if it were melted down to make a hairpin, wearing it on the head, it would look even better," Lian Manman said, "Yingzi, your bracelet could at least be made into a hairpin, and a pair of earrings."
"But that would require additional money for craftsmanship, can her family afford it?" Xiao Hong said with a laugh.
"Who says my family can’t afford it?" Yingzi immediately retorted, "My mother told me that she plans to melt this bracelet to make hairpins for me, in the latest style."
"I should head back now, come and visit my house when you have time."
As Lian Manman walked home, before she even entered the gate, she heard Lady Zhou’s voice.
"Such small fish, hardly any meat, and they require so much oil and salt to cook. I don’t want them; throw them out," Lady Zhou said.
Hurrying through the entrance, Lian Manman saw Wu Lang and Xiao Qi holding fish, being scolded by Lady Zhou.
"Grandma," Lian Manman couldn’t help but step forward, "we had good intentions, catching fish under the scorching sun to honor grandfather and grandma, and to provide a feast for the family. If grandma disagrees, we have nothing to say, but there’s no need for such scolding."
"You little girl, living off of what I provide, and now you talk back," Lady Zhou immediately turned her ire toward Lian Manman.
"Grandma, my father and mother work too, I eat what they provide, I dare not eat from what’s yours," Lian Manman said.
"Manman, what are you saying? Go and apologize to your grandma," Lian Shouxin said as he and Old Master Lian came in from outside.
"Grandma, cooking this fish won’t use much oil," Lian Manman said with a smile.
"Went fishing?" Old Master Lian came over, looking at the fish in Wu Lang and Xiao Qi’s hands.
Lian Manman quickly ran to Old Master Lian’s side.
"Grandfather, look at the fish we caught. These crucian carps make delicious soup, perfect for accompanying your drink tonight," Lian Manman said.
"Grandfather, I caught this big one," Xiao Qi eagerly held up a crucian carp, showing off to Old Master Lian.
"Good, my grandson knows how to honor me. Tonight, your mother will cook the fish, and we will eat," Old Master Lian smiled as he ruffled Xiao Qi’s head and went into the house.
"A few fish, it’s the children’s heartfelt gesture, how much oil can it use? Come back to the room," Old Master Lian said as he passed by Lady Zhou.
After all, Old Master Lian was the head of the family. With him saying so, Lady Zhou had no argument.
"If you make my pot smell fishy, I’ll have you lick it clean with your tongues," Lady Zhou said.
"Grandma, don’t worry, it definitely won’t smell fishy," Lian Manman said.
Wu Lang and Xiao Qi carried the fish to find Lady Zhang to prepare it.
Lian Shouxin called Lian Manman to his side.
"Manman, you still don’t know your grandma’s temperament. In the future, just go along with her to avoid making her angry," Lian Shouxin instructed Lian Manman.
"Dad, even if Grandma is wrong, should I still go along with her?" Lian Manman asked.
"Oh, this..." The meaning of Lian Shouxin’s words had been just that, but faced with Lian Manman asking so directly, he struggled to affirm it.
"But always doing so would harm Grandma, letting her continue to make mistakes. People outside will laugh at her," Lian Manman said.
Lian Shouxin fell silent; he was an honest man, incapable of lying or making unjustifiable arguments, even in front of his own children.
"Without discussing right or wrong, with what happened just now, when Grandma acted like that, my brother, Xiao Qi, and I felt very sad. But when Grandfather spoke, I felt that he truly is a respectable and endearing elder who also sympathizes with us and values us," Lian Manman continued.
"Of course, your grandfather is good," Lian Shouxin said, "that, your grandma, in her heart, also... loves you all."
Lian Manman looked at Lian Shouxin with some sympathy; he probably didn’t even believe his own words.
Feeling Lian Manman’s gaze, Lian Shouxin grew embarrassed.
"Manman, go help your mother with the work," he said eventually.
Lian Manman couldn’t help but laugh.
"You child, even laughing at your dad!" Lian Shouxin felt helpless and turned away.
At dinner, there was an additional pot of creamy crucian carp tofu soup.
The crucian carp had been prepared by Lady Zhang, simply seasoned with salt, raw ginger, and green onions, coated in a thin batter, then pan-fried in a little oil in an iron pot until both sides turned golden. Only after this, was water added to stew the fish. Lian Manman had also obtained two Wen Money from Old Master Lian to buy two pounds of tofu. When the fish soup began to simmer, she added the chopped tofu into the pot, brought it to a boil over high heat, and then simmered it on low heat for a while, creating a pot of creamy fish soup.
For the main meal that evening, there was millet flour wo wo steamed bread, of which Lian Manman had ensured there were two for each person at the table. Lady Zhou remained stern, refusing both Lady Zhang’s and Lian Manman’s urging to have the fish soup. Because Lady Zhou didn’t drink the soup, Lady He no longer held back and ladled it into her bowl while also serving Lian Yaya.
"Yaya needs to eat more; all this fish meat is for Yaya. She has been working hard on those foot wrappings," Lady He said.
Lian Manman wasn’t petty, but Lady He’s behavior was upsetting. Without saying a word, Lian Manman quickly snatched the fattest piece of fish belly for Xiao Qi and then rapidly served two more pieces to Lian Zhizhi and Lady Zhang.
Lian Yaya choked on a fishbone that Lady He had fed her and started coughing.
"Zhizhi, pat your sister’s back," Lady He, without putting down her chopsticks, called out to Lian Zhizhi.
Lian Zhizhi saw Lian Yaya’s face turning red and put down her bowl and chopsticks to pat Lian Yaya’s back.
Lady Zhou suddenly slammed her chopsticks down on the table.
"Who cooked today’s meal?"
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Please recommend and collect. Once I finish the things I’m busy with, Ruoyan will strive for additional posts.