Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 66 - 38: Pots and Pans_2

Chapter 66: Chapter 38: Pots and Pans_2
Both of them hurriedly held up their bowls, avoiding Lian Manman.
"Manman, we’re family; there’s no need for such formalities. I’ll get my own food," Lian Huahua said.
Why didn’t you say it was a formality when Lady Gu was serving food just now?
"Oh, so this is a formality. We don’t usually do this at home. I saw our eldest aunt doing it and thought it was a good etiquette, so I learned it," Lian Manman deliberately sighed in relief and then added, "I just thought that if it were good etiquette, mother couldn’t have failed to teach us."
In one sentence, Lian Manman praised Lady Zhou while, by implication, belittling Lady Gu and Lian Huahua. Lady Zhou couldn’t help feeling pleased, thinking that Lian Manman was exceptionally agreeable today. Lady Gu and Lian Huahua were unable to rebut Lian Manman, and could only suffer in silence, bitterness welling in their hearts.
As Lian Manman sipped her porridge with the pork belly, she watched Lady Gu pretend to enjoy the salty vegetables with a secret thrill in her heart.
After breakfast, they cleared away the bowls and chopsticks, placing them into the large wooden basin. Lady Zhang habitually began to scoop water into the basin and turned her head to see Lian Manman watching her.
"Elder sister, you’re washing the dishes, so I’ve scooped the water for you," Lady Zhang called out to Lady Gu, who was about to head to the West Wing Room.
Lady Gu had no choice but to turn around, her lips twisting into a smile.
"I’ll wash them right away. Thank you, Fourth Sister-in-law," she said.
"Old Fourth’s wife, it’s just a small task. Just wash the dishes yourself, why call for the eldest sister-in-law?" Lady He emerged from her room and commented. Yesterday, the First Household and Fourth Household had clashed. She and Lian Shouyi, not wanting to get involved, had stayed out and enjoyed watching the excitement. That night, the couple reflected on the event and concluded that despite Old Master Lian’s handling of the situation, the First Household seemed to have retained the upper hand.
"It seems we really need to ingratiate ourselves more with our Big Brother," was the consensus they reached.
Lady Gu was reluctant to do such menial chores. With just a few cheap words from the side, she could curry favor with Lady Gu. With this in mind, Lady He made her statement.
Lady Zhang was taken aback for a moment.
"If Second Aunt wants to help First Aunt with the dishes, Mother, we shouldn’t get in their way. That pair of shoes, Granny is still waiting to wear them," Lian Manman quickly said.
Lady Zhang got the hint, stuffed the water ladle into Lady He’s hand, and followed Lian Manman out of the Upper Room.
Lady He now held a water ladle. Lady Gu was unwilling to work, but that didn’t mean she was. Though she wanted to suck up to Lady Gu, the idea of actually doing Lady Gu’s work was unappealing.
"I have other things to do, too. Elder sister, you go on with your work," Lady He chuckled twice, threw down the water ladle, and turned to leave as well.
"Mother, please bear with it for now. Granny is watching," Lian Huahua gently nudged Lady Gu’s arm.
Indeed, she still had to ask for something from Lady Zhou. Helpless, Lady Gu could only hold her nose and sit down beside the large wooden basin to start washing dishes.
With the harvest season approaching, Old Master Lian, having finished breakfast, took several sons to check on the crops in the fields. Lian Shouren, having been beaten, his face still swollen, refused to go out and lay down on the kang in the West Wing Room after eating.
After washing the dishes, Lady Gu went back to her room to change her clothes. Helplessly, she wasn’t accustomed to such work and had gotten her clothes dirty again. She was used to being clean and couldn’t stand even a water spot on her clothing.
"Husband," Lady Gu spoke while changing clothes, discussing with Lian Shouren, "I need to go to the county town to have a tooth set. You should come with me and talk to Mother about it."
"Don’t cause yourself that trouble. Father said yesterday that until you are chosen for an official position, we all need to stay at home."
"So I shouldn’t have the tooth set? How am I supposed to show my face in public?" Lady Gu felt resentful.
"There’s a tooth-setter in the town too," Lian Shouren replied.
"Can that compare to the ones in the county town?" Although Lady Gu lived in the town, she felt it was only slightly better than the countryside, far inferior to the county town.
Lian Shouren sat up from the kang; he thought of another important matter.
"Don’t fuss anymore. I can’t go out these few days, you go to the town and bring Jizu and the others back."
"Would Jizu listen to me?" Lady Gu said, "Would they be willing to come back!"
"Willing or not, there’s no way around it," Lian Shouren said, "just have them come back. The house in the town also needs to be dealt with. We won’t live in the town anymore."
"Why?"
"Father has made up his mind this time," Lian Shouren touched his face. Yesterday, Old Master Lian had a long talk with him, suggesting that the reason he had done such a thing was because he lacked supervision outside and had made bad friends. Therefore, before he entered officialdom, his father wanted to keep him confined at home.
Lady Gu realized the severity of the issue and sat down beside the kang as well.
"Forget it, after you take official post, we won’t need that house in the town anyway," Lady Gu mused, coming up with her own plan, "I’ll go to the town today and call Jizu and the others back."
In the West Wing Room, Lady Zhang and Lian Zhizhi were sewing, and Lian Manman was learning with one hand holding a needle and the other a piece of cloth.
Xiao Qi ran in from outside.
"Why are you running and panting?" Lian Manman said.
"Sister, Auntie drank two pots of water this morning," Xiao Qi said.
Lian Manman and Xiao Qi started giggling together.
Lady Zhang glared at Lian Manman but said nothing.
"Auntie said she wants to go to the town and asked Brother Dalang to find a cart," Xiao Qi added.
"Today is the market day; if she’s going to the market, it’s already too late to leave now. People who went to the market could be coming back by this hour," Lady Zhang said.
"Sister," Xiao Qi sat next to Lian Manman, "Sister Huahua took Granny to the back garden, by the beanstalk trellis, secretly talking about something. I wanted to go listen, but Granny chased me away."
"You little eavesdropper," Lady Zhang teased with a laugh.
Xiao Qi chuckled.
"Huahua isn’t up to something bad, is she?" Lian Manman said.
"Who knows, Granny always agrees with her anyway. Whatever she says, Granny listens," Lian Zhizhi said.
"There was one time she caused trouble, made Granny hit me," Xiao Qi pouted.
While they were talking, someone outside called out.
"Is Huahua at home?"
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Update note:
Generally updating once a day, twenty "favorites" will trigger an additional Chapter. Still seeking favorites. Even without twenty favorites, here’s an extra update. Ruoyan will go type out the third update, give some encouragement, everyone. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote, recommend tickets, and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)