Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 164 - 82 Thousand-layer Sole_1

"Manman, wait for me," Lian Zhizhi called out.

"Sister, why are you following me? Is something the matter?" Lian Manman stopped and looked at Lian Zhizhi somewhat curiously.

Lian Zhizhi’s face was flushed, possibly from running over, and fine beads of sweat covered her forehead.

"Manman, this is for you..." Lian Zhizhi led Lian Manman away from the path to a quieter spot, then took out a small cloth-wrapped package from her bosom and handed it to Lian Manman.

The cloth package was square-shaped and didn’t seem to contain food.

"What’s this?" Lian Manman received the package. It was still warm from Lian Zhizhi’s body heat, and Manman glanced at her sister, wondering when she had started carrying this item.

"Well..." Lian Zhizhi hadn’t said anything yet, but her face grew even redder.

Lian Manman grew more curious and outright set her basket down to open the cloth package.

"Shoes?"

Inside the package was a pair of round-toed, convenience shoes made of sapphire blue satin with a thousand-layer sole. Judging by the size, it seemed to be...

Lian Manman looked up at Lian Zhizhi in surprise.

Lian Zhizhi’s face was now completely red.

"Sister, what is this?"

"Manman, these shoes are, are made by Mother," Lian Zhizhi hurriedly said, starting to stutter.

Lady Zhang was exceptionally skilled in needlework. Lian Zhizhi had begun learning needlework from Lady Zhang quite early, and now, her craftsmanship was proficient enough to be presentable... but it still fell a little short of Lady Zhang’s.

"Oh, no wonder Mother has been inseparable from her needlework these days," Lian Manman thought then immediately smiled.

Seeing that Lian Manman wasn’t suspicious, Lian Zhizhi heaved a sigh of relief and was not as nervous as before.

"Manman, this is a pair of shoes Mother made for Brother Youheng. Brother Youheng has helped us so much, and we don’t have much to repay him with. These shoes also... don’t bear any special meaning beyond gratitude for Brother Youheng," Lian Zhizhi said quickly, her words seemingly to convince herself as well.

"Mhm," Lian Manman nodded.

"Manman, look at the shoes, are they okay?" Lian Zhizhi handed the shoes to Lian Manman, not immediately going back but rather asking her another question.

How could Mother’s shoes not be good? That’s what Lian Manman wanted to say, but seeing Lian Zhizhi’s expression, she didn’t have the heart to. Lian Zhizhi was thin-skinned.

"Of course, they’re good," said Lian Manman. "With neat and meticulous stitching, they look beautiful, and the soles are thickened too. Brother Youheng will surely find them comfortable to walk in."

A smile spread across Lian Zhizhi’s face.

At fourteen, Lian Zhizhi was like a sprout full of vitality, managing to survive strongly on infertile soil, and blooming rapidly with even a little nourishment. After Lian Manman was reborn, she had been dedicated to improving the family’s diet. Since the separation from Lady Zhou of the Upper Room, not only had their meals improved, they no longer had to endure her pettiness. It seemed Lian Zhizhi had grown overnight.

Such a smile from Lian Zhizhi immediately gave Lian Manman a sense of beauty. Indeed, the loveliest were the young girls.

Unable to resist, Lian Manman felt a small urge to tease.

"When I left home, I asked Mom if she had any messages, so why didn’t she tell me she wanted me to bring shoes to Brother Youheng?" Lian Manman squinted her eyes and said.

"Oh..." Lian Zhizhi’s cheeks instantly blushed again, "Mother gave it to me... Mother entrusted it to me... She just forgot to tell you."

Lian Manman fought back her laughter; after all, this was her own sister. She decided to stop teasing her.

"No wonder. As the eldest sister, such matters would naturally be handed to you," Lian Manman said.

Lian Zhizhi twisted her clothing nervously, "Manman, you should get going, I need to head back too."

"Sister, why don’t you leave Second Brother and Xiao Qi here and come with me to see Brother Youheng?" Lian Manman suggested.

"I won’t go," Lian Zhizhi answered quickly, "Just pass on our regards to Brother Youheng for all of us."

"Of course," Lian Manman replied.

After advising Lian Manman to be careful on the road, Lian Zhizhi turned and went back.

Lian Manman placed the package of shoes into her basket and continued on her way out of the market. Jisheng Hall wasn’t far from the market; after passing through two narrow alleys, she arrived on the main street of Qingyang Town where Jisheng Hall was located.

Jisheng Hall had already opened for the day. Walking into the shop, Lian Manman saw Shopkeeper Wang directing the clerks.

"Shopkeeper Wang, I’ve come to see Brother Youheng," Lian Manman greeted with a smile.

After the last incident, Wang Youheng had instructed Shopkeeper Wang in private that if Lian Manman and her sisters came looking for him, they should not be stopped.

"Miss Third has arrived! The Young Owner is in the backyard," Shopkeeper Wang replied with a smile, "Let me take Miss Third there."

"You’re busy, Shopkeeper Wang, I can go by myself," Lian Manman said. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Shopkeeper Wang indeed had matters to attend to, but he still sent a young clerk to lead Lian Manman to the backyard.

Jisheng Hall had a front-shop-backyard layout. Entering the backyard, Lian Manman saw Wang Youheng wearing a sapphire blue robe and sitting at a stone table under a large tree in the courtyard, his hands holding a scroll he was reading.

Wang Youheng came out of the house, had his injury improved a lot?

"Brother Youheng." Lian Manman greeted him joyfully.

"Manman is here!" Wang Youheng lifted his head and saw Lian Manman, smiling, "Manman, come over and sit."

Lian Manman quickly walked over, and the little clerk also followed, placing the basket Lian Manman had brought on the stone table, gave Wang Youheng a bow, and then returned to the shop.

"Brother Youheng, how is your injury?" Lian Manman hadn’t sat down yet when she eagerly asked.

"It’s all better now," Wang Youheng said.

"Really all better?"

"Would I lie to you?" Seeing that Lian Manman was genuinely concerned, Wang Youheng stood up from the stone stool, walked back and forth a couple of steps to show her, and deliberately moved his arms and legs, "Look, doesn’t this prove I’m completely recovered?"

Wang Youheng moved freely, and his complexion was much better than the last time she visited; the strong smell of medicine was also gone from his body. It seemed he truly was better, and Lian Manman finally eased her worries.

"Brother Youheng, I brought some food for you to try," said Lian Manman, lifting the cloth cover from the basket and pushing it towards Wang Youheng. She then peeled two peanuts and handed them to Wang Youheng.

"Brother Youheng, try these and see if they taste good," said Lian Manman with a smile.

"Ah, peanuts!" Seeing Lian Manman’s thoughtfulness, the smile on Wang Youheng’s face deepened.

"These are no ordinary peanuts," said Lian Manman with a serious tone.

Wang Youheng took the peanuts Lian Manman had peeled and put them in his mouth to chew carefully.

"Garlic flavor? Very fragrant, hmm, delicious," Wang Youheng praised.

"I’m glad you like them, Brother Youheng," Lian Manman said, pleased to see Wang Youheng’s enjoyment.

Wang Youheng looked at the full basket of peanuts. He knew that peanuts were quite valuable in a rural family’s home, where most people wouldn’t indulge in eating them generously even if they grew their own. Lian Manman’s family was also not well-off.

"Manman, these peanuts for me, I can’t eat them all. How about this, I’ll keep some, and you take the rest back," Wang Youheng suggested.

Lian Manman knew that Wang Youheng was considering their situation.

"Brother Youheng, these peanuts can last for a long time without going bad," said Lian Manman, "I know what you’re thinking, Brother Youheng. These peanuts aren’t from our family’s harvest. I picked them with my brother, sister, and Xiao Qi. We still have more at home, and we aren’t short of food. Brother Youheng, this is a token of our appreciation, you must accept it."

Seeing Lian Manman insist like this, Wang Youheng thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright, I do like this flavor quite a bit, so I’ll accept it."

"Brother Youheng, there’s also this for you," said Lian Manman, handing over the cloth package she had been holding to Wang Youheng.

"Shoes, for me?" Wang Youheng was surprised as he unwrapped the cloth package.

"Yes, Brother Youheng, please try them on and see if they fit," Lian Manman suggested.

Wang Youheng examined the shoes inside out. The satin on the shoes was of high quality, adorned with embroidered clouds and the character for blessing. The sole was a cloth-made multi-layer bottom, and the stitches were very fine. Crafting such a pair of shoes required considerable effort. These weren’t just a pair of shoes; they were a weighty gesture of affection.

"Then I’ll just try them on," Wang Youheng said as he took off his own shoes to put on the new ones, then stepped on his old shoes to stand up and moved his feet a bit.

"They fit very well," Wang Youheng said with a smile.

Lian Manman, who was standing by, saw the shoes fit perfectly as if they had been measured against Wang Youheng’s feet.

"That’s good."

"These shoes... Did Manman make them?" Wang Youheng asked as he sat back down, addressing Lian Manman.

By asking this, Wang Youheng was surely teasing her. She was only a ten-year-old girl, and she hadn’t even been there for half a year yet; she had barely learned how to hold a needle.

"Brother Youheng, you’re just making fun of me," said Lian Manman.

"Ha ha ha," Wang Youheng laughed.

"My sister handed them to me to give to Brother Youheng," Lian Manman glanced at Wang Youheng’s expression, paused, then continued more naturally, "They were made by my mother. Wear them well, Brother Youheng, and she will make a couple more pairs for you to change into."

"That really wouldn’t be necessary; even one pair of shoes requires so much effort. When I have the chance, I’ll have to thank Auntie Lian Si," Wang Youheng said.

"Brother Youheng, you shouldn’t say such things, it sounds distant," Lian Manman discussed a bit more with Wang Youheng, then stood up, "Brother Youheng, you go back to your reading, I need to get to the market."

Lian Manman bid farewell to Wang Youheng, left Jisheng Hall, and walked back the way she came to the market. She wondered how much peanut they had sold in her absence. With this on her mind, Lian Manman quickened her pace and could soon see the candy and pastry stall from a distance.

A crowd had gathered around the stall.

Wasn’t that where Wu Lang and the others were selling peanuts? Had something happened?

Lian Manman hurried, lifting her skirt to run towards the scene.

"You little punk, don’t be disrespectful. Taking your goods, it’s because Master Shen thinks highly of you."

*****

Here’s an update for you, with an extra one on the way for 230 fans. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendation tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)