Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 76 - 43 Eating from the Small Stove_2

Lady Chiang stuffed the wheat flour cake into Lian Manman’s hand.

"Manman, eat it."

Lian Manman took the wheat flour cake over, ignoring Wu Lang’s glaring eyes.

"If you eat the cake, you can’t let it out, or I will tear your mouth apart," Lian Xiuxiu threatened.

Lian Manman nodded her head. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Lian Xiuxiu became even more smug. Recently, Lian Manman wasn’t as compliant as before, but now, faced with delicious food, she couldn’t muster her strength.

Lian Manman and Wu Lang carried the water jar and walked out.

"Brother, we’ll split the cake in half," Lian Manman said to Wu Lang.

Wu Lang was so angry at Lian Manman’s spineless behavior that he didn’t want to speak anymore.

"It’s all thanks to Second Aunt’s foresight in bringing an empty water jar this morning and making us come back to fill it now," Lian Manman said cheerfully to Wu Lang.

Lian Manman’s words were naturally heard by Lian Xiuxiu and Lady Chiang.

They left the Lian Family’s main gate.

"Brother, don’t walk so fast, I can’t keep up," Lian Manman called to Wu Lang.

Wu Lang’s face was still flushed.

"If you still want to eat that cake, you don’t need to carry the water jar anymore. I’ll carry it myself."

Seeing Wu Lang so angry, Lian Manman couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

"Manman, you’re still laughing," Wu Lang became even angrier. He would have berated Lian Manman in front of Lian Xiuxiu and Lady Chiang if not for the sake of saving his sister’s face.

"Brother, don’t be mad, listen to me. I didn’t plan on eating this cake," Lian Manman took out the cake and showed it to Wu Lang. "I plan to let everyone have a taste of the wheat flour pancake."

"Manman, so you had a plan?" Wu Lang’s anger immediately turned into joy, "But you shouldn’t have taken the cake. That’s what accepting handouts means."

Wu Lang straightened his back.

"Why shouldn’t I take it? In that flour, there’s the money our parents earned," Lian Manman said, smiling. "Besides, this is evidence."

Wu Lang uttered an ’oh’ as if he had just realized something. Lian Xiuxiu and the others would have eaten their secret meal quickly or hidden the cake.

"Manman, the thing you said about Second Aunt earlier, that was also intentional," Wu Lang was a clever child, quick on the uptake, and knew how to extrapolate from one instance.

"Brother, when have you seen Second Aunt actively vying to do work? But this morning, she insisted on moving the water jar and even fought to come back," Lian Manman said.

"Manman, are you saying Second Aunt knew about First Uncle and the others sneaking to eat a secret meal?"

"Definitely. Second Aunt probably wanted to come back for a share," but unfortunately, she was stopped by Old Master Lian.

They quickly returned to the field, and everyone gathered around to rest and drink water. Lian Manman poured a bowl of water and offered it to Old Master Lian.

Old Master Lian took the water and saw Lian Manman looking around with a flushed face.

"Manman, what’s wrong, are you tired?"

"Grandfather, this is for you," Lian Manman took out the wheat flour cake and gave it to Old Master Lian.

Old Master Lian was stunned.

"Manman, where did this come from..." He asked halfway and then Old Master Lian stopped suddenly.

"Dad and Mom said, Grandpa, you’re so old and still doing such heavy work and can’t even eat anything good, so let us do more wherever we can to spare you the effort. Grandpa, please eat this flatbread."

Although delicious, how could Old Master Lian bring himself to eat it? He already had a faint idea of what was going on.

"I won’t eat it, you have it, Manman."

"Grandpa..." Lian Manman burst into tears.

"What’s wrong, did you and Wulang have a fight?" Lady Zhang hurried over.

"No." Wulang walked over as well.

"Then what’s the matter?"

"Here’s what happened..." Wulang recounted what he had seen — Lian Xiuxiu and Lady Chiang making flatbreads and how Lian Xiuxiu copied everything they said. "Manman saw the auntie and sister-in-law making a potful of flatbreads and thought they were for everyone’s lunch."

Old Master Lian was silent with a stern face for a long while.

"What’s wrong with me and my brother; aren’t we Grandpa’s real grandchildren? Auntie made us look in the mirror to see if we were fit to eat white flour flatbreads." Lian Manman cried and said, "Auntie also mentioned it was white flour brought back by Brother Jizu, and we had no share in it. Grandpa, isn’t Brother Jizu part of the Lian Family, or is it that my brother and I aren’t part of the Lian Family anymore, or has the Lian Family now split to live separately?"

Old Master Lian abruptly stood up from the ground.

Lian Manman hurriedly grabbed Old Master Lian’s sleeve.

"Grandpa, I took a flatbread and promised not to tell, but if Auntie and Sister-in-law find out, I... I’m afraid Auntie... Sister-in-law would also consider me and my brother to be bad children." Lian Manman said pitifully.

"I won’t tell, I won’t say anything," Old Master Lian reassured, then turned to Lian Shouli and said, "Old Three, go back and tell your mother, we’re all having white flour flatbreads for lunch."

Lian Shouli agreed but didn’t move from his spot.

Old Master Lian then understood that only he could make it happen.

"I’ll tell them, at lunch today, we’re all eating white flour flatbreads, and there will be enough for everyone." Old Master Lian said loudly and walked home with determined strides.

With a single flatbread, Lian Manman called Xiao Qi, Lian Yeye, and Liulang, the youngest ones, to share it among themselves.

"Grandpa is quite angry." Wulang whispered, "Manman, you think, when Grandpa goes back..."

"I don’t know anything," Lian Manman laughed, "All I know is that we’ll have enough white flour flatbreads to eat at lunch today." Old Master Lian, upon returning, would certainly scold Lian Xiuxiu and the others.

Lian Xiuxiu and the others would surely guess that it was she and Wulang who had let it slip. But Old Master Lian would protect her. Besides, even if there was resentment, Lady He was there to share the burden, wasn’t she? The word she had spoken before leaving had undoubtedly been heard by the smart Lady Chiang. Between a clueless child who could not keep a secret about tasty food and an adult who schemed and could foresee their actions, who was more deserving of resentment?

"There will be more flatbreads for lunch, huh." Xiao Qi moved closer to Lian Manman, "All thanks to Second Sister for fighting for it."

Lian Manman pinched Xiao Qi’s cheek.

"Isn’t there a saying, ’fight for one’s steam bun and dignity’? Our fight isn’t over flatbreads but over dignity." Lian Manman said. That’s right; it was dignity she was fighting for.

**********

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