Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 917 - 469 - Early Spring

The second update, asking for likes and support.

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The day Lady Zhou had first returned to Thirty Mile Camp, Lian Manman had asked her to bow before the archway, but she had never done it. Now that she was about to leave, she came. It seemed she had finally understood.

Lady Zhang brought out a felt cushion and placed it in front of the archway, then stepped aside and stood nearby.

Lady Zhou walked forward and stopped in front of the felt cushion. Her heart was deeply shaken.

In the past, when she lived in Thirty Mile Camp, she rarely went out. She knew that Manman’s family had opened a shop, bought land, and built houses, but she had never seen any of it for herself. She had only caught a fleeting glimpse during the family’s last trip to Taicang while passing by on the official road. At that time, however, this Imperially Bestowed Archway had not yet been erected, and the new residence of Manman’s family had not been completed.

Lady Zhou had once visited the temple and her understanding of this area still remained in its old state—a piece of barren land. Therefore, as she was supported by Lian Jizu and Lian Lanlan on her way here, and saw how this vast expanse of land had now been organized with such precision, exuding the air of a wealthy household, her mind was already in turmoil.

But when she saw the Imperially Bestowed Archway, she was left with no other thoughts—only awe.

Lady Zhou knelt on the felt cushion and reverently began to kowtow toward the archway.

Earlier on the road, she had been contemplating asserting her status as the elder and displaying her authority over Lady Zhang. But now, she only worried whether she might kowtow improperly and offend the divine aura of the Imperially Bestowed Archway.

Lian Lanlan and Lian Jizu did not dare to remain standing either. They knelt behind Lady Zhou and also kowtowed toward the archway.

After Lady Zhou had kowtowed four or five times, Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang stepped forward to help her up.

Since they had come all the way to Thirty Mile Camp, it was only natural to take a look inside Lian Manman’s new residence.

"Mother, you haven’t seen it yet—Old Fourth’s house is built magnificently! Those windows, they’re all glazed ones, and the rooms inside are so bright..." Lian Lanlan walked alongside Lady Zhou, incessantly praising how exceptional Manman’s house was.

Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang led Lady Zhou, Lian Lanlan, and Lian Jizu through the main gate and into the front courtyard.

Upon entering the courtyard, Lady Zhou briefly glanced around before fixing her gaze straight ahead on the path. When she reached the main hall and sat down on the kang bed, she once again looked around but quickly averted her eyes, sitting upright with stiff posture, saying nothing. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Lian Manman, standing nearby, could tell immediately that Lady Zhou was anxious. Anxious—good, Lian Manman thought to herself. She had no intention of easing Lady Zhou’s tension and thus said nothing.

Sure enough, after sitting for a while, Lady Zhou couldn’t sit still any longer.

"Let’s...go," Lady Zhou said, looking at Lian Jizu.

Lian Jizu glanced hesitantly at Lian Shouxin.

"Fourth Uncle," Lian Jizu stammered, "I, um, I’ve spent all the travel money."

Traveling from Thirty Mile Camp to Taicang required renting a carriage, and there were additional expenses for food and lodging along the way. Lian Jizu now confessed to Lian Shouxin that he had not a penny left.

"Jizu, didn’t you bring enough money for the return trip?" Lian Shouxin asked, thinking to himself how truly irresponsible Jizu was.

"Well, these past few days, I couldn’t let Grandma suffer, could I? So I spent the return fare on food and such," Jizu replied.

"Jizu," Manman cut in, "You mean to say you only brought enough money for your return trip, without preparing anything for Grandma? You left her in the old house with nothing—what did you plan for her to eat or use there? Were you really going to freeze and starve Grandma to death in the old house?"

Lian Jizu’s face turned beet red, and he stammered, unable to respond. He didn’t dare utter his usual shameless remark of "Third Uncle and Fourth Uncle are here anyway." Not this time.

Lian Manman sighed deeply. Lian Jizu was meant to be a man who would someday take charge of his own household, yet his lack of responsibility and tendency to rely on others to solve problems was glaringly evident. How would he support his family in the future?

Manman’s expression darkened, but she couldn’t let this issue keep the three of them from leaving either.

After a brief discussion among the family, Lian Shouxin went to town and hired a horse-drawn carriage. Lian Manman paid for the carriage fare, then took out extra money calculated based on their previous journey to Taicang to cover additional travel expenses.

Weighing the strings of coins in her hand, Manman hesitated before putting them down again.

"Jizu doesn’t have any money left," Lian Shouxin remarked. "These past few days, he’s been eating three meals a day at the town’s restaurant, always ordering the finest dishes—and he even had to drink wine. The money’s been spent like water. I heard from Shopkeeper Wu that he likely spent around two taels of silver."

"Such wastefulness," Lady Zhang said.

"Indeed, such wastefulness," Lian Shouxin agreed.

Lian Manman set the money down and picked up a pen and paper.