Second watch, asking for pink votes.

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No one said much more about Lady Chiang, and the topic quickly shifted.

"Our fishpond and the lotus pond have both been dug. Has Brother Erlang found more work elsewhere in recent days?" Lian Manman asked Lian Zhizhi and Lian Yeye.

"...He wants to find work outside, but it’s not that easy to find." Lian Yeye said, "These past few days, it seems he wants to learn carpentry from my dad."

"Oh?" Lian Manman responded with interest. This was indeed new information. "What did my third uncle say?"

"What could he say? My dad said that if he wants to learn, he will take him under his wing... Brother Erlang’s hands are a bit clumsy," Lian Yeye explained.

This carpentry work can’t be learned by just anyone; having a good teacher is one thing, but one also needs talent in this area. For instance, Lian Shouli was able to learn quickly because he’s naturally deft and puts effort into his work silently.

If Erlang can also learn carpentry, it wouldn’t be a problem to support a few people in the future. For the Upper Room, this is a good thing.

"By the way, did my third uncle have dinner at the Upper Room last night?" Lian Manman suddenly remembered and asked.

"Yes. My dad came to call Fourth Uncle and Brother Wu Lang, but Fourth Uncle didn’t go, so my dad decided not to eat at the Upper Room either. But later, Grandpa called him over... Uncle and the others came back, and Grandpa was teary-eyed. As soon as they walked in, they all cried with him."

Lian Manman sighed quietly to herself. The affection between Old Master Lian and Lian Shouren, and Lian Jizu was extraordinarily good.

"Sister Manman, yesterday Aunt secretly talked to me, wanting me to find you to help her gather information about Sister Huahua. I didn’t respond to her. Sister Manman, I’m just letting you know, so you can be prepared in case anything happens," Lian Yeye added.

"Alright, I understand."

The three sisters chatted for a while, and then Lian Yeye went back to Lian’s Shop.

After the family finished lunch and rested for a bit, Lian Shouxin said he would take the opportunity to visit the old house to check on Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou, and also deliver the items sent by the Song Family.

After gathering the items, Lian Shouxin, Wu Lang, and Lian Manman set off toward the old house.

Winter had arrived, and a thin layer of ice had formed on the river surface, with the chilly northern wind biting their cheeks. The distance wasn’t far, so the family chose to walk instead of taking a carriage. Upon reaching the front gate of the old house, Lian Shouxin looked at the empty spaces outside the yard walls on both sides, shaking his head.

The two empty spaces that used to be stacked with high piles of firewood during winter were now empty. Only on the eastern side was there a new pile of manure mixed with cow and horse dung.

Old Master Lian had already stopped taking medicine and was said to get up early every day, collecting manure along the official road to use as fertilizer for next year’s farming.

They pushed open the gate and walked into the courtyard. Only on the east side, next to the pigsty and the yard wall, were there some bundles of firewood, leading up to the garden on the east side where some broken wood was piled up. These were collected by Old Master Lian with the help of the Upper Room’s members.

Walking to the center of the courtyard, Lian Manman glanced toward the direction of the Upper Room and saw Lady Gu, dressed in coarse cloth garments and with a rough cloth scarf wrapped around her head, laboriously pushing a millstone.

Compared to the millstone, Lady Gu seemed exceptionally frail.

Lian Manman’s heart stirred slightly. As Lady Gu completed a round with the millstone, she looked up, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and met Lian Manman’s gaze. A flattering smile immediately appeared on Lady Gu’s face.

At this moment, Lian Jizu and Brother Erlang came out from the Upper Room to greet them, and as Lian Manman approached the Upper Room, Lady Gu seemed to want to leave the millstone and move closer to Lian Manman.

"Eldest daughter-in-law, what are you doing? Trying to be lazy again, aren’t you? You’re tasked with milling, and here you are making excuses to relieve yourself. You’re just like a lazy donkey always needing a break on the mill!" came Lady Zhou’s vigorous scolding from inside the house. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Lady Gu’s face changed several times, her hand tightening and then loosening on the mill handle before ultimately not daring to let go, lowering her head once more to grind.

In the east room, Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou sat on the heated brick bed, with Lian Shouren, Lian Shouyi, Lady He, Si Lang, and Liulang seated on stools on the floor. As soon as Lian Manman and the others entered, Old Master Lian invited them to sit on the brick bed. Lady Chiang quickly brought in hot tea for them to drink.

The room was somewhat cold. Lian Manman glanced at the stools on the floor and then at the brick bed, contemplating over whether to sit on the bed, but feeling hesitant. Lady Zhou didn’t speak, but she took out a brand-new small cotton pad from behind her and placed it on the bed.