"Wu Lang is right, you all heard him, right? From now on, our family will follow this plan." Old Master Lian said to Lian Shouren, Lian Shouyi, and the others, "Tomorrow, we’ll all get up early. The three of you will come with me to gather manure. Then, we’ll eat and go gather firewood. You should all learn from Wu Lang... Before I close my eyes for the last time, let’s rebuild our family."

Old Master Lian was full of energy, but Lian Shouren, Lian Shouyi, and Lian Jizu all seemed somewhat reluctant. Seeing that Lian Shouxin, Wu Lang, and Lian Manman were there, they dared not speak against it.

Seeing it was getting late, Lian Shouxin, Wu Lang, and Lian Manman all got up, ready to say goodbye and leave.

"Manman." Lady Zhou, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.

Lady Zhou hadn’t called her for a long time, so Lian Manman couldn’t help but be surprised and turned her head to look at Lady Zhou.

"Whatever the eldest daughter-in-law says, don’t pay any attention to her." Lady Zhou sat cross-legged on the kang, her hands alternately gripping each other, "She’s not a good person, full of bad intentions."

Lady Gu wanted to take some action, but in this old house, no one would be able to help her. However, Lian Manman and the others had the ability, and Lady Zhou was afraid Lian Manman and the others would pity Lady Gu and help her.

"Understood, Grandma." Lian Manman answered.

The family came out of the Upper Room. Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou put on shoes and stepped onto the ground, leading the family to see them off.

Leaving the Upper Room, Lady Gu was still grinding millet by the millstone. There was already more than half a basin of milled sorghum flour in the basin beneath.

"There are some oil cakes left over from yesterday. Tonight, we’ll make vegetable buns. Eldest daughter-in-law, grind that flour a bit finer." Lady Zhou stood at the door, watching Lady Gu work, not moving to go outside.

The others, led by Old Master Lian, escorted Lian Shouxin, Wu Lang, and the young Master Lian to the main gate.

At the entrance of the old house, Lian Manman’s gaze instinctively swept to the right, and she saw Yingzi’s father looking over here from his doorway.

Seeing Lian Shouxin, Wu Lang, and Lian Manman, Yingzi’s father looked as if the mouse saw a cat, turned, and quickly ran inside.

This was likely because he knew they were coming, waiting until they left so he could come and make trouble.

Old Master Lian also exited at this time, saw Yingzi’s father, and sighed long and deeply.

"This trouble is never-ending." Old Master Lian said miserably.

Looking again at Lian Shouren, Lian Shouyi, Lian Jizu, etc., their expressions were indifferent. Yingzi’s father was like a clingy plaster, unable to shake off, but they were not anxious, as it wasn’t their matter, since Old Master Lian was in the way.

Lian Manman couldn’t help but shake her head, thinking, raising such sons and grandsons was worse than raising a slab of char siu.

Old Master Lian’s long sigh may have been partly for them to hear, but lacking understanding of Yingzi’s disappearance, Lian Manman family didn’t intend to pay attention to this issue.

Lian Shouxin, Wu Lang, and Lian Manman bid farewell to Old Master Lian at the main gate and headed east. Not far from departing, they looked back to see Old Master Lian still at the gate, while at the corner leading to the back street, four people approached.

A woman and four half-grown children, all dressed in ragged, plain clothes. When the woman saw Old Master Lian and the others, she cried out and then ran over with the children.

"Your brother has been beheaded because of you. Give back my child’s father’s life... Sister-in-law, you’re so cruel... Brother-in-law, my children’s father stood in your place..." The woman came over and grabbed Lady He, crying loudly.

The children behind her also came over, surrounding Lady He and Lian Shouyi, hugging waists and legs, all crying loudly.

"Isn’t that the wife of He Laoliu?" After watching for a while, Lian Manman finally recognized the woman as someone she had met before, He Laoliu.

Wu Lang and Lian Shouxin both frowned.

He Laoliu went to Taicang, and later, soon after his wife tried to find work at Lian Manman’s family, she took the three children to Taicang as well. They reportedly lived quite well there.

However, after the incident involving Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi, He Laoliu was deeply implicated. Lian Xiuxiu spent money to rescue the Lian Family members but had neither the benevolence nor spare cash to bail out He Laoliu.

He Laoliu was sentenced to death, and after the Upper Room family returned, no one mentioned this matter.

Now it seemed that He Laoliu had been executed, his wife returned with the children.

When He Laoliu went to Taicang, he sold off the remaining family assets, leaving his wife and children to live in a shack. Now, this woman returned with no husband, house, or land, coming to find Lady He.

Given the circumstances, she seemed to blame He Laoliu’s death on Lian Shouyi and Lady He.

Each matter was tangled and unclear, while those in the Upper Room wanted everything handed to them and to make sense of these issues. Being able to live quietly, with enough to eat and wear warmly, was a blessing.

"It’s a headache." Lian Manman said, rubbing her forehead.

"I’ll carry you." Wu Lang promptly walked over to Lian Manman and slightly bent down to carry her. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Lian Manman didn’t hesitate and climbed onto Wu Lang’s back.

"Dad, I have a headache. Brother is taking me back first." Lian Manman said to Lian Shouxin.

Wu Lang carried Lian Manman away, and seeing her in such a state, Lian Shouxin became anxious and asked Wu Lang to carry Lian Manman for him.

Back home, Lady Zhang and Lian Zhizhi were startled upon seeing Lian Manman carried back, while Lian Shouxin wanted to call a doctor for her. Lian Manman only said she felt a bit better and there was no rush to call a doctor, meanwhile sending Xiao Xi to notify Lian Yeye.

"What’s going on?" Lady Zhang and Lian Zhizhi saw that something was wrong with Lian Manman.

"He Laoliu’s wife is back, she went to the old house." Lian Manman said.

************

Sending the second update, asking for pink votes.

......********......

Recommended Ruoyan’s completed book "The Most Enchanting," a fantasy version of My Sassy Girl, less than fifty thousand words, moderately long. There’s a direct link below, click to go directly.

Book number: 2184407 (to be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations, monthly votes, your support is my greatest motivation.)