Lian Manman rubbed her forehead. Old Master Lian was a very shrewd person in many matters, but sometimes what he did really left people speechless. Renting out perfectly good fields to the Woo Family Brothers was the best example.

"How could they let them in? Even if you pity them and temporarily take them in for a few days, you shouldn’t specifically arrange a room for them," Lian Manman said, "They should just squeeze in with Second Uncle’s family for a few days. Otherwise, isn’t the Upper Room East Room half-empty? Let them move there. Why make Yeye vacate her room? Are we planning to let them stay permanently? That’s not how good people do things..."

"Yeye, have you vacated your room?" Lian Manman hurriedly asked again.

"No." Lian Yeye shook her head, "I locked up the West Wing Room. Si Lang went up the mountain to find my dad, so I ran back. Just got to the shop, told my mom, and came here. Sister Manman, what should I do?"

There was no denying that Lian Yeye was quite a resourceful kid.

Lian Manman was just about to give Lian Yeye some advice when a thought struck her.

"Sister Manman, say something?" Seeing Lian Manman in a daze, Lian Yeye urged anxiously.

"Yeye, are you willing to vacate your room for them?" Lian Manman came back to her senses and asked Lian Yeye.

"Of course not." Lian Yeye said directly, "I’m living just fine. If that He family moves in..."

At this point, Lian Yeye shuddered.

"...That mess, filthy as they are, those two kids from the Old He Family are even more annoying than Si Lang."

Le ta, is a local slang at Thirty Mile Camp, equivalent to ’dirty’.

"If you’re not willing, then don’t move." Lian Manman replied.

"But when the property was divided, the house was given to Grandpa and Grandma. If Grandpa says something and I don’t vacate the room, then..." Lian Yeye was unwilling to vacate the room but was feeling a bit troubled.

"That’s easy to solve. The food in the Upper Room, it’s all from what you guys planted, right?" Lian Manman said.

"Yes." Lian Yeye nodded, "The vegetables from the garden, we didn’t sell any. The cabbage and potatoes eaten by the Upper Room in winter, and the sauerkraut and pickles made a few days ago, they are all from my house. Even the soybean paste is made by my mom... Si Lang also steals firewood from my house..."

"That’s right. You don’t vacate the room, just explain it to them. Whether the house is yours or not, when they weren’t back, you lived in this house, and the vegetable garden and such were yours to plant, it’s compensation for looking after the house. Dad, Mom, this is what was said when the Upper Room went to Taicang, right?" Lian Manman said and turned to ask Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang.

"Yes, that’s what was said." Lady Zhang nodded.

"Now that they’re back, the house you’re living in is temporary. Providing them with food and soybean paste and such, that’s your rent for living in those few rooms. You’re not living for free in someone else’s house, you know?" Lian Manman told Lian Yeye.

All the worry disappeared from Lian Yeye’s face, and she broke into a big smile.

"That’s the right reasoning, Sister Manman, why didn’t I think of that just now." Lian Yeye said.

"You were anxious," Lian Manman replied. The confusion of those involved and the clarity of bystanders often reflect this situation.

"Sister Manman, then I’ll head back and say just that." Eagerly, Lian Yeye was about to stand up.

"Wait." Lian Manman stopped Lian Yeye, "Yeye, if you don’t vacate the room, someone will surely say something, saying you’re not considerate, maybe even call you foolish. At that time, just tell them to let the Wife of He Laoliu and the others stay in the East Wing Room. If not, the Upper Room is fine too. Both the East Wing Room and the Upper Room are warmer than the West Wing Room in winter. Staying in the East Wing, they can get close to Second Aunt, and staying in the Upper Room, the treatment would be even better."

Lian Manman whispered a few instructions in Lian Yeye’s ear before she happily departed.

After Lian Yeye left, Lian Manman noticed the family members were all staring at her.

"Why are you looking at me? Is there something on my face?" Lian Manman asked in confusion.

"School’s about to end, I’ll go pick up Xiao Qi." Wu Lang chuckled, then got up and headed out.

"Old Master, this person..." Lady Zhang sighed.

"...He probably didn’t consider it thoroughly. Old Master also gets annoyed with the people from the Old He Family, yet couldn’t bear it, perhaps also fearing rumors..." Lian Shouxin said.

...

In winter, the days are short. When Xiao Qi returned from the academy, the family had already eaten dinner early and gathered around the kang, listening to Xiao Qi’s stories from the academy for amusement. They were laughing heartily when Lian Yeye ran in crying from outside, closely followed by Lady Zhao.

Lian Manman guessed immediately that it must have been some mishap with the room vacating.

After inviting Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye to the kang, Lian Manman hurriedly asked Lian Yeye what happened.

"My, my dad wants me to vacate the room," Lian Yeye sobbed.

It turned out that Si Lang went up the mountain to call Lian Shouli back home, and Old Master Lian explained the room vacating to Lian Shouli. When Lian Yeye objected, she voiced all the teachings from Lian Manman.

"My dad just listened to my grandpa and forced me to vacate the room." Lian Yeye tearfully complained.

"Did you really vacate the room for them?!" Lian Manman raised an eyebrow.

＊＊＊＊＊＊

Here’s the first update; a second one will come tonight. There aren’t many days left until the end of the month, please support with pinks. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com), with recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)