Lian Shouli’s explanation left Lian Manman speechless.

After the three left, Lian Manman family couldn’t help but feel emotional.

"Ye’er, her mother, just can’t manage a household at all. Don’t be fooled by your third uncle; at home, he decides everything," Lady Zhang said softly to Lian Zhizhi and Lian Manman.

"Listening to what he says, it sounds logical, but it’s all useless reasoning. I really worry for Ye’er," Lian Manman said.

"Your grandpa, on the one hand, has a soft heart, and on the other hand, he’s trying to maintain a good reputation," Lian Shouxin said.

"Wanting a good reputation is fine, but you have to consider who and what, right? Haven’t we suffered enough at the Old Woo Family?" Wu Lang said.

"There are still many unresolved matters in the Upper Room. Yingzi is one; we don’t know if she’s alive or dead, it’s endless. Now, the He Family has come with these few mouths, and they’ll surely stick around. As for Erlang’s wife, whether she’s back or remarried, we haven’t heard a word... Ah, fortunately, we moved out early, otherwise, living in the same courtyard would be nerve-wracking," Lady Zhang said.

"Remarried" is a rural expression referring to women who marry again.

"If she’s to remarry, shouldn’t she make things clear with Erlang first?" Lian Shouxin said, "Their family does things differently, leaving Erlang quite pitiful."

...

Early the next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Lian Manman got up. She remembered she hadn’t visited Lian’s Shop to check the business at this hour for some time, so she freshened up, dressed warmly, and went out with Lian Shouxin and Wu Lang towards Lian’s Shop.

The cold morning wind made Lian Manman feel emotional.

Life is better now; they’ve hired enough staff, and there’s a shopkeeper to manage the shop. Family members no longer need to rise early and stay up late working in the shop. She remembered when the shop first opened, back then, they had to come to the shop before dawn every day and prepare for the next day’s breakfast even late at night.

Good days should be cherished, Lian Manman thought.

The three didn’t go through the shop’s back door but circled to the front. Before they could enter, they saw three grey-black figures coming from the bridge on the main road.

"Old Fourth," one of them called out.

"Dad," Lian Shouxin immediately stopped.

Lian Manman and Wu Lang also paused and looked at the three. They hadn’t noticed earlier, but now they saw it was Old Master Lian, Lian Shouren, and Lian Shouyi.

Old Master Lian was dressed in indigo cotton jacket and pants, wearing a hat made of felt, cotton gloves on his hands, cotton shoes on his feet, with straps around his legs, giving him the typical appearance of an old farmer. He carried a manure basket in one hand and a shovel for picking up manure in the other.

Cotton gloves, divided only for the thumb, shaped like a mitten, are commonly worn by rural families’ adults and children in winter for hand protection. Some even use rough cotton strips to connect the two mittens, worn over the shoulders, and when not in use, the mittens hang down in front.

Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi followed behind Old Master Lian, dressed similarly.

Old Master Lian had brought his two sons out early in the morning to pick up manure.

"Dad, you’re out so early," Lian Shouxin saw that the manure basket Old Master Lian carried already contained a lot of horse manure and said, "Dad, haven’t you eaten yet? If not, come inside the shop and have something warm."

Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi, upon hearing this, couldn’t help but glance at Lian’s Breakfast Shop.

At this hour, quite a few people were already coming to eat breakfast, lifting the curtain as they went in and out. From outside, you could see the inside was somewhat foggy due to the warmth. The aroma of hot soup and meat buns, among other foods, wafted from the kitchen and spread quite far.

Old Master Lian didn’t look towards the shop.

"It’s okay, this is your business. We’ve cooked at home, so we’ll eat when we return," Old Master Lian said, but didn’t leave right away; he seemed to have something to say.

"Dad?"

"Old Fourth, yesterday the whole of Old Three’s family went to your place, right? He Laoliu’s wife and kids are staying at our home now, did you know?" Old Master Lian said.

"Ah, Dad, I heard all about it from my third brother," Lian Shouxin nodded and said.

"About this matter, I’m also in a dilemma. Technically, we have no obligation towards the Old He Family’s affairs. But when the widows and orphans come seeking help, in this cold winter, where else can they go if we don’t shelter them? So, they’ll be living in the West Wing Room for the winter, and we’ll consider next spring when it’s warmer... To be honest, I don’t think much of the Old He Family, but I can’t bear it,"

Lian Shouxin listened silently.

"Looking at the sky today, it’s going to snow. Old Fourth, if you have any matters, make preparations early," After talking for a while, seeing that Lian Shouxin, Wu Lang, and Lian Manman had nothing else to say, Old Master Lian looked up at the sky and then headed back to the village with Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi.

"Our grandpa even took the time to explain it to us," Lian Manman whispered to Wu Lang as they walked towards the shop.

Wu Lang smiled but said nothing.

The three entered the shop and found it clean and tidy, with almost all the seats taken. Shopkeeper Chen, along with the staff, was busy but highly organized, making Lian Manman nod in satisfaction.

In the kitchen, Lady Zhao and Lian Manman were working alongside the staff.

After inspecting the shop, the family returned home to eat. By the Chinese hour of mid-morning, snow began to fall gently from the sky.

********

Offering two updates, requesting for pink tickets.

*****

Recommendation for Ruoyan’s completed book: "The Brocade Screen Chronicles" light house fight farmland tale, daily life and entangled grievances within a grand residence.

Book number: 1771214

There’s a direct link below; click to go directly to it. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets; your support is my greatest motivation.)