What’s going on here? Lian Manman couldn’t help but draw a big question mark in her mind.

"...My husband is gone; he died in place of your son... I’m a widow with orphaned children..." The Wife of He Laoliu, who was being scolded by Lady Zhou, suddenly started to cause a scene as well. She wailed loudly and rushed forward as if she wanted to grab Lady Zhou, but when she got close, she didn’t dare to do it. Instead, she just sat down in front of the threshold and started wailing to the sky.

The little girl from the He Family was sitting next to the Wife of He Laoliu, her head down, silent. The other two boys were copying the Wife of He Laoliu’s actions, lying on the ground and rolling around.

"We don’t have a dad... Everyone bullies us..."

"Our dad is gone... They took us in, but don’t give us enough to eat."

The two boys from the He Family, their voices were no smaller than Lady Zhou’s.

Lian Manman rubbed her forehead, regretting accompanying Zhang Caiyun here. She thought in her heart, could she leave and go back now?

"Oh my!," Zhang Caiyun was also taken aback, "Manman, are these the people they took in? Why are they like this?"

"That’s exactly who they are," Lian Manman whispered, "You know the Old Woo Family, right?"

"Yes, they’re the ones who planted on the Upper Room’s land and still owe them rent, right?" Zhang Caiyun seemed to know quite a lot about the Lian Family’s affairs, probably spent her free time listening to Lady Li talk about these matters.

"They’re all similar people," Lian Manman said.

Old Master Lian seemed to have a particular fondness for such people. Those who are not capable, cunning and deceitful, who make others disgusted and want to stay as far away as possible, but in the eyes of Old Master Lian, these people are adorable. Fine, this "adorable" was something Lian Manman added in a fit of pique. According to Old Master Lian himself, such people are pitiful; if he doesn’t help them, they won’t survive because no one else is willing to lend a hand.

In short, Lian Manman summed it up, people like the Woo Family Brothers, and the widow and orphans from the He Family, were favored by Old Master Lian’s soft heart. They lacked capability, only good at freeloading. If they did any wrong, it was to those who treated them well; they couldn’t do other bad deeds.

Thinking about this, Lian Manman couldn’t help but feel another stirring in her heart. These people from the He Family were different from the Woo Family Brothers; they weren’t the type Old Master Lian favored. Yet Old Master Lian still took them in, providing them with food and drink.

No matter why Old Master Lian did this, it’s feared that this time things again wouldn’t go as he hoped. To be honest, every time something like this happened, it always backfired, but Old Master Lian just refused to learn the lesson.

Zhang Qingshan and Lian Shouxin obviously didn’t expect to encounter the scene before them. But since they already stepped into the gate, they couldn’t go back; they could only brace themselves and walk further in.

"My in-laws, I came to see you," Zhang Qingshan said loudly.

In the Upper Room, Old Master Lian and the others also came out at this time. But they were blocked at the outer room door; Lady Zhou was still holding onto the door frame, wailing, and the Wife of He Laoliu with her three children remained on the ground, blocking the entrance tightly.

"What’s all this about? If there’s something to say, say it properly." Old Master Lian’s face looked like the bottom of a black pot.

He was speaking to the Wife of He Laoliu, but she didn’t listen to him. Seeing guests arrive at the Lian Family, her wailing grew louder, continuing to accuse that her husband died in place of the Lian Family members.

"Calm down, didn’t you see the in-laws are here," Old Master Lian whispered to Lady Zhou, his face still bottom-of-a-black-pot grim. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

If the family closed the door and caused a scene, it could be ignored; the neighbors wouldn’t open a door to have a look. But now, in-law Zhang Qingshan came to visit, catching them in such a farce, and Old Master Lian found it difficult to face.

Lady Zhou glanced at Zhang Qingshan, Lian Shouxin, Lian Manman, Xiao Qi, and Zhang Caiyun walking over, and wiped her face.

Zhang Qingshan and company had reached the entrance, while the Wife of He Laoliu and others were still lying on the ground.

"What sort of rascals are these!" Zhang Qingshan frowned and shouted, "Blocking someone’s door causing trouble, looking for a beating, are you? Xiao Qi, go back and call your brother, tell your uncle, your aunt and them to come, let them chase these rascals out!"

Zhang Qingshan was a typical mountain man, tall and strong, with a loud voice, and quite commanding when he raised his eyebrows.

The wailing of the Wife of He Laoliu abruptly stopped. She pulled her daughter up, and the two boys stopped rolling on the ground; they followed suit, standing up. A few of them cleared a path and headed in a line towards the West Wing Room.

Old Master Lian’s face twitched almost imperceptibly, the black pot-like hue faintly tinged with some red.

"In-law!" Zhang Qingshan warmly extended his hand, gripping Old Master Lian’s hand as he came out to greet him.

The two walked further into the house.

"Old Fourth, can’t they handle anything? Will you not stand up for your mother?" Lady Zhou intercepted Lian Shouxin, her eyes red as she spoke.

"Whatever matter it is, let’s talk about it later," Old Master Lian said, turning back.

"Mother, let’s talk inside the house; it’s drafty at the door, cold," Lian Shouxin said.

The group went inside the house.

"...There’s always something tying us up at home; I’ve been wanting to visit Old Brother for ages," Zhang Qingshan and Old Master Lian sat on the kang, at the edge, "Old Brother, you’ve been on my mind. It’s good to be home, no place else can compare to the warmth of our own kang! Old Brother, you and Old Sister are healthy, that’s great fortune. Everything else is all superficial."

Old Master Lian awkwardly smiled and nodded.

"Old Fourth, do you still see me as your mother? If you acknowledge me as such, stand up for me..." Lady Zhou, after entering the house and awkwardly listening to Zhang Qingshan and Old Master Lian talking, again addressed Lian Shouxin.

*********

First, here’s an update, there’ll be another tonight.

It’s the second last day of the month, asking everyone for pink ticket support O(∩_∩)O (to be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)