The second watch, end of the month plea for pink.

*******

A group of people passed by, and they heard someone discussing behind them. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"People, you see, whatever you say, it comes down to fate. If you have a good fate, no matter the situation you’re in, there’s always someone looking out for you. Same situation, if your fate is bad, you could lose your head, but if your fate is good, you won’t lose a single hair. Those with bad luck can’t even find a place to beg, but those with good luck always have a good son to support them."

Then someone sighed heavily.

Lian Manman couldn’t help but glance at Old Master Lian. Old Master Lian’s face, already stiff from forced smiles, grew even more rigid as he quickened his pace, like he wanted to quickly escape the gossip behind him.

When Lian Manman and the group reached home, Zhang Qingnian and Lady Zhang Wang had already returned from town, Old Master Lu had been invited over with his sons, and Wu Lang took charge, also inviting Wu Yugui and Wu Jiaxing father and son, along with Lady Wu Wang and Wu Jiayu family to join the guests, making the house quite lively.

The men were in the front hall, Zhang Qingshan and Old Master Lu had the most engaging conversation, and Zhang Qingshan did not neglect Old Master Lian either. Old Master Lu respected Old Master Lian as Lian Shouxin’s father and Wu Lang’s grandfather, and showed great courtesy to him. Old Master Lian was originally talkative, and in such a setting, he had quite a few words. However, for some reason, looking at Old Master Lian sitting among the crowd, there seemed to be an unresolvable solitude surrounding him.

The women went to the back courtyard, sitting in the Upper Room East Room.

"Why did you take so long," Lady Zhang asked Lian Manman, "I was just about to send someone to fetch you."

Zhang Qingshan went to see Old Master Lian, but it was just to deliver a gift, chat a bit, and then invite everyone over to chat and eat together, should be a quick trip.

"Sigh," Lian Manman deliberately sighed, there were no outsiders in the room, and they were all familiar with the affairs of the Lian family, so she did not shy away.

"... Just entered the village entrance, heard my grandmother crying. The two lads from the Old He family stole food from the bowl stand..." Lian Manman then recounted what happened earlier at the old house.

"Shouldn’t have taken in that family," Lady Wu Wang said, "it’s not about who’s got a bad heart or what, you have to see who it’s about. Neighbors, if they’re sensible and follow the rules, everyone helps out, they’ll never miss a meal. Those few in the Old He family, lazy ones are lazy, mean ones are mean, just wouldn’t act properly. Who dares to take them in now, who would be willing to take them in?"

"Who says otherwise," sighed Lady Zhang, "we’ve taken them in for these days, still have to drive them out, it would have been better not to let them in from the start."

"This was handled wrongly," said Lady Zhang Wang, "I’m not speaking bluntly as a junior. Caiyun’s grandpa didn’t praise your master any less, but those things he did, they weren’t handled right at all."

"Saying to drive them out, I don’t think it’ll be easy. Easy to invite the gods, hard to send them away," said Lady Li.

"My grandpa probably knows too, so he’s not showing up himself, saying to let my second uncle and second aunt speak to drive them out," said Lian Manman.

"Even so it won’t be easy," Lady Wu Wang said, "there’s the Old Master wanting face, but the Old He family doesn’t care about face at all. Having managed to get this place, they definitely won’t want to leave."

"Then we’ll see how my second uncle and second aunt handle it," said Lian Manman.

In her view, Lian Shouyi and Lady He didn’t have much affection towards Wife of He Laoliu and the three kids from the He family. Not to mention Lian Shouyi, even Lady He didn’t show much sadness over He Laoliu’s death as a sister, let alone for the sister-in-law and nieces and nephews, her feelings were even more detached.

"By the way, I heard from someone coming from Taicang, they said they saw Zhao Xiue," Lady Wu Wang suddenly said.

"Oh," everyone’s attention was immediately attracted.

"Erlang’s wife is still in Taicang, what’s she doing there, with whom," Lady Zhang quickly asked.

"Isn’t it that the father and son from the Old Zhao family were sentenced to exile, heard Zhao Xiue is looking everywhere for someone to help out," said Lady Wu Wang.

With Zhao Xiue being a woman with no family background, who could she find to help, what result could she hope for, Lian Manman wasn’t optimistic about it.

"How’s the helping going," Lady Zhang asked again.

"What can be done, they’re being exiled as they should, heard they’ll soon be leaving," said Lady Wu Wang, "Zhao Xiue doesn’t know anyone, just muddling with things in Taicang, met two people. She thought she was capable and went looking for them. In the end, as expected, when people turned their backs on the old house, who would recognize her as Zhao Xiue... her reputation was utterly ruined."