Old Master Lian’s words took a step back again, but he still included words to exonerate Lian Shouyi.

"Second Uncle," Lian Manman interrupted Old Master Lian, looking at Lian Shouyi, and curiously asked, "Second Uncle, what happened to your face? It’s really frightening. You came like this and haven’t apologized to my mom yet, just gave us a scare." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"This..." Lian Shouyi blurted out one word and then bit his tongue. He glanced at Old Master Lian.

Old Master Lian sat there, intentionally avoiding looking at Lian Shouyi.

"I, I just drank too much, had a big fall, and ended up like this." Lian Shouyi explained.

No matter how you fall, you wouldn’t end up looking like that, thought Lian Manman. Looking at Lian Shouyi’s face, it was clear he was beaten severely by someone.

Who beat Lian Shouyi?

Old Master Lian? Probably not, if it were Old Master Lian, it would have been mentioned openly, not hidden and described as a fall. Besides, given Old Master Lian’s age, he probably couldn’t inflict such injuries.

Then who was it? Lian Shouren, Lian Jizu, Erlang?

All unlikely. For Lian Shouren and Lian Jizu, the reason is similar to that for Old Master Lian. And Erlang, it’s even less likely.

If it wasn’t someone from the Lian Family, then it was someone else. Who could have beaten him that Old Master Lian and Lian Shouyi would hide the truth from them?

"It definitely wasn’t from a fall; a fall wouldn’t cause that." Xiao Qi, with the candor of a child, said, "He definitely got into a fight and was beaten."

Lian Shouyi was so choked that he kept blinking, and Old Master Lian’s face turned red, increasingly embarrassed.

"Dad, what happened?" Lian Shouxin asked.

"Ah, don’t ask anymore, he deserves this punishment." Old Master Lian sighed, unwilling to elaborate further on this topic, only urged Lian Shouyi, "Hurry and apologize to the Fourth Sister-in-law."

Lian Shouyi bowed to Lady Zhang.

"...Sister-in-law, you’re so magnanimous, don’t lower yourself to my level. I just drank too much booze; I’m a scoundrel, and I spoke beastly words. Sister-in-law, everyone knows, you have the kindest heart, the most filial daughter-in-law in the Old Lian Family. Uncle-in-law, he is such an upfront person. No one hangs onto the Old Lian Family’s matters."

Lian Shouyi, when he gossiped, really knew how to stab himself hard. Clearly, part of what he said was taught by Old Master Lian, he was just parroting it.

"I can’t accept your courtesy." Lady Zhang stood up from her chair and moved to the chair beside it. "Whether I’m filial or not, it’s not up to you to say. What the Old Zhang family is like, doesn’t need your opinion either."

Lady Zhang turned slightly, refusing to look at Old Master Lian and Lian Shouyi.

Lian Manman saw the situation was about right, then slightly nodded to Lian Shouxin, signaling it was his turn to speak. As for what to say, it was naturally what the family had just discussed in the backyard.

"Dad, the more I think about today’s matter, the stranger it seems." Lian Shouxin said to Old Master Lian, "We’ve endured everything for ourselves when they splashed slander on us. But slandering the Zhang family, that’s going too far.... We owe an apology to our relatives, if we don’t do something, it’ll be impossible for people to associate with us!"

"In the future, if there’s anything, except for you, Dad, and my mom, we dare not invite anyone else."

"This, Old Fourth, you..." Old Master Lian and Lian Shouyi were both somewhat taken aback.

"Grandpa, that’s what my dad said. When the time comes, let’s see.... once truly changed, we’ll talk about it again." Wu Lang jumped in before Old Master Lian and Lian Shouyi could say anything else.

Old Master Lian glanced at Lian Shouxin, then at Wu Lang, let out a long sigh, and left with Lian Shouyi.

"Who was it that beat him?" After sending off Old Master Lian and Lian Shouyi, the whole family became curious.

Lian Manman was about to send someone to inquire about the news when Lian Yeye came running in with a big smile.

"Sister Manman, did you just see Second Uncle?" Lian Yeye asked Lian Manman.

"I saw him." Lian Manman nodded.

"Then you saw his face, right?" Lian Yeye asked again with a smile.

"Isn’t that obvious?" Seeing Lian Yeye’s odd smile, Lian Manman asked her, "Yeye, do you know who beat Second Uncle?"

"I know, I even saw it." Lian Yeye said.

"Who was it, tell us." Lian Manman made room for Lian Yeye on the kang, and the whole family waited to hear from Lian Yeye who beat Lian Shouyi.

"It was Big Uncle and Little Uncle." Lian Yeye’s words shocked everyone.

The family of Lady Zhao had long cut off contact, and Lian Yeye was calling Zhang Qingshan’s family that way, so it was undoubtedly referring to Zhang Qingnian and his brother.

"What’s going on?" Lady Zhang hastily asked Lian Yeye.

Lian Yeye sat on the edge of the kang and began to babble out the whole story.

As it turns out, after Zhang Qingshan’s family left Lian Manman’s home, they didn’t immediately return to Burner Pot Village but circled back on the official road, then headed to the Lian Family Old Mansion.

The Zhang family’s carriage stopped right at the entrance of the old mansion; Lady Li, with two grandsons and Lady Hu, stayed in the carriage, while Zhang Qingshan took his two sons, the eldest daughter-in-law Lady Zhang Wang, and his eldest granddaughter Zhang Caiyun off the carriage.

Zhang Qingshan walked into the Upper Room and went straight to talk to Old Master Lian.

"Old Brother, I was halfway home, then came back. If I didn’t have a word with you, Old Brother, I felt restless..."

Zhang Qingnian and his brother directly went looking for Lian Shouyi and began beating him.

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Bringing you the second update, seeking pink votes.

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Recommendation for Ruoyan’s completed farming novels:

Title: "Rebirth: When Flowers Bloom and the Moon is Full" (Complete with main text and extras) (There is a direct link below, click to reach)

Summary: Travel back to be an unjustly abandoned woman, carry a little bun, embark on a sweet life with a dependable man. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with recommendations or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)