Reborn as a Landlord

Since that’s the case, Lady Zhang and Lian Manman had no other choice. The two of them were about to get up to leave when Lady Zhou spoke up again.

"...Your elder aunt runs a small household, finally managed to earn a bit of money, and there are so many people in the family. Even if they want to eat a scallion or a single lettuce leaf, they have to spend money to buy it, money is needed everywhere. The place she lives in is also small, an extra two people and they can’t even turn around. Before, every year your elder aunt planned for you to come into town to see the lanterns and stay at her place. It was me who stopped it."

Lian Manman and Lady Zhang exchanged a glance. Why did Lady Zhou suddenly bring up Lian Lanlan, they wondered. When they heard Lady Zhou finish her sentence, mother and daughter finally understood. It was because of what Lady Zhang had said earlier that annoyed Lady Zhou.

Lady Zhou thought Lady Zhang was being critical, because Lian Lanlan lived in the city, but all these years, never invited them to see the lanterns.

Lady Zhou really misunderstood Lady Zhang. Lady Zhang is honest and would never speak with hidden barbs.

"If you want to blame someone, blame me." Lady Zhou continued, "It’s me who’s cruel, and I’m the one who’s been bad to you."

As Lady Zhou said this, she turned her head and finally looked directly at Lady Zhang and Lian Manman.

Lian Manman was speechless; when Lady Zhou spoke like that, if you thought she was self-reflecting, you were absolutely wrong. She said these things to provoke you into arguing back, while taking the blame onto herself, and if you could praise her at the same time, that would be even better.

Lian Manman knew what she had to say at this moment to satisfy Lady Zhou. But doing so would be a betrayal of her conscience. She couldn’t just blindly lie, could she?

"Grandma, what are you saying? We really don’t understand." Lian Manman said in surprise, "My mom and I just wanted to invite the two of you to the city to see the lanterns, so why are you speaking badly of my elder aunt? Grandma, my mom is foolish and I take after her. We don’t understand what you’re saying. If you don’t want to go, we won’t force you. My mom and I will leave now." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Lian Manman then pulled Lady Zhang up.

"Grandma, don’t be mad at my elder aunt. Whatever it is, just let it pass. Mothers and daughters shouldn’t hold overnight grudges." At the door, Lian Manman turned back and kindly advised Lady Zhou once more.

Lady Zhou sat on the kang, her face livid.

Lian Manman pulled Lady Zhang, and they walked briskly out of the old house’s gate. Lian Manman looked back, and couldn’t help but chuckle lightly a couple of times.

If you’re going to be unreasonable and convoluted, then I won’t reason or argue with you. Let’s see who gets irritated first. At this point, if one tried to seriously argue with Lady Zhou, we’d lose.

Clearly, this time Lady Zhou was the one who got upset.

Recalling Lady Zhou’s expression, Lian Manman felt so cheerful she almost started humming a tune.

Back home, Lady Zhang recounted to Lian Shouxin how Lady Zhou refused to see the lanterns.

"...I didn’t even say anything, and her grandma got defensive, continuously saying how her elder aunt isn’t living well. The implication was as if we resented her elder aunt." Lady Zhang was a bit angry as she complained to Lian Shouxin, "If she didn’t say anything, I wouldn’t have brought it up, but now that she did, it just makes one even angrier."

Lady Zhang was speaking the truth. She didn’t get along with Lian Lanlan and, being someone who prefers peace, she hadn’t had any expectations of Lian Lanlan. If Lady Zhou hadn’t made such an unnecessary fuss, Lady Zhang wouldn’t have even thought of Lian Lanlan.

"Saying they’re not living well, and the place is small, so they don’t let us go. Then why did the head family’s clan stay there for months and months? Why didn’t she say back then that the situation was tough and the place was small... Do they take us for fools? If they hadn’t said anything, it would have passed, but now they insist on us acknowledging her words? What do they think of us?!"

"I told you not to go because I was afraid you’d get angry." Lian Shouxin said helplessly, "That’s just how her grandma is, there’s nothing we can do. Let’s just forget about it after hearing it. If we keep getting angry, we can’t keep living like this."

"You actually understand." Lady Zhang glanced at Lian Shouxin, sighed, and said, "I always prepare myself when going to the old house. If I still get angry at what she says, then these past days I’ve been living have been in vain... But thinking back, it’s strange how we managed to get through those past days."

"Got through them day by day, I guess." Xiao Qi interjected from the side.

Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin both laughed.

"See, even Xiao Qi knows." Lady Zhang said.

"Mom, so you’re not angry anymore?" Xiao Qi asked.

"Not angry anymore, what’s there to be angry about, it’s not worth it." Lady Zhang waved her hand and gave Lian Manman a look, remembering Lady Zhou’s face turning blue with anger; she decided there was no need to tell Lian Shouxin about that bit. "Next time, if there’s something that requires me to go to the old house, I’ll take Manman with me."