To show their respect and importance to the new son-in-law, everyone had changed into new clothes, tidied themselves up, and only then proceeded to the Upper Room.

In the Upper Room’s East Room, Song Hailong was sitting in a chair, conversing with Old Master Lian, while two servants stood at attention behind him.

"This is your fourth uncle and fourth aunt," Old Master Lian announced as Lian Shouxin’s family entered, introducing them to Song Hailong.

Song Hailong stood up, bowed and performed a formal greeting to Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang.

"We’re all family here, Young Master Song, please, take a seat and let’s talk," Lian Shouxin said hurriedly.

Next up, it was Lian Manman and her siblings’ turn to greet Song Hailong.

"These are the children of your fourth uncle and aunt," Old Master Lian continued with the introductions to Song Hailong.

Song Hailong smiled as he accepted Lian Manman and her siblings’ greetings before signaling the servants to bring forward two large gift boxes.

"...I came in a rush, just a small token for the fourth uncle and aunt, as well as for the younger brothers and sisters," he said.

Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin naturally attempted to decline the gifts at first, but eventually accepted them. Lian Manman took quick glances around and realized that Song Hailong had prepared gifts for every head of the households. Although the Song Family was a merchant family, the thoroughness of their etiquettes suggested they were also a household with well-established rules.

With many people in the room, Lian Manman and her siblings took leave after meeting Song Hailong, finding excuses to exit the room.

"He really looks quite ordinary," someone said, perhaps influenced by Lian Manman’s earlier remarks, as Wu Lang commented on Song Hailong’s appearance. "But he does speak quite well."

"Far lesser than Brother Youheng," Xiao Qi added.

While the Upper Room’s East Room was hosting Song Hailong, Lian Jizu and Lian Shouyi invited Song Hailong’s attendants to the West Wing Room for hospitality. After a short while, Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang also returned from the Upper Room.

No sooner had she entered than Lady Zhang began changing her clothes.

"Mother, what are you doing?" Lian Manman asked.

"I need to start preparing the meals. Sister Huahua’s son-in-law sent someone to order a banquet from the town’s inn, which will be delivered here shortly. Your eldest aunt mentioned that we should also prepare some homestyle dishes to let Sister Huahua’s son-in-law have a taste," Lady Zhang explained, adding, "She asked for my assistance."

"Mother, let me come with you to help," Lian Manman offered.

"No need," Lady Zhang said after thinking for a moment, waving her hand, "Your eldest aunt, your elder sister-in-law, along with me and your third aunt will be enough. It will be greasy and messy; you needn’t come. If we need more hands, I’ll call for you."

After changing into her old clothes, Lady Zhang headed to the Upper Room to help out.

"Second Sister, Older sister’s husband Song went up to the West Room," Xiao Qi said with a giggle, running back from outside and whispering into Lian Manman’s ear, "Sister Duoduo has also left the room, in the West Room, it’s just Older sister’s husband Song and Sister Huahua now."

"What?" Lian Manman’s eyebrows rose in surprise. Just earlier, Lian Shouren and Lady Gu had said that Lian Huahua was strict about propriety, so why would they allow her to be alone with Song Hailong now?

"Second Sister, do you want to take a look?" Xiao Qi prodded mischievously.

"Go? Why not," Lian Manman responded immediately, while somewhat embarrassingly admitting to herself that sometimes, her behavior was getting closer to the age of the body she occupied, ten years old.

"What are you two up to? It wouldn’t be good for others to see you," Lian Zhizhi cautioned.

"We’ll be careful," Lian Manman assured as she stepped out of the room under Lian Zhizhi’s helpless gaze along with Xiao Qi.

Standing in the courtyard, Lian Manman realized it was impossible to eavesdrop unnoticed. Several half-grown boys from the second household and a younger servant of Song Hailong were in the courtyard while Lady Gu was in the outer chamber of the Upper Room.

"What should I do now?" Lian Manman wondered, worried.

"Sister, let’s go up to the roof!" Xiao Qi pointed at the rooftop and whispered to Lian Manman.

"Right, I didn’t even think of that." Lian Manman smacked her own palm with a fist.

Lian Manman took Xiao Qi’s hand and entered the house first. They hurriedly took off their new clothes and put on their old ones. Then, they came out, placed the ladder under the southern window of their house, and climbed up to their rooftop. Next, while no one below was paying attention, they scaled the wall connecting the main house and the west wing room and got onto the roof of the main house.

Both of them were small and deliberately hunched over, and they really weren’t discovered.

The two children lay on the roof of the west room, poking out half their heads to look inside.

Because the gauze window screen obstructed their view, they could only see a rough outline of the inside, where only Lian Huahua and Song Hailong were sitting shoulder to shoulder, whispering to each other.

Lian Manman pricked up her ears.

"...Huahua, I think about you day and night..."

"You cad, who’d believe your nonsense. If you really missed me, why didn’t you come to see me for so long? Only when someone sent word to you, saying I was ill, then you deigned to visit."

"Huahua, don’t you know my heart? I’ve wanted to come to you, to be by your side every day, but my mother is watching closely. If I displease her, our marriage... Huahua, it’s for you that I’ve been holding back and haven’t come to see you..."

After listening vaguely to a few sentences, Lian Manman felt an inexplicable sourness in her molars. At that moment, she felt a gaze fixed on the top of her head.

"It’s Mother, she’s spotted us."

Lady Zhang was standing in the yard, pretending to pick vegetables, but her eyes were fixed on Lian Manman and Xiao Qi.

Seeing Lady Zhang’s disapproving gaze, Lian Manman and Xiao Qi stuck out their tongues, too scared to continue eavesdropping. They had no choice but to come down from the roof and slip back into the house.

"You two are quite the mischief-makers, always causing trouble." Lady Zhang followed them inside afterward.

"Mother."

Xiao Qi hurried over to cling to her legs and act coquettish. Lian Manman hung her head low, pretending to be well-behaved.

Lady Zhang was exasperated but amused.

"Alright, at least you two know better than to ruin your new clothes, not bad."

"Mother, we won’t dare do it again," Lian Manman hurriedly said.

Lady Zhang naturally didn’t believe Lian Manman’s words, but she also had no way of dealing with her mischievous daughter and son. She quickly went back to assist in preparing the dishes.

Soon, the Shang Family’s servant brought several large food boxes from the town, and Lady Gu’s few home-cooked dishes were also ready. A table full of food and drinks was laid out in the Upper Room East Room, and Lian Huahua even came out to help.

"Yeye, take this bowl of soup inside and place it in front of Young Master Song," Lady Gu carefully placed a bowl of soup into a large tray and instructed Lian Yeye.

Lian Yeye held the soup tray and entered the East Room. In a short while, there was a slap followed by a scream.

*****

The second watch, 90 pink boosts the update, continuing to ask for pink.

The pink hasn’t reached 60 yet, Ruoyan will update first. There’s something at the end of the month, and I fear I won’t be able to, so if you have pink then, remember to throw it to the Little Landlord. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)