The second watch of the night, a plea for pink.

*****

"I’m aware of that." Before Lian Manman could grasp the implications, Song Hailong within the room had already chuckled and nodded in agreement.

Lian Manman listened for a while longer and, upon realizing that the room’s conversation revolved only around trivial matters without any significant topics, she decided not to continue eavesdropping. Climbing down from the roof, Lian Manman had already understood. This time Lian Huahua had intentionally injured herself with the aim of showcasing her leg scar to Song Hailong. She had been hurt while saving Song Hailong, yet she deliberately proposed calling off the engagement, which was nothing more than a strategic retreat to cement the marital alliance and to induce feelings of gratitude and guilt in Song Hailong, ensuring he would no longer disdain the scars on her leg.

What a cunning plan indeed, but it had resulted in Lian Yeye bearing an undeserved blame. Just now, Lady Zhou in the Upper Room East Room must have guessed the truth behind the events, which was why she instructed Lian Shouli and his wife not to let Lian Yeye "speak carelessly."

Lady Gu and Lian Huahua must have anticipated Lady Zhou’s reaction and therefore acted with impunity.

However, when Lian Huahua sought treatment for her burn in the county town last time, shouldn’t Song Hailong have been aware of it? Then what was the purpose of all these actions by Lian Huahua? That’s right, just a moment ago, Lady Gu was deliberately vague, and Song Hailong brought up Lian Xiuxiu. Could it be that when Lian Huahua went to the county town, she was posing as Lian Xiuxiu? How could that be possible?

"It’s not impossible. As long as Lian Huahua covered her face and kept silent, who could recognize her?" Lian Manman murmured to herself.

"Manman, what are you mumbling about?"

Lian Manman had reached the entrance of the West Wing Room when she ran into Lady Zhang, who was returning from the Upper Room.

"I didn’t say anything," Lian Manman replied.

"Let’s go see your third aunt and Yeye," Lady Zhang suggested.

"Hmm," Lian Manman responded, though her eyes couldn’t help but drift towards the Upper Room. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"They said Huahua’s wound was medicated, and it’s nothing serious. I’ve just helped reheat their food; they should be eating now," Lady Zhang assumed Lian Manman was concerned about the goings-on in the Upper Room and thus informed her.

The mother and daughter went to see Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye.

"Uncle Shouli, dinner’s ready, why aren’t you eating yet?" Lady Zhang saw Lian Shouli was also there and addressed him.

"I’m not going," Lian Shouli said with a gloomy expression, "Even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to eat a thing."

"Dad, I told you, it was my eldest aunt who bumped into me," Lian Yeye said, rubbing her swollen, teary eyes.

"Ah, no matter what, Huahua is hurt," Lian Shouli sighed.

Kind-hearted people often judge others by their own standards, excusing others when faced with malice. In Lian Shouli’s view, the soup had spilled from Yeye’s hands, hurting Huahua. Just these two facts were enough to make him feel guilt-ridden. Lian Shouli was a good and honest person; how could he imagine that this was all orchestrated by Lady Gu and Lian Huahua and that Lian Yeye was actually innocent and the victim?

"I think Sister Huahua looks fine, Uncle Shouli, don’t take it to heart," Lian Manman said. She thought that with Lian Huahua’s character, if it was all planned in advance, she wouldn’t allow herself to really get hurt. Earlier, she saw that Lian Huahua didn’t appear to be seriously scalded.

"You child, you didn’t see; the soup was still steaming, and it spilt mostly on Huahua’s leg. Ah..." Lian Shouli sighed again.

"I believe Yeye’s words," Lian Manman said as she sat beside Lian Yeye and roughly recounted the conversation between Lian Huahua and Song Hailong that she had overheard on the roof.

"You child..." Lian Manman was again snooping on the rooftop, which left Lady Zhang feeling helpless, but she only spoke that one sentence before her thoughts shifted, "To think of it that way, this matter is really..., your eldest aunt did it purposely, bumping into Yeye..."

By the end, Lady Zhang’s eyes had widened in astonishment.

"It must be so!" Lian Yeye had come to a realization, "I wondered why my eldest aunt let me carry the soup; this was all prearranged."

"This, this, I just can’t understand it," Lian Shouli said, holding his head.

Lady Zhao also sat with her eyes swollen from crying, looking incredulous.

Lian Manman sighed. Both the husband and wife were extremely simple and honest; it was probably difficult for them to understand the cunning of the world.

"They’ve wronged me. I’ll tell Grandpa and Grandma about it." Lian Yeye jumped off the kang and headed for the Upper Room.

"Yeye, don’t go," Lian Shouli hurriedly called out to her.

"Dad, I’ve been wronged," Lian Yeye said.

"This matter... it’s come to this, if you go and tell them, Sister Huahua’s marriage to the Song Family might be ruined. Let’s... let’s just let it go. Didn’t you see that Grandpa and Grandma didn’t say anything?" Lian Shouli spoke slowly, "If Huahua’s marriage falls through, how will our family pay back those several hundred taels of high-interest debts? Your uncle’s official career would also be ruined..."

"Dad, they wronged me," Lian Yeye pouted.

"Dad knows, your Aunt, Manman also knows, Grandpa and Grandma... also know. Let’s endure this for the sake of the family," Lian Shouli persuaded Lian Yeye somewhat awkwardly.

Both Lian Shouli and Lady Zhao did not allow Lian Yeye to go and speak. Lian Yeye felt wronged and pursed her lips in silence but did not insist on going out anymore.

At that moment, the sound of messy footsteps and laughter came from outside. Song Hailong had finished eating and was going back to the county town, and the Lian Family had all come out to send him off.

Lian Yeye also heard it and was about to run out, but Lady Zhao held her back.

"Mother begs you, if you go and talk like this, we won’t be able to stand in this family anymore," Lady Zhao cried softly.

"Mother..." Lian Yeye cried too.

"Third Aunt, you, Third Uncle, and Yeye all have the ability to work; what’s there to fear?" Lian Manman said.

"Mom, let’s do like Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt," Lian Yeye said.

If they also chose to separate from the family and live independently, they wouldn’t have to face the attitudes of Lady Zhou and the members of the First and Second branches anymore.

"That’s a good idea," Lian Manman nodded in approval. She had considered this long ago and had urged Lian Shouli to separate from the family as well. However, Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang strongly disapproved.

"We separate if we must, but to encourage others to do the same, that’s not right," Lian Shouxin said. He believed it to be a great display of disrespect to the family.

With no other choice, Lian Manman dropped the idea, but she hoped Lian Shouli’s family would bring it up on their own. Now that Lian Yeye had mentioned it, Lian Manman had no reservations and fully supported it.

"How, how can we do that?" Lian Shouli was startled.

"Why can’t we?" Lian Yeye said.

Lian Yeye insisted on splitting the family, and with Lian Manman supporting her, Lian Shouli and Lady Zhao, feeling guilty about their daughter’s significant grievances, and recognizing the benefits of splitting the family for everyone, gradually warmed up to the idea.

"Dad, the guests are gone. You can go and talk now... I won’t mention today’s incident anymore," Lian Yeye hurriedly said.

"Well, then I’ll go and try to talk about it," Lian Shouli said hesitantly.

Spurred on, Lian Shouli went to the Upper Room, followed by Lian Manman and Lian Yeye. They were a little behind Lian Shouli. As they entered the Upper Room, they saw Lady Zhou slap Lian Shouli across the face.

"If you want to split the family, you’ll have to kill me first!"

**********

For 120 pink votes, I’ll add more updates; continue seeking pink votes. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)