Lady Zhou wants Lady He and Lian Xiuxiu to work in their workshop? Lady He is so lazy that she avoids household work if she can, and Lian Xiuxiu, who is usually pampered, is not someone who takes to tasks with enthusiasm. Lady Zhou asks them to work in the workshop, but would they really be willing?

Thinking in this way, Lian Manman went to see Lian Xiuxiu and Lady He. Lian Xiuxiu was sitting next to Lady Zhou, and Lady He appeared to be sitting on the edge of the kang bed. Both of them were looking at Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin with faces full of expectation.

These two were actually willing to come to the workshop to work? How could that be possible? Lian Manman was puzzled, but then she quickly understood. The workshop had been open for several days, and if they had wanted to work there, why didn’t they come earlier? It was only after the workshop had distributed wages to the working wives that they mentioned it. Clearly, they were covetous of the Silver Coin.

Lian Manman was displeased and couldn’t help but let out a soft huff.

Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang, having heard Lady Zhou’s words, were both taken aback.

"Mother, are you saying you want her to have my second aunt and Xiuxiu work in the workshop?" Lady Zhou even asked again to make sure she had heard correctly.

"Yes, why, are you not willing?" Lady Zhou initially spoke in a pleasant manner, but now her face turned severe as she stared at Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin.

Neither Lian Shouxin nor Lady Zhang spoke; they were both well aware that Lady He and Lian Xiuxiu were not up to the task of workshop labor.

"This wasn’t my idea; your father agrees as well." Lady Zhou nodded towards Old Master Lian’s direction.

Everyone then looked at Old Master Lian.

"Now it’s the idle time; the two of them doing nothing at home is also a waste, so let them help out." Old Master Lian spoke, "Look at Manman and Zhizhi, so young yet so capable and efficient. You two should try to learn from them."

The last part of what Old Master Lian said was directed at Lady He and Lian Xiuxiu.

"Alright." Lady He and Lian Xiuxiu answered simultaneously, with Lady He sounding thrilled, while Lian Xiuxiu pouted as if she was reluctant, yet she still agreed.

Even Old Master wanted Lady He and Lian Xiuxiu to come to the workshop, which made Lian Manman a bit anxious. She was afraid that Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang would agree to it out of respect for Old Master, so she hurriedly tugged hard on Lady Zhang’s sleeve.

Lady Zhang looked down at Lian Manman, who subtly shook her head at Lady Zhang, signaling that she must not agree.

"Let’s forget about it for today; let them start work tomorrow." Lady Zhou, seeing that Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang remained silent, decided on her own.

"The work in the workshop might be too challenging for my second aunt and Xiuxiu." Lady Zhang, realizing that staying silent was not an option, hurriedly interjected with a smile.

"The ones we hire for the workshop are the cleanest, most efficient, and capable people from within ten miles here." Lian Manman, seeing Lady Zhang’s euphemistic approach, supported her from the side. She deliberately emphasized those adjectives. Anyone without vision problems could see that Lady He and Lian Xiuxiu had no association whatsoever with being clean, efficient, or capable.

"Father, mother, the work in the workshop is too exhausting." Lian Shouxin said, "After a day’s work, my wife can hardly lift her arms. The wives in the village, working only half a day, are already exhausted enough."

"Indeed, Chunzhu’s wife was marinating seventy pounds of sauerkraut the other day, and both her arms and fingers swelled up." Lady Zhang said.

The point of what they were saying was to make Lady Zhou reconsider due to the difficulty. But Lady Zhou was not so easily dismissed.

"Those are outsiders; both of you have to be sensible and not bite the hand that feeds you. If your sister-in-law and Xiuxiu go, could you really harden your hearts and order them about like donkeys?" Lady Zhou questioned, as if it were the most natural thing.

"Grandmother, people who work in the workshop are those who are willing to come. They get paid for the amount of work they do; there’s no ordering about. What’s this about ordering donkeys? By your words, Grandmother, does that make all of those working in the workshop donkeys?" Lian Manman, finding Lady Zhou’s words distasteful, couldn’t help but retort, "If such words got out, how would our family live in this village?"

Lian Manman’s words were reasonable and struck a chord, and while Lady Zhou knew she had misspoken, she was not the kind of person to admit her errors, and instantly became both embarrassed and angry.

"You little girl, you dare to challenge me? Who gave you the courage?" Lady Zhou pointed at Lian Manman and began to scold, then turned to point at Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang, "You have developed wings, can earn a bit of stinky money, now you look down on this worthless old woman? Seeing her scold me, does that make you two happy..."

Lady Zhou’s voice grew louder, and her finger nearly jabbed Lian Shouxin in the face.