Lady Zhou and Old Master Lian were to judge, and their family kept silent, thus preventing Lady Zhou from finding excuses to unfairly favor them, at least that’s what Lian Manman thought.

"Alright, let’s do it this way," Old Master Lian nodded.

"This cabbage shred is just like how we cut pickles in winter, it’s very simple. Lady He and your aunt will certainly be able to do it," Lian Manman said cheerfully.

"Considering there are many who wanted to work in the workshop, those who weren’t chosen are not very happy. If Lady He and Xiuxiu can pass this test, those people won’t gossip," Lady Zhang said.

Lady Zhou remained silent with a stern face.

"Mother, you make a model for my aunt and Lady He," Lian Manman said to Lady Zhang.

"Alright,"

Lady Zhang agreed, tore off a cabbage leaf, and with a knife, she sliced it into several thin strips, arranged them neatly, and cut them into fine shreds. The smooth sequence of her actions was charming and delightful to watch.

Lian Manman intentionally clapped in approval, then turned to look at Lady He and Lian Xiuxiu.

"Will my aunt go first, or will Lady He?" asked Lian Xiuxiu.

In their homes, they usually eat pickles all winter long, so every household’s woman knows how to cut pickles. However, there was a big difference in how well and how fast they cut them. Previously, before the household was divided, Lady He claimed she couldn’t cut well, and Lian Xiuxiu was someone Lady Zhou was reluctant to let work; hence, the task of cutting pickles was done by Lady Zhang and Lady Zhao.

Lady He and Lian Xiuxiu exchanged glances; they still had some self-awareness, so neither wanted to step up. They both turned their gaze to Lady Zhou, hoping she would intervene.

"Xiuxiu is just a girl, how can she be compared with you, a daughter-in-law?" Lady Zhou criticized.

"Sister," Lian Manman immediately called out, and upon hearing this from the West Wing Room, Lian Zhizhi came over.

Lian Manman then handed the knife to Lian Zhizhi, asking her to cut some cabbage shreds for everyone to see. Lian Zhizhi took the knife and, mimicking Lady Zhang’s motions, also produced a small pile of finely shredded cabbage. Though not as quick as Lady Zhang, the fineness of the shreds was not inferior.

Again, Lian Manman applauded, her gaze flitting towards Lady Zhou. Lian Zhizhi was even younger than Lian Xiuxiu; if Lian Xiuxiu wouldn’t compare herself with Lady Zhang, how about comparing her with Lian Zhizhi?

Lady Zhou clenched her mouth shut tightly, and Lian Xiuxiu pouted, looking at Lian Zhizhi with dissatisfaction.

"I’ll go first," Lian Xiuxiu said as she jumped off the kang and walked over to Lian Zhizhi, deliberately bumping into her.

Lian Zhizhi smiled, put down the knife, and made way for Lian Xiuxiu.

Everyone watched as Lian Xiuxiu began to cut the cabbage.

First, she had to slice the cabbage into thin pieces. Lian Xiuxiu wielded the knife, and after much effort, managed to cut a thick slice from the stem’s end, but failed to make any thinner slices.

"This stem isn’t good," Lian Xiuxiu casually threw the ruined stem on the ground, tore off another one, and tried to slice it with the knife, but the result was naturally the same. After discarding several stems in a row, and turning a plump cabbage into a thin one, Lian Xiuxiu still hadn’t "come across" a "good" cabbage stem.

Watching Lian Xiuxiu sweat and get huffy, Lian Xiuxiu stealthily nudged Lian Zhizhi with her shoulder, and the sisters lowered their heads, smirking secretly.

"What are you laughing at? If you can, then you cut it," Lian Xiuxiu snapped, turning to glare at Lian Manman.

Lian Manman remained standing without moving.

"I know I’m not good at cutting," said Lian Manman, "and I didn’t shamelessly ask my parents for money either."

"Father, Mother, did you hear what Manman said?" Lian Xiuxiu immediately complained to Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou.

"Manman, don’t talk nonsense," Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang quickly admonished Lian Manman.

Lian Manman stuck out her tongue; she was now just a ten-year-old girl, and she could say things that Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang couldn’t say directly. Even Lady Zhou couldn’t do much about her.

"Mother," Lian Xiuxiu put down the knife, snuggled into Lady Zhou’s arms, her eyes red as if she had suffered a great injustice.

Lady Zhou doted on Lian Xiuxiu, but at this stage, Lian Xiuxiu’s knife skills were truly inadequate, unless she was willing to admit openly before these people that she simply wanted Lian Xiuxiu to go to the workshop in name only to get money. Otherwise, this matter had to stop here. However, Lian Manman had already spoken her part, and Old Master Lian had stated his position, so even if she could bring herself to say that Lian Xiuxiu should get money without work, Old Master Lian would definitely not agree.

"Let’s just not go," Lady Zhou said with a stern face in a low voice.