Lian Manman found herself in an odd mix of laughter and tears, thinking that Lady He really knew how to exploit a loophole, although she wasn’t sure if Lady Zhou would indulge her.

"You don’t want to pick the beans anymore?" Lady Zhou asked. She didn’t even lift her head, her hands moving quickly and accurately through the beans.

"Mother, didn’t you ask Manman to come pick them? Then why bother doing it again?" Lady He said.

"Fine. Then stop picking beans," Lady Zhou said, after she finished picking a handful of beans, finally looking up, "Go tidy up the bundles of firewood at the main gate."

"What?" Lady He was clearly surprised, "Mother, that’s like more than ten bundles of firewood..."

"Seventeen bundles," Lady Zhou clarified, "Have them tidied up before lunch. In the afternoon, pick up another ten."

Lian Manman chuckled to herself; Lady He wanted an easy job, but unfortunately, Lady Zhou was not going to indulge her like she did Lian Xiuxiu. Now she had hit a snag.

The so-called tidying up of firewood meant dealing with sorghum stalks. In rural households, every single thing had its use. They would strip the leaves off the sorghum stalks to use them for fuel, leaving only the bare stalks to be used next year for making vegetable trellises, such as for cucumbers or beans.

Of course, Lady He was not keen on this task. Picking beans was tedious, but at least she could do it while sitting cozy and warm on the kang; if she went out to tidy the firewood, she’d have to stand in the snow and wind for half the day. The snow outside was not that heavy, but the wind was no trifle.

"Mother, I’d rather pick the beans," Lady He said, trying to smile her way out of it.

"Give me the beans you’ve picked, your second aunt," Lady Zhou said sternly to Lian Manman.

Lian Manman glanced at Lady He and then handed over the half basket of beans she had picked. Lady Zhou took them, rummaged through the beans with her hand, and quickly found a grain of sand.

"This is how you pick beans? Did your eyes grow on the back of your head? Can’t do anything right. Don’t you go tidy that firewood now, or what, you’re waiting for me to serve you?" Lady Zhou glared at Lady He.

A grain of sand, mixed in with the beans, if accidentally eaten, could chip a tooth, which wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility. Lady He really was careless.

Knowing she was in the wrong, Lady He didn’t dare to defy Lady Zhou and slowly climbed down from the kang, mumbling "Always picking on us honest folks."

"Don’t come back for a meal until the firewood is all tidied up."

Lady Zhou added the directive, and only then did Lady He, pouting, go out the door.

"This whole basket needs to be re-picked," Lady Zhou said as she poured the beans from the small basket into a larger one and then handed the empty basket to Lian Manman.

Lian Manman took Lady He’s vacated spot and started to pick the beans, with Xiao Qi joining in to help.

"This isn’t a game, pick them properly," Lady Zhou instructed.

Xiao Qi then bumped into Lian Yaya, mimicking, "This isn’t a game, pick them properly."

Lian Manman found it amusing; Xiao Qi also knew how to tease others, particularly when his older siblings were around to back him up, but the child was good-hearted. His teasing was just playful and never went too far. The only people Xiao Qi teased were Yaya, Duoduo, and Liulang.

Yaya moved a little and started picking the beans at a slow pace, remaining silent. Her temperament was unlike Shouyi’s or Lady He’s, usually just being the butt of Si Lang’s and Liulang’s jokes at home.

"Where’s Wu Lang?" Lian Xiuxiu suddenly asked.

Since their family sold bean sprouts, there was always someone coming to buy them each day, and of course, someone needed to stay behind to look after the house. Lady Zhang thought that they didn’t need many children for the morning chores, so she only brought Lian Zhizhi with her. Wu Lang was in the West Wing Room, reading and writing, attending to anyone who might come to buy sprouts. Lian Manman and Xiao Qi were restless and curious, which is why they had come along too.

Lady Zhang was about to speak up, but Lian Manman beat her to it.

"My brother is outside, with Si Lang and Liulang," Lian Manman said.

"All out playing wild, not knowing to come back and help with work," Lian Xiuxiu complained.

Everyone fell silent.

Many hands make light work, and by nearly noon, the beans were sorted. Lady Zhang and Lady Zhao found two large wooden basins and filled them with water to wash the beans. Although picked clean, they still had dust and other particles on them that needed washing off. After washing, they changed the water and soaked the beans—ending the morning’s chores.

"We’ll head back now and come over again in the evening," Lady Zhang said.

"Go on then," Lady Zhou responded.

Old Master Lian seemed like he wanted to say something but after thinking about it, he decided not to speak.

Lian Manman and the others came out of the Upper Room; the snow was still falling, though less than in the morning. Lian Manman deliberately looked towards the main gate and saw a row of firewood lined up, yet there was no sign of Lady He.