"Mom, I’m hungry, and Xiao Qi is hungry too," Lian Manman said in a low voice to Lady Zhang.

Lady Zhang lifted her head and glanced around.

"Don’t we still have date cake? Mom has warmed it up on the stove for you. You and Xiao Qi go back to the room and have a little to tide you over," Lady Zhang said in a subdued voice to Lian Manman.

Steam bun after steam bun was steamed, but when you were hungry, you couldn’t eat them. You had to wait for the family head and the elders to speak before everyone could eat together. That was the rule of the older generation. Lady Zhang pitied her children, afraid that they would be hungry at night, and preferred to prepare food in advance rather than break this rule.

Lady He, who was usually the laziest and thickest-skinned, had swallowed her saliva several times but dared not mention eating steam buns. Si Lang and Liulang also paced back and forth, inside and outside the room, not daring to steal a bite. This showed the sacredness of this rule.

Of course, there was another reason for Lady Zhang’s actions. In her heart, there was a standard, and that was gluttony was shameful. Although it was normal for the children to be hungry and to want to eat, Lady Zhou had the harshest mouth. If they said they were hungry and wanted steam buns, they would surely be scolded by Lady Zhou for being greedy.

"I want to eat steam buns," Xiao Qi murmured with a pout.

"Just wait a little while; I reckon your grandpa will let us know soon," Lady Zhang said affectionately, glancing at her youngest son.

Indeed, when more steam buns were ready, Old Master Lian finally spoke up.

"Let’s all take a break and eat steam buns."

The children inside and outside cheered.

The freshly steamed buns, yellow and shiny, still steaming, were Expertly lifted by Lian Manman, who tore off the leaves they sat on with her hands. She could tell that these steam buns were wrapped by her mother and the other two, all uniform in size, with thin skins and generous fillings. With a gentle bite, one could taste the red bean paste. The glutinous yellow rice crust was sweet and soft, and the sweet bean paste was soft and delicate. The crust was slightly sticky, and the red beans in the filling were not completely smashed, making them more substantial and better textured than the red bean paste she had eaten in her previous life. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Lian Manman ate two buns and wanted more, but as a small child with a small stomach, she already felt full. Looking around at the Lian family, the several mid-sized youngsters from the second branch, including Lian Shouyi and Lady He, had already eaten half a steamer of buns, and they only seemed half full.

"The steam buns this year are really delicious," Lian Manman remarked and gave Lady Zhang a covert look.

"Dad, this year’s steam buns are good; let’s send more to my older sister’s family," Lady Zhang suggested.

"We made a lot this year. Look, we have enough for our family, so let’s send some more to Lanlan’s family," Old Master Lian stated.

"But isn’t it always two hundred that we send every year? What about this year..." Lady Zhang asked again.

"I think this year we’ll send..." Old Master Lian did not specify the number but looked towards Lady Zhou.

"What’s this send or not send, we’ll talk about it when the time comes," Lady Zhou replied curtly, all the while giving Lady Zhang a sharp glance.

Lady Zhou was exceptionally vigilant, and poor, honest Lady Zhang was simply no match for her, Lian Manman thought with some resignation.

"Grandpa, how many steam buns will you give to my family?" Xiao Qi cheerfully asked Old Master Lian.

The words that Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin found inappropriate to say, or that they worried would provoke Lady Zhou and Old Master Lian’s displeasure, when asked by Xiao Qi in a spoiled tone, seemed entirely appropriate.

"You guys are already thinking about dividing the steam buns before they’re all wrapped?" Before Old Master Lian could respond, Lady Zhou’s face clouded, and she slammed her bowl on the table with a snap.

Xiao Qi’s chubby face crumpled, and large tears began to roll in his eyes.

Several black lines appeared above Lian Manman’s head. Their family had been working hard to create a joyful and harmonious atmosphere, but Lady Zhou was not appreciative. She turned hostile in an instant, especially to the youngest, Xiao Qi.

Lian Manman felt maternal and angry.

"Dividing the steam buns for us was something grandpa had long agreed to. What’s wrong with Xiao Qi asking?" Lian Manman hugged Xiao Qi and patted his back to comfort him, while she looked angrily at Lady Zhou. Xiao Qi hadn’t said anything inappropriate, and after all, he was her youngest grandson—other people couldn’t dote on him enough. Even if a little grandson said something too much, it would normally not be taken seriously. Lady Zhou was truly unreasonable.

"Mom, Xiao Qi was just asking. We will surely be helping to wrap all of the steam buns," Lady Zhang said. She was innocently straightforward, thinking that Lady Zhou might have thought by Xiao Qi’s question that they intended to divide the household, each wrapping their own. So, she quickly spoke up, wanting to reassure Lady Zhou and, at the same time, feeling sympathy for Xiao Qi, who had been reduced to tears by Lady Zhou’s harshness. "Besides, he’s just one child. Is it worth it for you to get this angry at him?"