Lady Zhang did her best to suppress her anger, but she hadn’t expected that even so, she would stir up a hornet’s nest.

"What, you’re wrapping buns for me?" Lady Zhou’s face turned bright red with rage as she waved her arms, her hair nearly standing on end. "Now I owe you a favor? You’ve got the nerve to say that! What, I’m old now, is that it? I alone stand up to the three of you, what have I asked you to help me with? You bunch, just eating up my food with your gaping maws, dare point fingers at me and talk back! Heartless creatures, the lot of you, young and old, you’ve lost your conscience. Heaven has eyes, oh, I’ll see the retribution you get..."

Lian Manman was somewhat agape and at a loss for words. At the same time, she gained a further understanding of Lady Zhou’s temper. Lady Zhou was a stubborn woman; she never asked for help, let alone from her own children and grandchildren. Her sons were born from her own flesh and blood. Her daughters-in-law belonged to her sons, and her grandchildren were born to her sons. She was the benefactor to all these people; her children and grandchildren, in this life and the next, even for generations to come, could never truly repay her kindness. So, everyone must revolve around her.

But if she needed help, you had to help. Even though it was you helping her, you must understand your place—that she was giving you face, that she was helping you, and that you should be grateful to her.

Take, for example, the way the Fourth Household spoke before the bun-wrapping incident, that was to Lady Zhou’s liking. But now, Lady Zhang had the audacity to say she was helping her and even complained about her getting angry at Xiao Qi. How could Lady Zhou tolerate that?

Lian Manman watched Lady Zhou erupt and was left speechless. Lady Zhou’s sour face and her unreasonableness pushed beyond the limits of human comprehension. Although they had separated and lived apart, the ties of blood were inescapable. And so, Lian Manman had accepted, occasionally fulfilling Old Master Lian’s wish for a family reunion. For this reason, they were willing to suffer some losses.

Usually, if one side made concessions and even made a point of speaking kindly, the other party should—at the very least—reciprocate or show restraint in their words and deeds. This is essential for harmonious relations and mutual benefit. Yet, Lady Zhou did the opposite, becoming more demanding the more they indulged her.

To curse was one thing, but to curse so viciously—to think they were her enemies?

Lian Shouxin, Lady Zhang, Lian Zhizhi, Wu Lang, Lian Manman, and Xiao Qi all put down their bowls; they couldn’t stomach the buns any longer.

"Old Fourth, how can your wife talk to your mother like that, getting her so upset? If it were my kid’s mother, wouldn’t I beat her to death?" Lian Shouyi rambled on with his big mouth, eager for chaos.

"Shut your mouth, don’t add to the mess!" Old Master Lian also slammed down his bowl, which spun at the edge of the kang bed before falling to the floor and breaking in two. He was angry and heartbroken, having worked so hard to bring the family together, only for the peaceful atmosphere to be shattered like this.

"You, your mouth..." Old Master trembled, pointing at Lady Zhou, "a perfectly good situation, how come..., can’t we live peacefully!"

"They’re heartless, only caring about themselves, and now I’m not even allowed to speak?" Lady Zhou didn’t think she was in the wrong at all.

Lian Shouxin, Lady Zhang, Lian Zhizhi, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi all remained silent, and Lian Manman didn’t reason with Lady Zhou as she had in the past. However, their silence only made the atmosphere in the room even heavier.

Old Master Lian raised his hand towards Lady Zhou, who initially startled and then her eyes reddened. She straightened her neck, not only avoiding his hand but instead moving her head closer to it. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Lian Shouli, Lian Shouxin, and Lian Shouyi all rushed over, holding back Old Master’s arm. Old Master heaved a long sigh, his arm falling limply.

Lady Zhou started to sob loudly, cursing as she wept. At first, she cursed at Lian Shouxin, then her anger spread to Lian Shouli and Lian Shouyi.

Lian Manman couldn’t help but find the situation somewhat amusing and exasperating—it was just a few ordinary words, how had it come to this? Of course, she didn’t realize Lady Zhou was just that temperamental; the slightest displeasure could cause her to make a mountain out of a molehill. Living a domestic life, everyone seeks peace, and nobody could tolerate such disturbances. Gradually, no one dared to utter even a word of disagreement in front of Lady Zhou. As Old Master himself put it, to enjoy a peaceful meal, he too had to give in to Lady Zhou somewhat.

"Are we still making this steamed bun or not?" Old Master Lian, his forehead’s veins bulging from Lady Zhou’s crying, bellowed.

When Old Master Lian truly lost his temper, Lady Zhou’s wails grew softer. However, she did not stop completely; she was a person who cared about face, and she needed a way out. Without someone offering her this way out, today’s matter would drag on endlessly, and no one would get off easily.

Not giving her this way out, would that mean watching Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou, the elderly couple, come to blows, Lady Zhou being driven out of the house, and Old Master Lian suffering a stroke from rage?

In such a stalemate, the outcome was already determined; the softer hearted, those who disliked turmoil, would lose without chance of victory.

Lian Shouyi and Lian Shouli’s gazes fell upon Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang.

How to give this way out, Lian Shouxin knew all too well.

"Mother, it’s all my fault," Lian Shouxin knelt down on both knees.

Lian Shouli, Lady Zhao, and Lian Yeye busied themselves bringing over a basin of water, attending to Lady Zhou as she washed her face, and everyone else made their persuasions. Only then did Lady Zhou’s complexion slightly improve.

Lady Zhou scanned the room with her eyes, seeing Lady Zhang and her daughters all holding their heads low, which made her feel increasingly pleased.

"What are you all standing around for, make the steamed buns!" Lady Zhou commanded.

"Making the steamed buns," Lian Manman echoed, the first to reach for the dough and start wrapping it earnestly. Then Lady Zhang and Lian Zhizhi followed suit.

"What are you all standing there for, are your hands tied up?" Lady Zhou scolded Lady Zhao and Lady He, yet a slight smile appeared at the corner of her mouth; even Lian Manman, that girl, had been subdued by her.

Lian Manman, not raising her head, was busy wrapping the buns, and her mind was not idle either. With Lady Zhou making such a fuss, nobody brought up the matter of dividing the buns for them again.

It looked like a change of strategy was in order; if open approaches failed, it was time to turn to covert ones.

...********...

Recommended completed novel by Ruoyan: "The Brocade Screen Chronicles," a light domestic struggle and farming tale set within the walls of a grand household, full of family hierarchy and entangled grudges.

Book ID:1771214

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