Lian Manman saw it and frowned slightly, pretending not to notice. Ever since that time when Yingzi’s father and mother wanted to visit her home for a meal and had a conflict with Lian Huahua, leading her to call the long-term workers to drive them away, Yingzi’s father had visited Lian Shouxin once and even sent Yingzi’s mother to meet Lady Zhang.

Lady Zhang didn’t give Yingzi’s mother the time of day, and Lian Shouxin wasn’t polite with Yingzi’s father either. With no opportunity at hand, and perhaps because the money Yingzi gave them wasn’t spent yet, the couple quieted down a lot.

Lian Manman saw Yingzi’s father, and Yingzi’s father also saw Lian Manman.

"Girl, has your grandfather sent any message home?" Yingzi’s father shouted from the big stone he was sitting on.

Lian Manman knew Yingzi’s father was shouting loudly not for her to hear but for the neighbors around the village to hear. It was simply to reiterate that he had an unusual relationship with the Old Lian Family.

Lian Manman didn’t respond, but just stomped her foot, pointed at Yingzi’s father, and let out a sharp, short whistle.

Then Da Pang and Second Fatty barked ferociously, charging towards Yingzi’s father. Indeed, Lian Manman’s whistle was a command for the two dogs to attack.

She and Xiao Qi had raised these two little puppies to this size, not just to feed them well and groom them but to train them for guarding the house. For this purpose, Lian Manman and Xiao Qi had exerted a lot of effort.

What appeared at first to be a joking kind of training to others, day after day eventually yielded results.

For instance, now when Da Pang and Second Fatty heard the attack command, they hesitated not a moment and lunged at the target.

Although they were still just half-grown puppies, their robust muscles, white and sharp teeth exposed from their open mouths, and fierce barks weren’t something ordinary people dared to face. Yingzi’s father, seeing Da Pang and Second Fatty rush at him, yelled in fright, jumped up, and ran for the door.

Only because he was sitting close to the door, was he able to escape. He had just run inside and bolted the wooden gate when Da Pang and Fatty arrived.

The two dogs lunged at the gate, scratching it with their front paws while barking at Yingzi’s father inside.

The dog claws made the wooden gate creak eerily, and with the weight of the two dogs, the gate seemed almost unbearable, wobbly and about to collapse.

Yingzi’s father stood inside the gate, legs trembling, unable to utter a complete sentence from his mouth.

Lian Manman, seeing the situation was about right, whistled again, a longer note this time, calling Da Pang and Second Fatty back.

Looking at the door again, Yingzi’s father was nowhere to be seen. Surely, he was so frightened he’d fallen over, thought Lian Manman with an inward chuckle.

"Well done." Lian Manman patted the heads of Da Pang and Second Fatty.

...

At Er Ya’s house, Er Ya’s grandmother and mother were both there.

"My mother heard that my aunt-in-law isn’t eating much lately, so she just picked some water chestnuts for me to bring over. Also for aunt and uncle to have a taste." Lian Manman handed over the basket and said.

"Oh dear, why bring such a precious thing? Your family sells these for money." Yuchang’s Wife quickly declined.

"Indeed, I just have a summer ailment, not even an illness, it’ll be fine in a couple of days. Yet your mother is so thoughtful." Er Ya’s grandmother also said.

"Aunt-in-law, for the summer illness, this is the best. Aunt-in-law, auntie, don’t be shy with us."

After some polite back and forth, Yuchang’s Wife finally accepted the water chestnuts.

"Your household is doing well." Er Ya’s grandmother chatted with Lian Manman, "Your father and mother are both capable, good things happen to good people. You’re all grown up, once your brother passes, your household will truly be solid and unmatched by anyone."

The topic turned back to the water chestnuts.

"I saw these things only once when I was a child, dried, brought from the south by someone. I remember those days, although your grandma probably doesn’t. Back then, Old Zhou Family lived well too." Saying this, Er Ya’s grandmother sighed, "... Ruined by their own doing, all gone."

As she discussed her maternal family, neither Yuchang’s Wife nor Er Ya and her mother interjected.

Lian Manman listened attentively. Lady Zhou and Er Ya’s grandmother had no contact with their maternal families; Lady Zhou never mentioned hers. What Lian Manman knew came only from others’ scattered comments.

Originally, Lady Zhou’s maternal family was quite wealthy, but during her grandfather’s generation, it declined because he squandered a large fortune through indulgence and vices.

The Wu Family, even in Qingyang Town, was considered prosperous. When Wu Yuchang’s father got married, he was a landlord with many houses and lands, although later it declined as well. Yet now, Wu Yuchang’s family was still among the most well-to-do in the village. And when Old Master Lian married Lady Zhou, he was at the peak of his career and had accumulated quite a lot of silver coins.

From this, it could be seen that even though Lady Zhou’s family lost their fortune, they had some old money left, allowing the two sisters to marry into the Wu Family and the Lian Family.

Since Wu Yuchang looked nothing like Er Ya’s grandmother, one could infer that Wu Yuchang’s father was quite handsome. And Old Master Lian, in his younger days, must have been a tall and handsome man.

Lian Manman had never heard that Lady Zhou had any dowry; from her character, if she had one, she’d mention it often. This implied that Lady Zhou married in without much dowry.

In these times, marriages were about suitable matches. For Lady Zhou to marry Old Master Lian, her appearance alone wouldn’t have sufficed; she must have possessed another attribute that attracted him...

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

Updating soon, aiming for another Chapter tonight, hoping for your pink encouragement. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com), your support is my greatest motivation.)