Chapter 347: 180
"Auntie Sanbo, you take a rest, I’ll do the stir-frying," said Lian Manman, having washed her hands, as she went over to help Lady Zhao.
"Manman, you go rest in your room, don’t get involved. I’ll finish this bit of work in no time," Lady Zhao said with a smile.
"Manman, could you carry that tofu in first?" Lady Zhang said, pointing to a big bowl on the stove.
"Okay," Lian Manman cheerfully agreed.
Soon, Lady Zhang and Lady Zhao had all the dishes ready. A basin of crispy pastries glistening with oil, a large plate of spicy and sour shredded potatoes, a bowl of cold mixed tofu, a basin of pork bone with shredded radish soup, and finally, shredded mustard greens mixed with sesame oil, both salty and fragrant.
"Dad, Brother, time to eat," Lian Manman called out to Lian Shouxin and Xiao Qi, who were cleaning up in the store.
"Coming, coming," Lian Shouxin and Wu Lang replied.
"Don’t forget to wash your hands well," Lian Manman instructed before walking to the door to take a look outside.
There were few people on the official road, but a small figure was walking toward the village, back facing the shop.
"Yeye!" Lian Manman quickly opened the door and called out loudly.
The small figure paused but did not immediately turn back.
"Yeye, I’ve seen you already, hurry back, don’t make me go out there and grab you," Lian Manman stamped her foot in frustration and shouted.
Only then did Lian Yeye turn around and trudge back, arriving at the shop’s entrance and standing there with his head down, not speaking.
Lian Manman pulled Lian Yeye inside, then closed the door again.
"Now that you’re here, why stand outside? We’re about to eat, come on, let’s wash our hands," Lian Manman said, pulling Lian Yeye along.
"Sister Manman, I won’t eat here, I’ll go back and eat," Lian Yeye said, stubbornly.
"Why go back? Even if you do, you won’t have anything to eat. Eat here; my mom has brought out your portion as well," Lian Manman said with a smile.
Lady Zhang, who had heard their conversation from inside, came out and called Lian Yeye to come eat.
"Yeye, what are you standing there for? Come inside and eat," she said.
"Just now, if I hadn’t looked outside, Yeye would have gone back home without even entering our door," Lian Manman laughed.
"This child, why be so stubborn? It’s so cold, come inside quickly," Lady Zhang said.
"I’ll go back and eat. I have my rations at home; I don’t believe she would keep starving me," Lian Yeye murmured gloomily.
Lady Zhao also came out from inside and sighed when she saw Lian Yeye.
"Always being like this isn’t good either," she said.
Lady Zhao had arrived early to work at the pastry shop, and on the first day of lunch, Lady Zhou sent Lian Yeye over, saying she wanted him to see how his mother was doing at the shop. Since it was also mealtime at the shop, Lady Zhang invited Lian Yeye to eat with them.
To everyone else, this seemed quite normal, and nobody thought much of it.
The next day, Lady Zhou did the same thing and sent Lian Yeye over. Embarrassed, Lian Yeye felt uncomfortable eating at the shop again. Despite everyone’s attempts to make her stay, she still ran back home.
When Lian Yeye got home, Lady Zhou and the others had not finished their meal yet. Meals at the Lian Family were prepared per person, with a fixed amount of rice, buns or wowo allotted for each. When Lian Yeye sat down at the table, she realized there was no portion for her, so she just drank some vegetable soup.
Lian Yeye had a stubborn streak and didn’t tell anyone about this incident.
On the third day, Lady Zhou still sent Lian Yeye out. Lian Yeye just left the house, walked in a circle, and ran back. As a result, her meal was still not at the dinner table.
Lady Zhou hadn’t prepared her portion at all.
Lian Yeye went to complain to Old Master Lian, who, of course, scolded Lady Zhou. But turning around, Lady Zhou found an excuse to fiercely scold Lian Shouli, and Lady Zhao certainly did not escape either. Lady Zhou also said she wanted Lady Zhao to go back home and not let her work at the shop anymore.
Lady Zhang suggested that it would be simpler to let Lian Yeye come and eat with Lady Zhao in the shop from now on. Yeye, being stubborn, resisted Lady Zhou, and as a result, she had an irregular meal that noon.
"It’s nothing. Even if she hadn’t done so, I was planning to have Yeye eat with us," Lady Zhang soothed Lady Zhao, then laughed and said, "I won’t take care of her third uncle; that’s his mother’s own son, so no matter what, she can’t let him starve, right?"
After saying this, Lady Zhang gave Lian Shouxin a mischievous glance.
Lian Shouxin bowed his head, rubbing his hands hard.
In the end, Lian Yeye stayed and ate the noon meal.
"Don’t be stubborn with her. Just come over here to eat at noon from now on," Lian Manman said to Lian Yeye.
"Mm," Lian Yeye, persuaded by everyone, had a change of heart, "I’ll also come over in the mornings to help out with work."
"We have enough people to help your mother work; there’s no need for you." Lady Zhang laughed.
"Auntie Four, I do the same work at home. Working here makes me feel more at ease," Lian Yeye said. "If you don’t agree, I’d rather go hungry than come here to eat."
"Alright, we’ll do as you say," Lady Zhang knew about Lian Yeye’s stubborn temperament and reluctantly agreed.
After the noon meal, Lady Zhang and Lady Zhao started to clean up again.
"Mother, I’ll go back first to take the meal to Sister Manman," Lian Manman said.
"I’ll accompany Sister Manman back," Lian Yeye hurriedly said.
Lian Manman carried the food container and, along with Lian Yeye, left the shop. The noontime sun was no warmer than the morning, and the wind had become even fiercer. The north wind, swirling around, lifted the unfrozen snowflakes, throwing them against their faces with a cold, biting pain. Lian Manman held the food container to her chest, walking very slowly.
Once inside the village, the street was almost devoid of pedestrians. In this weather, everyone stayed indoors; without urgent matters, no one would venture outside.
From afar, they saw the Lian Family’s large gate, and a person came out from behind it, waved back at the gate, and slowly headed toward their direction.
"Oh my, isn’t that the Lian Family’s young lady!"
*****
Here’s one update, hoping for your likes, looking forward to the next. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian with recommendation tickets or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
