Chapter 354: Chapter 184 Defense Pact_1
Upon hearing Lian Shouli recount the events in the county town, the several people in the shop, including Lian Shouxin, Lady Zhang, Lian Manman, Wu Lang, Lian Yeye, and Xiao Qi were all indignant, and their faces showed deep concern.
"Big brother only gathered four hundred taels of silver?" Lian Shouxin could hardly believe it, revealing intense worry in his eyes, "Isn’t that far too little? Asking the family to figure it out, how could big brother not be aware of the situation at home, this... isn’t this pushing dad and mom towards death?"
Lian Shouxin slapped his hand on the edge of the kang bed, venting the annoyance in his heart.
Originally, the debt mentioned by Lian Shouren was five hundred taels, but later, in order to repay the debt and hoping to have more at hand, they borrowed six hundred taels of high-interest loan from Old Jin. They received five hundred and forty taels, and now four months later, with the interest compounded, they must return one thousand two hundred and forty-four taels and some change to Old Jin to settle this high-interest debt.
Lian Shouren had only gathered four hundred taels, still short of over eight hundred taels. For a tenant farming household like theirs, where would they find eight hundred taels at such short notice? Eight hundred taels, not eighty. Forget a short notice, even if they had a few years, and the whole family didn’t eat or drink, they couldn’t save up eight hundred taels.
Lian Manman thought to herself, if she were Old Master Lian, she would definitely be spitting blood at this moment.
"Let’s go, let’s go home and see!" Lian Shouxin stood up and said.
This was the so-called case of one mother having nine sons, each different from the rest. On one side was the eldest, Lian Shouren, with no sense of responsibility and excessive selfishness, and on the other was Lian Shouxin, with overwhelming responsibility and excessive selflessness.
Selflessness is a fine quality, but there’s a limit to everything. Being too selfless isn’t a good thing, especially for those closest to the selfless one.
"Dad, wait a moment before going back," Lian Manman stopped Lian Shouxin, "We still have customers outside who haven’t finished eating, we can’t just leave like this. Let my third uncle and his wife go back first, we’ll tidy up and then return."
"The fire’s already reached the Upper Room," Lian Shouxin’s face was flush with red, yet his tone towards Lian Manman was fairly gentle. He couldn’t just abandon the shop like that. "I’ll go over with your third uncle first, and you help your mother finish up before heading back."
Lian Manman was very angry inside.
Although they had split from the family household some time ago, and in some respects, Lian Shouxin had already developed a complete sense of independence, such as their current household no longer being dependent on Old Master Lian’s larger family, in other aspects, his sense of independence was far from sufficient.
In other words, psychologically, Lian Shouxin had not drawn a proper and correct boundary with the household of Old Master Lian.
"Dad, you only worry about the fire reaching the Upper Room, but why don’t you see that mom and we too are anxious," Lian Manman wiped her eyes, "Dad, can’t you see, mom is scared, we’re scared too."
At hearing Lian Manman say this, Lian Shouxin immediately froze.
Lady Zhang, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi all stood silently, looking at Lian Shouxin.
"Dad, you rushing over now won’t be of much help. Isn’t my second uncle coming back? He passed by our place and didn’t even call us. My eldest uncle’s family must have plans too. You going back all red-faced and flustered, won’t it make grandpa and grandma more anxious?" Seeing Lian Shouxin stop, Lian Manman continued.
"Third brother, you go ahead, I will get things in order and follow soon," Lian Shouxin said to Lian Shouli after some thought.
"Yeye’s dad, you go back, I’ll help finish up the work and then return," said Lady Zhao, who didn’t have much say even if she went back.
"I’ll go back with dad," Lian Yeye declared, then whispered to Lian Manman, "Sister Manman, I’ll go back first to hear what second uncle and the others have to say."
Lian Manman nodded.
Lian Shouli and Lian Yeye left, Lady Zhao went off to work in the kitchen, leaving the room to Lian Shouxin and his immediate family.
"What on earth was big uncle thinking!" Lady Zhang indignantly exclaimed, filled with contempt for Lian Shouren’s family, she turned her face away and spat, muttering under her breath, "Shameless!"
Lian Shouxin slowly sat back down on the edge of the kang. He could feel that Lian Manman stopping him wasn’t just her own idea. Lady Zhang and the children had something to tell him.
"Husband, we’ve already split from the family," Lady Zhang spoke up first.
"I know, but regardless of time, dad and mom are still dad and mom," Lian Shouxin said, his voice tinged with pain.
"I didn’t say they weren’t," Lady Zhang replied, "Since we’ve split, you wanting to provide for grandpa and grandma, when have I ever stopped you?"
"I’m not talking about you, you’re more considerate than I imagined. I understand these things," Lian Shouxin said softly.
