Chapter 356: Chapter 185: Pointing at the Mulberry Tree to Curse the Locust Tree_1
Past the second watch, seeking the rosy dawn.
****...****
As noon approached, the patrons of the breakfast shop had all left. The Lian Manman family planned to tidy up and return to the old house.
"Let’s have lunch a bit later," Lady Zhang said.
After having communicated the family’s bottom line with Lian Shouxin, Lady Zhang, who was after all a kindhearted and softhearted woman, thought it best to return to the old house sooner.
Lian Manman went to the door to close it. She had not yet shut it when someone from the outside barged in. The person used considerable force, and Lian Manman, caught off guard, staggered back two steps.
"Who is this?" Lian Manman was somewhat irritated. One should either speak or knock before entering, not crash into the door like that.
"I’m here!" Si Lang burst into the shop and shouted out loud. Then he stood there, his eyes darting around, and he rubbed his arms around his waist, pulling up the slack waistband of his cotton trousers a bit.
As soon as Lian Manman saw that it was Si Lang who had come in, her face darkened.
"Did you grow spikes on your feet? Can’t you walk properly? You’ll break the door of my shop," Lian Manman scolded, glaring at him.
Si Lang cast a quick glance at Lian Manman, then drooped his eyelids and wiped his nose with his right hand. He was somewhat afraid of Lian Manman.
"I’m speaking to you, didn’t you hear? Can’t you apologize?" Lian Manman continued to glare; she was not at all polite to Si Lang.
At that moment, Liulang also shuffled into the shop. He had come with Si Lang, who had seen Lian Manman closing the door and deliberately sped up to run into it, leaving Liulang behind.
"Si Lang, Liulang, what are you two doing here?" Lian Shouxin came out with a broom to sweep the floor and saw Si Lang and Liulang, so he asked.
"Uncle Si," Si Lang called out, then stole a glance at Lian Manman with the corner of his eye, avoided her, and moved closer to Lian Shouxin, "Uncle Si, my Grandpa and Grandma told you to come back quickly, there’s an issue."
Si Lang and Liulang were known to be somewhat unruly, a fact well known to Old Master Lian, who therefore always kept them from coming to the breakfast shop. For what reason had Lian Yeye not been sent to pass on the message, and instead Si Lang and Liulang had come? A thought struck Lian Manman—she shouldn’t underestimate this trifling matter; there must be a reason.
"I was just about to head back. Go tell your Grandpa and Grandma I’ll be there right away," Lian Shouxin said.
Si Lang acknowledged with a sound but remained still, his eyes drifting toward the kitchen area.
"Did Grandpa and Grandma mention what the matter was?" Lian Manman blocked Si Lang’s view and asked.
Si Lang eyed Lian Manman up and down with a slant, intending to wangle some food in the shop, but with Lian Manman present, he knew he wouldn’t get any advantage. Feeling somewhat sullen but helpless.
"Xiao Liu, let’s go!" Si Lang uttered, leading the way out.
Seeing Si Lang’s demeanor, Lian Manman thought, if you don’t tell, you think I won’t know what the matter is? She turned around to walk back in when she saw Liulang dawdling, still not out the door, sniffing and looking toward the kitchen area.
The aroma of steamed buns and meat soup wafted from the kitchen.
"Xiao Liu, do you want a steamed bun?" Lian Manman asked smilingly.
"Yes," Liulang promptly stopped in his tracks.
"Come with me." Lian Manman had Liulang sit on a stool and then went into the kitchen to fetch a steamed bun and a bowl of soup, setting them in front of Liulang.
Liulang, salivating, reached out to grab it.
"Wait a minute," Lian Manman stopped Liulang, "Xiao Liu, can you tell me what exactly is so urgent that Grandpa and Grandma are calling us back for?"
"...Who has money who repays," Liulang, not the brightest child, grunted and after a pause, uttered that phrase.
"Who has money who repays, what’s that supposed to mean?" Lian Manman frowned.
Liulang took advantage of Lian Manman’s momentary distraction to grab the steamed bun and take hold of the bowl of soup, then began to eat and drink voraciously.
"Xiao Liu, what are you doing, hurry up and come out!" Si Lang’s shout came from outside. He had left earlier and went a long way before he turned back to realize that Liulang had not followed.
Liulang, much to Lian Manman’s astonishment, guzzled the soup in one gulp, and in just a few bites devoured the steamed bun as well. Eating so quickly that the bun got stuck in his throat, Liulang’s eyes bulged as he swallowed hard twice before finally getting the bun down, and then he dashed off running.
"Who has money who repays, where did that come from?" Lian Manman asked herself, as well as Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang.
...
After generally tidying up the shop, Lian Shouxin’s family, including Lady Zhao, headed for the old house.
As they entered the courtyard and approached the Upper Room, they immediately heard noises; Lian Shouyi came out and stood at the door to greet them.
