Chapter 375: Chapter 194 The Power of the Smoking Pipe_2
Was Lian Shouren really sick? Lian Manman doubted it. Growing a beard to feign illness was a pity—it’s unfortunate they didn’t anticipate Brother Erlang and Brother Sanlang barging in to catch the conman, leaving no chance to enhance the makeup. Who would believe this act of sickness?
Even if he were truly sick, there would be no mercy.
"Uncle, Aunt, the money that you asked Second Uncle and Third Uncle to send back has been received by Grandpa," Lian Manman stared at Lian Shouren and Lady Gu, "We understand your intentions quite clearly."
Lian Shouren shifted his gaze away in a slight panic.
"Manman, we only meant to..." Lady Gu tried to explain.
"Dad was so angry that he vomited blood!" Lian Shouxin yelled, stepping forward to grab Lian Shouren’s collar and lifting him up, "I don’t care about others, but Brother, are you still Dad’s son? Do you have a conscience? Will you kneel or not?"
"Dad, did Dad truly vomit blood?" Lian Shouren’s voice quivered as he asked.
Lian Shouxin pushed Lian Shouren to the ground with force.
"Dad, Dad..." Lian Shouren climbed up, then knelt on the ground, weeping audibly.
Seeing this, Lady Gu’s face also turned pale, and she silently knelt down, lowering her head. Lian Jizu and Lady Chiang exchanged glances and followed suit, kneeling behind Lian Shouren and Lady Gu.
"You still have the face to cry!" Lian Shouxin pointed at Lian Shouren and rebuked him, "Do you know how old Dad is? Dad worked hard and endured hardships for so many years to provide for your education and to make you an official, without a word of complaint. How are you repaying him? How many times has Dad cleaned up your mess? While you enjoy your indulgent life and accumulate debts, have you thought about repaying them, or do you have the nerve to scheme against Dad? Do you want to anger Dad to death?"
Holding the dry tobacco pipe, Lian Manman was spared from speaking as Lian Shouxin vented his anger. Still, Lian Shouxin was too kind-hearted to use his fists on "sick" Lian Shouren.
"Uncle, how could you treat Dad this way, as if he were just a fool?" Brother Erlang glared at Lian Shouren.
Erb, in their local dialect, meant foolish.
"Old Fourth, is Dad, is our Dad really dead?" Lian Shouren’s body suddenly went limp, and he raised his head, trembling, his eyes hollow as if he had lost focus, the tears in his eyes were not fake.
"It can’t be, Old Master is so robust. If Old Master were really dead, how could Manman still be wearing colored clothes?" First shocked, Lady Gu hastily spoke up.
"So, if my Grandpa isn’t angered to death, Aunt, you won’t be satisfied?" Lian Manman said.
"That’s not what I mean," Lady Gu quickly waved her hands, regardless of what she truly thought, she couldn’t bear the blame for such an accusation. Her words had been thoughtless in her panic, and she only realized afterward how unpleasant they sounded.
Lian Manman glanced at Lian Shouren and Lady Gu. In her view, Lian Shouren’s sorrow upon hearing the news of Old Master Lian spitting blood was genuine, and he seemed lost without support. As for Lady Gu, she seemed somewhat panicked, but not necessarily heartbroken. Lian Jizu and Lady Chiang kept their heads lowered, concealing their current thoughts.
Hearing that Old Master Lian was not dead, Lian Shouren seemed to relax and stopped crying. In contrast, Lady Gu began to cry out loud, calling for Dad while weeping, in a manner that perhaps even Old Master Lian’s own daughter could not surpass.
Lian Manman tapped her dry tobacco pipe on the table beside her.
"Uncle, Grandpa has asked for everyone to go home. Let’s leave right now," Lian Manman said.
Lian Shouren, with his head down, stood up. With Old Master Lian gravely ill, all major matters had to be set aside, and no one dared speak of not returning.
"We must bid farewell to Old Madam Song," Lady Gu said, wiping the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, her thoughts clear, "We must get ready."
"No need, we are leaving immediately," Lian Manman stated, "As for Old Madam Shen, we’ve already spoken for you. The Song Family will reclaim the house and servants right away. Uncle, Aunt, since you pawned everything to raise money and only have your clothes left, what else is there to pack? Just wear what you have and leave."
Lady Gu fell silent.
"Brother Erlang, Brother Sanlang, help carry Uncle, and let’s go," Lian Manman gestured, "Grandpa said he won’t force anyone. If anyone doesn’t want to return, they won’t return. After that, they will no longer be part of the Lian Family."
"No, no, no, we’ll return, we all will," Lian Jizu, Lady Gu, and Lady Chiang hurriedly said.
In the end, it was only after much persuasion by Lady Chiang that Lian Manman agreed to let them gather some of their belongings.
Lian Manman hired two carriages, and Lian Jizu hired another; the group didn’t linger in the county town and hurried back.
"Second Sister, you should have knocked them a few times with that dry tobacco pipe," Xiao Qi said indignantly while riding in the carriage.
"We’ve divided our family, from now on, when speaking and acting, we must keep some distance," Lian Manman leaned back in her seat and said, managing the affairs that needed to be taken care of and not wanting to get too involved beyond that. The trip to the city to collect debts, bringing back Lian Shouren’s family, was all for Old Master Lian. Another reason, which Lian Manman did not forget, was that they had not yet divided the family’s assets when the usurious loans were taken.
This incident should serve as a wake-up call for Old Master Lian, as well for Lian Shouxin. From now on, they should thoroughly distance themselves from that whole branch of the family; Lian Manman didn’t want to always be cleaning up their mess.
As dusk fell, the carriages finally stopped at the Lian Family’s main gate.
Lian Shouren and Lady Gu rushed out of the carriage, Lian Jizu and Lady Chiang followed, leaving Lian Manman and the others behind. Lian Shouren and Lady Gu ran into the courtyard, and before even entering the house, they began crying out for Dad.
Someone came out of the Upper Room and intercepted Lian Shouren with no explanation, delivering a punch that knocked Lian Shouren to the ground.
***......*****
Here’s one more installment, as I continue to ask for your support. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it with your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
