Chapter 517: Chapter 267 Seeking a Visit_1
Zhao Wencai actually came to visit. Lian Manman and Lady Zhang exchanged a glance inside the house: both knew that if Zhang Wencai came to their place, it was absolutely because he had no trivial matter – one doesn’t visit the Three Treasures Hall without a reason.
As the saying goes, one does not strike the smiling face that’s offered, not to mention the relationship between Zhao Xiue and Erlang was there for all to see. Therefore, although Lian Shouxin did not have a good impression of Zhao Wencai, he still let the man come in.
As soon as Zhao Wencai entered, he placed the two packs of sorghum cakes he was carrying onto the cupboard.
"Old Zhao, Brother, what is this for?" Lian Shouxin hurriedly tried to stop him.
"...It’s just two packs of sorghum cakes, things from our own shop, let the children have them as a little snack," Zhao Wencai said with a laugh, "Old Fourth Brother, if you don’t accept this, you’re looking down on your big brother here."
Zhao Wencai and Lian Shouxin went back and forth for a while, and in the end, Lian Shouxin stepped back. Because if he didn’t, this could go on indefinitely.
In terms of seniority, Zhao Wencai and Lian Shouxin were of the same generation, but Zhao Wencai was older. It was not customary for him to give Lian Shouxin gifts, especially since it was not a holiday nor the time for gift-giving.
Zhao Wencai was surely here to ask for a favor.
Lian Shouxin invited Zhao Wencai to sit on the kang bed and started talking idly with neither warmth nor coldness. Lian Manman and Lady Zhang were on the side, ironing clothes. They had washed two silkworm silk gowns, which, after being starched, needed ironing.
In this era, there were no electric irons, but that didn’t prevent people from pursuing neatness and beauty. To iron clothes, they used an ironing tool known as a "hot iron," which typically had a long handle with a roughly triangular thick iron plate at the end. You would heat the thick iron plate in the fire, then place a damp cloth on the clothing that needed ironing, and press it with the heated plate. This method smoothed out the fabric without damaging it.
Lian Manman thought that the later electric irons and steam irons must have been inspired by and developed from these primitive methods of ironing clothes.
Mother and daughter ironed clothes this way while listening to Lian Shouxin and Zhao Wencai’s conversation.
Why Zhao Wencai had come knocking on their door, adopting such a pleasing attitude, was something the family more or less knew in their hearts.
Constables and creditors came to seize the property, including Zhao Xiue’s dowry – the Zhao Family had suffered a loss and resented the Lian Family so much that they cursed all eight generations of Lian ancestors. Later, the Zhao Family came two more times, furious, demanding that the Lian Family either provide money or goods to compensate Zhao Xiue’s losses. Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou did not show up, leaving it to Lian Shouyi to send them away.
With such a commotion, the Zhao and Lian families had already fallen out.
Everything that was going to happen had already happened, and Zhao Xiue, with a child in her belly, could perhaps stay at the Zhao Family for a day, two days, a month, or two months, but it wasn’t possible for her to remain there all her life.
If Zhao Xiue didn’t want to remarry, she had to return to the Lian Family.
However, the Lian Family was furious with the Zhaos, saw Zhao Xiue as unvirtuous and unfilial, and ignored her entirely.
Lian Manman and Lady Zhang guessed that the Zhao Family could no longer tolerate the situation and wanted to send Zhao Xiue back but couldn’t swallow their pride and needed the Lian Family to give them a way out. The only one from the Lian Family who hadn’t directly conflicted with the Zhao Family was Lian Shouxin, who had separated from the main family and lived independently.
Zhao Wencai’s visit this time was definitely meant to have Lian Shouxin mediate.
The Lian Family had actually been waiting for the Zhao Family to send a mediator, but they did not expect Zhao Wencai himself to come, bearing gifts and assuming such a humble posture.
Was it merely because he was compelled by the situation?
"...My father-in-law owes money and wants my dowry to pay it off... saying it was borrowed by Erlang’s uncle and must be repaid sooner or later. What kind of loan is this? My daughter marries into the Lian Family, yet her dowry must pay the debts of her mother-in-law’s brother?" Zhao Wencai spoke with a voice laden with blood and tears, "...Old Fourth Brother, you must speak justice on this matter – where in this world does such reasoning exist?"
What could Lian Shouxin say? He only listened, occasionally uttering a vague hum or a noncommittal reply. He was an honest man, and despite this matter not concerning him, he felt the situation was handled disgracefully. Since it was his own brothers who had done these things, he also felt somewhat guilty towards the Zhao Family.
However, after so many events, Lian Shouxin had never been willing to speak even half a bad word about his parents or brothers in front of his wife and children, let alone in front of Zhou Wencai, an outsider.
If Zhao Wencai thought he could get Lian Shouxin to agree with him, he was mistaken.
Lian Manman and Lady Zhang looked at each other and secretly smirked.
