Chapter 540: Chapter 278 Reasoning_1
Lian Shouren was looked upon by Lian Manman’s clear, large eyes and couldn’t help feeling somewhat guilty. His mouth twitched, wanting to stop right there. However, upon further thought, he was the Lian Family’s eldest son, Lian Shouxin’s older brother, the only Scholar of the Lian Family, and here he was feeling uneasy under the gaze of a young girl junior to him.
Unacceptable, Lian Shouren grew angrily ashamed.
"Old Fourth, look at what kind of state you’ve let Manman become. Does she even have any regard for her elders in her eyes? Here I am speaking, and she has the nerve to question me. If you don’t discipline her, you’ll spoil the family’s name!"
"Uncle, you said that someone was talking behind our backs, so I’m asking what exactly did you hear them say? What’s so bad about that, that I can’t even ask?" Lian Manman spoke firmly, "I just asked this one question, and you react so strongly, Uncle. Something seems off to me. I think it’s not that someone else is bad-mouthing us but rather you, Uncle, who’ve taken a dislike to us."
Unlike Lian Shouren’s harsh and scathing tone, Lian Manman’s expression remained calm, and her tone of speech was no different from her usual banter. Yet, the words she spoke resonated heavily.
"Uncle, I ask you, what do you mean by my father indulging me? Does it mean my father should either hit or scold me, regardless of how much you slander us, that I shouldn’t dare to peep, and even have to agree with you, for you to be satisfied?"
"You still know you’re an elder? Why don’t you examine your conscience and think about whether the things you say and do resemble that of a respectable elder? You say these things without blushing; don’t you feel embarrassed?" Lian Manman stared at Lian Shouren as she questioned, "Considering the things you’ve done, don’t you feel guilty when I call you ’Uncle’? Uncle, to be honest, your behavior is improper, your actions are unrighteous. I have the right to question you, but you have no grounds to gossip about us. My parents are honest and decent; they’ve shown you respect, and you better not throw it back in their faces!"
Lian Manman’s last few words were spoken fiercely, leaving no face for Lian Shouren. He couldn’t take it any longer, his face blooming a bright red.
"Old Fourth, listen, just listen to what your daughter is saying! How did you raise her?" Lian Shouren jumped up from the kang, pointed at Lian Manman, and scolded furiously.
"Enough!" Old Master Lian tapped his smoking pipe, and spoke in a somber voice.
"Father, let me say this, it’s all for the good of Old Fourth Family, for the honor of our Old Lian Family as a whole. Manman is disrespectful, and in the future..."
Lian Manman interrupted Lian Shouren.
"Uncle, what Family customs have we spoiled? Is it the custom where you attempted to sell your niece to accompany Jade Pendant, or when you racked up debts from usury, ran off to the city to enjoy yourself, leaving my grandfather, my grandmother, and our whole family back home to deal with your mess, to repay your debts, even causing my grandfather to vomit blood from the stress, nearly costing him half his life? Fine, I admit it, I’ve spoiled these two customs for you. Let’s go outside and let the whole village judge. If everyone says I’m wrong, that you’re in the right, then I’ll accept any punishment. If you want to sell me now to get money, I won’t say a word."
Confronted with the past, Lian Shouren’s flushed face turned pale, and he was left speechless.
"Enough, let’s leave it at that. Let’s move on to the matter at hand," Old Master Lian said.
This was clearly to prevent Lian Manman from continuing.
Lian Shouren was the Lian Family’s eldest son, as well as a Scholar, invested with high hopes by Old Master Lian to be the future head of the family. Now that he had been publicly shamed by Lian Manman, although it was Lian Shouren who was at fault, Old Master Lian still wanted to protect Lian Shouren’s dignity. As such, he refrained from publicly chiding Lian Shouren. Of course, he also didn’t scold Lian Manman.
A parent with many children often uses the strategy of neither rewarding the right nor punishing the wrong, simply ordering an end to the quarrel. Some do it because it’s the simplest and most hassle-free way. Others, it’s out of a sort of "distorted" consideration for balance. In Old Master Lian’s case, Lian Manman believed it should be the latter, though there was also a factor of Old Master Lian’s favoritism towards his eldest son.
Towards Old Master Lian, Lian Manman had always been very compliant. However, today, she didn’t intend to listen to Old Master Lian, but she still gave him face by not continuing on the same topic.
Lian Manman changed the subject.
"Grandfather, the matter of studying still needs to be discussed with Uncle," Lian Manman said with a calm attitude ready to discuss serious matters, "This is important. If we don’t clarify and Uncle harbors doubts, it will become an ailment sooner or later. Doesn’t the saying go, ’Without an insider, a thief can’t make off with the goods’? We have to clear the doubts in Uncle’s heart; otherwise, any trouble in the future will be more than our family can bear."
