CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 21 PERSUASION_2

The children braved the scorching sun to pick "bitter maiden" plants in the mountains and took the long trip to town to sell them, barely earning enough money to buy a few meat buns as a treat. She, as a mother, hardly knew what to say.

"Mom, we’ve already eaten, this is for you," Lian Zhizhi said.

When she heard that the meat bun was meant for her, Lady Zhang hesitated.

"I can’t eat this bun, your father and grandmother haven’t had any..."

Lian Manman sighed, indeed worried that what she dreaded might come true.

"Mom, we saw Big Uncle and Second Uncle in town," Lian Manman changed the subject.

"Yes, Big Uncle and Second Uncle came out of the biggest restaurant in town, their faces all red from drinking, and they went to somewhere on Temple... Street," Xiao Qi added, "My brother said that place is a big spender."

"Temple Back Street?" Lady Zhang was taken aback.

"Yes, Temple Back Street," Xiao Qi nodded.

Lady Zhang’s expression instantly changed, "Then, did you see your dad? Oh, right, when did you see your Big Uncle and Second Uncle going to that what... Street?"

"About a Chinese hour ago," Lian Manman said, "Dad wasn’t with them, no idea where he went."

Lady Zhang breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your dad came back early and went to the fields with your granddad."

"Mom, if we give this bun to Granddad and Grandma, we won’t be able to hide the fact that we sold the ’bitter maiden’ plants, and it might affect Brother Youheng’s affairs," Lian Manman spoke slowly, "Mom, this is the hard-earned money we made..."

Lady Zhang felt a turmoil inside. If it were she and Lian Shouxin who had earned money, naturally they would have to give it to Lady Zhou. But these children, so young, they had no obligation to earn money to support the family. If they sent this bun to the Upper Room, they would inevitably have to reveal the matter of earning money, and Lady Zhou would definitely take it, leaving not a penny for the children.

In the Upper Room, there were times when Lady He had her own private meals, and Lian Shouren and Lian Shouxin would go out for extravagant feasts – she was well aware of it but never made a fuss. Yet, couldn’t even get an egg for the kids, let alone lay claim to the money the children had painstakingly earned?

"I won’t tell your grandma about this, I won’t tell anyone," Lady Zhang said, "I don’t have money to give you and you’ve earned this yourselves; keep it safe from sight. Buy yourself something to eat whenever you want. But this bun... you children should eat it." As a daughter-in-law, she couldn’t eat before her father-in-law and mother-in-law did. Even if the other sisters-in-law did it, she couldn’t bring herself to.

"Mom, please eat. If not for yourself, you must think of..." Lian Zhizhi glanced towards Lady Zhang’s stomach.

Lian Manman didn’t notice Lian Zhizhi and Lady Zhang’s exchange; she had guessed why Lady Zhang refused the bun.

"Mom, if we separate from the family one day, when we earn money and buy food, we can openly share it with Granddad and Grandma," Lian Manman said.

"Living well together, how can we talk about separation?" Lady Zhang responded.

Lian Manman was at a loss for words; this life, she considered, was supposedly "living well."

"Mom, eat the bun," Xiao Qi urged, holding onto Lady Zhang’s hand.

"Mom, go ahead and eat. Next time we make money, we’ll buy some for Granddad and Grandma," Lian Manman said.

Upon hearing Lian Manman say this, Lady Zhang, not wishing to disappoint the children’s heartfelt intentions, took a bun for herself and two more for Lian Manman, telling them to share.

"Save one for your dad," Lady Zhang said.

Lian Manman, of course, refused to accept it.

"Mom, we’re all full," the children laughed.

After much insistence, it ended up that one bun was bitten by each of the four children before Lady Zhang was willing to eat. Having eaten two like this, Lady Zhang refused to eat any more, wrapped the remainder in wax paper to save for Lian Shouxin.

No matter what, Lady Zhang had promised to keep the secret, and she had eaten the buns; this was also considered a small step forward, Lian Manman clenched her fist.

"Mom, we also bought fragrant pancreas soap and soap," Lian Zhizhi handed the basket to Lady Zhang.

Seeing the beautiful fragrant pancreas soap box, the white pancreas soap emitting the scent of jasmine, and the light yellow soap, Lady Zhang had mixed feelings, knowing that the children of the poor had to take on responsibilities early, and at such a young age they could earn money.

"Old Aunt, Sister Huahua, Second Uncle’s wife, they all have this, why can’t we buy it with our own money?" Lian Manman, fearing Lady Zhang would say something again, hastily spoke up.

Lady Zhang sighed. She usually used ash from plants, and the children only used water from washing rice. She felt like a mother who had not done her job well. The children had earned money to buy things themselves, and these were items found in other families anyway, so what else could she say.

"Still, don’t let your grandma see it," Lady Zhang still warned.

"We’ll just use it in our room from now on," Lian Zhizhi said with a giggle, putting the items away.

"Mom, sister also bought candy," Xiao Qi took out the paper-wrapped candy to show Lady Zhang, picked one, and stuffed it into Lady Zhang’s mouth, "Mom, eat."

"I don’t eat candy, you kids save it and eat it slowly," Lady Zhang said this, yet Xiao Qi still forcefully put a piece of candy in her mouth.

The candy was very sweet, the sweetest she had ever tasted.

"The candy is really sweet," Lady Zhang turned her head and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

As nightfall approached, Old Master Lian and Lian Shouxin did not return from the field until then, and a servant came from the town with a message that Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi had not finished their business and would stay in the town overnight and not return.

Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou did not say anything, but Lady Gu frowned.

Lian Manman sneaked a mouth twist, which Lady Zhang saw. Lady Zhang hurriedly called the children aside.

"Don’t talk about seeing your uncle and second uncle in town," Lady Zhang said, "That street, it’s not a good place, don’t even mention it."

All the children agreed, and Lady Zhang was relieved.

The Lian family’s dinner was still millet rice, millet dough wotou, and potatoes stewed with eggplant. Lady Gu, Lian Huahua, and Lian Duoduo only ate a few bites before leaving the table.

After dinner, the six members of the Lian Manman family returned to the West Wing Room.

"Husband, I have something to tell you," Lady Zhang was about to speak to Lian Shouxin, when the shouting of Lady Zhou came from the courtyard.

"Which gluttonous wretch of a woman has stolen the eggs again,"