Lian Huahua coldly surveyed the people in the room. She could tell that none of them were willing to shoulder the debt for her, not even temporarily. Even Old Master Lian had been persuaded, feeling sorry for himself, worried that he would lose the estate and the dozens of acres of land. In this room, no one considered her interests, not even her parents, who only made the effort because Sun Lang had promised to accept her as a concubine.
No matter the cost, whether it meant ruining the Lian Family or another incident like the one with Lian Manman, no one could stop her from marrying into the Sun Family.
"Now you all show me such faces, but once I have married into the Sun Family, you will see how formidable I am."
Lian Huahua made up her mind, wiped the corner of her eyes, and then spoke with a sobbing voice.
"I am willing to write a promissory note..." said Lian Huahua, "but no one must mention the matter of the Jade Pendant again. If outsiders knew, and my marriage arrangement fell through, and the debt could not be repaid, the whole family would suffer."
Lian Manman had just seen the fierce determination in Lian Huahua's eyes and then suddenly saw her adopt a demeanor of feigned weakness and endurance, silently noting to herself the girl's cunning mind.
Lian Shouren and Lady Gu exchanged glances, while Lian Shouyi and Lady He only cared about the present and were unwilling to make the slightest compromise. If they insisted on having Old Master Lian sign the document, and Lian Shouyi truly made a fuss, they would have wasted all their efforts.
"If Huahua is willing, let's settle it this way," said Lian Shouren.
Everyone agreed that they would call Old Jin the next morning to sign the loan note and exchange the silver.
"It's getting late. Let's have dinner," said Old Master Lian.
"Mother, the food is ready. What dishes shall we serve?" asked Lady Zhang to Old Lady Lian and Lady Zhou.
"What do we have at home? You still come to ask me about such trivial things?" Lady Zhou replied irritably.
Lady Zhang could only sheepishly leave the room.
Lian Manman followed her out, and the outer room had both the front and back doors wide open. Lady Zhang and Lian Zhizhi were busy with aprons on, serving food and steamed buns from the large iron pots.
"Manman, you go rest in your room," said Lady Zhang upon seeing Lian Manman come out, quickly adding, "Or you could ask Xiao Qi to take you out for a walk. Don't go too far; we're about to eat."
"Okay," Lian Manman nodded.
The main house of the Lian Family consisted of five rooms, with two on both the east and the west and one central outer room serving as the kitchen. On either side were two large and two small stoves. There was also a partition in the middle, with a cupboard for bowls, a chopping block, and various other items, essentially serving as a food preparation area of the kitchen.
Exiting from the rear of this outer room, one entered the Lian Family's large backyard, which was entirely used as a vegetable garden. The weather was now between late summer and early autumn, and the garden was pleasingly full of chives, cabbages, chili peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, and more. A gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of soil and greenery.
Lian Manman took several deep breaths in the garden, thinking that if she couldn't go back, at least the air here was unpolluted, and the food was green and healthy.
After taking a look at the backyard, Lian Manman returned to the front yard.
The front yard was about the same size as the backyard, with three rooms each in the east and west wings, and just like the backyard, from the wing rooms to the main gate, it was also converted into a vegetable garden. The Lian Family's estate was indeed a typical farmhouse, which had cost Old Master Lian a total of one hundred and fifty taels of silver when he bought it.
Lian Wulang carried a bundle of firewood to deliver to the Upper Room, and Lian Manman followed him back.
"Lady of Old Fourth," Lady Zhou stood in the middle of the outer room, instructing Lady Zhang in her tasks.
"Fry the flat beans in this basket," said Lady Zhou.
Just now, Lady Zhang had gone to ask her what dish to prepare and was scolded by her, so how come she was out giving orders in such a short span of time?
"Cut them into fine strips, and don't fry them too long. Also, don't add green onion, Huahua doesn't like it. Put more sesame oil, Huahua loves that," Lian Xiuxiu followed by Lady Zhou's side and added, "Yes," Lady Zhang readily agreed.
"What are you doing out here? You'll get all smelly from the cooking fumes," Lady Zhou chided her daughter.
"Mother, I went to talk to Huahua," said Lian Xiuxiu, smiling as she quickly went into the west room.
"Why are you washing so many potatoes?" Lady Zhou asked as she looked at the large basin of potatoes in front of Lian Zhizhi, and scolded, "Take out half of them and let your mother wash them herself. Go pick twenty eggplants, we're having stewed eggplant tonight."
Lady Zhang hurriedly sorted out the potatoes from the basin, and Lian Zhizhi also stood up, wiped her hands on her apron, and took a basket to the backyard garden to pick eggplants.
"Slice these potatoes into strips, and wash some chili peppers to fry with them," Lady Zhou further instructed.
"Yes," Lady Zhou once again hastily agreed, placing the washed potatoes on the cutting board and started cutting them into strips.
"Manman, why are you standing there idly, come over and start the fire," Lady Zhou ordered upon seeing Lian Manman.
"Ah? Oh..."
"Manman's not ready yet, I'll start the fire," Lian Wulang said as he sat down beside the large stove, ready to tend to the fire.
"Wulang, go do what you're supposed to do, this is not your job. Let Manman start the fire," said Lady Zhou.
"Grandmother, let me do it," said Lian Zhizhi, entering with a basket of eggplants, quickly adding after hearing Lady Zhou's words.
"Mother, Manman has just woken up. We, mother and daughters, can manage the work. Let her do it when she's feeling better," Lady Zhang implored Lady Zhou.
"You spoil the children too much," Lady Zhou glanced sideways at Lady Zhang, yet she didn't insist on Lian Manman doing the work anymore. She went to the back, took a piece of streaky pork out of the cupboard, personally cut half of it on the chopping block, sliced it, and then put the other half back.
Lady Zhao entered at that time with Lian Yeye, lighting the fire in the other large stove.
Both large iron pots on the stoves were already hot, and Lady Zhou poured oil into one, added the sliced pork, and fried it until fragrant. When Lian Zhizhi brought the clean, chopped eggplants, Lady Zhou added them to the pot and stir-fried for a bit. Lian Zhizhi then brought water, and after Lady Zhou placed salt in the pot, she covered it with a lid.
"Keep a close eye on the fire," Lady Zhou ordered Lady Zhao and stood up straight just in time to see Lady Zhang pouring oil into the pot, "Is that oil free for you to pour like that?"
Lady Zhou walked over, snatched the oil bowl from Lady Zhang's hands, and poured it herself into the pot.
Lady Zhang brought over the sliced chili peppers and potato strips, ready to add them to the pot.
"Go get the beans, fry them first," Lady Zhou quickly instructed.