Lian Manman spoke with a smile, raising her eyebrows as she looked at Lady Zhou.

"Such a big matter, if not handled well, my brother might have to risk his future for it..." Finally, Lian Manman added.

Lian Manman’s words, the topic didn’t seem insignificant at all. Lady Zhou, who feared authority the most and was quite ignorant about the way of the world, was taken aback by Lian Manman’s words, leaving her speechless for a long time.

However, she was truly fed up with Lian Shouyi, and she couldn’t handle Lian Shouyi herself, so she couldn’t let go of this opportunity.

Lady Zhou, despite being afraid of authority and ignorant of external matters, was still smart and understood her own family’s affairs. After pondering for a while, she slowly began to catch onto something.

"Is this matter really that big?!... The earth is already up to my neck, how many more years can I live? I’m not shameless, once I say something, it’s set in stone. This is the last time I’ll speak to you. I swear, if I ever bring it up again, I’m not human!"

"I’ve been sitting at the edge of this bed, never stepping out the front door. Your affairs, I know nothing and won’t intervene. I’m from an older generation, I offer nothing to you, which I’m aware of. This mouth of mine... I never once said anything about you. From now on, I’ll never utter a word. This, I can swear."

Lady Zhou swore this would be the last time she made demands, and promised not to speak recklessly, causing trouble, or tarnishing the reputation of Wu Lang and the other children’s names.

"Your father, I can’t speak for him, as he’s my son. I may speak casually, and sometimes it’s just out of my control.... but even about him, I will speak less in the future."

When it came to Lian Shouxin, Lady Zhou didn’t firmly close the door on discussions. As for Lady Zhang, she simply avoided mentioning her.

"Grandma, listen to yourself. Even if you say it today, forgetting it tomorrow, would we really hold you to it?" Lian Manman replied with a smile.

It seemed that when she initially asked them for ten acres of wheat land, Lady Zhou also said she wouldn’t make any more requests in the future.

Lady Zhou’s old face flushed with embarrassment at Lian Manman’s words. Truth be told, she never anticipated Lian Shouyi’s affairs would escalate to such an extent, forcing her to appeal to Lian Shouxin’s side in this way.

The key was, even Lian Shouxin couldn’t manage this matter on his own; he needed Wu Lang and Lian Manman to contribute.

Though, without her giving birth to Lian Shouxin, these children wouldn’t exist, ultimately they weren’t born of her own flesh, she didn’t naturally have the same entitlement or confidence towards them as she did with Lian Shouxin. Toward these children, she felt a sense of guilt, even though she never showed it nor admitted it to anyone.

But guilt is guilt.

Her guilt wasn’t only due to generational differences, but more importantly, these children’s temperaments were different from those of Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang. She couldn’t manipulate them, and was usually at a disadvantage. Though she didn’t want to admit it, the fact was, she somewhat feared these children.

Xiao Qi was alright, but her greatest fear was of Lian Manman, followed by Wu Lang.

"... begging requires lowering one’s head..." Lady Zhou suddenly muttered, raising herself up from the bed, moving from sitting cross-legged to kneeling, lifting one hand.

"The sun is out there, there’s also the Shenglong Buddha I worship, I’ll make a fierce oath." Lady Zhou knelt and truly swore a fierce oath, "... let pus run from my head, sores cover my feet, rot from my throat to my intestines..."

Lady Zhou’s words were vicious, cruel toward others, and harsh even toward herself. Such a fierce vow sent chills down the spines of those listening.

Lady Zhou’s fierce vow was undoubtedly a product of stubbornness and ferocity, but a foul oath remains a foul oath. Lady Zhou was an exceptionally timid person, yet, like most women of this era, she deeply believed in superstition. Judging by her ashen face and trembling hands as she swore, it was clear she was serious.

After Lady Zhou made her vow, Younger Lady Zhou hurried forward to help her sit, casting a disapproving look at Lian Shouxin. Beside them, Shang Huaide murmured some comforting, conciliatory words.

Upon Lady Zhou’s vow, Lian Shouxin’s face showed a tinge of reluctance, while Wu Lang and Lian Manman both sighed in relief.

Even if Lady Zhou hadn’t asked for help, they still needed to resolve the issues between Lady Zhou and Lian Shouyi. Times were different; in the past, Lian Shouyi and Lady Zhou caused disturbances intermittently which didn’t greatly affect them, and they could pretend not to notice. However, going forward, things couldn’t be like that.

This wasn’t merely because Wu Lang had achieved success, and Xiao Qi had passed the scholar exam with promising futures; there was a more crucial reason.

It was time for Wu Lang to propose marriage. In matters of the old home, whether deemed big or small, it’s never quite favorable when spread outside. When the new bride enters, seeing the old home’s situation, she’s likely to be startled. Their own home had long been managed to be peaceful, it was time to clean up the old home at least so that it wouldn’t be so "frightening."

In the past, they hadn’t dealt with Lian Shouyi’s disturbances to be prepared for today. In one move, they could simultaneously subdue the two greatest troublemakers, Lady Zhou and Lian Shouyi. Though their natures are hard to change, henceforth, they must act obediently and adhere to the rules set by them.

Now, with Lady Zhou having sworn the oath, the next step was figuring out how to suppress Lian Shouyi.

...

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