Lian Yaya’s movements to pour the tea immediately paused, and Lady Zhou’s face changed color as well, clearly stunned.

In the past two years, Lian Shouyi and Lady He had not taken care of Lian Yaya’s needs for food and clothes. Lian Yaya followed Lady Zhou in eating and sleeping, and all decisions were made by Lady Zhou. Hence, Lady Zhou was the first not to consider that Lian Shouyi would take Lian Yaya with him when moving. Lian Yaya herself seemed to have forgotten about this.

Lian Shouyi kept his eyes on Lady Zhou’s reaction; seeing her stunned, he felt quite pleased, and his grin widened even more.

"Why don’t you hurry up, what are you looking at?" Lian Shouyi waved to Lady He, telling her to take Lian Yaya away.

Lady He was just like Lady Zhou, stunned for a moment.

"Our own daughter, why leave her behind?" Lian Shouyi seemed to be talking to Lady He but glanced at Lady Zhou, "Yaya can do a lot of work now, inside and out, with firewood, cooking, sewing something, or running errands, she can be a good worker. Here she looks after her grandma every day; if she were to go to a wealthy family, she’d be worth dozens of silver... all she eats is little snacks, easy to feed." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

This was clearly saying that over the past two years, Lady Zhou had kept Lian Yaya by her side, getting a servant girl for free, taking great advantage. It also told Lady He that taking Lian Yaya would not be a loss.

"...She’s not young any more, within a year or two, it’ll be time to arrange a marriage." Lian Shouyi added, then looked at Lian Yaya carefully again, and chuckled twice.

Lian Manman was also observing Lian Yaya; in these two years, following Lady Zhou, she hadn’t suffered from lack of food, and Lian Yaya had grown taller, her face gradually developing.

Lian Yaya, under Lady Zhou, though she had to follow Lady Chiang and Da Niuniu in cutting grass and digging wild vegetables, did not need to go into the fields to do hard labor. Hence, her skin was whiter and finer compared to the typical farmstead girls. Lian Shouyi and Lady He were not unattractive, and Lian Yaya, being a young girl, dressed in good clothes, appeared quite promising.

All along, Lian Shouyi had overlooked his daughter, Lian Yaya. Today, it seemed to be the first time he realized that Lian Yaya had grown up and was accomplished. Initially wanting to take Lian Yaya to annoy Lady Zhou, once he looked carefully at Lian Yaya, he immediately developed other thoughts, looking at her like a chunk of Yuanbao.

Lian Yaya, not being smart, still trembled all over under Lian Shouyi’s gaze, spilling some tea.

Lady Zhou beside her immediately frowned, looking at Lian Yaya with a flash of annoyance and disdain.

This was when Lady He, after hearing Lian Shouyi’s words, suddenly understood, and came over noisily to pull Lian Yaya away.

Lian Yaya, with no opinions, despite being unwilling in her heart, dared not fling off Lady He’s hand when pulled by her. However, she had grown accustomed to living with Lady Zhou over the past two years and had become distant from Lian Shouyi and Lady He. She lived better with Lady Zhou than before, so she didn’t want to go with Lady He.

"Grandma, Grandma..." Lian Yaya, being pulled out by Lady He, dragged her feet and looked pitifully at Lady Zhou, hoping that she could rescue her, keep her.

Lady Zhou’s face was so dark, she looked at Lian Yaya once, and then at Lian Shouyi, even as Lian Yaya was pulled to the door, Lady Zhou still pursed her lips tight without speaking.

"Grandma, Grandma..." Lian Yaya’s voice carried sobs, as tears swirled in her eyes.

Lady Zhou did not look at Lian Yaya, only stared at Lian Shouyi. Until Lian Yaya was pulled away, and her crying voice sounded farther and farther away, Lady Zhou never spoke.

Lian Shouxin, Wu Lang, and Lian Manman stood up, bid farewell, and left the Old Mansion.

Lady Zhou sat on the kang, not seeing them out. Lian Shouyi followed them out instead.

"...Did you see that? The old lady always says others have a wolf heart, but who is more wolf-hearted than her! In our Old Lian Family, the hardest-hearted, most wolf-hearted person is her, no one else!" After walking out the front door behind the three, Lian Shouyi glanced into the Upper Room and said with a cold sneer.

Lian Shouxin also looked back once, said nothing, and left the old mansion directly with Wu Lang and Lian Manman.

Returning home, Lian Manman and the others told Lady Zhang about what happened at the old mansion, and when they heard Lian Shouyi and Lady He were about to move to the Luo Family Village, Lady Zhang was not surprised, only asking where to arrange Lian Shouyi’s dwelling.

"He wants to build his own house; there’s just a vacant lot next to the Old Luo Family’s place. Let him build the house there, close to Erlang so they can look after each other." Lian Shouxin said.

Wu Lang and Lian Manman said nothing, silently supporting Lian Shouxin’s decision.

"That’s also good. Ultimately, the two of them will still have to live with Erlang and his family." Lady Zhang said.

Erlang was the eldest son in Lian Shouyi’s branch, and it was his duty as the eldest son to live with and support Lian Shouyi and Lady He. Of course, accordingly, he could receive most of Lian Shouyi and Lady He’s property.

While the family was talking, Lian Shouli, Lady Zhao, and Lian Yeye heard the news and came over to inquire.

Lian Shouli and Lady Zhao said nothing, but Lian Yeye puckered her lips.

"The more unscrupulous you are, the more you get; those obedient and filial get nothing and are bullied. It’s really frustrating!"

Who doesn’t agree with that, Lian Manman thought to herself. The old mansion of the Lian Family fell apart just because of the head’s "twisted" way of handling matters!

"The old lady just let them take Yaya without a word. I thought she would definitely keep Yaya." Lady Zhang chatted with Lady Zhao, "In these two years, Yaya has made a lot of contributions to the old lady, and the old lady treated Yaya quite well. It might not compare to Xiuxiu, but compared to others, it’s like heaven and earth."

"The old lady’s heart is harder than a rock." Lian Yeye sneered.

...

At zero o’clock on the 28th, pink votes count double, one vote equals two votes, everyone can hold onto their pinks for a few hours before casting O(∩_∩)O, remember to vote for the Little Landlord tomorrow O(∩_∩)O. More pinks, more motivation to update.(To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations, monthly tickets; your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read at m.qidian.com.)