Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli both fell silent, and Lady Zhang and Lady Zhao exchanged a glance. They each saw approval in the other’s eyes, but with the men present, they said nothing.

As for Lian Manman and Wu Lang, they had long been aware of what Lian Yeye had said.

Lady Zhou was a straightforward person, easy to predict. The reason she often used words like heartless, cruel, unkind, and unfilial to scold her sons and daughters-in-law, especially those from the lines of Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli, was simply because she knew that these people were actually the opposite of what she accused, and they valued kindness and filial piety highly.

And the reason she increasingly seldom used such words against Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi’s lines was simply because she realized those people didn’t care about it at all.

Another reason, Lian Manman thought, was that Lady Zhou understood herself well. She was hard-hearted, so she knew how difficult it was to deal with someone like that. She feared her sons and daughters-in-law might be as hard-hearted as she was, which is why she kept knocking some sense into them.

"...Ever since they moved back from Taicang and Xiuxiu was no longer around, the old lady would always find it inconvenient to use someone else, so she constantly called on Yaya. With the Old Master gone, the Second Master’s line also couldn’t keep up, so Yaya followed the old lady. Over the past couple of years, everyone has seen how the old lady treated Yaya; it truly wasn’t bad. And Yaya was loyally devoted to her. With what happened today, I still think that no matter what, the old lady would keep Yaya." Lady Zhang continued to chatter, sighing as she spoke. "Regardless of anything, following the old lady is still better than living with the Second Master’s couple."

Lian Manman thought for a while about Lady Zhou’s attitude towards Lian Yaya. When it came to whether Lady Zhou was good to Lian Yaya, Lian Manman always felt something wasn’t right. But to say Lady Zhou was bad to Yaya seemed equally incorrect.

"Mother, you say the old lady treats Yaya well, so let me ask you, would you like to treat me and my sister the way she treats Yaya?" Lian Manman asked Lady Zhou.

Lady Zhang first wondered why Lian Manman would suddenly ask such a thing, but after thinking for a while, she somewhat understood.

"...The old lady... she’s just that kind of person. If I were to treat you and your sister, of course, I’d provide you food and drink like her, but even better. Whatever I have, it’s yours. I would never keep things to myself. Between her and Yaya, there’s still a layer of difference. Moreover... it definitely wouldn’t be the same, it’s just not the same."

Lady Zhang wasn’t good with words, and she lacked Lian Manman’s perspective on many issues, so even after thinking it over, she could only state that she would definitely treat her own children differently from how Lady Zhou treated Lian Yaya. As for the rest, she couldn’t articulate it. For Lady Zhang, she could only attribute the subtle differences she sensed to Lady Zhou’s unique personality.

"Manman, do you mean to say the old lady isn’t good to Yaya?" Lady Zhang asked, seeing Lian Manman deep in thought.

Lian Manman, asked by Lady Zhang, thought again and decided not to be too blunt. In this era, many tenant farmer families raised their children quite roughly, feeding and clothing them, and considered that as fulfilling their responsibility.

"Mother, what you say and do for us is always for our good. But the old lady’s treatment of Lian Yaya is all for her own sake." Finally, Lian Manman only said this.

"That’s true." Lady Zhang, Lady Zhao, and Lian Yeye all nodded.

Was it because Lady Zhou liked this granddaughter that she kept Yaya by her side? Was it because she pitied her when seeing Lian Shouyi and Lady He’s lack of care? Clearly, it was neither.

In the old house now, Lady Zhou lacked a female junior who she could command at will and who was utterly loyal to her. Lady Chiang was too clever, had her own opinions, and wouldn’t allow Da Niuniu to be completely controlled by Lady Zhou. In such a situation, the obedient, not too clever, yet about ten-year-old Lian Yaya was the best choice. Lady Zhou wanted to cultivate Yaya to be like Lian Xiu, but after all, Yaya wasn’t her own, and her personality differed from Xiuxiu’s, so Lady Zhou felt somewhat tied to her.

However, in her selfish heart, Lady Zhou was not completely satisfied with Yaya.

Only a keen observer could notice this. Lian Manman did not know if Lian Shouyi noticed, but it was certain he saw that Lady Zhou needed and could not do without Lian Yaya.