Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 1552 - 789: Quarrel
Everyone discussed having Lian Jizu go to the Paper Craft Shop to work as an apprentice. Lian Shouyi’s group eagerly agreed, but Lian Jizu himself was unwilling to go. Lian Shouren sat on the kang, silent, not appearing to intend to express an opinion.
Lady Chiang came in from the outer room and gave Lian Jizu a look, then slowly walked out. Lian Jizu hesitated, stood up, then sat back down, lowering his head and avoiding looking at Lady Chiang. Lady Chiang stopped at the door when she saw Lian Jizu hadn’t followed her, slightly furrowing her brows.
Lady Zhou sat cross-legged on the kang, her hands clasped together, also not speaking. When it came to matters like this in the family, Lady Zhou never gave her opinion.
For a long while, Old Master Lian said nothing. Only Lian Shouyi and Si Lang continued chatting cheerfully, as if Lian Jizu going to the Paper Craft Shop to work was already a done deal.
"With those two brothers earning money outside, our family will have nothing to worry about." Lian Shouyi grinned.
"Grandpa..." Lian Jizu said helplessly, having to raise his head again, looking hopefully at Old Master Lian.
Old Master Lian’s face showed no expression, but his mind was a tangled mess. In his heart, he couldn’t bear to send Lian Jizu to the Paper Craft Shop. That was a world apart from teaching at a school. Being ordered around, lacking dignity, and though paper crafting didn’t seem like hard labor, its meticulousness and complexity were equally exhausting.
Though his heart couldn’t bear it, he couldn’t say it out loud. Because no matter how differently he regarded his eldest grandson Lian Jizu in his heart, on the surface, he still wanted everyone to believe he loved all his grandsons equally.
Especially now in the old family house, relations among the family were already very tense because of the matter with Lian Shouren’s marriage proposal. He couldn’t let anyone see him showing favoritism towards Lian Jizu at this time.
Why could Si Lang do the work, but Lian Jizu couldn’t?
Because Lian Jizu had been studying for so many years, leading a pampered life, unused to being ordered around or enduring hardship. But Si Lang was different, he was used to doing work, accustomed to taking orders, and could endure hardship.
But this reason, no matter what, couldn’t be said aloud.
To keep Lian Jizu, a reasonable excuse had to be found. And this excuse was really hard to find, especially under the pressure from Lian Shouyi and Si Lang’s group.
"Eldest, what do you think about this?" Old Master Lian, anxious inside but not able to remain silent, asked Lian Shouren.
"Me?" Lian Shouren looked up, glancing at Old Master Lian, then at Lian Jizu. "Dad, you are the head of the family. You make the decision about this."
In the family house now, the one who listens most to Old Master Lian is none other than Lian Shouren.
But while Lian Shouren’s words sounded nice, at this moment, they didn’t help Lian Jizu or Old Master Lian at all. However, this was nothing new. Though Lian Shouren was the eldest son and over forty, when had he ever supported the family affairs or assisted Old Master Lian?
"Grandpa, I’m already this old, and I have children as well." Lian Jizu, hearing Lian Shouren’s words and fearing Old Master Lian would nod in agreement next, quickly said, "How about pleading with my fourth uncle to let me do whatever at the school?"
"But as it was said, there’s no work for you at the school. It’s already been arranged." Si Lang shot a glance at Lian Jizu and said.
"Grandpa..." Lian Jizu, blocked by Si Lang’s words, could only look pleadingly at Old Master Lian.
Old Master Lian’s brow furrowed into a knot. In the current situation, not sending Lian Jizu to the Paper Craft Shop would require using his authority as the head of the family to enforce it. But doing so wouldn’t convince others and would leave impressions of favoritism.
Old Master Lian didn’t want to do that, but at the same time, he couldn’t bear to let Lian Jizu go to the Paper Craft Shop to work.
"This matter, let’s delay it for now." After a while, Old Master Lian finally spoke, "Let’s postpone Jizu’s for now. If Si Lang is willing to go, let him go first.... I’m not favoring Jizu, I’m thinking for the good of the whole family. Jizu studied for many years, and if I talk to his fourth uncle, perhaps he can find a more... suitable job. That way, he could earn a bit more money to support the family."
