Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 613 - 315 Dragon Boat Festival_2

"Ah, I’d like another pair of shoes too," Lian Manman deliberately said.

Lian Manman was taking advantage of the situation, and nobody had a way to deal with her.

Under Lian Zhizhi’s slightly reproachful and somewhat pleading gaze, Lian Manman reached out with a smile and took the shoe sample from Wu Jiaxing’s hands.

There was no hurry, no worry; she would finalize the pattern and materials for her pair of shoes when she handed over the sample to Lian Zhizhi.

The evening meal was sumptuous, and Mr. Loo had been invited to join as a guest. After dinner, they had sent Wu Jiaxing away, and Lian Shouxin seemed very happy.

"...Jiaxing is a thoughtful child. Our Zhizhi can rely on him from now on."

After tidying up a bit, the whole family got busy again. Lian Manman was responsible for slicing the ten pounds of pork that Wu Jiaxing had brought over. With the current weather and no refrigeration means like a fridge, fresh meat couldn’t be kept for long. However, by slicing the meat, lightly boiling it in a large iron pot, adding some salt, and then storing the slices and rendered fat in a jar, it could be preserved for some time.

Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin began to prepare the large wooden tubs, fetching clean water to soak glutinous rice and nuo rice respectively.

"We bought ten pounds of nuo rice ourselves, and Jiaxing has brought another ten pounds..." Lady Zhang said as she worked, consulting with Lian Shouxin, "I’ve ordered a few more pounds from the grain shop. With the festival coming, we can’t leave the shop, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to visit her grandmother and grandfather. I was thinking, why don’t we send them a few pounds of nuo rice?"

"Alright," Lian Shouxin agreed happily; the Zhang family had always treated them sincerely and helped them a lot. "We’ll do as you say and send a few more pounds. Over the years, her grandparents haven’t really received much from us."

"Then let’s send ten pounds," Lady Zhang decided after a moment’s thought. Ten pounds of nuo rice, among the tenant farmers, was considered a significant gift. "As for his paternal grandparents, we should send..." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"Mother," Lian Manman interjected upon overhearing, "when the time comes, we’ll deliver the zongzi we’ve made to my paternal grandmother and grandfather. Since we live close by, they can enjoy the food we make, but her maternal grandmother and grandfather live too far away, so we can only send rice."

"Is that... okay?" Lady Zhang looked at Lian Manman and then at Lian Shouxin.

"Mother, the way we treat my maternal grandparents is different from how we treat my paternal grandparents," Lian Manman considered before explaining.

Between them and Lady Zhang’s family, there was not only filial piety but also the exchange of customary gifts among relatives. Previously, the Zhang family had provided more assistance, while they had given less. The Zhang family had helped them a lot.

But with Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou, it was simply about filial respect. After the separation, they had only given and never received anything in return.

These could be overlooked, but now, a gap in wealth had emerged between them and the Upper Room. Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou were still living with a large household, and their relationship wasn’t just simple parental filial piety. Considering the temperament and nature of the Lian Family members, they had to think more carefully before taking any action.

Offering respect was fine, but it had to be done gradually so as not to inflate some people’s expectations too quickly. Moreover, what Lady Zhou did on the day of Lian Zhizhi’s betrothal was not so easily forgotten. It was also necessary for them to assert their position through their actions.

However, this was not something that could be openly discussed with Lian Shouxin.

"Father, Mother, there’s a saying, ’When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ Let’s just follow the customs of our village, like other families do. That way, no one can criticize us. Otherwise, we send over good stuff only to be berated and faulted for many things," Lian Manman suggested, "Father cares for my paternal grandparents, so whenever we make something delicious, we should simply invite the elderly to eat. We live close by, and giving little by little on a regular basis amounts to more than what we give to my maternal grandparents during the festivals!"

"That sounds right," Lady Zhang nodded, "To be honest, I’m really apprehensive about dealing with the Upper Room. No matter what we do, there will always be talk, and it makes no one comfortable. It’s not easy to keep going like this year after year."

"That’s also fine," Lian Shouxin said after thinking it over and then nodded.

The next day, both the glutinous rice and nuo rice had been soaked thoroughly, Lady Zhang had cleaned the dates with water, and the bamboo leaves and dried Malan leaves were placed in a large pot to be scalded in warm water until soft for later use. This year, they prepared several fillings for the zongzi.

One type was made purely with rice, without any additions, known as plain zongzi. The second type included dates, making sweet zongzi. The third type featured salted egg yolks, having bought some salted duck eggs at the market with the intention of using the yolks in zongzi. The fourth type was made with fresh pork.

For the plain glutinous rice and nuo rice zongzi, as well as the sweet ones with dates, the preparation was in the largest quantity. The other types were made in smaller amounts because they were more expensive. Apart from setting aside a portion to sell in the shop, the rest was for their own consumption or to be given as gifts.

To make so many zongzi, they obviously couldn’t manage on their own. Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye came over to help voluntarily, and the maid from the shop joined in too. Additionally, Lady Zhang had asked Chunzhu’s wife to help, and with the three of them working efficiently, they were able to manage.

Later on, Lady Chiang arrived with Niuniu in tow. She let Niuniu play nearby and sat down to help wrap the zongzi.

Lady Chiang was meticulous in her cooking, and with her quick hands, the zongzi she wrapped looked neat and tidy. Lady Zhang was very pleased to have Lady Chiang’s assistance.

After the first batch of zongzi was cooked, Lady Zhang and Lian Manman started to arrange the delivery of gifts.

×××...×××

Sending this as the second watch, asking for your pinks, and there will be a third watch later.

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Recommended completed book by Ruoyan: "The Brocade Screen Chronicles," a light-hearted tale of domestic struggles and field cultivation in a large household. The book is filled with familial intricacies and tangled grudges.

Book number: 1771214

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