Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 662 - 340 Who’s Child Is This_2

Having declined several marriage proposals, Lian Manman figured out the criteria Lady Zhou had set for Lian Xiuxiu’s suitor. The family had to be wealthy, so Lian Xiuxiu wouldn’t need to work the fields after marriage, and the household should be simple. These were based on the Wu Family’s conditions, but in addition, Lady Zhou wanted a family of higher status, considering ordinary farmstead folks beneath her notice.

"Your grandma is just too picky. The ones who came to propose, including that scholar and the one from Liu Family Village, were quite good. This is really thanks to your uncle’s influence; otherwise, such families wouldn’t even consider coming to propose," Lady Zhang said.

"With such a reputation for being picky, it intimidates those who come to propose. In this matter, his granddad never went against his grandma," Lian Shouxin interjected upon hearing their conversation.

"His grandma has other ideas in her heart," Lady Zhang said as she pointed toward Jinyang County Town, "Hasn’t his grandma already sent word to his grandaunt early on to find a match for Xiuxiu in the county town?"

Lady Zhou indeed hoped to find a good match in the county town for Lian Xiuxiu, but naturally, Lian Manman couldn’t discuss this with Er Ya.

"My great-aunt is still young; there’s no rush. We can take our time to choose," Lian Manman said to Er Ya.

"Your great-aunt might not be in a hurry, but it looks like your Yaya seems eager?" Er Ya covered her mouth, laughing as she said.

"What?" Lian Manman was somewhat puzzled.

"Wasn’t it just after the Dragon Boat Festival," Chun Yan said with a smile, joining in the conversation, "that your second aunt took Lian Yaya to visit several families? It seemed like she was hinting at wanting to find a suitor for Lian Yaya. Like Sister Zhizhi, they’d agree on a betrothal first and wed in the following year."

Lian Manman uttered an "Oh," recalling that a while back, Chunzhu’s Wife had visited and whispered mysteriously with Lady Zhang for quite a while, apparently discussing this very matter.

"Yaya is so young, even two months younger than Manman. To talk of marriage proposals now seems far too early," Lady Zhang had said to Lian Shouxin after Chunzhu’s Wife’s visit, "Yesterday, her second aunt sat with me for a long while, praising how wonderful Yaya is, her feet finely bound, deserving of a wealthy family. She kept asking about what Jiaxing brought as festival gifts and wanted to see everything. I tell you, she’s just envious of those items, thinking of securing an early betrothal for Yaya so her future son-in-law can bring gifts during the three festivals."

"I heard that your second uncle and aunt have taken a liking to Old Jin Family’s Xi Bao," Er Ya whispered to Lian Manman, lowering her voice further.

Lian Manman was chewing on sour leaves picked by Lian Yeye and almost choked upon hearing this.

Er Ya and the others, around the same age as her, were just beginning to take an interest in certain topics. Well, in this era for tenant farmers, such matters were of great interest to all, from eight-year-olds to octogenarians, regardless of gender.

After swallowing down the sour juice from the leaves, Lian Manman then asked Er Ya.

"Er Ya, who did you hear this from, and how come we don’t know anything about it?"

"Well, it was Yaya’s dad, your second uncle, who came to our house looking for my dad, hoping to get him to speak on their behalf to the Old Jin Family," Er Ya hesitated before saying.

"Did your dad go and speak for them?" Lian Manman quickly asked further.

"Seems like... he didn’t go. My dad said your granddad surely wouldn’t agree to a match with the Old Jin Family," Er Ya replied.

It seemed Wu Yuchang was indeed a clever man.

"Er Ya, when did this happen? I mean, when did my second uncle ask your dad to speak on their behalf? Was it in the past few days?" Lian Manman thought for a moment before asking again.

"It was quite some days ago, not in these past few days," Er Ya said.

Lian Manman uttered an "Oh," thinking it must have been before Lian Shouren donated for the Jiansheng title. She wondered if Lian Shouyi still held the Old Jin Family in consideration now.

At that time, the group of little girls who had been playing on the side came over.

"How come we haven’t seen Sister Zhizhi working the fields?" the little girl who started the conversation asked again, "Manman, now that Sister Zhizhi is betrothed, does she not work in the fields anymore?"

The little girls burst into laughter, not mocking Lian Zhizhi but blushing and curious about the topic of betrothals and marriage.

"My sister is at home sewing," Lian Manman replied, then pointed at a slightly older girl in a floral dress, saying with a smile, "Xiao Mei, I heard your mom has arranged a marriage for you."

The girl named Xiao Mei’s face immediately flushed red, and the other girls clustered around her, bombarding her with questions, creating an endless buzz of laughter.

...

When she got home, Lian Manman called her chickens over and tossed them a few strands of grasshoppers, letting them scramble for the treat. Then, she entered the house.

Lian Zhizhi was sitting on the kang sewing shoe soles. Seeing Lian Manman enter, she pointed to the water pitcher on the cabinet.

"You’re back, thirsty? I cooled some water for you; it’s perfect to drink right now," Lian Zhizhi said to Lian Manman.

"Mmm." Lian Manman poured a cup of water for herself and drank it before pouring another cup for Lian Zhizhi.

"Sister, was there anything going on at home this morning?" Lian Manman asked.

"Nothing much," Lian Zhizhi replied.

With Lian Shouren having sponsored a Jiansheng title, and the Song Family had sent over silver, people coming to propose to Lian Xiuxiu, Lian Family’s days were going well lately. Even the frequency of Lady Zhou’s scolding had decreased considerably. Zhao Xiue no longer provoked Lady Chiang as in the past, and the domestic life of the Lian Family was unusually peaceful.

With nothing happening at home, Lian Manman went to the breakfast shop to check the morning’s accounts. She then visited the riverside, where the water canal was nearly complete, and Lian Shouxin was overseeing a few men wrapping up the work.

After having lunch at the shop, Lian Manman returned to the old house. As soon as she entered the village, dark clouds threatened, and a rumble of thunder seemed to roll across the ground.

The weather was about to change, and Lian Manman hastened her steps to run, but someone blocked her path.

"Lian Manman."

×××......×××

Here’s the second update, asking for your pink support. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it with recommendation tickets or monthly tickets on Qidian [qidian.com]. Your support is my greatest motivation.)