Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 739 - 378: Dividing the Property_2

Upon reaching this point, Lian Shouxin couldn’t hold back his sobs.

"Who says men don’t easily shed tears? They clearly haven’t reached the depths of sorrow."

Old Master Lian couldn’t sit still on the kang anymore.

"What life do you have left to offer?" Lady Zhang stood outside the room, heard Lian Shouxin say this, and rushed to the door, crying, "If we were to give up our lives, we would have done so long ago. Didn’t my Manman die once already? And then there’s my poor child who never saw the light of day."

"Two lives, we owe nothing to anyone. What milk... water fee." Lady Zhang, always conscious of her modesty, couldn’t bring herself to say the words "breast milk," "Xiuxiu is not my child, how much money should she give me? If we still owe her anything, let her set down the rules and regulations. I’ll smash the pot and sell iron to pay it off. My parents raised me hoping I’d have a good life, never did they think of raising me to ask for money in return. I willingly raise my children, hoping only that they live well, I’d do anything for that."

Outside the room, Lady Zhao, Lian Yeye, Lian Zhizhi, Lian Manman, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi couldn’t help shedding tears as well.

Lady Zhang’s voice was not low; everyone in the western room, including Lady Zhou and Lian Xiuxiu, certainly heard everything yet not one of them came out or spoke a word.

In the eastern room, the guests had inscrutable expressions, but Old Master Lian’s face was alternating between red and white.

Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang had always been straightforward and honest people, both in their hearts and with their words, always thinking of leaving some leeway for others. Lady Zhou had uttered her spiteful remarks countless times, and the couple had always borne them in silence, but today, they were clearly pushed beyond their limits. Even a clay statue has its characteristics; this time, Lady Zhou had truly gone too far.

Yet, amends had been made. At such a critical moment for the Lian Family, if the couple could just endure a bit longer, boundless horizons awaited them.

Lian Shouxin and his wife could no longer bear it, which put him, Lian Shouren, and the entire Lian Family in a very passive position.

"Your mother is foolish, don’t take her words to heart. Why do you have to be so stubborn and stoop to her level? Look, I’m still here!" Old Master Lian stood up as well, speaking somewhat emotionally.

Old Master Lian spoke and started to help Lian Shouxin to his feet.

Lian Shouxin did not get up; he remained kneeling on the ground.

"Father, I am over thirty years old. I have sons and daughters. I have to face others in public, and I need to have some dignity. Father, please, just this once, satisfy my mother, and let me breathe, let me stand tall."

Instead of being drained dry every few years, it’s better to settle this "debt" once and for all to avoid being incessantly nicked and sliced.

"Indeed, Old Master, after all, he’s your son. Grant him this mercy, for there’s a limit to everything. The Imperial Court now favors compassion over drawing and quartering," Old Jin interjected, less concerned with status than others.

"Father, there’s more. When my elder brother took up his post, I also helped him gather money, including his travel expenses." Lian Shouxin spoke up at this point.

"Old Fourth, you are a good and loyal man," Old Jin gave Lian Shouxin a thumbs up, but shifting his tone, he added, "However, as men, we need to distinguish clear debts of gratitude and grievance. Repaying evil with kindness is foolish—too foolish. Understand? It’s simply idiotic; people will not appreciate you, they’ll take you for granted, and after taking advantage, they’ll still mock you."

Old Jin said this, glancing at Lian Shouren with a meaningful sneer.

The other guests remained silent, while Scholar Wang and Wang Youheng both smiled slightly. Wu Yugui and Wu Jiaxing nodded towards Old Jin in acknowledgment, and Old Huang, sitting next to Old Jin, seemed to deeply regret not having met him sooner, shaking Old Jin’s hand vigorously.

"Brother, let’s find a place to down a few cups later," he said.

"A few cups? I’m not joining you," Old Jin said, his face stern. Just as Old Huang was puzzled, Old Jin burst into laughter, "No return until we’re drunk, I’ll go with you then."

"Great, ’No return until we’re drunk,’ whoever isn’t drunk is a bastard," Old Huang rejoiced.

"Old Master, we’ve talked this through. I’m a blunt man who believes in simple truths. If you truly were in charge, today’s events wouldn’t have happened, and neither would what my Old Fourth brother and his wife have said, right? Let’s just set everything straight,"

everyone is present, draft an agreement, and we can bear witness, no need to invite others." Old Jin, having agreed to drink with Old Huang, hadn’t forgotten the matter at hand and turned again to Old Master Lian.

Old Master Lian was somewhat frustrated. While others restrained themselves because of status, Old Jin always used his straightforwardness as a guise to speak his mind freely, and no one could deal with him. Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang, inherently shy, could not voice such decisive words even in the midst of this crisis, yet Old Jin spoke for them.

This left Old Master Lian with no room for maneuver.

"Old Master, our visit today wasn’t because we heard your family was in dispute. We had other matters," Old Huang interjected at that moment, "but since we’ve stumbled upon this, I can serve as a witness."

Scholar Wang, Wang Youheng, Wu Yugui, and Wu Jiaxing also nodded, indicating they shared Old Huang’s sentiment.

Although they said so, Old Master Lian understood that they had come promptly upon hearing the commotion at the gate because they were friends of Lian Shouxin. All of these guests had their own connections, and any hint of the day’s events could greatly tarnish Lian Shouren’s prospects. That was why Old Master Lian needed to resolve the matter to their satisfaction in front of them.

"I failed to manage my wife properly and to govern my household," Old Master Lian sighed, "With things having come this far, there’s no other way. Let’s... draw up a new document then." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

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Here is the second update, begging for your pink color.

The extroverted, those who dare to speak out always steal the spotlight. It’s the same in real life as it is in books. (To Be Continued. If you like this work, please go to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for it, cast your monthly tickets, and your support will be my greatest motivation.)