Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 780 - 399: Cutting Smoke_1

Such matters, just like how Old Master Lian only alluded to them in his letters, Lian Manman also wouldn’t lay everything out in front of Er Ya’s grandmother—she could only say that all was well.

"Your Brother Erlang’s wife, counting the months, isn’t she due to give birth?" Er Ya’s grandmother asked Lian Manman again. A woman’s gossiping nature never weakens with age—it only grows stronger. "Seeing her with that big belly on the road, we were all worried about her."

"My mother made some calculations the other day and said she still has two more months to go," Lian Manman said, "From what my father hinted at in his letter, she should be doing quite well."

Old Master Lian did not mention Zhao Xiue in his letter, so no news was taken as good news. It seemed that Zhao Xiue must be all well and good.

"That’s good, Brother Erlang’s wife seems to be quite sturdy," Er Ya’s grandmother said.

"Sister," Xiao Qi called out to Lian Manman from the edge of the kang to come over and look at the cat.

Lian Manman got off the kang and went over.

Er Ya’s House’s big cat was eating shrimp peel mixed with rice, devouring it bite by bite. The kitten was placed on a mat by Er Ya and Xiao Qi, meowing and turning in circles as it cried out.

The sounds were so tender and soft, they made one’s heart melt upon hearing them.

The big cat from Er Ya’s House was a tabby, and the kitten had almost completely inherited its mother’s looks. The fur from the top of its head to the tip of its tail had alternating deep gray and black stripes, but its chin, belly, and all four paws were snow white.

After turning around for a bit, the kitten curled up, hugging its tail and lying down; fluffy, it looked just like a ball of wool.

Lian Manman reached out and gently stroked the back of the little cat, smoothing its fur. The kitten meowed a couple of times and then reached out its paw to latch onto Lian Manman’s hand. She couldn’t help but squeeze the soft pad of its paw.

The kitten meowed again and withdrew its paw.

Lian Manman then stroked the kitty’s chin, scratching it lightly.

The little cat did not shy away. With its emerald eyes, it glanced at Lian Manman, then squinted its eyes, made a purring sound of enjoyment from its throat, and lifted its head, letting Lian Manman scratch more comfortably.

Lian Manman clenched her fist in secret. Indeed, to win over a cat, whether it was an adult or a kitten, this trick of scratching was always foolproof.

After playing for a while, Lian Manman said goodbye to Er Ya and her grandmother, and put the kitten into the basket she had brought. The basket was lined with a thick, soft pad. The pad was made by Lian Manman herself with scraps of fabric pieced together, filled with chicken feathers and cotton. Lying on it, the kitten would definitely be both warm and comfortable.

Walking along the road to the shop with the basket in hand, the kitten inside meowed. Being away from its mother and facing a new world, it needed some time to adjust. But the process would be quick.

Xiao Qi was practically clinging to the basket, his eyes and hands not willing to leave the kitten.

"Sister, let’s give it a name," Xiao Qi discussed with Lian Manman.

"Hmm, it does need a name," Lian Manman nodded, "How about we call it Da Hua."

"Da Hua, Da Hua."

Xiao Qi called out repeatedly, and then the kitten Da Hua meowed in response. Lian Manman couldn’t help but chuckle to herself, feeling softness in her heart.

Upon returning to the shop, Lian Manman entered the inner room, took off her shoes, climbed onto the kang, and placed the basket in a sunny spot. Xiao Qi also wanted to climb up, but Lian Manman stopped him.

"You like Da Hua, don’t you? So from now on, it’s your job to take care of her," Lian Manman told Xiao Qi.

Xiao Qi, being young and truly fond of Da Hua, naively agreed. Lian Manman chuckled to herself and then instructed Xiao Qi to prepare a food bowl, which meant two porcelain bowls, one for the cat’s food and one for water.

Besides, there was another important item.

"That shallow wooden basin that I had Uncle San make yesterday, go get some clean fine sand to put in it and then bring it in here," Lian Manman told Xiao Qi.

"Alright," Xiao Qi quickly agreed and ran out. Soon, he came back with a basin full of fine sand.

Lian Manman received the wooden basin and placed it in a spot against the wall on the kang. Then, she took the kitten Da Hua out of the basket and put it into the wooden basin.

"...This will be your personal toilet from now on," Lian Manman, while petting Da Hua’s head, told it, "In this room, if you dare pee or poop on the kang, you’re going to get spanked, do you hear?"