Chapter 8 Sleepless Night

  Everyone at the table stopped using their chopsticks and looked at Zhou Shi and Lian Man Er. Before Lian Man Er could even respond, Zhou Shi turned to Zhang Shi and started attacking her.

  "Look at the daughter you've raised, is she a greedy ghost or what? Today it's white rice and meat again, thinking she's some kind of young lady from a wealthy family? And see if she has that kind of fate." Zhou Shi cursed through gritted teeth.

  It's just a piece of meat, is it worth it? You're talking as if she committed murder and arson.

  Zhang's face turned red. Zhou's words made her feel extremely ashamed and wronged at the same time. She knew Zhou's temper, usually instructing her own children with great care. The children were also very obedient, giving her a good reputation, never getting scolded by Zhou for eating.

  But today, even Lian Man dared to pick up meat with her hands, which is something she would never dare to do normally.

  She knew that at this time, if she slapped Lian Man Er twice and scolded her a few times, Zhou Shi would be able to vent her anger. But how could she bear to do it? She was the mother after all, and Lian Man Er had almost lost her life.

  "Mother, Lian Man has not eaten for three days and almost...". Zhang Shi's face turned red as she tried to plead on behalf of Lian Man, asking Zhou Shi to forgive her.

  "She's not dead yet, look, she can still eat meat." Zhou said viciously.

  "Mother, Man Er is your own granddaughter..." Zhang Shi's words were cut off halfway.

  "Which one is not my own granddaughter? I haven't even taken a bite of this meat, and you still want to be shameless!" Madam Zhou continued to scold.

  Lian Zhi'er and Xiao Qi's faces also turned red, Zhao Shi and Lian Ye'er were so scared that they stuck together tightly. Gu Shi, Lian Hua'er and several others looked at Lian Man'er with contempt and schadenfreude in their eyes, only He Shi seemed to think it was fun, smiling and watching.

  Isn't it just a piece of meat, and she hasn't even put it in her mouth yet. Is this how you scold and curse, as family members and elders? Fortunately, the soul inside her small body has grown several years older, not so fragile, if it were a child who was only ten years old, from now on, saying something wrong would leave psychological shadows.

  According to the original intention of Lian Wan'er, she should have put the meat in her mouth and deliberately made a sizzling sound to tease Zhang Shi, but after seeing the expressions of Zhang Shi, Lian Zhi'er and Xiao Qi, she had to change her mind.

  "Why are you angry with me? I was going to give this meat to Grandma for her to eat." Lian Man'er put the meat she had originally intended for Xiao Qi into Zhou Shi's bowl.

  Zhou's eyes widened in surprise, she didn't expect Lian Muer to do this. Lian Hua'er also flashed a glance, unexpectedly this silly little girl still had such cunning.

  Zhang smiled from the heart.

  "Mother, although Man'er bumped her head, she now knows to be more filial to you." said Zhang Shi.

  "Don't think I don't see through your little thoughts." Zhou threw the meat onto the table, "Do I need her to pick it up for me to eat?"

  Lian Man'er felt as if countless horses were galloping past in front of her. Zhou Shi was also... she couldn't find the right words to describe it anymore. At the same time, she sighed and wondered why everyone's chopsticks were far away from the meat, she should have some insight.

  Was she really blind? Even Man Er couldn't help but smile wryly in her heart. She wasn't oblivious to the unusual atmosphere here, it's just that she couldn't hold back.

  Zhou was so unyielding, Zhang felt both embarrassed and distressed.

  Lian Man'er blinked her eyes, Zhou Shi was so unreasonable, what could she do?

  "Mother, beat me up!" Lian Man'er put down her bowl and chopsticks, covering her face and crying loudly. "Mother, don't throw away the meat! Xiu'er auntie has eaten her fill of meat, but Ye'r and Ya'r and little Qi haven't even had a bite. Mother, beat me if you want, kill me if you want, just please give the discarded meat to my little brother Qi to eat."

  Even Old Master and his table of people stopped their chopsticks and looked over this way.

  Lian Wan'er made an effort to recall the appearance of a ten-year-old child, deliberately crying until she was out of breath, but her mouth didn't stop saying that Lao Lao would rather throw away meat than give it to a few children to eat.

  Even the old lady was almost furious, the girls at home were all used to being oppressed by her, especially Zhang's two daughters, who were extremely obedient and only dared to cry softly when scolded.

  "You, you, look at you..." Mrs. Zhou pointed at Mrs. Zhang and scolded.

  "Shut up and eat. If there's meat, give it to the kids." Lao Laozi said from his bed, "Don't go on with your biased nonsense again."

  Lian Wan's wailing made her completely unable to stand up for herself, and now even the old master had spoken up. Zhou Shi's chest heaved with emotion for half a day, but she could only swallow this breath of anger.

  "Let you eat meat, all given to you." Mrs. Zhou was angry and picked up the remaining pieces of meat in the bowl and put them into Lian Mian'er's bowl.

  This is also too childish, isn't it?

  "Milk is what hurts me the most." Lian Man'er's crying came quickly and went just as fast.

  Zhang's expression changed, and he turned his head to look at Lian Man Er.

  "Man Er..." Zhang's voice was filled with fear and pleading, "Quickly return the meat to your grandma."

  Lian Man'er didn't think so, even if she went back, she was afraid that Zhou Shi would throw her out again.

  "Ye'er, Ya'er, sister, and also little Qi." Lian Man'er divided the meat in the bowl among several children, and gave her own share to Little Qi.

  "This is meat given by Grandma, let's thank her together." Lian Man Er said to several children.

  "Thank you, Grandma." Several children said in unison when they saw the meat in the bowl.

  Zhou's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

  Lian Man'er pretended not to see and lowered her head to eat her rice.

  ……

  Everyone quickly finished dinner, and Zhang's wife took the bowls and chopsticks with Lianzhi. Zhao's wife and Lianye also followed to help. Zhou's wife only ate a few mouthfuls of rice, then said she felt uncomfortable in her chest and lay down on the kang, groaning repeatedly. Several sons and daughters-in-law came forward to ask her what was wrong, but Zhou's wife didn't say anything, just that she felt uncomfortable in her chest and was going to die.

  "Father, otherwise I'll invite Doctor Lang to come and take a look at Mother," Lian Shou said.

  "Fourth brother, mother was angered by your family's Man Er," said Lian Xiuer.

  Lian Shouxin turned back to look at Zhang Shi, who sighed. They were all in the same room, and something had happened, which Lian Shouxin also knew about. If you say that Man Er did something wrong, it was just that she shouldn't have stretched out her chopsticks. But later, the child sensibly returned the round thing, and everyone laughed, so this matter was settled. Speaking of which, Zhou Shi's favoritism wasn't a new thing. Lian Shouxin looked at his own emaciated eldest daughter, then at his second daughter who still had a bandage wrapped around her head, and felt a mix of emotions in his heart.

  The pain in Zhou's heart and mouth, which occurs several times a year. Everyone knows how to treat it. The best treatment is to hit the rattan vine. However, neither Lian Shouxin nor Zhang Shi are willing to scold their own children, no matter how strict they are with them.

  "Lian Man'er, come over and apologize to your mother." Lian Shouxin called out to Lian Man'er.

  What's wrong, apologize? Lian Man'er blinked her eyes.

  "Fourth brother, you're talking big, look at our mother's anger, just a few words will do." Lian Xiuer said discontentedly.

  "Man Er, come and kowtow to your grandmother," Lian Shou said.

  "Man Er's head." Zhang couldn't help but say this one sentence, and then didn't dare to say anything more.

  It turned out that Lian Man Er was reminded by Zhang's words, her head was injured, and she would be spoiled, and Lian Man Er was only ten years old, it was natural to spoil her.

  "I'll kowtow to Grandma." Lian Wan'er said, and before she even knelt down, she hugged her head and leaned against Zhang Shi's body, saying weakly, "Mother, my head hurts so much, it hurts so much."

  Zhang didn't know Lian Mian'er was pretending and suddenly became anxious, sweating on her forehead.

  "Man Er, how are you? Don't scare your mother. Oh heavens..." Zhang's wife burst into tears, and they were genuine. Her daughter had just been lost and then found again; if she were to lose her once more, it would be like stabbing a new wound with a knife, even more painful."

  Lian Tiao'er, Wu Lang and Xiao Qi also gathered around, seeing Lian Man'er closing her eyes motionless, they all burst into tears.

  "Take the girl back and find a doctor." Lian Lao Ye said to Lian Shou Xing, then turned his head to scold Lian Lao Tai Tai who was lying down, "Don't you hurry up and get up, you're already so old, aren't you ashamed?"

  "I'll come back and kowtow to Mother later." Lian Shouxin and Zhang Shi hastily carried Lian Man'er to the west wing.

  Back in the west wing room, Lian Mian'er was put on the kang, and Zhang Shi got on the kang to hug her, asking how she was.

  Lian Man'er saw the anxious faces of this couple and their three children and felt a little unbearable.

  "I think it's a bit better," said Lian Waner. "It's dark now and the road is not easy to walk, don't go looking for Lang Zhong anymore."

  This day was too tiring, Lian Wan's body was still very weak. After saying these words, she wasn't quite clear-headed anymore. In a daze, she smelled the scent of Chinese medicine and heard the voices of Lian Shou Xin and Zhang Shi speaking.

  "Thanks to you, Royal Doctor, for being in our village."