CHAPTER 33: CHAPTER 21 PERSUASION _1

The children had eaten their fill and were pulling an empty cart, so they quickly returned to Thirty Mile Camp. It was nearing evening, and some homes’ chimneys had already started to emit cooking smoke.

Wu Lang and Lian Zhizhi pushed the cart into the yard and were met head-on by Lian Silang and Lian Liulang.

"Where did you go, and why did you take the cart?" Lian Silang blocked the way of the cart and asked Wu Lang with a stern look.

"We went to the fields," Wu Lang replied, "We’re home now, sister, you take Manman and Xiao Qi inside first."

Lian Manman and Xiao Qi got off the cart, and with Lian Zhizhi, they carried baskets and headed for the West Wing Room. Lian Silang lets the cart pass but steps in front of Lian Manman. Tilting his head to look into the basket she was carrying, he noticed it was filled with grass and tried to reach into the basket.

Lian Manman quickly twisted her body to dodge Lian Silang’s hand.

"Silang, what are you doing?" Lian Zhizhi stepped forward to separate Silang from Lian Manman.

Lian Silang was the same age as Lian Zhizhi, only younger by two months, but he was much taller and stronger than Lian Zhizhi.

"Did you go egg hunting today?" Lian Silang asked, ignoring the fact that Lian Zhizhi was older.

While Lian Manman and the others were roasting eggs in the field, some kids who were digging for wild vegetables passed by in the distance. Somehow the news had reached Lian Silang’s ears.

"Where did you hunt them, are there any left? Don’t you eat them all by yourselves," Lian Silang tried to push past Lian Zhizhi to snatch the basket from Lian Manman.

"You catch fish and collect bird eggs too, why don’t you share with me?" Xiao Qi looked up and said.

By this time, Wu Lang had already put the cart away and come over.

"Fourth Brother, even if there were eggs, they’re long gone," Wu Lang stood in front of Lian Zhizhi and told Lian Silang, "Auntie’s melons are missing a couple, and they’re looking for the thief now."

Lian Silang’s face changed color.

"If you spread nonsense, I’ll beat you up," Lian Silang raised his fist in a threatening gesture.

"If you don’t mess with me, I won’t mess with you," Wu Lang said without blinking.

Lian Silang felt snubbed and, seeing that Wu Lang, Lian Zhizhi, Lian Manman, and Xiao Qi were standing close together and not afraid of him, had to walk away grudgingly, taking Lian Liulang with him.

To think that Wu Lang, always so obedient and genteel, had quite the air of a man about him, Lian Manman thought to herself.

The children filed into the West Wing Room one by one, with Wu Lang and Xiao Qi closing the door behind them.

"You’re back; how come you went off for so long." Lady Zhang was patching a jacket for Xiao Qi; she stopped her sewing when she saw the children returning. "Manman, are you tired? Come rest on the kang... Why the door closed?"

"Mother, we went to town," Lian Manman said.

"Didn’t you say you were going to the fields? Why’d you go so far?"

"Mother, this is for you." Lian Manman took out four meat buns from the basket and handed them to Lady Zhang.

"What’s this..."

"They’re the meat buns from Chen’s, stuffed with meatballs," Xiao Qi said with a wide grin, leaning closer to Lady Zhang.

Chen’s meatball-stuffed white flour buns? Those cost two Wen Money each. How could these children without a single wen get their hands on buns, and four of them at that?

"You all need to tell me the truth about where these buns came from..." Lady Zhang was getting nervous; she’d rather have her children live in poverty than stray from the right path.

"We bought them," Lian Zhizhi said, "with the money we earned ourselves."

"You, where did you earn any money from? Tell your mom the truth, no matter what happened, mom will handle it," Lady Zhang said, with her hands holding the buns trembling slightly.

Lian Manman then explained to Lady Zhang in a succinct manner how they had made money by selling bitter herbs.

"Bitter herbs can be sold for money?" Lady Zhang could hardly believe it.

"If you don’t believe it, you can ask Brother Youheng in town some day, or you can ask Shopkeeper Wang from Jisheng Hall," Lian Manman said.

Lady Zhang had to believe it upon hearing what Lian Manman said.

"Manman, how much money did you earn?" Lady Zhang asked.

"Mother, that’s none of your business," Lian Manman said. She was willing to tell Lady Zhang about the business, but not how much money she had earned. The money was hers, and she wouldn’t give it to Lady Zhou or Lady Zhang. "Mother, you must keep this secret. We’re only telling you, and you can’t tell anyone else. Brother Youheng said so because he’s afraid others will find out and want to collect bitter herbs too."

"Yes, Mother, you must keep it secret. Don’t tell Dad or Granny or else we won’t earn money next time," Lian Zhizhi also implored Lady Zhang, being more honest and revealing the truth.

"...We shouldn’t have taken Young Doctor Wang’s money," Lady Zhang said, "Now that the buns are bought, it’s done. Just eat them yourselves."