Picking Up a General to Plow the Fields

Chapter 453: A wave of apologies

All credit to original author: Yi Yi Lan Xi

“This is the end of the matter, you better not do anything else!” Lian Hai said helplessly, his head aching.
He really didn’t expect his parents to be so short-sighted.

Lian Fang Zhou might be guarding against this but was too embarrassed to say it!

Seeing their unconvinced expressions, Lian Hai was forced to explain in order to prevent them from ruining his plans.
“I want to use this to get in touch with the Su family.”

Then he explained his plan.

Lian Li’s eyes lit up.
He slapped his thigh and smiled: “Good idea, good idea! Wouldn’t it be better if you go to the Su family’s house in a few days? Why wait until next year?”

Lian Hai patiently explained: “Next year is the best time to drop by.
After all this matter is not big, it’s not worth a special trip.
Otherwise the traces of flattery are too obvious and they will despise me.
Why go now? Better to go later to say thank you.”

Lian Li shut up.

However, Madam Qiao didn’t understand at all and stubbornly said: “Thank you, thank you, who doesn’t like others to come and say thank you? What does it have to do with whether we want more seeds?”

“Just listen to what your son says!” Lian Li scolded his wife.
“Don’t talk so much nonsense! I’m warning you, if you dare to mess up your son’s future, I’ll divorce you!”

Madam Qiao’s face turned pale and she didn’t dare to say another word.

~

Back at Lian Fang Zhou’s house, Lian Hai had just left when Wang Shun’s wife came over.

Wang Shun’s wife was one of the women who had spoken badly about Lian Fang Zhou, saying that she was selfish, mean, and stingy behind her back and was one of the people blacklisted by Lian Fang Zhou.

Seeing her coming, naturally Lian Fang Zhou would not give her a good face.
However, Wang Shun’s wife was from an older generation so it was inconvenient for Lian Fang Zhou to argue with her.
Before she could speak, Lian Fang Zhou got up and called over Third Aunt.

Wang Shun’s wife looked embarrassed and called out: “Fang Zhou!”, trying to hold her back.

Third Aunt slapped her hand against the wall and half-smiled: “Oh, isn’t this sister-in-law Shun? We can’t entertain people like you who are greedy, stingy, and mean! Well, the door is right there! Leave out the side, please!”

Third aunt didn’t want to let anyone bully them.
If it wasn’t for Lian Fang Zhou stopping her, she would have long gone over to Wang Shun’s house to scold her.
Now that Wang Shun’s wife had brought herself to their door, how could she still let it go?

Since you dared open your mouth to say nonsense behind someone’s back, what were you doing going to visit their house?

Wang Shun’s wife was so embarrassed, her face flushed red.
But she had already been scolded by her father-in-law at home, as well as her husband, her son, and even her own daughter-in-law.
How could she dare to get angry?

She was very aggrieved.
If she had known that the county would not promote cotton or distribute cotton seeds this year, she would not have said anything bad about Lian Fang Zhou.

It was her own bad luck!

“Hehe, look at what the Third Aunt said.
You really said a joke!” Wang Shun’s wife laughed, slapping her mouth.
“I was just confused and saying nonsense back then, don’t mind small, minded people! Just spare me this time! Third Aunt, you are kind-hearted and Lian Fang Zhou and her siblings are all good people.
Who doesn’t talk a bit in this village, who doesn’t complain? Oh, I did a little that day too.
I don’t know why, why— it’s my fault for being confused! Really confused!”

She slapped her own mouth twice as she spoke, begging Third Aunt with a smile.

If it was the past, Third Aunt would have been three points more unreasonable.
And even if she was reasonable, she would have definitely been unforgiving.
No matter how pleasant the words, it wouldn’t have ended without her scolding Wang Shun’s wife to tears first.

But now life was going well and because of Lian Fang Zhou’s influence, she wasn’t so quick to do things like that.

After all, the village was the front line that they had to meet in the future.

Third Aunt’s expression eased and she sighed: “Fang Zhou and the children really don’t have it easy! They are so young but they are so sensible.
Earlier, my second brother and second sister-in-law passed away, how difficult it was for the family! They forced themselves to continue on.
Now that the family is doing better, they haven’t forgotten to help the village.
Tell me, are they doing a good job? Say, how many people who have struggled most of their lives can be like Lian Fang Zhou? Don’t you agree?”

Wang Shun’s wife knew that Third Aunt was scolding her but who wanted their shortcomings to be caught in the hands of others?

She had to endure her hot face and reluctantly nod.
Smiling, she said: “Yes, yes, what you said— that’s true! Fang Zhou and the others, they have always been good-hearted and willing to help people! Good people have good rewards!”

“So sister-in-law is also a sensible person!” Third Aunt smiled without humor.
“It’s good that my sister-in-law understands the truth! Fang Zhou didn’t ask for anything in such difficult days but now that life is prosperous, she is smart and capable.
If anyone wants to bully her for no reason, they must first consider whether they are capable! She is willing to share but that doesn’t mean she’s a fool.
She takes the money she earns and shares it equally with everyone.
You say, if it was you who earned the money, would you give it to others for nothing?”

Third Aunt’s words of mockery and sarcasm hit Wang Shun’s wife until she lowered her head, so embarrassed she wanted to shrink into a ball.

But in order to show her sincerity, she had no choice but to answer Third Aunt.
Enduring the shame, she whispered: “You, you are right…”

Third Aunt saw that Wang Shun’s wife was like a defeated rooster.
Seeing her head drooping in front of her, the smile on Third Aunt’s face became stronger and stronger.

Part of her wanted to continue making her mouth happy but remembering Lian Fang Zhou’s orders, she regretfully had to hold back.

Third Aunt waved her hand generously: “It’s good if you understand! I don’t think my sister-in-law is a confused person! I believe she will understand in the future, right?”

“Yes! Yes!” Wang Shun’s wife jumped at Third Aunt’s tone and quickly nodded, smiling brightly: “I will never be confused again!”

“That’s good!” Smiling, Third Aunt added: “But even if you do it again, it doesn’t matter if you are confused.
There is always a way to wake you up, right?”

Wang Shun’s wife froze.
Nodding painfully, she said: “Yes… that’s right.”

Third Aunt was satisfied.
She waved her hand again: “Okay, it’s getting late.
I’ll tell Fang Zhou!”

“Okay!” Wang Shun’s wife hurriedly agreed.
Secretly glancing at Third Aunt, she saw that the other woman was in a good mood so she tentatively smiled and asked: “Ah, Third Aunt, could you give us some more then?”