stingy landlady

Chapter 65 Building a House (5)

Foreman Liu stood up and took his leave.

"Master! Third Miss! Then I shall take my leave!"

He then clasped his hands in a respectful bow. He added to Madam Li, "I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Madam! Farewell!"

After saying that, he strode towards the door. Dazhu, Li Shi, and Guizhi saw him off at the door.

Guizhi pulled at Li Shi, "Mother! Fourth Sister is in her room by herself! You should go back first!"

Li understood and quickly went inside to lock up the silver, cloth, and pastries. She left only a little candy outside.

Dazhu and Guizhi saw Liu, the foreman, off onto the carriage. Liu, the foreman, clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Master! Third Miss! Until we meet again!"

Dazhu also followed suit, clasping his hands in a salute: "Until we meet again!"

Guizhi said playfully, "I wish Uncle Liu all his wishes come true and that his business prospers!"

Foreman Liu laughed heartily, "Good, good, good! What a wish come true! May your wealth increase!"

"Ming'an! Let's go!"

Dazhu and Guizhi waited until their carriage was out of sight before turning back.

Just then, I saw Zhao closing the door to the old house.

Guizhi became alert. She whispered to Dazhu:

"Dad! Since the contract has already been signed, let's pretend it never happened! Don't tell my grandparents either!"

Dazhu's unquestionable reply was: "Yes! I understand!"

Once inside the outer room, Guizhi closed the door from the inside. After entering the inner room, she climbed onto the kang (heated brick bed) on both sides and looked out the windows to see if anyone was eavesdropping.

Li became tense upon seeing this. Dazhu smiled and said:

"Look at you, acting all neurotic! Why are you being so cautious? This is our own home!"

Guizhi whispered to Dazhu and Li Shi:

"Mom! I just saw my second aunt go to my grandma's room!"

You saw us sign and put our fingerprints today! We're not allowed to talk about it, so please don't ask! Just pretend you don't know anything!

My grandparents asked Uncle Liu what he was doing here! We have to say the same thing!

Li panicked: "Then what should we say? And your second aunt must have seen the things your Uncle Liu sent! She'll probably start spouting nonsense to your grandma again! She can't stand seeing others do well!"

Guizhi found her mother's expression somewhat amusing.

"Mom! My second aunt just has conjunctivitis! Why are you afraid of her!"

Let's say Uncle Liu came to ask about things at the construction site! He was just passing by and stopped by our house to get acquainted with the area!

"Dad! Is this a better way to put it?"

Dazhu said impatiently:

"Sure! Why not? You're not even going to come and check out my house if you want me to build it for you!"

Li asked again, "Then! The things that people gave us!"

Guizhi glanced at Dazhu, her face darkening as she said:

"Mother! We've separated our households! We should remember the kindness of those who gave us gifts! Just keep the gifts you received! Eat them! Don't always think about giving them away! Such expensive things, if your own children can't bear to eat them, who will you give them to!"

And that fabric, it's silk, to make clothes for us. When our house is finished, and people come to visit, we sisters will look beautiful and make Mom and Dad proud, won't we?

"Let's buy two more bolts of silk sometime, and you and Dad will each have a set made! That way, no one in the village will dare look down on us again!"

Dazhu understood what was going on and what he was hearing: his daughter's stinginess was kicking in again!

Dazhu looked at Li Shi and said:

"Alright! I'll do whatever Guizhi says! Mother of my child, you just keep them all! If our parents ask, I'll just say they were specially given to the children!"

Who would have the nerve to argue with a child!

Zhao did indeed try to sow discord between Li and Dazhu in front of the old lady at the old house.

The old man wasn't home, and as soon as Zhao came in, she said:

"Mother! Mother! A carriage came from who-knows-where! It's so impressive! Mother, did you see it?"

The old lady sat steadily at the end of the kang (a heated brick bed) and carefully observed the needlework!

"I saw it! Dazhu led it! I saw it as soon as the carriage arrived!"

Zhao said anxiously:

"Mom! Didn't you see how much stuff we carried? It took two people to carry it into the house!"

The old lady spent a long time trying to identify the needle mark but couldn't, so she simply put it down and said, "Did you take anything? I saw Dazhu and the other guy go in empty-handed!"

"Mother! What else could I possibly do!" Da Ya went out, followed by the men her older brother led. Together with the two cart drivers, they carried her into the house!

I saw it all! I saw it clearly!

The old lady fell into deep thought.

Unwilling to give up, Zhao said again:

"Logically speaking, since both parents live in the same courtyard, why didn't my elder brother invite the guests to Mother's room? No matter what, Mother is the elder! She should be the oldest in our courtyard!"

Seeing what the old lady was thinking, Zhao knew that the old lady had taken her words to heart.

"Mother, that carriage has been gone for so long, why haven't my elder brother and the others come over to tell you what they're up to? What are they here for?"

As Zhao spoke, she snorted coldly again:

"Hmph! Mother! Just wait and see! That sister-in-law is so stingy, she'll definitely keep everything secret!"

"Mom! Shall we go and see? She dares not give it to me! I'll beat her to a pulp!"

The old lady wasn't very happy.

"Alright! You're always making such a fuss! Your older brother isn't that kind of person! Before the family split up, your older brother was the most capable! And after the split, he's been very filial to me and your father!"

I don't like listening to your divisive words!

The two sat for a long time, but still didn't see Dazhu and Li Shi come over, nor did they send the child over!

The old lady couldn't sit still any longer, so she put on her shoes and got out of bed!

"Let's go see what they're up to? Why are they taking so long?"

The old lady thought that Dazhu was delayed by something, but she didn't expect that Dazhu had no intention of coming at all!

Zhao quickly helped the old lady into the main hall.

Dazhu was happily playing with Siya! It's rare to have time, and I got home early without having to rush anything! I'm also experiencing what it feels like to relax when you have money.

Guizhi was trying on her new clothes. Li had already made clothes for her daughters. However, Guizhi was always running around, going up the mountain and down to the fields, and Li was afraid that she would get dirty and ruin them, so she hadn't worn them yet.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li made her try on clothes.

"Hmm! It's alright! I made it extra long on purpose! You kids grow so fast! If I had made it according to the original measurements, it would be too small now! I would have to make it bigger next time!"

Li kept nagging and gesturing at Guizhi.

Guizhi smiled and asked Dazhu, "Dad! Doesn't it look good? My mother is really good at making clothes, isn't she amazing?"

Dazhu smiled and brushed it off:

"Beautiful! Amazing!"

Tomorrow, you and Guihong should both wear your new clothes to town! Don't let any young man beat you to it!

Guizhi stomped her feet:

"Father is talking nonsense!"

Madam Li laughed, "You! You say all sorts of things to a child! I raised this girl with so much effort, how could I just let someone snatch her away like that? I'd have to give her a grand wedding procession, and even then, it'd depend on whether I'm willing!"

"Mother! Why are you criticizing me too!" Guizhi said coquettishly.

Siya clapped her hands on the kang (a heated brick bed): "Oh! Oh! Mother said that my sister will be carried in a sedan chair by eight bearers! Haha!"

"Fine! It's one thing for my parents to scold me, but you, a little brat, dare to laugh at me! I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!"

After saying that, Guizhi took off her shoes, jumped onto the kang (a heated brick bed), and went to grab Siya. The two sisters laughed and played together.