Chapter 2 To Sell or Not to Sell

　　The sun was slanting in the west, usually at this time, the Lian family had almost had dinner, but today, there were only people sitting on the kang in the east room of the Lian family's upper room, and the kang table had not yet been set. 　　The Lian family's old man, Lian Fang, was a tall, thin old man with a red face. He was wearing a green-colored rough cloth coat and pants, sitting cross-legged on the kang, puffing on a dry cigarette. 　　Across from Master Lian, the fair-faced middle-aged man sitting cross-legged with his back to the kang was Lian Shouren, the eldest son of the Lian family. He wore a sunflower-colored cocoon silk straight embellishment, with a square scarf, lowered his head do not know what to think. 　　Not far from the two men, sitting around a few women. Sitting against the window sill is Lian's old lady Zhou. Zhou's hair has been a little thin, but combed a mess, face can vaguely see the charm of youth. Immediately next to Zhou's sitting, is Lian old master and Lian old lady's old daughter, called Lian Xiu'er, this year fourteen years old. Lian Xiu'er's face was slightly dark, and Lian Laozi seemed to be carved out of the same mold. The little girl was wearing a brand new silver and red makeup flower pasted together, a big oily braid coiled in a bun at the top of her head, with a small gilt phoenix hairpin and a pink pompom flower pinned on it. 　　Lian Hua'er and Lian Xiu'er sat intimately together leg to leg. She wore a half-used lotus root lotus colored makeup flower pasted on, her pitch black hair was pulled up in a bun on top of her head, and a few strands of green silk hung down behind her ears on both sides. Her skin was snow-white, and next to Lian Xiu'er, she looked even more almond-eyed and peach-cheeked and beautiful. 　　Lian Hua'er's younger sister, Lian Duo'er, was also wearing a brand-new floral pastel, and was pouting and half leaning on her mother, Gu's arms. Gu sat on the edge of the kang, her stone green satin jacket and skirt were also half new and not old. 　　Because Master Lian didn't say anything, everyone didn't dare to say anything, only Lian Xiu'er and Lian Hua'er, aunt and nephew, head to head, giggled and whispered. 　　Lian Man Er came in from outside and saw Lian Hua Er at a glance. Lian Hua'er raised her head and saw Lian Man'er, the smile on her face suddenly froze, and her conversation with Lian Xiu'er came to an abrupt end. 　　Zhang helped Lian Shouxin put Lian Man'er, who was on his back, onto the kang. 　　Lian Man'er sat there and quietly surveyed the people in the room. Old Master Lian should be fifty-seven years old this year, and his body didn't look like it was hard as nails. Old Mrs. Lian must have been a beauty when she was young, the looks of the oldest and oldest four of the Lian family all followed her, but unfortunately Lian Xiu'er didn't look like her. Lian Xiu'er is fourteen years old this year, the same age as Lian Zhi'er. Hey, Lian Zhi Er is too thin, Lian Xiu Er this is considered normal development. 　　White doughnut face, thin lips of the one is the Lian family boss daughter-in-law Gu, and Lian Huaer and Lian Duoer sisters, are wearing satin. Hey, Lian Maner secretly sighed. 　　"...... This child would rather die than eat, afraid of being sold by us again." Lian Shouxin and Zhang stood under the bed, "Father, please say something." 　　Elder Lian glanced at his eldest son and knocked the tobacco pouch in his hand. 　　"Shouren, tell me, what's it all about?" 　　Lian Shouren hadn't even opened his mouth yet, but Gu's face was already full of smiles as she opened her mouth. 　　"Father, aren't you clear about this. What's for sale or not for sale is just a child's playfulness, it's not like that at all. Man'er this girl, but the great master's niece, even if the old fourth and the old fourth daughter-in-law want to sell her, there is her eldest uncle and I, but also can not sell the child is not it?" 　　Gu's words, probed over to touch Lian Man'er's head. 　　Lian Man'er cocked her head and moved towards Zhang's side, avoiding Gu's hand. 　　Elder Lian raised his eyelids and swept a glance at Elder Mrs. Lian Zhou. He had asked his eldest son to speak, but his eldest daughter-in-law grabbed the answer, which was very much out of line with his rules. However, he was a father-in-law and was concerned about his status, so it was not good to directly reprimand his daughter-in-law. The mother-in-law, Zhou, who was supposed to be very stern and should have exited in reprimand, was unexpectedly silent. 　　"Shouren, I asked you to speak miles." Elder Lian knocked on his tobacco bag again and said in a deep voice. 　　Gu's face snapped a bit, but still accompanied a smile. 　　"Father, didn't I tell you." Only then did Lian Shouren open his mouth, "I went to the capital city that day, and happened to run into a good friend of mine who was on the same case, named Yang Chengfeng. He heard that our family lacks silver, immediately took out five hundred taels of silver, but also invited me to dinner. ...... His sister's husband's family name is Sun, and he is a very prestigious squire in Qingfeng County. The son of the Sun family has not yet been betrothed, and our family's manchildren and the appearance of the same year. This marriage, or we climbed high." 　　"Uncle, what is the meaning of child bride?" Lian Man'er heard Lian Shouren full of nonsense, avoiding the important, asked. 　　"Child bride ......," Lian Shouren and Gu's exchanged a quick glance. 　　Gu raised her hand and slapped Lian Duo'er. Only that hand was raised high and fell gently. 　　"Duo'er this girl, her words were not light or serious, she made her sister Man'er angry and wanted to hit her, but she accidentally knocked on the edge of the well. Thanks to our father and mother's great fortune, the blessing of the man's son came back to life. Otherwise, this would have been a laughing matter if it had gotten out." Gu's thin lips opened and closed, and her speech was extremely sharp. 　　"A human life of the Lian family, just to fall on the eldest aunt to laugh twice, the lives of the Lian family members are so cheap." Lian Man'er coldly said. 　　"Aigoo, I don't mean this. You, a little child, why are you so overly concerned." Gu realized that she had lost her words and hurriedly depicted it. "For the sake of your matter, your eldest uncle and I feel bad in our hearts, look at your Hua'er sister's eyes are red from crying. And your duo'er sister, if you have any good or bad, I'll beat her to death to pay for your life." 　　"Child bride ......," Lian Maner said through clenched teeth. 　　Lian Hua'er lowered her eyes and secretly passed a wink to Lian Xiu'er. Lian Xiu'er conference, pampered pushed Lian old lady Zhou. 　　"Although Man'er's age isn't great, it's not small either. It's nothing for the Sun family to say they want to get married right away. People are so rich, they can still lack her food and drink, so what the heck, it's better than being at home. Sooner or later, the girl will have to marry out, not married to the Sun family, and later married a cropper. Are you happy with that? The Sun family is a big family, so what kind of daughter-in-law is there? If it wasn't for your big brother, would Man'er be able to marry into such a good family? Qingfeng County is less than a thousand miles from the village, so it's not like we won't be able to see each other in the future." 　　"Mother, why do you say that." Zhang looked at Lian Xiu'er leaning on Zhou's body, her heart ached, covering her mouth as tears crackled down again. 　　"Lao Si daughter-in-law, why are you crying? Man'er doesn't know any better, and you as a mother don't know any better? Since she's fine, let's get married as promised." Zhou added. 　　"The Sun family has mountains of gold and silver, and that young son Sun loves to study. This is a once-in-a-lifetime good thing, if you miss this village, there won't be this store." Gu smiled and said. 　　"Such a good thing, why don't you duo'er go?" Lian Man'er retorted. 　　"Lian Man'er, you dare to curse me!" Lian Duo'er raised her eyebrows and lunged towards Lian Man'er with her teeth and claws open. 　　Zhang used her body to block the pouncing Lian Duo'er. 　　"Letting Duo'er go to the Sun family is cursing Duo'er? There's something else going on here, isn't there, what are you going to sell me for?" Lian Man'er asked loudly. 　　Lian Hua'er was the first to change her face, glaring fiercely at Lian Duo'er, but looking at Lian Man'er with fear and hatred. 　　Gu grabbed back Lian Duo'er and slapped Lian Duo'er twice on her back. This time the slaps were solid, and Lian Duo'er cried out with a wow. 　　"Let Lian Man Er go, I'm not going ......" Lian Duo Er cried. 　　Gu's busy covering Lian Duo'er's mouth. 　　"Man Er, what are you babbling about, what else is going on here?" Lian Hua'er stared at Lian Man'er and asked. 　　Poor Lian Man'er, her last memories were confusing and only in fragments. She only remembered that Lian Duo'er said that she would sell her to be a child bride, and that Lian Duo'er said something else, but she didn't remember it or didn't hear it at all because by that time she had already collapsed on the edge of the well and lost consciousness. 　　Going to the Sun family was never as simple as being a child bride, there was something else going on here. Even the Sun family was a fabrication of the Lian family boss and Gu. Sending her far away, who knows what she was sent for? Five hundred taels of silver is not a small amount of money, spend such a big price must have a "big" use. And what "big" use could a little girl like her have? Lian Man Er immediately felt cold all over her body. 　　Lian Man Er stared back at Lian Hua Er without blinking. She couldn't think of anything, but she couldn't let Lianhua'er know. 　　Lian Hua'er's eyes flickered a bit when she saw that Lian Man'er didn't say anything but looked at her viciously. 　　"Big brother, besides being a child bride, what else is there?" Lian Shouxin was not stupid after all, and also heard that something was fishy. 　　"What can there be, Lao Si, don't listen to the children's nonsense." Lian Shouren was busy saying. 　　Old man Lian stared at Lian Shouren twice with his eyes, Lian Shouren slowly lowered his head. 　　"This matter oldest you did it recklessly, you go and tell that friend of yours that this matter ends here." Elder Lian said. 　　Lian Shouren and Zhang both breathed a sigh of relief. 　　However, someone else was someone else was anxious. 　　Lian Hua'er pinched her handkerchief and nervously looked at Gu, and the two mothers looked at Lian Shouren together. 　　"Father, this matter, I've already made the decision to promise people, Lao Si also nodded his head, we can't go back on our word." Lian Shouren said. 　　Elder Lian barred his dry cigarette again, clearly his mind was made up. 　　"Then, who will pay for the five hundred taels of bride price?" 　　"Father, mother, you took the money from selling me?" Lian Man'er deliberately asked. 　　She was now forcibly suppressing her fire, so full of loopholes, the moment she heard it, she knew it was unreliable, but Lian Shouxin and Zhang even believed it? Their daughters had been sold and they were still helping to count the money. No, it's even worse than that, they can't even get the job of counting the money, they can only sit on the side of the wood. 　　"Man'er is the meat that fell off my body, I don't eat or drink, save a mouthful of food for her, and I don't sell my daughter." Zhang suddenly straightened her back and said. 　　"Big brother, Yang Chengfeng lent you five hundred taels, you took it to buy the jade pendant. When did you pay out the bride price money again?" Lian Shouxin said. 　　Lian Maner secretly clenched her fists, this couple wasn't quite hopelessly stupid. 　　"Boss, you return the money!" Elder Lian said. 　　"Master, you're not selling me?" Lian Man'er's eyes lit up, crawling on her hands and knees to Master Lian's side, her big eyes flickering as she looked at Master Lian. This is also your own granddaughter hey, please, affection awaken quickly. 　　Elder Lian seemed uncomfortable with Lian Man'er's sudden proximity, but still nodded. 　　"Really not for sale?" 　　"Not for sale, our family doesn't sell our daughters." Elder Lian spoke decisively, "Go back and sit by your mother's side." Lian Laozi turned his head away and smoked a dry cigarette again. 　　Lian Man'er's heart was finally placed in her stomach. 　　Lian Hua'er suddenly leaned on Lian Xiu'er and whimpered.