stingy landlady

Chapter 250 The Li Family Makes a Scene in Huanghua Village (3)

Li stood up nonchalantly, looked at the child in Wanrou's arms, and teased him for a moment.

"Oh dear, Xu Hong's family, your children are all so grown up, how come we haven't heard that you went home to hold a banquet and acknowledge your ancestors?"

Wanrou said softly:

“Madam Wang! These matters are all decided by my husband. I am just a woman and do not understand these things.”

"Oh! So you mean Xu Hong doesn't want to go home?"

The Li family continues their gossip:

"Xu Hong's family, let me tell you something. This man is so careless! The child is already so grown up, let bygones be bygones! Try to persuade Xu Hong more often, we're all family, there's no need to make things so tense!"

You've started your own family again. Putting everything else aside, you and your child need to be listed in the family genealogy! If this relationship isn't handled well, how can people possibly include you and your child in the genealogy?

Wanrou didn't want to hear Li Shi nagging about her family, so she changed the subject and asked:

"Madam Wang! Since this is your first time here, would you like to go out for a stroll with Guiling? Or perhaps you two haven't seen each other in a long time and would like to have a good chat here?"

Li rolled her eyes and said:

"Then you take care of the child! I'll take Guiling out for a walk!"

Wanrou nodded. Since she had nothing to say to Li Shi, she might as well do whatever she wanted. Wanrou carried the child back to her room.

Li coaxed Guiling:

"Gui Ling! Where will you stay tonight? Will someone take care of you?"

Guiling is young and doesn't have many tricks up her sleeve. Besides, she's still her own mother!

"Mother! I'll be staying in the room where Third Sister used to sleep tonight, and Aunt Lan will be staying there too!"

"Alright! Then take your mother to see her! Your mother and Aunt Lan can have a chat."

When Li saw Aunt Lan, who was lying in the room resting, Aunt Lan was so frightened that she got off the kang (a heated brick bed) and knelt down before Li.

"Madam! It really has nothing to do with me! The Second and Third Misses never told me where they went!"

"Madam! Spare me!"

Seeing that Aunt Lan still treated her like a mistress, Li felt a surge of joy!

"Get up! I didn't do anything to you! Besides, you're carrying our master's child! I know everything, I just came to talk to you!"

Aunt Lan stood up cautiously, still not daring to let her guard down.

"Aunt Lan! You really had a good time coming here with Guizhi last time! Now that you're gone, only those two vixens are left at home, and they've become even more outrageous! They're always trying to coax your master into their rooms! Humph!"

Looking at the bewildered and ignorant Guiling, Aunt Lan couldn't bear it for a moment and said to Madam Li:

"Madam! Fourth Miss still needs to learn to read and write. Why don't you let her go to Steward Xu's place first?"

Only then did Mrs. Li realize what inappropriate things she had said in front of the child. She waved her hand dismissively.

"Guiling! Go and talk to Xu Hong's family, oh! You should call her Aunt Xu! Go and study! I'll talk to Aunt Lan! You don't need to come with me."

Guiling agreed and ran off.

Li said to Aunt Lan:

"Come on, Aunt Lan! This is my first time in Huanghua Village, show me around! After all, this is our own family property! I want to see it too. My daughters are all rich young ladies, and I, the proper wife, know nothing about it!"

Aunt Lan had no choice but to say:

“Madam! As you know, I came here to rest during my pregnancy. I didn’t dare to wander around, but I’ve been feeling much better recently, so I dare to come out for a stroll.”

"This servant dares not go far."

"Let's go! Stop nagging! I'm just showing you the way, I'm not going to kill you! Let's go!"

Aunt Lan had no choice but to resign herself to taking Li for a stroll around the village. Some of the more gossipy villagers, knowing that Li was Guizhi's biological mother, would greet her warmly with "Greetings, Madam!"

Li was secretly delighted, feeling more comfortable here than in Xiaoping Village! In Xiaoping Village, people addressed her as "Dazhu's wife" out of respect for Dazhu.

Only a few long-term servants in her household addressed her as "Madam." But in Huanghua Village, everyone she met, regardless of age or gender, called her "Madam," and would even say behind her back:

"This is the master's own mother!"

That was genuine respect, a feeling completely different from that of the people in Xiaoping Village!

The two strolled over to the handicraft workshop, where Aunt Lan pointed to the "No Trespassing" sign and said:

"Madam! Outsiders aren't allowed to come in here casually. Let's go somewhere else."

Although Li didn't know many characters, she recognized the words "handicraft workshop" on the signboard. Having heard countless times about handicraft workshops at home, she was incredibly curious and couldn't possibly resist going in to take a look.

Li insisted on going in, leaving Aunt Lan with no choice. She could only speak to an old woman guarding the gate:

“Auntie! This is our boss’s mother! It’s her first time visiting the workshop, and she wants to go inside and take a look. What do you think…”

The old woman knew Aunt Lan and knew that Aunt Lan was staying in Guizhi's room to rest during her pregnancy. Aunt Lan was also sensible and never made things difficult for her, nor did she ask to enter the workshop to inquire about anything.

Now, seeing Aunt Lan leading Madam Li, speaking humbly and calling her "Madam," and claiming she was Guizhi's biological mother, I'm already eighty or ninety percent convinced.

The old woman looked at the two women in front of her and hesitated:

“Aunt Lan! It’s just that the master isn’t here. As you know, we outsiders are usually not allowed in.”

Li then spoke up:

"I'll go in and see if these hired people are working diligently. My Guizhi isn't here, so I'm wondering if any of them are shirking their duties!"

This auntie is quite conscientious and responsible! I'll tell her when my Guizhi comes back! I was just keeping an eye on things for your employer when I went in, nothing will happen!

Aunt Lan! Let's go inside!

When the old woman saw Li Shi and Aunt Lan go in, she didn't stop them too much and let them in.

The workers inside, seeing two unfamiliar women enter, assumed they were new hires and didn't pay much attention. Li, looking at the underwear the workers were sewing, blushed with embarrassment.

"What are you all doing in public! Shouldn't these little clothes be sewn secretly? Why are so many of you sewing so many? Are you out of your mind?"

Li reached out and picked up the nearest piece of clothing.

"What kind of shoddy sewing is this? It's so tiny, it's practically the same as not wearing anything at all! And why did you sew so much on it! Who told you to do this? This is just a waste of our fabric!"

"You still want your wages? I bet you won't even be able to cover your losses by paying out of pocket!"

Li began to examine each item one by one, criticizing them one by one. She berated the female workers in the workshop until they were completely bewildered.

As soon as Madam Li opened her mouth to curse, Aunt Lan excused herself by saying she had a stomachache and ran away.

Hearing the commotion, Taozhi quickly got up and hugged Li's arm, preventing her from touching or throwing things around, saying:

"Aunt! What are you doing here? Third Sister doesn't let just anyone come in!"

"Guizhi doesn't let anyone in casually, just so they can sew this filthy stuff! She's afraid people outside will find out and curse her to death! She actually has some shame! She knows to sew it secretly!"