Chapter 197: Still a Child

Chang Lian pinched the purse at his waist. There was only a hundred coins in the purse, which was the hundred coins his father gave him when his parents went to Pingzhou last time, plus the remaining money from the New Year's red envelope. In the past few months, he only spent a few dozen coins, and lent them to classmates in need. He learned a lot from his father. He did not have his father's ability to do good to the family, but he could help some poor outsiders with potential. Otherwise, he would not be willing to spend a penny.

Zhulan waited for a long time but Changlian didn't speak. She saw Changlian's fingers constantly pinching his purse and could hear the sound of copper coins colliding. "You want silver?"

Chang Lian didn't dare to ask his father for money. He also wanted to borrow from Rong Chuan. He was not stupid. He would have to pay it back sooner or later. After thinking about it, he could only ask his mother for money. "Mom, the Mid-Autumn Festival is only a month away. This is the first festival after Chu Chu and I got engaged. I want to give Chu Chu a gift, but I don't have enough money. Can you give me two hundred coins?"

Zhulan felt that Changlian was not telling the truth. She always felt that this boy was doing more than just giving a Mid-Autumn Festival gift to his fiancée.

She was speechless looking at Chang Lian's bulging purse. This kid didn't spend a penny of the money Zhou Shuren gave him last time. He even found a purse to hang around his waist and put all his savings in the purse. She had never seen the purse go stale. This kid had the potential to be a miser.

Chang Lian saw that his mother did not reply. He no longer looked down on her. In his heart, his mother was the smartest person in the family besides his father. "Mom, why do you look at me like that?"

Zhulan retracted her gaze and instructed Changlian, "Mother's purse is on the kang cabinet in the room, go get it."

As soon as Chang Lian left, Li dropped the vegetables in her hands and quickly came over, "Mom, the vegetables are all picked."

Zhu Lan resisted the urge to roll her eyes and said in disgust, "Don't think I didn't see you eavesdropping. With your simple mind, Ming Teng can't be fooled, and you want to fool me?"

Li, "........Mother, Mingteng is not as good as me."

Zhulan was speechless, "How dare you compare yourself to Mingteng? How big are you compared to Mingteng? Come on, call your sister-in-law over."

Li was reluctant to leave. Her third brother wanted two hundred coins, which was not a small amount. She felt bad. The betrothal gift was almost three hundred taels. The head of the family said it was for the whole family, but it was also necessary to give two hundred coins as a gift for a festival. It had to be sent alone along with the family gifts. That was not acceptable. There would be more festivals in the future, and if they had to give gifts every time, wouldn't their families be at a loss?

Chang Lian held his mother's purse and watched his sister-in-law speechlessly as she left, looking back every few steps. He never thought of asking for money secretly, otherwise there would be many opportunities to do so. He always thought that his sister-in-law had changed. He had comforted her a few days ago, but it turned out that his sister-in-law didn't change at all. Very good, warmth was given away for free.

Zhulan took the purse. There were only a few dozen copper coins in her purse, but there were quite a few small silver coins, all of which were one- and two-cent coins. She didn't want to put too many copper coins in it, as it would be too heavy and she would feel tired. She poured out two silver coins from her purse and handed them to Changlian, "Here, take this."

Chang Lian held the coins in his hand. His mother was still easy to talk to. If it was his father, he would never get used to him. He was really afraid of his father. He always felt that if his mother was not around, they, his sons, would be dispensable. He prayed in his heart that his mother would live a long life and live longer than his father.

Chang Lian packed up the silver and said, "Thank you, mother. I will never waste money carelessly."

Zhulan poured out two more two-cent coins and looked up at Changlian, "In this family, no matter who spends money recklessly, you won't do it. Mother believes in you."

Chang Lian was touched. Only his mother would trust him. "Mom, why do you trust me so much? I didn't do well."

After the family changed, he was also observing quietly. Although he didn't want to admit it, he found that his character was not as good as his two older brothers. As for the youngest brother, he was heartless but had a pure heart and was the most upright person in the family. In contrast, he was selfish and self-centered. He didn't expect that his mother trusted him so much in her heart. He felt a little sad.

Zhulan tied up her purse, "Because you have the potential to be a miser, you are very stingy and don't want to spend a penny, so I naturally believe that you won't waste money."

Chang Lian, "......."

It's so heartbreaking and touching!

Zhulan's eyes were full of smiles. This boy started to act like an adult after he got engaged, but the more he acted, the more he lost his true self. After all, he is still a child. Look at how lively his expression is now.

Chang Lian saw his mother smiling, and the frustration in his heart disappeared. He knew that his mother was teasing him, and a different emotion lingered in his heart. "Mom."

It was rare for Zhulan to see admiration in Changlian's eyes. She and Zhou Shuren had been here for a year. Since this boy found that the family was fair, he thought most about fighting for his own interests. Later, when he found out that she and Zhou Shuren were powerful, he began to be afraid to learn and change himself. Now he keeps imitating Zhou Shuren, and he has indeed become better and better. However, this boy has always kept a distance from her and Zhou Shuren. Rather than treating her and Zhou Shuren as his parents, he regards them as people he wants to surpass.

Zhulan felt relieved. After all, he was a child. His temperament was not formed in one day. The child was not well educated since childhood. That was the fault of the original couple. Now she and Zhou Shuren were here, and Chang Lian was changing day by day. This child could be educated well. It was rare for him to express his emotions now. Chang Lian also needed fatherly and motherly love. She only teased him once, and Chang Lian longed for motherly love. Zhulan was greatly touched, and reflected on the fact that she and Zhou Shuren did not care much about Chang Lian.

Zhulan raised her hand and touched Changlian's head. "You have grown so fast this year. I will make you a new set of clothes for the Mid-Autumn Festival. My third son will look no worse than the young masters in the county. Doesn't the book say that young masters are as beautiful as jade? Changlian will also be as beautiful as jade."

Chang Lian's eyes were red. He was the fourth child in the family. There were many children in the family, but his parents paid little attention to him. He also expected attention and hoped that his mother would hold him and coax him. Later, he grew up and no longer expected it. He thought he didn't care anymore. It turned out that what he had been expecting in his heart was a little nasal. "Yeah."

Zhulan sighed in her heart, saying that in modern times, they are just junior high school students, and no matter how mature they are mentally, they are still children.

The sound of "puff" was particularly loud in the quiet yard.

Li's face flushed, "Mom, I, I couldn't help it, I didn't mean it."

Chang Lian's face flushed, he was shy. His two sisters-in-law saw his appearance just now, so they turned around and ran away quickly, feeling so embarrassed.

Li's face turned even redder. This was embarrassing. She didn't expect the fart to be so loud. "Mom, I'm going back to the house."

Zhao came back to her senses. This development was somewhat beyond her expectations. She wanted to laugh but couldn't because her mother was around. It was very difficult to hold back the shaking of her shoulders.

Zhulan didn't care and laughed out loud. Li was so embarrassed that she ran away. Her short legs made her run fast, and she slammed the door.

Zhulan held back her laughter and handed the two silver coins in her hand to Zhao, "This is the money for the Mid-Autumn Festival for both of you two families. Two coins for each family. Give it to your eldest sister-in-law!"

Zhao happily took the silver coins. Her mother meant that the money was given to the two wives alone, and Hua Niang would not care about it. This was unexpected money. Her dissatisfaction with the third child just now disappeared. "Thank you, mother."

Zhulan waved her hand and asked Zhao to take it to Li. After Zhao left, Zhulan touched her chin. There was still not enough money at home. If there was more, she could learn to give monthly allowance. She touched her purse and sighed softly. The family had to use the money to buy land and save for future expenses. It was better to be frugal.

In the evening, everyone knew that Zhulan had given money for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Originally, Zhulan wanted to explain that she gave it to Changlian because he had a fiancée, and gave it to Laoda Lao because he had a family. In the end, Zhulan didn't even need to explain, as Changzhi didn't react at all. After dinner, he went back to recite his lessons.

Zhulan, "......."

She even felt a little sympathy for her future daughter-in-law.

The next day, Zhulan looked at Li, who was feeling a little guilty, and asked, "Are you going to the county?"