Romance on the Farm Episode 9 Recap
> Romance on the Farm Recap
Lian Man'er sent a letter to her grandparents asking for their help with the family split. Soon after, Grandpa Zhang Qingshan arrived at Shisanli Camp with Grandma Li and their three sons, Zhang Qingnian, Zhang Qingyou, and Zhang Qingyu. Man'er warmly welcomed her maternal family. Grandma Li immediately expressed concern for her daughter, Man'er’s mother, lamenting her emaciated appearance and scolding her for not informing the family of her plight earlier.
Grandpa Zhang instructed his sons to move their belongings and begin building new walls and a kitchen. Meanwhile, Zhou, hoping to sway public opinion, told her second daughter-in-law, He, to summon villagers to judge the family division, promising a large pot of braised chicken in return. He initially hesitated but eventually went. At the village entrance, He found villagers discussing Lian Shouxin's defiance and the suffering of the elders.
He seized the opportunity to join, claiming Shouxin's desire to split from the family was instigated by his wife, and that the elders cried daily because of it. Man'er’s maternal aunt, Wang, then arrived and countered He's accusations. Wang passionately detailed her sister's (Man'er's mother) hardships, including working while pregnant and being denied medicine after her miscarriage. He, visibly shocked, still maintained her stance on filial piety, claiming Man'er had long pushed for the family division.
Wang then brought up the topic of Lian Shouren's excessive spending, which forced the family to live frugally, and his shameless attempt to arrange a poor marriage for Man'er. As He tried to dismiss these issues as typical family squabbles, Wang accidentally dropped a hunting knife from her clothing. Frightened, He quickly fled home. Back at the Lian household, Grandma Li embraced her daughter, assuring her that she was there to support her.
She then instructed Shouxin to stand by her side during the division and remain silent, allowing her to handle all negotiations. Man'er's younger siblings expressed their desire to keep the ox, Power, and the dog, Yellow, with them, which Grandma Li promised to secure. Separately, Grandpa Zhang Qingshan confronted Lian Fang, reminiscing about their past acquaintance as a merchant and a master shop owner.
He expressed his deep disappointment that his daughter had been mistreated despite his initial respect for Lian Fang. Lian Fang admitted his neglect of family matters and promised that Zhou would not cause any trouble during the division this time. Zhou then secretly instructed her son, Lian Shouyi, to manipulate the accounts in their favor, reminding him of his past history of falsifying records after gambling losses.
However, Grandma Li, revealing her own experience as an accountant, offered to help Shouyi with the calculations, effectively overseeing his every move. Grandma Li quickly exposed Shouyi's deliberate errors in calculating land yields, misrepresenting land area, and missing tax exemptions, much to Man'er's admiration. Meanwhile, outside, Zhang Qingnian observed Shen Nuo’s poor masonry skills, noting his crooked wall. Shen Nuo claimed chronic illness and back pain, so Zhang Qingnian sent him to fetch water instead.
When Wang Youheng arrived to help, he impressed the uncles with his diligent work ethic. Seeing this, Shen Nuo returned from his errand and also began working with renewed effort. During the division, Zhou chastised Shouyi for not securing more assets, feeling they had "given away" too much. Shouyi promised to argue for the furniture.
The family's furniture, including three old elm wood tables, five pairs of folding-back chairs, ten drum stools, six armrest tables, six slender tables, storage cabinets, and screens, were discussed. Initially, Man'er's family was allocated only 300 coins and two stools.
Man'er swiftly intervened, demanding her mother’s dowry, which she stated was worth at least 50 taels, along with the valuable wild game her grandmother had brought during her mother's confinement period after Man'er's birth, which Man'er claimed was worth five taels. Grandma Li confirmed the dowry's existence and its whereabouts, producing the jewelry box as proof. With her and Man'er's assertive presence, the remaining dowry items were exchanged for more household items.
Grandma Li then directed Man'er to give the jewelry to her mother and instructed the uncles to move the furniture to the west chamber. The discussion moved to the livestock. Zhou attempted to stall the division of the ox, Power, by claiming it was missing, but Grandpa Zhang Qingshan remarked on Man'er's talent for finding animals. Grandma Li insisted they proceed with the division immediately.
Zhou, in a desperate attempt to keep the ox, suggested killing it and splitting the meat, but Grandma Li quickly warned her of the severe legal consequences, stating that killing an ox or horse illegally led to a year in prison. They eventually compromised, allowing Man'er to continue herding Power, with the understanding that others could request its use for plowing. When Man'er's family also sought to take Yellow, the family dog, Zhou vehemently refused, claiming it as her "life."
Man'er’s family suggested letting Yellow choose, and the dog promptly ran to them. As the division concluded, Man'er quickly seized kitchen items, frustrating Zhou, who shouted in protest but was ultimately unable to stop her. The family division was officially finalized with Lizheng as a witness. Following the successful division, Man'er's maternal family helped build new walls, a kitchen, a woodshed, and a pigsty for Man'er's family. They celebrated their new independence with a festive meal.
Grandma Li announced that they would have to depart soon for another hunting trip before winter snows sealed the mountains. Before leaving, she advised Man'er that her parents, Lian Shouxin and his wife, were inherently kind and soft-hearted, qualities unlikely to change. She urged Man'er to take charge and ensure her mother would never again suffer mistreatment.
Grandma Li then subtly suggested Shen Nuo, who was now alone after his family's home was destroyed by a flood, as a potential husband for Man'er, hinting at his suitability to marry into the family. She also mentioned Wang Youheng as a good, gentle option. Man'er, shyly, quickly dismissed both possibilities, stating her ambition to earn a lot of money and travel. Uncle Zhang Qingnian playfully teased Shen Nuo about his apparent interest in Man'er.
Both Zhang Qingnian and Zhang Qingyou expressed their confidence in both Shen Nuo and Wang Youheng. Meanwhile, Lian Shouxin solemnly promised Grandpa Zhang Qingshan that he would forever remember his teachings and never allow his wife to suffer again. As Man'er's family bid farewell to her maternal relatives, Man'er's mother was visibly upset to see them go. Later, He attempted to avoid household chores by feigning exhaustion due to her pregnancy, asking Shouyi to intercede with Zhou.
However, Shouyi, aware of his mother's foul mood after the unfavorable family division, refused, lamenting that their family had "given away" too much during the split. Zhou overheard their conversation and harshly ordered everyone to continue working until all tasks were completed, allowing no one to rest.
