Chapter 26:
“Depei, what do you say?”
Children studying is a big deal and cannot be taken lightly.
“Cough… this, brother, I know, but, but…”
Zhou Shi kept giving him meaningful glances nonstop, “We have silver but you’re not taking it out? For these useless ones, us two old folks even had our pension scraped clean by them.”
Old Li Tou hesitated…
Zhou Shi had some money there, which she had secretly hidden away; every time the family sold grain or had any income, she would first take a portion and hide it with her.
Roughly around ten taels or so, this was Old Li Tou’s estimate.
Zhou Shi hid it tightly and wouldn’t let him see…
This was her and the old man’s pension, no one knew about it except Old Li Tou…
“You all know, our family has heavy burdens, Gui’er studying at the school in town, just the tuition costs twenty-five taels, selling the wheat will probably still fall a bit short.”
“This tuition rose by three taels this year, plus book fees, writing supplies, living expenses…”
“Yunliang and Muqing, these two children studying, tuition isn’t cheap either, two and a half taels per person, see, that’s five taels gone in one go…”
She sighed, “Previously selling wheat seeds still owes the seed shop six taels, they gave credit because we’re acquaintances, it’s not that I don’t want to let them go study, it’s really that we have no ability!”
Xiao Zhou Shi sneered coldly, just knew it would be like this, no surplus last year? No surplus all these years?
Li Daqiang marrying her didn’t cost betrothal gifts, Li Sanmao marrying Luo Zhi’er was also empty-handed wolf, Li Lei did spend nearly ten taels, after all these decades, really no twenty-five taels?
“Father-in-law, actually Liuliu and Miaomiao should also go to school to study by rights…”
Everyone looked, it was Third Wife who suddenly blurted out foolishly…
No one felt she was senseless, after all her personality was like that, and her experiences were like that…
These boys couldn’t all go study, let alone the daughters!
“You this silly fatty, daydreaming, flattering yourself, what books do girl children read?”
“So much work at home, just reaching working age, they pat their butts and go play at school, what’s the use of old lady raising them?”
“Old lady sees you’ve eaten your fill! Where there’s no trouble you bring it up.” Zhou Shi scolded her harshly…
Old Li Tou felt that this Third Wife was raised too well by Old Man Luo.
To the point she didn’t know the hardships of life, what books do girl children read?
In a few years they’d marry and become labor force in someone else’s home, wasting silver…
Actually Luo Zhi’er studied for a few years as a child, later she herself didn’t want to go.
When she came over herself she even brought her previous books, unfortunately, doing work at home, she forgot about it…
However, speaking to this point, Old Li Tou suddenly remembered, when Luo Zhi’er married in back then, it was heard that Old Man Luo left her some dowry…
At that time Zhou Shi went to demand it, saying to help her keep it, but was blocked back by Li Sanmao, who also said there were no things…
Li Sanmao saw a flash of sadness in his wife’s eyes and gripped her hand.
“Li Daqiang, have you seen clearly?”
“Wife… Dad is in a tough spot too…”
Li Daqiang was in a dilemma…
Xiao Zhou Shi said directly,
“If Father-in-law cannot give us a guarantee, I feel our family of five cannot stay in this home anymore…”
“What? You mean to divide the family?”
The village chief asked the key point!
Uncle Zhao and Uncle Li mentioning this also had complex expressions…
Luo Zhi’er was delighted, finally someone was the first to say it, just don’t know what the result would be?
The people in this home immediately had different thoughts…
Li Depei and his wife absolutely did not want to separate; if they did, how would Li Gui study? They were getting too old to work, what about their pension?
There was also no way he could survive in the village without face; families only divide when there’s disharmony, his backbone would be poked through…
Li Zhenzhu didn’t want to either; there was so much housework, if the sisters-in-law split off, who would cook, feed the pigs, clean…
Li Gui was extremely afraid in his heart; he wouldn’t be able to study anymore, how would he escape this home?
“That’s right, I don’t get along with Zhenzhu, she hits me; under one roof we see each other all the time, I’m busy too, but she always uses a chicken feather as an arrow to command me, I have even less mood and time to serve the sister-in-law who hit me.”
“Second, with the second son’s family, you all heard today, those words about my Daqiang and her having an affair, how can we live in the village if we’re mixed together?”
“Third, my Muqing and Yunliang must study; since parents don’t care and there’s no silver at home, then let’s divide the family, Daqiang farms and grows crops, I don’t believe with us two those two boys can’t study.”
“Just knew this little hoof, up to no good, stirring up trouble!”
Zhou Shi cursed.
“Daqiang, what do you think?”
