Chapter 214:
“Dad, even if you’re unhappy today, I still have to say it!”
“We peasants aren’t worthy to live together with those superior people in the family!”
“You!”
Old Li Tou glared at her with wide eyes, clutched his chest, took a few big breaths to calm his tone,
“From the eldest son’s family, what nonsense are you saying? Gui’er just said it casually, how did you take it to heart? How did you even use it as an excuse for family division?”
“Said it casually? Dad, give me a break. Our Daqiang has been working like an old ox ever since Li Gui started school on the first day. They’re both Li family seed, for over ten years, not just one or two days. Look at what he got in the end?”
“Not only expelled from the school, but he also got a filthy woman from the brothel pregnant. Getting involved with a woman from such a place, who knows how much silver it’ll cost in the future?”
“Supporting Fifth Brother as a grown man is one thing, but are we supposed to support his child too? If this gets out, how can Muqing and Yunliang show their faces in the village? How will they ever marry good wives?”
“What did you say?”
Old Li Tou retreated repeatedly, shuddered a few times, nearly falling. Was today going to be the day his old bones got so angry they’d kill him?
He glanced at Li Gui on the ground, beaten half to death, then turned his head away, lowering it, not daring to look at him…
Thinking of how he had just shut up and said nothing, what more could be said?
“Hmph! That ten taels of silver went straight into their pocket, didn’t it? Dad, you didn’t ask it out, but Third Brother’s wife did—it’s hush money and nutritional fees!”
Still need strong tactics to work. Dad is just protecting his youngest son!
“Our own kids don’t even have books to read. Dad, this is all because of years of favoritism from you and Mom. Tell me, how are your favorites Second Brother and Fifth Brother doing now?”
Xiao Zhou Shi listed out years of grievances one by one…
“That’s not true. How could we favor Second Brother and Fifth Brother most? We care about your eldest son’s family too. It’s just that only Gui’er showed promise in studies, so we let him go to school…”
“Dad, explanations now are meaningless. Anyway, I want family division, or else our eldest son’s family won’t do anything from now on!”
Xiao Zhou Shi gave up on herself. No matter what she did, even if she did a lot, it all went into others’ pockets!
Clearly favoritism, but they make it sound so righteous. If they really cared, would they let Li Daqiang work like an old ox, slaving away in this family?
“Oldest, is this your meaning too?”
Li Daqiang was called out, startled into a panic. “Dad, I, I…” He glanced at Xiao Zhou Shi, seeing her staring at him with a half-smile.
It made his scalp tingle. He knew if he didn’t stand with her this time, his wife would completely break with him!
Their relationship was already shattered. Last time she mentioned it, he even slapped her. He swallowed saliva. “Dad, Muqing and Yunliang’s mom is right. I also want the two of them to study and make something of themselves!”
“Hmph! I get it!”
“From the second son’s family, what do you say?”
His gaze coldly turned to Chen Shi not far away!
Chen Shi contemplated. She naturally didn’t want family division. If it was before Li Lei got into trouble, with fields at home, she’d be happy to divide.
But now, she had no fields, Li Lei had run away, and she could only survive by relying on Old Li Tou’s family!
“We don’t agree to family division!”
Chen Shi raised her head. She didn’t agree…
“But if you give our second son’s family two mu of farmland and three mu of land, we’re willing to divide!”
She stated her conditions.
Looks like she still wants to divide!
“Go dream your beautiful dream. There’s no farmland in this family for your second son’s family, not a single inch!”
Xiao Zhou Shi planted her hands on her waist and cursed!
“Then we won’t divide!”
Chen Shi said calmly and unhurriedly.
“You! Shameless!”
“Third, what do you mean?”
Li Sanmao paused, straightened his chest, and said gravely, “Dad, now that Fifth Brother isn’t studying anymore, I think there’s no need for everyone to live together anymore!”
“Good, good, you’ve all grown up, wings hardened, don’t care about your parents anymore!”
Old Li Tou was so angry his words came out incoherent…
As if losing his center of gravity, he suddenly squatted down on the ground.
His original intent was that if most families gave answers against division, he could righteously say no!
They all meant to divide, except for the two old folks.
Zhou Shi too. The two elders seemed to age ten years in an instant!
He hadn’t even asked Li Gui on the ground. This was caused by him—what use was his disagreement?
It only confirmed he wanted to take advantage of the other families!
“Dad, although our big family won’t live together anymore, you and Mom can come with us if you want!”
Li Daqiang thought about it and said to his pitiful parents!
Xiao Zhou Shi shot him a glare!
Li Daqiang felt as the oldest in the family, he should take responsibility for caring for his parents first. Even if taken to the village, it wouldn’t hold up!
Anyway, when the time came, he farmed, and could add Dad’s fields!
Mom could help his wife with housework!
But adding Zhenzhu, Fifth Brother wouldn’t do!
These two were lazy gluttons, couldn’t carry anything heavy, never did hard labor!
Second son’s family’s Chen Shi really didn’t want to live with Old Li Tou and them, but thought about it. “Since we’re dividing, if Dad comes with us, that’s fine! Mom, forget it!”
Zhou Shi was furious to death, pointed at her and cursed a tirade! Was this despising her as old and useless?
This Chen Shi must see she had no fields—her abacus was calculating well!
Li Sanmao said calmly,
“I suppose Dad and Mom wouldn’t want to live with our third family either!”
Zhou Shi snorted coldly. Of course, seeing your third family made her upset!
“But every month, besides giving Dad and Mom some rice flour grains and oil, we can also give some silver as filial piety!”
At these words, Zhou Shi’s eyes lit up. Old Li Tou sighed. Looks like third family gave the most practical offer!
The other families either schemed for their fields or had no value themselves!
When old, how much value could one have?
“Fifth Brother, what about you?”
Luo Zhi’er, who hadn’t spoken, suddenly spoke up.
Li Gui choked, cornered like a dog. “I don’t want family division. I’ll disagree no matter what!”
“Parents are here—no family division. Don’t you know tradition? You unfilial descendants!”
“Exactly!”
Zhou Shi chimed in. Still Gui’er knows to care for people. Though he went wrong this time, wasn’t it just young and couldn’t resist a vixen’s seduction!
“Dad and Mom, are you willing to separate from Fifth Brother?”
Luo Zhi’er turned to ask Old Li Tou and Zhou Shi. The two said in unison, “Separate what?”
“Alright then, you can live with Dad and Mom!”
“No…”
“That’s not what we mean!”
Li Gui wasn’t married yet—how could he set up his own household?
Naturally he had to live with them. Besides, he’d never done that work. Alone, could he support himself?
