Chapter 120: Splitting the Family (Part 4)

Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Splitting the Family (Part 4)

Zhang Wei Qiang looked at Lin Qin and asked seriously, "What do you think?" Nearby, Wen Xiu and Zhang Minzhen also watched nervously.

"Either way is fine. I have no objections," Lin Qin replied with a smile. Her expression was completely genuine, causing the others to sigh in relief.

’Lin Qin was actually quite satisfied with both methods her father-in-law had proposed for splitting the family. There was just one thing: although her father-in-law said he and his wife would live with the eldest son’s family in the future, he had also made it clear they wouldn’t be moving in right away. This meant she would be the mistress of her own home. Even when they got too old to work and finally moved in, that was still at least a decade away. By then, her mother-in-law would be even older. It would be impossible for her to usurp Lin Qin’s authority over the household, even if they were all living together. With that being the case, what was there to worry about?’

’In her opinion, the second option was probably more advantageous for their family. After all, her in-laws’ house was already quite old. Who knew how dilapidated it would be in another ten or twenty years? It was hard to say if such a wreck of a house would even be habitable by then. It might not even sell. How much could it possibly be worth? And don’t even get her started on the land. How much land did the old couple even have between them?’

’She chuckled to herself, not particularly bothered. Her husband was the eldest son, and the eldest usually had to take a bit of a loss. She had prepared herself for that long ago.’

’From her perspective, the second and third brothers’ families were unbelievably calculating. The first option their in-laws offered had been so good for them. Considering how hale and hearty the old couple was, living another ten or twenty years wouldn’t be a problem. With the first option, the younger brothers wouldn’t have had to give them a thing. The grain and money they’d save over those decades would be an incredible amount. If you converted all those savings into cash, forget this old house and land—they could probably afford to buy a small courtyard home in town. But no, they just had to be greedy, fixated on this dilapidated house, terrified that the eldest son’s family would get some advantage. So now their father-in-law was angry and had come up with this second option, hadn’t he?’

’Ha, even if they had the nerve to ask for the first option now, in front of all the relatives and clan elders, they’d be utterly and completely humiliated.’

Unlike her two sisters-in-law, Lin Qin felt a certain malicious glee as she awaited the final outcome. She just hadn’t anticipated that the sheer thickness of the second and third families’ hides would manage to astound her yet again.

"We’re fine with either option. We have no other objections." Zhang Wei Qiang was very pleased with his wife’s answer. He tossed the words out bluntly and said no more.

"Wei Hong, you can speak now. Your turn," Zhang Damei said, gesturing to Zhang Weihong. But before Zhang Weihong could open his mouth, he was busy whispering with Fang Juxian.

"I think we should just stick with the first option. What do you say?" Zhang Weihong asked Fang Juxian.

Fang Juxian, resentful of her father-in-law’s second proposal, turned to the couple from the third family. "Neither is good. It would be best if we could find a compromise. Why don’t our two families try to negotiate a bit more? Didn’t the old folks say it themselves? They can still work. So why should we have to give them money and grain every month? And then send people to help during the busy farming season on top of that?" She was still plotting to only take and never give. Truly mad with greed.

Since the four of them were sitting together, it was impossible for Zhang Weimin and Guo Xiuying to have missed the exchange between Zhang Weihong and Fang Juxian. When they didn’t respond to Fang Juxian’s question, Zhang Weihong spoke up. "Weimin, you should say something."

"We’ll follow your lead," Zhang Weimin said with a nod.

"Fine, then I’ll be the one to speak up. But don’t you go blaming me later, saying it was all my idea," Zhang Weihong muttered. He then cleared his throat and addressed Zhang Dazhuang, Zhang Damei, the clan elder, and Wen Xiu’s great-nephew. "Dad, my third brother and I feel it would be better if we could merge the two options."

"And how would you propose to merge them?" Zhang Damei was quick to ask, a smile playing on his lips.

"We each need to build a house, so the money should be split as we discussed—five hundred yuan per family. Since Mom and Dad can still work and be self-sufficient, let them provide for themselves for now. For the first few years, our families will have to survive on just that little bit of land. It’s going to be hard for us. Our kids are still young and in school, and they’ll need to get married in the future. There’s only so much you can grow on that land. We’ll probably barely have enough to feed ourselves, so how could we have any to spare? We’re not like our eldest brother. He has a salary, and he still gets free grain from the fields. He can be as filial to our parents as he wants. My third brother and I are just farmers, living at the mercy of the heavens. But we’ll still show the proper respect we ought to. When the busy farming season comes, it’s no problem for our families to make time to help Mom and Dad. That’s only right."

Zhang Weihong said all this in one breath, then paused before continuing, "As for when Mom and Dad get too old to work, it’s fine if they want to go live with our eldest brother. It would be right for my third brother and me to contribute to their food expenses at that time. But as for cash, let’s just forget about it. Any big expenses will be split three ways among us brothers anyway. We really don’t have money. If we give them cash every month *and* have to split costs whenever something happens, how are our own families supposed to survive?"

"Oh? And what about your parents’ house, land, and savings after they pass away?" Zhang Damei asked.

"That will be split evenly among us three brothers, of course," Zhang Weihong said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"And how do you account for us living with your eldest brother and relying on him to take care of us?" Zhang Dazhuang asked with a laugh that was devoid of humor.

"Why don’t we do what other families do? Starting now, Mom and Dad can live with each of us in rotation. One month at each house?" Fang Juxian proposed, struck by a sudden idea. ’If they did that, then for two out of every three months, there would be an elder at her home who could help with chores. Looking at them, they were healthy enough to work for another decade, no problem. That way, for at least ten years, not only would her family not have to give any money or grain, they’d actually gain an extra laborer.’

The moment this suggestion was made, Zhang Wei Qiang’s face darkened, and a scornful smile touched Lin Qin’s lips. The other members of the second and third families, however, looked at Fang Juxian with admiration and nodded in agreement.

"I really raised two wonderful sons, didn’t I? Your father and I have been together for decades. We gave birth to you, raised you, found you wives, and now your own sons are growing up. But in the end, as we’re getting old, you still think you haven’t used us enough. You come up with this kind of fucked-up, inhu— COUGH, COUGH... this idea to split us up, trying to squeeze every last drop of oil from our bones! You two are just wonderful."

Wen Xiu shot to her feet, pointing furiously at Fang Juxian. "Wei Hong’s wife, there is no way your father and I will ever agree to a split like that. If you really think it’s so great, then you and your husband can save it for yourselves. Don’t you have two sons? It’ll be just perfect to use on you when they’re older."