Chapter 9: Dividing the Family (Part 2)

Tian Caihua's eyes lit up. This red brick house had only been built two years ago; it was still brand new!

Back when they were building the house, they hadn't had enough money, and half of it had been sent back by Zhou Chenglei to make up the difference. She hadn't expected that he would actually refuse it and let them have it.

Tian Caihua finally felt a bit more balanced in her heart.

"Then this new house will be allocated to Chengxin, and the old house will go to Chenglei. Xia Xia, do you have any objections?" Father Zhou looked toward Jiang Xia.

Tian Caihua glanced at Jiang Xia. What objections could she possibly have? The two of them were planning to divorce anyway; she wouldn't be living there for long!

Last night, Zhou Chenglei had spoken to Zhou Chengxin. Fearing that their parents wouldn't agree to the separation, he had told the elders they weren't divorcing, but were simply dividing the household assets.

In truth, she felt Zhou Chenglei was worried that if his parents knew they were divorcing, they wouldn't treat Jiang Xia with any respect in the future.

After all, once they were no longer family, who would be willing to support her for nothing?

Furthermore, her brother-in-law was no longer young. At twenty-eight, he was nearly thirty. If Jiang Xia stayed in the house for another six months before the divorce, he would be twenty-nine.

He might not be able to marry a second wife immediately after the divorce; if they dragged it out, he'd be thirty.

The parents would certainly disagree; they had always wanted the younger son to marry and have children quickly.

It was only because the younger son was honest and kind that they would let a woman who was divorcing him stay in the house for another six months for free!

Jiang Xia smiled and said, "Dad, I have no objections. Whatever Chenglei says, I will follow."

That single sentence—*whatever Chenglei says, I will follow*—made Father Zhou's expression soften slightly.

This was exactly how a daughter-in-law should behave!

Having gained an advantage, Tian Caihua didn't mind saying a few kind words. She smiled and said, "Dad, Fourth Brother is capable, and Sister-in-law is educated. They will surely be able to earn money to build a western-style house very soon—one even bigger than this one."

Zhou Chenglei's face remained expressionless, while Jiang Xia, sitting beside him, simply smiled.

Father Zhou continued, "As for the fields and the land..."

Tian Caihua immediately interjected, "Dad, when the production team was distributing land back then, all four brothers were entitled to a share to honor our ancestors. At that time, Fourth Brother's household registration wasn't even here!"

Zhou Chengxin glared at her. "Dad hasn't finished speaking. Don't interrupt!"

Fourth Brother had already given their house to them; what more did this woman want?

Were they not supposed to get the land and fields too?

This was going too far!

Tian Caihua shot a glare at Zhou Chengxin. He was incompetent himself and refused to fight for anything; did he think he was rich?

Did he not realize he had four sons to raise?

Growing boys eat their fathers out of house and home. If the land was scarce, what would they eat?

Besides, she was telling the truth. Zhou Chenglei indeed hadn't been allocated land because his household registration was elsewhere.

Father Zhou ignored Tian Caihua. It was impossible to achieve true fairness when dividing a household; one could only try their best.

He had already given her the house. Even though what she said was true, the land naturally had to be divided between the fourth son and his wife. She couldn't be allowed to take all the benefits.

"The fields, the private plots, the vegetable gardens, and the bamboo grove will be divided equally among you three brothers. Your mother and I will keep one acre of field and two plots, which will be enough to leave to Zhou Zhou in the future."

Hearing this, Tian Caihua was dissatisfied and blurted out, "Does the second brother's family and Zhou Zhou get some too?"

She had taken advantage with the house, and she had endured the land being given to Jiang Xia, but the second brother and his wife were both on the government payroll—they got some too? And even Zhou Zhou, a little girl who would marry and leave, was to have land?

Shouldn't the land of the elders belong to the eldest branch in the future?

Since ancient times, the eldest son held the land. Once the elders passed, shouldn't that land be left to the eldest son?

Zhou Chengxin snapped, "Shut up! Or should we just divide the house equally too?"

Could she please say a little less? Zhou Chengxin was nearly dying of anger because of his wife; she wasn't even as sensible as Jiang Xia.

Look at Jiang Xia—she didn't have a single objection. When asked, she only said she would follow Chenglei.

Only then did Tian Caihua fall silent, though she was fuming inside.

She had married an incompetent man who acted so magnanimous!

Didn't he know he had four sons? If the house were divided equally, where would his sons live when they married?

Did he have the ability to build another one?

Father Zhou asked again, "Do you have any objections to the fields and land?"

Zhou Chengxin said, "Dad, we have no objections. It should be divided this way."

He tugged at Tian Caihua's clothes, so she had no choice but to say, "We'll do it however Dad says."

Their family had plenty of land, so this division would be enough to eat.

Zhou Chenglei said, "No."

He didn't care about the land. He didn't have much time to farm, and Jiang Xia wouldn't farm either; she was too delicate for such work. Besides, they were divorcing soon, so Jiang Xia wouldn't care.

Father Zhou looked at the silent Jiang Xia.

Jiang Xia said, "I have no objections either."

Father Zhou continued, "As for the family boat..."

Tian Caihua grew anxious again.

One needed a boat to go out to sea to fish and earn money to support a family!

They were uneducated and knew nothing about such things; how would they survive without a boat?

If the three brothers divided it, or if it were split into four parts, how would the eldest branch survive?

"Dad, is the boat split half-and-half between us and Fourth Brother?"

Zhou Chengxin snapped, "Can you stop interrupting?"

Tian Caihua pouted. "Am I not even allowed to speak?"

Father Zhou acted as if he hadn't heard her and said calmly, "The three of us—father and sons—will take turns. Each of us will operate it one day a week."

Tian Caihua had no objection this time. Although she wanted the two brothers to take turns, Father Zhou was still young and capable; she couldn't demand he stop operating the boat, or what if she had to support him?

Furthermore, the boat was a semi-new one bought from the production team not long ago. When the family didn't have enough money to buy it, Zhou Chenglei had contributed a portion of the funds.

She was simply afraid of the boat going to Jiang Xia.

Father Zhou continued, "As for the pigs, cattle, chickens, and ducks. Each of you brothers gets one pig, and your mother and I will keep one. Your mother will raise the cow; if you need to use it, you can, but when it's sold, the money will be split equally among the three of you. As for the chickens and ducks, you'll also split them equally. The brood of chicks is too much trouble to manage, so they will go to your mother."

Tian Caihua had no objection to this. She smiled and said, "Whatever Dad says."

"As for the tables, chairs, farm tools, and tableware, Chenglei, take a set with you when you move." Since the family was large, there were two sets of eight-immortals tables piled in the storeroom, brought out only during holidays when the siblings gathered, but they were old.

There were plenty of tables and chairs, so Tian Caihua had no objection to this either.

In any case, the living room was already furnished with new pieces, so there was no reason for Zhou Chenglei to take the set in the hall.

Father Zhou said, "As for the money..."

Tian Caihua shifted her weight and sat up straight.

Mother Zhou looked at the two daughters-in-law: one was calm and composed, while the other was petty and couldn't hide her fear of losing out.

Comparing them this way, Mother Zhou didn't find Jiang Xia so unpleasant to look at. It seemed being educated really did help.

Though being educated and having a broad mind made her wonder if she could actually make it with the fourth son—she hoped her son's sincere heart wouldn't be wasted!

Her son had divided the household assets specifically to try and keep her.

Father Zhou glanced at Mother Zhou. "Bring the money out."

Coming back to her senses, Mother Zhou pulled a large bundle of money out from inside an old cotton jacket.

Jiang Xia glanced at it; it was quite thick!

Then, Jiang Xia watched as Mother Zhou unwrapped the money layer by layer. It was wrapped in various types of packaging: the outermost layer was yellowed plastic film, then newspaper, followed by faded coarse cloth, and finally a handkerchief. It took five layers to reveal the large denomination notes inside.

Jiang Xia: "..."

(End of Chapter)