Chapter 39: Selfishness to the Bone

Liu Hehua, frustrated by their lack of progress, turned around and stormed back into the house in anger.

"...You'll regret this one day."

Let them do whatever they want!

In the end, Zhao Meijuan borrowed a cart from next door, and the two of them pushed it together to go home and move their things.

From beginning to end, Zhang Jianshe kept a dark expression on his face, suppressing a surge of resentment in his heart.

He couldn't understand why his mother was being so arbitrary, showing absolutely no consideration for him, her own son.

Instead, her eyes and heart were entirely focused on that fourth daughter of hers. Was she really counting on a little girl to look after her in her old age and handle her funeral?

When the two arrived home, they saw the broken lock on the door. Zhao Meijuan let out a piercing shriek and jumped up.

"Who pried the lock open? Who's trying to steal my things?"

Because she was so agitated, her movement when pushing the door was a bit too forceful. With a loud *clatter*, the door slammed against the wall, the vibration directly waking Li Xiangqin.

"What's all this wailing and howling? Why are you screaming like a ghost?"

Li Xiangqin glanced at the door.

"Aren't you two moving out? The room will be empty, which is perfect for the sixth child to live in. I told him to pry the lock. Is there a problem?"

"This is our room! Why should he get to live here?" Zhao Meijuan circled the room once before rushing out and roaring at Li Xiangqin, her eyes filled with undisguised resentment.

*Slap, slap!*

Li Xiangqin raised her hand and delivered a pair of stinging slaps directly to her face.

"You son of a bitch! You dared to poke your filthy claws at my face. You reek of stench; get away from me!"

Zhao Meijuan was stunned by the sudden blow. Her head tilted to the side for a long moment before she let out a shrill, piercing scream.

"Ah...! You old hag, how dare you hit me? Zhang Jianshe, hit her back! If you don't hit her, you're not a man! Aaaah!"

Zhang Jianshe was jolted back to his senses by her scream. Seeing the red marks on his wife's face, he turned his head stiffly toward Li Xiangqin, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Mom... how could you hit her?"

Li Xiangqin turned around, went into the room, and brought out a feather duster, launching a flurry of strikes at the third son.

"You damn traitor! Are your ears stuffed with donkey hair? Didn't you hear how she just insulted your mother? You dog! You married a wife and forgot your mother, and now you want to lay a hand on me? If I don't beat you to death today, I'll take your surname!"

Li Xiangqin swung the feather duster violently. Zhang Jianshe held his head to shield himself for a moment, then, seizing an opportunity, reached out to snatch the duster away, snapped it in half with force, and threw it to the ground.

"Enough! We are moving out. We won't be an eyesore to you anymore!" Zhang Jianshe roared, his face flushed red and his eyes bloodshot with emotion.

"Fine! Then hurry up and move. Anything you two have used is an eyesore anyway. It'll be peaceful once you're gone."

Li Xiangqin turned back and slumped into a chair, breathing heavily.

"From now on, you two are not allowed to step foot in this house again... Sixth, go to the first drawer of my cabinet and bring me that will."

The sixth child quickly entered the room, retrieved the document, and placed it respectfully beside his mother.

"Amendment, Article One: This property shall henceforth have no connection to Zhang Jianshe and his wife; they no longer hold any inheritance rights. After my passing, the estate shall be divided equally among the four siblings: the eldest, the second, the fifth, and the sixth."

The sixth child's hand trembled slightly as he held the pen. He glanced at his second brother before lowering his head to seriously amend the will.

"On what grounds?" Zhao Meijuan glared at her, looking as if she wanted to pounce and strangle her.

Li Xiangqin let out a cold laugh.

"On the grounds that I am his mother, the sole elder of this household, and everything is decided by me."

After saying this, Li Xiangqin felt a deep sense of relief. During this era, the laws regarding inheritance were still somewhat vague. It wasn't until 1985 that the Inheritance Law was revised and officially implemented on October 1st, following a specific order of succession.

Zhao Meijuan's face turned pale. She looked at Zhang Jianshe, her lips trembling and her eyes bloodshot. She lunged at him, grabbing his arm and screaming in indignation.

"Do you see now? This is your mother's true face! She doesn't care about you as a son at all. No matter what you do, she will always despise you!"

The fifth child, who had been peeking through the door to watch the drama, grew displeased upon hearing this.

"Zhao Meijuan, if you keep talking nonsense, I'll tear your mouth apart! You've already instigated my third brother into being a fool, and you're still not satisfied? Do you have to tear our family apart to be happy?"

"Me, tear it apart? It's your Zhang family that looks down on people! Just because Jianshe protects me, you make things difficult for me at every turn. We've come to this because of you people!"

As Li Xiangqin stood up to deal with her, the woman cleverly ducked behind the third son.

"You absolute troublemaker. I knew from the day you entered this house that you weren't a peaceful person. You're jumping around and causing chaos everywhere. If this leads to you being sent away, I'll celebrate with gongs and drums. It would be more cost-effective to use the saved grain to raise two pigs than to feed you."

The commotion was so loud that it drew the neighbors from the residential compound. People stood at the doorway, peeking in curiously.

"The Zhang family is at it again. Ever since Uncle Zhang passed, his sons haven't been able to settle down."

"Tell me about it. There's even a cart at the door. Who knows what they're up to now?"

"Having too many children is a curse. I wonder how heartbroken Auntie Li must be?"

Li Xiangqin stood up and walked over to open the main gate, seeing the awkward smiles of the neighbors.

"Auntie Li, we heard a commotion from far away and came to check. If you need anything, just ask. We're neighbors; there's no need to be polite."

"There's nothing to hide. The third son and his wife are making a fuss about moving out."

As Li Xiangqin spoke, she waved to Er Ying, who was running over.

"Sister-in-law Er Ying, which of your three sons is home? Tell him to come over and lend a hand with the moving."

"Why all of a sudden? Why are they moving?"

Wang Er Ying squeezed her way in, looking at the third son and his wife in shock, then at the broken feather duster on the ground. They had actually come to blows?

"Third, your mother has worked herself to the bone for you all. It hasn't been easy. Why are you being so ungrateful?"

"...It's because Mom won't tolerate us," the third son said, his eyes red and his fists clenched in anger.

Li Xiangqin almost laughed out of sheer exasperation. This idiot—was he stupid or just trying to protect her by slandering her?

Thinking deeper, it was pure selfishness ingrained in his bones.

"Sister-in-law Er Ying, don't bother persuading them. Just let them move quickly, let them get lost, so I don't have to look at them and feel annoyed."

Wang Er Ying tried to mediate a few times, but neither mother nor son would budge, so she could only go find her son to help.

Wang Sanjiang was on the early shift today. As soon as he arrived home, he was dragged over by his mother. "Jianshe and his wife are moving out. Come help them carry things."

"Huh?"

Once the vanity table was moved into the courtyard, the onlookers at the door also came over to help.

With many hands, the work went quickly. A moment later, a bed, two sets of cabinets, a vanity, and two chairs were loaded. One cart wasn't enough, so they borrowed another.

All the furniture was stacked onto the carts and tied securely with hemp rope.

Zhao Meijuan wrapped the quilts and clothes in bedsheets and loaded them onto the cart. Anything that belonged to their room was packed up and taken away by her.

After they left, nothing remained in the room but the bare plaster on the walls.

(End of Chapter)