Chapter 17: I Have Decided to Split the Family

“Eldest Brother is right. Ever since Dad passed away, you have completely changed; you don't care about our survival at all. It's either hitting or cursing. If things keep going this way, our Zhang family will definitely become the laughingstock of the entire residential compound.”

As the two made their stance clear, Zhao Yanli and Wang Yulan looked at each other and remained silent.

Zhao Meijuan was immediately displeased. They had come with good intentions to give a warning, only to end up being the ones caught in the middle.

“Zhang Jianshe, look at what you've done. Now look, you've made yourself the villain on both sides.”

Upon hearing this, the third brother's face darkened with rage.

“Eldest, what do you mean? You were the one who told me to keep an eye on Mom and let you know immediately if anything happened. Now you're making me take the fall alone?”

“When did I ever tell you to keep an eye on Mom? What I meant was that Mom suffered a significant shock because of Dad, so I wanted you to look after her more and notify me quickly if anything was wrong. Can you please stop misinterpreting my good intentions?”

Zhang Jianguo took off his glasses, pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe them, and then perched them back on the bridge of his nose.

“It was indeed hard for Mom and Dad to raise the six of us. As their children, it is only right that we fulfill our filial duties.”

The third brother pointed at Zhang Jianguo, his face contorted with anger.

“Fine, Zhang Jianguo, you're throwing me under the bus, aren't you? You think you're such a saint? Everyone knows you've been eyeing Dad's compensation money, wanting a piece of the pie.

You're the one who told me to watch Mom because you were afraid she'd squander Dad's compensation, so you could step in and stop her. Now you're acting all high and mighty?”

Looking at the furious third brother, the veins on Zhang Jianguo's forehead throbbed.

“You idiot, my good intentions are being twisted like this by you? I always tell you to read more, but you never do. Now you can't even understand plain human speech.”

“Exactly, reading more would be good for you,” the second brother added, in full agreement.

“Don't give me that crap. I may be poorly educated, but I'm not stupid. Do you think I don't understand what you're implying?”

The third brother snorted and rolled his eyes at the second brother.

“Second, what right do you have to talk to me? You're nothing but a troublemaker and a repeater. If the teachers hadn't given up on you, you might have actually made it to adulthood in the first grade.”

Second brother: “...”

Li Xiangqin sat in her chair, watching them expose each other's secrets, and leisurely sipped water to soothe her throat. Scolding and hitting people were strenuous tasks; her palms were still numb from it.

She decided she would have to prepare a small wooden board later, specifically for delivering slaps to these little cubs.

After arguing for a moment, the group turned their heads only to find their mother watching them fight with an air of nonchalance. The way she looked at them made them feel like they wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.

“Look at you brothers. You clearly care about Mom, yet you've turned it into a competition. What am I supposed to say?”

Zhao Meijuan covered her mouth with a smile and pulled the third brother back a few steps.

She felt sick to her stomach. Once the eldest and second brothers finished their spat, they would just brush it off and leave, but she and her husband still had to live under her mother-in-law's nose. Wasn't this just asking for trouble?

To break the awkwardness, Zhang Yanli chimed in,

“Sister-in-law is right. We are all family; even if bones are broken, the tendons remain connected. Every household has its share of domestic friction.”

Looking at their spineless behavior, Wang Yulan pursed her lips and silently distanced herself from them.

*Mom is right, the Zhang family is just a bunch of petty bourgeois.*

Li Xiangqin looked at them and set her porcelain mug on the table. “What, done fighting?”

“Mom, it was all a misunderstanding. What is there to fight about?” The eldest pushed up his glasses, his tone calm, as if he wasn't the one who had just been red-faced and shouting.

As expected of an educated man—calculating and with excellent emotional control.

The other two gave stiff smiles, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, and simply hung their heads to stare at their feet.

“Then shall we continue settling accounts?”

“Mom, look at what you're saying. There's nothing to settle. We will follow whatever you arrange; no one has any objections.”

Zhang Jianguo gave a gentle smile. He had realized that Mom was now acting autocratically, and they had no way to interfere.

If they messed up, they would end up like today—getting nothing and being blamed for everything.

It wasn't worth it.

Although the others weren't entirely convinced in their hearts, they nodded sensibly.

Li Xiangqin leaned back in her chair and raised her hand to tidy her hair.

“Since none of you have objections, then I will tell you my plan.”

Under their expectant gazes, Li Xiangqin cleared her throat.

“It is said that as a tree grows, its branches divide; as people grow, they split into separate households. The three of you have all started your own families and have your own small homes. From now on, you will live separately.”

The group was collectively stunned. Mom wanted to split the family?

“Mom, are you joking?”

“I am serious. Since everyone is here today, I will state my thoughts. The eldest is the first child and the most successful.

You are a university student with a house allocated by your workplace, and both you and your wife have respectable jobs. From the time you married until now, I haven't held you back; I've helped wherever I could. Therefore, you must set an example and be a good eldest brother.

This house is a welfare house provided by the machinery factory. When I pass away, the four of you will split the property equally. In the meantime, if anyone encounters difficulties, you can come back to live here.

As for the fourth and fifth children, I will prepare appropriate dowries for them in the future, so they won't fight over this house.

But the condition is this: as long as the fourth and fifth children do not marry, they will have the right to reside in this house forever, and no one is allowed to kick them out.”

With many mouths to feed and little meat to go around, these sons and daughters-in-law were not easy people; the fourth and fifth children would be no match for them.

Rather than fighting over the property, it was better to compensate them with something else.

Upon hearing this, the group exchanged glances but did not refuse. Zhang Jianguo pushed up his glasses.

“Mom, saying this so suddenly is quite sentimental... Don't worry, even if Dad is gone, we will take care of you for the rest of your life.”

“Don't give me that. Your father has only been gone for a few days, and you've already caused several scenes. It's better to settle things early so everyone can have peace of mind.”

Li Xiangqin rolled her eyes at him.

“The fifth and sixth children haven't grown up yet. They will need money for school, work, marriage, and settling down in the future. So, don't even think about eyeing your father's compensation money; I will put that money into an education fund.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhang Yanli immediately expressed her dissatisfaction.

“Dad's compensation belongs to all six siblings. Why should it only be spent on the fifth and sixth?”

“What do you know? Half of that old man's compensation belongs to me, and only the other half belongs to the six of them.

But the eldest, second, and third are already adults; whether it was money that should have been spent or not, we have already spent our share. The fourth took over her father's job, so she has no claim to the compensation.

Eldest, you can say it right in front of your wife—how much your father has sacrificed for you over the years. Do I need to list it for you item by item?”

“Mom, I am the eldest brother. I will listen to whatever you say.”

Zhang Jianguo gave a gentle smile and then turned to glare at his wife.

“Shut up. Mom makes the decisions; there is no room for your interference.”

Li Xiangqin scanned the others. “And you?”