Xu Zifan's words were so extreme that they shocked everyone! "I'd rather starve than visit," he declared, implying a complete severing of ties. Everyone looked at the Xu family with scrutiny and suspicion. What had these descendants done to anger an old man like this?
The original owner had been resting at home for ten years. Many people in the village understood his thoughts; he was always most afraid that his children and grandchildren would be unfilial, so he wanted to control everything himself. Occasionally, some people would look down on him, or even envy him, since he could eat eggs all day without doing anything. But now, all those thoughts turned into pity.
He's leaving with nothing! Old Master Xu is furious; he's severing ties with his descendants!
Wang Baoguo and the other elders were also stunned, never expecting that the division of the family property would turn them into enemies. Wang Baoguo was the most furious, because the wife of the second son of the Xu family was his niece. Although she was not a close relative of the Wang family, the Wang and Zhang families were very close, and he had taken good care of Zhang Wen in the past.
If this reputation for being unfilial is confirmed, it will have an impact on both the Wang and Zhang families!
Wang Baoguo quickly advised, "Uncle Xu, please calm down. If your children have made a mistake, we can teach them properly. What elders want most is for the whole family to be happy together. During holidays, it's best for the whole family to be together and have a good time. There's no lasting grudge between father and son. There might be some misunderstanding here."
"How about this, I'll teach them a lesson for you, so they'll listen to you from now on and be filial to you. Is that alright?"
In Wang Baoguo's view, Xu Zifan couldn't possibly disown his descendants. He must have been furious to say such a thing. Now that the ladder is being laid for him, wouldn't he just climb it down?
To his surprise, Xu Zifan did not do what he expected. He stared at him with deep eyes, which made him shut up involuntarily. He inexplicably felt that this old man had a rather strong presence.
Then Xu Zifan said coldly, "Captain, there's no need to persuade me. I invited you all here today to be my witnesses. I didn't say a word false. Captain, I'll have to trouble you to issue a certificate to separate my household registration later. I'll have a separate household registration and won't be associated with anyone else."
He pushed the five copies of the family division agreement forward, tapped the table and said, "Sign and put your fingerprints on them. One copy for each of you, one for me, and one for the brigade leader. This will be the evidence in case of any disputes in the future. Hurry up and finish it. Once you're done, take all your belongings to your own rooms."
The three brothers looked at each other, but when it came time to put their fingerprints on the paper, none of them stepped forward. Having lived with their parents since childhood, the sudden decision to separate and become independent made them feel uneasy. Their excitement had almost disappeared, leaving only trepidation.
Xu Shengnan whispered to Xu Dajun, "Dad, Grandpa is angry. Don't go against Grandpa's wishes, just press it."
Although she spoke softly, the room was eerily quiet, and everyone heard her words, intensifying their dislike for her. The other children in the Xu family were all hiding inside; even Xu Zifan's youngest daughter hadn't shown herself. What was Xu Shengnan doing? Was she trying to take charge of the Xu family?
However, Xu Dajun took these words to heart. He had been in a daze ever since they started talking about dividing the family property. Seeing Xu Zifan waiting for them to sign with an unhappy expression, he hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed a pen in a fluster. He had learned his name, but he wrote it crookedly, and his hand was trembling a little. Just as he was about to put his fingerprint on it, the door to a room suddenly opened.
Xu Xiuzhen ran out and said aggrievedly, "Dad, have you forgotten me? This family is splitting up, what am I going to do?"
Xu Zifan had truly forgotten about her, because she had no part in the original owner's memories. She wanted to buy a position at the grain depot, but the original owner wouldn't pay, so she resented him. Later, somehow, she fell in love with someone who worked at the grain depot, married him in the county, and never returned home. It was like this in both lives, so Xu Zifan didn't even think of her when he divided the family property.
However, now that we've met, we still need to make some arrangements. Xu Zifan said calmly, "You're twenty-two. I've raised you all these years and supported your education until you graduated high school. There's nothing left for me to give you. If you want money to buy a position in the grain depot, that money isn't mine. You'll have to ask your three older brothers if they agree."
The room you're living in now is yours. You won't go hungry if you work and earn work points. It's impossible for me to arrange a job for you. Logically, since I'm your father, I should provide a dowry when you get married. However, I really don't want to interfere in your affairs anymore. So, how about this: the main house I live in will be your dowry.
After you get married, sell the main house and your other house, and you can buy whatever you like. Let me know if you need your parents' help with the engagement; that's all.
Xu Xiuzhen exclaimed in shock, "Dad! How could you do this? You still have children who aren't married yet, how can you divide the family property? What will others think of me? You even want me to arrange my own marriage? How am I, a young woman, supposed to manage that? I don't agree to divide the family property!"
Xu Zifan calmly looked at her, "If you don't agree, do you think asking your three older brothers and sisters-in-law will help? This matter has already been settled. Compared to the dowries of other girls in the village, giving you a house is quite a dowry. You're not shortchanging me. You're already twenty-two, not two years old. Do you still expect me to control you? What do I have to control? Do you even listen to me?"
After the family property is divided, if you have nothing to eat, borrow from your brother and sister-in-law. Look at the account books; you haven't contributed much to the family, so you won't get much. Or you could trade your belongings with your brother and sister-in-law for something; you'll live a decent life. That's all.
"Dad!" Xu Xiuzhen stamped her foot. People outside the courtyard were already pointing and whispering about her. Being told in front of so many people that she hadn't contributed anything to the family was just calling her a lazy girl. She was a normal girl of this era, thin-skinned, and covered her face, crying as she ran back into the house.
Wang Baoguo said awkwardly, "Uncle Xu, are you really going to let your little daughter live alone?"
Xu Zifan while writing the agreement for the house allocated to Xu Xiuzhen, he casually said, "She lives in this courtyard. With so many people, nothing will happen. We go to work and come home together every day. Isn't that good? She always complains that I'm old and nagging. I won't nag her anymore, so as not to bother her."
The brigade leader and several uncles and elder brothers went home and asked around, hoping to find a suitable young man for Xiuzhen. Anyway, I've already prepared the dowry; I don't want any bride price. Whatever the bride price is, give it to Xiuzhen so the young couple can have a better life. She's only a high school graduate; her circumstances aren't bad."
Wang Baoguo wanted to mitigate the damage caused by his niece's actions, so after thinking it over, he said, "Your youngest daughter has graduated from high school, and the primary school is short of a teacher. Why don't you let her teach art and music?"
Xu Zifan nodded. "Thank you in advance, Captain. You can talk to her about this. I won't interfere with anything except engagements and weddings, which require the involvement of elders. Okay, that's all. Put your fingerprint on it."
After Xu Xiuzhen's outburst, the three brothers and their three daughters-in-law quickly pressed their fingerprints on the papers. They'd only been a little late, and the house had already been allocated to Xu Xiuzhen. If things continued like this, what if the old man gave Xu Xiuzhen a share of the grain and chickens?
We've finally waited for the family to split up, so it's better to do it sooner rather than later.
Xu Zifan asked Xu Shengnan to call Xu Xiuzhen out to sign the papers. Xu Shengnan, of course, wouldn't let anyone delay the division of the family property, so she ran in and told Xu Xiuzhen that she could sell the house she received to buy a job. Xu Xiuzhen immediately agreed.
After signing and pressing their fingerprints, each family received a copy of the agreement, and the family's assets were divided. The agreement was so detailed that none of the families were unclear about anything when they received their belongings. However, as the Xu family looked at the handwriting on the agreement, they suddenly realized that they knew absolutely nothing about their elderly father.
He could write so many words? And he wrote everything down so clearly without a single flaw. And that account book, the notes were so accurate; they never knew their father had this ability.
But thinking back, their father had been working hard in the fields since they could remember, and he never seemed to have said that he didn't know how to do these things; he just hadn't had the chance to show them off.
But none of that mattered to them anymore; the old man went off on his own. Wang Baoguo helped him get his household registration sorted out and then told Xu Xiuzhen that she could become a teacher. Unexpectedly, Xu Xiuzhen refused outright, saying she wanted to work in the county.
Wang Baoguo was immediately annoyed, and even understood Xu Zifan's determination to separate the family. This family was too clueless, did they even know how to speak and act? If it weren't for wanting to show that he was taking care of Xu Zifan in front of the villagers, would he have given Xu Xiuzhen the spot?
But whatever, he gave it to her anyway, and it was Xu Xiuzhen who didn't want it. No one will say that he just watched Xu Zifan leave with nothing and did nothing, nor will they suspect that he helped his niece drive away her father-in-law.
The family was divided, the crowd dispersed, but the Xu family still lived in the same courtyard. However, no one left the house, and the courtyard was unusually quiet.
When it was time for dinner, everyone was watching and no one went to the kitchen. Xu Shengnan, in a great mood, was the first to come out and cook, humming a song softly. Liu Xia, annoyed, ran into the kitchen and slapped her twice, "You brat! Would it kill you to behave for a moment? Aren't you angry enough already?"
Xu Shengnan hissed and said incredulously, "Mom, do you have a servile nature? You're not happy being in charge of the household, and you only feel comfortable when Grandpa enslaves you? What's wrong with me cooking a good meal to celebrate this happy occasion?"
Liu Xia's eyes widened, and she was so angry she almost fainted. "You! How dare you talk to me like that? What servility? Don't you understand filial piety? Your grandfather raised your father when he was young, so shouldn't we take care of your grandfather when he's old? What exactly do you mean? Are you going to kick us out when your father and I get old too?"
"You're being unreasonable! I'm not talking to you anymore. If you don't want me to cook, then cook for yourself. You're ungrateful for my kindness. I'm just worried about you two." Now that the family has separated, Xu Shengnan didn't have the patience to brainwash them anymore. She bypassed her and ran back to her room, feeling a little regretful for adding a big bowl of spiritual spring water to the pot earlier. The couple didn't appreciate her kindness at all. Why did she bother to nourish them?
Liu Xia was honest and simple. Seeing the stove lit and the food cooking in the pot, she naturally wanted to continue. However, unlike Xu Shengnan, she didn't make anything fancy; she just cooked the vegetables, added some salt, and that was it.
After finishing, she hesitated for a moment, then ran back to Xu Dajun to discuss, "Shouldn't we have sent a bowl to Dad? He didn't want anything, what are we going to eat today?"
Xu Dajun immediately got off the kang (a heated brick bed). "Yes, yes, I'll take it to Dad. He didn't eat lunch. He still has the porridge and eggs left. If he doesn't eat them tonight, something bad will happen."
"Then go ahead and get more, I can't eat anymore anyway, my heart is still pounding." Liu Xia sat down, clutching her chest, and sighed, feeling uneasy.
Like her, Xu Dajun had no appetite. He simply ladled a small bowl of food from the pot to give to his elderly father.