Hearing the seriousness in his words, Wang Baoguo's expression also turned serious. "Uncle Xu, what exactly happened? What caused it to escalate so much?"
Xu Zifan took a sip of water and smiled faintly: "What could it be? Isn't it just that you complain that I don't work? Team leader, to be honest, I used to earn 12 work points per person. If it weren't for my poor health and my desire to recuperate and live a couple more years, would I not work?"
He had suffered for decades, and now that he was old, he wanted to enjoy the blessings of his children and grandchildren, but instead he made enemies.
I'm not afraid to admit I'm being silly, but I eat an egg every day, and today my eldest granddaughter secretly took one to give to her mother, saying her mother was sick and needed to eat it to recover. I scolded her for doing that, but she accused me of being selfish.
Wang Baoguo was immediately embarrassed. Even an upright official finds it difficult to settle family disputes, especially such a detailed one. There was no way to reason with them, and he couldn't manage it.
Xu Zifan continued, "You didn't hear what my eldest granddaughter said to me. If she hadn't gone too far, would I have fainted? Guess what happened when I woke up? My eldest son gave me an egg and said he borrowed it from the neighbor. Doesn't that mean his wife ate the egg a long time ago? She didn't even ask where it came from when she ate it, and then she scolded her daughter after I got angry?"
I don't care whether she's genuinely stupid or just petty. Anyway, I can tell that when I fainted, no one took me to the clinic. This family has absolutely no one who cares about me.
Captain, you said I stayed with them because I wanted them to be filial to me, but now we're arguing every day. What's the point of staying with them?
While I'm still old and can support myself, I should quickly settle things with them. Then my brother can eat his fill and be worry-free, which might be much more comfortable than it is now.
Wang Baoguo coughed twice and advised, "Uncle Xu, they were wrong. They were just being unreasonable, so we can just talk to them and let it go. How can we let you live alone? Besides, these days we only earn work points, and there are so few farm tools and pots. How are we going to divide them up?"
"Every family lives together as a large extended family. Even if things are balanced, things won't be too bad. Separating would mean problems with housing and household expenses; it's not that easy. Besides, you're getting old and your health isn't good. How will you manage on your own?"
Xu Zifan waved his hand, determined to separate the family. "Captain, you don't need to persuade them anymore. They think I'm taking advantage of them by controlling the money and eating a few eggs. They're probably cursing me in their hearts for sucking their blood. Don't they all think they're capable? Then let them live their own lives."
"Back then, even in those tough times, I could support my wife and children, so why can't they? If they can't, it's their own fault for not being able to, not my fault. As for how I'll manage, you don't need to worry about it; I definitely won't be a burden to the team."
Wang Baoguo did want to mention his second son's family, since his second son's wife was his niece. However, he was worried that if he did, Xu Zifan would agree to let his second son take care of him in his old age, and then his second son's family would blame him. But if he didn't mention it, it wouldn't be good since they were related by blood.
Xu Zifan ignored his little thoughts, raised his chin to indicate that he should look at the account book, "Ever since I stopped working and stayed home to rest, I have kept a clear record of the family's income and expenditure. The division of the family property will be based on this. Luckily I have this good habit, otherwise even if the family property is divided today, they will suspect that I am hiding something."
I've written down the division plan at the back. Captain, what do you think? If it's okay, call a few people and come with me. We'll divide the property today. I can't stand it for another day!"
Wang Baoguo opened the ledger and became more and more shocked as he looked at it. It wasn't that the Xu family had a lot of money, but that Xu Zifan's records were too clear, even better than their team's accountant. He was speechless. "Uncle Xu, your bookkeeping skills are amazing! I've never heard of you before!"
Xu Zifan said nonchalantly, "I learned it when I was a child. Later, when I couldn't afford to go to school, I practiced on my own. My children and grandchildren have also read a few books with me when they went to school. It's not difficult, so what's there to say?"
Wang Baoguo exclaimed in surprise, "This isn't difficult? So many people want to learn accounting but can't even learn it properly. With your skills, you could easily get a stable job in a big factory in the county. Uncle Xu, you're really wasting your talent! How about this, I'll give you a job as a scorekeeper. You don't have to do any work, just keep records, and you can earn work points. What do you think?"
Xu Zifan immediately shook his head. "Recording work points means being out in the wind and sun, right? Every day I have to record when I start work, record when I finish work, and check in between to see if anyone is absent. My health isn't up to it. Besides, I'm already fifty-eight. How many more years do I have left to live? What's that phrase again? 'Enjoy your retirement'! I just want to enjoy my retirement. I don't want to end up like my wife, having not enjoyed anything. What was the point of working so hard all my life?"
Wang Baoguo couldn't understand his thinking, assuming he was simply traumatized by his wife's passing and had extreme views. These days, even seventy-year-olds help their children and grandchildren cook and feed chickens; what's wrong with being fifty-eight?
But this isn't his family's property, so it's none of his business. Everyone says he's not in good health; he gets so angry from arguing with his granddaughter that he faints. What if he really gets overworked and collapses? Who would take that responsibility? He can't afford to.
He offered a few more words of advice, and seeing that Xu Zifan was determined, he asked his son to invite several elders over sixty years old from the brigade to come to Xu's house to witness the event.
Xu Zifan had only been gone a short while when he returned home with the brigade leader and several elderly people. Everyone in the house came out in surprise, wondering what had happened.
Xu Dajun was the most nervous. He thought Xu Zifan had gone to the brigade leader to complain, and now the brigade leader was going to teach the three of them a lesson. His face flushed, and he rubbed his hands together, asking, "Dad, what's going on?"
Xu Zifan waved his hand coldly, "Bring the tables and chairs over. I'm asking the brigade leader to decide on the division of the family property. Several uncles and elder brothers are here to witness it. Let's divide it now."
The Xu family members stared in shock, especially Xu Shengnan, who was prepared to argue her case and refuse to admit any wrongdoing, but the old man actually wanted to divide the family property?!
In her past life, when the second and third wives were going to the county, the old man made a huge fuss. How come this time, just because she took an egg from him, he wants to divide the family property?
Xu Zifan, of course, wouldn't let the reborn woman suspect anything. He sneered, "Don't you all think you can live well on your own? Then separate and let me see how you manage to live your lives!"
These words automatically translated into Xu Shengnan's mind that they definitely wouldn't survive. Thinking about it, it made sense. They were still on a work-point system, working together. Everyone was short of supplies, and they would split pots, pans, and coupons in half to make the most of each other. It was the right thing to live together as a family, because that would make the most of the family's resources.
The old man could never have imagined that the college entrance examination would be reinstated in just a few months, followed by the household responsibility system, economic development, the abolition of ration coupons, and the ability to buy whatever one wanted. Unlike his previous life, when the second and third wives moved to the county town, it was clear they were trying to escape, which the old man naturally didn't want. In this environment, the old man was definitely putting on airs; once they started having trouble, they would beg him to join them.
Xu Shengnan sneered inwardly, her eyes filled with mockery as she looked at Xu Zifan.
Wang Baoguo and the others knew the reason for the family division and were keeping an eye on Xu Shengnan. Seeing her attitude, which clearly showed she didn't take her grandfather seriously, they all began to have some reservations about her. The old man had worked hard to raise his three sons when he was young; whether his sons were filial or not was their business, and had nothing to do with his granddaughter. Why should she interfere?
Besides, they were all elders, so naturally they couldn't stand Xu Shengnan's behavior. Although they didn't say it, they all had their own thoughts on it.
Several elderly people stood in the courtyard. Xu Dajun and his two brothers couldn't just stand by and watch, so they quickly moved tables and chairs over. When they saw villagers outside the courtyard who had come to see what was going on, they felt uneasy.
Xu Aiguo spoke first, smiling as he advised, "Dad, stop joking. Why are you dividing the family property?"
Xu Dawei quickly added, "Dad, if you're unhappy about something and scold us, that's fine. But you can't just say you're going to split up the family like that."
Xu Dajun was the eldest son, and logically, after the family property was divided, his father should live with him. So he didn't say anything; it would seem as if he was afraid to support his father in his old age.
A seventy-year-old man laughed and said, "Fan, all three of your sons are filial to you. If you don't want to divide the property, why don't you think about it again?"
Xu Zifan glanced at his three adopted sons and said indifferently, "If you don't divide the spoils this time, then you won't get any before I die. You really don't want to divide them?"
Xu Aiguo and Xu Dawei exchanged a glance, speechless. How many years would it take to divide the property after their father's death? This was a decision neither of them could make lightly, and even their wives became nervous.
Xu Zifan scoffed, "Stop talking nonsense, let's break up today. If you don't want to live with me, I can't be bothered with you anyway. I worked so hard to raise you, to help you get married and build houses, do you think I'll beg you to support me when I'm old? I'm not that kind of coward! From today onwards, you can all go your separate ways and stay away from me, I get annoyed just looking at you."
The Xu family members' expressions changed completely. When they saw the villagers' surprised looks, they all wished they could cover Xu Zifan's mouth!
Xu Shengnan was the first to lose her composure and the boldest. She immediately said, "Grandpa, what you said is not right. All the money the family earns is given to you. We feed you the best food every day and you don't have to help with any work. We dare not disobey your wishes at all. How can we be unfilial to you?"
"You're unhappy today simply because I wanted to give Mom an egg, but she's sick. I really just wanted to help her recover; I was just worried about her, I didn't think of anything else. If I had known you'd be this angry, Grandpa, I would never have touched that egg."
Xu Zifan tapped the table. "If you say another word, I'll truly never separate the family before I die. Whoever mentions separating the family, I'll hang myself at their doorstep. Say it again?"
Xu Shengnan's words caught in her throat, her face flushed with anger. The villagers, who had initially thought Xu Zifan was being disrespectful and causing trouble, now felt a strange unease seeing her remain silent.
It seems the Xu family all wants to separate, even a teenage girl wants to. But as the elders say, what business is a little girl getting involved in?
Xu Zifan didn't seem angry at all. Instead, he smiled and said slowly, "I was already planning to let bygones be bygones and live separately after the family division. Why do you all have to throw mud at me during this time?"
I'm not taking this mud. Since Xu Shengnan brought it up, let's talk about it today. Every single income and expense in the family over the past ten years has been meticulously recorded in this book. Let's see how I've enslaved you all to make yourselves live a good life."