Chapter 86 Report

Liu Zhixia's hand suddenly stopped moving, and her eyes instantly turned cold: "Sister-in-law, you can't say things like that. Are you trying to push me out for criticism and denunciation just for some money? To label me as a landlord's wife?"

Shen Hongmei was startled and quickly waved her hand, "That's not what I meant!"

Liu Zhixia put down the dishes in her hand, her tone calm yet authoritative: "The previous business deal has been settled, and I've paid what I was owed. Now the situation has changed. I'm going to join the army, so it's only right that the business be handed over to my family to manage, and a redistribution is necessary. If you're not satisfied and feel you're being taken advantage of, then don't do it."

She looked at Shen Hongmei with a half-smile: "When you see everyone else making money, you'll be unhappy. No matter what you do, you'll feel like you're losing out. Since that's the case, you shouldn't make this money, so you won't feel bad."

Shen Hongmei, her true feelings exposed, flew into a rage: "Liu Zhixia! You think you're all grown up now that you're married? How dare you talk to me like that!"

Liu Zhixia didn't even bother to lift her eyelids and continued with her work.

Seeing this, Shen Hongmei's evil intentions grew, and she threatened through gritted teeth: "Let me tell you! Your business is illegal from the start! The vegetables are of dubious origin, and you're trading with factories in secret. This is speculation and profiteering!"

"You bastard, Shen Hongmei!"

Zhang Xiuying suddenly rushed out, pointing her finger at her nose and angrily shouting, "You want to report my whole family? Fine! Go ahead! Our business hasn't grown big yet, but your deal with the lumber mill is real! You took the money! If anyone's going to be arrested, it'll be you first!"

Shen Hongmei immediately cowered: "Mother! Xiangyang is your eldest son! How can you be so biased? My younger sister is already married, what does this family business have to do with her!"

"Favoritism?" Zhang Xiuying seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. "When you were using your husband's family's money to support your own family, why didn't you say that a married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl?"

She plopped down on the stool and declared firmly, "Let me tell you! As long as your father and I are still breathing, my daughter will always have a place in this family! No one can kick her out!"

A hint of jealousy flashed in Shen Hongmei's eyes. She glared fiercely at Liu Zhixia and stormed back into the house.

"Go ahead and sue if you dare!" Zhang Xiuying shouted at her retreating figure. "Let Xiangyang and Xiaomei go in with them! And then you'll get out of the Liu family too!"

Suppressed sobs could be heard coming from inside the room.

Zhang Xiuying was even angrier: "You still have the nerve to cry! No way! I can't live like this anymore!"

Liu Zhixia asked, puzzled, "Mother, what do you want to do?"

"Let's split up the family!" Zhang Xiuying slapped her thigh. "I want to split up the family!"

After saying that, she stormed out to find the old man.

Liu Xuejun panicked: "Sister, what... what do we do?"

Liu Zhixia frowned slightly, then relaxed.

If it weren't for this windfall in their past life, their greed wouldn't have been so blatant. Now that things have come to a head, it's better to cut ties quickly.

She looked up at her younger brother earnestly: "I agree with Mother's decision."

Liu Xuejun was stunned: "Sister... is our family really going to fall apart because of a pickled vegetable business?"

“It’s not about the pickled vegetables,” Liu Zhixia sighed softly, her eyes clear. “Even without pickled vegetables, there would be other things. Since you feel you’re being taken advantage of in this family, you might as well move out as soon as possible.”

More importantly, Shen Hongmei's words just now have crossed the line.

People who would even report their own family members for personal gain are like a ticking time bomb; we must be wary of them!

Liu Xuejun couldn't understand these complicated matters and stamped his feet in frustration: "Why can't we talk things out as a family? It's just a 10% profit! I don't want my share, I'll give it to my older brother and the others! Anyway, keeping accounts isn't difficult!"

"No!" Shen Yi reached out and pressed his shoulder, his voice steady. "This isn't a business matter; it's a matter of principle. We'll talk about it when Mom and Dad get back."

Liu Xuejun had genuine respect for his brother-in-law, whom he had only known for two days, and upon hearing this, he could only sit down and wait obediently.

Soon, the elderly couple returned with Liu Xiangyang.

Liu Xiangyang hung his head, looking guilty, and didn't even dare to look at Liu Zhixia.

"Hurry up and call your wife out!" Liu Shouren shouted irritably as soon as he entered the door.

Liu Xiangyang felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly went inside to call Shen Hongmei out.

The family sat together, the atmosphere so heavy it was suffocating.

Liu Xuejun wanted to make one last effort: "Dad, Mom, don't let this little bit of money ruin your relationship. I'll give my share to my older brother..."

"Shut up!" Zhang Xiuying glared at him fiercely. "The more you work, the more you earn—that's only fair! In this family, it's not about whoever makes a scene is right!"

Liu Shouren slammed his hand on the table, setting the tone: "Your mother's allocation is reasonable! Fourth brother, if you don't want this money, I'll hire someone outside to keep accounts; just don't get involved!"

Looking at the two elders' dark complexions, Liu Xiangyang felt uneasy and hesitated before speaking, "Father, Mother, we don't necessarily want that one percent of the profit... just consider it a token of our filial piety. Hongmei and I both agree to this."

"Then what exactly are you guys messing around with!" Liu Shouren snapped. "Spit it out! Stop beating around the bush!"

Liu Xiangyang trembled at the shout and looked to Shen Hongmei for help. Receiving his wife's look, he could only bite the bullet and say, "It's just... this production work is too much for just the two of us to handle. We don't want much money, just 20% each, but... you have to let us hire more people."

Zhang Xiuying was taken aback.

She made the last batch of pickled vegetables, and that work wasn't tiring at all. The two of them could easily make more than a dozen jars a day, so why are they so busy?

Immediately afterwards, Liu Xiangyang revealed the answer: "I was thinking that I wouldn't feel comfortable asking outsiders, as it would be easy to expose them. How about... having Hongmei's two younger brothers come and help? They're family, and we know them well."

"Ha!" Zhang Xiuying was so angry she laughed. "What did you say?!"

Liu Xiangyang was still trying to argue: "Mother, family members helping out can keep it a secret and it's reliable..."

"You're talking nonsense!" Zhang Xiuying interrupted him directly, pointing her finger at his nose and cursing, "Don't you know what kind of people her two younger brothers are? If they were hardworking, would they have to make you work as free labor every year because they can't finish cultivating several acres of land?"

“That…that’s because they are in poor health and can’t do heavy work…” Liu Xiangyang’s face turned red.

"You think you can do this job if you can't do heavy work?" Zhang Xiuying pressed on with clear logic, "If even two sickly people can do this job, how come you two can't finish it?!"

With just one sentence, he left Liu Xiangyang speechless.

Liu Zhixia was utterly speechless at her older brother's behavior.

He actually agreed to hire those two lazybones!

In the end, the couple will be working themselves to the bone while those two old men eat and drink well on the side, and in the end, they'll have to take the money and leave!

He broke ties with his whole family over taking a 10% less profit, but now he's generously giving money to support his brother-in-law.

Was this person kicked in the head by a donkey?