Chapter 87 Speculation and Profiteering

When her gentle persuasion failed, Shen Hongmei resorted to shamelessness: "Mother! Anyway, the money is ours once it's been divided among us! Why can't we use our share to hire people!"

Zhang Xiuying remained calm despite seeing Shen Hongmei jumping up and down.

She leaned back and said slowly, "Since someone is going to sue us for speculation and profiteering, wouldn't it be harming them if I hired outsiders?"

"What?!" Liu Xiangyang exclaimed in shock. "Who's going to report this? If this gets out, we're all finished!"

Zhang Xiuying shook her head and pointed at him: "We're fine, the business hasn't even started yet. But you and my daughter, that deal you made before was a real one. Whether you go to jail or not depends on whether your wife reports you to the commune."

"Shen Hongmei!" Liu Xiangyang was jolted awake, staring at his wife in disbelief. "You're going to sue me for this little bit of money? You want me to go to jail? You want our son to be fatherless?!"

Shen Hongmei shrank back in fright, stammering, "I...I was just joking, how could I really report you..."

"How can you joke about something like this!"

Zhang Xiuying sneered, "Alright, eldest brother, don't be angry. Your father and I aren't so old that we can't move. This formula is in my hands. If you don't want to do it, we'll do it ourselves! Anyway, we can't count on you, so we might as well save up some money for our retirement now."

Liu Xiangyang's face turned deathly pale.

These words are practically stabbing him in the back and calling him unfilial!

Before he could defend himself, Zhang Xiuying finally dropped today's bombshell:

"I've called you all here today to discuss the division of the family property."

"Dividing the family property?!" Liu Xiangyang exclaimed in shock, his voice trembling. "Mother, why are you dividing the family property out of the blue?! If we don't divide the family property while our parents are still alive, how can I face anyone if word gets out?"

He knew in his heart that once the family split up, he would lose his share of the pickled vegetable business, and his work in the production brigade would also fall through. With the little work points he earned from the fields, his whole family would be left to starve!

With a thud, Liu Xiangyang knelt down in front of his parents, weeping bitterly: "Father! Mother! You're trying to force your son to his death!"

Zhang Xiuying showed no pity whatsoever, coldly saying, "Don't worry, I'll find a good excuse and try my best not to delay your role as squad leader."

Liu Xiangyang collapsed to the ground, muttering in despair, "But... the second brother is in the city..."

"The second son doesn't need to work in the fields to earn work points; just keep the house for him. When the brigade leader comes later, he'll give you all the same amount as the second son and the others. If they're unhappy, they'll just have to keep quiet!"

"Old woman," Liu Shouren said with some worry, "would Lu Jianping be willing to come?"

"He's not happy?" Zhang Xiuying scoffed. "Then I'll go to the commune and find someone! Let's see if he has the nerve to do that!"

Liu Zhixia also spoke up at the right time: "Mother, let's invite Aunt Zhou too. With her here, Lu Jianping won't dare to do anything underhanded."

“Yes!” Zhang Xiuying nodded. “That bastard Lu Jianping is definitely up to no good. Okay, I’ll go call Sister Zhou. Old man, you go call Lu Jianping!”

The elderly couple got right to it and went out the door.

In the courtyard, Liu Xiangyang and Shen Hongmei looked ashen-faced.

Liu Zhixia got married, the fourth son is unmarried, and the second son lives in the city. This division of the family property is clearly a way of kicking the couple out!

They tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice instead!

Shen Hongmei finally got scared. She scrambled to Liu Zhixia's side and knelt down with a thud!

"Little sister! We can't split up the family!" Shen Hongmei cried bitterly, clinging tightly to Liu Zhixia's leg. "If we split up, we'll really have nothing left!"

Liu Zhixia looked down at her, her eyes icy: "Sister-in-law, begging me won't help. Parents have made up their minds, and no one can change them."

"How could that be! Father and Mother always listen to you!" Shen Hongmei persisted, then turned to Shen Yi with a pitiful look, "Brother-in-law! Please say something for us! Can you really bear to watch our family fall apart?"

Shen Yi glanced at Liu Zhixia and said calmly, "Brother and sister-in-law, one shouldn't be too greedy. You can't expect to get all the benefits and have the whole family pamper you. There's no such thing as a free lunch."

Liu Xiangyang panicked and looked to Liu Xuejun for help.

Liu Xuejun immediately raised his hands in surrender, looking speechless: "Brother, you're really something! You've fallen out with your whole family for a measly small profit, but now you're going to give the money to outsiders? I was even thinking of giving you my share, but it seems I was just being presumptuous!"

He was so angry he laughed, and plopped down next to Liu Zhixia, ignoring the two of them.

Seeing that there was no hope of getting help, Shen Hongmei finally stopped pretending.

She got up from the ground, wiped her face, and sneered, "Fine! You all marry military officers or become teachers, of course you look down on us peasants! We're leaving! We won't get in your way!"

Liu Xiangyang slumped to the ground, frustratedly pulling at his hair.

When the family was heavily in debt, they could stick together for warmth; now that they have money, they are falling apart.

How ironic!

Zhang Xiuying and Liu Shouren returned with their men very soon.

As soon as Lu Jianping entered the courtyard, he smugly scanned the area, finally fixing his gaze on Liu Zhixia. He then mocked her sarcastically, "Oh, what's going on here? Why are you suddenly making a scene about dividing the family property? Liu Zhixia, did you break up the family as soon as you got married?"

Liu Zhixia didn't even bother to lift her eyelids: "Captain Lu, you haven't even cleaned up your own mess yet, and you're already in such a hurry to meddle in other people's business?"

"You!" Lu Jianping was enraged, his sore spot touched. "I'm a witness your father invited! Show me some respect! Otherwise, I'm leaving right now!"

"What an imposing official presence!"

Aunt Zhou followed Zhang Xiuying in, and sneered, "You think you're something special just because I asked you to be a witness?"

Lu Jianping's face darkened. Calling his sister-in-law over was a clear sign they didn't trust him!

He was about to erupt when Zhang Xiuying cut straight to the point: "Since everyone is here, I'll get straight to the point. Our daughter is married, our second son is independent in the city, and only our fourth son is still unmarried. In order not to burden our children, we have decided to separate the family today and live our own lives! We would like to invite you two here today to be our witnesses."

Lu Jianping suppressed his dissatisfaction and became serious: "The second son is not in the brigade, the third son's household registration is with the military, and the fourth son is with you... Doesn't that mean that only the eldest son's family has been separated?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiangyang and Shen Hongmei's faces instantly turned a deep shade of liver color, wishing they could disappear into the ground.

Anyone with eyes can see that this division of the family property is specifically targeting them!

Lu Jianping and Aunt Zhou understood each other without asking any further questions and began to take stock of their family's assets.

The Liu family only owns this one house. Although the eldest son's family has moved out, they still live here. They just want to divide the family's property equally among their children.

Zhang Xiuying distributed the money to Liu Xiangyang and Liu Zhixia in front of everyone, and then announced in front of everyone: "The fourth son is not married yet, so this money will be saved for him first, and given to him when he gets married. As for the second son's share, I will give it to him in person when I go to town later."