Chapter 33 Dividing the Inheritance: A Curse

“Don’t wait until Yizhou and the others come back before you’re ready. You have to put on a show,” Aunt Qin said. “I think the Song family might prepare a house and dowry for Song Fenglan. In that case, our Yizhou will be practically a live-in son-in-law. No, that’s not right. The child will take Yizhou’s surname, so the Song family will be paying for it.”

Aunt Qin deliberately said "paying extra money," because other women who pay extra money are looked down upon by their in-laws, but Song Fenglan's situation is different. Song Fenglan is no longer someone the Qin family can look down on; she's capable, and the Song family is a very respectable family.

"Get ready," said Qin's father.

If we don't prepare, what else can we do?

The Qin family couldn't possibly ask the Song family to prepare those things; that would be too inappropriate.

Perhaps Qin Yizhou wouldn't say anything; he hadn't sent money to his parents for years. Qin Yizhou thought that his parents had a lot of money, and since he was married, he still needed to spend it on his own family. His parents had enough money to live on and could even help support his older brother and sister-in-law's family.

If Qin Yizhou continues to send them money, wouldn't that money end up in the hands of Brother Qin and Sister-in-law Qin?

Qin Yizhou wasn't stupid. When he got married, he gave Song Fenglan his own savings; his family didn't provide any additional dowry. Qin Yizhou couldn't let others say he didn't give a dowry, and he couldn't make his wife sad, so he gave the money to Song Fenglan. He didn't buy things like a sewing machine because Song Fenglan was living at Aunt Yu's house, and those things wouldn't be easy to store.

For a while, Sister-in-law Qin was feeling unwell. When she went outside, people asked her questions.

"Oh, you're really not pregnant?"

"It's a mistake. It's okay, you're still young, you can still get pregnant again."

"Don't you already have two children? Leave those two children with your in-laws. If they won't open the door, just don't open it and let the children in. See if they feel sorry for them."

...

Everyone knows that Sister-in-law Qin faked her pregnancy so she could move back to her in-laws' house. Nobody wants the small house; everyone wants the big one. Sister-in-law Qin is worried that Qin Yizhou and his wife will end up living in that big house, and that her parents will give all their money to Qin Yizhou.

Sister-in-law Qin was speechless upon hearing these people's words. She had already told them that if it was a lie, they mustn't tell anyone, absolutely not, but it still got out. This made her lose face and gave her a terrible headache.

Once, Sister-in-law Qin was the image of a good sister-in-law, but now, everyone knows that she is fighting for those things and that she has done all sorts of dirty things in private.

Song Fenglan wasn't present, nor was she the one to expose those things. Calling Song Fenglan wouldn't have helped; it would only have made her a laughingstock. Therefore, Qin Da Sao didn't consider calling Song Fenglan; she didn't intend to apologize, and she didn't believe she had done anything wrong.

Given the circumstances back then, doing what I did was for everyone's good. Song Fenglan's family background was problematic, and the Qin family being too kind to her would only bring trouble to their own family.

Sister-in-law Qin stayed home and didn't go out. What would she do if she went out? Would she become a laughingstock? If she did go out, it would be to buy groceries, and she should be quick to return. Sister-in-law Qin never imagined she would face such a situation one day. She was thinking about Song Fenglan being harassed, while...

It wasn't that I was being harassed.

If Qin Yizhou hadn't married Song Fenglan, none of this would have happened.

Qin's sister-in-law's family dared not say much; they could only act like quails.

Time quickly came to the day when Yue Hongwei and Fan Yani were to hold their wedding banquet. Song Fenglan did not work overtime; she went with Qin Yizhou and their child.

Zhang Xiaohu was very happy, as he had lots of candy to eat, and he ate several. Children love sweet things, and Aunt Pang told Zhang Xiaohu not to eat too much, but he still wanted to eat, secretly.

The fat woman couldn't do anything with Zhang Xiaohu, so she had to help with the cooking and cooking, preventing Fan Yani from cooking alone. Fan Yani's cooking skills were decent; she knew how to match dishes and plate food. She could make some home-style dishes without much trouble, such as braised pork, sweet and sour pork ribs, and sweet and sour fish. Fan Yani could make them all; she knew them in her previous life, but they weren't skills inherited from the original owner.

The original owner was also a cook, but it was someone else's skill, and Fan Yani couldn't possibly master it all at once. Fortunately, she could cook herself.

Song Fenglan didn't help with the cooking; instead, she sat in the yard playing with her child.

Li Hui and Guo Peng arrived, and the couple felt a little awkward seeing Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou. They couldn't say that Yue Hongwei and Fan Yani shouldn't have invited Qin Yizhou and his wife; it wasn't their own wedding banquet.

Li Hui glanced at Qin Yizhou twice, and then kept watching. She watched Qin Yizhou take care of the child, and watched him hand Song Fenglan a few candies.

Guo Peng followed Li Hui's gaze and saw Qin Yizhou. Guo Peng lowered his head slightly, his eyes dimming. Li Hui was indeed still thinking about Qin Yizhou; he wasn't even a substitute in Li Hui's heart.

Qin Yizhou didn't go to see Li Hui; he ignored Li Hui and her husband and only looked after his own wife and son.

"Don't eat too much sugar, it will cause cavities," Song Fenglan reminded her son.

"Eat less, give some to Brother Xiaohu." Qin Zihang gave the candy in his pocket to Zhang Xiaohu, who didn't like candy that much.

Back in the capital, Song Fenglan often hid food for Qin Zihang, so he didn't crave it as much. Zhang Xiaohu ate less of these things, and even candy was rarely bought by his wife, who was reluctant to spend the money.

"Thank you, Zihang." Zhang Xiaohu put the candy in his pocket, and he also brought a small bag to fill with candy and other snacks.

Zhang Xiaohu was too young, and his older sister-in-law was too lazy to stop her youngest son, lest he sit on the ground and cry. If he really did sit there and cry, that would be even worse.

It's not good to have your youngest son crying on someone else's big day.

Zhang Xiaohu was very happy about the banquet, especially since his whole family came to eat, and he ate a lot.

The plump woman was helping in the kitchen; she could cook and tend the fire. Song Fenglan didn't go, firstly because she had just gotten her period a few days ago, and secondly because she didn't want to go to the kitchen—it was too hot and she would sweat easily.

After looking at Qin Yizhou, Li Hui looked at Song Fenglan. She took two steps toward Song Fenglan, and Guo Peng tightly grasped Li Hui's hand.

“This is Yani’s wedding banquet,” Guo Peng said, not wanting his wife to talk nonsense.

“It’s Yani’s wedding banquet.” Li Hui nodded, then nudged Guo Peng’s hand. “We’re all neighbors, so let’s say hello. You agree, right, Comrade Song Fenglan?”

Li Hui spoke loudly, pushed Guo Peng aside, and walked up to Song Fenglan.

"The past was all a misunderstanding. Comrade Song Fenglan won't hold it against me anymore, will she?" Li Hui couldn't help but say this when she saw Song Fenglan.

Song Fenglan ignored Li Hui; Li Hui could say whatever she wanted.

"It's from Qin Tuan's family," Li Hui said again.

Song Fenglan still didn't answer Li Hui. She got up and walked to her son, taking a handkerchief to wipe Qin Zihang's hands.

"It's all sticky now," Song Fenglan said.

Li Hui was about to speak when Guo Peng grabbed her hand again, saying, "The banquet will begin in a moment."

Guo Peng wanted to say less, not wanting Li Hui to lose face, not just Li Hui, but both he and his wife would lose face.

When Fan Yani came out of the kitchen, she saw Li Hui and Guo Peng. Fan Yani hadn't originally wanted to invite Li Hui, but how could she not invite her? People would think she was holding a grudge against Li Hui and would criticize her. Fan Yani figured it was just some food; even if Li Hui came, she wouldn't be able to eat in peace.

"Sister-in-law," Fan Yani said with a smile as she walked up to Li Hui, "you've come at the right time, come and help me out."

“Me?” Li Hui pointed to herself.

“Yes, you’re my sister-in-law, we’re relatives,” Fan Yani said. “When my brother was in the army, I was still taking care of my parents back home. Now, can you help me out?”

Fan Yani dragged Li Hui to the kitchen, telling Li Hui not to embarrass herself here.

Li Hui wanted to say that she didn't like doing these things, but Fan Yani had already mentioned Guo Peng's parents, and if Li Hui refused to help, people would say she was stingy. Li Hui was in a bad mood, but she still had to do things in the kitchen.

“Qin Tuan’s family is here too, I’ll go ask her to come and help,” Li Hui said.

“No way,” Fan Yani refused. “Sister-in-law, you’ve been away for so many years… no, we’re not from the same place, the customs are different. Sister-in-law, someone like Comrade Song Fenglan should sit at the head table when attending a banquet.”

"She's a high school graduate..."

“But she’s a researcher, working in a good institution,” Fan Yani said. “Sister-in-law, if you could have such a good job, you could sit at the head table too. Wait a bit, you can sit at the same table as Fatty and the others.”

“Yes, they’re sitting at the same table as us,” said the plump woman.

"Sister-in-law, this is the custom where we're from. You won't mind, will you?" Fan Yani asked.

"I don't mind at all," said the plump woman. "It's good enough to be able to sit at the table and eat at the banquet. In some places, women can't sit at the table and have to eat in the kitchen."

The plump woman didn't think it was bad, and Fan Yani was right; Song Fenglan's status was indeed quite different. The others didn't have such great abilities and were certainly not as capable as Song Fenglan.

"..." Li Hui felt a surge of anger in her heart. How could there be such a rule?

“Sister-in-law, if you don’t believe me, you can ask my brother,” Fan Yani said. “That’s how it is in our village. Either you have a high seniority or you have the ability, then you can sit at the head table. There are rules for sitting at the head table; not just anyone can sit there.”

"Does Song Fenglan drink alcohol?" Li Hui asked.

“You can sit at the head table even if you don’t drink,” Fan Yani said. “It’s not necessary to drink. The banquet is for those who want to drink to drink, and those who don’t want to drink can sit and eat.”

“There are only men at the main table,” Li Hui said, unwilling to accept it.

“This shows how capable Comrade Song Fenglan is,” Fan Yani said. “Men can sit at the head table with ease, but it’s difficult for women to do so.”

Fan Yani rolled her eyes inwardly. Who did Li Hui think she was? Fan Yani wanted to separate Li Hui from Song Fenglan, to prevent Li Hui from speaking ill of Song Fenglan in a sarcastic manner. People like Li Hui were particularly bad; they didn't have much ability, yet they were unwilling to accept their fate and didn't know how to resign themselves to their lot.

After transmigrating, Fan Yani examined her situation and considered what the best course of action would be. She made the most of what she could to improve her life, and she was also self-aware enough not to have any unrealistic expectations.

In this day and age, marrying a suitable man is good for a woman. Fan Yani had considered staying single, but as a child bride, how could she remain single forever? Her adoptive parents would pressure her to marry. Especially after Guo Peng's marriage, her adoptive parents, for the sake of their biological son's reputation, would definitely make Fan Yani marry quickly. Rather than waiting for someone else to make a move, she might as well choose for herself.

When the banquet began, Fan Yani went over to invite Song Fenglan to sit at the head table, but Song Fenglan did not go.

Those men wanted to drink, and the smell of alcohol was strong, so Song Fenglan didn't like being around them.

"The smell of alcohol is strong, so I won't sit there with my child." Song Fenglan didn't expect Fan Yani to let her sit at the head table.

“Okay, then let’s sit at the table next to us,” Fan Yani said.

Fan Yani and her husband originally planned to have two tables, but after calculating, they realized two tables wouldn't be enough, so they ended up having six. Separating Li Hui and Song Fenglan from each other was quite easy.

Fatty didn't sit down. She thought that Fan Yani couldn't possibly manage all the work by herself, so she still had to help out in the kitchen.

"Okay, sister-in-law, you help serve the dishes. After they finish eating, we'll prepare another meal."

Fan Yani quickly came up with an idea. It wasn't that there weren't enough seats; Li Hui could easily go out and sit down. But Li Hui was Fan Yani's sister-in-law. "Sister-in-law," she said, "we're all family, please don't mind. At this time, if I don't rely on you, I don't know when I'll be able to."

ill!

Li Hui really wanted to curse, but she couldn't. She could only go and serve the dishes. Luckily, there were large wooden trays; otherwise, they would have been quite hot if carried out directly. Li Hui thought she shouldn't have come over; if she hadn't, the situation wouldn't have turned out this way.

Guo Peng, Qin Yizhou, and others sat at the main table. Guo Peng offered to pour Qin Yizhou a drink, but Qin Yizhou refused.

"I don't drink," Qin Yizhou said.

Qin Yizhou held a high position, and Guo Peng felt embarrassed to pour any more wine after hearing this.

"You can drink," Qin Yizhou added, just in case these people were afraid to drink.

“Yes, drink,” Political Commissar Zhao said. “Go ahead and drink.”

Political Commissar Zhao spoke, and the others continued pouring and drinking. Political Commissar Zhao didn't see Staff Officer Xu, and he didn't ask why he hadn't come over. A little thought would tell him there was likely a problem.

Yue Hongwei and Fan Yani weren't particularly close to Staff Officer Xu, so it didn't matter if they weren't invited. And it doesn't matter who the leaders are; not all leaders need to be invited.

Guo Peng glanced at Qin Yizhou, feeling somewhat embarrassed. He knew Li Hui wanted to marry Qin Yizhou, yet he still married her. This was Guo Peng's one-sided opinion; he felt awkward, but Qin Yizhou didn't feel awkward at all.

Qin Yizhou had never liked Li Hui, nor had he ever thought of marrying her. There was no reason for him to feel awkward for a stranger he had only met a few times.

"The food is served." Li Hui brought the dishes over, but she didn't dare to get close to Qin Yizhou. Instead, she had Guo Peng take the dishes from him.

Fan Yani didn't let Li Hui serve the dishes at Song Fenglan's table. What if Li Hui deliberately spilled the soup on someone and burned them? Fan Yani didn't trust Li Hui and wanted to be extra careful.

Li Hui felt that Fan Yani was wary of her, and no matter how angry she was, there was no use in it, so she could only hold it in.

The portly woman didn't pay much attention to Li Hui's expression; she was still cooking. Some of the dishes were pre-cooked, and there was also steamed fish. These dishes were ready quickly and could be served immediately. The portly woman looked like a master chef, cooking with great skill.

"Thanks to you, Sister-in-law Pang, I really couldn't have managed on my own," Fan Yani said with emotion.

"It's just a small thing, we're all neighbors," said the plump woman. "Let us know if you need any help, and we'll need your help in the future too."

Fatty was busy in the kitchen, while Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Wen sat at the table where Song Fenglan was sitting. Fatty originally wanted the two children to wait a while, or to eat something in the kitchen, but Fan Yani said to let the children sit down, as there were plenty of seats.

Then, Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Wen sat with Song Fenglan and her son, and Song Fenglan also looked after Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Wen.

“Your little brother Zihang has already eaten, why aren’t you eating?” Zhang Wen said to Zhang Xiaohu. “Eat up.”

Zhang Wen noticed that his younger brother kept trying to get off the table to play, and he became a little annoyed. This is his younger brother, this is his younger brother, his younger brother had better eat those things quickly.

"Come and eat quickly," Zhang Wen said.

"Mom." Qin Zihang looked at Song Fenglan. He also wanted to go play, but his mother had been sick, so he had to be good and stay by her side.

Qin Zihang still remembered that Song Fenglan was not feeling well, and he had been unusually well-behaved these past few days, unlike his usual lively self.

"Eat more, and play when you're full," Song Fenglan said. "If you don't eat enough, you'll be hungry tonight."

The banquet was held in the evening. The dishes prepared during the day could be purchased a day in advance for some dishes, but not others. This was mainly due to the weather; it was hot, and the food couldn't be kept for long.

"I'll eat it." Qin Zihang nodded.

"Have a piece of meat." Song Fenglan placed a piece of braised pork on Qin Zihang's plate.

Qin Zihang scooped up the meat with a soup spoon and ate it bite by bite.

Seeing Qin Zihang eating so obediently, Zhang Xiaohu said to his brother, "I want to eat meat too."

"Let me get you some." Seeing that Zhang Wen had trouble picking up the meat, Song Fenglan directly put some on Zhang Xiaohu's plate. "Xiaohu, eat up."

"Thank you, Auntie," Zhang Xiaohu said. "I want a little bit of fat."

"I'll get you another piece." Song Fenglan didn't like fatty meat; she preferred lean meat. Qin Zihang would eat a little fatty meat. Song Fenglan didn't know what kind of meat Zhang Xiaohu liked, so she simply picked out some leaner meat. Unexpectedly, Zhang Xiaohu said he wanted fatty meat.

Indeed, people in this era have limited access to oily foods, and many enjoy eating fatty meat; this is a characteristic of the times.

Zhang Xiaohu shoved the meat into his mouth in one gulp, without biting off a single piece, and ate it bite by bite. His mouth was bulging and covered in oil.

"Auntie, I haven't even been to your wedding banquet yet," Zhang Xiaohu said suddenly after finishing his meal. "Are you having a wedding banquet?"

"..." Song Fenglan did not expect Zhang Xiaohu to ask such a question. She and Qin Yizhou had indeed never held a wedding banquet.

Back then, after Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou registered their marriage, Qin Yizhou had to go on a mission. The Qin family didn't care about Song Fenglan and didn't take her seriously. With Qin Yizhou absent, there was naturally no wedding banquet. Later, Song Fenglan became pregnant and gave birth, so there was even less time for a banquet.

"Even though there's no banquet, we still have pastries to eat," Song Fenglan said. If she and Qin Yizhou really wanted to have a banquet, they wouldn't have done it here.

Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou already have a child, and it's really inappropriate for them to still be holding a wedding banquet here. People will think they're trying to collect money as gifts, and some will say that their child is already so grown up, why are they still holding a banquet?

Most of Song Fenglan's relatives live in the capital, so she didn't plan to hold a banquet here. Inviting people to a meal here would be fine. Just a regular meal, not a lavish banquet.

"Mom, I've never attended a banquet you and Dad had," Qin Zihang said.

"Me neither," Zhang Xiaohu said. "When did my parents hold their wedding banquet? Do they still hold them?"

"Have some noodles." Song Fenglan put some noodles on Zhang Xiaohu's plate and also put some on Qin Zihang's plate. "Both of you should have some noodles."

Zhang Xiaohu had food, so he didn't ask any further questions. Qin Zihang stared at the noodles in his bowl; he didn't really want to eat.

"What's wrong?" Song Fenglan asked.

"I don't want to eat," Qin Zihang said.

"Eat a little more, just a little more," Song Fenglan said. "Just this little bit in the bowl."

"Can I go to my dad?" Qin Zihang asked.

“Go, go find your father,” Song Fenglan said, “but you have to finish the noodles in your bowl first.”

Qin Zihang lowered his head and ate his noodles. After finishing, he got off the table and went to find his father.

"Dad, Dad." Qin Zihang ran to Qin Yizhou's side.

"Uncle, Uncle!" Zhang Xiaohu ran after Qin Zihang.

When Zhang Chenghai saw his youngest son run to Qin Yizhou's side, he was speechless. Should he be glad that his youngest son didn't call Qin Yizhou "Dad"?

"Your dad's right here," Guo Peng said to Zhang Xiaohu with a smile. "Are you just following your little brother around like a shadow?"

“I’ll side with whoever is smarter,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “Zihang is very smart, he’s the younger brother.”

Other children might be unhappy if they heard adults call them "little tagalongs." Zhang Xiaohu wasn't unhappy. He felt that Qin Zihang was different from the other children. Qin Zihang knew a lot, and Zihang's mother was also very capable, so of course he had to play with his little brother Zihang.

“Yes, play with your little brother Zihang,” Yue Hongwei said. “Play together more often.”

“That’s right,” Zhang Chenghai said. He couldn’t possibly tell his youngest son not to play with Qin Zihang. If anyone should be forbidden from playing with someone, it would be his own son playing with Staff Officer Xu’s child. He didn’t want to risk being punished if anything happened.

Although Staff Officer Xu didn't seem like the type to cause trouble for others, Zhang Chenghai still thought it best to be careful.

After the banquet, some women helped clear the dishes, but Song Fenglan didn't help. Song Fenglan, Qin Yizhou, and their husband took Qin Zihang home. Just as Song Fenglan reached Fan Yani's door, people from the research institute arrived.

"Engineer Song!" The research institute staff came over and asked Song Fenglan to come over. They had encountered a serious problem that they couldn't solve, so they had to send Song Fenglan back.

“Take Zihang back,” Song Fenglan said to Qin Yizhou.

"Okay, go ahead and get busy." Qin Yizhou nodded.

Li Hui didn't know Song Fenglan had gone to the research institute; she assumed Song Fenglan hadn't helped with the chores. Li Hui noticed that the other military wives were helping with the cleanup, while Song Fenglan just ate and left. Li Hui didn't say anything in front of Fan Yani and the others, but she told Shi Guilan when she got back.

Shi Guilan was a big mouth, and of course she told others, "Everyone was helping, but she didn't help at all and just left like that."

That night, Song Fenglan worked until after 1 a.m. before being taken home to rest.

After taking a shower and tidying up, it was almost two o'clock. Song Fenglan was so tired that she didn't even wash her clothes, leaving them aside for now.

Hearing the noise, Qin Yizhou waited until Song Fenglan got to the bed, then said nothing more than, "Go to sleep quickly."

Qin Yizhou wasn't unhappy; he was just feeling sorry for his wife.

The next day, several people knew that Song Fenglan hadn't helped with the work. Some even asked Fan Yani about it, to which Fan Yani was utterly speechless.

"Comrade Song Fenglan was called away by her work unit yesterday evening."

"I went to work overtime and didn't get back until the early hours of the morning. When I got up in the middle of the night, I heard a noise."

"Don't talk nonsense, Comrade Song Fenglan is doing her job."

...

Fan Yani and Fatty Sister-in-law naturally sided with Song Fenglan. The two of them were still talking as they walked back from under the big tree in the family compound.

"Who told these people?" Fan Yani asked, displeased. "Even if Comrade Song Fenglan didn't work overtime and didn't do those things, there's no problem. It's our family hosting a wedding banquet; there's no reason for us to ask our guests to do things."

"Who else could have said that? Probably your sister-in-law's good cousin." The fat woman snorted. "These people are always watching Fenglan and talking nonsense. They do housework at home, but they insist that others do it too, whether it's in their own home or in someone else's. Helping is a favor, not helping is fine too."

The fat woman looked at Fan Yani, observing her expression.

“That’s exactly right,” Fan Yani said. “Comrade Song Fenglan works so hard, she has to work and take care of her child, she must be so tired.”

Fan Yani deeply respects soldiers and researchers; without their selfless dedication, the country wouldn't have achieved such great success. Fan Yani also knows that Song Fenglan's uncle was assassinated upon returning to China; the thought of it breaks her heart and brings tears to her eyes.

“Why are people still gossiping like this? Aren’t they afraid of retribution?” Fan Yani said.

"Who knows?" said the plump woman.

At this point, Sister-in-law Qin contacted her friend at the hospital, asking why her friend had leaked information about her faking pregnancy. Her friend replied that there were many people at the hospital, and since she hadn't handled the whole thing alone, someone else might have overheard.

Sister-in-law Qin couldn't take her anger out on her friend, as she might need his help in the future. Thinking about it, she was still very angry, feeling a tightness in her chest with nowhere to vent. This led to more frequent arguments between Sister-in-law Qin and Brother-in-law Qin.

“I heard that Mom and Dad are looking at houses, it seems they want to buy one for my younger brother and his family,” said Sister-in-law Qin. “Our house is a three-bedroom one, but they seem to be asking about detached houses. You're the eldest brother, if you live in a house like this, your younger brother…”

"Mom and Dad bought them another house, and they didn't live with them. Isn't that good?" Brother Qin was thinking that since his parents didn't live with his younger brother, it meant that his parents might leave their original house to them, and that house was bigger.

“Your parents are only thinking about your younger brother right now,” said Sister-in-law Qin.

“Mom and Dad feel guilty,” Brother Qin said. “That’s why they wanted to handle things properly. Before, when Yizhou came home for vacation, he stayed at home while his sister-in-law stayed at her aunt’s house; the two of them rarely stayed together. Now that the Song family has been exonerated, Mom and Dad can’t very well let Yizhou stay at the Song family’s house. Yizhou may be shameless, but Mom and Dad still have their pride, and we have to have ours too. It’s good that Mom and Dad found a place for him; it’s their money…”

"Is that your parents' money?" Sister-in-law Qin asked. "If they spend all the money on your brother, what will happen to our children?"

Sister-in-law Qin was preoccupied with the money in her parents' hands, saying, "Your aunt is a troublemaker."

“Aunt…” Brother Qin frowned.

"She's been running around doing all this, people who don't know the situation would think your brother is her biological son." Sister-in-law Qin used to think Aunt Qin was alright, Aunt Qin had always been very kind to her, but now, Sister-in-law Qin thinks Aunt Qin is too awful, Aunt Qin only has eyes for Qin Yizhou and his wife, "It's all because of her instigating Mom and Dad over there."

“Auntie is just concerned about the family,” Brother Qin said. “Don’t worry too much. Don’t fret. Mom and Dad will never forget us.”

"You're all talk. Your parents are really something. If I'm faking a pregnancy, fine, but can't they just pretend I'm really pregnant? Can't they just let us move back in?" Sister-in-law Qin gritted her teeth. "They're doing it on purpose."

"I've told you before, not to do these underhanded things, but you insisted on doing them anyway," Brother Qin said. "If you don't do these things, after a while, when Mom and Dad's anger subsides, they'll let us go back. You've made them even angrier, and you've let outsiders know you faked your pregnancy. How will they save face then?"

Brother Qin was annoyed; his wife kept bringing up these things. He'd said it countless times: his parents couldn't possibly leave everything to his younger brother. His wife refused to believe him and insisted on making a fuss. Brother Qin couldn't help but think his aunt was right; he shouldn't have married his current wife. What good was her family background? She was a complete fool.

"Mom and Dad haven't said anything else, so shut up!" Brother Qin couldn't help but raise his voice.

"You're being mean to me!" Sister-in-law Qin said angrily.

"Am I being mean to you?" Brother Qin didn't think he was being harsh with his wife. "I'm just making you face reality. Mom and Dad are in the capital, Yizhou and the others aren't here. Even if they came back, do you think our Qin family is as rich as the Song family?"

That's ridiculous!

The Song family gave Song Fenglan a little something, but the Qin family didn't even give Qin Yizhou that much. It was only because Qin's eldest sister-in-law was still concerned about such a small thing.

Brother Qin believed his parents were aware of this as well; they couldn't compete with the Song family in terms of wealth. The state was gradually returning the Song family's assets, all of which were legally acquired and wouldn't be confiscated.

Lately, Brother Qin has been having a headache at work. With the current tense situation, he's afraid to make any mistakes, lest one wrong step lead to complete failure. Meanwhile, his wife, instead of trying to avoid causing trouble, keeps saying hurtful things.

"Don't even mention our family, even our entire Qin family, plus your maternal family, can't compare to their wealth," Brother Qin said. "Can't you use your brain?"

"Fine, you're saying I'm brainless," Sister-in-law Qin said. "Yes, I'm brainless. If I were, I wouldn't have married you."

Sister-in-law Qin was smashing bowls and chopsticks, breaking the kettle, and sitting there crying. Seeing this, Brother Qin became even more irritated. His wife showed no virtue or gentleness whatsoever; all she did was cause him trouble.

The two children were too frightened to make a sound and could only hide inside the room.

“Go call your brother and ask him if he wants Mom and Dad’s house and money,” said Sister-in-law Qin. “He can’t possibly say no. Who would complain about having too much? Everyone always complains about not having enough.”

"Why are you asking this?" Brother Qin said. "Mom and Dad are both in good health and doing well."

“They’re perfectly fine, but that’s precisely the time to ask,” said Sister-in-law Qin. “If they want the property, they have to support Mom and Dad. If you won’t call, I will!”

"Don't hit him!" Brother Qin said.

"You can keep an eye on me tonight, but you can't keep an eye on me tomorrow," Sister-in-law Qin said. "Can you keep an eye on me every second?"

Sister-in-law Qin insisted that Brother Qin call Qin Yizhou. Brother Qin had no choice; he couldn't let Sister-in-law Qin call Qin Yizhou alone. If Sister-in-law Qin made the call herself, things would probably get even worse.

There was originally a chance to ease the tension, but the wife's words caused a complete breakdown in relations between the two sides.

Brother Qin had only recently moved in and hadn't installed a telephone yet. Brother Qin and his wife went to their parents' house. Since they were going to discuss inheritance, they needed to let their parents know, as those things belonged to them.

Mr. and Mrs. Qin were surprised that their sister-in-law would think about the property so quickly, even though they were still alive and well.

“Dad, Mom, it’s better to talk about this sooner rather than later,” said Sister-in-law Qin. “We’ve been taking care of you all these years. As soon as the Song family came back, you kicked us aside. What will happen later? Will we not get a single penny? We’ve done so much, are you going to deprive us of our right to inherit the family fortune just because of that tiny mistake I made?”

Qin's father was very displeased. There were only so few things in the house, and not much else, yet his eldest daughter-in-law insisted on saying such things.

"If we're going to talk about it, then we should settle everything beforehand." Father Qin thought it was indeed necessary to settle things properly, otherwise, given his eldest daughter-in-law's temper, there would probably be a lot of problems later on.

Qin's father went to make the phone call. It was a little after six in the evening when Qin Yizhou happened to be home, but Qin Zihang answered the phone first. Qin Yizhou was cooking in the kitchen, and worried that the food would burn, so he had to wait a while.

"Hello, who are you?" Qin Zihang asked.

"Is it Zihang?" Qin's father asked.

"It's me, it's Hangbao." Qin Zihang didn't remember his father's voice. He hadn't been there often, and his father and mother rarely had any contact with him, so of course Qin Zihang didn't remember.

"I'm your grandfather," Qin's father said. "Is your father here? Or, is your mother here?"

"Mom isn't home yet, Dad's cooking." Qin

Zihang said, "I'll go call Dad."

Qin Zihang didn't want to talk to his grandfather; he didn't like his grandparents.

"Dad, Dad, Grandpa called you." Qin Zihang ran to the kitchen.

"Be careful." Qin Yizhou carried the dishes. "Go sit down, Dad will add some water to the pot."

Qin Yizhou wanted to wait a while before washing the pot, so he went to answer the phone first.

"Dad." Qin Yizhou answered the phone and asked Qin Zihang to sit next to him.

"Is your wife home?" Qin's father asked.

"Dad, you can tell me anything," Qin Yizhou said. "Fenglan hasn't come back yet."

Sister-in-law Qin stared at her father, urging him to hurry up and talk about dividing the property.

"Your mother and I are planning to buy you a house," Qin's father said. "What kind do you want?"

"Are the older brothers and the others nearby?" Qin Yizhou immediately sensed that something was wrong.

Sister-in-law Qin snatched the phone holder from Qin's father's hand. "Yizhou, your older brother and I want you to discuss the family property. First, decide on the division, who will support Mom and Dad, and how the property will be inherited."

Mr. Qin was reluctant to discuss the division of property. Before making the call, he thought he should bring it up, but when his younger son answered, he hesitated and decided against it. Mr. Qin was getting old and couldn't withstand the commotion his son and daughter-in-law were causing. He hadn't even noticed that his sister-in-law was being disrespectful and had come all the way over to do these things.

If Qin's sister-in-law were still living with Qin's parents, she would have been more submissive. Qin's sister-in-law had always been rather afraid of Qin's father, but recent events had made her afraid that what she thought was a sure thing would slip away. She could no longer be timid; if she didn't fight for it, her children wouldn't get anything.

"How do you want to divide it?" Qin Yizhou asked.

“Your parents want to buy you a house, that’s fine,” said Sister-in-law Qin. “If you want that house, you don’t have to. Your parents can be supported by us, but everything else must belong to us. We’re in the capital, so it’s convenient for us to take care of them. If you don’t agree, then you have to make up for the previous support payments. You still have to pay your parents support payments every month now. Since you’re not here, you have to pay more support payments.”

Sister-in-law Qin was thinking that she would find a way to get the money back from the elderly couple later. The children needed money for school and new clothes. Qin's mother had given a lot of money to the children before, so Sister-in-law Qin didn't have to worry about it much.

Sister-in-law Qin seemed to be giving Qin Yizhou two choices, but in reality, she was only giving him one.

"Then it's just one house. Everything else is yours, and you'll be responsible for supporting Mom and Dad," Qin Yizhou said. He was thinking that they were his biological parents, and if they really had problems, he would still take care of them. However, Qin Yizhou couldn't say that in front of his sister-in-law. Otherwise, later on, she would criticize him for what he had said that day and say that he should take better care of his parents.

"Dad, Mom, should your youngest son tell you this?" Sister-in-law Qin asked, looking at the others.

Brother Qin sighed, realizing his wife had gone too far.

“According to the custom, it is the eldest son’s family that is responsible for the care of their parents in their old age,” said Sister-in-law Qin. “This has always been the custom, and it is the eldest son’s family that should inherit more of it.”

Sister-in-law Qin went crazy tonight. She suddenly exploded, and with this last breath, she couldn't let it all out; she had to get everything done. If she waited until tomorrow, without this last breath, it would be even harder to get things done.

"Let's discuss these things early on, so we don't have to argue about them at your funerals later," said Sister-in-law Qin. "You're both so old, and Dad's retired due to injury..."

"Bang!" Brother Qin slammed his hand on the table, his eyes bloodshot. "You said you wanted to divide the family property, so just say you wanted to divide the family property. Why are you cursing Mom and Dad?"

Brother Qin really wanted to slap Sister-in-law Qin hard, but he was a man who didn't care much for women, and hitting a woman didn't make him a hero.

"You want my parents' things, but aren't they your parents too? Don't you care about their lives?" Brother Qin couldn't stand it anymore. His wife was getting more and more outrageous. If he didn't speak up, he suspected that his parents would be driven to their deaths by Sister-in-law Qin. "They're all perfectly fine. Do you really want to take everything and have it all?"