Xia Daohua stole a glance at Lihua, who tapped her nose and said, "Don't listen to their nonsense! Our grandparents are in good health!"
Daohua smiled and nodded. She wasn't really a child, so how could she not know what really made Lihua angry?
However, since Lihua didn't want to say it, she wouldn't point it out.
After seeing off the guests, Xia Youtian and Jiang walked back slowly, shoulder to shoulder.
It can be seen that both of them look very relaxed.
Daohua suddenly realized that perhaps it was not just her second aunt who wanted to divide the family property.
According to the original owner's memory, Xia Daohua knew that before the family split up, the Xia family's money was centrally managed, and no branch head was allowed to hide private money.
Whether it was the harvest from the fields, or working as a temporary worker in town during the slack season, or doing some handicraft work such as weaving baskets and making crates, every penny earned by each family had to be turned over to the public treasury.
Old Madam Zhou was very tight-lipped about money. Even if you said all the nice things she could, don't expect her to give you a penny.
However, this was also thanks to Zhou's careful budgeting.
The Xia family, with so many members, never went hungry, even though they ate two crops during the busy farming season and one during the slack. Every year before winter, they were willing to remove the kang, clean the ashes, and rebuild the chimney. Even if the thatch on the roof flew off or the walls got holes, they were willing to pay for repairs. Every year when it was time to make winter clothes and quilts, they would buy some new cotton.
Compared to other farmers, the Xia family had enough to eat, warm clothes, and comfortable housing, so they looked naturally good. Not only were they taller, but their skin was also much whiter than others.
For such talents, even finding a marriage is easier than for other families.
However, Erlang was indeed delayed and a little older, so it was no wonder that his aunt felt sorry for him.
However, if the family had not been divided, Erlang's marriage would still have been paid for by the public. But now that the family has been divided, Erlang's marriage can only be paid for by the second wife herself.
Second uncle's reaction was so violent that he left several purple bruises on second aunt's face. He also forced second aunt to come over and kowtow to Zhou to apologize. In the final analysis, it was all for money.
Besides Erlang, who is now older and ready to marry, Sanlang and Silang will also be getting married in a few years. Peach Blossom, Apricot Blossom, and Plum Blossom will also need to marry. Which of weddings and funerals doesn't require money?
Zhou's mind was as clear as a mirror, so she divided the family up without hesitation. "Since I've endured so much hardship and you don't appreciate it, then I won't accept your complaints!"
The family’s apparent savings totaled sixty-six taels.
Zhou divided it according to the number of households, giving each head of the family twelve taels, and the remainder was given to her two daughters, three taels each.
But no one knows how much of the old couple's private money is left.
However, if you calculate it based on the annual harvest from farming and selling grain, sixty-six taels is already a staggering figure. Everyone who comes here has to praise the old couple for their thriftiness! It's quite unexpected that each branch of the family can get so much money.
So each room was a little overjoyed.
How could I not be happy when I can be the boss and have the final say, and I have some money to start with?
Of course, except for the big house.
The eldest wife was the most vehemently opposed to the division of the family, and her attitude was even more resolute than that of the second wife, who regretted her decision.
After all, if the family didn't split up, all the family's income would go to the public treasury, and how to distribute it would all be up to the old man and the old lady. As long as they appeased the two elders, the eldest wife could live a relaxed and comfortable life.
Now that the family had been divided, the eldest wife couldn't openly ask her brothers for money. With only the little land the couple cultivated, no matter how much she coaxed the old man and the old lady, she wouldn't be able to get much money out of them.
However, Zhou was a person with such a stubborn temper. Once she was determined, no one could change her mind.
Although the eldest wife was in great pain, she had no other choice but to criticize her younger brothers for being unfilial and scold them. In the end, because the scolding was too harsh, the fifth brother retorted:
"Since you are so filial, why don't you bring my parents and my younger sister to live in the town, so that our parents can also enjoy a good life with servants at their command?
Anyway, my younger sister is getting married this year, so even if she moves to town to live with my eldest brother and his wife, it won’t cost much.
It’s just right, I can also learn from my virtuous sister-in-law how to manage the household and serve my parents-in-law.”
The boss's face flushed immediately, and he quickly defended himself:
"Old Fifth, who are you listening to these unreliable nonsense again? Your eldest sister-in-law and I live a very frugal life in town. How can we call on servants? If your eldest nephew is studying in the academy, he must have a servant. This is the custom of the academy. We don't want to be ostentatious!"
The fifth brother laughed sarcastically and said, "Whether it's nonsense or not, you know it in your heart. Anyway, you see that we brothers are all unfilial bastards. So why don't you bring our parents to live with you and show your filial piety yourself? You can also set an example for us brothers."
The eldest brother was completely upset by the fifth brother, but he was used to being the eldest brother, and it was impossible for him to admit his mistake, so he pushed the responsibility onto the old couple:
"When we first moved to town, I said I'd take my parents with us! But they're used to being hardworking and can't leave their farm, so they don't want to go with us. Now that we've split up, it would be great if they were willing to move to town with us."
Although the boss spoke toughly, he was actually trembling inside, and even his voice was shaking.
The fifth brother sneered disapprovingly, and the eldest brother's face became even redder.
Others also watched the show indifferently, too lazy to smooth things over.
The old lady curled her lips and mercilessly gave each of them fifty lashes:
"Old Fifth, don't say anything. He's your eldest brother after all! Is there any respect for seniority?
Boss, shut up! Your parents are not senile yet. How could they not know what you are thinking?
Your father and I are not going anywhere, and you shouldn't show off in front of your brothers and act so arrogant and domineering!"
As soon as Zhou spoke with a stern face, there was a sudden silence and her sons dared not to get angry.
When Lihua was imitating Daohua, she was beaming with joy. She imitated whoever she was, so lifelike that Daohua and her sister Linghua couldn't help laughing.
Jiang listened from the side and smiled secretly, but after laughing, she couldn't help but give Lihua a few words of advice:
"Lihua, you must never act like this outside! How can a younger person laugh at an elder?"
Lihua replied crisply, "Don't worry, Mom. I won't have to worry about it!"
In fact, it’s not just the fourth room that is so happy.
Ever since the family was divided, there has been a lot more laughter and joy in each room.
However, no one knows that the happiest person here is Xia Daohua, an outsider whose soul traveled to another world.
It wasn't because of the division of the family or anything, but she was surprised and delighted to find that the small supermarket that she had run half-dead in her previous life had actually traveled through time with her!
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