Meng Laibao asked: "What about the fifty yuan?"

Geng Liuju looked at her eldest son who was sitting beside her with his head huddled, and sighed inwardly. Her eldest son was too obedient. If he asked her to beat him, he would really beat him to death. She said, "We don't want to owe money for the New Year. Fifty yuan, my family will pay for it first."

Meng Laixi, Meng Laicai and the others were all dissatisfied. Meng Laibao, relying on the fact that he was the youngest son, said directly: "Mom, you are too partial! It was wrong for the eldest brother to beat the third child like that. He should pay for it. You can't use our money to pay for him!"

Geng Liuju: "Alright, stop arguing. I'll give it to you as I say. Please have some pity on your elder brother. He was scolded by the police earlier. He's scared!"

"That's our family's money! If we use it to make up for the loss, we will have to live a life of hunger and thirst! Mother, please have pity on me. When I married my wife, I only spent 30 yuan. Now I only have my eighth child. He is weak and needs to spend money on supplements. Why don't you give him money?"

Geng Liuju slapped Meng Laibao twice again: "Isn't it enough for me to give Ba Wa? There are so many children in the family, and there is no one like him in the whole village. He needs injections and medicine every other day. Ask which family can afford to spend so much money? You two can't have children, and you got a debt collector. What can you say?"

Meng Laibao was choked by his own mother and couldn't breathe. With a dark face, he swung the curtain and walked away.

Meng Laixi and Meng Laicai saw that their favored younger brother was like this, and it seemed that they were doomed to suffer losses and fill the hole of fifty yuan for the boss. Even though they were not convinced, they could not do anything to their mother, so they could only follow her with their heads down. The other wives and children also followed them out.

There were only a few people from the main house left, Meng Lai Fu, Geng Gui Fen, and Jin Bao and Jingui who came in later.

Geng Guifen rubbed Geng Liuju's shoulders and said, "Mom, Jin Gang went to a classmate's house in the county yesterday and hasn't come back yet. He told his classmates the good news, and several of them are celebrating for him. We can't really sell his place. If he doesn't make it to the class, he won't be able to hold his head up in front of his classmates, right?"

Geng Liuju nodded: "That can't be sold, no matter how difficult it is. It's so hard to find someone to pay the salary."

Geng Guifen felt relieved and pinched the flesh more vigorously.

Meng Laifu carefully looked at Meng Changshou, who had been busy smoking and had not spoken since entering the room, and asked, "Dad, how is Sanwa now?"

Meng Changshou: "The doctor said that he had brain turmoil and both legs were broken. He couldn't move."

Meng Jingui took a breath and said, "Doesn't that mean I'm going to become disabled?"

Meng Jinbao complained to Meng Laifu: "Dad, I'm not saying anything bad about you, but Sanwa is a human being, not a beast of burden. How could he withstand such a heavy blow from you? We can testify that Sanwa was the first to hit you and grandma, and the police can't do anything to you, but if Sanwa is disabled, our family will lose an important labor force. Jingui and I are in poor health and can't do heavy work like Sanwa. If uncle and aunt want to quarrel about dividing the family again...what will we do in the future?"

Meng Lai Fu sat on the edge of the kang with his head huddled, and remained silent despite the blame.

Geng Liuju glared at Meng Jinbao with wide eyes: "You are imitating your uncle, talking nonsense. Your grandparents are here, no one can divide the family property!"

Meng Jingui: "It would be good if the family didn't split up, but Sanwa has become disabled. Wouldn't it be a waste for us to support him in the future?"

Meng Changshou knocked on his pipe and said, "Who said Sanwa is disabled? The doctor performed an operation and said that if he takes care of himself, he will be able to be as good as before."

Meng Jinbao smiled and said, "That's good. I'm really worried about not having Sanwa to work at home."

Meng Changshou held his pipe and was silent for a while before saying, "Yes, Sanwa is lucky, so it is suitable for him to settle down in Linshui Village. He is not afraid of being killed by that girl."

Geng Liuju felt something was wrong: "What did you say, old man? Who wants to settle in Linshui Village?"

Meng Changshou lit up a cigarette, took a deep puff and exhaled: "Sanwa, from now on you all call him by his full name, Meng Jinniu. He is going to settle down in Linshui Village, and from now on he will be the eldest grandson of Meng Changshuan and Meng Shengli."

"What?" Geng Liuju and Meng Laifu were both surprised. After a while, Geng Liuju realized what was happening and screamed, "No way! He's my grandson, why should he be given to Meng Changshuan? I don't agree!"

"I have already agreed. There is no point in disagreeing." Meng Changshou held the cigarette holder in his mouth, unmoved.

"Why do you do that? I raised him, he has to listen to me!"

Meng Changshou raised his eyelids and looked at Geng Liuju: "Without me, where would he come from? What are you raising him for?"

Meng Laifu coughed. He should have said this: "Dad, Sanwa is my son. If he wants to be adopted to Linshui Village, he needs my consent."

Meng Changshou snorted, "Whose son are you? In this family, try to see what you can do without my consent."

Meng Laifu suddenly fell silent.

Geng Liuju: "You old man, how dare you..."

Meng Changshou: "I have already decided, I will do it right away! You old spendthrift, I never care about what happens at home, you have no right to interfere in this matter!"

After saying that, Meng Changshou put on his shoes and went down to the field, asking Meng Lai Fu to go with him to the brigade headquarters to see if there was anyone there. He had to explain the situation to the brigade cadres, as Meng Jinniu would need various certificates and stamps to apply for the household registration transfer.

Geng Liuju stopped Meng Lai Fu from leaving, and then pounced on Meng Changshou like a madman. Over the years, she was the one who made the decisions on all matters big and small in the family. If she said it was okay, it was okay, and if she said it was not okay, no one dared to move. The old man always stood on her side and never opposed her. She was used to the old man's compliance, but suddenly the old man didn't listen to her, and even went against her wishes so forcefully. How could she bear it?

"Sanwa is my grandson. I worked hard to raise him. I will marry him off soon. He will have to take care of me in my old age. If you give him away, I will fight you to the death!"

Geng Liuju stretched out her hands to scratch Meng Changshou's face and neck. Meng Changshou grabbed her and threw her to the edge of the kang, saying, "I have been so unkind to my brother in my life. Can't I do one thing for him at the end of my life? I've told you: Meng Jinniu is no longer your grandson from now on. You don't need to worry about his marriage. Be quiet. If you bring trouble to my Meng family again, I will cut off your food rations and send you back to the Geng family!"

After saying that, Meng Changshou left angrily. Meng Lai Fu paused and followed him out.

Geng Liuju's lower back hit the edge of the kang, her face twisted in pain. Geng Guifen quickly helped her sit up, rubbed her lower back, and coaxed her: "Mom, don't worry, don't get yourself hurt by getting angry... You have so many grandchildren, why don't you just let Sanwa go?"

(End of this chapter)