Chapter 23: Forgetting Is Good—She Finally Dodged a Bullet 

Fine, whatever. If the person involved had no objections, what else could he say? 

Once the family division agreement was written, everyone signed it. Those who couldn’t write left their fingerprints instead. 

Madam Song was utterly bewildered. She had listened to her husband and daughter talk about splitting the family day after day—and now, just like that, it was really happening? 

“Third Zhao, you’re no longer part of this household. It’s late today, so move to the village outskirts tomorrow.” 

Zhao Dashu looked at his father. Deep down, he still held great respect for the old man. His mother was shrewish, but his father had always been reasonable. Who would’ve thought…

“I understand.” 

Both the Clan Leader and the Village Chief seemed to have something to say, yet neither spoke. The Clan Leader saw no point—after all, Third Zhao was a lost cause, with no hope of ever amounting to anything. The Village Chief, on the other hand, felt it was useless to intervene; not a single one of this family knew how to act decently. 

He used to think Second Zhao was alright, but during the entire division process, the man hadn’t uttered a single word—not even now. The Village Chief figured it was just as well they were moving out. 

“Move out tonight. No point staying here where you’re not wanted. Come on, you’re coming to my place!” 

Liu Shunzi stepped forward from the crowd. “I’ve been short on hands for work, and now you’ve split from the family. Perfect. Let’s go—you’ll stay with me. Tomorrow, we’ll harvest bamboo shoots together. Wife, come here. We’ll help them move their things.”

“Ah! No matter how poor or cramped our home is, we can still clear out a room for you. Hurry up and come—there’s hot food in my pot. Let’s get you settled so you can eat something warm. You must be starving, Lihua?” 

Lihua blinked her big eyes. Could she really say she wasn’t hungry? She had just devoured a large flatbread and an egg. 

Seeing Liu Shunzi step up, others in the crowd also offered to help. The way this family had been divided left a bad taste in everyone’s mouths. No one should be bullied like this. 

Nearly half the village squeezed into his small house to assist with packing. Zhao Dashu was deeply moved, as was Zhao Zhenyu. Most villagers in these ancient times were still simple and kind-hearted. 

Soon, all their meager belongings were packed up.

“Second Zhao, where’s the grain?” 

“Give it to him!” 

The old man’s face darkened like the bottom of a pot. Did these people think he was dead? Did they think his house was some public place where anyone could come and go as they pleased? 

Once everything had been moved to Liu Shunzi’s home, Zhao Dashu thanked everyone, and the crowd gradually dispersed. Some of the villagers who were close to him later returned with vegetables, grain, and eggs, quietly leaving them at Liu Shunzi’s doorstep. 

Zhao Zhenyu mused to herself: ‘So her father really was sworn brothers with half the men in the village!’ His connections were truly unmatched.

Madam Zheng briskly tidied up a room. “You’ll stay here for now—make do as best you can. Thankfully, it’s not cold yet, so you won’t need the kang. The one in this room has been broken for ages.” 

“Thank you so much, Sister,” Madam Song said gratefully, clasping Madam Zheng’s hands. 

“What’s there to thank? We’re practically family! Get settled in, then come to the kitchen later for dinner!” 

Zhao Dashu was puzzled. Where had the dried provisions from their house and today’s basket gone? He’d been worried someone might find them while moving their things, yet nothing had been discovered. And what about his daughter’s silver? 

Zhao Zhenyu blinked at him knowingly.

‘Ah, so she’d hidden it all.’ How had her hands worked so quickly?

After the Liu family stepped out, 

Zhao Zhenyu rummaged through a large bundle and pulled out several pieces of dried provisions. From another bundle, she retrieved a packet of flatbread, and then from yet another, she fished out over a dozen eggs… 

Madam Song stared in shock. ‘When had these been packed?’ She had no idea. No wonder she’d been so nervous earlier when others offered to help move their things. 

“Come on, let’s take these out and share them with Uncle Liu’s family.” 

The Liu household also had three children—two boys and a girl.

Back at the Zhao residence, the family sat silently in the main hall, listening to the lively noises coming from the Liu household next door. 

“Enough. Everyone, go rest in your rooms.” 

After a long silence, the old man let out a heavy sigh and spoke to those still in the room. 

“Father, you and Mother should retire early as well.”

His heart was heavy. With Third Zhao gone, who would handle the household chores and fieldwork from now on? 

Old Madam Sun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the old man had forgotten about her—forgetting was good. She had finally dodged a bullet. 

In Second Zhao’s room: 

“Wife, why did you stop me earlier?” 

“Husband, Big Brother is about to become an official—he’ll never come back. Now that Third Zhao’s been split off, won’t this family’s house and land all belong to us?”

“But if Big Brother becomes an official, we’ll surely have to follow him. Who’s going to tend the land then?” 

Second Zhao’s wife, her shrewd eyes glinting with calculation, replied, “Even if we don’t farm it ourselves, the land will still be ours. We can rent it out. While we enjoy the benefits of Big Brother’s success, why not have an extra source of income?” 

“But what about all the work now? Just the two of us—how can we manage?” He’d be worked to death! And it was clear the old folks wouldn’t lift a finger. 

“I’ve thought it through. Household chores can be left to Laidi—if Zhenyu could handle them, Laidi, being a year older, can manage even better. As for the fieldwork, Dazhu and Erzhu can’t keep running around aimlessly all day. They’ll work with us—they’re strong young lads at this age, full of energy. It’s only for two or three months anyway. What’s there to complain about?” 

Second Zhao pondered this and nodded in approval. “You’re clever, thinking so far ahead.”

The Next Day

Zhao Dashu and Madam Song rose early. Now that the family had split, he could openly earn a living to support his household. 

‘He, Zhao Dashu, was now the head of his own family.’ He would make sure his wife and children lived well. 

By the time Madam Zheng woke up, Madam Song had already prepared breakfast—coarse rice porridge, cornbread, a stir-fried vegetable dish without oil, and fried eggs. Of course, she had used only the provisions given to them the previous day and the grain allotted from the old house, not touching anything that belonged to the Liu family. As for the eggs, her daughter had insisted on frying them, saying that from now on, they needed to nourish their bodies and replenish their health. 

“Zhenyu’s mother, you’ve already made breakfast? You should’ve rested longer!” Madam Zheng was a little embarrassed. On their very first day staying here, they had already started helping with chores.

Liu Fugui sniffed at the doorway. “Mom, what’s cooking? Smells so good.” 

“Of course your nose is sharp. Auntie Zhao made breakfast today.” She glanced at the plate of fried eggs, her heart aching at the sight—such a large portion, how many eggs had been used? “Save the eggs for Zhenyu and Lihua to eat.” 

“There’s plenty here! Enough for everyone,” Madam Song insisted warmly.