Chapter 52: Qiao Jiuwang Asks for a Family Split

Qiao Jiangxin’s eyes turned cold.  That shameless old man, even now, was still blaming her uncle and father.

He was implying that their family was selfish and unfilial, that they disliked the elders.

Qiao Jiuwang continued his self-righteous speech, “So, hand over the money from selling the pigs and grain. The eldest son should go to your third uncle’s house and ask him to be a witness.  We’ll split up the family as you wish.”

Qiao Youfu and Qiao Youcai didn’t speak, both looking at Qiao Jiangxin with complex expressions.

It was exactly as Jiangxin had analyzed.

“Eldest and second sons, what do you say?”

The two men, stammered, following Qiao Jiangxin’s morning instructions, “Dad, we… we don’t want to split up.”

Qiao Jiuwang softened his face, “Good children… I knew you were filial.  From now on… What?

What did you say? Say it again?”

Qiao Jiuwang’s eyes widened. The affection he’d been cultivating vanished.  Had he gone deaf?

Qiao Youcai straightened his spine, “Dad, we said we don’t want to split up.”

This wasn’t going according to plan.

Qiao Jiuwang’s mind couldn’t process it.

“Haven’t you been clamoring to split up? Haven’t you always felt that we exploited you, favored Jianhua and Jianguo, and were unfair to you? Why don’t you want to split up now?”

Qiao Youfu secretly glanced at Qiao Jiangxin, “After calming down, we realized that things are pretty good at home. We have a house to live in and food to eat. You did wrong us before, but we’ve sold our pigs and grain and got the money, so we’re even now. We don’t feel it’s unfair anymore.

We’ll just be like Jianhua and Jianguo.  If they sit around and don’t work, and everyone is hungry, we’ll see if they’ll go to the fields.”

Lei Honghua’s face turned green.

She and Qiao Jiuwang had planned for him to play the good cop and her the bad cop.

Qiao Jiuwang would propose the split, she would try to stop it, and then Qiao Jiuwang would plead for the two ungrateful sons.  She couldn’t win against him, so she would reluctantly accept the money they gave, give them some poor land and a dilapidated house, and let them leave.

This would achieve her goal, and those two brothers would remember Qiao Jiuwang’s kindness.

What was going on now?

They didn’t want to split up? And they would even act like Jianhua and Jianguo, refusing to work the fields?

How were they going to continue this act?

What about Fangfang’s money tomorrow?

Lei Honghua’s heart felt like it was being fried in oil.

If they didn’t give the Chen family the money tomorrow, and the Chen family went to the Deng family again, wouldn’t Fangfang be beaten to death?

Without thinking, Lei Honghua quickly spoke, “No, you must split up. Haven’t you been yelling about my favoritism?

Your father is right. Big trees have many branches.  The saying goes, ‘distant mountains are beautiful, nearby ones are smelly.’  Look at the mess you’ve made!

This split is like marrying off a daughter.  If you stay together, you’ll become enemies!”

After Lei Honghua finished speaking, seeing no response, she winked at Qiao Jiuwang, “Old man, am I right?”

Qiao Jiuwang hesitated for a moment, then quickly said, “Your mother is right.  Even upper teeth can bump into lower teeth. With so many people living together, conflicts are inevitable, affecting relationships.  I was wrong before; it’s better to separate.”

Having made his point, Qiao Jiuwang started playing the emotional card.

“I know you resent me, but that’s how it is in the countryside.  The older generation always supports the younger ones.”

Jianhua and Jianguo have grown up now; they’re not your burden anymore.  Don’t worry, I’ve been teaching them to remember your kindness and be grateful.

Brothers should help and support each other.  When Jianhua and Jianguo succeed, they won’t forget their older brothers.”

Qiao Jiangxin blinked, beginning her performance, “Grandpa, my uncle and father have been reflecting.”

“You said my uncle and father were selfish and disliked the elders. You misunderstood them. They are selfish, but their selfishness is because they care about you.

Why do you think we want to split up? We can’t stand seeing you work so hard, seeing Lei Honghua and her sons leeching off you. That’s why we want to split up, to save you. How is that disliking the elders? That’s great filial piety!  The unfilial ones are someone else.”

While speaking, Qiao Jiangxin dramatically glanced at Qiao Jianguo standing behind Qiao Jiuwang.

“We thought, you’re old now, you’ve worked hard your whole life, and it’s time for you to enjoy your old age.

Children and grandchildren have their own blessings.  The third and fourth uncles are either married or about to be. You’ve raised them this far, that’s enough. We told Grandma before, if we split up, you can live with us.”

Here, Qiao Jiangxin acted helpless, “We were worried about you, so we wanted to split up. But you don’t want to be relieved of your burden, you like being an old ox.”

Qiao Jiangxin almost directly insulted him, “You’re stubborn and masochistic. You don’t want to live a good life, you want to be a cow and horse.”

Qiao Jiuwang understood the implication. He pressed his left abdomen, feeling his intestines churn with anger.

But he couldn’t lose his temper, only suppressing his resentment.

He forced a stiff smile, “Alright, alright, I misunderstood you. You’re good children. I always knew you were the most filial.”

After saying a few nice words, Qiao Jiuwang returned to the original topic, “Jianhua and Jianguo should stand on their own two feet. They can’t always rely on you.

You’re all my sons.  Keeping you brothers together makes me feel bad.

After thinking it over, let’s split up. Otherwise, when I die, I won’t have the face to see your mother.”

Lei Honghua nervously watched Qiao Jiangxin and the others, urging them silently, “Agree, agree!”

Only if they agreed could she step in to stop them, allowing the play to continue.

Facing Qiao Jiuwang’s heartfelt words,

Qiao Jiangxin was picking at her fingers.

Liu Afang was daydreaming.

Qiao Youfu was picking at his scabs.

Qiao Youcai was looking at the moon.

Qiao Jiuwang and Lei Honghua were almost having heart attacks. Were these four people possessed?

“I’m talking to you! Can’t you hear me?” Qiao Jiuwang was about to explode.

Qiao Jiangxin looked up, looking left and right, “Grandpa, I’m listening. You want to split up, right?”

Qiao Jiuwang slowly exhaled, “Yes.”

Qiao Jiangxin grinned, “You should have said so earlier. We’ve disliked Lei Honghua and her sons for a long time. I knew you had a plan.

So, send Lei Honghua and Qiao Jianguo away. The five of us will live a good life.

Qiao Jianhua is already married. Without a dowry, people will look down on her. Let Lei Honghua take that useless Qiao Jianguo to be Qiao Jianhua’s dowry in Lijiagou.”

“Ouch,” Qiao Jiuwang groaned in pain, bending over, pressing his abdomen with one hand and pounding his chest with the other.