Chapter 53:  When You’re Gone, the Family Fortune Will Be Ours

“Old man, old man, are you alright?”

Although Lei Honghua herself was almost having a heart attack, seeing Qiao Jiuwang’s state, she quickly helped him calm down.

It wasn’t that Lei Honghua loved Qiao Jiuwang that much, but she knew that she and Qiao Jianguo could only rely on him. If Qiao Jiuwang died of anger, what would happen to them?

Qiao Jiangxin and the others blinked innocently, watching the scene unfold.

They seemed to not understand his anger.

“Grandpa, what’s wrong? Didn’t you want to split up?  Our family of five is hardworking.  Once we get rid of those two lazybones, our lives will definitely get better!”

Qiao Jiuwang took several deep breaths and stopped playing the emotional card.

He looked coldly at the four of them, his eyes filled with unconcealed disgust.

“Alright, since you don’t want to split up, then it’ll be as before. Your mother will manage the family’s money. Hand over the money from selling the grain and pigs a few days ago!”

Qiao Jiangxin smiled slightly, “Grandpa, do you think that’s possible?”

“You…” Qiao Jiuwang glared fiercely at Qiao Jiangxin.

Qiao Jiangxin interrupted him, “Don’t you you you me. I know what you want to say.  Just more insults, right?

We’ve been insulted for so many years, we’re used to it. It doesn’t bother us. Don’t waste your breath.

And talk properly. Don’t scheme and plot like this, it’s disgusting.  And pretending to be a loving father?  Are you worthy?

We respected you before, so we endured it.  But just you two old people…”

Qiao Jiangxin glanced at Qiao Jianguo behind Qiao Jiuwang, “And that cowardly man behind you. If we really get serious, we can bury you in the middle of the night, and no one will know what happened.”

Lei Honghua was about to jump up and yell, but Qiao Jiuwang stopped her with a look.

Qiao Jiangxin gave a sarcastic smile, “Look, every time we were mistreated, you pretended to be helpless and unable to control her.  You’re very good at controlling her, aren’t you?

Don’t think we don’t know what you’re planning! You want us to hand over the money, then give us some scraps and kick us out of the house, and ideally, we’ll pay you an annual allowance, right?”

“Heh, you really think everyone is a fool. You think you’re the smartest.

Before, we felt unfairly treated, so we wanted to escape.

Now we’ve changed our minds.

Look, in just a few days, Qiao Fangfang is almost dead, and Qiao Jianguo is half-dead.

When those two are gone, you two will be anxious and gone too.  Oh ho ho ho, won’t everything in this house be ours?”

Qiao Jiangxin became excited, her eyes shining as she stared at Qiao Jiuwang and the others, as if saying, “I must work harder to send you to reunite sooner.”

Not only the already terrified Qiao Jianguo, but Lei Honghua and Qiao Jiuwang also felt a chill down their spines.

“Eldest son, second son, do you know how vicious she is?  Are you just going to watch?” Qiao Jiuwang asked Qiao Youcai.

Qiao Youcai looked back and forth between Qiao Jiangxin and Qiao Jiuwang, still with his usual overly honest expression, “Dad, you know, I haven’t been to school, I’m not smart, I listen to her.”

Qiao Jiuwang started cursing, “Useless, spineless coward, you’re not a man…”

Qiao Jiangxin stood up coldly, “You should worry about your precious daughter. If you don’t get the money tomorrow, she might not even make it back from the Deng family alive!”

Lei Honghua also panicked, “Since you know, why don’t you hand over the money? Fangfang is your aunt! Are you so heartless…”

“I am heartless!!” Qiao Jiangxin’s tone was firm.

“You… you…”

Qiao Jianguo, terrified, pushed Lei Honghua from behind, “Mom, split up, split up! Get rid of them! Do you really want to see a white-haired person send a black-haired one to their grave?

Give them whatever they want. I don’t want to live with them! I don’t want to!

If you don’t split up, I’ll go to Lijiagou to be a dowry tomorrow.

I’d rather go to Lijiagou than live with them! Look at their eyes, they’re always thinking of killing me!!”

Seeing Qiao Jianguo’s breakdown, Lei Honghua quickly tried to soothe him, “Jianguo, Jianguo, calm down, calm down…”

Qiao Jianguo, leaning on his cane, “I can’t calm down! I won’t calm down!”

Qiao Jiangxin became irritated by the shouting.

She ran, lifted her leg, and kicked him.

“Bang!” A kick landed on Qiao Jianguo’s pelvis.

“Aaah!” Qiao Jianguo fell to the ground.

Being young and agile, to protect his injured leg, he put out his hand to support himself.

Then, inertia caused him to do a 360-degree spin, finally crashing to the ground with a resounding thud.

Lei Honghua put her hands up to protect her head, her eyes wide, letting out a gopher-like shriek.

“Aaaaaah! Jianguo, Jianguo, Jianguo!”

Qiao Jianguo’s face was wooden, barely able to speak. After a long time, he whispered, “Send… send me… to… Lijiagou…”

Lei Honghua screamed, “Split… split… split up! I’ll split up!”

After yelling at Qiao Jianguo, she turned to Qiao Jiangxin and the others, roaring, “Split up, split up! Whoever comes today, we’re splitting up!”

Qiao Jiangxin put her hands on her hips, “You think you can just split up? You want to grab our house and land?

We won’t split up. Once we’ve worn you out, it’ll all be ours!”

Seeing Qiao Jiangxin’s arrogant demeanor, Lei Honghua almost fainted.

“Old man, say something!!!”

Qiao Jiuwang’s face was dark, “It’s not up to you to decide whether we split up.”

After saying this, he turned and left.

Qiao Youfu and his brother were bewildered. What was wrong with their father? The argument was getting intense, and he ran away.

Qiao Jiangxin shouted after Qiao Jiuwang’s back, “Grandpa, why are you running? Will running away solve anything? We’re a family!  Communicate!  If you communicate, there will be fewer misunderstandings.  Arguing is the most intense form of communication between two parties. How can you be a deserter!!!”

Qiao Jiuwang, hearing the loud, sharp voice behind him, unconsciously quickened his pace.

Seeing Qiao Jiuwang running towards the village head, Qiao Jiangxin turned back to the courtyard, her gaze fixed on Lei Honghua and Qiao Jianguo.

Qiao Jianguo involuntarily trembled. Lei Honghua, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, squatted in front of Qiao Jianguo, spreading her arms, “What… what are you going to do?

I’m telling you, if anything happens to Jianguo, I won’t let you off…”

Then, realizing something was wrong, she quickly added, “No, if anything happens to me and Jianguo, your grandpa and your uncle won’t let you off.”