Chapter 38: Learn From Your Third Brother, See How Much He Loves His Wife

Hearing Father Zhou’s words, not only Sun Fengjiao and Zhou Jun were nervous, but even the carefree Zhou Jiakang and Xia Yue’e were nervous.

The house was the most important thing in the division of the family. If the father let the third son decide, and if the third son said to divide it according to the proportion of money contributed when building the house,

then once the family was divided, their two families wouldn’t even have a roof over their heads.

But they didn’t dare to speak at this time, only looking at Zhou Yubai.

“Father, when this house was built, the family hadn’t been divided yet. No matter who contributed the money, this house belongs to the family. You can divide it however you want, you don’t need to consider who contributed the money.” Zhou Yubai said with his usual stern face.

Hearing his words, the hearts of the eldest and second families were relieved.

Father Zhou cleared his throat and said, “Okay, then let me divide the house.”

The layout of the Zhou family courtyard was: after entering the gate, there were three rooms in the main house, and three rooms on each side.

The three rooms in the main house were the main hall in the middle, and a bedroom on each side. The bedroom on the left side of the main hall was currently occupied by Father Zhou and Mother Zhou.

The bedroom on the right side of the main hall was previously for Zhou Yubai. After Zhou Yubai built his own courtyard and moved out, it was empty.

The three rooms on the left side were currently occupied by the eldest son’s family, and the three rooms on the right side were occupied by the second son’s family.

Father Zhou finally decided to give the three rooms currently occupied by the eldest and second sons’ families to them.

The three rooms in the main house were left for the third son’s family.

“Third son.” Father Zhou looked at Zhou Yubai after finishing the division, “Are you and your wife going to continue living in your small courtyard or move back here?”

Zhou Yubai looked at Shen Chuning.

The meaning was obvious; he would listen to his wife.

Shen Chuning smiled, “Father, we’ll live in the small courtyard. That small courtyard is our new house, and we’re used to living there.”

Father Zhou nodded, “Okay, then your mother and I will still live in our original room, and the rest of the rooms will be left empty for you. No objections?”

Shen Chuning shook her head repeatedly, “Father, I have no objections.”

Father Zhou then looked at the eldest and second sons’ families, “Eldest son, second son, do you have any objections?”

Zhou Jiakang quickly waved his hand, “Father, I have no objections.”

He hadn’t contributed any money to the house, and he was already very satisfied to have three large brick-tiled rooms.

Zhou Jun had wanted to take advantage of having three sons to ask for an extra room, after all, his eldest brother’s three daughters would get married and wouldn’t need so many rooms.

But just now, his father said that the money for building the house was all contributed by the third son, and let the third son decide how to divide the house, which clearly meant to warn them, so he didn’t dare to have any objections.

After Zhou Jun expressed his opinion, Father Zhou nodded, “Okay, since there are no objections, let me talk about the kitchen. This kitchen will be used by us two old people.

Eldest son, second son, build a kitchen next to your rooms in the courtyard.

Third son, I won’t make arrangements for you, you can choose a place to build it yourself, and I’ll come and help you then.”

“Okay.” Zhou Yubai nodded in response.

Lin Shulan then divided the pots and pans in the kitchen.

Shen Chuning didn’t want anything else, she only wanted a set of blue and white earthenware bowls and two half-new enamel mugs.

However, she couldn’t take these things back for now.

Because their three kitchens hadn’t been built yet.

So Lin Shulan decided that before their kitchens were built, they would still eat together, and the things divided in the kitchen would be moved after their three kitchens were built.

After everything was divided, Father Zhou waved his hand, “Alright, take your grain back and do what you need to do.”

“Father, wait.”

As soon as Father Zhou finished speaking, Zhou Jiakang hurriedly called out, “You and Mother gave your share of the money to our eldest son’s family, so you should live with our eldest son’s family!

I’m the eldest son, and it’s only right that I take care of you in your old age.”

Hearing this, Sun Fengjiao immediately rolled her eyes, thinking that her foolish husband had finally become smart once.

Her parents-in-law were only in their fifties, and they were in good health. Her father-in-law could still earn full work points, and her mother-in-law could earn eight work points a day.

If her parents-in-law lived with them, the work points they earned would belong to their family.

She quickly echoed, “Yes, Father, Mother, we are the eldest son’s family, and it’s our duty to take care of you in your old age.”

When dividing things earlier, Father Zhou and Lin Shulan saw their eldest daughter-in-law and second son’s worried looks, and felt a little uncomfortable.

Now, seeing their eldest son and daughter-in-law offer to take care of them in their old age, they felt relieved.

Zhou Jun also immediately understood why his usually calculating sister-in-law was willing to let the two elders live with them.

But he didn’t speak.

From his understanding of his parents, his parents could still work and wouldn’t live with any of them.

Sure enough, Father Zhou said, “Eldest son, we’re happy that you have this heart. Your mother and I can still work, we don’t need you to take care of us, we’ll live on our own.”

After Father Zhou finished speaking, Zhou Jun quickly said, “Father, Mother, although you can still work, it’s our responsibility as sons to take care of you in your old age. If you don’t want to live with us, then we’ll give you some money and grain for your old age every year.”

He knew very well that his parents wouldn’t want their money and grain, he said this just to please his parents.

He couldn’t let the eldest son take all the credit, otherwise, his parents would forget about him when they had good things.

Father Zhou waved his hand again, “No need, your mother and I can still support ourselves. If you really want to take care of us in our old age, when we can’t work anymore, we’ll discuss how much money and grain you’ll give us each month, and how to take care of us.”

Lin Shulan, seeing that the second son also offered to take care of them in their old age, felt relieved.

She said, “Listen to your father, we don’t need you to take care of us yet. Alright, don’t crowd here, take the grain that’s been divided to your own rooms.”

Sun Fengjiao and Xia Yue’e quickly followed Zhou Jiakang and Zhou Jun to move their grain.

Shen Chuning also wanted to do her duty as a wife and help Zhou Yubai move.

But as soon as she picked up the bag of mung beans, which weighed less than five jin, Zhou Yubai snatched it away, “I’ll do it.”

After Zhou Yubai finished speaking, feeling that his words might be a little stiff and afraid of scaring his delicate little wife again, he added, “With me here, I’ll do all the heavy work.”

He didn’t have many vacation days left, and even if his wife needed his help in the future, he wouldn’t be able to help.

Thinking of this, Zhou Yubai felt a little lost.

In the past, every time he was on leave, he would return to the army early, but this time, he had a feeling of reluctance.

Shen Chuning had never done heavy work at home, so she didn’t compete with the man.

She said happily, “Okay, you move the grain, I’ll help Mother cook.”

For the past two days since she got married, Zhou Yubai had been bringing her food.

Today, the family was dividing, and her mother-in-law said that she would take out the leftover meat and a piece of cured meat from their wedding banquet and make a good meal for the whole family.

As a new daughter-in-law, it wouldn’t be appropriate for her not to help.

Zhou Yubai nodded, “Mm, be careful, don’t get burned. I’ll come and help you after I move the grain.”

Although Sun Fengjiao and Xia Yue’e were moving their grain, they heard the conversation between Zhou Yubai and his wife.

Both of them couldn’t help but twist their husbands hard, “Learn from your third brother, see how much he loves his wife.”

Mr. Zhou and Mrs. Zhou were pinched by their wives, and both cast resentful glances at Zhou Yubai.

Zhou Yubai pretended not to see, carrying the grain towards his small courtyard.

Shen Chuning blushed and quickly went into the kitchen.