Sun Meiping hadn’t said a word the whole night.

She watched the developments coldly, and now, upon hearing Zhao Yongwen’s words, she looked at her husband with disappointment.

Everything that had happened tonight had completely overturned Sun Meiping’s worldview.

She had always thought that her husband’s family, which prided itself on strict family rules, was in fact full of petty, unscrupulous people.

It was bad enough that the eldest brother’s family was selfish and self-serving, but even the old patriarch turned out to be a muddle-headed man who couldn’t tell right from wrong.

Even her own husband lacked responsibility and courage.

The second brother had passed away, and the eldest and third brothers were still around, yet they tried to push the responsibility of caring for the elderly onto a widow with three young children.

Sun Meiping looked at Qian Chunhua with admiration.

This second sister-in-law of hers had always been quiet and soft-spoken, usually busying herself in the kitchen when she visited.

Yet tonight, everything she handled was done brilliantly.

Qian Chunhua sensed Sun Meiping’s gaze and glanced at her lightly, only to see admiration in her eyes.

Qian Chunhua was stunned.

She had thought that speaking up to sever ties tonight would make her hated by the entire Zhao family.

She hadn’t expected that not only did Mother Zhao stay silent, even this sister-in-law was looking at her with respect?

Qian Chunhua thought to herself: at least her mother-in-law and this sister-in-law had some moral compass—unlike the rest of the Zhao family.

She nodded slightly toward Sun Meiping.

The main decision-makers began murmuring and discussing again.

This time, Zhao Yongwen was included in the talks.

After a long while, they reached a new agreement.

The Zhao clan head spoke: “Yongcai’s wife, you may sever ties as you requested, but you must pay 200 taels of silver as a one-time buyout for the elders’ retirement.”

Qian Chunhua replied, “List all the conditions at once.”

She was direct and quick to speak.

She didn’t believe for a second that Zhao Yongqiang and Zhao Yongwen would agree so easily.

Zhao Yongqiang said, “You can’t stay in this house. You can’t take a single item from the household. And you’ll have no share in the farmland.”

Qian Chunhua sneered, “No way. This house was built with silver Zhao Yongcai earned. As long as my children still carry the Zhao name and acknowledge Zhao Yongcai as their father, we have the right to live here.”

She knew very well that although living close to Zhao Yongqiang’s family brought no benefit, this house—made of solid brick—was sturdy.

Other village homes were made of wood or thatch. In the winter, with heavy snow, they had to stay up all night to sweep the roofs to avoid collapse.

It was already winter. If she moved out with three children, any house she found would likely be thatched and unsafe.

Besides, with the compensation from the severance expected to be several hundred taels, everyone in the village would know. Living in a flimsy house would just attract thieves.

A brick house gave peace of mind.

Village head Wang also thought Zhao Yongqiang’s conditions were too harsh.

Clearly, Qian Chunhua was no fool.

Village head Wang said, “Yongcai’s wife, tell us your terms.”

Qian Chunhua said:
“I agree to pay a one-time sum of 200 taels of silver for the elders’ retirement.

The west wing, where we live now, was left to us by Zhao Yongcai—we will continue living there.

The family’s land will be divided into four parts: one share for the elders, one for each household.
Zhao Yongqiang must pay the full 800 taels in compensation—no less.”

Li Cuihong became agitated and stood up. “Eight hundred taels?!”

Before she could say more, the group began whispering again.

Finally, after a whole night of negotiations, a consensus was reached between Qian Chunhua and Zhao Daqing’s family.

The eldest brother’s household would compensate Qian Chunhua with 400 taels of silver.

Qian Chunhua would pay the elders 200 taels as a one-time retirement fee.

The west wing would belong to Qian Chunhua, with a wall separating it from the main house.

The backyard well would be shared.

Of the three garden plots in the backyard, the one facing the west wing would belong to Qian Chunhua.

The Zhao family’s five mu of farmland would go to Zhao Daqing and Zhao Yongqiang.

One mu near the post road would go to Qian Chunhua, another mu near Lion Peak to Zhao Yongwen.

Qian Chunhua had already thought through these terms earlier that afternoon.

She didn’t want the land—raising three kids, doing housework, and farming all at once would be overwhelming.

Still, wanting something and being able to do it were two different things.

She had to fight for what she deserved.

From now on, all Zhao family matters would be unrelated to Zhao Yongcai’s branch.

The care of the elders would also no longer concern Qian Chunhua or her children.

Once the terms were set, Zhao Yongwen wrote the confession letter.

Qian Chunhua reviewed it carefully. Zhao Yongqiang, his wife, and Zhao Qingyun each signed and stamped it.

Once that was done, Zhao Yongwen began drafting the severance document.

When the first copy was finished, Qian Chunhua picked it up to read.

Li Cuihong sneered, “Stop pretending, acting all high and mighty. You don’t even know how to read—can you even understand it?”

Qian Chunhua shot her a cold look.

This stupid woman was trying to make herself seen again?

Qian Chunhua reached into her sleeve and touched her electric baton.

Li Cuihong instantly retracted her neck and went quiet. Earlier, when she tried to help Zhao Yongqiang during his beating, she had been zapped too.

The shock still lingered in her memory—she had no desire to experience it again.

The severance agreement was made in six copies: one each for Zhao Daqing, Zhao Yongqiang, Qian Chunhua, Zhao Yongwen, the clan, and the village.

After everyone signed and stamped, Qian Chunhua took her copy, along with the confession letter, and carefully placed it into her clothing pouch—though in truth, she stored it in her secret space.

Zhao Daqing and Zhao Yongqiang returned to their rooms and came back a while later with 200 taels of silver, which they handed to the clan head.

Whether that money came from the eldest household or from Zhao Daqing personally no longer mattered to Qian Chunhua.

Once the silver was handed over to her, the farce of a night finally came to an end. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

This “division of the family” had turned into a severance of ties between Zhao Yongcai’s family and Zhao Daqing, with no actual split between the eldest and third households.

Anyone with eyes could see that the Zhao family’s real goal was to cast out the second branch—but they had gone too far, and the split became a full disownment.

Clan leader said, “Yongcai’s wife, come to the ancestral hall tomorrow with Qingsong to amend the genealogy.”

Village head Wang said, “Yongcai’s wife, your family’s household registration needs to be redone. I’ll handle it at the county office tomorrow—come to my home tomorrow evening to get it.”

Qian Chunhua nodded and thanked them both.

Only after these two things were completed would tonight’s drama be truly over.

With nothing left to watch, the onlookers outside the main hall dispersed.

Everyone was in high spirits. This winter in Huanghualing, they had a fresh piece of gossip. The Zhao family’s mess was more exciting than any opera.

Qian Xingshan stepped forward: “Sister, I’ll get Uncle Ding tomorrow to build the partition wall.”

Qian Chunhua replied, “Okay.”

Between siblings, there was no need for politeness.

After everyone left, Qian Chunhua returned to the west wing.

Following behind her were Li Cuihong and Zhao Qingyun.

Qian Chunhua turned around. “Why are you two following me?”

Li Cuihong said nothing and nudged Zhao Qingyun forward.

Zhao Qingyun blushed deeply. “Se… second aunt, I came to get my clothes and books.”

Qian Chunhua looked at Li Cuihong and sneered, “Your clothes? Your books? I prepared all of that for my son. What makes you think you have any right to them?”

She knew she shouldn’t take her anger out on the child, but Zhao Qingyun had known what was going on all along and still enjoyed everything the family gave him, while standing by as Qingsong was bullied and mistreated.

That alone made Qian Chunhua despise him.