Chapter 189: The Zhan Family Splits from the Household

Chapter 189: The Zhan Family Splits from the Household

That night, Li Chunhua and Xingxing stayed at the Li family's home.

The next morning, as the sun rose above the trees, someone arrived from the Zhan family.

This time, it was Zhan Zhide and Zhan Zhicheng who came.

Aunt Wang didn’t come, and neither did Zhan Zhixin.

Li’s Mother’s heart sank. She feared the matter might fall through.

However, Zhan Zhide explained, "Auntie, we discussed it last night. Zhicheng will still marry into your family, and this is final."

Li’s Mother's face lit up with joy, and she exchanged a glance with Li Chunhua.

Li Chunhua understood—it was an expression that meant "Xingxing really has a knack for this."

Li Chunhua proudly raised an eyebrow.

This time, Li Donghua didn’t stay in the inner room. She sat on the kang, staring directly at Zhan Zhicheng, and asked abruptly, "What about your third brother and Aunt Wang's niece?"

At this, Zhan Zhide couldn’t help but sigh, his expression troubled.

Zhan Zhicheng stammered, seemingly unsure of how to respond.

Finally, he stuttered, "...Zhi... Zhixin, he, he wants to leave."

Li Donghua was confused.

Li’s Mother and Li Chunhua were also puzzled.

Thankfully, with Zhan Zhide’s explanation, the Li family understood.

It turned out that after Zhan Zhide and Zhan Zhicheng returned home yesterday, they went to ask Zhan Zhixin about the matter.

Aunt Wang had probably already informed Zhan Zhixin, who earnestly advised Zhan Zhicheng not to become a live-in son-in-law, saying that if he stayed at home, their mother would have one more person to care for.

Zhan Zhide, at the time, didn’t think much of it and spoke sincerely to Zhan Zhixin. "From what Aunt Wang said, she's worried that once your second brother marries into the Li family and Xia Guihua comes into our home, she’ll be the only one busy. Don’t worry, Mother has mostly been cared for by me and your second brother. When Xia Guihua joins our family, you won’t have to worry about Mother. She just needs to take care of you."

However, Zhan Zhixin’s eyes shifted nervously, and he seemed hesitant. Zhan Zhide sensed something was off and pressed Zhan Zhixin to reveal his true thoughts.

Pressed further, Zhan Zhide learned that Xia Guihua and Zhan Zhixin had privately agreed that once they were married, Zhan Zhixin would split from the family!

The two of them wanted to leave the Zhan family’s mess behind and live a carefree life!

If Zhan Zhicheng were to marry into the Li family, only the eldest brother, Zhan Zhide, and the third brother, Zhan Zhixin, would remain.

Zhan Zhixin probably wouldn’t be able to separate from the family and would be tied to Zhan Zhide, the old bachelor who had lost his wife.

Once Xia Guihua came into the home, wouldn’t she have to take care of their mother, who was lying on the kang?

Zhan Zhide was shocked by his third brother and Xia Guihua’s selfish plan.

Zhan Zhicheng also couldn’t believe that their third brother, who had been supported by them all this time, could think this way.

Was he treating their family and their mother as burdens?

Zhan Zhixin’s eyes darted away. "...Big brother, second brother, I really don’t want to live a hard life anymore. Guihua said she likes me for who I am and is willing to marry me without a dowry, but she doesn’t want to help care for Mother. I get where she’s coming from..."

Zhan Zhide suddenly cursed, "What the hell do you know!"

Zhan Zhide immediately made up his mind.

The next day, he asked the village head to witness and proceeded with the family division.

Even Zhan Zhicheng, the second son, was taken aback, let alone the third son, Zhan Zhixin.

Zhan Zhide separated Zhan Zhixin from the family.

The Zhan family was impoverished, with little to their name—just a few dilapidated rooms, two acres of barren land, some meager furniture, and an old mother lying on a traditional Chinese bed (kang).

Zhan Zhide declared that Zhan Zhixin would not be responsible for their mother and only gave him a room and half an acre of land for subsistence.

Zhan Zhixin, feeling conflicted, didn’t put up much resistance.

As for Zhan Zhicheng, Zhan Zhide was even more resolute, insisting that he become a live-in son-in-law.

Zhan Zhide thought, since he had no children and his wife had left him, it was only right that he take care of their mother.

Zhan Zhicheng was about to say something more, but Zhan Zhide spoke from the heart, "Second brother, becoming an in-married son-in-law to the Li family is a good choice. The Li family is decent and trustworthy. If something happens to our Zhan family in the future, as relatives by marriage, they will definitely lend a hand. You becoming an in-married son-in-law is like an insurance policy for our Zhan family."

"As for our mother... I can take care of her myself. After you join the Li family, if our mother falls ill and needs money for treatment, we can borrow from the Li family."

"Also, after the third son is separated from the family, there is still one and a half acres of land left. It will be more than enough to support me and our mother. And if we encounter a bad year, having you in the Li family gives us an extra safety net, don’t you think?"

In the end, Zhan Zhicheng was persuaded by Zhan Zhide.

The two brothers came to the Li family together.

Li's Mother was shocked.

She couldn’t help but take a few more glances at Zhan Zhide.

As a big brother, Zhan Zhide showed true courage and decisiveness.

The third brother, no longer burdened by their mother, would marry a girl who didn’t require a dowry and start his new life.

The second brother became an in-married son-in-law.

But the responsibility of taking care of their mother fell solely on Zhan Zhide’s shoulders.

Li's Mother felt a mix of emotions.

Having such a responsible older brother in the Zhan family made them a reliable family to marry into.

After all, Zhan Zhide had already separated the unreliable third son from the family.

"Does your mother agree?" Li's Mother finally asked.

Zhan Zhide gave a bitter smile, "Our mother always thinks of us three sons. Of course, she agrees."

Li's Mother stopped asking and looked over at her daughter, Li Donghua.

Li Donghua clearly hadn’t expected things to be settled so quickly, but she was smiling, clearly pleased.

Li's Mother also felt relieved. She smiled and said, "Since that’s settled, I’ll bring the matchmaker back, and we’ll go through the proper steps to finalize everything."

Zhan Zhide coughed twice and said matter-of-factly, "Alright, it's settled then."

Zhan Zhicheng and Li Donghua both felt a bit awkward.

However, as Zhan Zhide and Zhan Zhicheng were leaving, when they reached the Li family's wooden gate, Zhan Zhicheng suddenly said, “Big brother, wait a moment, I need to say a few more words to Li's Mother.”

Li's Mother was somewhat surprised.

Zhan Zhicheng spoke quietly with Li's Mother for a bit. Li's Mother was initially surprised but eventually nodded.

Only then did Zhan Zhicheng leave with his elder brother, Zhan Zhide.

Li Donghua could hardly contain herself, and the moment the Zhan brothers' figures disappeared from sight, she rushed to Li's Mother and asked, “What did Zhan Zhicheng say to you?”

“Look at you, so anxious.” Li's Mother teased her daughter.

Li Donghua, undeterred, kept asking her mother.

Li's Mother finally smiled and said, “...That Zhan family second son is really a good kid. He told me that his elder brother said our Li family is a decent, reliable family and that if something happens to the Zhan family, we definitely wouldn't ignore them. But he still felt unsure and wanted to confirm it with me.”

“I almost laughed. How often does a son-in-law who moves in completely cut ties with his family? It's like marrying into the family. Does a daughter never visit her parents or care for them again?”

Li's Mother remarked, “...He's much better than their third brother!”

She smiled and added, “I think this is all because we're blessed by Xingxing!”