Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Mom!" Lin Meilan was annoyed and sneered, "I kept quiet when you were helping your own daughter-in-law bully me earlier, because after all, I'm not your real daughter-in-law!

But now that the idea of splitting the family is coming from your own daughter-in-law, why do you disagree? Just because my husband and the eldest brother aren't your biological sons doesn't mean you should be so biased!"

"When did I help Mingzhu bully you? I was just telling you not to break their door down. Is that wrong? I don't care, anyway, the family can't be divided..."

"Mom!" Gao Mingzhu stepped forward and grabbed Mom Huo, "The family must be divided!"

"Mingzhu!" Mom Huo was furious, confused by Gao Mingzhu's reasoning, "This family really can't be divided!"

"Do you think, given how they treated me this morning, even if we don't split the family, Huaichuan and I would have a good life?" Gao Mingzhu asked.

Of course not! Even though only Lin Meilan had stepped forward today, the others didn't step forward either.

But if they hadn't silently agreed with what Lin Meilan said, they wouldn't have let her act so crazy here.

It meant they, too, resented Huo Huaichuan and Gao Mingzhu for being a burden!

"But... but..." Mom Huo stammered, wanting to say that if they split the family, the couple wouldn't have a way to survive!

Huo Huaichuan can't work anymore, and his disability might lead to psychological problems... And as for Gao Mingzhu, Mom Huo was even afraid that one day she wouldn't be able to take it and would run away crying...

"Mom, please come with me for a moment." Knowing that if she couldn't calm her mother-in-law down, she wouldn't easily let her divide the family, Gao Mingzhu pulled her aside.

She whispered something in Mom Huo's ear, and Mom Huo's eyes widened. Finally, she said no more.

Lin Meilan curled her lips, "What shameful secret is there this time that we can't be told?"

After speaking, she turned to Old Man Huo again. "Dad, since Third Brother's wife has already said she wants to split the family estate, don’t hesitate anymore. Let us divide the household!"

The gray-haired Old Man Huo shot her an unhappy glance with his triangular eyes and scolded, "You're such a troublemaker!"

"How is this me stirring up trouble again? It wasn’t me who brought it up..." Lin Meilan’s voice grew softer as she retorted.

Old Man Huo was the head of the household and still held considerable authority at home!

"Huo Er?" Old Man Huo then looked at him. "Do you agree to dividing the family?"

"I... I don’t really mind, but since Third Brother's wife wants to split, then let’s split!" Huo Er said, clearly not wanting to be burdened by Huo Huaichuan and Gao Mingzhu either!

"What about the eldest son's wife?" Old Man Huo then looked at Sister-in-law Huo, who was standing behind.

Sister-in-law Huo hesitated for a moment and said, "It really depends on what Third Brother's wife wants. If it can be avoided, it’s better not to split..."

"Eldest Sister-in-law! That’s not right to say!" Lin Meilan immediately spoke up upon hearing this. "It’s not that we’re afraid of being burdened by them—though it’s true they *are* a burden on us! But they don’t even appreciate it and have proposed splitting themselves. Since they’re so ungrateful, let’s just drop it. We're not masochists, looking to be dragged down by them!"

"Even if you don’t think about yourself, you should think about your husband! Although he has a job in the county town, it’s just a temporary gig, and he still has to support you and the two children. How could he have any extra money to help others?"

Lin Meilan had already thrown in the towel. No matter how nicely she phrased it, the fact remained that she was afraid of being burdened by Huo Huaichuan and Gao Mingzhu, so she might as well be honest about it.

It was better than actually being dragged down by Huo Huaichuan and Gao Mingzhu.

Upon hearing this, Sister-in-law Huo hesitated and finally fell silent.

Old Man Huo then looked at Gao Mingzhu, who had returned with Mother Huo, his cloudy eyes somewhat gloomy.

Gao Mingzhu, of course, knew why her father-in-law was looking at her like that: earlier, when she took a swing at Lin Meilan with the axe, Old Man Huo had tried to stop her, but she hadn’t stopped and nearly hit him. He was probably holding a grudge against her for that.

Of course, Gao Mingzhu wouldn’t admit she did it on purpose!

“Third brother’s wife?” Old Man Huo said darkly. “Do you really want to split the family?”

“Of course!” Gao Mingzhu said firmly.

“Fine!” Old Man Huo agreed without hesitation. “Since you’re so set on splitting, then let’s split! But from now on, if you run into trouble, don’t come whining back!”

“Fine by me!” Gao Mingzhu said carelessly.

Splitting the family would get her away from this bunch of leeches—she was thrilled, so why would she regret it?

“Then let’s do it now!” Lin Meilan was even more eager than Gao Mingzhu to get rid of them. “Second Brother, go get my dad right now!”

Her father was the village chief of Qingshui Village. Splitting the family required an elder from the clan or a respected figure in the village to witness it.

Huo Er’s heart jumped with joy, but he put on a reluctant face. “Well… alright, I guess!”

With that, he shuffled off.

The villagers were dumbfounded. How did it suddenly get decided to split the family?

Even if they were going to split, why the rush?

Should they still go earn work points later?

“Huaichuan’s wife, you’re too young and impulsive. You really shouldn’t have suggested splitting!” a kind-hearted person sighed and said to Gao Mingzhu.

“Yeah, alas! It just shows she’s too young to handle any grief! But from now on, she’ll be the one suffering!”

The villagers all thought Gao Mingzhu proposed splitting because Lin Meilan angered her.

Though everyone usually looked down on Gao Mingzhu for being lazy, they tended to sympathize with the underdog.

Seeing so many people on her side, Gao Mingzhu had a thought. Suddenly, as if realizing something, she muttered two words: “Not right!”

Lin Meilan’s heart tightened, thinking Gao Mingzhu was backing out of the deal. She immediately said, “What’s not right? Gao Mingzhu, I’m telling you, you’ve already said you want to split, and Second Brother has gone to fetch my father. There’s no room for you to back out now! This family must be split!”

“…” Gao Mingzhu seemed choked up by Lin Meilan’s words, as if she’d been cut off. Finally, she swallowed her words resentfully and lifted her chin. “Since we’re splitting, shouldn’t you pay back the money you borrowed from Huaichuan?”

“Pay back what? When did we ever borrow Third Brother’s money?” Lin Meilan jumped up.

“But Huaichuan told me you did!” Gao Mingzhu sneered. “Fine, you won’t admit it, huh? Well, Huaichuan will be back soon. We’ll ask him then and see if you did or didn’t! As for splitting the family, we’re in no rush. We’ll wait until he gets back!”

“You!” Lin Meilan never expected Gao Mingzhu to pull this trick. She stared at her in disbelief.

The villagers, though sympathetic to Gao Mingzhu, felt the Huo family’s second branch was a bit heartless, but no one had scolded them earlier.

After all, times were hard for everyone. People struggled just to eat and stay warm, so who would willingly take on two burdens?

But now that Lin Meilan was trying to deny Huaichuan’s debts, the villagers couldn’t stand it. “Second Brother’s wife! If you really owe money, just pay it back! Huaichuan and his wife are already struggling enough. It’s understandable if you want to shake them off, but you can’t just cheat them out of their money like that!”

“Yeah, you’ll bring bad karma on yourself!”

“You can’t treat folks like this!”

Everyone chimed in, making Lin Meilan blush with shame, but she still refused to pay back the money.

Seeing her shamelessness, they turned to Old Man Huo. “Old Huo, you need to say something! They’re all your sons—you can’t be too biased!”