Chapter Fifty-Four: Dividing the Family Estate

  That day, because of the disturbance at night, no one had a good sleep. The next day, they still got up early to rush for harvest. In the morning, when it was time to cook, Zhou Shi didn't get up, and even Lao Yezi couldn't do anything about it. They could only let He Shi and Zhao Shi take turns cooking again.

  At the breakfast table, Lian Wan'er looked at the steamed strange-shaped Wontons and didn't say a word. She scooped another spoonful of millet rice, almost vomiting it out. He Shi had overcooked the rice again. Lao Ye was even more miserable, biting into a grain of sand, almost shattering his teeth. He simply put down his bowl and stopped eating.

  Rice can be skipped, but work must be done. Even the old man went to the fields with an empty stomach, bringing his sons and grandsons along.

  Lian Wan'er stayed at home as usual, taking care of Zhang Shi.

  The old hen's belly was full of oil, and Lian'er scooped out the oil with an iron pot and filled a small ceramic jar to the brim, saving it for later use in stir-frying. The whole chicken was cut into two portions, which were simmered twice to make a rich broth for Zhang Shi to drink, and she was also forced to eat the chicken meat. Later, He Shi sent over another small hen, which was plucked and cleaned, dried of excess moisture, rubbed with salt inside and out to preserve it, and hung from the beam in the outer room, intending to cook it slowly for Zhang Shi to eat.

  Now, after Lian Wan'er had cooked a small meal for Zhang Shi, she poured some of the chicken oil from the small jar into the pot, pan-fried the half-cooked Wawa slices on both sides, and then stir-fried some rice with chicken oil and chopped beans. She and Xiao Qi ate some first, and the rest was left in the pot to be eaten when Lian Shouxin and Lian Zhier returned.

  She had just finished her work here, and then she heard the sound of Lian's family gate. Lian Man hurried out to see He Shi sitting on a flatbed cart being pushed back by Er Lang, with Liu Lang following behind.

  Lian Wan'er was surprised, Er Lang had already helped He Shi down from the cart.

  "Daughter, you rest now. Grandpa told me I have to go back there."

  "Go back, don't overexert yourself." Mrs. He reminded him.

  Watching Erlang leave, He Shi brought Liu Lang to the west wing room.

  Lian Man'er hastily gave Xiao Qi a signal, letting him insert the door bolt from inside the house.

  "My mother is sleeping, the imperial physician has instructed us not to disturb her." Lian Man'er stopped He Shi.

  Lian Man'er didn't let He Shi enter the house, and He Shi had seen with her own eyes that Lian Man'er was not someone to be trifled with in recent days, so she turned around and went to the upper house. Lian Man'er was in the courtyard when she heard He Shi's loud voice talking to Zhou Shi in the upper house.

  "...I said these days why I always feel weak, eating things also have no taste, it turns out that I am pregnant. Mom. This time I seem to be not very stable, one low head and I feel dizzy, what work can't be done, I told Dad. Come home and rest."

  "Are you pregnant with a golden egg?" Mrs. Zhou said in a bad tone. "Go and see, which family's daughter-in-law gets pregnant and stops working? The fourth daughter-in-law always works until she is about to give birth. She still has to do all the household chores, who spoiled you into having this habit."

  "She's a hard worker, but this time it's terrible!" said Mrs. He, "I was scared to death by her, if I were like her and lost the child, even if I saved my life, I'd have to spend a lot of money."

  Zhou didn't utter a word.

  "Daughter, are there still eggs? Give me two, your grandson is crying with hunger in his belly..." said Mrs. He.

  "Want to eat eggs? Go lay them yourself." Zhou shouted, "Each and every one of you thinks you're some kind of precious princess... take a piss and look at yourselves..."

  "What? He's pregnant? Just as Lian Mian was thinking this, He Shi walked out of the upstairs room."

  "Man Er, Second Aunt is pregnant. Your sister Yu Er has bound feet and can't do much work, so you have to take good care of Second Aunt."

  Lian Man'er secretly rolled her eyes.

  "Second Aunt, I'm still young and can't take care of anyone. Only my mother is good at serving me, even if the food I cook is not well done, she doesn't pick on it. Second Aunt is now pregnant and her body is precious, what if something happens, I won't be able to bear it." Lian Man'er said.

  "Second Aunt doesn't pick and choose, Man Er, I didn't eat enough this morning. Look at your white flour, make a pancake for Second Aunt or something. If you have anything to eat, give me a bite too. Just smelling the aroma is making me hungry. Your sister said you're good at cooking now, everything you make smells so fragrant."

  He Shi, Liu Lang and Lian Rou'er all stared at Lian Man'er with eager eyes. The porridge and rice in the morning were also hard to swallow for them.

  "Second aunt, you made the meal yourself and you don't even eat it, who can you blame? If you want to eat something, just go get it, but don't come asking me. I'm just a small child, still relying on adults for food."

  From that day on, He Shi said she was pregnant and became unstable, refusing to do anything and staying at home all day. She also wanted to start a small fire, but there was no rice or flour, so she let Liu Lang and Xiao Qi fight for eggs. Liu Lang was older than Xiao Qi, but not as clever, and when he tried to snatch eggs from Xiao Qi's hands, Lian Cui happened to be standing beside him with a vegetable knife in hand. The children of the second house were usually afraid of Lian Xiu Er, who had been beaten so badly that she couldn't get up for several days, and they all knew it was Lian Cui and her siblings who did it. Therefore, although Liu Lang was older than Lian Cui, when he saw her getting angry, he became timid and didn't dare to provoke her again.

  The Zhou family is still sulking, and even Lian Xiu'er doesn't do anything. Jiang Shi is weak and not used to doing chores, and she also needs to take care of Niu Niu. All the household chores fall on Zhao Shi's shoulders alone. He Shi can't order Lian Man'er around, so she orders Zhao Shi instead. Zhao Shi is overworked and exhausted, and her period has arrived, causing her to finally faint to the ground.

  Food is unpalatable and work lacks energy. Although Lao Laozi supervised, some people began to slack off.

  As the water vapor in the air grew heavier, the expected rain was approaching, but Lian Jia still had a field of peanuts and beans that hadn't been harvested yet. Lian's old grandfather was getting anxious and flustered, with a ring of blisters on his mouth.

  It's time to eat again, but it's a cold pot and stove. Even the old man led by eating a hard bun, and was about to go down to work, but except for Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli, the whole Lian family sat there without moving.

  "Eating is not enough, really no strength."

  "Fourth Aunt is always lying down, eating rice and noodles, chicken, duck, fish and meat. I'm also pregnant, and these kids are tired from working. "He Shi said with a serious tone," Father, this bowl of water must be balanced. Our men and children work hard every day, can't even get a hot meal, why should Fourth Brother have an easy life, with several mouths to feed, and still support his wife like a queen?"

  Lian Lao Ye Zi looked at Lian Shou Yi.

  Lian Shouyi hung his head low and remained silent.

  "Shouren, you and Jizong come down with me." Lian Laoyezi shouted at Lian Shouren.

  Lian Shouren took two steps back.

  "Dad, you know me, I've never done any farm work before, going there would only be a hindrance. Let Jizong go instead." Lian Shouren said.

  "Grandfather, my leg is still not fully recovered. The doctor said that since I've injured my tendons and bones, I shouldn't work for a hundred days." Lian Ji Zu said with a sigh.

  Even Lao Yezi looked around and saw that only Lian Shouli, Lian Shouxin, Lian Zhi'er and Wu Lang could work with him in the fields.

  "You're all so shameless. Don't think I don't know what you're thinking in your hearts. You just want to divide the family, right?" Lao Yezi casually picked up a tea bowl and smashed it on the ground, "Fine, divide! I'll give you division!"

  "Dad, I don't want to separate from the family." Lian Shouren hastily said.

  "Dad, I won't divide the family property either." Lian Shouyi said.

  "Didn't my daughter say to let the fourth son move out?" said Mrs. He, "And don't even mention it, this half year our family has had so many things happen, all originating from the fourth son's house, just like his daughter Mianer, who died once and then came back to life, and then there was the fourth son's wife, tsk tsk, what a troublesome family..."

  "Enough, Second Sister," Lian Shouxin interrupted He Shi's words.

  "Daughter, is it really like this?" He asked Zhou.

  Zhou sat on the kang, silent.

  "Dad, I have something to tell you." Lian Shouxin pulled Lian Laoye out of the upper house and stopped under the cucumber trellis in the backyard.

  "Dad, you've seen the situation today. What Eldest Sister-in-law said isn't just her own opinion. If we don't come up with a plan, we won't be able to harvest the crops and our family's livelihood will be ruined. Dad, let's follow everyone's wishes and divide us up. I've thought it over with my wife, she's lost her health, who knows what'll happen in the future? In my household, I'm the only laborer, the kids are still young, and we have a debt of 70 taels of silver from the famine year. If my wife wants to take medicine or something, it's such a huge burden, let my brothers help share it, I won't be heartless, so let's divide us up, separate me out, and I'll bear my own debts."

  "Fourth brother, that won't do. In this household, I'm still in charge and can't let you lose out." Even the old master said with a trembling hand.

  "Father," Lian Shou immediately knelt down to Lian Lao, "even if you win this time, there will be a next time. This time, Big Brother and Second Brother haven't spoken up yet, the brotherly affection... is still there, next time..."

  Lian Shouxin didn't continue speaking. Lian Man'er on the side pinched a piece of cucumber leaf and crushed it, was there still any true affection? Lian Shouxin's words were just to save face for everyone.

  "Father, let's part ways......" Lian Shou Xin kowtowed to Old Master Lian.

  Lian Lao yizi helped Lian Shou Xin up, turned his face away and wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.

  "Let's get the crops in first."

  Lian Lao Ye Zi and Lian Shou Xin walked back into the house.

  "A big tree must branch out, and this family has also reached the time to split." As soon as Lao Ye said this, his straight back slightly slumped.

  "Father, we can't separate." Lian Shouyi hastily said.

  "Let Lao Si go if he wants to leave." said Mrs. He.

  Lian Shouren and Lian Jizu both remained silent, while Lian Shouli lowered his head and also did not utter a sound.

  "Big brother, second brother, I've told Father that I've moved out before." Lian Shou Xin said with a forced smile.

  "Fourth brother, why are you talking about dividing the family property? This won't do!" Lian Shouren hastily said.

  "Yes, Old Fourth, what she said just now was not Second Brother's intention." Lian Shouyi said.

  "Dad, this family, can't be divided, or it won't be divided." Lian Shouli said.

  "Lao Si is unwilling to live with us together, he must leave, and we can't stop him." Lian Shouyi said, looking at Lian Shourong.

  Lian Shouren nodded.

  "Enough said." The old man waved his hand, "The division of the family property is settled then. First, let's get the crops in. Anyone who doesn't work hard will be out, out of the Lian family."

  Outside is stormy and terrifying, I finished this chapter with a racing heart, and now I have to shut down my computer. Please subscribe, give me pink tickets, recommend, and all sorts of votes.