“Second Son, in the end, you were the one who fulfilled your filial duty to your grandmother on my behalf, so I won’t treat you unfairly. Your grandmother’s countryside house will go to you.
“And I’ll also give you three hundred yuan as your share of the family division.”
After a long silence, Old Xu finally spoke.
“A single Xu character can’t be written with two different strokes. The family may be split, but Eryou and Sanyou are still your nephews. In the future, you’ll still have to rely on them in your old age. Go to the police station later and get them released.”
Hmph. The countryside house was over three hours away from Xu Ergen’s workplace by bicycle. That far. Every day he’d have to apply for travel permits and ride back and forth. Old Xu wasn’t worried at all — sooner or later Xu Ergen would come crawling back asking to move home again.
Once Second Son lowered his head, the family could simply merge back together.
“Then we need written papers. Verbal promises don’t count. What if someone denies it later?”
Xu Duoduo knew when to stop pushing. She immediately pulled out the paper and pen she had earlier sent Xu Ting to borrow from the doctor.
Looking at the prepared paper and pen, Old Xu finally exploded inwardly.
Here he was still reluctant to truly let Second Son go, thinking of this as a fake division. Meanwhile, the other side had already prepared the paperwork in advance.
Fine then. A real split it would be.
He’d just wait and see how a son with no heirs managed to survive. If Xu Ergen didn’t eventually kneel and beg to return, he’d never acknowledge him again.
Snatching the pen, Old Xu swiftly wrote out four identical copies of the family division agreement in one breath.
“Grandpa, I even have ink paste here. Everyone should press their fingerprints too.” Xu Duoduo handed over a small container of ink.
This time, Old Xu didn’t even bother glaring at her.
He directly took the ink paste from Xu Duoduo’s hand and ordered Xu Dagen and the others to leave fingerprints.
Afterward, he folded his own copy carefully and tucked it into his shirt pocket.
“Second Son, come home later to collect the division money.”
Without another word, he turned and walked out of the ward.
“Ah! Old man, wait for me!” Only after Old Xu had already left did Old Madam Xu snap out of her daze and hurry after him.
Xu Sangen picked up his own copy of the agreement and sneered softly. After folding it away, he ignored everyone else and left the room with Liu Wei.
Xu Dagen carefully picked up his copy with both hands and happily handed it to Chen Hehua. He looked like he wanted to say something else.
“Second Brother, hurry home with Father to get the money! The important thing is getting Eryou and Sanyou out of the police station quickly.” Chen Hehua tucked away the agreement and dragged Xu Dagen out too.
Inside the ward, Xu Ergen held the agreement silently.
Xu Duoduo tilted her head to read it.
The wording was extremely simple and direct.
Family Division Agreement
Today, Xu Guansheng divides the family property among his three sons as follows:
Family Head: Xu Guansheng
Sons: Xu Dagen, Xu Ergen, Xu Sangen
Beside each name were neat fingerprints.
Date: October 5, 1965.
Because he hadn’t grown up by his parents’ side, Xu Ergen had spent his whole life desperately working hard and obeying after finally returning to them.
Yet no matter how hard he tried, he was never treated as well as his elder brother or younger brother. It always seemed like everything he did was wrong.
“Husband, don’t be sad. You still have us.” Zhou Rong could tell Xu Ergen was heartbroken.
“Dad, you still have us,” Xu Bu, Xu Duoduo, and Xu Ting said together.
“Second Brother, you still have Big Sister and me too,” Xu Xiaomei added softly.
Xu Ergen’s eyes filled with tears as he looked at the people around him.
That’s right.
Before Grandmother died, she had told him not to force things, not to live such an exhausting life.
“Mhm. From now on, we’ll live well.” Xu Ergen folded up the division agreement carefully.
“Duoduo, hurry and see what delicious food your little aunt brought for you girls.” Xu Xiaomei pulled out the paper package she had secretly hidden under Duoduo’s blanket when she first entered.
“It’s luoguo biscuits!” Xu Ting’s eyes were especially sharp.
“You three sisters should eat more now. Once we get home later, we won’t be able to anymore.” Xu Xiaomei divided the biscuits among Xu Bu, Xu Duoduo, and Xu Ting.
“Little Aunt, after we leave home, you need to be smarter. Don’t foolishly do all the work yourself anymore. Drag Eldest Aunt along to work too. If she won’t work, then neither should you.” Xu Duoduo spoke while eating.
So delicious.
There was nothing like this in the apocalypse.
“What? You’re not going back home?” Xu Xiaomei asked in confusion.
“Dad’s workplace is so far from the countryside. Grandpa gave us the countryside house because he wants us to beg him and move back home.
“But we won’t beg.
“If we return, they’ll just make us keep working like old oxen for the family while still demanding our money.”
Xu Duoduo no longer gave Old Xu even the slightest bit of face.
Only by exposing his disgusting intentions outright could she completely destroy any possibility of Xu Ergen changing his mind. Even the tiniest seed of hesitation had to be crushed immediately.
…
“Boss, later you’ll take out three hundred yuan for Second Son.”
The moment they returned home and entered the courtyard, Old Xu immediately ordered Xu Dagen.
“Dad, why should I pay Second Brother after the family split?” Xu Dagen protested unwillingly.
“You’ve been married over ten years. Have you ever turned over your wages once? One thing Duoduo said today wasn’t wrong — your whole family has eaten and drunk from this household for over ten years. You’ve saved at least five or six thousand yuan in your hands.
“What? All of it saved up as future bride prices for your sons?
“And from this month onward, your family starts handing over wages too. If not, you can leave with nothing and get out!”
The “fake” family split at the hospital had completely provoked Old Xu. By now, his fury was so real he no longer knew whether this division was fake or genuine.
“Dad! Mom! You can’t treat our family like this right after splitting the household! You’re squeezing us dry! We’re the ones supposed to support you in old age!” Chen Hehua sat on the ground throwing a tantrum.
“Then we’ll divide the family again and throw your branch out too. Don’t think about getting even one room. I’ll give the house to Third Son and let him support me instead.
“And Dahai’s job? I paid money to get it for him in the first place. I can just sell it off again and keep the money for retirement.”
If Eryou and Sanyou hadn’t caused trouble, he would never have been humiliated and contradicted by Xu Duoduo today until his vision nearly blacked out from anger.
Right now, he had zero patience left for Xu Dagen’s family.
If they lost the house, buying another wouldn’t be easy. Even if empty houses existed, none would compare to the Xu family’s home. And after purchasing one, they wouldn’t have much savings left.
Old Xu truly was capable of selling Dahai’s job.
If they got kicked out and spent money buying a house, they’d lose thirty yuan of monthly income too. Then how would they marry off four sons?
Chen Hehua instantly swallowed all her complaints.
This situation was developing nothing like she’d expected.
Looking up at Old Xu’s purplish face twisted in rage, she wisely said nothing, stood up, dusted herself off, and quietly returned to her room.
…
“Dad, Mom and the others will wait for you outside the police station. Go home, collect the division money, and pack whatever we can take. We’re heading to the countryside.” Xu Duoduo cheerfully prepared to climb off the hospital bed.
“Lie back down. We’re not going to the countryside. Duoduo, tell the doctor we’ll stay one more night here. Tomorrow we’ll go directly to the city hospital.” Xu Ergen pressed her back down gently.
Originally, they had planned to leave the hospital today and go to the city hospital tomorrow. But now that the family had split, they could no longer return home.
“Dad, I’m feeling much better. During my nap earlier, I even dreamed about Great-Grandma. Let’s go visit her in the countryside.”
Xu Duoduo kept persuading him.
“Second Brother, Sister-in-law, come outside for a moment. I need to say something.
“You three sisters keep eating your biscuits. Xiaobu, watch your younger sisters.”
Xu Xiaomei interrupted Xu Ergen before he could continue.
“Second Brother… from the moment Duoduo woke up yesterday until now, she hasn’t acted like the old Duoduo at all. I heard old people say this kind of thing means someone’s having a final burst of energy before death. Maybe… we should just let her have her way.” Xu Xiaomei carefully closed the ward door behind them, her eyes reddening.
“Besides, if you go to the countryside this afternoon and leave early tomorrow morning, you can still catch the morning bus to the city.”
“I think that works. Let’s stay one night in the countryside first,” Zhou Rong agreed for Xu Ergen.
“Alright then. Wife, you and the children wait outside the police station for me. I’ll go home, collect the money, pack our belongings, and come meet you.”
Xu Ergen finally agreed and left after giving instructions.
Though Xu Xiaomei, Zhou Rong, and Xu Ergen had spoken very quietly outside, Xu Duoduo’s enhanced hearing from the crystal stones allowed her to hear every word clearly.
Xu “Final Burst Before Death” Duoduo nearly laughed out loud.
Now she didn’t even need to think of ways to convince her parents to move to the countryside.
With the family now split, Zhou Rong would avoid the mental breakdown caused by Duoduo’s death in the original story. Xu Ergen would also escape the fate of becoming disabled, losing his job, and dying bitter and depressed.
But Xu Bu still hadn’t completely escaped her tragic fate.
Xu Duoduo currently lacked the ability to stand against that deputy director of the Revolutionary Committee.
Still, there were six months left.
Once they moved farther away, she’d finally have enough freedom and energy to start planning what to do next.