When the time comes, to fund Third Brother’s education and Second Brother’s medical treatment, I’m afraid these fields will inevitably be sold off by that poisonous woman Feng Shi.
“Fine, mutual separation is acceptable, severing kinship ties is also acceptable, but I have two conditions. First, the house goes to the eldest branch, and the eldest branch gets 10 mu of land. We don’t want the mountain forest. Second, the fields allocated to the second and third branches are not allowed to be sold. Now that we’re separating, I’m afraid this cheap woman might sell the fields and mountain forest and run back to her parents’ home. Wouldn’t that be giving our Shen family property to outsiders?”
Shen Zhiqiou gave Shen Meixiang a smug look. With more land but no money for medical treatment or education, Shen Hong would have no choice but to return to farming. The second and third branches, the whole family, would spend their lives digging in the dirt for food.
Grandma Shen’s face turned ugly as she understood his intention. “Fine, I agree!”
The village head shook his head. Even at this point, they were still full of schemes. Severing ties was probably for the best.
Soon, the Divorce Agreement and the Severance of Kinship Document were written. Several people took turns stepping forward to press their fingerprints, settling the matter. There were three copies, each family receiving two.
“Tomorrow, I’ll take these two documents to the County Magistrate’s Office for filing. From now on, you will have no further relationship!”
“Wait a moment, Village Head. I want to adopt Da Shan and Hong’er to Fourth Brother!”
Grandma Shen’s words made the village head’s eyes light up.
“Excellent! This is a good thing. Fourth Brother passed away in his teens, never married or had children. Adopting children to him will give his lineage descendants to continue the family line. During festivals, someone will make offerings to him. What do you all think, Clan Elders?”
“Good, let’s do it that way. From now on, Little Fourth won’t be without someone to make offerings.”
Shen Zhiqiou, who had been ready to mock them a moment ago, now widened his eyes in shock. “I disagree! I am their biological father. I disagree. Who dares to adopt my sons to someone else?”
“Hmph, you seem to have forgotten. You just severed kinship ties. From now on, they will call you Second Uncle. Come here, I’ll write you into Fourth Brother’s page. Very good! My Fourth Brother now has sons, grandsons, and granddaughters!”
The village head’s tears flowed freely. As the eldest brother, he had taken the most care of his youngest brother, and their bond was the deepest. Especially since Little Fourth was his own younger brother, while Third Brother Shen Zhiqiou and Second Brother Shen Zhifeng were full brothers.
“Aiya! So the fox’s tail is finally showing! Eagerly rushing to become your brother-in-law’s son. Could it be that you two had something going on before?” Du Shi suddenly seized upon something and shouted loudly.
“You…” Grandma Shen hadn’t even spoken yet.
The village head’s wife, standing nearby, slapped Du Shi across the face. “Shut your filthy mouth! When Feng Shi married into the family, our two branches hadn’t yet divided the family property. At that time, Little Fourth was only 11 years old. Within a year, the family divided. Little Fourth passed away at 14. How dare you mock a deceased person, and one who was your elder at that!”
“Kneel here! For your disrespectful words, today you are punished to kneel in the ancestral hall for two hours.” The village head was so angry his beard bristled.
He was 15 years older than Little Fourth and had doted on him like a son. Now, even after death, someone dared to slander him. He was so furious his head buzzed.
Slap! Another slap landed, this time from Shen Zhiqiou.
“Dad, why did you hit me? I was just standing up for you!” Du Shi cried out in grievance. The mocking laughter from the young wives around her, saying she deserved it, made her feel utterly humiliated.
“You damn fool! Are you stupid? Do you have to put a green hat on me?” A man values his reputation most. In the early years of their marriage, he and Feng Shi had been inseparable. These children couldn’t possibly be anyone else’s.
“Wuwu, I know I was wrong, daughter-in-law!” What nonsense had she blurted out in a moment of thoughtlessness?
Her gaze toward Feng Shi grew even more hostile—it was all this old woman’s fault.
Grandma Shen: “…” And now she was being blamed again.
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“By then, in order to let the third son study and to treat the second son’s illness, I’m afraid these fields will eventually be sold off by that venomous woman, Feng Shi.
“Fine, mutual separation is acceptable, and severing kinship ties is fine as well. However, I have two conditions. First, the house goes to the Eldest Branch, along with ten mu of land. We don’t want the mountain forest. Second, the land obtained by the Second and Third Branches is not allowed to be sold. Now that there is a mutual separation, I fear this wretched woman will sell the land and mountain forest and run back to her maternal home. Wouldn’t that be giving the Shen Family property to outsiders?”
Shen Zhiqiou looked at Shen Meixiang smugly. With more land but no money for medical treatment or schooling, Shen Hong would have no choice but to return to farming. The families of the Second and Third Branches would be stuck scratching a living from the soil for the rest of their lives.
Grandma Shen’s expression turned grim, understanding his intentions. “Fine, I agree!”
The village head shook his head. Even at a time like this, he was still so full of calculations; it was for the best that they severed ties.
The Divorce Agreement and the Severance of Kinship Document were quickly drafted. Several people took turns coming forward to press their thumbprints, and the matter was finally settled. The documents were made in triplicate, with each of the two parties receiving two copies.
“I will take these to the County Magistrate’s Office tomorrow to file them. After that, you will have no further relation to one another!”
“Wait a moment, Village Head. I want to adopt Da Shan and Hong’er to the Fourth Brother!”
Grandma Shen’s words made the village head’s eyes light up.
“Good, that is a wonderful thing! Fourth Brother passed away in his teens without marrying or having children. Adopting them to him will provide his lineage with Lineal Descendants, so there will be someone to offer sacrifices during festivals. What do you Clan Elders think?”
“Good, let’s do it that way. In the future, Xiao Si won’t be without someone to offer him sacrifices!”
Shen Zhiqiou had originally been prepared to mock them further, but now his eyes widened in shock. “I don’t agree! I am the biological father! I don’t agree! Who dares to adopt my sons to someone else?”
“Hmph, you’ve probably forgotten that you just severed kinship ties. From now on, they will call you Second Uncle. I will record them right now under Fourth Brother’s page. This is excellent; my Fourth Brother now has sons, grandsons, and granddaughters!”
The village head’s eyes brimmed with tears. As the eldest brother, he had cared for his youngest brother the most and shared the deepest bond with him. Xiao Si was his biological younger brother, just as the third brother Shen Zhiqiou and the second brother Shen Zhifeng were biological brothers.
“Oh, so the fox tail finally shows! You’re so eager to make them your brother-in-law’s sons—could it be that you two had a thing going on back then?” Du Shi suddenly shouted, as if she had caught onto something scandalous.
“You…” Before Grandma Shen could speak, the Lizheng’s Wife standing nearby slapped Du Shi across the face.
“Bullshit! When Feng Shi married into this family, the two branches hadn’t even split yet. Back then, Xiao Si was only eleven years old, and they split the family less than a year later. Xiao Si died when he was fourteen. You’re making fun of a dead man who was also your elder!”
“Kneel down right here! For your insolence, you are sentenced to kneel in the ancestral hall for two hours today,” the village head roared, his beard twitching with rage.
He was fifteen years older than Xiao Si and had loved him like a son. Now, even after death, his brother’s name was being defiled. He was so angry his head was buzzing.
Slap! Another slap landed, but this one was delivered by Shen Zhiqiou.
“Father, why did you hit me? Wasn’t I just venting your anger for you?” Du Shi wailed in grievance. The mocking laughter of the young wives around her made her feel like she had lost all face, telling her she deserved it.
“You stupid woman! Are you an idiot? Do you insist on cuckolding me?” A man valued his pride above all else. In the first few years of his marriage to Feng Shi, they had been inseparable; there was no way these children could belong to anyone else.
“Wooo… your daughter-in-law knows she was wrong!” Her mind had simply blanked, and she had blurted out such nonsense.
The look she directed at Feng Shi became even more hostile. It was all this old woman’s fault.
Grandma Shen: “…” She was being blamed again.