Grandfather Bai had made up his mind to split the family, and Grandmother Bai did not dare stop him anymore. She was afraid the old man would really stop caring about their youngest daughter.
After Grandfather Bai threatened Bai Eldest Uncle, saying that if he did not go call the brigade leader, then he would go himself, Bai Eldest Uncle had no choice but to run off to find the man.
Bai Shuhua was thrilled. This family split really had twists and turns, but now she could finally see a glimmer of hope.
Hurry up, hurry up!
The brigade leader came quickly, asked once to confirm the split, and did not try to talk them out of it. He moved through the procedures, already very practiced at it.
Grandfather Bai repeated once more how he had previously said the family should be split. “The houses each household lives in go to each household, and the money and grain are divided into five shares. Child’s mother, go get the money.”
Grandmother Bai gave a reluctant “Mm.”
Grandfather Bai’s voice soon rang out again. “This is all the money in the family, a total of three hundred sixty-eight yuan five jiao three fen. Divided into five shares, that is seventy yuan for each household. The extra little bit goes to us, you all shouldn’t have any objections, right?”
“Agreed, agreed.”
Bai Eldest Uncle and the others almost said it in unison.
Bai Shuhua: Is her grandpa really splitting it this way, or is he just terrible at arithmetic?
“The pots, bowls, basins, and other dishes at home… may not be enough to divide. My wife, your mother, and Zhenzhen need one set, the rest you can discuss among yourselves.”
Aunt Bai immediately said, “We want the iron wok.”
Mother Bai was not to be outdone. “I still want one too.”
Then Bai Eldest Uncle said, “Third Brother, the iron wok and kitchen knife go to us, you can use them first…”
Father Bai asked, “Then how much does Big Brother plan to make up for me and Second Brother? Second Brother and I have to buy new iron woks and kitchen knives. Actually, the money is fine, after all we just split seventy yuan, but we don’t have coupons.”
What he meant was that just compensating them according to price was not enough, the coupons had to be counted too.
But Aunt Bai was unwilling and wanted to bargain. “Those iron woks are already old, we still want new ones.”
Mother Bai immediately picked it up. “Then we want the iron wok and kitchen knife, and we’ll give you cash in exchange.”
Aunt Bai became unwilling again.
In the end, Grandfather Bai set a price for the iron wok and kitchen knife. Bai Eldest Uncle bought the iron wok, and Father Bai got the kitchen knife.
Bai Second Uncle did not make a sound at all.
Grandfather Bai also said that their iron wok and old kitchen knife could still be used before Bai Second Uncle and Father Bai bought new ones.
“There are only two chickens in the family, they go to us old couple. After the split, you can raise chickens too, go buy chicks yourselves. And the pigs are task pigs, this year after the task is handed in, we will get meat tickets, and at New Year we will eat them together.” Grandfather Bai felt there was not much else, and this family split was finished.
The brigade leader reminded them, “The split is about done. We need to talk about elder support.”
That definitely had to be decided by Grandfather Bai.
“My wife and I can still work, so we’ll live separately. When we get old and can’t move anymore, the three households will take turns.”
Bai Eldest Uncle cut in, “Father, that won’t do. I am the eldest son. You have to live with me.”
Aunt Bai did not make a sound.
Grandfather Bai said, “Second and Third aren’t my sons, are they? When I get old, none of you will be able to run.”
Although in the countryside most old people lived with the eldest son, there were also plenty of exceptions, some living with the youngest son, and some having the sons take turns. So Grandfather Bai’s request was not all that unusual.
Father Bai hurriedly said, “Second Brother and I will definitely support Father and Mother in old age.”
Bai Second Uncle also immediately chimed in, “Mm-hm, we’ll support them.”
If they did not say something, people might think they were unwilling to support Father and Mother in old age.
Aunt Bai then said, “Second Brother and Third Brother have this heart, husband, you should just fulfill their wishes.”
Bai Shuhua was still a little confused. How had Aunt Bai changed so fast?
Before, she had always treated all the old couple’s property as if it belonged to her.
But she quickly figured it out. If Grandfather Bai split the family like this, and after the split they married Bai Youngest Aunt off handsomely, there would not be much money left in his hands.
What was left was only half a room, but the big house had the eldest grandson.
After Bai Youngest Aunt married, the eldest grandson would be Grandmother Bai’s only precious darling, so who they would leave the house to was obvious.
Father Bai probably could see through this scheme, but would not say it.
After all, his parents were still in good health. Was he stupid enough to bring up what would happen after they died?
Bai Second Uncle did not know whether he could see through it, but even if he did, he would not dare say it.
The result was the same either way.
The brigade leader had Father Bai and the others write down the details of the split just now. It had to be signed.
Father Bai ran out to get paper and pen, and when he saw his eldest daughter playing under the windowsill, he even rubbed her little head.
Bai Shuhua: I am a professional eavesdropper!
Once the family split agreement was written, the brigade leader had them sign it, and the family split was formally complete.
Grandfather Bai asked the brigade leader to stay for lunch, and even told Grandmother Bai to make something good.
But the brigade leader declined, saying he had things to do, and left anyway.
The adults were back, so there was no need for the children to cook. In the end, it was Bai Second Uncle’s wife who did it.
Grandfather Bai told them to take a few eggs. Today they would still eat together.
After dinner, when there was enough time, they would divide the grain and then eat separately.
Father Bai and Mother Bai returned to the third room, and Bai Shuhua immediately trotted along behind them.
“Husband, just like that, it’s split?” Mother Bai still found it unreal.
Father Bai nodded. “Split.”
His tone was also somewhat melancholy.
Mother Bai went limp all at once. “It won’t be easy to slack off anymore, and we still have to support two kids. Do you think it would work if we lived with Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law?”
Bai Shuhua roared inwardly: Mom, please, spare the honest people.
Father Bai was actually thinking about it too. “Seems like it won’t work.”
Bai Shuhua hurriedly cut in, really afraid the two lazy people would put it into action. “Dad, Mom, we’ve split the family, so does that mean we’ll be moving into a new house?”
“What is splitting the family?” asked Bai Younger Brother, who was even more curious.
No one answered Bai Younger Brother. Who told him to be young? He had no rights.
Father Bai sat on the edge of the kang. “I want to live in a new house too. Where are we supposed to find a new house?”
Mother Bai also sighed. “We’ll have to work ourselves to death from now on.”
Bai Shuhua rolled her eyes. Her parents really were not following the script.
Wasn’t splitting the family supposed to make people work hard and strive?
What were they being so gloomy for?
“Dad, have you learned how to grow medicinal herbs yet?” Bai Shuhua deliberately brought up this matter. Right now Father Bai cared most about it.
“How could it be that easy to learn? I’m still a long way from mastering it.” Father Bai even came up with an idiom-like phrase.
“Then Dad, you really have to work hard. Once you learn how to grow medicinal herbs, you won’t have to do other tiring labor.” Bai Shuhua encouraged Father Bai.
Hardship was only temporary. The future was bright.
“Oh right, Dad, you can write down how the production team is preparing to grow medicinal herbs, and how to grow them. Maybe it can be put in the newspaper.” Bai Shuhua’s eyes turned as she came up with another good idea.
It was just that this era had actually canceled manuscript fees. Otherwise, in two years, that would have been a good way to make money.
“Put it in the newspaper? Your father would be thankful just to avoid writing the wrong characters.” Mother Bai could not help laughing after saying that.
Father Bai was very unconvinced. “I won’t write the wrong characters. If I really can’t write them, then I’ll write pinyin.”
Mother Bai nodded in agreement. “Not bad, no need to draw circles like the brigade leader.”
Father Bai felt uncomfortable being jabbed by his own wife, and his stubbornness flared up. “Then I’ll really write this story.”
Anyway, it was just for fun, forget about the newspaper.
Bai Shuhua did not want her parents bickering like primary school kids anymore. “Dad, Mom, now that we’ve split the family, does that mean we’ll have to cook for ourselves from now on? But there isn’t a pot at home?”
This problem had to be solved quickly.
Father Bai scratched his head. “We do have money, but no coupons. We’d need several industrial coupons.”
Bai Shuhua propped up her little chin. “Dad, who issues industrial coupons?”
Father Bai explained to his daughter, “Workers have them, they’re all issued by the factory.”
Bai Shuhua nodded to show she understood. “Since workers all have them, they also wouldn’t buy iron woks every day, so there must be extras. We can just trade things with them.”
This kind of barter exchange still did not count as speculative profiteering.
Father Bai nodded, enlightened. “Right, but there are too few factories in the town, we’ll have to go to the county seat. In two days I’ll make a trip, and I’ll definitely bring back an iron wok.”
Bai Shuhua said, “Dad, ask whether Second Uncle’s family wants to buy one too. If they do, we can go together.”
Mainly because Second Uncle was too much of a doormat, so it was just right for Father Bai to help out.
She really was not being a saint. Over the years, her parents had taken plenty of advantage of Second Uncle’s family.
Although they had split the family now, they were still living in the same courtyard. Who knew when they might still need Second Uncle’s family to lend a hand?
Father Bai nodded indifferently. “Then I’ll ask later.”
Mother Bai looked around the room and sighed. “If we buy an iron stove, where are we supposed to put it? It can’t be placed inside the room, if you fry a dish the whole room will smell, the room is too small, and there isn’t even a kitchen.”
Father Bai also looked around. “It definitely can’t be put inside. We’ll put it outside. First we’ll build a small shed. That way wind, rain, or snow won’t stop us from cooking, and we can also save up some adobe bricks. Then later we’ll turn the small shed into a little house.”
Bai Shuhua sighed inwardly. Conditions were harsh, they could only make do for now. Mom and Dad, you must work hard, there will be a new house, and there will be meat too!