Hu Yan gently shook her head.
“We just saved his daughter and grandson. He probably won’t accept any money.
“Just take some cigarettes, alcohol, and meat when you go.”
“Mm, that’s what I thought too. Erzhuang recently gathered a group of people to work on house construction.
“I just went to see him. They can start repairing the house the day after tomorrow.”
Hu Yan hadn’t expected him to move so quickly.
“Good. Sell me that batch of down jackets. Once the house is repaired, move all of them into that house.”
Chen Guangze had originally thought the merchandise would end up stuck on his hands.
He would have to rent another warehouse too.
He hadn’t expected his wife to take over this headache for him.
“Down jackets are still pretty rare around here. Are you sure you can sell them?”
Hu Yan wanted to tell him that he was seriously underestimating the people here.
In her previous life, Zhang Qiulian had sold this exact batch of down jackets for 50 to 60 yuan each.
Even quite a few people in the village had bought them.
Not to mention setting up a stall in the city.
There was absolutely no way they would lose money on this.
Chen Guangze had bought them for ten yuan each.
That meant the price could be increased five or six times.
Only a fool would turn down such a profitable opportunity.
“Mm. Don’t worry. Just bring the merchandise over.”
Chen Guangze watched Hu Yan nibbling on a biscuit.
He suddenly snatched the half-eaten biscuit from her hand and shoved the whole thing into his mouth.
Hu Yan frowned and glared at him.
“Hey! There are so many biscuits in the box. Why did you have to steal mine? You’re so annoying.”
Chen Guangze leaned beside Hu Yan, finding everything about her—whether she was laughing, getting angry, or scolding him—irresistibly charming.
He raised his eyebrows and laughed heartily.
He didn’t even know why.
He just always wanted to tease her, to see her get annoyed, stomp her feet, hit him, or scold him.
As the two were happily fooling around together, Old Man Chen’s voice came from outside.
“Fifth son! Fifth daughter-in-law! Your mother has something to say. Come out quickly.”
“All right, coming!”
After answering his father, Chen Guangze put all the snacks his wife had taken out into a chest.
With a click, he locked it.
“It’s probably about the triplets again. Let’s go see what’s happening.”
When the two came outside, the courtyard was empty.
Everyone seemed to have gone to the main house.
It looked like this was something serious.
His parents probably didn’t want anyone outside to overhear, so they had gathered everyone indoors.
Hu Yan knew her mother-in-law’s personality well.
She cared more than anything about appearances.
The main room was quite spacious, so even with so many people inside, it didn’t feel crowded.
There was no bed in the main room, only a large heated brick platform occupying most of the space.
Chen Ergen and Bai Fengxia sat at the head of the room around the kang table.
Below them sat Second son Chen Guangming, Third son Chen Guanghui, Fourth son Chen Guangyao, and Fifth son Chen Guangze.
The women each found a stool and sat off to the side.
It perfectly demonstrated the old-fashioned belief that women didn’t belong at the table.
As for the children, none of them were present.
Zhang Qiulian attentively brewed and served tea to the elderly couple and the men.
Bai Fengxia accepted her tea and took a sip.
“Here’s the situation. Second and Third have adopted Chen Lei and Chen Sen.
“As for Chen Hao, Fourth and Fifth don’t want to adopt him.
“I discussed it with your father.
“Each family will contribute some money every year for Chen Hao, and the child will stay here with your father and me.
“Specifically, each family will pay two yuan a month, or twenty-four yuan a year.”
Hu Yan had no objections.
As long as Chen Hao wasn’t dumped on her family, she didn’t mind contributing some money.
Two yuan a month wasn’t much.
None of the other families objected either.
Lin Xiulan, however, put on an ingratiating smile.
“Mom, Dad, you two are getting old. Why don’t we keep Chen Hao at our house?
“I can look after him. You can focus on enjoying your retirement.”
Teacher Bai didn’t want to deal with Lin Xiulan’s endless attempts to take advantage of others.
With five families contributing, they would receive a little over a hundred yuan a year, including Chen Hao’s school fees.
If Lin Xiulan really wanted to take on the responsibility just to pocket a little extra money, Bai Fengxia was perfectly happy to let her.
“Second daughter-in-law, are you sure?”
Lin Xiulan nodded eagerly.
“Absolutely! You can trust me to take care of him!”
“Fine. But there’s one condition. The child must go to school.”
Lin Xiulan readily agreed.
“Then… that money… will it be given to me?”
“Yes. You’ll collect it from each family every month.”
Once she got the answer she wanted, Lin Xiulan secretly rejoiced.
School fees weren’t much, and the child would eat with them.
How much could one child possibly eat?
Wouldn’t that mean more than a hundred yuan would be going straight into her hands?
At the thought of this, an almost imperceptible, sinister smile appeared at the corners of her mouth.
Chen Ergen and Teacher Bai were happier than anyone that they wouldn’t have to raise Chen Hao themselves.
Bai Fengxia’s tone also became noticeably lighter.
“There is one more thing.
“Your eldest sister-in-law is going back to her mother’s home in the next couple of days to prepare for her remarriage.
“Your father thinks we should divide the family before she leaves.”
As soon as they heard that the family was going to be divided, everyone straightened their backs and listened carefully.
Originally, there was no need to divide the household yet.
But the eldest son’s family was the only branch of the Chen family with male grandchildren.
It was better to settle everything clearly.
Besides, Zhang Qiulian had brought it up herself.
She wanted to secure more assets for the triplets.
And that was how today’s discussion about dividing the family had come about.
Old Man Chen continued after his wife.
“As for the houses, each family will keep the house they’re currently living in.
“The main house belongs to your mother and me.
“As for the farmland, each of you will get three mu. You brothers can go to the fields later and divide it among yourselves.”
Bai Fengxia took a small chest out of the kang cabinet.
She opened it.
Good heavens!
It was filled with stacks of cash in all kinds of denominations.
“There is 2,000 yuan in the family’s savings.
“We’ll divide it into seven shares.
“Each of your five families gets one share.
“Your father and I get one share.
“And your younger sister is in university, so she gets one share too.
“Each share comes to 285 yuan.”
Old Man Chen looked at his sons.
“Does anyone have a problem with this arrangement?
“If you do, speak up now.”
Everyone was still processing what they had just heard when Zhang Qiulian was the first to stand.
“Mom, Dad, since ancient times, the male descendants have inherited the family property.
“Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth’s families don’t have any sons.
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to give the triplets a larger share of the family’s belongings?”
Zhang Qiulian desperately tried to convince the elderly couple.
“Mom, Dad, during festivals, it’s the male descendants who make offerings and burn paper money to honor the ancestors.
“When have you ever seen a daughter doing those things?
“By rights, most of it should go to Chen Lei, Chen Sen, and Chen Hao.”
Chen Guangyao was the first to lose his patience.
“Sister-in-law, traditionally, when a family divides its property, it’s the sons who receive the shares, not the grandsons.
“Your triplets are entitled to their father’s property.
“They aren’t entitled to their uncles’ property.”
Chen Guangze also chimed in.
“Exactly, Sister-in-law. Your family already received a house, farmland, and cash.
“You still want more?
“Isn’t your appetite a little too big?”
Old Man Chen glared fiercely at his two sons.
“Let your eldest sister-in-law finish speaking. Why are you two jumping in?”
Zhang Qiulian’s voice became soft and weak, her eyes reddening as she played the victim.
“The children’s father died so young.
“I just want to save a little more money for my children.
“Why do you have to mock me like this?
“Waaah…”
As she spoke, she began sobbing.
Hu Yan didn’t want to watch her put on another performance.
She noticed Bai Fengxia dividing the money into seven piles.
Hu Yan picked up their share and began counting.
“One yuan… six yuan… sixteen yuan…”
Bai Fengxia rolled her eyes so hard it looked as though they might reach the ceiling.
“Stop crying for a moment.
“Then tell us, how do you think it should be divided?”
Zhang Qiulian wiped her tears.
“Mom, Dad, building a house isn’t expensive these days.
“Why don’t you give all the houses back home to the triplets?
“They don’t have a father, and if anything happens, I’m too far away to help.
“I just want to leave them somewhere to live.”