Reborn in a small village in the 1990s

Chapter 74

Zhao Tingming naturally couldn't suggest that Wang Guixiang go and beg Cheng Jinxiang's daughter-in-law to come back. He simply said, "You still need to make a statement. My personal opinion is that you should separate and live separately. The second and third sons are in the same family; there's always friction between them. It won't work out sooner or later. Although you're brothers and the second son's mother, there's a saying: 'Even the most filial sons can grow weary of caring for a chronically ill parent.' Before things fall apart and you become enemies, hurry up and separate."

"Once you separate, all the conflicts will be resolved. Let's put it this way: if the second son moves out and lives separately, even if his bed isn't warm, his room is cold and small, and his family doesn't like it, even if the teapot in the room freezes and breaks, it has nothing to do with you two. That's just them being lazy, isn't it?"

"Separate the family?" Wang Guixiang's voice suddenly became shrill: "Why should we separate the family?"

Now that the family has split up, who will do the work?

Expecting Zhao Tingxu, as the parent, to do the work? Wang Guixiang dared not expect her old man to do any work. If he was in a good mood, it was already a favor if he didn't slap her twice. Expecting him to do any work? That was wishful thinking.

Would she really let her youngest son do the work? Wang Guixiang couldn't bear to. He was a piece of her own flesh and blood, the apple of her eye, her precious son born late in life. In Wang Guixiang's eyes, Zhao Laosan was her most beloved son. In remote rural areas like those in the north, the youngest son usually gets the better treatment. After all, a woman who has suddenly gained a son in middle age usually has a better life than before, so young sons are often spoiled. Most importantly, Zhao Laosan's wife, Zhang Cuilan, was a good wife and mother, giving Wang Guixiang a big, healthy grandson.

Unlike the grandson of Zhao Tiebao, the eldest son of the Zhao family who had already separated from his family, this little grandson was being pampered by Wang Guixiang. After all, Zhang Cuilan basically pretended to be sick every day, aching all over, so the job of taking care of the child fell to Wang Guixiang. Now, her little grandson Zhao Yongbo is already four years old, but Wang Guixiang still carries him around whenever she goes out, telling everyone she meets: "My grandson is so fair-skinned and handsome, he will definitely grow up to be a lovely young man that everyone loves."

Furthermore, Zhao Laosan, also known as Zhao Tiegang, was a heavy drinker. Nobody knew why his liquor tasted so good, and it wasn't any expensive liquor, just homemade baijiu from the countryside. Zhao Tiegang drank it three times a day, and a salted egg was enough to accompany it. Zhao Tiegang's most impressive record was that he used one salted egg as his drinking accompaniment for seven days.

Wang Guixiang sometimes felt sorry for her youngest son: "He ate a salted egg for seven days. That must have been so hard for him." So Wang Guixiang couldn't bear to let her youngest son do any work.

As for Zhao Tiegang's wife, Zhang Cuilan, Wang Guixiang dared not order her around. Wang Guixiang was terrified of Zhang Cuilan, who was a tough nut to crack. She would fall ill at the slightest provocation, either suffering from heart pain or a headache. Wang Guixiang sighed: "This third son's wife is someone I can't afford to use."

So, the only ones capable of doing the work are Zhao Tiesheng and Cheng Jinxiang. Oh, and Zhao Da'e can also gather firewood and knows how to cook. All the chores around the house, big and small, are done by Cheng Jinxiang's family. Now, hearing that Zhao Tingming wants to split the household to bring Cheng Jinxiang back? That's outrageous!

If the family splits up, there will be no one to do the work.

So, Cheng Jinxiang went back to her parents' home for half a month, and the family basically ran out of rice and firewood. They were so poor they were almost starving. Even the firewood for cooking was recently brought from the backyard, the place Zhao Da'e bought. If they separated the family, they wouldn't have any firewood left, so this family absolutely cannot be divided.