Hearing He Yuan’s words, Li Cuihua, stewing in her anger, retorted, “I only said that because Ji Shuyu… she’s clearly not here to live a proper life!”
“That’s why I wanted to split the household…”
“Why should I wash clothes and cook for the whole family every day while she gets to sleep in until late morning?”
Listening to Li Cuihua’s complaint, He Yuan scoffed coldly. “Did Shuyu ever ask you to wash her clothes?”
“Did she eat the food you cooked?”
After saying this, He Yuan looked at He Qiang, his icy voice seeming to carry a chill.
“You want to do the cooking just so you can make extra food for He Qiang. It’s one thing that He Qiang usually eats more than He Ming, but how can you blame that on Shuyu?”
Li Cuihua’s face flushed red and pale under He Yuan’s questioning. Pointing towards the main room, her voice trembling with tears, she said,
“She didn’t ask me to wash her clothes or cook for her, but why does she get to occupy the east room? That room used to be Qiangzi’s! If she hadn’t come, would Qiangzi have to share a room with the second branch’s family?”
“That’s just unreasonable.”
Wang Shufen couldn’t listen any longer and spoke up directly: “The east room was always meant to be Yuanzi’s marital home. Qiangzi only lived there before because Yuanzi hadn’t returned from the army.”
“Now he’s married, it’s only right and proper for Shuyu to live there. You can’t claim the room is yours just because Qiangzi stayed in it, can you?”
That makes no sense at all.
Back when Ji Shuyu was reluctant to join him as an army dependent, He Yuan, afraid of being nagged by his parents at home, chose to temporarily live on the army base.
As a result, his room became vacant. Li Cuihua seized the opportunity to coax Wang Shufen into letting Qiangzi stay there.
She even promised emphatically that if Yuanzi’s wife came, they would vacate the room immediately.
But look what happened. When the wife finally arrived and she was asked to move out, she became unwilling and caused such a scene.
When it came down to it, Li Cuihua wasn’t like the second daughter-in-law, who had a proper job.
She left early and returned late, wasn’t home much, and was very busy.
Li Cuihua stayed home all day with nothing much to do. Talking about doing housework, it was really just taking care of her own family’s needs.
She only washed their family’s clothes, and her cooking was terrible.
With nothing else to do, wasn’t it natural she’d start fixating on others?
Originally, when Ji Shuyu arrived, Wang Shufen was worried about potential discord between the sisters-in-law.
She wasn’t worried about the second daughter-in-law, Su Wenjuan; she was worried about Li Cuihua.
Just as Li Cuihua was about to say more after hearing her mother-in-law’s words, footsteps suddenly sounded at the courtyard gate.
He Jiang followed He Ming inside, his face still dusty from work. Seeing the situation in the courtyard, he stepped forward and asked,
“What’s going on here?”
He Jiang placed his tool bag in the corner by the wall.
“I could hear the arguing as soon as I reached the gate.”
He Junshan didn’t look at him, pointing at He Qiang on the ground. “Ask your wife and son yourself.”
Seeing He Jiang return, Li Cuihua seemed to find her pillar of support. She rushed over to him, crying.
“Husband, they’re bullying us! Just because Ji Shuyu fell, He Yuan forced Qiangzi to kneel and even said we should split the household!”
He Jiang frowned, pulling her aside. He turned to He Yuan. “Yuanzi, what exactly is going on?”
He Yuan explained the whole story from beginning to end. He Jiang’s face grew darker and darker.
He was usually honest and even-tempered, never getting angry or speaking harshly to others.
This was the first time he had shown such an expression.
When he heard He Qiang admit to stealing the cured meat and Li Cuihua twisting the facts, he suddenly raised his hand and slapped Li Cuihua.
The sound of the slap echoed, and the courtyard fell silent instantly.
Wang Shufen and He Junshan looked at their honest, simple eldest son as if they didn’t recognize him.
Even He Yuan was a bit shocked.
Li Cuihua covered her face, staring at He Jiang in disbelief. “You hit me?”
“Not only will I hit you, I’ll beat you to death, you troublemaker!”
He Jiang trembled with rage, feeling that Li Cuihua had completely disgraced him, both inside and out.
He had never been so humiliated before.
“Qiangzi stole something, and instead of teaching him right, you let him push a pregnant woman? What were you thinking?”
Seeing how angry his father was, He Qiang cried even harder.
He Jiang pointed at him. “And you! So young and already learning bad ways! Stealing and harming others! Not only will you apologize to your aunt, but I’m going to teach you a proper lesson!”
Seeing He Jiang was truly furious, Li Cuihua didn’t dare to make another scene. She just covered her face and cried.
He Jiang took a deep breath and turned to He Junshan. “Dad, let’s split the household. If this continues, the family will fall apart sooner or later.”
He Jiang’s voice was weary. If this went on, what little dignity he had left would be completely ruined by Li Cuihua.
He Junshan looked at his eldest son and nodded. “That’s what I think too. Eldest daughter-in-law, you heard it. It’s not that I’m biased; you brought this on yourselves.”
“I don’t agree!”
Li Cuihua suddenly shrieked.
“What will we live on if we split up? Qiangzi is at an age where he’s growing! I don’t care, I won’t split up!”
“Whether we split or not isn’t up to you.”
He Yuan spoke coldly: “The family’s belongings will be divided per capita. You, Big Brother, and Qiangzi will get your fair share. From now on, everyone lives their own life. No one holds anyone else back.”
He Jiang closed his eyes, as if making a firm decision. “Let’s do as Yuanzi says. Dad, you and Mom keep the main house. I’ll take them and move out. You decide how to divide the things in the courtyard.”
Li Cuihua wanted to argue more, but He Jiang silenced her with a sharp look.
He Junshan looked at his eldest son and sighed. “Since it’s decided, move out as soon as possible. You can stay in the west room for now. After your mother and I discuss it, we’ll inventory the grain and items to be divided.”
He Qiang was still kneeling on the ground, his knees already red and purple.
He Jiang walked over and pulled him up. “He Qiang, this is the last time. If I ever find out you have such malicious thoughts again, I’ll hold you accountable. When your aunt returns from the clinic, you will go apologize to her in person.”
He Qiang looked at He Yuan, sobbing, and whispered, “I’m sorry.”
He Yuan ignored him, only telling He Junshan that he didn’t want any of the family’s belongings, but they would need to wait until his military family housing was assigned before they could move.
“Of course, that’s natural. Even though we’re splitting up, this will always be your home. You should still come back when you can.”
Wang Shufen nodded beside him. “Before, your father always thought family harmony brings prosperity, but we never expected Li Cuihua to be so troublesome.”
As they were talking, they saw Li Cuihua and He Jiang fighting outside.
“You useless coward! Your wife and child are being bullied to death, and you still side with outsiders? You even want to take good things to apologize to that vixen? I won’t allow it! I forbid it!”
As she spoke, Li Cuihua reached out to scratch He Jiang.
He Jiang couldn’t take it anymore and pushed her. She fell to the ground, and her hand was cut by a fishing rod lying nearby.
Li Cuihua was stunned for a moment, then her eyes widened, and she started throwing a tantrum, rolling on the ground.
“He Jiang! I can’t live like this anymore! I want a divorce! I want a divorce!”
“Fine, let’s divorce! Li Cuihua, I can’t live with you anymore either! Divorce? Good! The sooner the better, so you don’t corrupt my son any further! Pack your things now and get back to your parents’ home!”
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