Chapter 5: The First Discussion of Dividing the Family Estate

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Cheng Jundong only felt the cloth bag in his hand was exceptionally heavy. These things were bought for him. Cheng Jundong instinctively ignored the other bag in Su Li’s hand.

“What are you standing there dumbfounded for? Hurry up and put these away, and keep your mouth shut—don’t say anything reckless.” Su Li got off the vehicle, clutching her cloth bag. Cheng Jundong quickly moved to help her, and though she seemed reluctant, she placed her hand on his wrist to steady herself.

“Go out neat and tidy. When you’re working, you have to use a lunchbox and a tea cup. If you get sleepy while guarding the gate, wash your face, and keep your towel clean…” Cheng Jundong felt like crying again as he listened. His mother had never spoken to him like this before.

“You might as well say something. You can’t expect to make any noise with a single tap! Be a little perceptive when you go out. We have nothing else; we have to rely on being honest and simple to stand firm first.” Su Li withdrew her hand with a hint of disdain and said sharply, “Bring all those things into my room. Hurry up and get to work; you still need to earn some work points.”

“Alright!” Cheng Jundong responded loudly, hauling the things into Su Li’s room in one go. After he finished, his tall frame stood at the doorway like a breathless wooden post, his dark face flushed red as he finally blurted out, “Mom, I’m going to work now.”

Su Li watched through the blurry window as Cheng Jundong left the gate, exhaling deeply. “Too honest, to a fault.” She closed the door, drew the curtains, changed her clothes inside, then scrubbed her teeth vigorously with a toothbrush. Using a fresh towel, she wiped her face, finally bidding farewell to that inexplicably odorous towel.

After cleaning herself up, Su Li applied a thick layer of white snow cream on her face until it felt slightly moist and plump. “Not bad, the effect is no worse than top brands. I’ll put on some hand oil too.”

Once everything was done, Su Li sat on the kang platform to rest, thinking about finding the mooncake molds later. Old Lady Su’s natal family had been skilled bakers of flour pastries. When she married into this family, she had good baking skills, but poverty eventually made it impossible to afford flour, and she gradually stopped baking.

It just so happened that Su Li herself had some baking skills, with a clear lineage for her craft.

The midday sun streamed through the lattice window, filling the entire southern kang platform with warm sunlight. Lying on the mat, Su Li dozed off in a daze. When she opened her eyes again, her grandchildren had returned.

Su Li propped herself up, stretching and yawning. She hadn’t taken a nap in years, and it felt quite comfortable. Today, the second daughter-in-law, Li Lanhua, was cooking. Based on past experience, Su Li brought a small stool and sat in the kitchen.

Li Lanhua, rounded and playful, put down her chopsticks with a mischievous smile. “I’m just tasting the seasoning.”

Su Li glanced at her silently. This second daughter-in-law, or rather the entire family of the second son, had one characteristic—they were greedy.

To put it in modern terms, they were all slackers.

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They did the least work but ate the most food. Even when scolded, they smiled without taking it seriously; they ate when they should, and didn’t work when they shouldn’t.

The late Old Lady Su had always disliked this family the most.

Li Lanhua pouted as she poured out stewed pumpkin, deliberately rubbing some on her finger and licking it directly. “Don’t waste it.”

Su Li averted her gaze—out of sight, out of mind. It was all just the struggles of poverty.

Soon, everyone who had been working returned, washed up, and sat down for dinner.

Sorghum rice, stewed pumpkin with potatoes, and a bowl of scallions and cucumbers dipped in soybean paste—this was the evening meal.

Su Li deliberately restrained her appetite, as elderly bodies don’t digest well. After eating a small bowl, she stopped. Cheng Jundong, the eldest son, glanced at her several times, somewhat worried.

After dinner, the daughters-in-law cleaned up together quickly. Su Li called everyone over to continue the unfinished meeting from yesterday.

“Speak up—who should get the job?”

The fifth son, Cheng Junguo, tried to be clever. A grown man acting spoiled wasn’t out of place at all. “Mom, I don’t want to go. I just want to stay with you.”

“Good boy, I knew you cared,” Su Li said, touched.

What nonsense.

Su Li looked at Cheng Junguo with feigned emotion, then turned her gaze to the other sons.

The second son, Cheng Junnan, with his balding head, smiled cheekily. “Give it to my family. I have two sons to support—it costs a lot.”

This comment made the eldest daughter-in-law, Miao Xiaocao, who had given birth to three daughters, lower her head and burst into tears.

Su Li tore off one shoe and threw it at her. “You have something to eat; keep it in your own mouth. If we rely on you, we’ll all starve!”

“Hehe, I’m just joking, Mom. You’re really mad now,” the second son grinned and picked up the shoe for Su Li. She ignored him and looked at others.

“It should go to my family’s Junxi; he studied for two years,” said the third daughter-in-law, Yu Xiaohui, with sharp cheekbones and a clever look, tightly controlling the third son.

Su Li looked at the thin and lanky third son, Cheng Junxi.

“Third son, what do you think?”

“I’ll listen to Xiaohui.”

“Third daughter-in-law, by your logic, I studied for four years myself. This job suits me just as well,” said the fourth daughter-in-law gently but firmly, contesting every inch.

“Have some shame; your family already has a job. All the good things go to your family!” Su Li retorted.

“That’s not fair. My family’s Junbei found his job on his own, not given by the family. Why can’t we have one too?” The two looked ready to argue, but Su Li banged the table.

“Enough!”

Su Li roughly understood each family’s thoughts and said directly, “I asked about the job today—it’s to guard the gate at the tobacco, sugar, and liquor factory. Fourth daughter-in-law, don’t even think about it; they don’t want women.”

“Third son is out too. You’re so skinny and frail, even a strong wind would blow you away. Is it you guarding the gate or the gate guarding you?”

“Second son… don’t embarrass me out there!”

Su Li looked at the eldest son, Cheng Jundong, who kept his head down.

“Eldest son, you’re the most suitable for this job.”

Cheng Jundong looked up but didn’t say a word, feeling guilty.

The eldest daughter-in-law, Miao Xiaocao, who had been crying, raised her head in disbelief.

The other families wanted to object but found no good reason, and as long as it wasn’t given to the fifth son, they were quite willing to accept it going to the eldest.

“It's settled then. The job goes to the eldest son. He’ll cover shifts, with two people alternating the night shifts. When resting, you should tend the fields; when working, work—don’t slack off.”

Hearing this, the remaining small ambitions of the other families vanished.

They were treating the eldest son like a workhorse!

A workhorse can rest properly, but the eldest son had to work both day and night.

“Mom, I promise to work hard,” Cheng Jundong agreed readily, smiling a little foolishly.

“Good. We haven’t divided the family yet; you must hand over your wages. Our whole big family has expenses.”

At the mention of dividing the family, several exchanged glances.

Su Li took it all in and said again, “Like a tree with many branches, this family will be divided sooner or later.”

Everyone’s minds were on edge. Could it be that the family division was happening today?

Su Li paused strategically. The late Old Lady Su had been strongly against dividing the family, fearing that if divided, no one would take care of her.

The families had suggested it before but were always suppressed.

Su Li thought differently.

“The family will definitely be divided…”

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