Chapter 4: The Family is Finally Separated in This Life Part 2
Seeing that the situation was improving, Su Min, worried that her father would forget about the specifics of the division, spoke up. "Dad, even though we don't want the house, I still need money for my education, and we need money to live. Do you have any money left? The money we earned from selling grain earlier, did you give it all to Grandpa and Grandma?"
Her reminder made Su's parents, including Su Changfu and his wife, all have unpleasant expressions.
Su Grandma spat and said, "You, this girl, why do you meddle in the affairs of adults?"
Sun Qiufang added, "Minzi is right. We're not taking the house, but we still need our share. Otherwise, how will we survive?"
They all knew exactly how much money was involved.
Li Yulan was furious and exclaimed, "You're in such a hurry to take your parents' retirement money while they're still alive. Isn't that too much?"
"Li Yulan, stop talking nonsense!" Sun Qiufang exclaimed, "Our parents can still work for you all, so you don't need this money. But if Changrong and I don't have this money, we won't even be able to afford a warm meal. We'll take what's rightfully ours."
"Changrong, do you agree with this?" Su Grandma didn't ask Sun Qiufang but looked directly at her eldest son.
Su Changrong did want to take his share of the money, but after some thought, he felt that a clean break would be better for family relationships. So he said, "Give us one year's living expenses. We'll consider the money left as a filial gift to Mom and Dad."
When Sun Qiufang heard this, she stared at Su Changrong, gritted her teeth, but didn't say anything.
Su Min was also not pleased with how things were turning out. She didn't expect that in the end, their side would give in. However, her father had not experienced the same hardships as in his previous life, so he probably couldn't bring himself to be too harsh.
Su Changrong could compromise, and even though Su Grandma and Su Grandpa were not happy, they couldn't refuse. Otherwise, their grandson's reputation would be tarnished.
Su Grandpa said, "Let's continue this discussion inside."
Li Yulan, after hearing the conversation between the elders, frowned and pulled Su Changfu's sleeve, whispering, "What do Dad and Mom mean by this?"
Su Changfu took a deep breath and said, "Let's discuss it inside. I was planning to go to town to work this year and then build a house there. But now, I'm not sure if we'll have enough money. If we delay, there might not be a good opportunity for a foundation in town."
Inside the house, everyone's faces looked gloomy.
Sun Qiufang asked Su Min to go to school, but Su Min shook her head and said, "Mom, if we don't resolve this issue, I won't have the peace of mind to study. Besides, if we split up, it might be difficult for me to continue my education. You better let me stay at home; otherwise, I'll be uncomfortable at school."
Seeing her daughter on the verge of tears, Sun Qiufang sighed and said, "Alright, stay."
Su Grandpa had kept meticulous accounts of their income and expenses over the years, but this time, he didn't bring out the account book.
"Changrong's family of three won't need much money, and we haven't saved much in recent years. Based on ten yuan per month for you, I'll give you 120 yuan. You can also take the buckets, tubs, bowls, and utensils we used from here. We'll also give you the old pot at home."
Su Min heard her father's calculation and clutched her clothes tightly. She knew that her second uncle had spent a total of 3,000 yuan building a house in town. Now, after the family split, they were only giving their side 120 yuan.
She looked at her parents and said, "Is 120 yuan a lot? Last time, I heard from Grandpa and Grandma that our family had thousands of yuan. Isn't that a lot?"
Sun Qiufang had kept meticulous records of their income over the years. With the annual sales of crops, they had earned hundreds of yuan each year. They had been frugal in their daily lives, and although it might not be thousands, they had saved more than a thousand yuan. Now, with the division of assets, she naturally felt dissatisfied with the amount.
"When we leave, how can we manage with just 120 yuan? Although Changrong and I won't fight for the house, the money shouldn't be divided like this," she said.
"In that case, let's not separate." Su Grandma declared firmly.
Su Changrong's face was not pleasant either, and he felt quite disappointed. But now that he had already asked for one year's living expenses, 120 yuan, although not much, they could make it work by being thrifty and continuing to farm.
After all the commotion today, the family atmosphere was strained, and if they continued to argue, they might end up falling apart.
He took a deep breath and said, "Let's go find a house tomorrow with the 120 yuan."
"Changrong," Sun Qiufang frowned as she looked at him.
Su Changrong replied, "Both of us can work, and as long as we have hands and feet, we won't go hungry."
Sun Qiufang had to swallow her anger.
Su Min, although not happy with the situation, realized that she was still young and her words carried little weight. If they continued to argue, everyone would just see her as a child throwing a tantrum. She might get scolded again, and it wouldn't make a difference.
After receiving the money from Su Grandpa, Su Changrong and his wife began to pack their things.
Su Min also went inside to help. She closed the door behind them, and outside, she could still hear Su Grandma and Li Yulan complaining, accompanied by the clattering of pots and pans.
Su Min listened and started packing her belongings, feeling a warmth in her heart. In any case, they were finally dividing the family's assets in this lifetime. Once they left, they wouldn't follow the same path as in their previous life. She couldn't let her parents continue to suffer in the village. They had to go to the city, where opportunities were much better than in the countryside, especially at this time.
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