Chapter 82: Another Family Division
Looking at his troublesome sons, Second Brother Li slammed the table and made his decision: divide the family. Li Hua and Li Man would both be separated off, and when Li Yi was a bit older, he would be too. Let them all go live on their own. Whether they did well or poorly would be up to them!
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, they were going to visit his aunt’s family. Li Xiu made a special trip to bring Grandma Li over to keep his wife and daughter company. He knew people would be dropping by to see the new bride and baby, and while he was sure Zhou Lian could handle it, he still felt uneasy.
A boisterous group of more than a dozen people made their way to Hedong Village. Along the road, Li Man hesitated for a long while before shuffling up to Li Xiu. "Eldest Brother," he said, "you should come back to the old house tonight. Something’s happening."
Li Xiu glanced at him and nodded. "Got it. I’ll come by after dinner." He’d sensed for a while that something was amiss with the members of the second branch, but he couldn’t be bothered to get involved. ’I didn’t expect my third brother, who usually keeps such a low profile, to have such a sharp mind.’
Aunt Li had set up two tables to entertain her nieces and nephews from her maiden family, with Uncle Li and her eldest son playing hosts. She was overjoyed today. More than a dozen of her nieces and nephews had come to give New Year’s greetings, just as they did every year. The only one missing was her eldest niece, who was now married. However, her eldest nephew had gotten married and had a child this year, so now she even had a grandniece! Her nephew’s wife was still in postpartum confinement, but next year, she would surely come visiting with the baby. The very thought made her smile.
Back at home, Zhou Lian and Grandma Li welcomed wave after wave of visitors. Some were from Li Xiu’s junior generation, coming specifically to pay their New Year’s respects. Others were unmarried girls and young wives of their own generation who were curious to see the "new bride." In truth, Zhou Lian wasn’t exactly a new bride anymore. But since marrying into the family, she had been a homebody, rarely stepping outside. As a result, almost no one in the village recognized her. So, seizing the opportunity, all the sisters-in-law of the extended family came by on the pretext of a New Year’s visit to get a look at her.
When Li Xiu returned in the afternoon, the house was packed. But as soon as everyone saw him, they all found excuses and quickly left. It wasn’t that they wanted to go, but Li Xiu’s aura was just too intimidating. With his cold expression, his mere presence made people want to keep their distance.
You couldn’t really blame Li Xiu for it. He’d had the "system’s" education as a child and had lived several decades longer than others. The experience of two lifetimes, tempered by the years, had given him an imposing air that most people simply couldn’t withstand. It hadn’t been noticeable before, when he was tan, thin, and short, and he had deliberately restrained it. But ever since getting married and having a daughter, Li Xiu had begun to let his true self show. His once-unremarkable build and looks seemed to have gone through a second growth spurt.
He had grown five or six centimeters, now standing at 182cm. His skin was no longer dark but had lightened to a handsome bronze, which accentuated his sharp, chiseled features and gave him a distinct charm. Add to that the powerful aura he no longer bothered to conceal, and he was quite a formidable sight.
Staring at the suddenly empty room, Zhou Lian looked at Li Xiu, at a loss for words. ’What was that all about? Scaring away all those feisty sisters-in-law in the blink of an eye... Li Xiu is really something else!’
"Honey, Grandma, I’m back," Li Xiu said with a grin, pretending not to notice his wife’s expression. ’So what if I did it on purpose?’ he thought. ’I have to go to the old house tonight, and I haven’t seen my wife for most of the day. Am I not allowed a little time alone with her?’
Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Grandma Li found she was helpless against her shameless grandson. She pointed a finger at him from across the room and shook her head. "Alright, I’m heading back now," she said. "Nuonuo’s mother didn’t eat much for lunch. You should make her something else later." And with that, she stood up and left.
Li Xiu walked Grandma Li to the main gate. After watching her disappear into the distance, he turned back, closed the gate, and went inside. "Bao’er," he asked, "what happened? What did Grandma mean about you not eating well?"
"I wasn’t that hungry, and with so many people coming and going, Grandma just thought I didn’t get a chance to eat properly," Zhou Lian said nonchalantly.
"I won’t press the issue. What do you want to eat?" Li Xiu asked, exasperated. ’My wife hasn’t been eating properly these last couple of days. She must be tired of all the meat and fish. She’s practically a rabbit, eating so little and only wanting leafy greens.’
"Let’s just have some vegetables. I think the baby bok choy and crown daisies are ready to be picked," Zhou Lian said softly. When she saw the ’I-knew-it’ look on Li Xiu’s face, she shot him a glare. ’So what if I like vegetables?’
"Fine, fine, vegetables it is for dinner," Li Xiu teased with a grin. "I’ll just pretend I’m feeding a little bunny."
"You’re the bunny!"
Seeing the charming pout on his wife’s face, Li Xiu couldn’t resist. He stepped forward, wrapped her in his arms, and kissed her for a long moment before letting go. "Bao’er," he said softly, "it’ll be soon. Just another ten days or so."
Buried in his embrace, Zhou Lian rolled her eyes. ’This shameless man can’t be serious for even a moment. It’s as if he couldn’t get through a single day without teasing me.’
The family of three enjoyed a sweet and cozy dinner together. After Li Xiu put their daughter to sleep, he handed a book to his wife. "They’re probably going to fight over dividing the family at the old house," he said. "I’ll go and be right back. If you get tired, just go to sleep, don’t wait up. I’ll lock the door from the outside and be quiet when I return."
Only after seeing his wife nod did Li Xiu reluctantly depart. ’A bunch of damn fools,’ he cursed inwardly. ’In the dead of winter, on the evening of the second day of the New Year... Has the whole family gone insane?’
Zhou Lian watched Li Xiu go, but her eyes weren’t on the book in her hands. The dim light cast a mocking expression across her face. ’This life is really different,’ she thought. ’Those ingrates at the old house are already fighting to divide the family. In my past life, they didn’t split up until everyone was married. Has the butterfly effect really gotten this strong? Whatever. With Li Xiu’s cunning, there aren’t many who could get the better of him. As long as he doesn’t come out on the losing end, I couldn’t care less if the rest of them drown in their own chaos.’
The moment Li Xiu walked in the door, he saw the room was full. The corner of his mouth twitched. Forcing a smile, he addressed the crowd, "Tonight’s business has nothing to do with me. Since you asked me to be here, I’ll just watch from the sidelines. You all can proceed however you see fit. I’m not getting involved!"
Eldest Li shot his nephew a look that was half-smile, half-scowl. ’This slippery brat,’ he thought, amused. He said quietly, "Enough. You were called over because you’re the eldest son of this generation, even if you’ve already moved out on your own. So just watch."
The other elders watched the exchange between uncle and nephew and understood the situation perfectly. Li Xiu wanted absolutely no part in this family division. Someone must have dragged him here, because he certainly wouldn’t have come on his own. It was as if he had the words "I don’t want to be here" practically carved on his forehead.
Everyone was perceptive. No one was about to pull rank and lecture him. Not only would it be annoying, but it was obvious Li Xiu wouldn’t listen to them anyway.
Since everyone had arrived, Eldest Li decided to get straight to the point, hoping to get the whole ordeal over with quickly. "Now that everyone’s here, let’s begin," he said. "My second brother’s sons have grown up. As the saying goes, ’As a tree grows, its branches divide; as a family grows, its members part.’ I’ve asked you all here today to bear witness. Second Brother, why don’t you tell us the plan for the division?"
"Alright, Eldest Brother." Second Brother Li explained his plan, seeking Eldest Li’s approval. "My second and third sons will be separated out. I’ll build a new house for each of them so they can find wives, and I’ll give them each two plots of garden land. I’ll also cover the costs of their marriages. What do you think?"
"Have you two agreed to this?" Eldest Li asked, looking at Li Hua and Li Man.
"First Uncle, I don’t agree with my father’s proposal," Li Man said, glancing at his silent older brother beside him.