Chapter 105 - 103: Eliminating Future Trouble
"When we split the family assets, I made it clear. My parents raised me, so I will support them in their old age. It was written in black and white on the separation agreement: all five sons would care for them together. But ever since I started my own family, it’s been one damned thing after another. The very brother I protected growing up dared to lay a hand on his pregnant sister-in-law. I don’t know what kind of family allows that, but the Li family certainly doesn’t. When my wife gave birth to my eldest daughter, not a single person from the main house showed up. From the day my wife got pregnant until today, my daughter’s hundred-day celebration, my mother never once asked after her."
The eldest of the Ge uncles opened his mouth, but no words came out. ’What could he say? What was there to say?’ His own sister was treating her own son this way—her own flesh and blood. As her older brother and the boy’s uncle, he should have said something, but he was at a loss for words. His sister was the one who did these things, and his younger brother had been the one to bring up the topic today. With siblings who were such a liability, he was in a truly difficult position.
Li Xiu pretended not to notice his eldest uncle’s grim expression. He glanced at his own father, who was sitting there silently, then fixed his gaze on his three uncles and said in a cold voice, "Uncles, right now, I don’t want anything except to get as far away from the main house as possible. I just want to live a peaceful life. That’s not too much to ask, is it? Tell me, am I wrong for wanting that?"
No one spoke. Li Xiu hadn’t done or said anything wrong. So, who was at fault?
Second Brother Li looked at his eldest son, whose aura grew more imposing by the second, and it was a bitter pill to swallow. He knew there was no chance of salvaging the situation; his wife and other children had destroyed any hope of reconciliation. They had completely exhausted their eldest son’s last shred of affection for them.
"Eldest Son, I’ve failed you as a father. From now on, I promise I won’t let your mother and the others cause trouble again."
Li Xiu scoffed at his father’s words. ’I’ve heard that promise so many times. The words are said, and then they’re forgotten. My own father is still trying to placate me as if I were a three-year-old child!’
"Enough, Father. That’s enough. There’s no need to say it again. There are no outsiders here today, so I’ll lay it all out. We’ll do exactly as the family separation agreement says. From now on, everyone in the main house and everything that happens there has nothing to do with me. Do as you please. But there is one thing you’d better remember. My wife and my child—you will all stay as far away from them as possible. If my wife or child suffers even the slightest grievance because of you in the future, I will not let it rest. You know my temper. When the time comes, don’t blame me for being merciless!"
Seeing Li Xiu’s expressionless face and hearing the sharp edge in his voice, everyone understood this was his final ultimatum. If they truly provoked him, the consequences would be severe.
"Cousin, have you ever asked my aunt exactly why she treats you this way?" the Ge family cousin asked curiously. ’His aunt truly couldn’t recognize gold inlaid jade when she saw it. It was obvious Li Xiu was a man with a future, yet she had managed to push her own son to the point of hating her to the bone. That took a special kind of skill!’
Li Xiu glanced at this cousin. He was a reasonable man. In his previous life, after his mother had died, Li Xiu had bluntly told this very cousin that he would never be buried in the ancestral plot, nor would he ever return to visit her grave. It was this cousin who had patted his shoulder, sighed, and said, ’Do as you wish. The dead are gone, but the living must go on living. There’s no need to make the living suffer for the sake of the dead.’
"Cousin, the only thing I can be sure of is that I am, in fact, my mother’s biological son," Li Xiu said, bluntly tearing away the thin veneer of social grace. "As for everything else, I’m quite curious myself. Why would a mother wish death upon her own son!" ’Perfect,’ he thought. ’All the key people from my mother’s side of the family are here today. I can finally rid myself of this whole mess. I can’t be bothered to save face for them anymore.’
"Eldest Son, your mother doesn’t... She’s just..."
"Father, are you sure I’m even your son?" Li Xiu interrupted, cutting off Second Brother Li’s attempt to explain. ’A father like him was truly a rare find,’ he thought with a sneer.
"He’s the eldest son!" Eldest Li’s face darkened, stopping Li Xiu from saying anything more scathing. His anger wasn’t directed at Li Xiu, but at his own brainless second brother. ’Even now, he’s still making excuses for his wife. No wonder his nephew wants nothing to do with him as a father.’
"Uncle Li, don’t be angry. I was just asking," Li Xiu said calmly. "After all, with my looks, no one would believe I wasn’t their biological son." And it was the truth. Eldest Li, Third Brother Li, and Aunt Li mostly took after Grandma Li, while only Second Brother Li resembled Grandpa Li. Li Xiu, on the other hand, had inherited the best features of both his parents and was the most handsome man in the Li family for three generations.
Hearing Li Xiu’s words, several of his peers couldn’t hold back their laughter. Li Bao laughed the loudest. Seeing Li Xiu staring at him, he quickly waved his hands defensively. "Big Brother, I’m not laughing at you! I’m laughing because I just remembered something our youngest brother said over the New Year."
Noticing Uncle Li and the others were all looking at him, he contained his smile and explained, "Over the New Year, our youngest brother said his little niece was the most beautiful girl in the world. My mom teased him and asked, ’So, will your future daughter not be as pretty as your niece?’ The little guy looked at our sister-in-law, then at you, Big Brother, and then he touched his own face and said, ’Even if I marry a really, really pretty wife, my daughter still probably won’t be as pretty as my niece.’ My mom asked why, and he said, ’I’m definitely not going to be as handsome as Big Brother when I grow up, and my wife definitely won’t be as pretty as Sister-in-law, so it would be a miracle if we had a daughter more beautiful than our niece!’"
Everyone burst out laughing. But it’s true what they say, children don’t lie. And Li Xiu really had become even more handsome since getting married.
The atmosphere in the room relaxed considerably. The situation was plain for all to see, and if the Ge family tried to force the issue, the other Li family members wouldn’t stand for it. The Ge Family members were no fools. They knew full well that their sister—Li Xiu’s mother—was an idiot. They also knew that Li Xiu was not someone to be trifled with. Outsiders always said he was ruthless and cold-blooded, and that wasn’t just baseless gossip.
"As the maternal family, it’s not our place to say much about the Li family’s affairs," said the second Ge uncle, who had been silent until now, seizing the moment as the atmosphere improved. "But we all know in our hearts that this nephew of ours is a good man. It’s getting late; we should be heading back."
After seeing the Ge Family members off, Eldest Li turned to Second Brother Li. "You should all go home, too. From now on, you can figure things out for yourself." Without sparing him another glance, he left with Li Bo. The women stayed behind to help their niece-in-law clean up.
Third Brother Li glanced at his eldest brother and nephew, who were already gone, then at his second brother’s ashen face. He motioned for his own two sons and son-in-law, and they left too. ’That second brother of mine is a lost cause,’ he thought.
Seeing his father open his mouth to speak again, Li Xiu immediately turned to Grandma Li. "Grandma, let me help you to the kang to rest for a bit. You can play with Nuonuo; we’ll handle the cleanup."
Watching Li Xiu help Grandma Li into the other room, Second Brother Li heaved a heavy sigh. He gathered the rest of the people from the main house, and they all left. Li Hua, Li Man, and Li Yi’s own houses weren’t ready yet, so they were all still living at the main residence.
Once they were all gone, Li Xiu turned to Eldest Li’s wife and Third Brother Li’s wife. "Eldest Aunt, Third Aunt, please take any of the leftover dishes you’d like. My wife has a small appetite and can’t eat very much." As he spoke, he began helping them pack up the food.
Eldest Li’s wife and Third Brother Li’s wife didn’t stand on ceremony. They knew their nephew well. Once everything was packed up and the sky began to darken, they hurried on their way home.
Li Xiu bolted the main gate. He looked over at his wife on the kang, playing with their daughter, and a silent smile touched his lips. ’Today, I’ve finally settled that whole mess with the main house for good.’ With his second uncle having said his piece, he doubted his mother would be pulling any more stunts.