Chapter 783 - 546: New Beginnings
"Dad, this is the last time! I swear, if I gamble again, may I die a terrible death!"
Chen Sheng was awakened by the wailing sound coming from the main house. He slowly opened his eyes, staring at the beam above wrapped in old burlap paper, his face still bearing the usual silent restraint.
Only in the depths of his eyes, a faint trace of impatience and coldness flashed, so quickly that it was impossible to catch.
The original owner of this body was originally taciturn. Having crossed over for several months, he too was always acting according to the original owner’s temperament, restraining his own nature and showing no sign.
No one knew that within this frail body was a soul from Earth.
The noise outside was already familiar to him.
The Chen Family had five siblings; the first three were girls and all married to neighboring villages. At home, only he and his fourth brother remained.
Their father, Chen Shouyi, was a small landlord in the village. Although not wealthy, the family was stable. Because he had sons in middle age, he pampered both him and his fourth brother, Chen Wu, quite a bit.
The fourth brother, Chen Wu, had been a ruffian and idler since childhood.
A few days ago he mixed with a group of idlers from outside the village, picked up a gambling addiction. Although not to the extent of losing the family fortune, he was gradually developing into a hopeless gambler.
And the original owner had fallen ill years ago, lost his Primordial Qi, and was frail and unable to do farm work, introverted and taciturn, not fond of disputes.
Chen Shouyi felt sorry for his weak body, so he saved up some money, planning to send him to the town to learn a craft soon, hoping he could have a skill to rely on.
Chen Sheng supported his weak body and slowly sat up, tidying the patched coarse cloth clothes he wore.
The original body was unwell. Having been a doctor in his past life, after crossing over, he had been gently adjusting, although the improvement was minimal.
He walked to the window, gently lifted half of the old window lattice, and looked towards the main house.
The sounds from the main house continued, Chen Wu’s voice full of sharp trembling, fraught with some fear:
"Dad! They said!"
"If I can’t pay the silver back this time, they are going to break my legs!"
Chen Sheng’s face remained calm, yet a piercing coldness flashed in his eyes, harboring an insinuation of unnoticeable violence.
He didn’t need to think to know that Chen Wu must have gambled again.
This plea was nothing but a desire to take the money his father was preparing to send him to town for a craft to pay off the debt.
These months, he saw through it all; Chen Shouyi’s doting on Chen Wu had turned into indulgence. Even though Chen Wu caused trouble, Chen Shouyi would certainly scold but eventually compromise.
How could one trust a gambler’s words?
Once the money is taken by Chen Wu, surely there will be next time, and the times after, endless, eventually ruining him.
Thinking thus, a cold thought quietly sprouted in his heart.
Chen Wu cannot be kept!
Perhaps, using the medical knowledge from his past life, let Chen Wu "accidentally" die, solving everything once and for all, forever eliminating the threat.
Chen Sheng secretly calculated in his heart, but outwardly remained just as indifferent.
He steadied himself, pushed open the door, and walked slowly to the main house.
The Chen Family’s yard wasn’t large, the ground paved with blue bricks, with a few green vegetables planted in the corner, the door to the main house was ajar, and the commotion inside was clearly audible.
He pushed open the door; the interior was simply furnished, with an Eight Immortals table and a few chairs, an old wooden cabinet against the wall.
Chen Shouyi sat on the chief chair, his hair was slightly graying. His face was full of exhaustion and heartache, flushed with suffocated redness.
He wore a half-old satin tunic, not luxurious, but also dignified.
Chen Wu was kneeling limply on the ground, his hair a mess, wearing crumpled clothes reeking of alcohol.
He was crying and pleading, occasionally slapping himself silly:
"Dad, I’m a worthless person, I know I’m wrong! I will never gamble again, really never again!"
After crying a bit, his tone turned, bringing a hint of probing:
"Dad, didn’t you save money for Second Brother to go to town to learn a craft?"
"Give it to me to help out first, Second Brother is weak, taking time to recuperate, it’s not urgent for him to learn a craft later on."
Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng stood at the door, his expression still calm, not even lifting an eyelid.
He already decided on a few methods for "accidents" in his heart, efficient and without a trace.
Chen Shouyi looked at the kneeling Chen Wu, then at the silent and taciturn Chen Sheng at the door. His chest heaved violently, evidently enraged.
He slammed the Eight Immortals table heavily, causing the teacup atop to tremble subtly.
Chen Sheng felt a slight stir in his heart, thinking that Chen Shouyi was about to compromise again as usual, secretly planning the follow-up "accident" plan in his heart.
Unexpectedly, Chen Shouyi suddenly stood up, turned and grabbed a wooden stick as thick as an arm from the corner of the wall, his face a livid green:
"You bastard!"
"I spoil you and indulge you, yet you become more unruly, idle, addicted to gambling, and dare to covet your brother’s money for learning a craft!"
"Sheng’er is frail and unable to work; I hope for him to learn a craft to make a living, but you only care about your gambling!"
"No need for others to break your legs, I’ll break them today myself, so you remember what to do and what not to do!"
Before the words finished, the stick mercilessly smashed towards Chen Wu’s legs.
"Ah—!"
Chen Wu let out a piercing scream, his body suddenly curled up, the pleading on his face instantly replaced by excruciating pain.
"Father! No! I was wrong, I was really wrong! Please spare me this time!"
Chen Shouyi did not hold back, one stick after another, furiously smashing on Chen Wu’s legs, each strike accompanied by Chen Wu’s cries.
Chen Sheng watched with a slight stir in his heart.
He hadn’t expected that his father, who had always indulged Chen Wu, would be so decisive and ruthless this time.
Before long, Chen Shouyi threw away the wooden stick in his hand, his breath a little hasty, looking at the limp Chen Wu on the ground, his eyes full of heartbreak, yet without a trace of regret.
He had still been measured, the blows landed on the flesh, not truly breaking Chen Wu’s legs.
He turned around, looking at Chen Sheng at the door, his tone gradually softened:
"Sheng’er, your fourth brother is a scoundrel, I have been too indulgent with him in the past, which has made him become what he is today."
"While I’m still here, I will make the call, you two brothers, separate the household today!"
Chen Sheng was stunned.
Separate the household?
This was more decisive than the "unexpected" he had anticipated, and more to his liking.
He remained silent and reserved as ever, lightly nodded his head, and replied in a low voice:
"I’ll let father make the decision."
Chen Shouyi looked at his understanding demeanor, sighed, and said:
"I’ll give you twenty percent of the family’s land, and a side room."
"As for the money to send you to learn a craft in town, I have prepared it as well, find a reliable teacher and learn a trade that can make a living."
Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng knew that Chen Shouyi still hadn’t given up on Chen Wu.
Of course.
After all, he is the eldest son!
Besides, this younger son is in poor health, who knows when he might be gone!
...
Chen Shouyi did as he said, immediately sent someone to the eastern end of the village to invite the Clan Leader Chen Old Man.
Old Man Chen was nearing seventy, with white hair and beard, held in high esteem in the village, such a significant event as separating the household required his witness to be legitimate.
Before long, Old Man Chen slowly walked into the Chen Family courtyard with a cane, followed by two elders of the clan, all with solemn expressions.
Chen Shouyi quickly stepped forward to support him, explaining the reasons and consequences of the situation one by one.
Old Man Chen, after listening, stroked his white beard, glanced at the limp and wailing Chen Wu on the ground, then looked at the silent and standing Chen Sheng, and sighed heavily:
"Shouyi, you were too indulgent with Wu’er early on, leading to today’s situation. It’s also good to separate the household, to avoid dragging Sheng’er down in the future."
Then, Old Man Chen ordered someone to fetch pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, and spread them out on the Eight Immortals table in the main house.
A literate elder of the clan, followed Chen Shouyi’s instructions, wrote the household separation document stroke by stroke.
Old Man Chen put down his cane and said loudly:
"For this household separation, the property is divided but the family units are not."
"If Wu’er dares to cause trouble again, or gets involved with gambling, he will be expelled from the Chen Family clan!"
Chen Shouyi nodded repeatedly:
"I will follow the Clan Leader’s instructions!"
When the document was finished, Chen Shouyi, Chen Sheng, and Chen Wu each pressed their hand seals on it.
Old Man Chen and the two clan elders also signed and sealed behind as witnesses, in triplicate, one for each person, carefully stored.
From then on, the Chen Family brothers officially separated the household. Although they remained in the same courtyard, each had their own property and path.
Chen Shouyi looked viciously at Chen Wu:
"Useless thing, take care of your injuries, if you dare to step out of this door, I’ll beat you to death."
"The household is separated, don’t eye your younger brother’s belongings."
"You are the eldest, the majority of my wealth will still belong to you in the future, how your life turns out depends on you."
Chen Sheng held his own share of the household separation document, his gaze suddenly startled.
In front of him, a faint illusory screen appeared:
[Gained 5 points of Primordial Qi, character template activated!]
[Name: Chen Sheng]
[Primordial Qi: 5]
[Occupation: None]
[Skills: Pharmacy Level 3, Surgery Level 1...]