Mrs. Wang threw a tantrum and started wailing.
Zhao Baishan felt a headache coming on. He had no choice but to awkwardly smile at Zhao Guifen, who showed no intention of yielding, and said, "In-law, why are you getting angry? This separation isn't just our family's idea; it's the clan's decision."
"Did you hear that? It's the clan's decision." Mrs. Wang sneered coldly and began shouting, not in the least guilty, pointing sharply at Zhao Zhitong.
"This cursed girl, when she was born, the sky was filled with dark clouds and thunder and lightning. The master said that this is a sign of bad luck, a hard life, she brings calamity to relatives! Now her uncle is missing, her father broke his leg, is it necessary to keep her around to bring calamity to our whole family? You wicked woman!"
Zhao Zhitong, still in a daze on Sun Mei's shoulder, was suddenly implicated. Zhao Dong immediately got anxious: "Mother, what nonsense are you talking about? My daughter is not a jinx!"
"How is she not? Just look at how my family's third son is doing better and better in business, and my eldest grandson has become a primary scholar. I'm telling you, if this cursed girl brings bad luck to us, I'll risk my life with you!"
Zhao Baishan, who initially felt some reluctance, suddenly thought of his precious grandson upon hearing Mrs. Wang's words, and steeled his heart: "In-law, Erlang's legs aren't good. I don't want to separate the family either, but it's an unavoidable situation. How about this, if you can give away the fourth girl..."
Hearing this, Mrs. Wang panicked first. She used the excuse of Zhao Zhitong being a jinx to persuade the clan, just wanting to drive away the eldest and the second family. However, before she could speak, Sun Mei and the other three immediately objected in unison.
"No way!"
"Can't give away."
"This is my daughter, not giving her away!"
...
Mrs. Wang instantly seized the opportunity to say, "If you don't send her away, then you must move out immediately!"
Zhao Baishan awkwardly added, "The separation documents are signed, so there's no other way now."
Zhao Guifen had long known her daughter had a hard time at her in-laws. She supported the separation, hoping to argue for more property for her daughter.
She immediately demanded, "The separation is one thing, but what about the property? I heard you only gave my son-in-law's family a bag of flour and a broken yard!"
Mrs. Wang was immediately displeased, snorting coldly: "What do you mean, just a bag of flour and a broken yard? I gave twenty acres of land!"
Upon hearing about the twenty acres, Zhao Guifen felt somewhat relieved, but she was still unhappy with the distribution of money: "What about the silver coin? Over the years, didn't my son-in-law earn a substantial amount? Are you really giving nothing? Where's your shame?"
When money was mentioned, Mrs. Wang erupted, saying that Zhao Dong had earned it himself and spent it all on his leg treatment, and insisted on giving nothing.
Finally, under Zhao Guifen's persistent reasoning and threat not to separate, Mrs. Wang grudgingly agreed to give five silver coins.
At this moment, Sun Mei looked at the sister-in-law standing silently at the side, with a wooden face, feeling lonely, and finally spoke: "Sister-in-law, look, it's just you, a woman with three children. Why don't you come live with us?"
Unexpectedly, instead of maintaining her cold demeanor, she suddenly flared up with anger: "What, isn't it enough for the farming jinx to have killed my man? She won't even spare us widows and orphans!"
After speaking, she took her three children and went into the room.
Sun Mei: "..."
Any trace of pity she had for her was wiped out by those words. How dare she call her precious daughter a jinx!
At this point, Mrs. Wang came out of the room with five silver coins, painfully throwing them at Zhao Guifen, looking at their family with disdain: "Take the silver and get out! Now that we're separated, from now on we'll go our separate ways. When my son becomes an official, and our family prospers, don't expect to shamelessly come back to curry favor!"
"I spit on that!" Zhao Guifen, angry to the point of turning blue, retorted fiercely: "Don't flatter yourself; who knows who'll do better in the future! Remember your words today, when my son-in-law succeeds, don't come groveling!"
"Spit!" Mrs. Wang retorted disdainfully, "You prosper? Ha, you can't even bear a son, and you dream of success? If you ever succeed, I'll take your surname!"
Zhao Guifen's face turned ashen with anger. During the birth of Zhao Zhitong, her daughter suffered an injury, making it impossible to have more children.
Although she liked Zhao Zhitong too, the deep-rooted belief that a son is needed to carry on the family name worried her daily for her daughter.
But Sun Mei and Zhao Dong held progressive 21st-century beliefs, and Sun Mei immediately said, "So what if we don't have a son? My daughter can still bring glory to our family!"
Zhao Guifen didn't believe it in her heart, but she wasn't going to lose face, so she immediately echoed, "Yes, my granddaughter might be better than your grandson, and who knows who'll be laughing in the end!"
Mrs. Wang couldn't help but chuckle coldly. She thought Zhao Guifen must have gone mad with anger; a mere girl, a burden, compared to her grandson? "I'm too lazy to argue with you; I've given you the silver, now hurry up and pack your things and get out!"
With that, Mrs. Wang called her husband over, went into the main house, and closed the door.
As soon as Mrs. Wang and Zhao Baishan left, Zhao Guifen immediately turned to Sun Mei with tears in her eyes, and said softly, "My poor child, you should have called me when the separation happened yesterday. I could have battled for more for you. Don't be afraid to trouble me; I am your mother."
She only found out about the separation last night when her husband came back from a medical visit. She intended to come right away, but it was too late then, and her sons stopped her. That's why she rushed over early this morning, without even having breakfast, fearing her daughter would suffer losses.
Being protected by her mother like this was a feeling she had not experienced in a long time, and Zhao Guifen looked just like her mother from her past life. Sun Mei's eyes immediately reddened: "Mother."
Zhao Dong immediately realized that his wife was thinking of her mother and quickly reassured her: "Mother, don't worry, I will protect Meimei for a lifetime."
"I know you're a good child." Zhao Guifen sighed, knowing her daughter often suffered under Mrs. Wang. But fortunately, Zhao Dong was a good person. Even when Sun Mei couldn't have more children later, he never resented her. That's why she didn't make a scene at the Zhao Family; otherwise, she would have taken her daughter home long ago.
"Grandma, don't sigh, okay? Mother says sighing drives away good fortune."
Zhao Zhitong, having transmigrated and initially been frightened by the unfamiliar environment and overwhelmed with original host memories, was beginning to recover.
The little girl's voice, tinged with childlike tenderness, was very soothing. Zhao Guifen already liked her granddaughter, and immediately smiled: "Yes, yes, you're such a good girl. You have to strive for your mother's sake in the future."
She was just saying it, not really expecting Zhao Zhitong to make such outstanding achievements.
But Zhao Zhitong nodded very seriously.
"Alright, while it's still early, hurry and pack your things to move. Your brother will come soon, and it will be faster with everyone's help."
Just as Zhao Guifen finished speaking, a man's anxious, rough voice came from the door: "Mother, little sister, and the girl weren't bullied, right?"
Then two middle-aged men entered one after the other.
The man leading was stout, slightly chubby, and looked simple-minded. His name was Sun Youli, Sun Mei's second brother.
Following closely behind was a taller, sturdier man with a commanding presence, Sun Mei's eldest brother, named Sun Youwei.
Upon seeing them, Sun Mei and Zhao Dong greeted with smiles: "Big brother, second brother, you're here!"
"Uncle, second uncle." Zhao Zhitong, now rejuvenated, wriggled out of Sun Mei's arms, and as soon as her feet touched the ground, she ran off toward the two men.
"Oh my, Little Tongtong has grown taller." Seeing Zhao Zhitong, Sun Youli's eyes lit up. He caught her as she charged like a little cannonball, and with a flex of his arm, lifted her high: "Heh, the kid is heavier too."
Being lifted high by her second uncle, Zhao Zhitong began giggling.
At that moment, a teenager suddenly rushed in from the door, heading straight for Zhao Zhitong in Sun Youli's arms, shouting, "Little Tongtong, little uncle is here. Did you miss your little uncle?"