Why Should They Keep Living with Them?

Why Should They Keep Living with Them? Tian Caihua stared fixedly at the stack of Da Tuanjie in Mother Zhou's hand, estimating how much money there was.

Mother Zhou said, "There's still twelve hundred yuan left in the family."

Tian Caihua said, "That little?"

Zhou Chengxin tugged at her clothes.

Father Zhou ignored her and took the stack of Da Tuanjie from Mother Zhou's hand. "Of the twelve hundred yuan, Old Fourth gets six hundred, the eldest gets three hundred, and the extra three hundred is for Old Fourth to repair his house. The remaining three hundred is for your mother, me, and Zhou Zhou. Any objections?"

Zhou Chengxin hurriedly said before anyone else, "No objections."

Tian Caihua rolled her eyes. She did have some objections. She felt that repairing the house did not require as much as three hundred yuan. The house was old and run-down, but it could be lived in after a good cleaning; it did not necessarily need repairs.

But she had gotten the New House, which had cost over three thousand yuan to build back then. She was too embarrassed to say that, so she let it go.

She would take a small loss. She would not fuss over such things.

"I have no objections either," Tian Caihua said unwillingly.

Zhou Chenglei did not care about this. He had quite a bit of private savings himself.

Jiang Xia was only staying here temporarily, so she had even less reason to object.

Father Zhou said, "Then the money will be divided like this. The matter of splitting up the household is settled!"

Tian Caihua grew anxious. Settled just like that? It was not finished yet!

She blurted out, "Then Dad, Mom, you and Zhou Zhou will live with Fourth Brother's family from now on, right?"

The moment those words came out, the whole room fell silent.

Father Zhou and Mother Zhou had not expected Tian Caihua to say that either, and both froze.

Zhou Chenglei frowned. He had thought Eldest Sister-in-Law did not want to live with him and his wife. He had not expected that she was also unwilling to live with their parents.

What kind of conditions did the old house have? And what kind did the New House have? The old house was broken-down and shabby, drafty and leaking when it rained! Zhou Chengxin snapped, "What nonsense are you talking about? Dad and Mom will of course live with us!"

Tian Caihua immediately said, "I want to live with Dad and Mom too. It's just that this house only has six rooms. Wen Guang and the others are all growing up. It's fine for the two brothers to share a room now, but it probably won't work once they get older. Wen Guang is already in middle school; in a few years, he'll be getting married. And Zhou Zhou can't keep sleeping with Dad and Mom in another couple of years, can she? This house simply can't fit so many people."

She could barely afford to raise her own four sons. She certainly did not want to raise a niece as well.

The two elders did not have only one son. Why should they keep living with them? Zhou Chengxin said, "You don't need to say any more. Dad, Mom, and Zhou Zhou will all live with us."

Tian Caihua got angry. "I didn't even say anything. Why are you losing your mind? You're making it sound like I'm unfilial! Haven't I lived with Dad and Mom for more than ten years since marrying you? Haven't I been filial to them for more than ten years? The two elders don't have only me as a daughter-in-law. Have I said anything? Aren't there just not enough rooms? Doesn't the old house have plenty of rooms? I never said I wouldn't take care of Dad and Mom in the future. Besides, I'm considering Fourth Brother too. If Dad and Mom live with Fourth Brother, then when Fourth Brother and Jiang Xia div—"

Zhou Chenglei cut her off. "Dad, Mom, and Zhou Zhou will all live with me."

Only after saying that did he remember that he had not asked Jiang Xia what she thought.

They were going to divorce anyway. Whether she was willing to live with his parents was not important at all, but Zhou Chenglei was afraid she would make a fuss.

He turned to look at Jiang Xia.

The household split had started because of her, so Jiang Xia felt rather embarrassed. Seeing Zhou Chenglei look over, she went along with him and said, "Dad, Mom, and Zhou Zhou should live with us! There are plenty of rooms at the old house, enough for you and Zhou Zhou. I don't know anything about farm work, so I'll have to trouble Mom to teach me."

She spoke sincerely, and it was pleasant to hear. It did not sound like something she would normally say. Zhou Chenglei could not help glancing at her again, and he also let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

Tian Caihua also relaxed. She had been afraid Jiang Xia would make a fuss, and then her parents-in-law would continue living with her. She quickly smiled and said, "Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-law are thinking far ahead. Fourth Sister-in-law doesn't understand anything, so Dad and Mom can help you with many things if they live with you. Once Fourth Brother has children, Mom can help take care of them too. Zhou Zhou is a hardworking girl as well; she can help with the housework. With Dad, Mom, and Zhou Zhou helping you in the future, Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-law will have it easy."

Her own several sons had been raised by her mother-in-law too. Her mother-in-law was indeed hardworking and easy to get along with, but she herself was hardworking as well. She could handle the little bit of work at home on her own.

Besides, she had lived with her parents-in-law for more than ten years. They had several sons, so no matter what, it ought to be their turn to support them in rotation, right? Father Zhou and Mother Zhou actually did not want to live with either son. They did not want to burden their sons. But they only had two rooms, and the eldest daughter-in-law clearly did not want them living with her. Father Zhou looked at Jiang Xia, unable to tell whether what she had just said was sincere or not.

Jiang Xia said, "Dad, Chenglei and I truly mean it. You, Mom, and Zhou Zhou should all come live with us! I don't understand anything, and I need you."

They had already agreed to divorce. Since Zhou Chenglei wanted to live with his parents, she would go along with him and try to persuade them.

Jiang Xia thought of how, in her previous life, she had had little fate with her parents and little fate with family.

When she was three, her father had an affair. Her mother had dragged her father down to die with her in an extremely drastic fashion, taking that mistress with them. Afterward, there had been a great deal of compensation to pay to the other woman's family, and their home was gone too.

After she entered middle school, Grandmother was gone as well.

Back then, it had felt as though she was the only one left in the world. The tiny basement was clearly cramped, yet it had felt enormous—truly far too enormous.

Back then, she had been terrified of going home alone to face that basement.

Later, she gradually got used to being alone.

Jiang Xia's words, "My husband and I need you," moved Father Zhou and Mother Zhou.

When people grew old, what they feared most was no longer being needed by their children, and becoming a burden to them.

Father Zhou nodded. "Then the two of us, along with Zhou Zhou, will temporarily live with you two."

His younger son was capable. Once his younger son built a new house, the two elders would live on their own and not stay with the couple.

Jiang Xia smiled. "All right."

Seeing Jiang Xia smile so sincerely, without the slightest sign of reluctance, Mother Zhou relaxed too and felt a little happy. Her younger son did not have children yet. She wanted to live with him too, so she could help them in the future.

Zhou Chenglei looked at her. For some reason, he felt that she had seemed a little sad just now.

It was not that she was unhappy about living with his parents, but rather a lonely, aching emotion. She had hidden it deeply, and it had even flashed by in an instant, but he still felt that she had been sorrowful, lonely, and miserable just then.

Like an orphan missing her deceased parents. But why would she feel that way? Father-in-law and Mother-in-law were both still alive. Or had he misunderstood? Perhaps she simply missed home?

The matter of splitting up the household was settled like that.

Father Zhou added, "As for living expenses for the two of us, we can still work now, so there's no need for you to pay. Once we can't work anymore, then you can provide for us!"

Tian Caihua smiled. "All right."

Father Zhou added, "It just so happens that today is the first day of the month, so there's no need to pick an auspicious date. Chenglei, come with me to clean up the old house. Xiao Xia, divide up the things in the house with your mother and pack up. We'll move over today."