Lei Daqiang then said: “Eldest, I disagree. Why don’t you think better? If you really move out, where will you live? In the woods? Well, don’t talk about it anymore.”
With that, he got up to leave.
Lei Tie looked into his eyes and said lightly: “Ten years ago, I left; ten years later, not that I’m really unable to leave again.”
Lei Daqiang’s face changed a lot and his hands hanging on his side trembled slightly. “You!”
“Eldest!” Du Shi was unable to contain her anger. “Did you not take your father seriously? You are unfilial!”
Lei Tie looked at her and said, “I’m unfilial; I didn’t fight back when I was beaten and scolded by you. I’m unfilial; you let me live opposite the pigsty, I have no objection. I’m unfilial; because a word from the fortune teller, I married a man.”
He looked at Lei Daqiang again and asked plainly still, “I wanted to ask a long time ago, am I your son?”
Even Qin Mian as an outsider who heard this was feeling heartache and sympathetic towards Lei Tie.
Lei Daqiang opened his mouth but didn’t speak. He didn’t dare to look into Lei Tie’s eyes.
Lei Chuntao’s eyes were red and she couldn’t help crying out, “Father! Mother! Just agree to it! Big brother doesn’t owe us!”
Du Shi raged, “You shut up! You favor an outsider instead of my side!”
Lei Xiangzhi sighed silently and with a gentle voice, “Father, let big brother move out. We’re still a family even if he’s separated.” In a word, the relationship between Lei Xiangyi, Lei Xiangli and Lei Xiangzhi with Lei Tie was passable. Lei Xiangren was the most exclusive. But the reason was that he was the first son of Du Shi. When he was very young, Du Shi’s attitude towards him and Lei Tie was quite different. Du Shi’s attitude towards Lei Tie affected him to some extent, so he didn’t like Lei Tie at all. In this respect, he agreed to let Lei Tie move out. As for Lei Xiangzhi, who was only five years old at that time, what could he understand? Later, he was educated and understood the principle of showing love and respect as good brothers should. Although his relationship with Lei Tie could be regarded as deep, neither was he willing to bully or insult him.
“Fifth?” Du Shi looked at Lei Xiangzhi incredulously, but could not say a word to him.
Lei Daqiang fell into his chair feebly, “Fine. If you want to move out, then move out.”
“Old man!” Du Shi glared at him.
Lei Daqiang ignored her.
Lei Daqiang had made up his mind, Du Shi had no choice but forced to say: “If you want to move out, you can. But there is nothing in the house for you to take.”
Lei Xiangzhi and Lei Chuntao frowned.
Lei Tie only looked at Lei Daqiang.
Lei Daqiang sighed and said: “Eldest, you know the situation at home. The house, there is really no extra things to share with you. If you are in a hurry to move out, your brothers and I will help you build a thatched cottage to live in first. The farmlands, all together are only some. When Fourth and Fifth married, there will be more people, so we can only give you one mu[1] of paddy field and one mu of dry farmland. As for money…”
Zhao Shi, Qian Shi, Lei Xiangren and Lei Xiangyi all perked up their ears.
Du Shi interrupted Lei Daqiang and said without emotion: “Are you confused old man? There is no money at home.”
Lei Daqiang said: “You gave me 20 silver taels at the beginning and I spent some money during this period of time. There are still 10 taels left. I will give you 2 taels.”
Qin Mian sneered in his heart. In the morning, when Zhao Shi bought fish, Du Shi asked her how much it cost. He heard Zhao Shi’s reply clearly: 11 wen. That fish was about two jin, which was about 5 wen per jin. Therefore, 20 silver taels were not a small amount. He and Lei Tie did not throw a ceremony during their marriage and nothing else happened in Lei Family in more than a month, so where was the 10 silver taels? In particular, Du Shi was such a provincial miser that he did not believe that the Lei Family had no savings at all.
Even at this time, Lei Daqiang was still calculating towards his own son. In public, Qin Mian couldn’t pat Lei Tie on the shoulder, so he quietly patted Lei Tie on the leg under the table to comfort him.
Lei Tie’s face was as usual, his mood unreadable.
Lei Daqiang wiped his face, seemingly wanted to wipe away the shame on his face. “As for the household tools and so on, there is no extra… The two pigs, one is originally going to be slaughter for the Lunar New Year, I’ll give you some in due course. What do you think?”
Lei Tie asked: “Where will the house build?”
“Th…” Lei Daqiang faltered out a few words, “There is no extra land at home and there is really no spare money to buy land for you…”
Du Shi laughed out a sound and said slowly: “Eldest, at the beginning you gave 20 silver taels in one shot. I don’t believe that you didn’t keep any to yourself at all.”
Don’t tell me it is wrong to return the 20 silver taels that big brother gave to father! Lei Chuntao was so ashamed that she almost went under the table.
Lei Xiangzhi’s face also felt hot as he frowned at Du Shi, “Mother, please say a few words less.”
Lei Tie stood up. “I’ll go invite Li Zheng.”
Lei Xiangzhi promptly said: “Big brother, I’ll go.”
Lei Tie nodded. “Thank you.”
After Lei Xiangzhi went to invite Li Zheng, no one in the hall room spoke. The three children had been rushed to play in the room beforehand. Silence was like a dark cloud over the heads of these people and the atmosphere in the hall room was very depressing.
Of all the people, only Lei Tie and Qin Mian were calm. Lei Tie’s eyes were flat and calm, none could guess any trace of emotion in them. Qin Mian, restrained by excitement and happiness, looked at the door from time to time without expression.
Very soon, Lei Xiangzhi brought in Li Zheng with him.
The peasant families basically dressed in duanda for the convenient to do farm work, but Li Zheng wore gray changpao inside with a thin black cotton breasted jacket outside. The cotton breasted jacket was embroidered with the noble character “福[2]” with gold thread. He was pacing with measured gait as he walked steadily. He looked to be in his early fifties, hale and hearty, his eyes twinkling with shrewd light.
Lei Daqiang and the others got up to greet him.
“Li Zheng, we’ve troubling you to come here.” Lei Daqiang said politely with an apologetic face.
Lei Tie cupped his hands in salute towards Li Zheng.
Li Zheng nodded and glanced at the people in the hall room. His eyes lingered on Lei Tie for a while before he said: “Brother Lei speak so seriously, it’s merely a very slight effort and nothing more. As for how to divide the family property, if you have already discussed it, I will just write it down.”
Lei Xiangzhi went to his room and brought out the ‘scholar’s four jewels’[3]. Lei Chuntao was smart; she quickly tidied up the table.
“Have to trouble Li Zheng. This way, please.” Lei Tie raised his hand and led Li Zheng to the table.
Li Zheng nodded to himself secretly. Although the eldest of Lei Family was frightening in appearance, he acted steadily and knew etiquette. He was much better than any people in general. But unfortunately….
Lei Daqiang felt slightly uncomfortable, but he didn’t know why. In fact, it was because his sense of existence weakened, but he didn’t realize it. He walked over a few steps, sat down next to Li Zheng, coughed before said: “Li Zheng, we have discussed the contents of the division. I’ll say and trouble you to note it down. After discussion, it was decided to give Lei Tie a mu of paddy field, which is located in… one mu of dry land, which is located in…”
Qin Mian leaned over to see that the characters here were traditional Chinese characters. He could basically understand them. Li Zheng was writing on the paper: “Today, Lei Tie the eldest son of Lei Daqiang, has come to a man’s estate[4], peacefully divides family property to live apart and Lei Daqiang, the head of the family gives Lei Tie…”
Qin Mian nodded. Since it was a document of family property’s division, it should clearly state the identity of both parties, just like Party A and Party B in the contract, in case of future disputes.
Li Zheng was listening to Lei Daqiang and he couldn’t help shaking his head. Lei Daqiang didn’t treat his eldest son as his own. All of them belong to one village, who didn’t know that there were 12 mu of paddy field and 8 mu of dry field owned by Lei Family. Even if the brothers got equal shares, Lei Tie should not only get a share of 2 mu of field. Besides, Lei Tie had no home base to build a house on. It could be said as leaving a marriage with nothing. But since both sides had agreed, he had no right to intervene. Seeing that Lei Tie had no objection, he wrote it down.
After Lei Daqiang finished, he thought over it, not to miss anything before he said: “That’s all.”
Standing beside Lei Daqiang, Du Shi hurriedly said: “Also, since we haven’t split the family yet, shouldn’t the money of Eldest’s family [wife] be handed over too and then give him a part of it?”
“Mother!” Lei Xiangzhi blushed. “Let alone big brother doesn’t have money at all now, even if there is, it’s his.”
“It’s none of your business!” Du Shi glared at him and pushed Lei Daqiang, “Old man.”
Lei Daqiang felt that everyone’s eyes were stabbing him. He said: “What Fifth said is right. When it comes to family separation, the men decide and you women should shut up!” He gave Du Shi an angry look.
Seeing that he was angry, Du Shi grew apprehensive and said anything more.
Lei Tie was not affected by them for even a bit and he said in a low voice: “Please add in a sentence——from today until two months later at the same day, our pair of husbands can pick vegetables in the vegetable field.”
Du Shi’s eyes bulged out and her mouth agape, wanting to speak.
Li Zheng saw it but regarded as if he didn’t see it, he nodded: “Yes. You two aren’t given a share to the vegetable field. It’s fine to pick some vegetables in the vegetable field.” He smiled at Lei Daqiang. If Lei Daqiang couldn’t even accept this, he should stay away from such a person in the future.
Lei Daqiang’s face felt hot and nodded repeatedly, “Naturally, naturally. Already old, memory is bad; I may have forgotten to say that just now.”
“What else to add?” Li Zheng’s words seemed to ask both sides, but his eyes were looking at Lei Tie.
Qin Mian pulled at Lei Tie’s arm and said, “Separated from the family but still close relatives, however it’s two families. Brother Tie, I think we should add that both parties are not allowed to interfere in each other’s family affairs, including housework and finance. What do you think?”
Lei Tie nodded and remembered the word “Brother Tie” in his heart.
Du Shi immediately screamed, “Eldest, don’t think you are responsible for your brothers and sister if you separate from the family! You have to contribute for the marriage of Fourth, Fifth and Youngest[5] and you also have to pay for Fifth’s study. Otherwise, I don’t agree with the separation!”
Lei Tie said: “Whether it’s Fourth, Fifth or Little Sister who gets married, if father gives me five silver coins, I will give one. It’s only fair since your family has more labor forces and my family has less labor force. Father, do you think what I said makes sense?”
Qin Mian laughed in his heart.
Lei Daqiang could only nod.
Du Shi wanted to open her mouth again but was stopped by Lei Xiangzhi.
Li Zheng wrote it down again.
Lei Tie said again: “Every month, our pair of husbands will provide 100 wen for the elderly expenses. But I’m afraid I can’t during these two to three months because I’m short of money.”
Du Shi’s heart felt a little more comfortable. She got 100 wen a month, which was more than one silver tael a year!
Li Zheng nodded approvingly. Seeing that Lei Tie spoke in an orderly way, considering all aspects, it was obvious that there was a long-term plan. “Lei Tie is filial. I’ll write ‘provide 100 wen monthly’ in the paperwork. I don’t need to write the last sentence, do I?”
Lei Daqiang’s heart was in complex and he hurriedly said: The last sentence doesn’t need to be written, doesn’t need to be written. Little by little is fine.”
After that, Li Zheng read the content completely at a slower speed.
Lei Tie nodded without objection.
Lei Daqiang didn’t have any education, so his reaction was a little slow. After a while, he said: “No problem.”
The documents were in triplicate, with each party keeping one copy. Lei Tie, Lei Daqiang and Li Zheng all pressed their fingerprints as to complete the separation.
Matter finished, Lei Tie sent Li Zheng to the entrance gate for nearly half a li[6], “Many thanks, Li Zheng. Someday, Lei Tie will visit to express thanks.”
At the side, Qin Mian smiled and said “thank you” to Li Zheng.
“Go back and live a good life.” Li Zheng had nothing else to say and he left with hands clasped behind his back and shook his head as he walked.
Qin Mian looked at the bright sunshine on top of his head and couldn’t help laughing. He asked briskly, “When will we move away?”
Lei Tie answered: “Today.”
Note:
[1] Mu = classifier for fields; unit of area equal to one fifteenth of a hectare
[2]福 fú = blessing; happiness; good luck; good fortune
[3] the scholar’s four jewels are writing brush, ink stick, ink slab and paper
[4] come to a certain condition, stage, or situation in life
[5]老幺lǎo yāo = youngest
[6] li, ancient measure of length, approx. 500 m
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