Chapter 4: Second Sister-in-Law Drives Third Brother Jiang Out of the Jiang Family

The old man was indeed being stubborn again at this critical moment!

With events piling up one after another to reach this stage, Yuan Yuexian refused to give up so easily. If she missed this torn opening, it wouldn’t be easy to bring up the matter again later.

Yuan Yuexian’s eyes rolled around and suddenly landed on Cao Cuiying, who had been keeping silent. Clenching her teeth inwardly, Yuan Yuexian thought: This sister-in-law always puts on a benevolent face like a Bodhisattva while playing the good person behind the scenes, leaving her to be the villain. She wouldn’t allow her sister-in-law to reap benefits without contributing anything!

“If Father insists on this, then we and Elder Brother’s family can’t stay in this household either.” Yuan Yuexian deliberately toned down her earlier arrogance, adopting the pitiful demeanor of a wronged young wife. “Sister-in-law, don’t you agree?”

Cao Cuiying’s eyes shifted. She knew her sister-in-law was calling on her to take a stand. Unlike Yuan Yuexian, Cao Cuiying wasn’t as domineering – she maintained a pleasant demeanor with everyone on the surface, though she had her own calculations in mind.

It seemed she couldn’t remain uninvolved today. Cao Cuiying also looked at Old Master Jiang and nodded: “Second Sister-in-law’s words may be blunt but reasonable. It’s been many years since we married into the Jiang Family – if nothing else, we’ve worked hard all these years. If Father insists on favoring Third Brother, it would make our family and Second Brother’s family equally disheartened.”

When Jiang Wujiang married, the Jiang Family’s circumstances were better than now. The Cao Cuiying he married was somewhat educated and didn’t speak as unreasonably as Yuan Yuexian. Old Master Jiang had always valued this daughter-in-law most. He knew that when Cao Cuiying remained silent it was one thing, but once she spoke, it indicated her settled position. It seemed this matter couldn’t be glossed over today…

If they found out about that matter, he would have nowhere to hide his face; but if he followed their wishes and divided the family, he would become the eternal sinner of the Jiang Family…

Old Master Jiang found himself trapped between a rock and a hard place, sweating anxiously.

“Father, don’t put yourself in a difficult position for my sake.” Jiang Qingshi said with a pained expression. “I know Father doesn’t want this family to break up. If the Jiang Family disperses because of me, I can’t bear that responsibility either! How about this – I’ll move out with Guilan and Miao Ge’er. Father can just tell others that my late-night studies disturb everyone’s rest.”

Old Master Jiang’s eyes lit up, looking at Jiang Qingshi with gratitude. Why hadn’t he noticed before how considerate this third son could be? Previously, he had blindly doted on the fourth son, but now the fourth son was pretending to be deaf and mute!

Though moved, Old Master Jiang still felt troubled: “But your wife has been married less than two years, and you have no savings. Where would you move?”

“That’s simple enough.” Yuan Yuexian sneered, putting on a magnanimous front. “Has Father forgotten we have two rooms at the west end of the village? Third Brother is still family after all – let’s just give him those two rooms!”

“How can anyone live there!” Old Master Jiang felt Yuan Yuexian was being too aggressive. “That place used to be a pigsty! It’s been abandoned for over ten years, leaking rain and wind everywhere. You might as well tell your third brother to sleep on the streets!”

The Jiang Family had two houses in the western part of the village, built during the family’s prosperous business days. At that time, due to insufficient manpower, they hired two out-of-town workers. These two men had traveled far from their hometowns just to earn a living. The Jiang Family employed them precisely because they asked for lower wages. Being outsiders, they naturally had no place to stay in Fanjiazhuang, so it was only right for the Jiang Family to provide accommodation.

Coincidentally, one household in the village had moved to the city, so Old Master Jiang at the time bought those two houses. He even built a pigsty inside, having the two workers tend to the pigs after their shop duties—thoroughly utilizing them without suffering the slightest loss.

Later, as the Jiang Family’s business declined, they could no longer afford hired help. The two workers returned to their hometowns, and since then, the two houses had been left vacant. Though unused, they had originally been makeshift lodgings for the workers and were now uninhabitable. Feng Shi had once considered raising chickens there, but after one visit, she abandoned the idea.

The place had previously been used for raising pigs and was built rather remotely. The path became extremely muddy when it rained, and the houses were drafty everywhere… Upon returning, Feng Shi never mentioned it again. Such a dilapidated place might as well be left idle!

Though Lin Guilan was grateful that her father-in-law had finally spoken fairly, she understood all too well what her second sister-in-law was scheming. Would Second Sister-in-law so generously give them two houses for free? This clearly showed the place was truly uninhabitable!

But no matter how shabby it was, if she could live a quiet life with her husband…

Lin Guilan glanced at Jiang Qingshi’s handsome face.

She would be willing to live even in a barren wasteland!

“Well, our family has no other space,” Yuan Yuexian simply put on a brazen act. “Our family is large and already crowded. Third Brother’s family of three is squeezed into one room. At least there are two rooms over there! Besides, our Xi Ge’er is growing up—what would people think if he keeps sharing a room with Zhen Jie’er? If Third Brother moves out, it would free up this room. Isn’t that killing two birds with one stone!”

Cao Cuiying shot Yuan Yuexian a discreet glance. Well, well, this second daughter-in-law—sure enough, she was up to no good, knowing how to strike first and arrange the family’s housing so decisively! Their eldest branch also had two children—why should the second branch get such a bargain?

“I don’t agree with Second Sister-in-law’s words,” Cao Cuiying said. “Xi Ge’er may be growing up, but Ying Ge’er will be of marriageable age in two years. If we’re talking about allocating rooms, it should go to our eldest branch.”

“You two are quite enthusiastic discussing this,” Feng Shi also spoke up with a smile. “Never mind the younger generation—our fourth son hasn’t even married yet!”

“Hah, given Father’s favoritism toward Fourth Brother, won’t he build him a new house when the time comes?” Yuan Yuexian, already displeased with Cao Cuiying’s interference, grew increasingly sarcastic. “Third Brother hasn’t even agreed to move yet, and you’re already calculating!”

Old Master Jiang grew more and more headache-ridden. Looking at the women in the room—each one difficult to deal with, their expressions as if they wanted to devour him alive!

“Father, don’t trouble yourself further. Though the house is dilapidated, I can hire someone to repair it.”

At that moment, Jiang Qingshi spoke, his voice sounding like celestial music to Old Master Jiang’s ears—a lifesaving melody.

“Your son will set out today with my wife and child to move there. This should serve as an explanation to Father and everyone else.”

“Excellent! But you mustn’t take anything from the Jiang Family,” Yuan Yuexian shrilled. “Oh, Third Brother, it’s not that I’m being stingy as your sister-in-law. After all, you’re getting two large houses, and Father has subsidized you plenty in the past… From now on, you’ll have to manage on your own. Mother, you must keep an eye on Father and not let him show favoritism anymore!”

Though Feng Shi was angered by Yuan Yuexian’s harsh words, she knew the priority was to drive out this troublesome third son. Suppressing her rage, she nodded to everyone. “Husband, if you keep favoring the third son, none of us will stand for it. From now on, you must show me every single entry in the household accounts!”

“That’s only fair,” Yuan Yuexian simpered. “Oh, and hiring workers to renovate the houses will be quite an expense—Third Brother should figure that out himself too!”

Hearing this, Lin Guilan didn’t get angry but instead laughed coldly. Did the Jiang Family really think they were beggars?

“No need for Second Sister-in-Law to trouble yourself,” Lin Guilan said icily. “It must be exhausting for you to dissect every word my husband says, terrified of missing something. The only time I’ve seen such behavior was from oil-stealing rats in my old home!”

“You!” Yuan Yuexian pointed at Lin Guilan, then suddenly seemed to recall something and smirked coldly. “Of course, my sister-in-law comes from a wealthy family and doesn’t care about such trifles. Ah, but with such peerless beauty, no wonder even Butcher Liu—the most prominent in our town—took a liking to you back then. You wouldn’t even need to speak! Just standing on the street with that face would make silver and gold come pouring into your pockets. Not only would you want for nothing, but Third Brother would benefit too!”