This was somewhat shocking to Zhao Tianlei.
It was only then that Zhao Yueyue slowly explained, "Last year, our brigade had a poor harvest, so my mother had my elder brother send us some grain. After we finished that, my mother-in-law asked me to go back to my parents’ home for more grain. Of course, I was unwilling; even if it was done in turns, it should have been the turn of one of the other daughters-in-law from their own maternal homes."
"This matter flared up again before the New Year, and I still didn’t agree. In the end, I proposed dividing the household. My mother-in-law was against it; she just kept thinking about the grain from my parent’s home. This time, when I went back to my parents’, she even forbade my husband from coming with me."
Divide the household?
Upon hearing this, Yun Xiaoxiao realized what was happening.
The in-laws thought that the cousin’s family had grain, so they kept on trying to get the cousin to bring some back from her parents’ home.
"Does your husband support you in dividing the household?"
Seeing that the cousin’s husband hadn’t come along, Yun Xiaoxiao figured he must still be partial to his own mother.
She was afraid the cousin might act impulsively.
"He has been wanting to divide the household for a while now. Your brother-in-law is neither the eldest nor the youngest; he ranks third, unloved by father and mother. If it hadn’t been for his decent treatment of me back then, I wouldn’t have married him, you know?"
Zhao Tianlei could hardly refrain from pointing out the truth.
Wasn’t it because he saved you, and then you offered yourself to him?
Well, better to allow her some dignity.
"Do the other branches of the household agree?"
"Who wouldn’t want to split and live on their own? No one wants to live under the hand of the mother-in-law."
Yun Xiaoxiao looked towards Zhao Yueyue, "If that’s the case, it should be easy to divide the household, right? You could stir the other daughters-in-law to split the household, and you can also say that it won’t be long before land is allocated per household, and then each family will have more land registered under their names."
Land allocated per household?
Zhao Yueyue suddenly looked at her sister-in-law. How had she come by this news?
Had she heard it from Eldest Uncle Fang?
Actually, in the past, there were Educated Youths who had designs on both Zhao Yueyue and Sister Xinxin.
But with Zhao Laosan around, they didn’t dare to entertain any ulterior motives.
"Yes, go home and talk it over with your sisters-in-law. If you can split the household, it’ll be good. If you can’t split for now, I’ll come and take a look at the situation."
Zhao Yueyue, taking this information with her, went back alone, leaving her two children temporarily at her parents’ house.
It had to be said, Yun Xiaoxiao’s method was indeed quite effective.
With land allocation per household, who wouldn’t want more land registered in their own name?
Nobody wanted to have to split it again later.
Now was the right time to divide the household.
After the division, Zhao Yueyue brought her husband to thank Yun Xiaoxiao and they also brought their children back home.
There was also good news from Fang Chaoyang’s side.
This year, Eldest Uncle Fang and Little Uncle Fang had not come for New Year’s greetings.
Yes, these two sons actually hadn’t come to pay respects to their mother during the New Year period.
Of course, it was their wives who had held them back, not letting them go.
They just wanted Fang Chaoyang to come begging to them.
But how would Fang Chaoyang possibly go beg them?
"Brother, Grandma, have you been watching the door these past days, noticing that Eldest Uncle and Little Uncle haven’t come to pay New Year’s respects to Grandma?"
Fang Chaoyang’s eyes lit up as he thought of a plan.
"Grandma, it’s all because my sister and I have been a burden, causing Eldest Uncle and Little Uncle to resent you for favoring us. Other families are filled with joyous laughter, but our house is too quiet."
Grandma Fang’s brothers had already passed away, and she wasn’t very close to her nephews, who had long stopped visiting.
As for the men on her side of the family, some had died, and some were bedridden.
However, they still came to her house to offer New Year’s greetings.
But among these people, there were no sons or grandsons.
Grandma Fang couldn’t express how sorrowful she felt.