Rebirth in Famine: She Thrives by Lucky Space

Xiang Dong didn’t know what to say either. If he had married a wife like this himself, he wouldn’t be able to go on living together either.

Li Yungui and his wife arrived first. Seeing the table hadn’t even been cleaned up, with just a bowl of pickled vegetables and a basin of porridge that had already gone cold on it.

The three people left at home were each sitting by themselves, not saying a word.

Seeing this scene, Li Yungui felt even more powerless inside. His fourth younger brother was living like this; it really left him with nothing to blame him for.

Xiao Li wanted to tidy up, but Li Yungui grabbed her and held her back.

Let outsiders see it like this. That way even if they really do get divorced later, Fourth Brother’s reputation won’t be too bad.

Li Yungui pulled his wife over without saying a word, found a stool and sat down as well.

Liu Cuilan saw her second elder brother-in-law had come and thought her support had arrived. She immediately started wailing and crying.

”Second Brother, this damned Li Yunqiang actually doesn’t want me anymore.”

”Shut your mouth. What kind of woman talks about her own man like that? Aren’t you afraid something really will happen?”

Hearing what this woman said, Li Yungui just couldn’t hold his temper down. This was the first time he scolded his younger brother’s wife.

Liu Cuilan was stunned for a second, then realized herself that what she’d said wasn’t right. She really hadn’t meant anything else, it had just slipped out.

After being told off like that by Li Yungui, she stopped talking, only bowed her head and sobbed.

Wei Kaiyun and Old Yang also came in. Seeing the situation in the room, of course they also saw the supper on the table.

Xiao Li moved stools for the two of them and invited them to sit.

Xiang Dong supported Uncle Li in last.

The old man saw the food on the table and glared angrily at Liu Cuilan. A woman like this should’ve been discarded long ago. Is this how you take care of the men and children in your family?

Li Yunqiang knew everyone he’d called was here now. He picked up the agreement he had written and handed it to Li Yungui.

Xiang Dong and the two younger ones started clearing the table.

Li Yungui read it over once. He already knew how things had gone.

After he finished, he passed it to Xiang Dong and told him to read it out loud.

Uncle Li’s face didn’t show any expression at all. But he couldn’t just sit there in silence either.

”Old Fourth, you’ve decided just like this? You won’t regret it in the future?”

”Uncle, if I don’t do this, I’m afraid I don’t have many years left to live.”

”You useless thing. Just beat her until she’s honest, isn’t that enough?”

”Uncle, that would only make me even angrier. I’d rather have it like this. At least if I don’t see it, it won’t bother me.

I can live my days in peace. I’ve thought it through too. From now on I’ll just live for myself. When Xiang Dong grows up, he’ll be my eldest son, Li Yunqiang’s eldest son, and he’ll be able to live his own life well. As for the two younger ones, I’ll feed them, but that’s all. Their future road will depend on themselves. If they work hard, they’ll live better later; if they just muddle along, then after they turn fifteen, they can just go out and muddle along on their own.”

”So you’ll just live by yourself? You’re still young. I’ve been through it; living alone is no easy life.”

”Uncle, I’ve thought about it. People live just to feel at ease. If you force a family to stay together with knots in everyone’s hearts, what’s the point?

As for later, I’ll be the same as you—won’t count on them.”

Listening to his fourth brother’s words, Li Yungui felt a sour ache in his chest. The road ahead had already been thought out; this clearly wasn’t some decision made in a fit of anger.

”Old Fourth, you’re sure you have to do this?”

”Yes, Second Brother, you’ve seen how my days are. Yes, I won’t deny it, I promised Liu Cuilan that after we got married I wouldn’t let her suffer.

You all know this too: all the work at home is done by me; even when she goes out to work, it’s three days of fishing and two days of drying the nets, and I’ve never really complained.

But what a man cannot tolerate is that the woman he treats wholeheartedly simply doesn’t care about him at all in her heart.

That Liu Cuilan only cares about herself. Back at her mother’s home she was treated like livestock, working like an ox and a horse. When she came to me, she’s been living like a landlord’s wife.

But even after I treated her like this, the moment something happened to me, she acted like nothing had happened, eating her fill and sleeping soundly.

So tell me, how am I supposed to accept that? I spend all day outside—don’t you think I want to come home to a hot, decent meal?”

Now Liu Cuilan also fell silent. She’d regretted it a lot after last time too; she didn’t even know how she had fallen asleep.

”Then don’t want her. There’s no point living with a woman like this.

But the four of you were all born by your mother. No matter what, when she turns sixty, the four of you must support her in her old age.” Uncle Li spoke blandly.

Now Liu Cuilan truly regretted it. She had only said divorce in anger, thinking that Second Elder Brother-in-law would definitely force Li Yunqiang to compromise. She hadn’t expected it to turn out like this.

”Why should I get divorced? I just won’t.”

”You were the one who brought up divorce to begin with. I don’t care either way. From now on we’ll each live our own life. It won’t be any different from being divorced.”

”No, you’re all bullying me because my family isn’t here.”

Off to the side, Li Shuzhi grew anxious. He was still thinking about going to work tomorrow. If they didn’t divide the family today, how was he supposed to go to work tomorrow?

He also thought that since he had a job now, even if they didn’t split the household, it would be the same. But he knew his father’s temper; there was no way he’d agree.

The room was full of people who understood things. Watching Li Shuzhi carry on like that, they were all shaking their heads inside. How had this kid ended up like this?

”Fine, Xiang Dong, drive the tractor and go pick up your grandma’s family, have them all come.”

Li Yungui stood up. ”Let’s talk about it tomorrow. It’s already the middle of the night, what’s the point of all this tossing around?”

”Second Uncle, that’s between my mom and dad. I agree to splitting the family.” Li Shuzhi was really afraid the matter would fall through just like that, so he hurried to block Li Yungui.

”You really are worse than a beast. Raising something like you is worse than raising a dog.”

Li Shuzhi’s face flushed bright red at the scolding, but he didn’t dare talk back. He had been afraid of this second uncle since he was little.

Li Yunqiang let out a sigh. ”Xiang Dong, go. We’ll settle it today.”

Instead, Liu Cuilan felt relieved, knowing this meant Li Yunqiang had truly made up his mind. Since that was the case, she might as well have her own family come over to back her up.

”Shuxin, go call Brother Changhe and your big brother to come together.”

Li Yungui agreed as well. Right, Old Fourth was right: since things had come this far, just let it be. The sooner it was settled, the sooner Old Fourth could feel at ease.

”Xiang Dong, hurry and go pick up your grandma and your uncles. With Li Yunqiang bullying me like this, the Liu Family is not so easy to push around.” Liu Cuilan urged on the side.

Xiang Dong had no choice but to go back to his room, put on his overcoat, pull on his hat, and head out.

Shuxin also ran off to call Changhe. It was quite dangerous for Big Brother to be out alone at night; better to have company.

Wei Kaiyun and Old Yang just sat to the side listening, without saying anything.

Xiao Li stood up and went to the main room wanting to boil water, but when she saw the caked porridge still stuck in the pot and not yet scrubbed, she was sincerely speechless at this sister-in-law. How could a woman turn a home into this state?