"What’s wrong with Dad?"
Xu Er Ya, lying on the bed, looked anxiously outside.
Xu Daya, with tears all over her face, said, "Stop asking, you need to focus on recovering."
While speaking, she handed half of a biscuit and half an egg to Xu Er Ya: "Eat it quickly."
Xu Er Ya was really starving.
These past few days, the Old Madam had stopped calling her for als, and she was so hungry she could only survive by drinking spiritual spring water. But drinking just spiritual spring water can’t satisfy her hunger, and now she only felt a acidity in her stomach and a burning sensation.
Even the coarse biscuits that she usually despised tasted suprely delicious.
Xu Er Ya didn’t care about Xu Zhiyong anymore and swallowed the biscuit fiercely. Even after eating the biscuit and egg, she was still sowhat hungry.
But Xu Daya really had no way to provide more food.
"What exactly happened?"
Xu Er Ya was not so hungry now, so she asked Xu Daya.
Xu Daya, wiping her tears, said, "Our dad was beaten and had his legs broken."
"Ah?"
Xu Er Ya was shocked. She then recalled that she had once asked soone to break Xu Zhiyong’s leg, and she regretted it later, even thinking about stopping that person. But with Anning causing trouble and the Old Madam punishing her to the point she couldn’t leave the bed, she forgot about it.
However, Xu Er Ya thought again, maybe forgetting was for the best. Now that Xu Zhiyong had his legs broken, the treatnt would cost a lot of money. Rembering the past, the Old Madam was even unwilling to borrow money for her dical treatnt, and she feared this ti they might be thrown out of the house.
If that was the case, Xu Zhiyong might finally see the true faces of his family mbers. He may beco colder and not be so foolishly filial anymore.
Moreover, if they separate from the family, their life will definitely improve.
Only by getting rid of the extre characters of the Xu Family could she have the opportunity to make a fortune.
Thinking this, Xu Er Ya also felt justified.
"Sister, I’m fine here, go take care of Dad."
Xu Er Ya pushed Xu Daya.
Xu Daya still didn’t feel reassured about Xu Er Ya.
Xu Er Ya softly said, "Dad hurt his leg, he might not be able to do heavy work anymore, and it costs money to treat it. I’m afraid grandma and grandpa might not be happy, mom is too honest to speak up, and dad could be mistreated. Go and keep an eye on the situation, and let know if anything happens."
Xu Daya, after thinking it over, felt that what Xu Er Ya had said made sense, so she tucked the quilt around Xu Er Ya and left the room.
By this ti, Xu Zhiqin had already taken the Old Madam to the base of a wall.
"Mom, with Erge like this, he’ll just be a burden in the future. We can’t keep going on like this, your son wants to separate from the family."
Xu Zhiqin did not hide his intentions, plainly laying out his coldness.
For him, no matter what the Old Madam thought, he had decided to separate from the family.
"What nonsense."
The Old Madam glared at Xu Zhiqin, "Your brother is in this condition, and instead of feeling sad, how can you think about separating?"
Xu Zhiqin bowed his head and sighed, then with a crying tone said, "Mom, it’s not that your son can’t accommodate Erge, it’s just that your son also needs to provide for the family. I am already very tired, and I really can’t keep dragging Erge’s family along. Moreover, Erge’s injury will cost a lot of money, and our family doesn’t have the ans. Would you really bear to see your son, elder sister-in-law, and the kids suffer, letting the children cry from hunger every day?"
His words, though harsh, were reality.
The Old Madam began to ponder.
anwhile, in the west wing room, the elderly master looked at Xu Zhiyong with sympathy and held a prescription, saying to Mrs. Feng, "Mrs. Feng, go take so money to purchase dicine for Second."
Mrs. Feng stood still.
The elderly master frowned, "Mrs. Feng, did you not hear what I said? Hurry and take the money to get the dicine."
Anning also entered at this ti.
She said to Mrs. Feng, "Younger sister-in-law, aren’t you listening to father’s words anymore? With younger brother in this condition, he needs to take his dicine quickly. Stop wasting ti and get the money. I know you’re always stingy, cherishing money more than anything and reluctant to spend it. But look at the situation now, the head of the household is lying here, don’t you feel any heartache?"
As she said this, the master grew even more impatient with Mrs. Feng: "Hurry and go."
Mrs. Feng knelt down with a thud, "Father, we... we have no money, we really don’t, father, please have rcy on us, lend us the money first."
"What are you saying?"
Old Madam rushed in upon hearing the noise.
As soon as she entered, she heard Mrs. Feng pleading poverty and imdiately started berating her, "We’ve been separated for several years, I’ve only asked for a little over a hundred copper coins each month from you, the rest of the money was all in your hands. You tell you haven’t saved any money over the years, Mrs. Feng, are you fooling ghosts?"
Xu Zhiqin, who followed inside, also said, "Elder sister-in-law, I might not earn as much as younger brother, but I’ve still managed to save several taels of silver over the years. How co with all your frugality, you’ve saved nothing? Stop crying poor and don’t be stingy, hurry up and get the money for younger brother to get his dicine."
Xu Daya entered the room at this ti.
Xu Daya, timid, didn’t dare to speak to Mrs. Feng.
She just shrank in a corner and listened.
When she heard Xu Zhiqin ntion that his household had saved several taels of silver, Xu Daya’s eyes flickered briefly.
She rembered Mrs. Feng always complaining about Old Madam being stingy and taking away the money Xu Zhiyong earned, claiming their family couldn’t even afford enough food.
But now, Old Madam said she only took a hundred copper coins a month and the rest was in Mrs. Feng’s hands. Xu Zhiqin also said each branch managed their own finances, Xu Daya began to ponder.
She had always resented Old Madam for being so strict and for bullying her mother, but now, many things seed different from what her mother had described.
Anning chuckled lightly, "Younger sister-in-law, what a joke you’re making. Even I, a widow who’s been jobless for years, relying on embroidery, have saved money. How could you have none? Now tell us, where has all the money gone?"
Xu Daya also stared at Mrs. Feng.
She wanted to know where the money had gone.
"I... I really don’t have any money in hand."
Mrs. Feng just cried, not daring to reveal where the money had gone.
Xu Zhiqin sneered, "Elder sister-in-law, that’s not right of you. Clearly, our family has been separately managed for a long ti, but now when sothing happens, you say you have no money. It seems like you’re hiding the money, expecting father and mother to pay for younger brother’s treatnt. Elder sister-in-law, how can you be so selfish?"
Anning also looked coldly at Mrs. Feng.
Xu Zhiqin closed his eyes for a mont and gritted his teeth, "If that’s the case, let’s separate the families. I no longer wish to share a yard with soone like elder sister-in-law."
The old master suddenly seed much older, his forrly straight back seeming to sag.
He slumped into a chair and waved his hand weakly, "Let’s separate."
Xu Daya shrank with fright.
She wanted to say not to separate, because if they did, her father would have no way out, but she couldn’t voice it.
Xu Daya knew that there was no money at ho. If they separated, the first and third branches definitely wouldn’t care for the second branch. Old Madam and the old master wouldn’t use their retirent funds for Xu Zhiyong’s treatnt, leaving Xu Zhiyong with no option but to await death.
At that mont, Xu Daya’s gaze toward Mrs. Feng carried a trace of resentnt.
She resented Mrs. Feng for not knowing where the money had gone, resulting in them being desperately short when it mattered most.
Old Madam slapped her thigh, ready to agree to the separation but was grabbed by Anning before she could speak.
Anning glanced at Xu Zhiqin, "Younger brother, I know it’s not easy for you to earn money, and it’s normal for you not wanting to deal with the second branch’s affairs. If you want to separate, you go ahead. As for the second branch... I cannot abandon them."
Her words stunned everyone.
The old master looked at Anning, unsure of why she would say such a thing.
Old Madam also turned to look at Anning, her eyes briefly glistening with tears.
Even Xu Daya’s gaze toward Anning held a hint of gratitude.
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