Chapter 254

"What you said sounds good, but when I think about it, you have been quite unrestrained these past few years living outside, not caring at all about family matters or knowing what's on Father Pei's mind. If we really divided things according to his wishes, wouldn't our family suffer huge losses? Pei Yong, you are the eldest son and Jian Guo is the eldest grandson. We should be getting the lion's share," Wang Yue said angrily and breathlessly.

"And regarding Jian Guo's matters, how did they become my fault? I'm his mother. He's my one and only son. How could I not wish the best for him?"

As Wang Yue spoke, she couldn't help but feel sorrow for herself and began sobbing. "You only care about others. Have you ever thought about me and our child's life and death? Think about it yourself - these past few years, how many family matters have you taken care of? And now you're even more outrageous, not even willing to come home, leaving both children to me. I have to take care of the older and the younger one. After taking care of their food and drink, I still have to handle work. I'm destined to toil away for your family for the rest of my life, right..."

Pei Yong closed his eyes, and that feeling of a tight cord pulsing painfully at the back of his head became even more intense.

It had been this way for some time now.

Ever since whenever he heard Wang Yue's endless prattling, he would get a headache. Even the pain from the beating he got from Pei Jing yesterday couldn't compare to the intensity now.

But Wang Yue didn't notice and kept on talking.

Knowing Summer could see Pei Yong through the window with his brows tightly knitted in endurance. She nudged Chenye next to her and whispered something into his ear.

Chenye turned and ran outside, shouting loudly, "Uncle, Auntie, what secrets are you whispering about?"

Wang Yue's voice instantly stopped as she looked at Chenye in annoyance. "What's it to you, little kid, minding so much of others' business? Go play by yourself!"

Pei Yong, however, breathed a sigh of relief. In a few steps he went over and hugged Chenye in his arms, patiently explaining, "Let's go take another look at that new cherry tree sapling planted in the backyard. Who knows when it'll bear fruit. When it does, Uncle will remember to come back right on time to eat cherries."

That tree had just been planted by Pei Jing this morning. He had wanted to plant a jujube tree but Father Pei didn't agree to chopping down the apricot tree. It still bore quite a lot of fruit this year and they could eat apricots again come autumn. It would be such a pity to chop it down now. Pei Jing could only compromise, but he still held fast to the idea of planting a jujube tree. If it didn't work out this time he could do it slowly in the future. It wouldn't be too late.

Seeing Pei Yong being so patient with another person's child, something he had never done with his own son, Wang Yue was so angry she nearly gritted her teeth to pieces.

But she had forgotten that when Pei Jian Guo was little, Pei Yong would hold him in his arms all day, piggybacking him about. He was the only child in the household then, cherished and doted on by the whole family in the first few years after he was born.

But naturally a child couldn't keep being pampered like when he was small after growing up. And Wang Yue also couldn't bear to see her son suffer any hardship. At the slightest disagreement she would bring up her family's life-saving grace.

By the time Pei Jian Guo grew up, when Pei Yong wanted him to temper himself through a stint in the troops, Wang Yue still couldn't stand him suffering any grievance or hardship. She insisted on him taking up a civil service position. Everyone in their family was military and it was only by relying on Father Pei's prestige that he was arranged a job in the government.

And so that was how things had been all these years.

In the living room the father and two sons sat in silence.

Pei Sheng looked at Father Pei then glanced at Pei Jing, his heart aching for his big brother once more.

Living in the same compound for so many years, no one understood the goings-on between big brother and his wife better than him. He also knew of big brother's difficulties.

Even as his younger brother, he could feel the oppression in this marriage. One could well imagine how much more torment the person going through this, Pei Yong himself, felt.

And with the Wang family's life-saving grace hanging over them, even divorce was but a pipe dream.

If he had to live this kind of life himself, Pei Sheng sincerely hoped he could have died on the battlefield instead. At least he could have retained some credit as a fallen hero, with no regrets towards the nation or his heart.

Pei Yong coaxed Chenye for a bit before letting him down to the floor. His expression was normal, no unhappiness detectable.

Wang Yue wanted to follow him into the living room but heard him say, "Second Sister-in-Law and Third Sister-in-Law aren't here, it wouldn't be appropriate for you to go in either. Just wait outside."

At this moment he was thankful that Jiang Su and Knowing Summer were unwilling to get involved.

Wang Yue was somewhat unhappy but Pei Yong simply stood there, waiting to see what she would do.

She could only say resentfully, "Remember what I said. And once the division is done, come back home quickly. It's been years since you visited, you can't not even show your face to your child."

Pei Yong didn't live far. She knew he deliberately avoided coming home, also knowing that he still held that woman in his heart. She had cried and made trouble over it in the past. Pei Yong had even threatened her that if she made another fuss he would retire and go back to their rural hometown to farm. Only then did Wang Yue have no choice but to stop. Pei Yong was the sort of person who meant what he said and would do as he promised, just like when he had agreed to marry her. She just didn't feel assured with the relationship and daily interaction at close quarters he had with that woman. Even though they tried their best to avoid suspicion, Wang Yue still couldn't rest easy.

Therefore she had forced the other woman out by threatening to spread ugly rumors. But it only made Pei Yong secretly long for her for the rest of his life. Wang Yue truly felt aggrieved.

What she obtained was all meant for her. Her parents and brothers- and sisters-in-law had used their lives to exchange it for her. His life should have all belonged to her too. What right did he have to still long for another?

Pei Yong walked into the living room. He knew they had heard the conversation outside just now but said nothing about it, only sitting down. "However Father decides to divide things, that's how it'll be divided. No need to consider anything else."

Wang Yue deliberately utilized Father Pei's sympathy for him to achieve her own ends. This wasn't her first time doing so.

Father Pei heaved a sigh, exhaustion evident in his clouded eyes. "You're all aware of this house's origins. Although my share should only have been a portion, I was thinking to give the house to Knowing Summer, which of course would be the same as giving it to young Pei.

Father Pei knew clearly that the house itself wasn't the main issue but rather the objects buried in the rear courtyard.

If it hadn't been for Grandfather Pei stating it plainly at the time, he would never have agreed to accept this house no matter what, not expecting for it to plant the seeds of discord resulting in the difficult division of family property now.

If Knowing Summer hadn't married into this family, according to Grandfather Pei's original intention, the objects in the rear courtyard would have gone to the An family while the house went to him. That would still have been better than giving them to outsiders.

But since Knowing Summer had already married in, and Old An said the rear courtyard items were to be Knowing Summer's dowry, it was only right and proper for the house to go to her as well.

As for his other two sons, he would not shortchange them either.

In the past Pei Jing wouldn't have been greedy for this house. As for Knowing Summer's things in the rear courtyard they could simply have been dug out.

But now he couldn't think that way, not with the memories he had obtained.

The reason Wang Yue could be so unscrupulous was precisely because, no matter how much fuss she kicked up, everyone still had to humor her in the end, right?

Why should he give up what was rightfully his just because she wasn't happy?

Seeing Pei Jing, Pei Sheng also felt elated inside.

It was one thing for him to not want the house but after being oppressed by Wang Yue for so many years he inevitably harbored some resentment, only enduring it out of distress for his big brother.

And now the idea of the house going to young Pei was very refreshing. At the same time the thought of what his big brother would have to put up with next also made him deeply sad.