The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 19 The Village Chief Persuades the Family to Divide Up

After the village chief chased away the other villagers who had come to watch the commotion, he returned to the Zhou family home and spoke solemnly to Zhou Yongliang and Zhou Liumu.
"I'll just ask you one question: are you really planning to go to the city and cause trouble? If you're really going to fight Zhou Zhiqiang like this, then I won't try to persuade you."

The other older men wouldn't speak up either. After all, even an upright official can't settle family disputes. Even if I were the village chief, I couldn't interfere in your family's internal conflicts.

After hearing the village chief's words, Zhou Yongliang's face darkened, and before he could speak, Old Mrs. Zhou interrupted, shouting...
“Make that brat give up his job to Wangzu, or I, this old lady, will go to the city and make a scene for him, so everyone can see that Zhou Zhiqiang is an unfilial ingrate.”

"Fine, go ahead and cause trouble."

Seeing this, the village chief knew that if he didn't give the family a good scare, they wouldn't learn their lesson and repent.

So he stood up and pretended to be indifferent, scaring Zhou Yongliang and Zhou Liumu by saying, "Don't blame me for not warning you, Zhiqiang's temper is even more fierce than yours now."

He just said, "If you want to make trouble, go ahead and make trouble. I'd rather smash the pot than let you eat. As for the reason, Zhou Yongliang, Zhiqiang said you know."

"Furthermore, I don't know where you heard about job substitution, but don't you think about what Zhou Zhiqiang's status is? He is a college student, and the job he does is one that only college students can do."

"Besides Zhou Zhiqiang, does your family have another college graduate? Hoping someone else will take your place? Let me tell you, they'll be sent back within a day! In our Sanhe Township, and even in Pingchang County, Zhou Zhiqiang is the first college graduate."

Zhou Yongliang felt a lump in his throat, but after glancing up at the village chief, he lowered his head again. He still felt that Zhou Zhiqiang was bluffing him; who could explain the past?

But Zhou Yongliang was unsure of Zhou Zhiqiang's behavior today, and he was also unsure whether Zhou Zhiqiang would fight them to the death.

"Village chief, wait a moment."

Seeing the village chief about to leave his house, Zhou Yongliang couldn't help but call out to him, then called the village chief back, asking with a grim expression,
"What is that ungrateful brat planning to do?"

Upon hearing this title, the village chief was speechless with disbelief for Zhou Yongliang. He even began to believe Zhou Zhiqiang's words, thinking that they might not actually be father and son.

“You separate from him, and Zhiqiang will give you five yuan every month until you are both gone.”

Zhou Yongliang immediately refused, saying, "Impossible, the money is too little. It should be at least twenty, otherwise I will not agree to the division of the family."

"Then go ahead and make a scene, I won't try to stop you."

The village chief couldn't help but stand up and scold, "Zhou Yongliang, Zhou Liumu, don't blame me for not warning you. If the township finds out that you've ruined our township's college students, don't blame me for not warning you beforehand."

"gone!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yongliang was startled and quickly called out, "Village Chief, wait a minute!"

He heard that the villagers were indeed a little scared. Back then, when that little brat got into university, the villagers did give their family ten yuan and some grain and meat.

If that family goes to the city to cause trouble, the villagers might really have a say.
However, Zhou Yongliang was unwilling to accept that the money had become so little. He used to have fifteen yuan every month, but now he had lost ten yuan, and his family would not have enough money in the future.

Before, he was the only one working, and his family was able to eat well. If he lost ten yuan, two more people in his family would have to work.

"I've already said all that. Zhiqiang is even more stubborn than you all. It took me a long time to persuade him, otherwise he really wouldn't want to work anymore."

The village chief finally advised, "You should think it over yourselves: do you want to divide the money among your family members, or do you want to go to the city and cause trouble?"

Hearing the village chief's words, the rest of the Zhou family fell silent. Even the most shrewish Old Lady Zhou and Tian Daniu remained silent.

They may throw tantrums, but now they have to listen to the men.

After a moment of contortion, Zhou Yongliang gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I agree to let him split the family property, but he has to pay me every month!"

Upon hearing this, the village chief finally breathed a sigh of relief. He truly didn't want to see Zhou Zhiqiang and his family suffer a lose-lose situation. Hongqi Village had no prior glory; its people had gathered and settled from all directions.

It was a rare opportunity for a college graduate to emerge, bringing great honor to the entire township and even the whole county.

As it turned out, the family issues escalated to the city, which certainly made Hongqi Village a target of criticism from the township and even Changping County authorities.

"Wait here, I'll go and call Zhiqiang in."

After the village chief finished speaking, he went out to call Zhou Zhiqiang. After telling him that the Zhou family had agreed, he comforted Zhou Zhiqiang and told him not to be angry anymore.

Zhou Zhiqiang wasn't particularly angry. He just found the Zhou family disgusting, like a pile of stinking dog shit. He wasn't the original owner of this body who was a pushover and would be sucked dry by the Zhou family for the rest of his life.

The sooner you stop, the better!

If the original owner of this body hadn't actually been raised by the Zhou family for over a decade, Zhou Zhiqiang wouldn't even want to give them five yuan a month.

However, today wasn't entirely fruitless. Zhou Zhiqiang was able to confirm that the original owner of this body was definitely not Zhou Yongliang and Tian Daniu's biological child.

As for who their biological parents are, that would be difficult to find out unless Zhou Yongliang and Tian Daniu were tortured.

However, from any perspective, Zhou Zhiqiang has no intention of looking for the original owner's biological parents. He has no feelings for those family ties. Right now, the only person he can be considered family is Guo Yuting, and Guo Linhua and his wife are only half family.

Finding the original owner's biological parents would be troublesome, and even if they were found, Zhou Zhiqiang wouldn't know how to face them and could only apologize.

Subsequently, witnessed by the village chief and several other villagers, the family division certificate for Zhou Zhiqiang and Zhou Yongliang's family was completed.

Zhou Zhiqiang didn't want anything, but he was to give the Zhou family five yuan every month until Zhou Yongliang and Tian Daniu passed away.

One of them was the main breadwinner of the family, and the other was always grumbling and cursing. They were clearly not destined for longevity.

After signing the family division agreement, Tian Daniu eagerly reached out to Zhou Zhiqiang and said, "Where's the money? Give it to me now!"

Zhou Zhiqiang took out five yuan from his pocket, threw it on the table, and asked casually, "By the way, where did you find me?"

"Back when it was hot."

Upon seeing the money, Tian Daniu blurted out something without thinking; however, before she could finish speaking, Zhou Yongliang slapped her on the shoulder and yelled, "Why bother with him, you spendthrift woman!"

Tian Daniu finally realized what was happening and immediately started yelling and screaming, "This is outrageous! I went through so much trouble to give birth to you, and now you doubt that you're my biological child? Where can I go to reason with you?"

"Ah."

Zhou Zhiqiang was now completely certain. He then ignored Tian Daniu's tantrum, greeted and thanked the village chief and others, and said that he would visit them to express his gratitude next time he returned to the village.

He then pushed his bicycle and left the Zhou family's house.

It's alright that we've split up; at least we can get rid of these people for a while now.

Moreover, the unfinished sentence Tian Danu said earlier was enough to make the village chief and others who witnessed it speculate wildly.

Their guilty conscience, coupled with Zhou Zhiqiang's words, is enough.

(End of this chapter)