Wealthy beyond measure, yet you call me a sister-supporting-brother demon?

Zhou Changlin's house in Shanhou Village, Qingshan Town.

After thinking for a while, Old Man Zhou went directly to Changlin to discuss dividing the family property. Changlin might not agree, so he discussed countermeasures with his youngest son, Zhou Changshui.

"Changshui, just make a scene later and say that your older brother has spent all the family's wealth and that you want to divide the family property."

Zhou Changshui gave a thumbs up, "Dad, experience counts! You're the best!"

After Yuan Sheng and Zhong Langzhong left, Zhou Changshui and Ma Xiangqin started arguing.

Ma Xiangqin's voice was shrill and tearful, "How are we supposed to live like this! It will cost sixty taels of silver to treat my elder brother's injuries. How much money do we have in total?! We must separate the family! We must separate the family! Zhou Changshui, if we don't separate the family, I will go back to my parents' home. Anyway, the Zhou family has not only run out of money, but is also facing a famine. If we have no food, I will take the children back to my parents' home to eat."

"Xiangqin, stop making a fuss, sigh!" Zhou Changshui sighed as he sat in the courtyard.

“Even though my brother’s injuries have healed, he can’t work. My sister-in-law has to take care of him, and on top of that, there’s a whole bunch of kids. They’re just freeloaders. Won’t they all have to rely on us in the future? They know we’re honest, so they’re planning to use us like donkeys! My brother’s family is trying to eat our flesh and drink our blood! We have to separate! We must separate! We can’t live like this anymore!”

"Zhou Changshui! If you don't separate the family, I'll make this baby boy in my belly take the surname Ma! So tell me, are we separating or not?!" Ma Xiangqin said, pounding her stomach with her hands. Only she knew how much real harm she was suffering.

Before Zhou Changshui could speak, Wang Chunxiang ran out crying, "Xiangqin! What are you doing? This is my precious grandson!"

Ma Xiangqin wiped away her tears with grievance, "Mother, if we don't separate the family, we will all be dragged down to death by my eldest brother's family. Anyway, we will have no food to eat in the future, so it is better to let him die now."

Wang Chunxiang began to cry with great emotion, "My precious grandson, my precious grandson!"

Zhou Changshui shouted, "Father, let's divide the family! We can't live like this if we don't! Father! You can't just think about my eldest brother and not about us!"

Zhou Changshui knelt down in front of Old Man Zhou's room. "Father! This is only the first day! How are we going to live from now on? If we don't separate the family soon, Xiangqin will go back to her parents' home. She's carrying our Zhou family's son in her belly!"

Zhou Changshui then said to Zhou Changlin's room, "Brother, you can't be too selfish! Your eldest son's family will be useless in the future, they'll all just eat for free. If you don't separate the family, you'll drag our second son's family down with you!"

"Brother, I beg you, please have mercy on us! Your brother will kowtow to you."

After saying that, Zhou Changshui kowtowed deeply in the direction of Zhou Changlin.

Old Zhou's face was so wrinkled it could trap a mosquito. He sighed and left the room, yelling at Zhou Changshui and Ma Xiangqin, "Are you trying to kill your father?! How can I separate them from your father in this situation! The debt of children! The debt of children! You are all my ancestors!"

"Father! It's not that we want to force you, we just can't make ends meet! Go and talk to your older brother about it." Zhou Changshui crawled over on his knees and hugged Old Man Zhou's leg.

"Fine, I'll go talk to your older brother and see what he thinks."

Zhou Changlin drank Zhong Langzhong's anesthetic powder, had acupuncture and medicine, and drank chicken soup. He felt much better and was about to close his eyes to rest when a grand opera started playing outside.

Huh? He's selfish? When he used to shoulder the burden of the whole family and do most of the physical labor, why didn't people say he was selfish? Now that he's injured his back and become a cripple who can't do physical labor, does that mean he's selfish for not separating the family?

Even if they agree to the division of the family, they still think he is selfish. They would prefer him to just wait to die like he did the other day, without spending a single tael of silver. That would be the most selfless person in the family.

If Yuanbao hadn't come to his rescue, he probably wouldn't have lasted more than a few days; his injuries would have worsened, and a thin coffin would have been his final resting place.

He was in excruciating pain, and Pan'er couldn't get the money to save him. He was in despair, but in the end, Yuanbao'er held him up.

He couldn't help but think of Yuanbao when he was little, looking up at him with his little head in admiration. Back then, he was the one who sheltered Yuanbao.

Now, Yuanbao'er has grown up and came to his rescue when he was in despair, providing him with a safe haven!

Yuanbao! He's much better than his so-called closest relatives!

Thinking of his father and brother's faces, Zhou Changlin was overcome with grief. He wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, and when he heard his father's footsteps, he regained his composure.

Old Man Zhou entered the room with a worried look on his face. He moved a small stool and sat down next to Zhou Changlin's bed. He grasped Zhou Changlin's calloused hand and said, "Son! I'm so sorry! Ma Xiangqin is a troublemaker, and Changshui is so unreasonable. They're making a fuss about dividing the family property! If we don't divide the property, I'm afraid our family will never have peace again. They're trying to force me to my death! Alas!"

"I know that you'll have a hard time if we separate you out. Don't worry, I'll make sure to fill in a few more gaps later."

Old Zhou sighed and wept, "Your second brother and sister-in-law are driving their father to his death! Children are a debt, children are a debt!"

Zhou Changlin remained unmoved by his father's sob story. He looked into his father's eyes and said, "Father, you apologized to me the other day, saying you were incompetent and couldn't afford to save me with a few hundred taels of silver. How come you've changed your mind now?"

Old Zhou was shocked, and his hand, which was wiping away tears, froze. He hadn't expected his son to not do as he had imagined. Was this still his most obedient, filial, and loving eldest son?

Zhou Changlin ignored his father's surprised expression. "That's true. Spending tens of taels of silver to save a useless son is indeed a waste of money."

Zhou Changlin is sensible and filial; he's not stupid!

He had seen through his father's behavior today! He was no match for even a fingernail of Zhou Changsen!

His father was right. Fifty taels of silver was Zhou Changsen's tuition and fees for attending the Grand Confucian Academy for a year, but it was also Zhou Changlin's life! His father decisively gave up on his life!

It was precisely because of her excessive regard for Zhou Changsen that Yuanbao was able to control her father and force him to pay for her medical treatment!

Ah!

Old Man Zhou was stunned for a while before he came to his senses. He put down Zhou Changlin's hand, wiped away his tears, and said, "Changlin, you've really been corrupted by Yuan Pan'er. You've even started to mock your father! Do you believe that just for your disobedience and unfilial behavior, I can beat you with a big board!"

Zhou Changlin sneered, "Dad, you've chosen the wrong profession in your life. You shouldn't be farming; you should be an opera singer. I'm injured in the back now, and you still want to beat me with a big board? Then I'll have Yuanbao take the gong and spread your good deeds far and wide. In the whole Dongshan Village, who doesn't know that I, Zhou Changlin, am the most filial son?!"

Old Man Zhou was so angry that he fell backward, his blood rushing to his head. How could he not have realized that his son was rebellious and disobedient?

How could they compare him to a low-class actor?