When the Xie family divided their household, Su Qing merely observed without saying a word.
She sat beside Xie Jianhua, propping her head up with one hand, glancing around now and then, taking in the expressions of every family member.
Xie Jiankang and Xie Guiying were still young, not yet adults, so naturally, they would continue living with their parents. However, these two weren’t without their own selfish motives. Since their older brothers no longer handed their salaries to the family, the household’s savings had dwindled, and their standard of living had dropped accordingly.
Under current policies, in two years, they would turn 16 and would need to find jobs—otherwise, they’d be sent to the countryside as educated youths. But securing employment required connections and money. With no savings at home, how would they manage?
For now, though, they still relied on their parents and had no say in family matters. In no time, Wang Cuifen shut them down.
Xie Jianzhong, now an adult with a job, wasn’t as worried about his future. He was just resentful—his parents had only set aside 200 yuan for his betrothal gifts. But after being scolded harshly by Wang Cuifen a couple of days ago, he didn’t dare make a fuss now.
Both work and marriage were costly endeavors, and everyone hoped the family would contribute more.
In the past, Wang Cuifen had been willing to subsidize them, but now she refused. She was more than happy to divide the household and be free of the burden.
Without needing the children’s agreement, she made the decision herself. “The rules are set like this for now. The family meeting is officially concluded.”
In her eyes, the meeting had gone perfectly—except for the fact that it left the kids dispirited.
Dividing a household was a significant event. By the next day, the neighbors had already heard about the Xie family’s split. Wang Cuifen’s old friends quickly gathered to express their concern.
“Jiankang said you arranged the division? What were you thinking? Did your second son’s wife stir up trouble?”
Wang Cuifen immediately denied it. “Not at all. My Qingqing is a good girl.”
“Don’t be too soft on her. What kind of daughter-in-law encourages splitting the family right after marriage? If you ask me, you should set some rules for her.”
Out of respect for their long friendship, Wang Cuifen held back from cursing and simply reasoned, “Don’t talk nonsense. Dividing the household was my idea—it had nothing to do with Qingqing.”
In her past life, Wang Cuifen had enjoyed gossiping about her daughters-in-law with these women—not just Su Qing, but the others too had faced her criticism.
Back then, Su Qing had even called them the “Evil Mother-in-Law Alliance.”
With so many self-proclaimed advisors gathered together, scheming, it was no wonder the young wives suffered.
When it came to arguments, Su Qing had a sharp tongue. But back when Wang Cuifen and Su Qing quarreled, Wang Cuifen only knew how to attack, never defend.
No matter what Su Qing called her, none of the insults ever struck a nerve. Even when labeled an “evil mother-in-law,” Wang Cuifen still saw Su Qing as a “lazy daughter-in-law.”
But now, with her perspective changed, Wang Cuifen treated Su Qing like her own daughter. Suddenly, her old friends’ words sounded grating to her ears.
“Qingqing is a good child, and I adore her. None of you are allowed to speak ill of her. If anyone does, I won’t hold back.”
Wang Cuifen didn’t bother arguing—she simply drew the line: no bad-mouthing Su Qing.
“Oh? It hasn’t even been that long since she married into your family, and you’re already defending her? What do you like about her?”
“She has a good heart. Kind and pure.” Wang Cuifen didn’t hesitate to praise her.
She couldn’t let people spread rumors that Su Qing had instigated the division.
Thinking of Elder Sister Li’s miserable old age next door, Wang Cuifen immediately advised, “Elder Sister Li, I suggest you follow my example and divide your household. Let your children live their own lives.”
“I’d never do that. I’m not stupid. As long as I’m in charge, my sons hand their salaries to me, and my daughters-in-law have to show me respect. What would I gain from dividing the family?” Elder Sister Li scoffed, displeased. She relished the authority of managing the household.
“Gain? What do you gain by not dividing?” Wang Cuifen pressed. “Your children are grown, with grandchildren of their own. Even if your sons give you their salaries, how much can you really save? Meanwhile, your husband’s entire income is spent supporting them.”
“What’s wrong with supporting them? Our money is meant for our children and grandchildren anyway.” Elder Sister Li said it as if it were obvious. Who else would she spend her money on?
Wang Cuifen saw her past self in the woman and felt exasperated. “You pour everything into them, yet they won’t even thank you—they’ll just take it for granted.”
Because they handed their money over to the family, they never stopped to consider the costs.
If someone contributed thirty yuan a month but spent forty, they wouldn’t think twice about it.
Daily expenses added up quietly, leaving little trace of where the money went.
Wang Cuifen pulled Elder Sister Li aside. “You all know my second son’s wedding cost 500 yuan in betrothal gifts. At the time, Jianhua was injured, and I panicked—I agreed to the Su family’s demands without thinking. But afterward, I realized I still have my eldest and youngest to consider. If each child costs 500, that’s 1,500 yuan total. Where would I get that kind of money? So these past few days, I did the math, and I decided dividing the family was the best solution.”
“What? You won’t spend 500 on your eldest? That’s not right. Won’t he resent you?” Elder Sister Li cautiously pointed out.
“Ah, you don’t understand. Cripple Xie’s salary is enough to support the family. The money Jianhua sent home, I saved separately—it adds up to over 500. Being a soldier is dangerous, and I was afraid he might die someday. So I didn’t hesitate to spend on his marriage. Better to spend 500 on a wife than leave the money unspent if he’s gone. But my eldest’s situation is different…”
There were many ways for parents to balance fairness, and Wang Cuifen refused to use the “500 yuan per child” method. She simply chose another approach.
At least on the surface, it looked equitable.
When Wang Cuifen’s division plan was laid out, no one could find fault with it.
The rule was simple: whatever you contributed to the family, the family would spend on you. She didn’t even bring up debts of gratitude—not for raising them, not even for future support. She just said Cripple Xie had a pension, so they’d manage.
It wasn’t that she didn’t care about being cared for in old age—she was just so disappointed in her children that she didn’t even want to ask. In her eyes, she wouldn’t rely on them anyway, so why bother mentioning it?
Not only did Wang Cuifen divide her own household, she also urged Elder Sister Li to do the same. “Your eldest alone has three grandsons. Without your support, his salary alone won’t be enough to feed his family. And yet, your daughter-in-law still complains. Just split the household—let her manage it herself and see if she dares say another word…”
Midway through her advice, Wang Cuifen suddenly covered her mouth.
The scene felt eerily familiar—like something Su Qing had once accused her of in her past life: one evil mother-in-law giving another evil mother-in-law advice…
