Chapter 5 The Parting

Song Zhenyu paused for a moment at the entrance of the outer room before stepping in. He kneeled before Song Shengdong, explaining, “Dad, I didn't mean to defy Mom. It's just that Tianheng and Tianqi's mother was in trouble. She was bleeding profusely, and her life was hanging by a thread. I had no choice but to act as I did. Zhang Yingyue has given me four children. I couldn't just stand by and do nothing.” “You ungrateful child! After all the effort I put into raising you, if I knew you'd turn out this disrespectful, I would've rather lost you as a baby. How dare you treat me this way for a stranger? How callous can you be? If you can defy me today, tomorrow you'll disrespect me even more. Since you don't consider me as your mother, I don't need you as my son either. Take your worthless family and leave!” Pointing at Song Zhenyu, Wei Zhilan cursed him vehemently, showing no signs of the fear she had previously exhibited when confronted by him. Just a while ago, she was alone at home and couldn't handle Song Zhenyu's rebellion. At that moment, however, things were different. The head of the household was present, and even if Song Zhenyu had the audacity of a hundred men, he wouldn't dare to challenge authority in front of his own father. “Zhenyu, you're truly confused. If you lose a wife, you can find another, but you only have one mother.” Liu Chunhua, standing off to the side, was adding fuel to the fire, completely forgetting in the heat of the moment that she herself was also a daughter-in-law who had married into the family. Song Shengdong wore a serious expression as he asked, “What did the doctor say?” Song Zhenyu gritted his teeth, his cheeks puffing out in determination. With difficulty, he said, “Dr. Wang stated that she has weakened her body. She can't bear children anymore. If she does, it will cost her life. Zhang Yingyue has done right by me, giving me four children. It's my misfortune, and I won't let Zhang Yingyue risk her life again.” After finishing his piece, Song Zhenyu lifted his head resolutely to look at Song Shengdong. He had desperately hoped to glimpse a shred of warmth in Song Shengdong's eyes but was met with nothing but disappointment. All he found in those eyes was an endless chill. At that moment, Song Zhenyu understood that his father was giving up on him. Before Song Shengdong could utter a word, Wei Zhilan said icily, “Zhang Yingyue is nothing but a jinx, and she must be dismissed. That little wretch is also a disaster magnet, bringing misfortune upon others since birth. It would be best to get rid of her sooner. If you disagree, then your entire family can get out of my sight.” After a few moments of silence, Song Shengdong turned to Song Zhenyu and said, “Zhenyu, you've made a grave mistake today. Your mother and I can hardly bear it. Did you hear what your mother said? If you follow her words, you're still my son. If you refuse, then you and your family should leave.” Zhang Yingyue was unable to bear children anymore and was thus discarded. The third branch of the family had four children, but without a reliable pillar of support, they were like poorly grown seedlings in a field. It was best to uproot them early to prevent them from affecting the growth of the healthy seedlings. After giving up on the third branch of the family, he still had two sons. His eldest son had three sons, while his younger son had two. Each family was required to send a son to school, so the burden of the third branch of the family had to be discarded. At first glance, it seemed as though Song Shengdong had given Song Zhenyu the power to choose. However, in reality, he hadn't left any room for alternatives. That was because he knew that Song Zhenyu would neither divorce Zhang Yingyue nor abandon his newborn fourth daughter. Suffering from heartache, Song Zhenyu clenched his teeth so hard that it felt as though he could shatter them. It wasn't until he tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth that he snapped back to reality. He looked at Song Shengdong and said, “All right. Mom, Dad, in that case, please give me and my family something before we leave.” After finishing his words, Song Zhenyu lowered his head and bent his waist, repeatedly bowing toward Song Shengdong and Wei Zhilan. He simply wished that his display of self-sacrifice would stir a hint of sentiment in his parents' hearts, compelling them to bestow upon him a little more than they would. With a cold detachment, Wei Zhilan turned away, her voice icy with mockery. “Don't bother flattering me. I can't handle it.” Song Shengdong uttered indifferently, “I'll give you two hundred pounds of corn on the cob, fifty pounds of grain, ten pounds of cured meat, and two chickens. You and your family should move to the old house on the back mountain. I'm also giving you the two thousand and seven hundred square meters of land there. As for vegetables, you can have thirty pounds of our homegrown greens.” After Song Shengdong finished speaking, he fell silent. Song Zhenyu waited for a moment before he was certain that those were the things his parents had given him. Incredulous, he looked at Song Shengdong. Struggling to find his words, he asked, “What about the field?” His family had six thousand and seven hundred square meters of good land and six thousand and seven hundred square meters of fertile farmland. Yet, his own father never considered dividing it to give him a share. His family had twenty chickens and five ducks. There were also about eight or nine pieces of cured meat, each weighing over ten pounds. The harvest of corn on the cob was good that year, yielding over three thousand pounds. The grain harvest was also bountiful, producing thousands of pounds of grain. However, he was only given two chickens, ten pounds of meat, fifty pounds of grain, two hundred pounds of corn on the cob, and thirty pounds of leafy greens. Song Zhenyu's heart was aching beyond words. The pain inflicted by his parents' actions was unbearably sharp. In a cold tone, Song Shengdong said, “You have no heir. Your elder brothers have large families, and Xinghua and Xinghao are going to school. If they perform well, we will have to sell our land to afford their exams. Your disrespect today is already testing my patience. The fact that I am still willing to divide these assets with you is a testament to my benevolence. If you continue to act recklessly, I will have no choice but to involve the village chief and remove you from our family records. From then on, you will no longer be considered my son.” When Song Shengdong said that, it was as if he had given up on Song Zhenyu. The items that were divided were certainly not enough to sustain Song Zhenyu's family of six through the winter until the next harvest. Even so, Song Shengdong was determined to stick with his decision. After Song Shengdong had spoken, if Song Zhenyu were to continue arguing, it would only lead to his expulsion from the family records, bringing about no benefits. His eyes were brimming with unshed tears, and it was only through gritted teeth that he managed to utter, “Okay.” Song Shengdong watched as Song Zhenyu agreed. His stern expression softened slightly as he said, “I'll give you a couple more pots and bowls from home. From now on, you and your family are on your own. Whether things go well or badly, it has nothing to do with your mother and I. We don't need your help in our old age either.” Sorrow gnawed at Song Zhenyu's heart as if it were bleeding, yet he had no choice but to bear the pain and respond with gratitude, “Thank you, Dad.” Song Zhenyu rose to his feet. Seemingly disoriented and distraught, he was about to return to the back room. A smile couldn't help but spread across Liu Chunhua's face when she saw that. She gently nudged Song Zhenming and said, “Zhenming, Zhenyu and his family are setting out to start a new life. Could you and Zhenxin lend a hand and help them move their belongings?” Coming back to his senses, Song Zhenming realized that he had gained an advantage in this matter. With a smile, he agreed, saying, “Sure.” Song Zhenxin chimed in, “As it should be.” Song Zhenxin wasn't overly sentimental either. He had his own advantages, having grown up and started a family. Although they hadn't formally separated, he still prioritized his own family. Zhenyu's family is nothing but a burden. Both Tianheng and Tianqi are not right in the head, and there's no telling when they might cause a major disaster. Ruying and Shuying are just girls who will eventually belong to other families when they grow up. Keeping them at home is like feeding freeloaders. My son is going to school, and there is no way around the fact that education costs money. Without the burden of the third branch of the family, it's a blessing in any light. Under the guise of fraternal affection, Song Zhenming and Song Zhenxin dutifully moved the items that Song Shengdong had bequeathed to Song Zhenyu to the old house. While no one was paying attention, Liu Chunhua had quietly slipped away to the back room.