Chapter 229: I Don't Agree With What You're Saying

After the two brothers reached an agreement, they returned to the ward.

Another patient was in the ward; the two walked between Old Man Liu and Ge Pozi's beds, then lowered their voices: "Dad, Mom, there's something we want to discuss with you."

Old Man Liu, whose whole body ached now, said impatiently: "What is it?"

Ge Pozi said nothing, but her expression made it clear she was suffering too.

Liu Shangan looked at his own Liu Shanling, wanting him to speak first, but Liu Shanling would never let him have his way.

The idea had come from the eldest; Liu Shanling only wanted the benefits and would never be the one to stick his neck out.

Liu Shangan could only speak himself: "Dad, Mom, you know the family's situation now. I won't mention our eldest branch; even the third brother's family is tight on money. Right now, you need money for treatment. I was thinking, since the second brother has cut ties with the family, shouldn't the house be taken back?"

If this were before, doing this might have made the villagers talk, but now he lives the best life and has built a big tiled house; taking back our own house is only right.

Once the house is taken back, you can move in right away, and the family can live more comfortably."

As soon as he finished speaking, the third brother, Liu Shanling, objected: "Big brother, what do you mean?"

Liu Shangan, feeling somewhat guilty, said: "This is what I'm thinking. Now that Qiangzi has also split from the family, but your sister-in-law and Dongzi's wife can't get along, there will inevitably be quarrels. I was thinking if Dad and Mom move into the main room of the second brother's house, it would be quieter for them."

Liu Shanling wouldn't fall for his trick; the eldest was really good at calculating, wanting to pass the burden to their third branch.

If Dad and Mom moved into the main room allocated to the second branch, with our third branch between them and the eldest branch, then whenever Dad and Mom needed something, wouldn't they call our family first? "Big brother, I don't agree with what you're saying. You mean Dad and Mom should live on the west side, while Dongzi and his wife move to the east side. If you're not afraid of the villagers pointing fingers at your back, then go ahead and do it."

The villagers did indeed have such customs; Liu Shangan was momentarily speechless.

Seeing no one speak, Liu Shanling coughed lightly: "This is what I'm thinking. Previously, it was me and second brother who swapped the main rooms. After the house is taken back, I'll give up the central hall; the house on the second brother's side will be mine. Do you think this will work?"

Hearing this, Liu Shangan was unwilling: "How can that be?"

Liu Shanling, hearing the eldest disagree: "I've already given up that main room, and this still isn't enough? Big brother, what do you mean? I get no share of the house taken back from the second branch?"

Liu Shangan also felt some regret; he had been too hasty: "No, what I mean is, if we do that, how will we build the courtyard wall later? A perfectly good courtyard shouldn't have a slanted wall built through it; that would make everyone lose face."

Liu Shanliang let out a cold, mocking laugh: "Big brother, then I won't participate in this matter."

One sentence made his stance clear.

After all this fuss, the eldest branch would get one main room and one south room; what did I gain? It would be equivalent to getting only one side room and half a south room, since the main gate was on the west side, occupying half the space of the south room.

Neither brother wanted to yield; in the end, Old Man Liu spoke up: the eldest branch would get the main house, the third branch would get the two side rooms and one south room; later, when the eldest branch turned things around, they would sell the south room opposite the hall to the eldest branch at a set price.

Without the second branch knowing, they had decided the ownership of the houses.

Earlier, not having made things absolutely irreparable, Old Man Liu had harbored other thoughts, but judging from today's events, that bastard seed was probably determined not to care for him; well, that would be fine too.