The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 124 - 113: Problem

Chapter 124: Chapter 113: Problem

Ms. Qian furrowed her brows, "You’re only twenty-six, still young. Are you not going to marry and instead stay home for a lifetime?"

In the house, it was just the three of them, mother and daughters, so Ms. Qian didn’t have to hold back. In a low voice, she said, "Right now, your father and I are here, and you staying at home is fine. But what will you do when we’re gone and your brothers have divided up the home? Who will you go with?"

Manbao anxiously said, "With me, with me."

"Shut up," Ms. Qian tapped her forehead and said, "You also need to get married. Do you plan on taking an elder sister with you when you do? I’ve never heard of such a thing."

Manbao pouted.

Zhou Xi wasn’t acting on a whim; she had thought about this long ago. When she was chased out by the Liu family in the early morning, she walked towards her parents’ home and dwelled on the matter.

What if her family looked down on her for bringing shame and didn’t want to take her in?

Once inside the door, what then?

Tears streamed down Zhou Xi’s face as she said, "Mother, I never felt it was my fault that I couldn’t have children. Maybe the problem was with Liu Dalang. But now that he and Widow Wu are expecting, it’s clear he’s not the problem. If I remarry, I can only find a widower with children. But Mother, what do I gain from that?"

"To work like an ox or a horse for a lifetime is to raise someone else’s children, and still have people pointing at my spine. When I’m old, the children I raised may not be filial. If they were my own, whether I scold or beat them, I’m within my rights. But they’re not mine, and if there’s trouble, the clan won’t take my side." Zhou Xi spoke bitterly: "If I have to work like an ox or a horse anyway, I might as well stay at home and take care of our parents. If you are...if my brothers don’t want me to live at home, then I’ll just set up a tent at the foot of the mountain and get by."

Ms. Qian couldn’t help but burst into tears upon hearing this.

Manbao stood by, dumbfounded, unable to comprehend.

But seeing her old mother crying so hard that her face turned pale and she clutched her chest gasping for air, Manbao quickly patted her mother’s chest, "Mother, Mother..."

She didn’t know what to say, because the topics her mother and elder sister were discussing had surpassed her understanding; her little mind couldn’t keep up with their train of thought. Although she had many questions, seeing her mother and elder sister crying in each other’s arms, she refrained from asking and could only frown and try to comfort each one in turn.

Ms. Qian, catching sight of her young daughter’s scrunched-up worried face, forcibly suppressed her grief. She leaned against a pillow, trying to catch her breath. Her health had improved a lot compared to before; otherwise, she would have fainted from the anger and sadness she experienced just now.

However, her complexion was far from healthy, and she knew it wasn’t appropriate for her little daughter to be privy to this kind of conversation. After all, the child was at an impressionable age, and such anger could lead her down the wrong path.

With this thought, she regained some sense of reason and said to Manbao, "You don’t need to worry about family matters; go see if the teacher is home at the school. Ask him if he plans to leave tomorrow or the day after, as we need to send him off with two pieces of cured meat."

Mr. Zhuang would go back every year to spend the New Year with his son. But because he would be away for a while, he always tidied up the study before leaving, especially the books, which he aired out in the sun when the weather was good. He would take what he needed and leave the rest behind.

Manbao didn’t doubt anything and left doing a three-steps-one-look-back walk. As soon as she was out the door, she ran towards the school, planning to go and come back quickly.

Keke, fearing she might fall, said, "Stop running. If you get back, won’t your mother just find another excuse to send you out?"

Manbao had not yet learned how to speak while running, so her steps slowed, and she walked alongside Keke asking, "Why is that?"

"It’s obvious. When have you seen your mother let you go to the school alone? She always sends your nephews and nieces with you. Clearly, she doesn’t want you to overhear her talking with your elder sister, so she sent you away."

Manbao hung her little head low, dejectedly heading towards Mr. Zhuang’s place.

Mr. Zhuang hadn’t gone out today and was currently leaning on a chair in the courtyard flipping through a book while also airing out several others.

Indeed, airing books. He had them arrayed all around him, and when he looked up to see his young apprentice entering with her head hung low, the sight of her dejected expression made him involuntarily smile.

Mr. Zhuang beckoned her over, asking with a chuckle, "What’s the matter now? Did you have another squabble with Bai Shan?"

Manbao pursed her lips and muttered, "Who fought with him? I’m an adult now..."

Manbao was puzzled by many questions, so she recounted the events of her elder sister’s return that morning. Though she spoke articulately, her logic was a bit muddled. Nevertheless, she managed to clarify things, especially since she had a good memory and had not forgotten what she’d heard, thus repeating what the adults had said, including her mother’s recent conversation with her elder sister.

Then she asked Mr. Zhuang, looking particularly puzzled, "Teacher, why does my elder sister have to live with someone else? Can’t she live by herself? Why did she talk about setting up a tent to live under the foot of the mountain? Can’t she live in our house?"

Mr. Zhuang looked at his young apprentice, pondered for a while, and carefully said, "It’s not easy for a woman to live in this world on her own. Without land or skills, naturally, it’s hard for her to support herself."

Mr. Zhuang didn’t want to discuss the harshness of society or the cruel rumors with her, as it would be too heavy for a child. So he could only explain from the perspective of survival, "One needs something to rely on for clothing, food, shelter, and transportation. She got married, and her husband’s family had land and laborers. Though times were tough, at least they could live, which is why your mother suggested she remarry."

Manbao suddenly understood, "So that’s how it is."

She got excited and said, "This isn’t difficult, Elder Sister doesn’t have any land, we can just have Dad split some off for her. And have my elder brothers clear some extra land for her, as much as she would like to plant."

Mr. Zhuang was taken aback, watching his excited apprentice, it took him a while to say, "Typically, land and property are inherited by sons, of course, there are exceptions for daughters, but that would be as a dowry..."

In the midst of speaking, Mr. Zhuang also felt a contradiction in his words; he couldn’t outright tell his young apprentice that her father might be biased and unwilling to divide property for her elder sister.

Clearing his throat, Mr. Zhuang then said, "If your elder sister is to have property in her name, a separate household registration for women would be necessary."

With that said, he continued, not addressing the other question, "Since it would be a separate household for a woman, of course, it wouldn’t be possible for her to be given part of the family house. Besides, your family’s current housing is limited; likely insufficient for your brothers to divide amongst themselves, right?"

Manbao missed the main point and asked curiously, "Why can’t a female household be given a share of the house while a male household can? Teacher, is this stipulated by the law?"

This was not actually the case. Mr. Zhuang silently looked at his young apprentice, and she silently looked back at him.

After a moment, Mr. Zhuang sighed, unable to help himself, "It would be easier if you were a bit older."

Being a bit older, it wouldn’t be so difficult for him to explain. Even though it would still be shocking for his apprentice, by then she would surely understand more about the world and be more accepting of these matters.

Even if he was to say her parents were biased, he could speak it outright because which parents in this world aren’t biased?

Especially when the choice is between a son and a daughter.