Chapter 20: A Grand Performance

It was only when Old Lady Song grew tired from beating that she finally stopped. By then, Song Qing was barely recognizable as a person, her clothes torn and plastered to her blood-soaked back—a truly terrifying sight. Despite all this, Song Qing didn’t utter a single sound; she was the embodiment of true grit.

As soon as Old Lady Song stopped, Song Qing’s mother rushed forward, holding Song Qing in her arms and weeping bitterly. Song Qing’s older sister, Song Xi, carefully examined her wounds, tears falling in a steady stream like broken pearls.

“A Qing, A Qing, does it hurt? Tell your sister,” she pleaded.

“Waa~ Sister~ Waa waa~” Song Qing’s younger sister, Song Qian, clung to her eldest sister’s sleeve, crying her heart out.

Song Lao San, a strapping man, his eyes rimmed red, looked at Old Lady Song in distress. “Mother, have you calmed down?”

Old Lady Song snorted coldly and sat with imposing authority on the threshold of the main hall, her gaze silently fixed on the huddled, sobbing family of Song Lao San.

“Lao San, do you resent me?” Her eyes flashed like lightning, piercing her third son.

The tears Song Lao San had been holding back finally fell. “Mother, Second Girl is my own daughter—I can’t watch you beat her to death.”

“Nonsense!” Old Lady Song barked fiercely, picking up a stone and hurling it at her son. “You don’t know why I beat her?”

“Mother, Qing is just a child. How could she know where you hid the money? You must be mistaken!” Song Lao San explained hesitantly.

Old Lady Song was so angry she gasped for breath. “You ungrateful child! That was all the money our family had.”

She strode forward and slapped her son twice on the back, her disappointment palpable.

Just then, Song Qing, still nestled in her mother's arms, suddenly spoke up. “It wasn’t me! I’ve said it wasn’t me!” she cried, choking back sobs. “Besides, most of that money was earned by my parents. Why shouldn’t I spend it? Grandma, you’re biased, always favoring Song Yu, that little brat. I’m your granddaughter, too. My father is your son!”

“Grandma, you’re just unfair. The money’s gone, and you blame me without any proof. I didn’t even know where you hid it!”

“Song Yu’s always by your side—why don’t you suspect her?”

“It’s always the same. All the good things go to Song Yu. She gets eggs while we get none, new clothes every year, but Qian only wears her hand-me-downs. Why? Why?”

“We’re all your granddaughters! Why are you so biased?”

Song Qing screamed, her back streaming with blood, fingers digging into the earth, veins bulging on her forehead, her eyes bloodshot and locked onto Old Lady Song with a wild, almost deranged intensity.

Everyone present—even those not directly targeted—was startled by her gaze. How could a mere ten-year-old girl have such a fierce look in her eyes?

Soon enough, they found their own explanations: she must have been suffering in the Song household for so long that she finally exploded.

“Well, you little brat, now you dare question me!” Old Lady Song snapped out of her shock, her anger surging anew.

She grabbed a stick, marching forward with fury.

“Mother!” Song Lao San suddenly knelt before Song Qing. “Please spare her—she’s just a child.”

“Lao San, do you feel you’ve been wronged in this family?” Old Lady Song stared directly into her third son’s eyes, and when she saw the grievance buried deep within them, her energy suddenly drained away. She stumbled back two steps, barely kept upright by Song Lao Da’s timely support.

“Mother, are you alright?” Song Lao Da asked with concern.

Old Lady Song waved him off, allowing herself to be seated, and looked around at the bustling courtyard full of sons and grandchildren. Suddenly, tears slipped down her cheeks.

She wiped them away quickly. “Lao Da, go call the brigade leader and Accountant Hu. We’ll divide the family.”

In that moment, she was enlightened: as the tree grows, its branches must spread. The children were grown, and forcing them together only brought unrest to the household.

She had thought that with Li’er in the family, everyone would benefit. But after today, she saw clearly: some ingrates would never recognize anyone’s efforts, only nitpick over trivial things.

These scoundrels didn’t deserve Li’er’s blessings!

“Mother?”

All but Song Lao San spoke up in unison.

Old Lady Song gave them no chance to speak. “I’ve already decided; Lao Da, just go call them.”

After sending off Song Lao Da, Old Lady Song forced herself to stand, cast a glance at the onlookers, and raised her voice:

“Lao San, we can divide the family, but there are things you need to understand.”

Eyeing Song Qing’s mother and the others, whose faces bore a hint of secret delight, Old Lady Song’s expression hardened. “You only see that you two earn full work points, but you don’t consider how many mouths you have to feed.”

“Five mouths in total! If not for Lao Da and the others’ support, your family would have starved long ago!”

“Mother…” Song Lao San tried to explain.

“If you all feel wronged in this family, then I’ll grant your wish—let’s divide the family.”

A flash of joy appeared in Song Qing’s eyes, and she quickly lowered her head to hide it.

On the fence next door, Tang Banxia poked Sister Sun. “Old Lady Song is quite formidable!”

She knows when to cut ties!

Sister Sun whispered back, “Aunt Song raised six children on her own. How could she not be tough?”

“Banxia, what are you doing here?” Wen Mubai’s voice suddenly sounded from behind.

Tang Banxia turned around at the sound. “Sister Sun invited me over for cucumbers.”

“Sister-in-law,” Sun Wenming greeted.

“Mm,” Tang Banxia and Sister Sun replied in unison.

They glanced at each other and couldn’t help but smile.

Sister Sun pointed to Sun Wenming. “My younger brother-in-law.”

“Oh, oh,” Tang Banxia nodded repeatedly.

Just then, the brigade leader arrived with a group of village officials.

Tang Banxia had no time to chat with Wen Mubai and waved him over. “Little Bai, come here.”

Wen Mubai moved to her side. “Don’t make a sound.”

With that reminder, he continued watching the Song family affair.

When the brigade leader and his group arrived, Old Lady Song welcomed them into the main hall and sent Song Lao Er to fetch water.

“Brigade leader, you’ve seen our situation. I won’t beat around the bush—I intend to divide the family.”

“Elder sister, are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?” Women’s Committee Director Huang Xiaocui advised, though it was little more than a formality.

As expected, the conversation soon turned to the matter of dividing the family.

Song Lao Wu tried to shut the door, but Old Lady Song stopped him. “No need. There’s nothing in our family to hide from others.”

“Our family has six rooms, five sons, each gets one room. The last room is mine, and when I’m gone, it goes to Lao Da’s family.”

“Everyone’s heard—the family’s money was stolen, so we have no money left. Thankfully, we’ve just divided the grain. The grain will be split into six portions, one per family. The rest is just pots and pans—everyone takes their own.”

“And there are three chickens. I won’t divide those. The private plots will also be split, one per family. Work points will be distributed individually. That’s all.”

As Old Lady Song spoke, Hu Dashan scribbled it all down.

When she finished, he reminded her, “And your retirement, elder sister?”

“I can still work. Each family owes me fifty jin of grain and five yuan a year. When I can’t work anymore, it’ll be fifty jin and ten yuan. Also, Lao Liu is a soldier outside—his retirement will be converted to money. Please note that as well.”

The brigade leader wrote furiously, then read the terms aloud to everyone. “Anything else to add, elder sister?”

“No, that’s all.”

With her mind made up, Old Lady Song became philosophical.

The brigade leader passed the papers around to the committee members, made several copies, signed, and stamped them.

Accountant Hu did likewise.

When it was Old Lady Song’s turn, she simply pressed her fingerprint onto the document. The rest of the Song family followed suit, one by one.

Thus, the Song family was divided.

Tang Banxia said farewell to Sister Sun and went home with Wen Mubai.

“Song Qing is no ordinary girl!” Tang Banxia sighed.

Wen Mubai’s expression was unreadable. “Sister, what are we eating tonight?”

“All you care about is eating!” Tang Banxia scolded him.

“How can I exercise if I don’t eat enough?” Wen Mubai replied, innocent as ever.

Tang Banxia shot him a look. “Let’s get some jar-cooked pork.”

“Great!”

“Comrade Tang, Comrade Tang, wait a moment!” Hu Dashan called out to Tang Banxia as she walked away.