Xia Xiuzai closed his eyes. He knew that such a decision would definitely hurt the Tian family's feelings. However, for the sake of the child, he had no choice but to do so. The old father even said something about changing his surname to Tian. He had no other option but to do this.

  Besides, Tian Jia has really gone too far. The children see the courtyard and tile house built with the money exchanged for Da Yue's life, and their hearts are aching; can his heart as a father feel any better?

  He didn't have any particular feelings towards Old Man Tien and Lady Tien, he just thought they were really pitiful, and also because of the face of the Tien family.

  After saying this, Xia Xiuzai thought that from now on, she really broke off this kinship and would no longer go to Lao Shan Tun. She also didn't have to work hard to save money for the Tian family again. In Xia Xiuzai's heart, there was no reluctance, but rather a faint sense of relief.

  Xia Xiuzai agreed with the first one, and Xia Zhi said the second one this time.

  "From now on, if there's anything big happening at home, my mother can't make decisions on her own. You two parents can't make decisions just between yourselves either. We need to discuss it as a whole family and whatever decision gets the most support is what we'll go with."

  To put it bluntly, family matters are decided through democratic discussion and decision-making, with the minority obeying the majority. In other words, even if Tian's family has Xia Xiuren's full support, she can no longer do things that harm several children or this family.

  "Alright, alright." Old Master Xia said first, "This family of yours will belong to these few children in the future. Those fields, as well as the house and courtyard you live in, are all ancestral properties of our old Xia family, and they will belong to these few children later on."

  It seems that although Xia Xiuren has cooled down towards the Tian family, Old Man Xia is still worried that he will be controlled by the Tian family, so here he reiterates the ownership of the family's property once again.

  Mr. Xia's words further weakened the status of Xia Xiuzai and Tian in their family. Mr. Xia was also helpless, for there was no one in this world who loved Xia Xiuzai more than him and hoped that she could live a better life.

  "I agree." Xia Lao said as soon as Little Shu finished speaking.

  "I agree too." Little Black Fish chimed in.

  Everyone looked at Xiaqiao. "I agree too." Xiaqiao didn't hesitate and expressed his support.

  "And then there's one more thing." Xia Zhi smiled and looked at everyone, "From now on, the family's finances will also be managed together, with transparent accounts. My dad's earnings, as well as our family's various income, what we plan to do with it, how it's used in the end, all need to be discussed and decided by everyone. Hmm, the money will be kept by my brother."

  "Sister, you should be in charge of the money." Xiaoshu immediately said, then added, "I have no other opinions, I agree."

  "The money should be given to the Sixteen Pipes, I agree." Xia Qiao continued to say.

  Xia Xiuzai opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word for a long time.

  Xia Zhi knew that Xia Xiuzai did not approve of this charter.

  "Dad, what did you say?" Xia Zhi asked Xia Xiuciai again.

  "I understand your concerns. However... Xia Xiuzai hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your mother is the mistress of the house. If you two are like this, where will your mother's face be? What status does she have in this family? She is...she..."

  "It was a big deal, and your grandma was also deceived by her. All these years, although she took care of her natal family, she is still your own mother after all. She is my formally married wife, and in this household, only she can be the mistress."

  This last sentence was spoken by Xia Xiuzai not only for the children but also for Old Man and Old Lady Xia.

  "Even if she takes all the family property and gives it to Lao Tian's family; sells the children or delays their marriage; is unfilial to your own father; makes you work to death like a long-term laborer, would you still let her be in charge and hold the purse strings?" Xia Laoyezi asked Xia Xiucan.

  Xia Xiuzai hesitated: "I'll go back and persuade her, she will slowly understand. With her, this house is a home."

  "You didn't even let her rest!" Old Master Xia was somewhat irritable, "What's the point of letting the children take charge? You've been supporting her, not letting her worry about anything, that's already being unfair to her. Knowing full well she can't manage the household with money, you're still letting her do so, this is...!"

  Old Man Xia pointed at Xia Xiuren, almost speechless.

  Xia Xiuzai looked at Old Man Xia with a pitiful expression. "Dad, in this life, I haven't had big ambitions for anything. It's just that there's only Qianqian..." Xia Xiuzai's voice grew softer and softer.

  Mr. Xia's face turned green and white, then white and green, finally a furious red. "It's all injustice," he said, turning his head away as if unwilling to look at Xia Xiucan.

  This situation is a bit tricky, around the summer solstice I took a look and pondered it in my heart.

  Xia Xiuzai saw that Old Master Xia had stopped talking, so she turned her head back and discussed with Xia Zhi and the others. "In our family, Father doesn't have any requirements, but you must respect your mother. The household should still be managed by your mother, and the money... the money should also be taken care of by your mother. This is how she can be the mistress of the house."

  "After this, your mother won't be the same as before. Let's go back and advise her well, she won't be like before again. From now on, we won't give money to your maternal grandparents' home, nor will we visit them. Your mother will definitely feel very uncomfortable. We also have to take a step back, can't let your mother think that she has no status in this family..." Xia Xiuxiu advised her three siblings.

  "Dad, aren't you afraid that Mother will be holding the money and secretly helping out the Lao Tian family?" Xia Zhi asked Xia Xiuciai.

  "You... your mother won't know, shouldn't know." Xia Xiuzai said repeatedly, but listening to his tone and looking at his expression, he himself didn't seem to believe these words.

  Xia Zhi was speechless for a while, then she thought for a moment and slapped the kang with a loud "pa": "Then you can live with my mother from now on. We won't live with you anymore."

  Xia Xiuzai was shocked.

  Everyone including Xia Zhi looked at Xia Xiuciai.

  Xia Xiuzai's face twitched, his eyes complex and painful, obviously struggling. But just like that, everyone fell silent for a while, and Xia Xiuzai still didn't say a word.

  Xia Zhi sighed silently, it was always like this. They forced Xia Xiuzai to be like this, what could she say? She could only say that Xia Xiuzai truly loved the Tian family.

  They really want the three siblings to leave Xia Xiuzai and Tian Shi to live on their own, which is fine. And they will be doing very well too. Thinking so, Xia Zhi glanced at Old Master Xia.

  Old Man Xia was looking at Xia Zhi with some tension.

  Xia Zhi suddenly understood. If she made such a decision, Old Man Xia should have expressed his support. However, Old Man Xia did not actually agree with her decision in his heart.

  This decision would be good for the three siblings, but Xia Xiuzai was afraid that Tian Shi would drag him into an even deeper abyss, and he wouldn't be able to climb out again in this lifetime.

  Old Man Xia loves her dearly, but the person he loves most is not her.

  The person Xia Lao Yezi loves most is not Xiao Hei Yu Er, but has always been Xia Xiu Cai.

  Having understood this, Xia Zhi winked at Old Man Xia on the summer solstice.

  Old Man Xia immediately understood, and first scolded Xia Xiucan: "Look at you as a father, what have you driven the children to? The children don't want to live with you anymore! What face do you have left to stand in front of people and speak?"

  Xia Xiuzai let out a wronged cry of "Dad".

  Old Man Xia sighed, then advised Xia Zhi: "Sixteen, you should still live with your father, otherwise it won't be a proper family. But I'm telling you this in private, if your parents do anything else to wrong you, just come find me and tell me. At that time, I won't take their side either. I'll take charge and formally divide the household for you. You don't need to set up another household, just let them go live on Mountain Ridge Village, we can't accommodate them in Daxing Village."

  Mr. Xia's words were acceptable to both Xia Xiuzi and Xia Zhi.

  "Big bridge, kid's dad!" At this time, the voice of Tian Shi was heard shouting Xia Qiao and Xia Xiuzai. Listening to this sound, Tian Shi had not entered the yard.

  Xia Xia Lin ran out with his little short legs, and soon came back, panting and saying: "My grandma is at the gate."

  Tian's family invited Xia Qiao and Xia Xiuzai, they should have been anxious. However, even in such a hurry, she still didn't dare to take the initiative to step into the back door of the courtyard.

  Xia Zhi slightly lowered her eyelids, and Tian Shi was very astute in many things. At this time, she certainly didn't want to go before Old Man Xia.

  Tian's family kept calling out in front of the door for a long time, Xia Qiao lowered his head and didn't say anything, Xia Xiucai was silent for a while, then became restless.

  "Dad, then I..." Xia Xiuzai stood up and spoke to Old Man Xia, meaning he wanted to go back.

  Old Master Xia recalled the words of Xia Xiucui, "With the Has, this family is a complete family." Old Master Xia could only sigh and nodded lightly.

  "Children are your own flesh and blood, you can't just think of one side, it's too hurtful to the children." This is Old Man Xia's advice to Xia Xiucan.

  "I won't." Xia Xiuren hastily agreed. He stood up but didn't leave immediately, instead looking at Xia Zhi and the others. "Sixteen, let's all go back, don't make your mother worry. Once we're back, we'll discuss it thoroughly again."

  Xia Zhi went to see Xia Qiao and Xiao Shu Er. Xiao Shu Er is whatever Xia Zhi says, and Xia Qiao also expressed that she would listen to Xia Zhi.

  "Alright, let's go back." Xia Zhi said, and then followed Xia Xiuzai out of the upstairs room.

  They and Xia Xiuzai have agreed on two conditions, but there is still a Tian family, neither of whom can avoid the other, and this will be an even more difficult negotiation.

  Mrs. Tian stood at the gate, using her anger to cover up the anxiety in her heart. She saw Xia Xiuzai leading a few children out of the house upstairs. Mrs. Tian felt a slight relief in her heart, but her facial expression didn't change much.

  However, when Xia Xiuzai and the others came up to her, the scolding words that Tian had on the tip of her tongue were not spoken after all. The expressions on the faces of Xia Xiuzai and a few other children made her feel guilty.

  "Hurry up, we haven't eaten yet. What do you want to eat tonight?" Tian Shi asked in a deliberately unpleasant tone.

  Xia Zhi took a glance at Xia Xiucun.

  "Eat first, and then wait a bit. The children have something to say to you." Xia Xiuzai said. Several children made concessions, as the father, he also had to let Tian Shi and the children face each other and talk.

  Xia Xiuzai's intention is still to let the children resolve their misunderstanding with Tian Shi. He doesn't want the children to leave any emotional scars in their hearts towards Tian Shi.

  Tian's eyes quickly glanced at Xia Xiuzai, and she understood that Xia Xiuzai must not have been able to persuade the few children. She didn't say anything and walked ahead of everyone else.

  Back to the front yard, into the east house, Da Ya and Er Ya immediately got up from the kang. The two sisters seemed to have also felt the awkward atmosphere, both with a nervous look on their faces.

  The summer solstice was even more speechless for Lao Tiantou and his family, as well as the Tian family. They left Liangshan Village ahead of time without even having breakfast, although they didn't make a scene or cause trouble that would have made everyone lose face, but in fact, they had already broken off relations with the Tian family.

  In this case, Lao Tian actually managed to get Da Ya and Er Ya to follow the Tian family back, it's really making Xia Zhi not know what to say about them. This is too shameless, too unaware of propriety.

  "You two carry on, nothing's wrong." In front of her niece from her mother's side, Tian still maintained a strong face, but was already somewhat pretending.

  Xia Xiuzai was the softest-hearted person, and he gently comforted his two sisters: "It's nothing, it's just like being at home, don't be restrained."

  Da Ya and Er Ya both hastily called out "Uncle", with a look of gratitude and tears.

  Tian's family sat on the kang first, but Xia Xiuzai didn't sit down, nor did several children and the little black fish who came with them. Tian's family knew that she couldn't avoid this matter, so she sank her face and first sent Da Ya and Er Ya out.

  As soon as the two sisters left, Tian's face could no longer hold on.

  Xia Xiuzai spoke up first: "Lai Di, tell the children clearly. The matter of Da Yue, you didn't know about it beforehand either."

  As soon as he finished speaking, Tian's tears fell like rain and she burst into loud sobs. It seemed that she had also been holding it in her heart all along, and only now was releasing it. While crying, Tian spoke out.

  "...What can I do, she's my own mother. You don't know the kindness of your parents until you have children of your own. My mother is dying and needs money to save her life. If I could sell myself, I would sell myself. But I still have your father, and I still have you..."

  These words were obviously directed at Xia Qiao.

  "I can only discuss it with your sister, and she is willing to do so. Your aunt treats your sister well, and if she can save your aunt, we won't have to separate as a family. Your sister is willing to do so herself. If she isn't willing, I... uh... *sobs*..."

  These words did not move Xia Qiao, Xia Zhi said it was useless, but these words could not move her. On the contrary, she roughly guessed from these words how Tian Shi had coaxed Da Yu'er at first.

  Tian Shi must have told Da Yue Er that selling her would save Tian Wang Shi's life, if she didn't sell her, Tian Shi would have to sell herself, then Xia Xiu Cai wouldn't have a wife and Xia Qiao wouldn't have a mother.

  A seven- or eight-year-old kind and soft-hearted little girl, how can she bear such words?

  So, Xia Zhi believed that Xia Yue was really willing to be sold.

  Perhaps for Xiaqiao and Xiaoshu, Tian Shi is still a mother, although she may not be very competent. But for her and Xiaoyue, Tian Shi is not a mother.

  "My grandmother is faking her illness, all the neighbors know. Mother, don't pretend you don't know!" Once she understood this matter, Xia Zhi's words became even more ruthless.

  *****

  Xia Lao Ye Zi's true love is Xia Xiu Cai, Xia Xiu Cai's true love is Tian Shi, and Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu Er are each other's true loves.