"If you're worried this money will be counted against you, then let's divide the family!"
With Mrs. Lin's words, the room fell silent again. The second aunt's eyes darted around, pondering something unknown.
"Sister-in-law, why are you talking nonsense like this?" the eldest uncle said discontentedly.
"What's wrong with what I'm saying?" Mrs. Lin directly interrupted the eldest uncle: "Why is it that only Lin Ming in your family can learn martial arts, but our Chen'Er cannot."
"Isn't it just because the family doesn't have money?" The eldest uncle said helplessly: "If we had money, Dad would definitely let Chen'Er learn martial arts."
"If there's no money, then borrow it. Otherwise, why should the money we earn be spent on Lin Ming, and now when our Chen'Er needs money for martial arts, your family doesn't want to share the burden? Does your family get all the good things in the world?"
Mrs. Lin's words left the eldest uncle speechless, and seeing this, the eldest aunt interjected: "Sister-in-law, our family has already borrowed quite a lot, and we can't borrow any more."
"Whether I can borrow or not is my business, no need for you to worry about it. Just tell me whether your family acknowledges this debt."
Mrs. Lin's eyes were sharp as she stared at the eldest aunt, who felt guilty and didn't dare to meet her gaze.
Lin Chen looked at his silent grandfather, then at the guilty expression on his aunt's face, a mocking smile appearing on his face.
He understood now, the aunt just wanted to bleed his family dry but didn't want to pay for his martial arts.
As for his grandfather, it wasn't just about sunk costs allowing the eldest cousin to continue martial arts; it was genuine favoritism.
"Youngest, are you going to let your wife talk like this?" Grandfather Lin Chaoyang frowned at Father Lin.
Father Lin pleaded: "Dad, if Chen'Er wants to learn martial arts, let him. We'll pay back the borrowed money."
"What do you know? Learning martial arts is a bottomless pit. Do you think it's just a matter of a few taels of silver? What will your family use to repay when the time comes?"
Lin Chaoyang scolded loudly, but Lin Chen couldn't help but coldly retort: "So it's not a bottomless pit when the eldest cousin learns martial arts? May I ask, Grandpa, do you only consider the eldest cousin to be your grandson?"
"You brat!"
Lin Chaoyang's face turned livid: "Youngest, is this the son you raised, talking to me like that!"
"No need to talk about my husband and son." Mrs. Lin was like an enraged lion: "Being a biased grandfather, why expect filial piety from the younger generation?"
"Actually, dividing the family isn't so bad. If Chen'Er wants to learn martial arts, let the youngest uncle's family figure it out."
The second aunt muttered this under her breath on the side. Her family had also been drained by Lin Ming, and she had long wanted the family divided.
Lin Chaoyang glared at the second daughter-in-law, then coldly looked at Mrs. Lin: "What if I don't agree to the family division?"
Mrs. Lin was fearless: "Not dividing the family is fine. I'll just go around the village spreading our family's ugly truth, that as a grandfather you're biased, spending dozens of taels on the eldest grandson's martial arts but not giving a penny to the younger. Let's see whose face gets lost, see if your precious eldest grandson can still hold his head high in the village!"
These words struck a nerve with the grandfather.
Grandfather Lin Chaoyang's face was ashen, trembling all over, threatening: "If you want to divide the family, the fields at home will have nothing to do with your family."
"We don't want them; we'll just take the two acres we cultivated ourselves. Leave the Lin Family's land for your good eldest grandson. Liang'Er, Chen'Er, let's go. From now on, this place isn't our home."
Lin Chen gave his grandfather a deep look, then turned silently to follow his mother. His older brother Lin Liang suddenly spat a thick glob of phlegm on the ground, his heart filled with hate.
He'd thought that grandfather letting Lin Ming learn martial arts was because Lin Ming had the age advantage. Lin Liang had caught loaches for the eldest uncle's family without complaint, but now he saw grandpa only cared about Lin Ming.
To him and Brother Chen, they were nothing as grandsons.
"Liang'Er, what are you doing?" The eldest uncle's face turned stern.
Lin Liang ignored him, supporting his mother as he and Lin Chen walked out through the courtyard gate.
"Dad, I'm an unfilial child." Father Lin looked at his departing wife and children and didn't hesitate to turn and follow them.
"Brats, truly brats!"
From within the old house, the grandfather's furious voice was heard far and wide…