Li Changming heard her bring the matter up so directly and thought, 'My third aunt was right after all.'
'My family is dirt-poor, so there's not much to gain from splitting off. But if I do it right after getting married, won't people say I'm a man who "forgets his mother once he has a wife"?'
He remained silent, still unsure how to respond, when Gou Dan's mother spoke again. "I'm not asking you to be a man who 'forgets his mother once he has a wife.' If you live separately and do well, you can still be a good son to your parents. Your family has been together for all these years, and what's changed? If you all keep living without any foresight, how can I rest easy marrying Meizi to you? If you two are on your own, we can help and offer guidance from the side. But if you don't split from the family, we can't very well meddle in your household's affairs, can we?"
