Chapter 3: This Granddaughter Resembles Her the Most

One must admit that there is always something detestable about a pitiable person; if you lack wisdom, don’t blame others!

Sheng Wanqiu’s words rang with undeniable force, and the onlookers nearby listened intently.

“Cuicui, if you want to sever ties, then so be it. You can just have another child later!” Jiang Dazhu shouted to his sister.

He was in agony and just wanted to rush to see the doctor.

Anyway, the two taels of silver in his sister’s hands were already in their mother’s possession. When she got married, there would be a betrothal gift of three taels!

Combined, that was over five taels—enough to support their family for quite a while. They had already lost more than seven taels earlier, and if the sister didn’t marry, it would mean losing nearly six taels more.

That was worse than being killed.

“That’s right! Cuicui, don’t worry. If you can’t have children later on, I’ll have your nephew take care of you!” Old Mrs. Jiang’s eyes darted cunningly, clearly harboring no good intentions.

She saw that her daughter was starting to hesitate and couldn’t allow this little financial loss to sway her. She had already taken a deposit on the betrothal silver; refusing to marry was simply out of the question.

“Fine, I’ll sever ties. I won’t come looking for you anymore!”

As expected, this was precisely the outcome Sheng Wanqiu had predicted. Jiang Cuicui was a classic case of a sister who favored her brothers over her own children.

She would sneak all the delicious food back to her mother’s house for her nephews. If it weren’t for the original owner’s fiery spirit, who would immediately eat all the good food whenever she saw it, then perhaps the situation would have been different. When asked if her mother or father had brought back pastries, she’d say no; since they claimed there were none, it was fine for her to finish it all.

Later, Jiang Cuicui dared not hide anything anymore. She divided the pastries brought back by their father into two portions: one hidden and one for her three siblings. But still, whenever Sheng Wanqiu found them, she would devour them immediately!

“Big sister, I’ve called Uncle Lizheng for you!” Little Huai Mu tugged a man about the same age as Sheng Dabo into the yard.

The village’s Lizheng, surnamed Sheng, was Sheng Wanqiu’s paternal uncle.

Upon seeing the kitchen knife in Sheng Wanqiu’s hand and the bloodstains on the ground, he was utterly shocked.

“Wanqiu, child, speak calmly. You mustn’t act rashly!”

“Uncle Lizheng, it’s perfect timing. Having you as a witness is the best thing!”

“Uncle Lizheng, please help write three copies of the severance agreement!” Sheng Wanqiu respectfully requested.

“Wanqiu, have you thought it through? Do your younger brothers agree?” Uncle Lizheng asked, noticing her determination.

“I agree!” A boy about ten years old, carrying a bundle of firewood, stepped into the yard.

“Huaian!” Jiang Cuicui looked tearfully at her eldest son, surprised that even he agreed to sever ties.

“I want to ask you two, are you willing or not to sever ties with her?” Sheng Wanqiu softly inquired of her two younger brothers.

“Big sister, I’m willing. Since she doesn’t want me, I don’t want her either!” The second brother, Sheng Huaian, looked coldly at Jiang Cuicui, his eyes filled with resentment.

“Big sister, second brother, I don’t want her either! She’s no longer my mother. From now on, I only have my sister and brother!” Sheng Huaimu’s eyes were red as he stared at Jiang Cuicui. At six years old, he understood everything.

“Uncle Lizheng, please write it! We all agree to sever ties with Jiang Cuicui. From now on, we are strangers!” Sheng Wanqiu said firmly.

“You’ve truly broken your mother’s heart!” Jiang Cuicui cried louder as she looked at her two sons.

She was just a small woman; after her husband died, she was utterly lost. She lived under her father’s household before marriage and under her husband’s afterward. With her sons still so young, she could only rely on her mother and brothers to remarry.

People like her never thought of relying on themselves; they always depended on others. Without any self-reliance, they never lived well.

With Uncle Lizheng’s help, the severance agreement was written in triplicate: one copy for the Jiang family, one for the Sheng family, and one for the Lizheng to be filed at the county office the next day.

Upon receiving the agreement, Sheng Wanqiu released Jiang Dazhu and went to the side to press her fingerprint on it. Her two younger brothers followed suit.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Jiang Cuicui also pressed her fingerprint, making the severance official.

“I’m leaving. Take care of yourselves!” Jiang Cuicui’s voice choked as she looked at her three children.

Sheng Wanqiu turned away coldly, refusing to give her a single glance. Sheng Huaian did the same. Only Sheng Huaimu looked at Jiang Cuicui with tear-filled eyes.

Jiang Cuicui closed her eyes, turned her head, and cried as she trailed behind the Jiang family, carrying a small bundle thrown out by Old Mrs. Sheng.

“Stop watching. Disperse!”

“Get back to work!” Uncle Lizheng shouted at the villagers who had gathered to watch.

The crowd quickly dispersed; Uncle Lizheng’s authority was effective.

“So, what’s the plan now, Wanqiu?” Uncle Lizheng approached the three Sheng siblings.

“We’ll discuss that at home,” Old Mrs. Sheng called everyone back. She even invited Uncle Lizheng inside.

Sheng Wanqiu cast cold eyes at her little uncle and aunt who had just arrived after the commotion, as well as at her eldest uncle and aunt who hid in the crowd watching the spectacle.

And at those cousins who looked on indifferently!

Only her grandmother treated her kindly. The rest were either too timid to speak, indifferent bystanders, or covetous of the silver she possessed. She had no desire to live with such people or be exploited by them.

“Uncle Lizheng, Grandma, Eldest Uncle, Little Uncle, since all the elders are here—my father is gone, my mother remarried—I am now the eldest in this household. I understand the family situation clearly. I request to split the family property!”

The moment she spoke, Old Mrs. Sheng struck her hard on the back. Her grandmother’s strength was formidable; Sheng Wanqiu nearly fell off her stool.

“You reckless girl, what nonsense are you spouting? Have you lost your mind? Do you think having silver makes you powerful?”

After speaking, Old Mrs. Sheng reached to pull her ear, but Sheng Wanqiu dodged.

“Grandma, listen to me first. You can hit me after I finish speaking!” Sheng Wanqiu grasped her grandmother’s hand, looking at the seemingly frail yet deeply strong old woman with earnest eyes.

Old Mrs. Sheng hesitated. It seemed her granddaughter had changed.

She had become more assertive and knew how to adapt to situations rather than relying solely on brute force.

Thinking of her own son’s death, her daughter’s remarriage, and that Sheng Wanqiu would have to support the family alone and raise her two younger brothers, her heart ached for the girl.

This granddaughter was the one most like her—bold, daring, and determined.