Chapter 7 - How Dare You Suggest Living Apart (1/2)

Proofread by Claire.KK

When Ye Xiaoxian finished talking, everyone was staring at her; some scornfully, some approvingly and some with surprise.

The “some” who approved was in fact only one person— Xiao Baoshan. Living apart was something that he had thought about when he returned home; it was only that he hadn’t had time to put it forward.

Mrs. Xiao nee w.a.n.g sneered. “The only money-maker in your second family is Baoshan, am I right? He is only a handyman in the town and at best he can make one tael of silver each month, so how could he support all of you people?”

Being a handyman was not like being an attendant. A handyman was like a freelancer who found jobs outside the town hall. One could only make money when there was work, and if there wasn’t any work, he might wait for a whole day in vain. It was a temporary position.

Being an attendant was a formal position whose primary role was to punish criminals, and they got paid monthly with a fixed wage of two taels of silver.

Xiao nee Chen also laughed. “Little Ye, you’ve been raised up as a child bride yet you spoke with such grandeur. If you live apart for a couple of days and then you regret it, begging us to take you back, by then wouldn’t you put your ma in an awkward position?

Ye Xiaoxian didn’t look angry or upset but still remained very relaxed and calm. “As we wish to live apart, we will never regret it. No matter how badly we live in the future, we will never go back and beg you!”

Old Mr. Xiao looked at Li Hongmei scornfully. “Li, what do you say? Do you agree to live apart?”

“I…” Li Hongmei glanced at Ye Xiaoxian first, wondering why little Ye had not discussed such an important matter with her beforehand. Then she saw Ye Xiaoxian’s calm looks and she thought that maybe little Ye had discussed it with Baoshan or she wouldn’t be so decisive.

She then glanced at Xiao Baoshan who was now looking at little Ye and he was obviously agreeing what little Ye had proposed.

She finally sat upright and patted her chest, answering, “I have made up my mind. We should live apart. Though our second family is poor, we won’t be too broke to support ourselves. We won’t cause you any trouble in the future, living apart!”

Old Mr. Xiao threw his chopsticks again.

All the elders in the village didn’t like their sons and daughters-in-law living apart from the big family. They liked seeing their children around them, but in this case old Mr. Xiao’s second son had died and Li Hongmei had been a harlot in the past. She didn’t have much female virtue and her behaviour was quite reckless; moreover, none of her cooked dishes suited old Mr. Xiao’s taste. He did not want her here a long time ago.