Zeng Jingchu left with several sets of clothes with holes cut into them.
Zeng Jingliang could finally monopolize his daughter. Washing clothes and diapers was no longer daunting, even in the bitter cold.
Mother Li laughed, saying Zeng Jingliang was content with his daughter.
Da Mai's morning sickness finally subsided. Yuan Man helped her to the courtyard to visit her niece.
Mother Li doted on her eldest granddaughter, who had been bedridden for two months, and kept her at the courtyard. She could help with childcare, and her granddaughter would have company. Dr. Yang's workshop, with its two men, was hardly suitable for caring for a pregnant woman.
Yuan Man looked at Tian Jing.
Tian Jing glared at him displementarily, "What are you looking at me for? This is the Li family's home, and my mother-in-law can make all the decisions."
Yuan Man then put down his wife and went back to pack her belongings.
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Meihua also packed a few clothes and moved in. Da Mai might not be her biological daughter, but she was still her daughter. How could she leave all the work to her mother-in-law alone? She came to help, and to look after A Feng's child.
Li Liguo saw his wife 'leave home' and quickly packed his toiletries and followed.
Tian Jing stared blankly.
Li Zhengguo, having finally persuaded his two older students to return home, waved his hand, "Everyone come, we'll spend the New Year here this year."
Everyone comes?
Li Min quickly pulled her husband and eldest son, and they brought their luggage.
Tian Jing held her forehead. Was her place so attractive?
Mother Li chuckled, "Alright, alright, everyone come. We'll have a lively New Year this year."
Dr. Yang nudged his disciple.
The disciple understood perfectly, packed his luggage, and brought his uncle to sponge off the New Year celebration.
Chen Fu, who had finally persuaded Lin Hua'er with the cooperation of the two households upstairs and downstairs, asked his maternal uncle if they could announce it now.
Li Zhengguo gestured for him not to act rashly. He would first sound out Lin Guangde and Lin Er'lai, and then persuade his own family.
Since divorcing Fang Qiuhong, Lin Er'lai had found a new wife using the name of Kushan Mountain. The new wife was capable and diligent, and actively cooperated with all village plans with Lin Er'lai. However, she brought a burden with her, and it was a boy. After marrying Lin Er'lai, she had two daughters. Some villagers secretly said that Lin Er'lai had done something wicked and was destined to have no sons. Look at Lin Guangde, who had committed many sins in his life but later reformed, worked diligently, and did good deeds, didn't he also get a grandson? Lin Wulai, after being separated, also had a son, who wasn't very smart, but not foolish either. Although Lin Er'lai was led in the right direction by his new wife, he never mentioned taking back his two daughters, as if they didn't exist. He treated his later-born daughters well, but not his stepson. When Lin Er'lai was mentioned, villagers often shook their heads and sighed. He doted on someone else's son so much, what good was it? If he relied on someone else's son for old age support, wouldn't all his property go to that son in the end? After the village implemented the policy of establishing female-headed households, villagers looked down on Lin Er'lai even more.
Li Zhengguo knew all of this. He went directly to Lin Guangde.
Lin Guangde was straightforward, "Let's go find Er'lai together."
Lin Er'lai and his wife warmly welcomed Village Chief Li and Uncle Er.
"Ahem," Lin Guangde coughed lightly and began, "Er'lai, I've come today to discuss something with you."
Lin Er'lai politely replied, "Uncle Er, please speak."
Lin Guangde took a sip of tea, "I've found a suitor for Hua'er. Back then, you relinquished your guardianship of Hua'er and Duo'er. But you are still their father, so I've come to ask for your opinion."
Lin Er'lai glanced at his wife and asked, "Where is he from?"
Lin Guangde also glanced at his niece-in-law, their neighbor. He hadn't yet investigated the true nature of this woman. She seemed like a formidable character. "From this village."
Lin Er'lai immediately shook his head, "No, I plan to keep all four of my daughters to marry sons-in-law."
Li Zhengguo stood up, "I'll go revise the notice. From today onwards, girls who are to marry sons-in-law will no longer be allocated housing."
"Village Chief Li, Village Chief Li."
Lin Er'lai quickly took a few steps and grabbed Li Zhengguo's arm, "Village Chief Li, changing the decree like this isn't good, is it?"
Li Zhengguo forcefully shook off his arm, "Then I'll change the conditions. If a girl is forced by her family to establish a female-headed household, she can report it to the village."
"Once verified by the village, severe punishment will be immediately imposed. In serious cases, their share in the Hot Spring Valley scenic area and their business premises within the Hot Spring Valley will be revoked. Half of the revoked shares will be given to the girl, and the business premises in the Hot Spring Valley can also be owned by the girl."
"Village Chief Li."
Lin Er'lai's wife quickly spoke up, "Village Chief Li, we are after the new village housing, but we haven't reached the point of forcing our daughters. Please sit down and talk properly." She had been here for seven or eight years and understood this village chief's decisive nature very well. She had repeatedly instructed her husband to never go against Village Chief Li again. Village Chief Li wouldn't hold a grudge against her husband for his past actions. And wasn't that the case? Village Chief Li was busy with important village affairs and never intentionally made things difficult for villagers who had offended him and Team Leader Tian. This was the fundamental reason why the villagers loved and respected him.
Li Zhengguo finally sat back on the stool, "The reason I allowed for female-headed households was to increase the village population, and to give unmarried girls an opportunity for independence and autonomy, not for certain people to take advantage. The housing obtained from establishing a female-headed household must be inherited by the biological child of the daughter. As for other haphazardly recognized descendants, our village does not recognize them. Nor will it be inherited by the daughter's parents, siblings, or sisters. Don't daydream. If you're too cunning, you might end up with nothing but a stomach full of wind."
"To tell you the truth, Lin Hua'er has found a boyfriend. Would you dare to demolish it? Do you have the right? I came to ask you because I respected your position as parents. Who knew you would take advantage of the situation. Are you fit to be parents?" Li Zhengguo could see that Lin Er'lai's wife was not simple. If it weren't for his grandnephew, he wouldn't have wanted to interfere in Lin Er'lai's family affairs. Therefore, he included this woman in his scolding. However, he didn't scold her unfairly. If she were truly kind, she would have long ago told Lin Er'lai to bring Lin Hua'er and Lin Duo'er home. If not for the benefits of establishing a female-headed household, would this couple even remember that they had two daughters being raised by their second uncle?
Lin Er'lai's wife's expression remained unchanged, "Village Chief Li is right, it is we parents who have not done enough."
"In that case, we will prepare a dowry for Hua'er so that she can marry happily."
Lin Guangde waved his hand, "No need. Since I agreed to raise Hua'er and Duo'er, I have already prepared their dowries. Le Xia has no objections. Her biggest complaint is that Lin Er'lai, her brother-in-law, dotes on someone else's son like a treasure. Lin Er'lai, I thought you had changed after so many years, but I didn't expect your heart to still be so cruel. I will no longer inform you about Duo'er's matters in the future, because you are not worthy. Keep your money to raise your stepson. Pray that your stepson is filial. Hua'er and Duo'er will not support you in your old age. That's all. We're leaving."
Looking at the two departing figures, Lin Er'lai's wife sighed and said to her husband, "You shouldn't have spoken so firmly. Listen, there will be a notice about the additional conditions for establishing female-headed households soon."