Quick Transmigration: Drama Queen's Daily Life Chapter 3 - 2: The Not-So-Bad Dad

Land! It is the very lifeblood of the villagers!

"Big brother, didn't you promise that we could farm this very land?" Even the usually honest-looking Ye Xiu was becoming anxious.

"Yes, big brother, spring planting is upon us. We've just got the field ready; you can't just take it back," Liu Ping's squinting eyes widened to their maximum. "Without land, what can your favorite nephew use for his education?"

Concerned about her eldest grandson, Granny Ye could not keep still either: "That's right, eldest, you initially agreed that the second brother would farm this land, you can't just revoke it now."

Watching Chen Wen anxiously from the side, Ye Qiu sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Well, mother, what should we do? How is my family going to survive without the land?"

"Aren't we all eating together, and nobody is starving, right?" Granny Ye stated, pursing her lips.

"I just got back and watched all of you feast; my wife and daughter haven't even been offered a seat at the table." Ye Qiu, a man who had never been a good person, knew that if he didn't stir the pot today, there would be endless trouble in the future.

"Why should outsiders eat? They are merely a drain on resources," Granny Ye glared fiercely, spitting out her words with contempt.

"My daughter is not a drain on resources." Ye Qiu, holding Ye Manman in one arm and taking Chen Wen's hand, continued to sneer.

Chen Wen remained silent, but her eyes welled up with tears once more. After nearly three years, had her wait finally come to an end? No matter how his attitude had suddenly changed, as long as it was for their daughter's sake, she would not pick a quarrel.

Although Liu Ping and Ye Xiu were perplexed by their elder brother's sudden turn, they did not ponder it too deeply; their own interests were paramount.

"How about this, big brother? We won't farm your land for free. I'll still take up the farming, and for every mu of land, I'll give you a hundred catties of grain each year," Ye Xiu proposed.

Liu Ping pinched her husband's waist fiercely, lamenting the hundred catties of grain; four hundred catties for four mu of land, a thought so painful it was almost unbearable.

For him to even propose giving a hundred catties of grain was a testament to how difficult things were, as in Ye Village, a lower rent was virtually unheard of.

"Well, it's not entirely out of the question," Ye Qiu said hesitantly, as though he had more to say.

But Granny Ye did not allow him the chance to speak further: "Yes, why not? That's settled then." Nothing else mattered when it came to her eldest grandson.

"Since mother has declared it so, alright then," Ye Qiu feigned reluctance.

Granny Ye continued, her intentions clear, "Since both of you brothers have established your own families, it's time to divide the household as well. Eldest, you have no sons, so the small cottage at the village end will be yours. The main house goes to your brother, and your sister and I will reside with your brother. You have no objections, correct?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Xiu and Liu Ping beamed. Ye Qiu maintained a stoic expression, but inwardly, he scoffed at the blatant favoritism; the tiny cottage at the village's edge barely consisted of two rooms and a half-ruined roof. However, he didn't seem to care much: "I can accept the house, but out of the two pigs, I want the bigger one, and out of the twenty chickens, I want ten."

"Big brother, that's excessively greedy of you." Liu Ping protested, her own interests now at stake, completely disregarding the fact that she was receiving the larger house.

Granny Ye shot a glare that silenced her, then added, "Alright, but once the family is split, you must take care of this old lady, and when your sister marries, you will be responsible for providing the dowry."

"Undertaking mother's care and arranging for my sister's marriage is only right. How about this? Since mother and my second brother will be living together, you can decide how much rice I should provide each month – you set the amount. As for my sister's marriage, when the time comes, I will contribute the same amount of money as my second brother, does that sound acceptable?"

"Regarding the rice, providing it month by month is too much of a hassle. Your brother is renting your land and already has to pay you grain; let's bypass that transaction altogether and consider it directly as your support fee for me. What do you say to that?"

The Old Lady's calculations were indeed astute, seizing his land from the outset and leaving him with merely one pig and ten chickens – not to mention, those animals were raised by his wife. But from the very beginning, he had no intention of living his life out in this small mountain village; accepting less now would provide ample justification to rid himself of them later.

"Since mother, you have decreed it so, it is not my place to argue." Ye Qiu appeared utterly heartbroken.

The financial affairs of both families had been separated from the moment the younger brother, Ye Xiu, wed, though they had yet to establish separate households. The commotion of the day, with the village chief presiding, cleared away any remaining potential for entanglement. That evening, despite the modest, dilapidated hut at the edge of the village not being fully prepared, Ye Qiu relocated his wife and child into it.

For the other villagers, this move became a fresh topic of conversation. While many in the village harbored a preference for sons, Granny Ye's bias was notably severe. Ye Qiu made no effort to conceal his departure with his wife and child; instead, he actively disseminated news of Granny Ye's unjust treatment and Ye Laoer's moral failings.

He always conducted himself with propriety when dealing with others. As he passed by, he distributed candies that remained—barely half a bag after Ye Yu had snatched the majority—offering a handful to one person, then another. A subtle, pained smile would unconsciously grace his features, and he'd nod his head at opportune moments, conveying disappointment and exhaustion, skillfully winning over the villagers.

In those times, rural entertainment was scarce, and villagers relished gossip, dissecting the details of each other's lives. Occasionally, if public opinion was artfully shaped, it could yield substantial benefits. Having traversed numerous worlds, Ye Qiu was intimately familiar with this principle.

After guiding the pig to the enclosure behind the dwelling, he reinforced the worn-out pigsty and chicken coop, utilizing salvaged wood. Following a basic tidying-up, and considering the early spring weather was not yet warm, he swiftly hastened to mend the roof with straw and tiles, borrowed from the village chief's residence, before nightfall.

Besides the pig and the chickens, their sole possessions consisted of Chen Wen's dowry, two sets of quilts and bedding, and a few wooden basins and buckets. Cooking that day was impossible due to the late hour, so Ye Qiu, unwilling to let his wife and daughter go hungry, took a chicken to the village chief's house, exchanging it for hot meals and dining utensils.

Though the humble abode was rundown, the family within found immense warmth. That night, Chen Wen experienced the most restful sleep she had known since her daughter's birth.

Having recently separated from the larger Ye Family, Qiu Ye could not openly escort his wife and child directly to the provincial city. To do so would risk alerting the insatiable Cheng Family, potentially inviting their persistent harassment.

With the commencement of spring plowing, Ye Qiu, despite not owning any land, found no shortage of work to provide for his wife and child. On the small hills behind their house, diligent individuals could occasionally trap a rabbit or a pheasant, allowing the family of three to maintain an ordered existence.

Months elapsed, and perhaps convinced that Ye Qiu had truly depleted his funds, Liu Ping ceased her inquiries into their circumstances. Meanwhile, Ye Qiu bided his time, awaiting an opportune moment to relocate his wife and child to the provincial city.

It appeared that, observing Ye Qiu's lack of farmland and his struggles to support his family, the village chief consistently acted as the primary source for external work opportunities.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the village chief's son delivered news: a farm located on the outskirts of the provincial city was hiring laborers, but it exclusively accepted single individuals, prohibiting spouses and children.

Ye Qiu declined the offer, yet it provided him with an ideal justification to journey to the provincial city.

A few days later, every inhabitant of Ye Village was aware that the Ye Qiu family was facing hardships due to their absence of farmland. They had resolved to seek a new life in the provincial city, having sold their only pig and a few chickens to finance their journey.

When Ye Qiu, Chen Wen, and their daughter traveled to the city, Granny Ye, Ye Laoer, and Ye Xiaomei did not make an appearance.

He scoffed internally, recognizing them as a truly avaricious family, unwilling even to maintain a facade as they observed his misfortune.

His timely sighs and expressions of disappointment caused the village chief to hold Ye Laoer's family in even lower regard. Upon his return to the village, their standing among the community further diminished.

After months of deliberate and unintentional interactions and revelations, Chen Wen had come to understand that her husband's last seemingly dubious transaction had likely incurred no actual loss. The prospect of departing the small mountain village for a more advanced life in the provincial city filled Chen Wen not with fear, but with excitement.

Now possessing an intelligent and nimble daughter, alongside a considerate and ambitious husband, what more could she possibly desire?

The early morning departure facilitated the family's arrival at the modest courtyard Ye Qiu had procured by midday.

The entrance was marked by an aged wooden door—not exceptionally valuable, but possessing a robust, enduring, and commanding presence. To the right within the courtyard, a grape trellis, erected by the former resident, stood bare of its summer fruit. Only a sparse scattering of late-ripening purple grapes remained, with a few fallen fruits on the ground, likely pilfered by neighbors or energetic children.

Situated below the trellis was a swing, which Ye Manman eagerly occupied, her joyous laughter resonating throughout the entire courtyard.

On the courtyard's left flank, a hand-pumped well stood, bordered by roses and Chinese roses along the wall. These autumnal blooms displayed vibrant shades of purple and pink, undeterred by the season.

A central stone pathway gently wound its way to an elegant two-story dwelling, tasteful yet not ostentatious. The entire courtyard emanated an ambiance of simplicity and warmth, a clear testament to the former owner's meticulous care.

Chen Wen had harbored suspicions of her husband possessing hidden wealth, but she never anticipated such a magnificent revelation.

"This must have cost a fortune!" She felt a sense of bewildered enchantment, having resided in a dilapidated thatched hut only the day prior. Now, finding themselves in a detached courtyard house within the provincial city felt akin to a wondrous dream.

"It's fine; there's still some money remaining from my earnings." Ye Qiu had been captivated by this courtyard from his initial viewing. He would not have secured it had the previous owner not been so intent on relocating abroad.

The furnishings within the small building were quite comprehensive, requiring merely a few essential items for daily living before they could settle in. That evening, Ye Qiu, eager to commence their improved existence, treated his wife and child to a celebratory meal at a state-run eatery.

After tucking Manman into bed and settling down themselves, Chen Wen found herself still floating in a state of disbelief. It was only when Ye Qiu drew her into his embrace that she began to slowly find her peace.