Chapter 56: Chapter 28 (part 2)

Problems like these were why family inheritance disputes were so difficult. Real estate wasn't as easy to divide as cash, and heirs had different ideas on how it should be allocated. It was a difficult balance.

Just as Ning Wan was about to speak up in mediation, Wang Liying spoke up instead.

The old lady had an agitated expression, and her voice was hoarse. "Even if I die and  go down to meet your dad, it's not me who should be ashamed, but him! I worked hard all my life to raise his three children. But who did he raise? A mistress!"

When they heard this, all her children were stupefied.

"That's impossible! Don't insult Dad like that!"

"When did dad cheat?! Mom, don't talk nonsense! "

"Of course you all had no idea," Wang Liying sneered. "Your father has done quite a few ugly things. For your sake, I endured. I didn't want you to be influenced by them, so I never said a word. What was I thinking when I did all that? In the end, not only did you throw aside my affections, but you used him to put pressure on me. In my whole life, what have I done to him to feel guilty about?"

"As for this house, it's my own, nothing to do with your dad. I'll give it to anyone I want. I don't owe you anything! I got this house when I divorced your father. He was in line to be promoted, and he was afraid that an adultery and divorce scandal would impact his reputation at the company. He wanted everything settled peacefully, so he bought it for me and wrote my name on the deed after we divorced! It's in my own name, free and clear, assets I obtained only after the divorce was settled. If you don't believe me, I can show you the divorce certificate and real estate deed."

Wang Liying's remarks shocked her sons and daughters-in-law silly. They had made a thousand calculations, but they hadn't counted on something like this between their parents. If the house belonged to Wang Liying alone, it was completely useless to use the right of their father's inheritance to ask for the property to be divided up between them.

At this point, Guo Jianguo and Guo Jianzhong no longer had any regard for propriety and integrity. In the face of money, family affections were obviously unimportant to them, and they turned their backs completely on their mother--

"Fine, the house is yours! You can do whatever you want with it, but if you insist on going your own way and giving it away to an outsider, don't blame us for not caring for you in your old age.  At that time, when the outsider has your house and doesn't care if you live or die, when you try and contact him but can't get through, don't think you can come look for us again!"

"And when you're dead and gone and looking for someone to sweep your tomb and burn incense for you every year, don't look to us! The legacy-support agreement only guarantees that he will take care of you before your death. He isn't your son, so when you die, wait and see who's going to go to your grave! In the future, everyone else in the afterlife will have sacrifices, but you'll be a lonely ghost! "

Each son was more aggressive than the other. Wang Liying was an uneducated old woman who had lived a lifetime of hardship. She cared deeply about the life she would live in her old age and the funeral and paying respects after her death. Guo Jianzhong and Guo Jianguo's words stabbed a knife straight into her weak spot. Wang Liying's face turned painfully tangled and hesitant.

"Mom, it doesn't matter. Do whatever you want." At this moment, Guo Jianhong, who had thus far never spoken, finally opened her mouth. Her voice was not loud, but she was very calm and composed. "If my two brothers won't take care of you in your old age, I will. Enjoy life, take care of your disease, and don't worry about your grave not being swept. Even if my two brothers no longer care about you, I will."

From beginning to end, she, the unloved daughter, had had almost no sense of existence in this family. Her voice was not loud, but there was a strange strength in it.

Guo Jianhong looked at Wang Liying with tears in her eyes. "Mom, I don't want your house or your money. I merely love you dearly and I've been unfilial to you. After I married out, I never checked back in on you, so I never knew how my brothers and sisters-in-law were treating you. You can give the house to whoever you want to give it to. I don't want anything of yours. I'm your daughter, and you raised me, so I'll take care of you in your old age. Don't be afraid."

With guilt in her voice she said, "I've found a job here in Rong City. It doesn't pay very well, but it's enough for us to eat." Guo Jianhong wiped away her tears. "You've suffered so much. I don't want you to suffer any more."

Guo Jianguo had brought Guo Jianhong along with him to try to persuade his mother, but in the end his sister switched sides. He was so angry he couldn't help but burst out--

"Daughters really are like spilt water! You're helping a stranger in favour of your own family? Abandoning your brothers for an outsider?!”

Then he rolled up his sleeves and lunged at Guo Jianhong. Fu Zheng caught Guo Jianguo's raised hand with a cold face, forcing them apart. However, both her sisters-in-law were also furious, and they scolded Guo Jianhong with bitter words and violent gestures. Fu Zheng was not good at fighting with women. Even though he could help Guo Jianhong block a physical attack, more than that was beyond him...

"Can you all just shut up for a second?!” Lu Feng unexpectedly bellowed just as Ning Wan was about to get out her loudspeaker, silencing the scene.

Due to this uncharacteristically loud roar, his face and neck were red, and the whole room was staring at him. Though he felt a little uncomfortable, in the end he summoned the courage to say--

"Can't you all just respect other people's opinions?!" Lu Feng gazed at Wang Liying, resentment written all over his face. "Auntie Wang, first you tried to force me into getting married and caused me a whole lot of trouble. Eventually, you made it clear that you didn't really want to force me into marriage, you just wanted to give me the house."

"As far as I'm concerned, all of you have nothing to argue about, because I don't even want the house!!"

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These words came down like a thunderclap. After Wang Liying got over being stunned, she said hurriedly, "Xiao Lu, I've already consulted these lawyers. You only need to sign the contract, and take me to see the doctor. If this house is yours, you and Jiao Jiao can settle down here. The house is in a school district, and you won't have to worry about sending her to school in the future..."

"Auntie, I know the house is a very good one, but I don't want it!" Lu Feng sounded helpless. "I really am a stranger to this city, I definitely don't have much money, and yes, I need to live in a school district, but I can work it all out for myself. I don't want to get involved in your family affairs. I won't sign this legacy-support agreement."

This time Wang Liying really lost hope. She looked to Ning Wan and Fu Zheng for help, "Lawyers, can you help persuade Xiao Lu?"

Ning Wan shook his head. "Aunt Wang, a contract can't be forced. This isn't a problem we can solve by persuasion."

"But if Xiao Lu won't sign, then who will I give this house to in the future?" Wang Liying had not foreseen this turn of events at all. Squatting down on the ground, she cried, "I don't want it to go to these two unfilial sons when I die!"

While she was drowning in misery and at the end of her rope, Lu Feng spoke, looking puzzled.

"Aunt Wang, your two sons aren't filial, but I feel like your daughter isn't half bad," he said, glancing at Guo Jianhong. "When you said that you would give me the house, your two sons said such awful, malicious words, but your daughter completely supported you. She even said that she would still take care of you and honour you in your old age. She's the only one who really cares about you and doesn't covet your house and money. Why do you rest your hopes on your two unfilial sons when you have such a good daughter?"

Wang Liying froze blankly, then shook her head uncomprehendingly. "It's the duty of sons to provide in one's old age. How could a daughter do that? Daughters are useless..."

Lu Feng scratched his head. "I know it's your family affair, but since I'm already involved, let me just give you my objective outside opinion. Auntie Wang, you could just leave this house to your daughter. I think that if it's her, she'll definitely provide for you in your old age, take you to see a doctor, and treat you well. Instead of pulling me, a stranger, into this, why don't you just sign the legacy-support agreement with her instead?"

Before he had mentioned this, everything was still alright. But as soon as the words came out of his mouth, Guo Jianguo and Guo Jianzhong exploded--

"What the fuck are you saying? Jianhong is a girl! Dad said right from the start that once a daughter is married out, she's no longer one of us, let alone having her inherit a house!"

"Jianhong, don't you remember what was said before? Our parents would give you ten thousand yuan in dowry when you married out, and then we're all even! You don't have a right to a share of the rest of the house and the money at home. Have you forgotten?!”

"The law has never stipulated that women lose their the right to inherit just by virtue of being a woman. Didn't you admit to Guo Jianhong's ability to inherit just now when you were quoting the law? How come you've changed your mind now?"

Ning Wan had been about to speak, but Fu Zheng was a step ahead. He looked at Guo Jianguo and Guo Jianzhong and sneered, "You two sure are talented. When the law is in your favour, you quote the law, and when it's not, you muddy the waters. Do you realize how long ago it was that that corrupt old custom of 'married women lose the right to inherit' was abolished?"

Guo Jianguo's wife refused to accept this. "What do you mean by a 'corrupt old custom'? That's how it's always been done! I have a brother, and the family fortune belongs to him completely, while I married into the Guo family. To make things fair, shouldn't the money belonging to my husband's family only go to the men in the family? That's the only way everything is balanced, equal and impartial! That's the only way society can be harmonious! "

"But that's wrong," Ning Wan couldn't help but chip in. "You, a woman, have the right to inherit your family's property. This is your legal right. Not only did you not fight for it, but you've become a champion for this terrible tradition and in turn pass it down. You, a woman, have been deprived of your right to property, and now you're depriving other women of their rights. Do you think this is just? How is this balanced, fair and impartial?"

"I don't care about all that. That's the way it's always been! This was what was handed down from our ancestors! Jianhong cannot have this house!"

This time, Lu Feng got angry before Ning Wan could. "What on earth are you saying? You're a woman yourself, yet you still somehow believe that women are inherently inferior to men?" He looked at Wang Liying. "Auntie Wang, I don't belong to your family, but I'm going to say something that's hard to hear. You've thought too highly of sons in general. You've spoiled your sons ever since they were children. You put them first in everything the family did, and that's why this is happening now."

Guo Jianzhong wasn't happy at all to hear this, and roughly demanded, "You're both a stranger to our family and a man! Do you think you're some sort of affirmative action women's rights social justice warrior?"

"I may be a man, but I'm the father of a girl, and I don't think that having a girl is worse than having a boy. Both boys and girls are equal! Education is the key. Even if I had a son, if I didn't discipline and educate him well but instead spoiled him, forget having him take care of me when I'm old, I would be lucky if he wasn't the death of me! A daughter is a little cotton-padded jacket, far more caring and loving."

Having said all this, Lu Feng looked at Wang Liying and asked, "Aunt Wang, surely you're not still clinging to this lie? Can't you see which of your children really care about you? You're a woman yourself. You've worked hard all your life. When it came to raising your children, was it you or your husband who did the most work? Why is your daughter inferior to your sons? Why are daughters useless? You've been through it all yourself, and you know how bitter life is for women. Why can't you open your eyes and take a look at your own daughter? She is far more reliable than me, a stranger!"