Chapter 16: Mad Dog

Zhou Huaishan acted like a mad dog, not only throwing punches and kicks but also biting.

Wang wanted to help, but seeing Zhou Huaishan's ferocity, she shrank back and didn't dare move. After all, she herself had been beaten black and blue by Zhou Qing.

The clan leader was dumbfounded.

Huaishan was known in the village as an honest man.

Now...

Watching Zhou Huaishan crazily attack Zhou Huaihai, the clan leader sighed inwardly: Look at what they've driven an honest man to.

"I say, Bingde, are you sure you've got all the facts straight? I know Huaishan's temperament. Just look at this..."

Old Zhou remembered how Zhou Huaishan had sobbed uncontrollably yesterday morning.

He knew his son's character well.

To see him this enraged now...

Old Zhou began to doubt Zhou Huaihai's story.

But he couldn't just let the second son beat the eldest to death.

And then there was Zhou Huailin siding with the second son.

Old Zhou...

Just how much do the second and third branches hate the first branch!

Slamming the table, Old Zhou roared, "Enough, all of you stop!"

Unlike Old Zhou who slapped the table, Sun was more direct. Seeing her eldest son getting beaten, she rushed at Zhou Huaishan to hit him.

"Stop it, doesn't my word count anymore?" Old Zhou sprang to his feet, bellowing.

Finally, order was restored.

Old Zhou sat down, his face ashen.

The clan leader sighed, "This is really your family affair, I shouldn't interfere, but since Huaihai specifically asked me here today, I'll ask one more question."

After the clan leader spoke, no one responded.

The clan leader turned to Zhou Qing and asked, "Did you get your father the opportunity to copy books at the bookstore?"

Zhou Qing nodded, "Yes."

Sun immediately wanted to curse, but the clan leader's glare silenced her.

"Then tell your third grandfather how you got this opportunity."

Zhou Qing pulled out the calligraphy written by Zhou Huaishan and handed it to the clan leader.

Virtue is never solitary; it always has neighbors.

"Although my father hasn't entered an academy and his knowledge is limited, the shopkeeper admired his handwriting."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Huaihai scoffed loudly.

"Your father has been farming for over twenty years. What makes you think his handwriting could impress anyone?"

Zhou Qing retorted sarcastically, "From what you mean, did you get rejected before, First Uncle? Just because you failed doesn't mean everyone else will."

"My abilities aside, if you said the bookstore accepted your father's writing for some other reason, I'd believe it. But you claim it's because of his handwriting. Who are you trying to fool!"

Wang immediately chimed in, "If you're going to make excuses, at least make a good one. Your uncle's writing is far better than your father's. If your uncle couldn't get such an opportunity, how could your father?"

In her excitement, Wang inadvertently exposed Zhou Huaihai's intentions.

Zhou Huaihai...

"Father, I suspect there's something fishy going on here." Zhou Huaihai said confidently, glaring at Zhou Huaishan with resentment. "I never thought you'd send Qing to do such things. How could I have a brother like you? It's a disgrace to the family."

The clan leader gave Zhou Huaihai a meaningful look, then handed Zhou Huaishan's writing to Zhou Bingde, "Bingde, take a look."

Old Zhou accepted the paper and was immediately astonished as he looked at Zhou Huaishan.

"Did you write this?"

Zhou Huaishan nodded.

Old Zhou's heart was filled with complex emotions.

Years ago, he chose the eldest son over the second, but now it seemed he might have made the wrong choice.

The eldest son had consumed all the family's resources, and yet his writing was inferior to the second son's, who practiced with sticks in the field.

Seeing Old Zhou's expression, Zhou Huaihai stepped forward, glanced at the writing on the paper, and exclaimed, "Impossible! There's no way you wrote this!"

"Why not? Just because you squandered the family's money while my father didn't spend a dime?"

Zhou Huaihai glared at Zhou Huaishan with a murderous look, "Would you dare to write something right now?"

Zhou Huaishan... "If you write, I'll write."

Zhou Qing...

It's not about who wears it better, but who's more embarrassed when it doesn't fit.^[1]

Paper and brush were prepared.

Zhou Huaishan said to Zhou Huaihai, "You write first. Whatever you write, I'll follow."

Seeing Zhou Huaishan's confident demeanor, Zhou Huaihai began to doubt himself.

Could the second brother really write like that?

Absolutely not.

With a snort, Zhou Huaihai started writing: An elder brother is like a father.

Zhou Huaishan glanced at it and swiftly wrote: An elder brother is like a father.

Then he added four more characters: Favoring one over another.

Old Zhou's face turned dark immediately.

But Zhou Huaihai's face looked even worse.

Zhou Huaishan's handwriting was a hundred times better than his.

Originally, Zhou Huaihai had invited the clan leader to expose whatever tricks Zhou Qing used.

If he could tarnish Zhou Qing's reputation, it would block Zhou Huaishan's path to education and keep the second branch under control.

Even if that didn't work, he could learn how Zhou Qing got the job and perhaps secure a copying position for himself.

At the very least, Zhou Qing would be unable to defend herself, and the ensuing scandal might force the bookstore to withdraw the opportunity to avoid bad publicity.

But now...

Zhou Huaihai felt dizzy and light-headed.

Looking at the powerful strokes of 'Favoring one over another,' the clan leader patted Old Zhou's shoulder and left.

When he passed by Zhou Huaishan, he patted his shoulder, encouraging him, "Study hard."

Old Zhou felt a chill down his spine.

As soon as the clan leader left, Sun rushed to attack Zhou Huaishan.

She didn't care whose writing was better, she only knew that the second son had beaten the eldest.

Old Zhou grabbed the nearest teacup and threw it at her feet to stop her.

"Dismiss!"

"Dismiss? I've been insulted and accused, and now it's just over? Grandpa, am I even your real granddaughter!"

Old Zhou felt his face burning.

Especially with those four characters 'Favoring one over another' written by Zhou Huaishan, he didn't even dare to look.

But what else could he do?

Could he really make the eldest and his wife apologize to Zhou Qing, their junior?

The eldest was still a scholar.

"Your father also beat your uncle, and you beat your aunt. Besides, your uncle was only worried you might stray. It was out of goodwill."

Zhou Qing stubbornly stared at Old Zhou, "Goodwill? If this happened to my big brother tomorrow, would you handle it the same way, Grandpa?"

She sneered.

"The household chores, whoever wants to do them can do them. Our branch won't lift a finger anymore. We won't pay a single penny for hired help. We'll leave our share of the land uncultivated. From now on, the second branch won't give the first branch a single copper! Dream on if you expect us to support those ingrates."

With that, Zhou Qing pulled Zhou Huaishan to leave. "Father, let's go!"

Zhou Huailin immediately said, "If the second branch's land is left uncultivated, I'll only farm the third branch's land. There's no reason for me to farm for the whole family alone."

Old Zhou felt dizzy and slapped the table, "Do you all want to drive me to my grave? As long as I'm alive, don't even think about splitting the family."

Zhou Qing and Zhou Huaishan ignored him and went back to their room.

Zhou Huailin stayed behind.

"If we don't split the family, what do you plan to do?" Zhou Huailin stared directly at Old Zhou.

Old Zhou...

If the second branch really didn't pay for hired help, he couldn't possibly let the third son farm all the land alone.

But...

Old Zhou looked at Zhou Huaihai, "Why are you still standing there? Go apologize to your second brother."

Zhou Huaihai was stunned.

"Father, I've been beaten by the second brother, and you want me to apologize?"

Zhou Huailin said, "Why did the second brother beat you?"

_____

Footnotes:

[1] The phrase indicates that the focus is not on who can write the best (wear it better) but on who will feel more humiliated if they fail or their writing is subpar (when it doesn't fit).