Qin Xiaotao, the only one who didn’t know or understand a thing, flicked a glass marble. It struck a nearby iron barrel with a DONG, finally breaking the eerie silence.

Mr. Qin frowned. "What kind of surgery costs so much money?"

In those days, one thousand yuan was a significant amount for any family.

After all, there were hardly any families in the village with ten thousand yuan to their name.

Qin Zhonghui silently nodded. "Yes. If I don’t get the surgery, this hand will be crippled."

Just then, Qin Jiao took out the paperwork from the hospital. Seeing the thick stack, Mr. Qin fell silent as well.

Qin Jiqun and his wife, Feng Lan, hurried over to look at the documents. Sure enough, they were all for Qin Zhonghui’s treatment. They couldn’t read much, but they saw the section about the hand injury—it was really that severe!

Especially the part about how, without treatment, it would lead to permanent disability... ’He’ll actually become a cripple!’

’What a shame. If he becomes a cripple, Second Brother probably won’t earn much money in the future!’

But the thought of forking over one thousand yuan was painful for the couple. Feng Fang quickly shot Qin Jiqun a meaningful look. Worried his father would agree on the spot, Qin Jiqun quickly said, "Second Brother, didn’t you say it was just a minor injury that would get better with some rest?"

Su Yun spoke up from the side. "Third Brother, this was the doctor’s diagnosis. Do you think it’s fake? And you know what your Second Brother is like. Sigh, it’s a good thing we went to the county seat to get it checked. Otherwise, his hand would have been crippled."

When she finished, she looked up at Mr. Qin expectantly. "Dad, this injury is real. You’re not... unwilling to get Zhong Hui treated, are you?"

Mr. Qin’s heart did ache for his son, but his compassion for his second son was quite limited.

He frowned and said, "But the family doesn’t have that much money right now."

The palms of Qin Zhonghui’s hands slowly grew cold.

Su Yun immediately shot back, "Dad, how can there be no money? Every year we come back from our jobs, we give you hundreds of yuan. All of that added together has to be several thousand by now!"

Feng Lan scoffed from the side. "Second Sister-in-law, it’s easy for you to talk since you don’t manage the household budget. You have no idea how expensive daily life is! You said it yourself—it’s been several years. Do you think our parents don’t spend money?"

Su Yun sneered. "Is it really Dad and Mom doing the spending, or is it the two of you?"

"Enough!" Mr. Qin roared angrily. He glanced around at everyone in the courtyard, his gaze finally landing on his second son, Qin Zhonghui. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

He said, "Your hand definitely needs to be treated. But the family can’t come up with that kind of money right now. We only have two hundred. Take this to the hospital for now and see what can be done."

Qin Zhonghui: "..."

’I just came back last night,’ he thought, ’and I secretly gave Dad three hundred yuan. And he’s not even willing to give me all of that back!’

’In other words, Dad has probably already given most of that three hundred to my younger brother...’

Qin Zhonghui was deeply hurt, his eyes filled with disappointment.

Qin Jiao suddenly spoke up. "So, Grandpa, you don’t want my dad’s hand to heal."

Mr. Qin’s eyes immediately shot to her, and he bellowed, "What nonsense are you spouting, you brat!"

But Qin Jiao wasn’t scared. She said earnestly, "It’s a single surgery. If we don’t have enough money, they can’t do it at all. Without the surgery, my dad’s hand will be crippled. Grandpa, you don’t care about him at all."

Being lectured by a member of the younger generation, Mr. Qin felt he was losing face. He was about to erupt in a stream of curses when he heard his second son speak. This was the son who had always been the most honest, the one who never talked back, the one who knew to show filial piety the moment he earned any money. And in a perfectly calm voice, he said one thing.

"Dad, let’s split the family."