Madam Tian was furious that Wang Qingtong was building a house to move out, feeling she hadn't been given the respect she deserved. Later, when Wang Qingshan heard about it from his wife, Madam He, he was overcome with guilt. In his view, it was because he and his wife hadn't moved out in time that his younger brother hadn't been able to arrange a marriage, forcing him instead to build a house and leave. After all, he was the one who had branched off to live separately; it should have been his household moving out, not his unmarried younger brother.

Seeing Wang Qingshan’s guilt, Madam He comforted him, “Don’t be so upset. It’s not like we weren’t planning to move. We were already preparing to figure out building a house after the autumn harvest; we just didn’t manage to get ahead of them, did we? If you truly feel bad for your little brother, go talk to him and tell him about our plans to build. Then he won’t need to build another house elsewhere. Besides, he hasn't even started building his house yet, right? There’s still time for everything.”

Wang Qingshan nodded upon hearing Madam He’s words; he clearly intended to go speak with his brother.

Since the Old Master and Old Madam had agreed to let Wang Qingtong build a house and move out, Wang Qingtong had been in high spirits these past two days. Thus, when he saw his elder brother standing there, hesitating to speak, he grinned, “Big Brother, whatever it is, just say it. I’m listening!”

“Sigh!” Wang Qingshan sighed, then said, “Qingtong, are you moving out because your sister-in-law and I have been so slow to move? I’ve thought it over, and you’re already fifteen this year, yet you haven’t arranged a marriage. Is it because the house is too crowded?”

Wang Qingtong was surprised that his plan to build and move out had led his elder brother to misunderstand. He felt like he had been causing misunderstandings lately; this wasn't good!

“Big Brother, where did your thoughts go? How could it be because of you? This was my own plan all along,” Wang Qingtong quickly clarified.

Wang Qingshan was not reassured by this, saying instead, “Don’t lie to me. It must be because I haven’t moved out, hasn’t it? Otherwise, why have you been so hesitant about settling your marriage?”

Wang Qingtong was momentarily speechless. He realized he should have settled on a marriage earlier to prevent his older brother from misunderstanding.

Seeing his brother fall silent, Wang Qingshan became even more convinced he was right. “Alas, it is all my fault for delaying you, Brother. I have failed you. But don't worry, Big Brother’s family will build our house very soon and move out. Then you won't need to build and move out; you can just stay here at the old residence, and this way, Father and Mother can look after you.”

Wang Qingtong became anxious upon hearing this. “Oh, Big Brother, it truly isn't because of you; this was my own thought. I figured that since the family will eventually be divided anyway, whether I move out sooner or later, I’ll have to leave eventually, so I might as well move out earlier! Also, I’ve noticed how Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law interact with Mother, which makes me worry whether the wife I eventually marry will always put Mother first in everything. So, I thought moving out would prevent family arguments.”

This time, Wang Qingshan was somewhat persuaded, acknowledging that his mother did seem rather strict with her daughters-in-law. Qingtong’s concerns were entirely valid. However...

“Qingtong, are you planning to move out right after you get married? Can you two newlyweds manage everything yourselves? Shouldn’t some matters be guided by the elders in the family?” Wang Qingshan asked with concern. Wang Qingshan feared that without guidance, the young couple might make foolish mistakes.

“It’s alright, Big Brother. We’re just moving out, not officially separating from the family. We can still come over to the old residence every day!” Wang Qingtong laughed.

“But if you move out, it probably won't be long before you formally separate from the family,” Wang Qingshan noted.

“That’s true, but don’t worry, even if we separate, Grandfather, Grandmother, Father, and Mother won’t abandon us, right, Big Brother?” Wang Qingtong stated.

Wang Qingshan nodded. “That is true. When the time comes, the elders instructing your wife should ensure there won't be any issues.”

Wang Qingtong felt the same way. “Oh, right, Big Brother, you mentioned you and Sister-in-law are moving out. Are you building a house too?”

When this topic came up, Wang Qingshan nodded with a smile. “Yes, after all, your sister-in-law and I have separated to live on our own; we can’t keep living here indefinitely! Plus, your sister-in-law and I have managed to save some money over the years. If we borrow a bit more, building a house should be feasible.”

“Oh, really? Big Brother, when are you planning to start building?” Wang Qingtong asked excitedly.

“Uh… Your sister-in-law and I originally planned to wait until after the autumn harvest…” Wang Qingshan paused, looking at the excited Wang Qingtong.

“Haha… That’s wonderful, Big Brother! I was also planning to start building after the autumn harvest. Why don't we find a place near each other and build our houses together? It would make visiting easier later on, wouldn't it?” Wang Qingtong said happily.

Wang Qingshan considered it; there was nothing unsuitable about the suggestion, so he nodded. “That would be the best outcome.”

After the brothers reached an agreement, Wang Qingshan finally put his guilt to rest and began thinking about where to build the house.

Madam Tian, however, was the opposite; the more she thought, the angrier she became, feeling that the Old Master, Old Madam, and her son hadn't taken her seriously at all, which made her increasingly miserable. She had already given up hope on Wang Youliang; her only reliance was saving money and her three sons. Now, when something concerning her son arose, he didn't consult her but went directly over her head to the Old Master and Old Madam. How could Madam Tian remain calm?

The more Madam Tian thought about it, the more she felt her sons were unreliable for the future; only the money held in her hands was truly dependable. Consequently, after this incident, Madam Tian became even more obsessed with money.

Unlike the strong reactions from Wang Qingshan and Madam Tian, Wang Qingyun and Luo Yin remained much calmer. Indeed, whether Wang Qingtong moved out or not did not significantly impact them. Ever since Big Brother Wang Qingshan’s family separated to live on their own, Wang Qingyun and Luo Yin had already prepared themselves to live with their parents, so for them, it was only a matter of time before Wang Qingtong’s household moved out.

Luo Yin, truth be told, initially found it hard to accept. She had married the second son, so from the start, she hadn't envisioned living with her in-laws after the eventual family division. But what choice did she have? Since Big Brother’s family had already separated, her in-laws would naturally have to live with them. They couldn't possibly push the in-laws onto Wang Qingtong’s side; otherwise, the villagers would certainly gossip mercilessly! As for the in-laws not living with Big Brother’s family, others wouldn't find fault, as Big Brother’s family still had no children. There was a rationale for the in-laws not living with them.

Having long since accepted the reality, Luo Yin had constantly sought ways to get along with her mother-in-law. Fortunately, after much probing over time, she had managed to handle her mother-in-law. As for her father-in-law, all it took was providing him with wine.

Wang Qingyun felt even less issue with it. With his elder brother gone, his parents would naturally rely on him in the future, so he had no strong opinion against Wang Qingtong’s decision to move out.

Wang Qingtong was preparing to start building after the autumn harvest, so the Old Master and Old Madam decided to start finding him a match immediately. Wang Qingtong did not object upon hearing this, only stating his requirements for a future wife—that she should have a good temper and be diligent.

In fact, even if Wang Qingtong hadn't mentioned it, the Old Master and Old Madam would have sought candidates based on those very standards. The Old Madam invited the matchmaker to the house and informed her of her grandson’s intention to seek a marriage. This matchmaker was the same one Madam Tian had consulted before. After hearing the Old Madam’s request, she cautiously asked if Madam Tian would still be in charge of the matter this time.

The Old Madam was surprised by the matchmaker’s question and shook her head blankly. “Once you find a suitable person, just come and tell me directly. There’s no need to inform her.”

The matchmaker was delighted upon hearing this. She had genuinely feared Madam Tian. Last time, the overt way Madam Tian had inquired about different girls from various families led many uninformed people to believe the matchmaker had orchestrated the whole setup. Consequently, her business plummeted during that period, and she resolved never to take on work from Madam Tian again.

When the Old Madam heard the matchmaker's veiled reply, she merely sighed, unsure what to say about her eldest daughter-in-law now.

Having secured the commission, the matchmaker became busy. Arranging marriages was routine work for them, and soon, the matchmaker found several suitable candidates. She did not contact Madam Tian, planning instead to report directly to the Old Madam.

The matchmaker’s visit to the old residence could not be hidden from Madam Tian. Upon learning that a match was being sought for the youngest son, Madam Tian set aside her anger and came to the Old Madam’s room to listen to the matchmaker describe the families presented.

The Old Madam did not say anything about Madam Tian’s uninvited arrival, reasoning that it concerned her son, so naturally, she would be concerned. Thus, the Old Madam merely cautioned her not to inquire as she had last time before letting her stay.

Madam Tian agreed and listened along with the others as the matchmaker spoke. After the matchmaker finished, Madam Tian noticed that none of the listed families were among the ones she had favored before; they were all just families barely getting by financially, which left her somewhat displeased. However, since the matchmaker was still present, she dared not voice her dissatisfaction, resolving to speak with the Old Madam as soon as the matchmaker departed.