"This isn’t complicated, we won’t handle the pigsty work the whole day, just half of the day each day.
As for the chores at the Old Mu Family, have Grandpa divide them clearly, and each house only does its own share!"
Mu Shuangshuang knew that the Old Mu Family’s rule has always been that those who can work, work more.
Honest people work till exhaustion, while cunning ones eat well and grow fat.
Plus, now at the Old Mu Family, the only ones left who can work are Mu Dajiang and Mu Dalang. Without even thinking, it’s obvious what Mr. Mu’s arrangent would be.
"If Grandpa is willing to allocate tasks, I’ll definitely finish them quickly," Mu Dalang said.
The three of them chatted for a while, then went back to their work.
By the end of the day, all the weeds in the vegetable garden were cleared thoroughly.
At dusk, Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng borrowed a wheelbarrow from Tie Dao Village and pushed the bundled cowgrass back to Er Gui Village.
Unfortunately, Huang Da and Huang Er were busy with the restaurant business. Otherwise, today Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng could have invited them to the third branch for a good al.
The two returned to Er Gui Village, heading towards the Old Wang Family’s direction.
As for Mu Dalang, he hurried back to tell Mr. Mu and Old Mrs. Mu that he didn’t want to raise pigs for Mu Shuangshuang.
"Grandpa, Grandma, about the matter we discussed last ti, I don’t want to do it anymore.
Raising pigs really isn’t suitable for a grown man like . I’ve already told Shuangshuang and Fengzi that I won’t do this job. Let them find soone else."
Mu Dalang didn’t push the responsibility onto Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng, as he didn’t want his grandparents to bother Shuangshuang and Fengzi.
"What do you an it’s not suitable for a grown man like you? Didn’t you previously work as an apprentice raising sheep in town? You were willing to do that, so why don’t you want to raise pigs now?" Old Mrs. Mu was very angry, and her tone was rather unpleasant.
If Mu Dalang doesn’t work in the pigsty, the five taels of silver she was counting on would be gone.
That was supposed to be Xiangxiang’s dowry money.
"Grandma, ask around in the village and see whether raising pigs or farming is more embarrassing? Now that everyone knows I want to raise pigs, they’re all making fun of . I won’t do it anymore."
Mu Dalang was adamant, not giving in an inch.
After these words, he returned to his room, no matter how Old Mrs. Mu pleaded, he wouldn’t relent.
Old Mrs. Mu was both angry and anxious.
"Old man, the duck that was almost in our mouths flew away. The pork for the holidays and those five taels of silver that I was saving for Xiangxiang’s marriage are lost," Old Mrs. Mu lanted tearfully, blaming Mu Dalang.
Mr. Mu puffed on his dry tobacco for a while, not saying a word for quite so ti.
Old Mrs. Mu nudged his arm, "Say sothing, won’t you? Xiangxiang isn’t getting any younger. She can’t end up like Danyan, who is still single at his age. We should find her a match.
I was hoping to care for Xiangxiang’s kids..."
The more Old Mrs. Mu spoke, the more outrageous she beca. However, these were her honest thoughts.
Taking care of her daughter’s children was the most urgent matter for her now.
When it ca to Mu Xiangxiang, Old Mrs. Mu realized that her daughter had been frequently absent from ho these past few days.
Leaving early and coming back late, and even by this ti today, she still hadn’t returned.
Mr. Mu put down his pipe and said testily, "How would I know what to do? If Dalang doesn’t want to raise pigs, then he won’t. Once Eldest returns, are you afraid he won’t find any work?"
Mr. Mu didn’t support Mu Dalang raising pigs in his heart.
His own son is a scholar, and maybe even a Champion Scholar in the future.
Having a grandson who raises pigs would indeed be a bit embarrassing to talk about.
"That’s for the future. Right now, with Da De not around, our family’s savings are all used up, and we still owe fifty taels of silver. If we don’t put in so effort, how will we ever pay back the silver?"
Old Mrs. Mu began calculating with Mr. Mu.
Old Mrs. Mu was responsible for the household expenses.
When she spoke, it was well-organized.
"What you say is useless; Dalang isn’t willing!" Mr. Mu still rembered the matter of the fifty taels of silver.
The people of the Old Mu Family never borrowed money from outsiders. If it weren’t for Da De’s exams...
Though once his eldest son Da De returns, the Old Mu Family would have money and could pay off the debt.
But, for such a long ti, it was better to be cautious.
"After dinner, I’ll go ask Shuangshuang what’s going on with Dalang!" Mr. Mu sighed.
At the ntion of Mu Shuangshuang, Old Mrs. Mu’s face darkened. "What are you asking for? That lousy girl is no good, don’t forget who made us lose face in Er Gui Village."
Speaking of Mu Shuangshuang, Old Mrs. Mu grew angry.
The incident where Mrs. Lin stole from the Shuangshuang Restaurant, she didn’t know who spread the word.
Now, everyone in the village was saying how she, Old Mrs. Mu, couldn’t control her daughter-in-law and let her act arrogantly.
So even said it was her idea because she couldn’t stand the third branch becoming prosperous, so she did those shaful things.
"Alright, leave alone. If you have ti, keep an eye on Xiangxiang. She’s hardly at ho, and that’s not right!"
Again, at the ntion of Mu Xiangxiang, Old Mrs. Mu beca worried.
Ignoring everything else, she left the courtyard to find Mu Xiangxiang.
Walking and shouting, she searched for quite so ti but found no trace of Mu Xiangxiang. Instead, the villagers mocked her for calling out to her mad daughter.
Old Mrs. Mu quarreled with that person for a stick of incense’s ti, cursing their ancestors for eighteen generations.
Only when the other person refused to argue did Old Mrs. Mu reluctantly return to the Old Mu Family.
She had barely sat down when Mu Xiangxiang ca back to the Old Mu Family.
But after a quick circle around the dining room, Mu Xiangxiang said to Old Mrs. Mu, "Mom, I won’t be having dinner tonight. You guys go ahead and eat!"
On the table, there were two green vegetables, a bowl of wild vegetable soup, a bowl of dark fernted beans, and a bowl of sweet potato rice for each person.
It looked very shabby, but this was the standard for Old Mu Family’s als during this period.
From spring planting to sumr harvest, the whole Old Mu Family lived off what little rice they had stored in the granary.
But the rice in the granary was already running low.
Mu Xiangxiang had a large appetite, able to eat as much as several strong n.
Day after day, if they didn’t co up with a solution soon, the Old Mu Family wouldn’t last until the sumr harvest.
Old Mrs. Mu didn’t want to see her daughter suffer, so others had to eat less and choke down coarse food with her.
"Xiangxiang, I stead so egg custard for you, you don’t have to eat the greens," Old Mrs. Mu thought Mu Xiangxiang wouldn’t eat because she disdained the food, so she quickly said.
"Mom, I’m not eating, give it to Gou Dan and the others. Stead egg is too greasy!"
Mu Xiangxiang, who ate and drank well at Sun Dali’s house, didn’t care for the Old Mu Family’s food at all.
But for the rest of the Old Mu Family, stead egg custard was a delicacy, as it was considered an animal-based dish.
"Grandma, Gou Dan wants to eat stead eggs." Gou Dan, like a cat slling fish, shouted for egg custard the mont Mu Xiangxiang ntioned giving it to him.
Even Mrs. Lin praised her son’s intelligence in her heart.
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