Carrying the rice dumpling leaves she got from the third branch, Mrs. Lin left her room in high spirits.
Handing the leaves to Mrs. Liu, she boasted in front of her, "Xiaxia’s mother, see this? I got these rice dumpling leaves from that brat in the third branch.
I thought she was tough, but as soon as I went over, she got scared and obediently handed them over to ."
Mrs. Liu placed the rice dumpling leaves in a wooden basin, poured so water, and started washing them with a cloth.
During this process, she didn’t say a word to Mrs. Lin.
In other words, she completely ignored Mrs. Lin’s remarks.
Mrs. Lin waited for a long ti but didn’t hear any praise from Mrs. Liu, and she couldn’t help but feel a bit displeased.
"What a thing, deserves to be busy day in and day out!" Mrs. Lin muttered, angrily leaving the kitchen.
——
After cooking the first batch of rice dumplings in the third branch, most of the dumplings in the courtyard were wrapped as well.
Mu Shuangshuang tidied up the dumpling wrapping tools in the yard, cleaned them, and then called Mu Dashan, Yuanbao, and Little Zhi out of the house.
The steaming hot rice dumplings were placed in a large sea bowl, with several kids gathered around the square table.
They stared intently at the dumplings.
Mu Shuangshuang used scissors to cut a at dumpling for each of the three little kids and reminded them, "These dumplings are fresh out of the pot and very hot. Wait until they cool down before eating."
Yuanbao and Little Zhi nodded repeatedly.
Then, Mu Shuangshuang prepared a dumpling for Lu Yuanfeng as well, saying, "Fengzi, let’s try the at and stuffed dumplings first. The plain ones can be enjoyed slowly since they last longer."
The aroma of the dumplings, combined with the scent of the leaves and the smoked at, was mouthwatering.
Receiving the dumpling, Lu Yuanfeng didn’t hurry to eat it himself but waited for it to cool slightly and then handed it to Mu Shuangshuang.
"Shuangshuang, you’ve worked hard, you eat first!"
Mu Shuangshuang nodded with a smile, took Lu Yuanfeng’s dumpling, and peeled one for him in return.
Nearby, Yu Si Niang and Mu Dashan watched the couple flaunt their love carelessly, exchanged a glance, and then Mu Dashan handed his dumpling to Yu Si Niang.
"Shuangshuang’s mother, you’ve worked hard too, eat mine!"
Yu Si Niang wasn’t as bold as Mu Shuangshuang, her face turned red before she accepted the dumpling from Mu Dashan.
Nearby, Yuanbao followed suit.
After cooling his unwrapped dumpling, he offered it to Little Zhi in front of everyone.
"Little Zhi, you eat, mine has cooled down!"
Seeing this scene, Mu Shuangshuang looked as if she had discovered a new land and laughed, "Look at you, kid, your flirting skills are not bad. You’ll have no trouble finding a wife in the future!"
"Haha..." Everyone laughed at Mu Shuangshuang’s words.
After tasting the fresh dumplings, Yu Si Niang started cooking the second batch, while Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng went to deliver so dumplings to friends in the village and those they had good relations with.
From far to near, starting with Old Mr. Mu and Old Mrs. Mu from the Old Mu Family, then the fourth branch.
Initially, Mu Shuangshuang didn’t plan to deliver to her grandparents, but Yu Si Niang ntioned that she had handed them out to so many people, even the fourth branch, that if she didn’t give any to her grandparents, there would be gossip.
Mu Shuangshuang herself didn’t mind, but Yu Si Niang, after all, was a daughter-in-law of the Old Mu Family.
So, Mu Shuangshuang carried four dumplings, and Lu Yuanfeng took eight, as they headed separately to Mr. Mu and Old Mrs. Mu of the Old Mu Family and the fourth branch.
When Mu Shuangshuang delivered the dumplings, Old Mrs. Mu rely gave her a glance without uttering a word.
However, Mr. Mu was pleased to see the dumplings Mu Shuangshuang brought.
He kept Mu Shuangshuang for a chat.
"Shuangshuang, tomorrow is your aunt’s wedding day. Tell your parents to co early for the feast. Every mber of our Old Mu Family must be there."
Mu Shuangshuang paused montarily, then nodded.
"I know, I’ll tell my parents later!"
"Oh, by the way, thank your mother, these dumplings look quite decent!"
Mu Shuangshuang’s lips curved slightly as she smiled at Mr. Mu, after all, it was rare for him to praise her mother, even though the dumplings were not her mother’s making.
Nearby, Old Mrs. Mu, seeing that Mu Shuangshuang wasn’t paying any attention to her, muttered under her breath:
"Hmph, stingy as always, never does anything generously. Knows we have a big family, yet only brought four dumplings. How are we supposed to divide these? Everyone takes a bite?"
Mu Shuangshuang’s smile instantly vanished from her face.
"You can divide them however you like, Grandma. If you all want to take a bite each, I won’t say anything!"
"You..." Old Mrs. Mu was furious. She was just complaining, how dare this brat talk back.
"What about ? If you have nothing else, Grandma, I’ll be leaving!"
Mu Shuangshuang deliberately pretended not to notice Old Mrs. Mu’s anger, instead putting on a curious face as if eager to hear what Old Mrs. Mu had to say.
This only made Old Mrs. Mu even angrier, her face flushed red with rage, and her breathing beca faster.
Just as she seed ready to start scolding, Mu Shuangshuang quickly headed out, unwilling to stand there and be scolded.
Mr. Mu also chid in to stop it.
"Enough, it’s rare for Shuangshuang to bring us dumplings. You should curb that temper of yours and stop shouting and cursing at everyone who cos by. Rember, you’re the mother of a scholar now.
Soon you’ll be the mother of a champion scholar and an official. If people hear you carrying on like a shrew, what will they think?"
Mr. Mu ant well, but in Old Mrs. Mu’s eyes, he was siding with Mu Shuangshuang and criticizing her.
She sprang up and confronted Mr. Mu.
"Well, I knew it, you despise , thinking I’m a disgrace, thinking I’m a shrew.
How could you have been so blind to marry soone like ? If only you had opened your eyes, none of this would have happened!
I know, in this family, everyone else is right, and whatever I say is wrong. That brat brings four dumplings, and you’re already on her side.
When we go to the Capital, if so woman tries to seduce you with her looks, will you even rember your own na?"
"What are you talking about? How could I forget my own na? Did I say sothing wrong?
That Shuang girl kindly brought us dumplings. If you don’t want to eat them, fine, but why scold her?" Mr. Mu replied.
"Hmph, not eat? Who said I wouldn’t? That brat brought them, so I’ll eat them!"
Saying this, Old Mrs. Mu grabbed a dumpling from the table and quickly untied the hemp string.
As soon as the leaves were peeled back, the hidden filling inside the dumpling was revealed.
Old Mrs. Mu was lucky; she opened a at dumpling, and it was filled with cured at.
The aroma imdiately filled the air, and Mr. Mu couldn’t help but express his surprise, "Oh? Isn’t that cured at? How is there at inside the dumpling?"
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