Old Mrs. Mu was stunned, looking at Mu Zhenzhen over and over again.
After a long ti, she finally dared to be sure that the person before her was her second daughter, Mu Zhenzhen.
Originally, her youngest daughter getting married put Old Mrs. Mu in a bad mood, and coupled with the chaos in the kitchen earlier, she was indeed murderous.
But heaven is kind to her. Although Xiangxiang got married, her long-cherished daughter Zhenzhen ca back, and she could pamper her daughter again.
Old Mrs. Mu brushed away her previous gloom and rushed towards Mu Zhenzhen, ignoring Mu Zhenzhen’s filthy appearance, and embraced her tightly.
"Zhenzhen, my darling, you finally ca back. I missed you to death, you’ve suffered so much..."
"Mom, Zhenzhen missed you too... boo-hoo...!"
In the main room, others were watching this touching mont, but instead of being moved, they turned their heads with disdain.
They couldn’t help it; Mu Zhenzhen was filthy and slly, and they couldn’t stand the stench coming from her.
Mrs. Lin even fanned the air towards her nose continuously as she ridiculed Mu Zhenzhen: "I say, Gou Dan’s Second Aunt, if you wanted to co back, why didn’t you clean yourself up?
You’re filthier than that slly girl back in the day; at least the slly girl knew not to appear before everyone. Are you trying to gross out the whole family?"
As usual, Mrs. Lin spoke with no filter, and everyone was used to it.
But this ti, she was talking about one of Old Mrs. Mu’s favorite daughters.
Naturally, Old Mrs. Mu wouldn’t easily forgive Mrs. Lin.
So, after glaring at Mrs. Lin, Old Mrs. Mu shouted at her: "Of course you have a big mouth, you gossip; Zhenzhen’s matters aren’t yours to ddle in.
If you’re so idle, go fetch bathing water for Zhenzhen and then borrow so soap from the third branch!"
"Mom, why should I go ask for soap? You know how formidable that slly girl from the third branch is!"
Mrs. Lin pursed her lips, feeling displeased.
It’s one thing to scold her, but asking her to get sothing from the third branch is pushing her into the fire pit.
"I told you to go, so go! Where’s all this nonsense coming from? Keep it up, and you’ll be sleeping in the pigsty forever!"
Speaking of the pigsty, Mrs. Lin’s face flushed.
Last night’s incident was still fresh in her mind; she couldn’t understand what had happened.
Last night, she clearly went back to her own house, but when she awoke, she was in the pigsty.
Mrs. Lin even considered that soone in the family was setting her up, moving her to the pigsty while she was asleep.
However, she couldn’t be sure who was responsible.
Mrs. Lin reluctantly went to the kitchen; it was late, and she had to start a fire to boil water for Mu Zhenzhen—just the thought made her angry!
So Mrs. Lin was alone in the kitchen ranting and raving: "Damn it, yesterday we said this brat Mu Zhenzhen wouldn’t co back, and today she did!
Damn it, you should have co back earlier; then we wouldn’t have to watch that dead old woman spend money on that pig demon!"
anwhile, Mrs. Lin was swearing in the kitchen.
On the other side, in the Old Mu Family’s main room, Old Mrs. Mu was holding onto Mu Zhenzhen, speaking non-stop. The others had long wanted to leave, but out of fear of Old Mrs. Mu’s might, they were pretending to be concerned about Mu Zhenzhen.
Having been through much, Mu Zhenzhen could easily see through the brothers’ false courtesy, but she couldn’t be bothered to argue with them.
This ti around, Mu Zhenzhen’s return has two purposes: first, to win back her man Zhuangzi, and second, to use her brother’s status and position to live a life of luxury.
She would never again indulge in hardship!
After enough pleasantries, Mu Zhenzhen rembered her filthy state and thus pouted to Old Mrs. Mu: "Mom, I want to bathe; this filth is killing !"
Which daughter doesn’t cherish beauty and cleanliness?
Previously, she was fleeing, struggling for food and clothing, leaving Mu Zhenzhen no ti for grooming. Now that she’s back, her only thought is to clean herself up.
When it cos to dressing up, few in the Old Mu Family could compete with her. Mu Zhenzhen was confident that once she was cleaned up, she’d be a true beauty!
Winning back Zhuangzi was just a matter of ti!
"You’ll bathe, and I’ll go check why Lin Xiaozao’s wife is working so slowly—is she loafing around?"
Old Mrs. Mu briskly walked towards the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Mrs. Lin had just tidied up, having only cleaned the pot.
Before she even had a chance to fill the large iron pot with water, the door was kicked open.
Old Mrs. Mu rushed in, "What’s the matter with you, taking so long to make hot water? Are you trying to let Zhenzhen die waiting?"
"Mom, you see, it’s not that I’m slow on purpose; you know how dirty this kitchen is.
I had to tidy up first before making water for Gou Dan’s Second Aunt, or the work couldn’t be done!" protested Mrs. Lin.
"Alright then, you’re not needed here anymore; you go to the third branch to get the soap, and I’ll boil the water myself!"
Unhappy with Mrs. Lin’s sluggishness, Old Mrs. Mu chased her away.
A pot of hot water was soon boiled, and Old Mrs. Mu called upon Mu Dazhong and Mu Danian to help carry the hot water for Mu Zhenzhen.
Old Mrs. Mu rembered her daughter’s state and figured one pot might not be enough, so she boiled another kettle.
——
Mrs. Lin went to the third branch by herself; it was not early now—the sun had set, and the moon was soon to rise.
Though the distance was short, Mrs. Lin felt uneasy, spooked.
Rather like last night, when she was supposed to steal zongzi from the third branch but ended up in the pigsty.
Thinking back, it suddenly dawned on Mrs. Lin that perhaps no one set her up; it was the third branch that had issues, sothing unclean!
Upon realizing this, Mrs. Lin beca increasingly afraid of visiting the third branch.
But not going would make Old Mrs. Mu upset.
After several deep breaths, Mrs. Lin gave herself a silent pep talk, struggling to reach the third branch’s territory.
Before she could call out Yu Si Niang’s na, a shadow flickered past.
Mrs. Lin was so startled she cried out for her parents...
She hugged her head, squatting on the ground, pleading, "Don’t co closer, don’t co closer..."
Mu Shuangshuang happened to leave the house just as Little Black had run out of her room, and she was now looking for Little Black.
Unexpectedly, opening the door, she saw Mrs. Lin terrified, squatting down and pleading to nonexistent things.
Oh, was her second aunt scared by her prank last night? Mu Shuangshuang thought.
With the principle of acting when necessary, Mu Shuangshuang sneaked back to her room, retrieving a floral cotton jacket from her wardrobe, along with the bamboo rod and the wicker stick she had been hiding in the door seam.
Using bamboo, the cotton jacket, the wicker, and so thread, Mu Shuangshuang quickly fashioned a dummy supported by the bamboo rod.
She covered herself with a piece of black cloth and slowly erged from her room...
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