"Sir, could you repeat what you just said? I didn’t quite catch it!"
Mu Dalang doubted his ears, he could hardly believe it.
Now that his uncle had returned and beco a county magistrate, the family shouldn’t be short of money. So why was there a need to withhold his at earnings?
Mu Dalang’s business had just started; every day he worked himself to the bone, yet earned barely enough for his and Bita’s three als a day.
Besides, he thought of what Shuangshuang suggested, to first establish his brand.
That’s why his pork sold cheaper than other butchers’, and its quality was the finest.
Yet, despite such hard work, it only amounted to barely surviving.
He could go hungry, but he couldn’t let Bita starve!
Mr. Mu’s face darkened, he thought Dalang was unwilling to lend him credit.
So he said, "It’s not that I’m not giving you money, but your uncle just got back and hasn’t rested enough yet.
If I ask for money right away, what if it irritates him? How would we handle that?"
"Sir, do you realize that these ten pounds of at are the capital I need for tomorrow’s business?"
Mu Dalang felt heartbroken. The Old Mu Family had oppressed them for too long before the division. Now that the family was separated, must they still endure oppression?
"It’s not that I’m withholding money, didn’t I say it’ll be a few days?" The kindness on Mr. Mu’s face was gone, even faint anger appeared!
The ones from the second branch are unbelievably inconsiderate.
The eldest endured the long journey and is soon to take the office of county magistrate.
With such hard work and achievent, it’s perfectly normal, not to ntion reasonable, to offer at on credit or even as a gift, isn’t it?
Besides, it’s not like I’m refusing to pay!
"Then, Sir, co back in a few days to buy the at!" Mu Dalang said with determination.
"Outrageous! Do you really intend to overturn the world? Who was it that sent you to town as an apprentice? Who allowed you to marry Huang Bita?
If you don’t want to show gratitude, that’s one thing, but to argue over ten pounds of at, is there any justice left?"
After all, Mr. Mu was not Old Mrs. Mu.
He couldn’t bring himself to use crude phrases like ’raising soone with one’s own poop and pee.’
But he genuinely believed he had bestowed great kindness upon Dalang, and under such circumstances, Dalang shouldn’t oppose him!
Mu Dalang felt exhausted all of a sudden!
He began to understand how his third uncle’s family felt when the family kept pestering them ti and again.
Must have been really speechless!
Clearly, the family had split, clearly they weren’t eating from the sa pot anymore.
Yet, they were still being exploited and controlled...
Mu Dalang fell into silence, and Mr. Mu, feeling he had said all there was to say, took a step forward and, while Mu Dalang was unsuspecting, took the at from his hands.
When Mu Dalang ca to his senses, he realized the at was in Mr. Mu’s hands, while he was left empty-handed.
His expression changed, "Sir, what are you doing? I haven’t agreed to sell you this at, how can you snatch it from ?"
"Enough, no need for more words, it won’t make any difference! Sir will take these ten pounds of at for now, and within three days, I’ll send the money over!"
With that, Mr. Mu stood up.
Mu Dalang tried to reach out and stop him, but Mr. Mu shot a glare at him!
As if to say if he dared utter another word, there would be consequences.
Just then, Huang Bita also finished boiling the hot water.
She brought in the hot tea she had brewed, walking into the main room: "Sir, have so tea!"
Hearing the ntion of tea, Mr. Mu was suddenly reminded of what Mu Shuangshuang had done earlier that morning in the main room of the Old Mu Family.
His mood instantly soured, and his speech beca unfiltered!
"Dalang, you’re always part of the Old Mu Family, you need to follow the rules of the Old Mu Family.
Also, Bita, you must strive harder, harder! Even the wife of that fool who married later than you is already three months pregnant.
If this drags on, others will be parents, and you two will still be loners with nothing to show for it!"
Mr. Mu’s words were truly hurtful.
Huang Bita nearly dropped the tea cup she was holding upon hearing them.
But she didn’t dare, as Mr. Mu was an elder, and as a granddaughter-in-law, if she offended him, how could she possibly live her future life?
Carrying the at, Mr. Mu left Mu Dalang’s main room and leisurely headed for the front yard.
In the front yard, chicks pecked rrily at food, oblivious to the blow their master in the back yard had suffered!
As Mr. Mu walked away, the tea cup in Huang Bita’s hand fell to the ground.
The water spilled everywhere, but Huang Bita didn’t even bother.
Because her husband, Mu Dalang, was sitting collapsed in a chair, his face pale, looking utterly wretched!
"Dalang, what’s wrong?" Huang Bita asked, going over to support Mu Dalang, with concern in her voice.
"Nothing... nothing!" Mu Dalang waved his hand.
Then he looked apologetically at Huang Bita: "Bita, I’m sorry, the ten pounds of at... Sir said the money will only co in three days!"
"It’s okay! At worst, we’ll sell the pig offal for so money these days! We’ll be frugal, and after three days, we’ll have a good al!"
Huang Bita forced a smile at Mu Dalang.
Looking at his wife, who was clearly equally aggrieved yet still comforted him, Mu Dalang felt even more guilty.
Mu Dalang resolved that in three days, he would definitely go to the Old Mu Family to get the money for those ten pounds of pork back!
——
Mr. Mu returned ho with the ten pounds of pork, solving a major problem for the Old Mu Family.
Old Mrs. Mu lay on the kang, now having sothing nutritious.
The villagers staying for dinner also had a treat with so good at.
Mrs. Liu pickled three pounds of the at with salt, and the rest was all cooked.
at soup, at pies, atballs—a whole at feast.
The villagers who stayed to eat praised the Old Mu Family for their wealth and not forgetting their roots!
For a ti, the Old Mu Family, Mr. Mu, and Mu Dade’s prestige all rose.
The previous unpleasant incidents gradually faded from the villagers’ minds.
Their talk was only of the goodness of the Old Mu Family, Mr. Mu, and Mu Dade!
After eating and drinking to their satisfaction, Mu Dade went to rest while Mr. Mu smoked a dry pipe alone in the yard.
Puff, puff, how joyful it was!
Mrs. Liu called several tis, telling Mr. Mu that the hot water was ready, but Mr. Mu kept saying he’d go later!
On the other hand, the third branch mbers hadn’t eaten yet.
Mu Shuangshuang planned to cook sothing delicious tonight—roast beef and vegetable salad.
Without salad dressing, Mu Shuangshuang used fresh sheep’s milk brought by Lu Yuanfeng and Xing Beichen as a substitute.
In any case, they were there for sothing new and refreshing; taste was secondary.
Everyone gathered around the table, eagerly waiting for Mu Shuangshuang to finish the roast beef so they could start eating.
The items needed for making roast beef weren’t much either, just an iron grate for grilling the beef, and of course, the beef bought from town.
Of all the ingredients, the beef was perhaps the most expensive and hardest to get!
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