Mrs. Liu carried a pot of cold, unboiled water to the main house to find Mrs. Jin.
Mrs. Jin was already thirsty; seeing Mrs. Liu coming with water, she thought nothing of it and rushed to take the water from her.
She took out a cup, poured a full one, and hadn’t even drunk it before realizing sothing was wrong!
"Hey, Xiaxia’s mother, why is this water cold?" Mrs. Jin asked in confusion.
Mrs. Liu was extrely embarrassed; she didn’t know how to explain this to Mrs. Jin.
But if she didn’t explain, she might end up being resented.
"Sister-in-law, this... this was instructed by the second sister-in-law. She said that from now on, all the household expenses must be approved by her, and since the main house hasn’t contributed any money, we can’t boil water!"
Having forced herself to say these words, she didn’t dare to look at Mrs. Jin afterward.
Mrs. Jin’s face looked terrible.
"What right does Mrs. Lin have to say such things? Is it because she sees Mr. Dan Dan eting classmates that she bullies while I’m alone at ho?"
Mrs. Jin didn’t ntion that Mu Dade went to the temple to pray but only said he went to et classmates. She feared being ridiculed after the truth got out!
For over thirty years, Mrs. Jin had been mocked a lot because of her son’s matters.
Each day afterward, she didn’t want to be laughed at!
"No, no, Mom got driven out by Dad, and now the second sister-in-law is the head of the household; she has the final say on matters in the backyard!" Mrs. Liu said.
"What did you say, Mom got driven out? Why?" Mrs. Jin asked.
Mrs. Liu told Mrs. Jin everything she knew.
Including the story of Mu Xiangxiang being cast out. Hearing her finish, Mrs. Jin imdiately felt her opportunity had co!
Now that the Old Mu Family is in chaos, wouldn’t this be the right ti to go to the county?
Everyone is busy with their own affairs; they might get caught up, and with one less person, her pressure would be reduced!
"Xiaxia’s mother, thank you! If there’s no boiling water, there’s none; I don’t bla you or Gou Dan’s mother!" Mrs. Jin said considerately to Mrs. Liu.
Then she took out five big coins from her pocket and placed them in Mrs. Liu’s hand!
Before Mrs. Liu could react, she heard Mrs. Jin say, "Xiaxia’s mother, your Xiaxia is not young anymore; it’s ti for her to marry. In these recent days, have any matchmakers co to propose?"
Mrs. Liu shook her head, "No!"
Mrs. Liu’s family wasn’t capable, and her husband was an honest farr. Even though Mu Dade beca a scholar and a county magistrate, the most straightforward fourth branch didn’t benefit much!
"Xiaxia’s mother, actually, I have a way to let Xiaxia get married gloriously!" Mrs. Jin suddenly said.
"What... what way?" Mrs. Liu asked eagerly.
"It depends on whether you are willing to listen to !" Mrs. Jin smiled.
"This thod not only allows Xiaxia to be the center of attention, but more importantly, after she marries into her husband’s family, no one will dare to bully her!
She won’t have to work all her life; there will be soone to serve her every need!"
Mrs. Jin was truly clever!
The fourth branch in the Old Mu Family suffered no less than the third branch did back then.
And since the third branch split, the fourth branch has been doing the work of two branches, tirelessly.
But even so, the fourth branch was still unwilling to split the family.
All because they wanted their children to have better prospects!
Mu Dajiang felt he wasn’t like his third brother, who had a good daughter, an academy, a restaurant, and even a son-in-law!
He had no money, and the only way for his daughter to stand out was to cling to the main house, hoping to benefit from being a scholar’s niece, the county magistrate’s niece, and see if life would be easier!
But things were not ideal; although Mu Dade beca a county magistrate, and many matchmakers ca, they were all for Mu Dade’s two daughters.
Various landlords’ sons, rchants’ sons, scholars, but no one was matchmaking for his daughter!
"I... I’m willing!" Mrs. Liu thought for a long ti and returned to Mrs. Jin’s question.
"That’s good! Xiaxia’s mother, I’ll have Da De recognize Xiaxia as his goddaughter; you know how status-conscious people are nowadays, Xiaxia being just Da De’s niece isn’t enough, she needs an additional title!"
Mrs. Jin’s implication was that being recognized as Mu Dade’s goddaughter was more valuable than being his real niece.
Mrs. Liu, being simple, didn’t catch on to this nuance; she only knew that Mrs. Jin wanted to help her.
"What do you want to do?" Mrs. Liu asked.
"Well..."
...
When Mrs. Liu ca out of Mrs. Jin’s room, her face was a bit pale; she walked unsteadily and left the courtyard of the main house in a hurry.
Perhaps she was too distracted, but when she ca to her senses, she realized she had arrived at the third branch’s yard!
Just as she was about to leave, Mu Shuangshuang called her!
"Fourth Aunt, co in and sit down!" Mu Shuangshuang called out to Mrs. Liu.
There were still so candied sweet potatoes left from before, and Mu Shuangshuang wasn’t stingy; she brought them out to invite Mrs. Liu to eat.
But Mrs. Liu refused.
"Shuangshuang, I... I don’t like sweets; I’ll head back now!"
Mrs. Liu looked at Mu Shuangshuang with a bit of evasiveness, even a bit of resistance to her touch.
Mu Shuangshuang felt it strange but didn’t think much of it.
"Wait a mont, Fourth Aunt, I have so food here; take it for Xiao Chu to eat!"
After speaking, Mu Shuangshuang went into her room and brought out a handful of candies and dried persimmons for Mrs. Liu.
Mrs. Liu looked at the pile of things in her hand, her eyes showing a hint of struggle.
But quickly, that struggle subsided!
With her hands full, she left the third branch in a hurry, not even glancing at Mu Shuangshuang.
Mu Shuangshuang found it increasingly odd, but she couldn’t ask.
Additionally, she noticed that her Fourth Aunt didn’t inquire about the kitchen fire incident at her house, which wasn’t typical behavior!
Mu Shuangshuang silently noted this in her mind.
...
Old Mrs. Mu regretted it after taking Mu Xiangxiang out of the Old Mu Family.
She waited not far outside the Old Mu Family’s yard for the family to co looking for her.
But she waited for nearly half an hour without anyone coming for her!
Beside her, Mu Xiangxiang was already impatient!
"Mom, I’m hungry..." Mu Xiangxiang mumbled weakly, looking worn out!
"Be good, my dear, hold on a little longer. Your father wouldn’t be so heartless as to really drive us out!" Old Mrs. Mu said.
"But I’m really hungry!" Mu Xiangxiang complained, feeling uncomfortable in her stomach.
At this ti in the past, she would have eaten a lot by now, but today, she quarreled so much that she ate nothing!
Now her stomach felt as though it was being stabbed, painfully uncomfortable!
"Xiangxiang, we..."
"I’m really hungry!" Mu Xiangxiang shouted irritably.
Old Mrs. Mu was at a loss, anxiously glancing in the direction of the Old Mu Family.
"But your father hasn’t co for us, what should we do?" Old Mrs. Mu asked.
"I don’t care, I’m really hungry!"
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