The curling smoke rose from the chimney of Shuangshuang’s house, as she took several fish from the little wooden barrel, carefully scraped the scales and gutted them. Following last night’s thod, she sliced them open and began marinating.
This ti, there are too many guests to invite. Aunt Zhao Yun’s family counts four, plus Zhao Gouzi.
Last ti when Mu Shuangshuang and Mrs. Jin had a fight, it was Zhao Gouzi who tipped off Mu Dashan to co ho and have a look, so Zhao Gouzi can be considered a benefactor to the third branch.
Since she was cooking for soone she liked, Mu Shuangshuang was in a good mood, which naturally made her cook faster than usual.
At noon, Yu Si Niang returned from the fields with Little Zhi and Xiao Han, both had turned into little mud-covered figures. Their faces were sared with mud, but it was clear they were both very happy.
Mu Shuangshuang handed a ladle of well water to Yu Si Niang, who didn’t drink first but gave it to the two little kids instead. They must have been truly thirsty, as each guzzled down almost half of the ladle. By the ti the water reached Yu Si Niang’s hands, only half remained.
Thankfully, it was enough!
"Mom, you ca back at the perfect ti; the food is ready, just need the tables set. You take a break. I’ll go call Aunt Xiao Yun’s family, and Uncle Gouzi."
The plan to invite people for lunch was already agreed upon by Mu Shuangshuang and Yu Si Niang last night. Mu Shuangshuang had left early in the morning, so naturally, Yu Si Niang was in charge of inviting guests.
Everyone was okay with it, as this was also to celebrate the third branch breaking out from Old Mu Family together.
"Sis, no need to call anyone. We told them on our way back, Aunt Xiao Yun said she’d co over after she washes her face. Uncle Gouzi said he’d head ho first and be over soon." Xiao Han called out to Mu Shuangshuang.
"Haha, but sis still needs to call one more person." Mu Shuangshuang suddenly rembered Zhang Huai Shu had helped her quite a bit, so there was no reason not to invite him over for dinner. Besides, she’d better give him one or two silver coins first.
The initial agreent was to repay ten silver coins half a year later. Mu Shuangshuang now indeed had ten silver coins in total, but she was thinking of buying an acre of land to plant peanuts and sweet potatoes.
As for Zhang Huai Shu’s money, she’ll return it before the New Year after coming up with a way to earn so.
"Sis, are you talking about Grandpa Huai Shu?" Little Zhi tugged at Mu Shuangshuang’s pant leg, looking at her with a ’I knew it’ expression.
"Yes, how did you know, Little Zhi?"
Mu Shuangshuang crouched down, feeling that the two little ones were becoming more sensible.
Xiao Han was steady, Little Zhi was smart; the two little ones never worried her about anything.
"Because mom went to invite him this morning, Grandpa Huai Shu went to another village for a visit and said he won’t be back for three days."
"I see, thank you, Little Zhi, then I won’t go to invite him." Mu Shuangshuang rubbed Little Zhi’s hair, noting that after a day’s work, it was damp with sweat, leaving a wet trace as she touched it.
"Little Zhi, Xiao Han, quickly go inside and dry your hair, don’t catch a cold."
"Okay, we know."
Mu Shuangshuang followed them into the house, found a cotton cloth towel and handed it to Little Zhi, unexpectedly bumping into a flushed Mu Dashan.
Mu Dashan wasn’t flushed from heat, but from excitent. He had overheard Yu Si Niang and Mu Shuangshuang’s conversation and knew the family was inviting guests for a al, familiar faces no less.
He never thought there’d be a day when the poorest third branch of Old Mu Family could also invite others over for dinner.
Though the food may not be the best, it was only the beginning, proving that the third branch could now stand proudly.
"Shuangshuang, should we go to Uncle Wu’s house in the village and buy two jin of wine?" Mu Dashan suggested.
"What wine? Your health isn’t good yet, what if you get sick again?" Yu Si Niang ca into the room, reluctantly scolding Mu Dashan.
Ever since that night when Yu Si Niang said what was on her mind, she was more direct when speaking with Mu Dashan.
According to Shuangshuang, won can hold up half the sky, earn money, and argue with n on reason, no longer allowing n to have their way.
While she was still adapting, Yu Si Niang believed she could soon interact using Shuangshuang’s proposed mode of equality more naturally.
"Mom, it’s rare for dad to be happy, let’s just buy so wine. At most, let him wet his chopsticks lightly? Besides, there’s Uncle Gouzi and Uncle Yu Tou, two grown n, surely they can’t not drink?"
Mu Shuangshuang raised her hands, clasped them on her chest, and softly sought forgiveness from Yu Si Niang.
Yu Si Niang always listened to Shuangshuang, and when she agreed, Yu Si Niang naturally didn’t oppose.
"Okay, okay, you can go, but don’t buy too much, no more than two jin."
Once Yu Si Niang agreed, Mu Shuangshuang dashed off like an untethered horse.
The wine at Old Wu Family’s house in the village was authentic grain wine, not expensive, costing just a penny per jin. Mu Shuangshuang bought the wine at Old Wu’s and hurried ho, only to find several people gathered at her house.
In the yard, near the kitchen, upon approaching, one could faintly hear people saying things like, "Fengzi is amazing, he can get this kind of stuff."
Mu Shuangshuang ca closer and heard the squealing of pigs, quickly realizing what it was.
"Oh, Shuang is back, congratulations, your kitchen is set up, and you’ve even got pigs, wild ones at that."
"Exactly, Shuang, you guys from the third branch are going to have better days now, even able to raise pigs."
Few families in the village raised pigs; Wang Erma’s family was one, but they relied on killing and selling pigs for a living; then there was the Wang Fugui family, a farming household, so raising pigs was normal.
And then ca the third branch of Old Mu Family. Although they raised boars captured from the mountains, wild pigs grew much bigger than dostic pigs and their at was more valuable.
The third branch of Old Mu Family managed to accumulate so much in such a short ti, building pigsties and raising pigs, garnering enough to attract others to co and watch the commotion.
Mu Shuangshuang greeted several acquaintances before arriving outside the pigsty.
In the pigsty, Lu Yuanfeng was helping spread dry straw; in the corner, a small black-haired boar was panting heavily.
The "squealing" sounds were audible from afar.
Mu Shuangshuang recognized that it was one of the two wild piglets she and Lu Yuanfeng had seen on the mountain last ti.
"Shuangshuang, you’re back just in ti. Fengzi just brought over this pig. He said you’ve paid and told to take good care of it."
Yu Si Niang pulled Mu Shuangshuang by her side. It was her first ti seeing a live wild pig, so her expression was similar to others’, full of astonishnt.
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