"Xianxian, don’t give all this nonsense. I, the old lady, understand all of this. You’re just afraid that Dade won’t pass the exam, and you won’t get your silver back. But if Dade does pass, wouldn’t you want to live a prosperous life with him?"
Old Mrs. Mu glanced at Mu Xianxian.
The woman she gave birth to, she knows just what’s in her gut.
She hadn’t ntioned it before because the eldest daughter had helped the eldest son and Xiangxiang a lot over the years. But now, at this critical mont, she’s still trying to shirk responsibility, which Old Mrs. Mu couldn’t tolerate.
Mu Xianxian naturally wanted to enjoy the prosperity with Mu Dade, but she had spent quite a lot on him over the years, and what was the result?
All for nothing. He took the exam once, failed once, and this ti, it would be fifty taels.
With fifty taels, she could buy ten acres of land in the countryside, lease it to others, and earn a considerable inco.
Old Mrs. Mu knew her eldest daughter wouldn’t easily agree, so she slapped her own thigh, sat down on the ground, and started bawling.
"There’s no justice! Raising a daughter who doesn’t care about her family! All these years of food and drink, fed to an ungrateful wolf. I don’t want to live anymore, Mu Xianxian, you heartless, unfilial child..."
Old Mrs. Mu slapped her thigh loudly, her voice wailing like a pig being slaughtered. Mu Shuangshuang, who was boiling the last pot of dumplings in the room, had a tremor in her hand and accidentally broke the skin of one dumpling, the chive filling spilling out, green and vibrant.
"What’s wrong, Shuangshuang, what is it?" Yu Si Niang curiously asked.
"What else? Grandpa and Grandma are just forcing Aunt to get money for Uncle’s journey,"
The voice of Old Mrs. Mu was so loud that the whole Er Gui Village probably heard it.
She was really going all out for an uncle, but who knows if that uncle of hers, when he soars to greater heights, will rember the old lady who shalessly begged for his exam fee.
Yu Si Niang also sighed. Over the years, the entire Old Mu Family revolved around Shuangshuang’s uncle. Whenever he had any ailnt, the family’s silver poured out like water, and other households wouldn’t get new clothes for years or eat at for a year.
Everyone seed crazed and thought it was normal.
Yu Si Niang used to think so too, feeling that since the uncle worked so hard at his studies, giving him more wasn’t a big deal. If the uncle really succeeded, the little ones at ho could escape their fate as mud-legged peasants.
These scenes were always vivid in her mind. Now, she feels she was foolish, as no matter how well-fed or warm others are, she would still starve or freeze.
She sighed and suddenly got curious. "Shuangshuang, do you think your uncle will pass the exam this ti?"
After all, this was sothing that had troubled Yu Si Niang for decades, and she also wanted to know the outco.
"Who can say for sure? By logic, even a pig would have finished gnawing at an old tree after three years. My uncle has been at the imperial exams for fifteen years. If he still can’t pass, it would be worse than a pig or dog."
Mu Shuangshuang was always straightforward when speaking, and Yu Si Niang, for so reason, found herself wanting to laugh after hearing her daughter’s words.
"But in my estimation, even if my uncle passes and becos an official, it won’t be long-lasting."
Soone as sly and ambitious as Mu Dade is bound to fall at his own hands sooner or later.
Moreover, the Old Mu Family had practically built Mu Dade’s ascent with bodies. If he didn’t take these people along, would others just let it slide?
Obviously not!
Mu Shuangshuang’s analysis was sound, and Yu Si Niang nodded continuously, agreeing that Shuangshuang was right—soone else’s luxury and wealth, no matter how beautiful, weren’t hers.
"Mom, instead of worrying about whether Uncle will pass, why not hope that our Xiaohan might surprise us and beco a Champion Scholar?"
Xiao Han raised his head from the ground upon hearing his sister ntion his na, his face blushing, clearly shy.
"Sister, I’m just writing for fun; I’m not that great!"
"Xiao Han, why be shy with your sister? What don’t I know about you? We need confidence, just like Yuanbao, who recently said he wants to be the first Champion Scholar of Er Gui Village."
And undoubtedly, Little Yuanbao, though never having seen a book, confidently claid he was Champion Scholar material and said Mu Dade was like an old workhorse of the village, no matter how much work he did or grass he ate, he’d never compare to the young and robust calves like them.
Mu Shuangshuang was quite curious about that cheeky boy, wondering where he picked up such things.
"Mom, the dumplings are ready. I’ll take a bowl to Fengzi’s house, and you pick so to take over to Aunt Xiao Yun’s."
After all, these were people who had helped her. The chives for today’s dumplings were even sent by Zhao Yun.
In life, isn’t it all about reciprocal respect?
"Alright, it’s getting late, be careful when you co back. Change into your embroidered shoes in the house and don’t step on a snake."
Mu Shuangshuang only had one pair of embroidered shoes. For everyday work, she’d wear straw shoes, but those weren’t safe for walking at night, and Yu Si Niang’s advice made sense.
Mu Shuangshuang went inside to change her shoes, washed her hands, helped Lu Yuanfeng prepare a special sauce, took two eggs, and headed out.
It was the hour just when the sun set, and after the last ray of dusk disappeared over the horizon, Er Gui Village embraced another night.
As Mu Shuangshuang walked along the roadside, the cicadas and frogs chirped incessantly. For others, it might be a nuisance, but for soone like her, accustod to modern life with dwindling species and vanishing frogs and cicadas,
it was actually an enjoynt, a feeling she could never experience in modern life.
Upon arriving at Lu Yuanfeng’s house, Mu Shuangshuang was surprised to find a mud fence being built outside, indicating that Lu Yuanfeng was planning to make a courtyard wall.
He had talked about it before but never acted on it. What changed his mind now?
Could it be that Xia Guagua did sothing again?
"Fengzi, Yuanbao, are you ho?"
It wasn’t quite ti to light the lamps yet, but the house was already dark. Upon hearing Mu Shuangshuang’s voice, Lu Yuanfeng hurriedly dashed out of the kitchen.
He hadn’t realized what he was wearing.
Lu Yuanfeng was shirtless, with shorts down to his knees. Upon seeing Mu Shuangshuang, he blushed and then rembered his attire, dashing back inside in a fright.
Mu Shuangshuang got a good look; what Lu Yuanfeng wore resembled capri pants.
"Wow, Fengzi, you’re into fashion now, wearing capri pants! Hurry up and let see where you bought those pants; I want a pair too!"
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