Back at Er Gui Village, Mu Shuangshuang handed over eighty coins to the Huang brothers at the village entrance. Initially, she ant for the brothers to leave the cart at the entrance, but they insisted on delivering to the door since the paynt was too high not to.
Lately, Mu Shuangshuang has noticed a change in the Huang brothers. She isn’t sure how they treat others.
At least in front of her, they haven’t done anything wrong to her or Fengzi, and they have been quite diligent.
Mu Shuangshuang decided that if she were to open a tavern, she would definitely hire them to help out.
Third Branch of the Mu Family
Mu Shuangshuang thought the house might be pitch black at this hour, but unexpectedly, soone had set a bonfire in the yard, with wood still burning in it.
Around the fire, three Little Doudings were eagerly watching the entrance.
Upon hearing the sound of the cart wheels, they each jumped up. Little Zhi ran inside to call Mu Dashan, while Xiao Han and Yuanbao ca forward, each holding a bowl of tea, still warm.
The Third Branch’s yard instantly beca lively, not at all like nightti, but rather no different from dayti.
Watching this heartwarming scene, the Huang brothers felt both envious and jealous, especially Huang Er, who started sobbing.
"Whenever my brother and I go ho, it’s always a cold pot and stove, how pitiful... boo hoo..."
It’s quite unusual for a grown man to cry without concern for image.
Mu Shuangshuang had to comfort him: "Work hard, earn money, and you can marry a wife, don’t cry!"
Huang Er finally stopped crying, placed the cart properly with Huang Da, and bid farewell to Mu Shuangshuang.
They agreed that if there were similar jobs in the future, they should be called again.
They also realized they couldn’t stay in such a place anymore, lest they die of jealousy.
Seeing that the two were sturdy n and unlikely to encounter danger, Mu Shuangshuang didn’t see them off.
"So, tell , whose idea was it today?" Mu Shuangshuang asked while taking money out of her pocket.
"Of course, it was Yuanbao’s idea. Yuanbao thought Sister Shuangshuang, Brother Er, and Auntie worked so hard, so he decided to do sothing special." Yuanbao patted his chest proudly.
"Alright, alright, you’re amazing! Here, take this money to buy candied haws."
Mu Shuangshuang took out six coins and handed them to the three little ones.
Yuanbao put the money in his pocket, but Xiao Han and Little Zhi returned theirs. "Sister, we don’t need money, having food at ho is enough!"
Seeing this, Yuanbao also took out the money from his pocket and handed it to Lu Yuanfeng.
"Brother Er, I’m like Little Zhi, I don’t need money either."
But, as he spoke, Yuanbao’s eyes were still fixed on the two coins in his hand, clearly reluctant to part with them.
Mu Shuangshuang gently touched Yuanbao’s head and said, "This is for buying snacks. You don’t have to return it to . Besides, you’re not three-year-old children anymore; you should learn to manage your own money!"
Only then did Yuanbao smile and take back his money, and so did Little Zhi and Xiao Han.
"Cousin, here’s your paynt for the work!" Mu Shuangshuang handed the wage tied with a hemp rope to Mu Dalang.
"Shuangshuang, I wanted to say earlier, the Huang brothers are outsiders, so they should be paid, but we’re family, I don’t need it."
Mu Dalang shook his head firmly.
To him, the Third Branch has helped him a lot. If it wasn’t for Shuangshuang, he still wouldn’t know when he could get married.
"Cousin, you’re confused. This money isn’t yours; it’s for Sister-in-law Bita. Once you’re married, the woman manages the household, and all money goes to her. Refusing now is harming her interests. Does she know?" Mu Shuangshuang teased with a mischievous grin.
"Dalang, just take it. You’ve worked all day, and it’s only right to take your pay. Besides, you’re about to get married, and there are lots of expenses," Yu Si Niang chid in.
"I can’t accept that. After marriage, I can earn my own, and even if Bitao were here, she wouldn’t bla ."
Mu Dalang was resolute in refusing, so Mu Shuangshuang kept it to give him when he marries, or perhaps buy so nourishing things for Huang Bitao, just so she wouldn’t take advantage.
They chatted for a bit longer, and Mu Dalang left. The three little ones were taken to bathe by Yu Si Niang, leaving only Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng.
Mu Shuangshuang found a chair, and as soon as he sat down, Lu Yuanfeng ca over.
"Are you tired? Let massage your legs!" He said as he placed Shuangshuang’s legs on a chair, gently tapping the joints.
Mu Shuangshuang felt completely satisfied. Though this day wasn’t too tiring, having soone massage her legs was imnsely comforting.
After a while, Mu Shuangshuang felt comfortable and stood up.
"Fengzi, let’s bake so sweet potatoes, I didn’t fill up at dinner, and after such a long walk, I’m hungry."
Lu Yuanfeng naturally nodded along; he was hungry too.
Sweet potatoes are the one thing rural households never run short of, aside from vegetable and cotton or hemp planting land, they grow sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes have a high yield and are filling. Most families cook with a lot of sweet potatoes and wild greens, making a sack of rice last a long ti.
From the kitchen, Mu Shuangshuang picked six smaller sweet potatoes, took the fire tongs, and buried the potatoes in the fire.
On cold days, enjoying a few baked sweet potatoes is a particularly blissful experience.
As Mu Shuangshuang tended the bonfire and adjusted the sweet potatoes with tongs,
Lu Yuanfeng watched Shuangshuang. Even with sothing as simple as baking sweet potatoes, she was ticulously focused, not slacking off at all.
Soon, the aroma of baked sweet potatoes began to fill the air, making Lu Yuanfeng’s mouth water.
Sotis Lu Yuanfeng wondered, if Shuangshuang didn’t cook for him soday, he would lose more than half his joy.
Shuangshuang’s cooking was exceptional, turning the simplest ingredients into colorful, fragrant, and flavorful dishes.
Even the simplest ho-cooked al was far tastier than what others could make.
The air was filled with a warm, comforting scent.
The sweet potatoes were done, and Mu Shuangshuang used her homade gloves to peel them, releasing even more fragrance as she handed one to Lu Yuanfeng.
"Eat quickly while I report on our situation."
In Mu Shuangshuang’s mind, it was fair to say they earned the business together, so she had to explain everything clearly.
"Tonight, Old Sir Zhao gave an additional fifty coins, so I could pay the Huang brothers more. As for the silver we earned, strictly speaking, we hadn’t factored in the seventy pounds of wild boar."
The materials mostly belonged to her, but Fengzi hunted the wild boar, which could be sold. After deducting labor costs and such, we didn’t earn much.
But this gives each day a bit more montum to move forward.
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