Mu Shuangshuang secretly noted down her goals, intending to achieve them one by one.
Once the two kids started school, she planned to open a restaurant in town to earn more money.
As she pondered, she gradually got sleepy.
After washing up, Mu Shuangshuang went to sleep.
...
...
Lu Yuanfeng returned ho, surprised to see a lamp lit at the door.
Upon closer inspection, he realized it was lit by his grandmother, Old Lady Lu.
Since the last ti Lu Yuanfeng had Mr. Mu write the severance letter, Old Lady Lu hadn’t co around.
This ti, who knows why she ca.
Old Lady Lu was delighted to see Lu Yuanfeng and Yuanbao, and she approached them, saying to Lu Yuanfeng, "Fengzi, you’re finally back. I’ve been waiting for you for a long ti."
Lu Yuanfeng’s face showed no emotion, but the familiar call of "grandmother" still moved him sowhat.
Especially Yuanbao.
After all, it was Old Lady Lu who raised him, and Yuanbao still had so affection for her.
However, to avoid making things difficult for Lu Yuanfeng, Yuanbao stood still, looking at Old Lady Lu with wide eyes.
"Do you need sothing?"
Waiting all evening like this, Lu Yuanfeng didn’t think his grandmother was just there to chat.
Lu Yuanfeng’s distant attitude saddened Old Lady Lu, but she didn’t show it.
"I heard from your fourth aunt that you spent the whole day working for the Third Branch of the Old Mu Family, and she couldn’t manage on her own, so she asked you for help, but you ignored her."
Old Lady Lu’s intention wasn’t actually to bla Fengzi; she just couldn’t think of any other topic.
Her visit today was pretty awkward, too.
Mr. Lu fell ill, but none of the family mbers were willing to pay for his treatnt, even though they had invested a lot in marrying off Lu Zizhang, the fourth son, and the Fourth Branch turned their backs on them.
Now, none of the branches were willing to contribute money for Mr. Lu.
But the chickens, ducks, and fields at ho had all been divided among a few people, leaving Mr. and Old Lady Lu with only two or three acres of poor-quality land.
Low yield aside, none of the children helped with harvesting.
Old Lady Lu’s feet had been bound since childhood, she never worked in the fields, and the only person she could rely on was Mr. Lu.
Who knew that after falling ill, he couldn’t get up?
Therefore, Old Lady Lu thought about borrowing so money from Lu Yuanfeng.
"You actually believe what Fourth Aunt Lu said?" Lu Yuanfeng didn’t bother to explain further.
During the day, he indeed ran into his fourth aunt.
But she hadn’t been polite about asking for help; instead, she’d scolded Shuangshuang, accusing her of bewitching Lu Yuanfeng, making him work only for the Third Branch.
After scolding, she still demanded that Lu Yuanfeng help the Fourth Branch with work.
Lu Yuanfeng simply refused, not retaliating, which was already being gracious.
So, Fourth Aunt Lu was indeed making trouble.
"Fengzi, it’s not that grandmother doesn’t trust you or ca to bla you. If you think that girl from the Third Branch of the Old Mu Family is good, just marry her. Grandmother won’t object.
This ti, grandmother’s here just to ask if you could lend so money. Your grandfather fell ill and is bedridden. He knows he was wrong about the past; he shouldn’t have..."
"Enough, grandmother. I don’t want to talk about this, and you shouldn’t bring it up. As for the money, Fengzi can’t lend it!
You can ask my fourth uncle for money; after all, it was for his wedding that they sold my mother."
Lu Yuanfeng spoke frankly. If he talked about emotions, when he first returned and saw his grandmother had raised Yuanbao, he was grateful back then.
At that ti, he was willing to pour his heart out and wasn’t bothered by whatever his grandfather said, no matter how unpleasant.
"Your fourth aunt controls the family’s money and doesn’t lend a single cent; your grandfather can’t borrow any money!" There was a quiver in Old Lady Lu’s voice.
She was genuinely out of options.
"So you think I should be the one to provide it? Grandmother, you should know my nature: for those who treat well, I’d give my all, but if soone harms the one I care about the most, I wouldn’t be polite.
I have no ties with the Old Lu Family anymore. If you need help, you should ask my fourth uncle and aunt. Everything happened because of their marriage.
Now, it’s also the ti for them to show filial piety to you and my grandfather. Also, I don’t have money; all the money is saved for Yuanbao’s schooling and my own marriage."
Lu Yuanfeng didn’t hide his plans to get married.
After all, it’s sothing they would know sooner or later.
Old Lady Lu seed struck by a heavy blow, and her whole deanor sagged.
So, it really can’t be done.
If Fengzi doesn’t help, who else will?
"Fengzi, just think of this as grandmother begging you. Help your grandfather this ti. Once he’s better, I’ll return it to you imdiately."
Lu Yuanfeng’s eyes wandered across the courtyard to his own house.
He suddenly said, "Grandmother, did my mother beg my grandfather not to sell her back then?"
Old Lady Lu’s body slumped, staring at this familiar yet unfamiliar grandson, letting out a long sigh before picking up the oil lamp and slowly returning to the Old Lu Family.
Just from looking at Old Lady Lu’s silhouette, one could sense the bleakness.
But without doing this, how could Lu Yuanfeng have ended the matter?
Once Old Lady Lu left, Yuanbao had sothing to say.
"Second brother, actually my grandmother doesn’t have it easy either. The aunts have always scolded her, and Fourth Aunt even hit grandmother.
Grandfather has a terrible temper, and I don’t want to save him, but he is my grandfather. If we don’t save him, grandmother will be heartbroken, and I will also feel uneasy."
Children have a straightforward sense of perception.
Helping or not helping, it’s not about one’s own benefit but about whether the people they care about are doing well.
"But grandfather wanted to sell mother!"
Lu Yuanfeng wondered why he was reasoning with a child, and he regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth.
"But even so, I believe that if mother were here, she would help grandfather too," said Yuanbao.
However, this did remind Lu Yuanfeng.
His mother was a kind person, good to everyone.
If she were here now, she would surely think like Yuanbao.
"So, will second brother go to Grandpa Zhang tomorrow, okay?" Lu Yuanfeng asked.
"No, we must make Fourth Uncle and Aunt suffer. Fourth Aunt used to beat and scold the most, and I’ve never made her suffer."
Lu Yuanfeng couldn’t help but laugh.
This kid still rembered those past grievances.
"Alright, let’s deal with Fourth Uncle and Aunt first, but for this matter, we need to find Sister Shuangshuang; she’s the best at this!"
When it ca to this kind of cleverness, Lu Yuanfeng considered himself no match for Mu Shuangshuang.
"It’s getting late, let’s get back to sleep!"
...
...
The next day, the sun shone brightly, and it was another lively day in Er Gui Village. Everyone hurriedly climbed out of bed, afraid of falling behind.
The Old Mu Family mbers were also as energized as ever, running even faster than rabbits, finishing breakfast as soon as it hit the table.
No one knew whether it was because of the work or for so other purpose, but regardless of the reason, Mr. Mu was happy to see it.
Early in the morning, Mu Shuangshuang received two eggs sent by Mrs. Liu from the fourth branch, as instructed by Mr. Mu.
Although she didn’t know how they ca, Mu Shuangshuang happily accepted them and made egg custard to boost the health of the three children.
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