Of course not! Mu Shuangshuang thought to herself.
The old man had so nice ideas, but she deliberately waited until the middle of the night to make a big profit, and in the end, the old man wanted to use friendship and family ties to help.
Are you kidding? Even blood brothers have to settle accounts clearly. Besides, if you don’t make money when you can, what are you if not a fool?
"Grandpa, I understand what you’re saying, but there’s really no way around this. Shuangshuang promised them, and otherwise, we’d lose nine hundred coins. The money is the least of it.
The most important thing is Shuangshuang’s reputation. If I can’t get the goods to town by tomorrow morning, I’m afraid no one will buy from again," Mu Shuangshuang said solemnly.
It’s not like Mu Shuangshuang was making excuses; making a midnight snack isn’t difficult, both Mrs. Lin and Mrs. Liu can do it.
But the old man insisted on finding her, so she can’t be blad for raising the price.
"What? Nine hundred coins?" the old man exclaid.
A day’s al, giving it to Shuangshuang would be one tael. If it were another nine hundred coins, the feast would be in a big loss.
It’s about the household’s food expenses for over half a year.
"Shuang, how about this, seven... seven hundred coins, you help your big cousin make this midnight snack. If there’s any benefit in the future, I’ll rember you, okay?"
Mu Shuangshuang hesitated for a mont, feeling awkward about the sudden reasonableness of the old man.
She thought for a mont and deliberately appeared conflicted. "Fine, seven hundred it is, let’s just say it’s for my big cousin!"
Mu Shuangshuang’s ’sacrifice’ made the old man quite pleased.
After all, with seven hundred coins, he still saved two hundred.
The old man went back to the Old Mu Family, and the first thing he did was ask Old Mrs. Mu for money.
Aside from the money of the main branch managed by Mrs. Jin, the rest of the Old Mu Family’s finances were managed by Old Mrs. Mu alone, even the old man needed to discuss money matters with her.
Old Mrs. Mu was stingy by nature, especially when it ca to spending money, so she inevitably asked a few more questions.
"Old man, what do you need money for at this hour?"
Inside the room, Old Mrs. Mu looked guarded, and her eyes were full of suspicion as she glanced at the old man.
"What can I do? No one in the family wants to make midnight snacks, but so of our relatives insisted on having one, so I had to find Shuang," the old man said, as if it were a matter of course.
"So that little girl wants seven hundred coins? Old man, are you crazy? A midnight snack, at most two tables, and you give that little girl seven hundred coins?" Old Mrs. Mu shrieked.
"What are you saying? What’s wrong with Shuang? She stopped her own work to help us, giving seven hundred coins is already considered little," the old man scolded Old Mrs. Mu.
"Insane, you crazy old man must be insane, turning against your own for an outsider, bullying , the old woman, I tell you, there’s no money, there’s only my life. If you want it, go ahead and take it!"
"You... if you don’t give it to , I’ll go ask the eldest for it! We can’t afford to lose face in front of those relatives."
The so-called relatives weren’t sothing the old man wanted to acknowledge.
His son was a scholar, and if we’re talking about family, then it should be Mu Dabiao’s branch that’s the real family.
But of course, the old man wouldn’t say this to those people; so things are best kept to oneself.
His ntion of asking the eldest infuriated Old Mrs. Mu, shaking with anger.
She pointed at the old man, saying, "If you dare to impede the eldest, I’ll never let you off!"
In the end, though, it was Old Mrs. Mu who compromised.
After all, a man is one’s sky, and what a man says is everything, is law!
The old man took the seven hundred coins and invited Mu Shuangshuang to make a midnight snack, which left the relatives quite satisfied.
They kept praising the old man for his capability.
The old man held his head up high, as if he’d done so remarkable feat.
After bustling about for half the night, the people of the Old Mu Family finally went to sleep.
Once it was quiet, Mu Dalang and Huang Bitao over there also finally had so alone ti.
Though, so were still up to no good, not willing to sleep.
For instance, Mu Danian, who was sneakily eavesdropping outside Mu Dalang’s room at this mont.
Huang Bitao’s beautiful appearance when she lifted her veil constantly replayed in Mu Danian’s mind, whether eyes open or shut, it was her panicked expression.
Mu Danian prided himself on having seen plenty of young maidens and newlyweds in the village.
The won he’s slept with are countless, but none left him so smitten as Huang Bitao did.
Besides, Huang Bitao was initially ant to be his match, which made Mu Danian even more convinced that she belonged to him, while Mu Dalang was rely a placeholder to take care of Huang Bitao. Soon, she’d return to him, Mu Danian.
Inside the room, the two nearly burnt-out red candles flickered and crackled.
Huang Bitao and Mu Dalang looked at each other, both faces flushed, their breaths quickened.
The cotton handkerchief in Huang Bitao’s hand was nearly torn apart, and her face seed like it could drip water.
Mu Dalang stared at Huang Bitao’s lovely face, always thinking of sothing to say to distract her.
Suddenly, he noticed a piece of white cloth on the bed, ant to test a woman’s purity.
Mu Dalang found it sowhat glaring and just as he was about to toss it aside, Huang Bitao grabbed his hand.
"No, Matchmaker Sun said... we can’t throw it away, otherwise my in-laws will look down on ."
This was Huang Bitao’s first marriage, so she wasn’t worried about not having any ’flower blossom’.
"Bitao, don’t... don’t be afraid, I’ll take care of you," Mu Dalang bravely assured her.
Neither had much experience, and what little they knew was taught by matchmakers and elders.
Mu Dalang had guidance from Mu Dazhong, and Huang Bitao had Matchmaker Sun by her side.
Ordinarily, at this point, shyness wouldn’t be an issue.
But the two respected each other, making neither dare to take a step further.
Outside, Mu Danian was growing impatient from waiting.
It wasn’t his first ti eavesdropping, but never had it taken so long with Mu Dalang and Huang Bitao, over an hour without a sound.
Could it be Da Lang is, um, incapable?
Thinking of this possibility filled Mu Danian with glee, and just as he was about to use his tongue to moisten his finger to poke a hole in Mu Dalang’s window to peek inside...
Suddenly, a shriek rang out from behind.
"Oh dear, there’s a thief!"
It was Mrs. Lin, who, after a particularly hearty al, found herself caught short in the middle of the night and happened to pass by Mu Dalang’s room.
The shout was enough to alarm everyone in the Old Mu Family, along with so guests, who all hurriedly dressed to catch the thief.
Inside the room, Mu Dalang dashed out, running toward the noise, but not before reminding Huang Bitao to lock the windows and doors and not to join the commotion.
Huang Bitao nodded repeatedly, gripping the quilt tightly in her hands.
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