Mu Dashan tested the water temperature with his hand; it was still a bit hot. He didn’t hurry to soak Yu Si Niang’s feet but instead placed her feet on his lap, gently massaging them.
Yu Si Niang had worked as a cook’s assistant in town for many years, her feet constantly walking back and forth every day.
The ten-mile mountain road, one trip in the morning and another in the evening, regardless of wind or rain, except for rest tis as ordered by the owner, she had to go to town.
This resulted in Yu Si Niang’s feet being much rougher than those of ordinary won, and even sowhat deford.
Touching the calloused feet, Mu Dashan felt a twinge of pain in his heart.
He gently kneaded Yu Si Niang’s feet, sighing softly, "Shuangshuang’s mother, you’ve suffered following . Back then, I had nothing, yet you were willing to be with ."
At this point, Mu Dashan’s face was full of sorrow, his facial muscles twitching slightly.
Back then, all the Silver from the Old Mu Family was used to support Mu Dade’s studies. For the remaining sons, getting married beca almost a luxury.
Especially among the sons, Mu Dashan, unlike Mu Dazhong, didn’t know how to make the old man and old lady happy.
So, his marriage was sothing even Matchmaker Sun, the number one matchmaker in the village, didn’t dare handle.
It wasn’t until Mu Dashan accidentally t Yu Si Niang, who was selling tea with Mr. Yu from street to street, that they got to know each other and decided to get married.
Yu Si Niang stood firm against all opposition, refusing even a single copper coin as a betrothal gift, which allowed Mu Dashan to marry a wife.
Otherwise, Mu Dashan might still be like Mu Danian, having not married even one wife, known in the village as an old bachelor.
"What grievance? This is my own choice. I like you and am willing to be with you, no matter how hard or tiring it is, I’m willing."
Yu Si Niang’s face blushed slightly, as if feeling sowhat embarrassed with the two little children in the room.
Xiao Han, originally asleep on the small bed opposite, sensed the atmosphere between his parents, which was sothing others couldn’t intrude upon, and quietly got up.
He signaled to Little Zhi, who imdiately said knowingly, "Mom, Dad, since tomorrow is New Year’s, Xiao Han brother and I want to sleep with Sister Shuangshuang tonight."
Without waiting for Yu Si Niang and Mu Dashan to reply, the two little ones leaped out of bed like fish, dressed themselves, and rushed out of the room.
Mu Dashan and Yu Si Niang were both amused and touched by the children’s understanding nature.
Yu Si Niang watched Mu Dashan, realizing that in the past half year, this was the only ti he hadn’t aged but instead looked younger.
Yu Si Niang increasingly liked their current way of life. At least now, she could say so intimate words to her man.
Mu Shuangshuang had just started feeling sleepy when the two kids knocked on the door outside. She struggled to get up and opened the door.
A gust of cold wind blew in, causing Mu Shuangshuang to shiver.
"What are you doing up so late, not sleeping in your own room?" Mu Shuangshuang asked, wrinkling her nose.
"Sister, Mom and Dad are whispering. Xiao Han brother and I will keep you company in bed, okay?"
Little Zhi grinned, showing his new grown little front teeth.
"You little rascal! At night, don’t kick the quilt, don’t disturb , and don’t move around!"
Mu Shuangshuang set her rules, and the two little ones nodded in agreent.
Thus, the three kids squeezed onto one bed.
They soon fell asleep.
*
At midnight, a shadow erged from the Old Mu Family’s ho, wearing a thick, worn-out cotton coat, clutched tightly at the chest.
The shadow left the Old Mu Family and headed straight for the third branch’s house.
First, he entered the third branch’s kitchen, but found nothing there but a few green vegetables, no at, not even a single fish.
Then he went to the third branch’s chicken coop, and found nothing there either.
The shadow stamped his foot in anger, muttering under his breath, "Damn it, wasted my effort coming out here late at night to steal sothing, and found nothing! I bet that brat has already taken everything."
The voice of the shadow was sowhat familiar; wasn’t it Mu Danian?
That night, Mu Danian had arranged with another village rascal, Hu Sheng, to steal so things from the village.
So the next morning, they could exchange them in town for Silver, to have so money for the New Year festivities.
In previous years, Mu Danian chose to work in the twelfth lunar month, but this ti, the villagers seed to have wised up.
The village chief would arrange for villagers to patrol during the night, only letting down their guard on New Year’s Eve.
Unwilling to give up, Mu Danian continued to lurk outside the third branch’s courtyard, accidentally knocking over a chair in the kitchen.
He was nearly scared out of his wits, hiding desperately at the hearth entrance.
The sleeping Mu Shuangshuang instantly woke up, sensing soone in the kitchen. Because she had closed the kitchen door before bed, there shouldn’t be any noise inside.
Nor could it be mice, as since they had Little Black, the mice within a few miles had moved away.
Little Black particularly enjoyed playing with mice.
She quickly got up from bed, put on her shoes, and grabbed a wooden stick from the corner.
The door opened slightly, and just as she stepped out, she drew back.
In her kitchen, there was nothing valuable other than pots and pans, which every household had.
No thief would go to the trouble of stealing those.
Most importantly, the New Year was approaching; Mu Shuangshuang didn’t want trouble, nor did she want to bring trouble ho.
She just raised her voice and called out, "Mom, it’s so cold, I’ll go to the outhouse later. Let warm up in bed a bit more first."
In the kitchen, Mu Danian knew that Mu Shuangshuang was about to co out.
Getting out of the kitchen, he dashed out of the third branch’s yard.
He ran to the village entrance where he had agreed to et Hu Sheng.
Hu Sheng had been waiting at the village entrance for the ti it takes to burn two sticks of incense and was nearly frozen into an ice sculpture in the cold wind.
Seeing Mu Danian, Hu Sheng said unkindly, "Mu Danian, did you fall into a latrine? Why are you so slow?"
Mu Danian was still recovering from the scare when Hu Sheng suddenly spoke, almost scaring him half to death again.
"Oh, gee, can’t you keep it down? I almost lost my life because of you!" Mu Danian patted his chest and complained to Hu Sheng.
"Look who’s talking, how long have I waited for you? If you were any later, I would’ve frozen here selling iced at tonight."
Hu Sheng and Mu Danian weren’t conspiring for the first ti to steal from the villagers, so they knew each other’s backgrounds.
When it ca to talking, there was just one word—crude!
"Alright, weren’t we going for a big haul? Stop nagging, be careful not to get caught when everyone wakes up." Mu Danian replied impatiently.
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