Mu Shuangshuang was grateful that she hadn’t chased Mr. Mu away for the sake of Mu Dashan and Yu Si Niang.
In this situation, it seed more uncomfortable for him than being kicked out!
But no one else could be blad; it was Mr. Mu himself who treated the third branch harshly for the sake of Mu Dade.
Now being treated like this by the Old Mu Family, he only had himself to bla, and it had nothing to do with the third branch.
"Dad, it’s the New Year, please don’t say anything more. Let help you inside to rest!" Mu Dashan carefully assisted Mr. Mu toward his room.
"No, third son, help go back, back..."
Mr. Mu’s ntion of going back naturally didn’t an to the third branch, but back to the Old Mu Family.
Mu Dashan paused, standing in place, unsure of what to do.
"Dad, Grandpa wants to go back to the Old Mu Family, you should take him back. He’s had so drinks, resting in his own space will be more comfortable."
In the kitchen, Mu Shuangshuang called out to Mu Dashan outside.
With soone giving him advice, Mu Dashan quickly helped Mr. Mu in the direction of the Old Mu Family.
Worried about Mr. Mu’s discomfort, Mu Dashan walked very slowly. The journey that usually took a short while beca a long incense stick’s ti.
Initially intending to personally help Mr. Mu into the room, Mu Dashan was blocked in the courtyard by Old Mrs. Mu.
Before Mu Dashan could speak, Old Mrs. Mu rushed up, glaring at Mu Dashan like he was an enemy.
"Third son, what did you do? What happened to your father?"
Old Mrs. Mu started with bla, making Mu Dashan feel uncomfortable inside.
He said, "Mom, Happy New Year! Dad just had a bit to drink at the third branch and is a little drunk now, so I’ll help him into the room to rest for a bit!"
"Hmph, stop being so insincere here, with here, it’s not your place to help your father. Get back to your doghouse in the third branch!
Go to your vixen wife and that slly girl daughter of yours. What’s the point of being here?"
Old Mrs. Mu kept talking nonstop, like she’d swallowed a bullet.
Mr. Mu, hearing the disturbance, beca sowhat sober.
He glanced at Old Mrs. Mu and said, "Say less, today’s New Year!"
"You still rember it’s New Year? After eating at ho, you go around mooching off others. Do you think they’re eager for you to go? They’re probably cursing you behind your back!
And drinking this much drunkard’s drink, wishing you’d drink yourself to death!" Old Mrs. Mu said angrily.
"Yeah, let drink myself to death, drink myself to death, you get out of the Old Mu Family!" Mr. Mu too was infuriated and shouted at Old Mrs. Mu.
During the New Year, all taboos were broken.
You shouldn’t ntion death, lose your temper, or argue during the New Year...
One by one, these things were thoroughly broken by the Old Mu Family.
"You old fool, how dare you get fierce with , I’m doing this for your good, don’t you know? Without , what would have happened to the Old Mu Family?" Old Mrs. Mu kept shouting.
Seeing this, Mr. Mu pushed Old Mrs. Mu away and staggered towards his room by himself, nearly falling several tis.
Old Mrs. Mu followed behind him, calling and shouting, extrely annoying.
Mu Dashan shook his head helplessly and returned to the third branch.
The third branch was where his ho truly was, a place worth carrying with his shoulders.
...
Mu Shuangshuang and Yu Si Niang tidied up the kitchen and rested for a while. When Huang Bitao and Mu Dalang ca again, a group of them took firecrackers and left the courtyard.
Actually, the New Year atmosphere in the village was very dense.
There were big red lanterns, red couplets, and smiling villagers, all greeting each other more warmly than usual.
Huang Bitao and Mu Dalang walked at the front, followed by four children in the middle.
Yuanbao, Xiao Han, Little Zhi, and Da Long.
Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng walked at the back, and as they walked, their hands naturally intertwined.
Mu Shuangshuang’s lips curled slightly, a few more shades of red appeared on her face.
By the creek, Huang Bitao and Mu Dalang went to the foot of a nearby mountain to talk, while Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng stayed by the creek with a few children to set off firecrackers.
Long strings of firecrackers were taken apart and thrown into the creek once lit.
After a while, there was a muffled sound on the water surface, though so sank with barely a splash.
Such a simple ga kept the four children, including Xiao Han, quite entertained.
Laughter carried far, so villagers heard the firecracker sounds but no one dared to approach.
Because the northern side was the foot of Niuwei Mountain, where beasts could co down at any mont.
If they were taken by a beast, it would be a loss.
They played for two whole hours, and as dinnerti approached, Mu Shuangshuang called the children and went back to the Old Mu Family with Huang Bitao and Mu Dalang.
At night, they’d have dumplings, the dough needed preparing early, and this task fell to Mu Shuangshuang and Yu Si Niang.
Mu Dashan and Lu Yuanfeng went to the village well to fetch a full tank of water, because on New Year’s Day, no one should fetch water from outside.
Also, no cutting of vegetables was allowed on New Year’s Day, aning that night’s als for the next day needed preparing in advance.
These were customs passed down for thousands of years from the Da Ning Dynasty.
Every year, the Old Mu Family adhered to these customs.
Now that the third branch had split off, it naturally followed the Da Ning customs.
One by one, the water barrels were emptied, and the water tank was finally filled.
After a trip to the vegetable garden, the next day’s food was gathered.
Everyone eventually gathered at the third branch, the sound of chopping at and vegetables crackled on, warming the heart.
During a break from washing vegetables, Mu Dashan said to Lu Yuanfeng, "Fengzi, tonight you shouldn’t go back. Stay up with us to keep vigil."
In the past, the Old Mu Family stayed up all night, and this year the third branch would too.
Mu Dashan guessed that Lu Yuanfeng also planned to stay up, but the Old Lu Family wasn’t as lively as the third branch, so why not sit together with the family?
"Uncle Dashan, wouldn’t that be inappropriate?" Lu Yuanfeng was sowhat hesitant.
He didn’t mind staying, but wouldn’t it affect Shuangshuang’s reputation?
"No problem, you’re engaged to Shuangshuang. Living in my house, no one will gossip."
Besides, it’s not like they’d be sharing a room!
But Mu Dashan kept that last thought to himself.
Lu Yuanfeng smiled and nodded.
Hearing that Lu Yuanfeng was staying, Mu Shuangshuang, who was making dumplings, quickly said, "Later, I’ll teach you all to play cards, with money involved."
Everyone looked at Mu Shuangshuang in surprise.
What are cards? And how do you play for money?
Nobody knew, only saw Mu Shuangshuang suddenly stand and say to Mu Dashan and Lu Yuanfeng, "Dad, Fengzi, you guys make the dumplings, I’ll make the cards, and tonight we’ll play Fight the Landlord!"
After speaking, Mu Shuangshuang dashed off to her room to take out the rice paper Liu Zian sold her last ti and began crafting playing cards...
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