Mu Shuangshuang was very careful while making the cards.
The rice paper was very thin and could easily be torn. Even drawing patterns on it required great care.
Additionally, rice paper was prone to seepage and was so light that a slight glance could reveal what was written on the front from the back.
After finishing the first card, Mu Shuangshuang was particularly dissatisfied.
She thought for a mont and decided to find a tree so Lu Yuanfeng could cut uniform wooden pieces, then make wooden cards with them or go to town to buy paper as hard as a book to make the cards.
Otherwise, the ga could begin with the cards being easily deciphered.
Unable to play Dou Dizhu, Mu Shuangshuang decided on the spot to visit Fu Xiaonan’s house later to borrow a set of black and white chess pieces and teach everyone Go.
For village folks, entertainnt options were almost described as ager. In previous years, the richest man in Er Gui Village, Old Wang, would pay for performances for everyone.
Now that significant issues had arisen in Old Wang’s family, it was virtually impossible for him to afford shows for the villagers to enjoy and make rry.
Mu Shuangshuang regrettably reflected for a while and left her room empty-handed.
Mu Dashan and the others almost eagerly awaited Mu Shuangshuang to bring out sothing new.
Seeing Mu Shuangshuang empty-handed, she explained, "Everyone! I’m sorry, the rice paper is too thin, and anything written on it is easily visible. If made into cards, they will likely bore everyone before even being used."
Mu Shuangshuang’s explanation instead piqued everyone’s curiosity even more.
Especially Mu Dashan, who had never seen any rare curiosities in his life.
To finally hear about sothing interesting from his daughter but not be able to see it himself was like having a cat scratch his heart.
"Shuangshuang, since you said rice paper won’t work, how about red paper? The kind we use for Spring Festival couplets?" Mu Dashan probed.
Curiosity led Mu Dashan to ponder so solutions of his own.
Mu Shuangshuang’s eyes lit up, and she smiled while giving Mu Dashan a thumbs-up: "Dad, you’ve solved my problem. Red paper can indeed be used to make cards, but do we have enough red paper?"
A deck of fifty-four cards would likely consu quite a bit of red paper.
Mu Dashan, hearing Mu Shuangshuang’s response, squinted his eyes with pride and said, "Of course we do! We have quite a bit left. Your mom and I were just talking about saving it for next year. If you can use it, go ahead, and we’ll get more next year."
Yu Si Niang also added, "The red paper is on the top shelf of the cabinet in my room with you. Go take a look."
Mu Shuangshuang acknowledged and turned to go to Mu Dashan’s room.
After spending about the ti it takes for an incense stick to burn, she used scissors to cut the red paper evenly into card-sized pieces and then picked up Xiao Han’s small brush to draw on the paper.
Fortunately, the family had so cinnabar, so there was no worry about the red parts.
Mu Shuangshuang spent quite a bit of ti drawing the patterns.
In the kitchen, Mu Dashan and the others were not just waiting for Mu Shuangshuang’s cards but also waiting for the dough to rise. Once the dumpling filling was marinated, everyone started making dumplings.
Even though Mu Dashan seldom entered the kitchen, he had wrapped dumplings together with Yu Si Niang before.
The dumplings he wrapped were small and plump, easily identifiable as the work of an old hand.
Lu Yuanfeng’s craftsmanship was much worse.
The dumpling skins were always torn, either from too much filling that couldn’t be closed or too little filling, turning them into wontons.
However you looked at it, they weren’t satisfactory.
Moreover, Lu Yuanfeng’s expression while wrapping dumplings was particularly serious, resembling soone going to battle.
Yu Si Niang was startled by his earnestness and, after so thought, said, "Fengzi, you should go inside and help Shuangshuang. Uncle Dashan and I can handle this!"
Lu Yuanfeng also had that intention.
Let him work in the fields, hunt on the mountain, or help at the tavern; he could do those tasks easily.
But the intricate tasks in the kitchen, he couldn’t master.
Not only could he not master them, but even doing these tasks made him extrely nervous.
He didn’t hesitate, said goodbye to Mu Dashan and Yu Si Niang, and went to Mu Shuangshuang’s side.
Mu Dashan and Yu Si Niang continued their dumpling-making.
Once Lu Yuanfeng left, Mu Dashan exclaid, "Was it three years ago when we last made dumplings with Si Niang?"
Yu Si Niang tilted her head in thought, then nodded.
"Yes, that was also the year of the imperial exams. Parents gave all the New Year’s money to the eldest brother, hoping he would pass. Who would know, he still failed."
Old Mu Family’s mories were mostly intertwined with Mu Dade.
"Indeed, back then, compared to the other branches, our third branch was the poorest. I rember parents sending each daughter-in-law to their own family to borrow so money to make it through the New Year.
The two sisters-in-law ca back empty-handed from their families, but you managed to collect fifteen coins from the Old Yu Family.
The two sisters-in-law naturally were punished by Mother, though you weren’t praised either.
Mother took those fifteen coins to buy a pound of at, had you chop it finely, mix it with cabbage, and make cabbage pork dumplings."
When reminiscing, Mu Dashan’s expression seed sowhat odd.
It wasn’t a longing expression but showed slight dissatisfaction.
Yu Si Niang smiled and said, "Yes, I still rember Mother saying that since I had been a helper at the town, I should prepare the New Year’s Eve dumplings.
The pound of at plus the cabbage ant nearly one and a half pounds of filling, and alone it couldn’t be finished, still needing to knead the dough.
You sneaked into the kitchen to help , and together we finally made the dumplings according to Mother’s request."
Hearing this, Mu Dashan’s heartache was evident.
Mu Dashan continued, "We were happily thinking after a long day’s work, we could enjoy a bowl of hot dumplings.
By the ti we cleaned the kitchen and refilled the water vat, upon reaching the dining hall, both pots of dumplings only had the water left.
Xiangxiang alone had eaten nearly half a pot, and most of the rest went into the bowls of the eldest brother, father, second brother, and Fifth.
We could only fill our bellies with the dumpling water to soothe the bitter feeling."
Mu Dashan’s eyes were slightly red.
This was a real portrayal of the third branch three years ago.
After a day’s work, personally making two pots of dumplings, all that ca their way was the dumpling water...
The third branch was indeed past those hard tis.
Yu Si Niang noticed her husband’s low spirits and reached out to hold Mu Dashan’s wrist.
"It’s okay, it’s all in the past, let’s... make dumplings for ourselves this ti, make two pots and eat them ourselves, giving none to anyone else!"
This was the first ti Yu Si Niang had such a selfish thought.
This ti, she wanted the dumplings they made to be eaten by their own third branch, along with Fengzi and Yuanbao, without sharing any with others.
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