CHAPTER 166: CHAPTER 166 GOU DAN GETS UP IN THE NIGHT (FIRST UPDATE)

"Little Zhi, it’s not pitiful at all. I just fed it."

Little Black is living comfortably. Every meal is meat or meat. Just before she went to Zhao Yun’s house, she fed Little Black a piece of snake meat she had saved.

It’s already had a full meal, and now it still wants to cause trouble.

No way!

"Alright, sis, when can we eat, Little Zhi is so hungry!"

"We’re hungry too," Xiao Han and Little Yuanbao said at the same time.

"Mom, Dad, I know you are reluctant to eat, but these things, once cooked, are meant to be eaten. If we leave them until tomorrow, they’ll spoil."

Only then did Mu Dashan and Yu Si Niang pick up their chopsticks, and Mu Shuangshuang ladled a bowl of snake soup for each of them, generously giving them the snake meat.

Mu Dashan stared at the snake meat in the bowl, swallowed, thought a bit, and suddenly asked, "Did your grandpa and grandma eat?"

With one sentence, the originally good atmosphere fell into a deadlock. Little Zhi and Xiao Han lowered their heads, and Yu Si Niang said nothing.

But Yuanbao earnestly said, "Uncle Dashan, you yourself can’t get enough to eat, why bother with others? Besides, Grandpa and Grandma Mu have a Scholar son; they’re not going hungry."

Yuanbao’s words were exactly what Mu Shuangshuang and Yu Si Niang wanted to say.

From the moment the family split, Yu Si Niang only had her own children in her heart. The Old Mu Family gave nothing to the third branch, clearly wanting to starve them.

Since that’s the case, she didn’t need to pour her heart out for the rest of the Old Mu Family.

But Yu Si Niang couldn’t say such things, after all, they were Mu Dashan’s parents, her in-laws, and saying such things would invite retribution.

"Yuanbao, eat more. Don’t be polite, treat this as your home."

Mu Shuangshuang picked up a piece of snake meat for Little Yuanbao and said softly.

Mu Dashan sighed heavily, wanting to say something but ultimately remained silent.

"Dad, what Little Yuanbao said makes sense. It’s already very difficult for us to survive as the third branch now.

If we keep worrying about this and that, we won’t be able to get by ourselves."

"Do you remember last year uncle’s birthday? Rarely did the family sit together and eat the same thing, but Grandma insisted that Uncle get full before we could pick up our chopsticks."

This was something Yu Si Niang told herself; Mu Shuangshuang had no memory of the original owner. Many things, she only knew by subtly probing, asking, and guessing.

"It’s not that we’re being unfilial to Grandpa and Grandma, but our third branch has so many difficulties at present.

We don’t have food, and even if we split that acre of land, it’s not necessarily enough to sustain our family..."

Mu Shuangshuang rambled on, feeling both sad and useless inside.

He hesitated, he struggled...

Gou Dan, who got up at night and relieved himself in the outhouse, suddenly smelled a tempting aroma. Following the scent, he walked to Mu Dashan’s house and kicked open the door.

"Wow, Uncle and Aunt, delicious food, Gou Dan wants to eat, Gou Dan wants to eat!"

Gou Dan sniffed the mucus at the tip of his nose, swallowing saliva while speaking unclearly.

Yu Si Niang felt a bit embarrassed. Although eating at home wasn’t a big deal, if Old Mrs. Mu knew, it wouldn’t be a good thing.

"Gou Dan, Aunt will give you a bowl of soup. Can you keep it a secret for Aunt?" Yu Si Niang stood up first and said to Gou Dan.

Mu Shuangshuang originally wanted to kick Gou Dan out directly, as he often bullied Xiao Han and Little Zhi, but since her mother spoke, she had no choice but to support her.

Gou Dan only cared about having food and didn’t pay attention to what Yu Si Niang was saying. Seeing her serve him, he impatiently picked up the bowl and stuffed it into his mouth.

He burned his mouth, cried out twice, and then continued eating.

At this moment, Mu Shuangshuang suddenly felt pity for the other members of the Old Mu Family. Regardless of their demeanor, when it came to food, anything slightly delicious ended up in Mu Dade and Old Mrs. Mu’s mouths.

The others didn’t even get a bone without meat. The thick and savory broth was quickly gulped down by Gou Dan.

Gou Dan handed the bowl to Yu Si Niang. "Aunt Si, Gou Dan wants more. I want meat, give it all to me, or I’ll tell Grandma!"

The story of the farmer and the snake is just like now.

Gou Dan, having tasted a bit of sweetness, wanted everything for himself. It was too selfish.

"Gou Dan, we haven’t even eaten yet. One bowl should be enough for you!" Yu Si Niang’s expression had already turned a bit unpleasant.

Gou Dan is a child; she couldn’t argue.

But children couldn’t play tricks on her either!

"Aunt Si, if you don’t give it to me, I’ll tell Grandma!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Mu Shuangshuang stood up, grabbed Gou Dan’s collar, and threw him outside.

She glared at Gou Dan fiercely, "Gou Dan, you better not talk nonsense, or I’ll beat you!"

When it came to Mu Shuangshuang, who had beaten him countless times, Gou Dan was naturally afraid.

But food, at this moment, attracted him even more.

"Hmph, I want meat!"

"Smack!" Mu Shuangshuang hit Gou Dan on the butt, and the fiery pain made him wail and run away.

Yu Si Niang panicked and asked Mu Shuangshuang, "What should we do? He’s definitely going to Grandma to tattle."

"It’s okay, Mom, leave this to me. You all keep eating; I’ll be right back."

Mu Shuangshuang headed straight for the stove, because when Old Mrs. Mu came out, she’d pass by.

Gou Dan ran all the way to tattle to Old Mrs. Mu, who didn’t believe him. She knew the third branch’s limited resources.

Besides, without pots or stoves, how could they eat?

But thoughts were thoughts; she couldn’t resist Gou Dan’s wailing and rolling.

She lifted Gou Dan’s collar and angrily headed toward the third branch’s house. Passing by the stove, she saw Mu Shuangshuang preparing to light a fire and shouted angrily.

"You stinky girl, what are you doing, stealing my firewood?"

"Grandma, I’m hungry, naturally making food," Mu Shuangshuang said with a matter-of-fact face.

She wasn’t afraid of Old Mrs. Mu now. After the family split, Old Mrs. Mu couldn’t control her.

"Eat, eat what? Get lost, get lost, get lost!" Old Mrs. Mu chased Mu Shuangshuang out of the stove room.

"Grandma, you can’t do this. Our third branch hasn’t eaten yet!"

Mu Shuangshuang shouted again, Old Mrs. Mu kept staring at her with a predatory gaze, pretending to be difficult, she finally left.

Old Mrs. Mu looked at her like she was indeed starving, not as Gou Dan said, secretly eating meat at home and not sharing it with everyone else.

"Pah, you little brat, lying again. Watch me beat you to death!"

With another round of scolding, Gou Dan wailed and howled, finally admitting he had lied before Old Mrs. Mu stopped.

The matter wasn’t over yet. Old Mrs. Mu, worried that once she left, Mu Shuangshuang might steal firewood again, told Gou Dan, "Tonight you guard the stove room all night. If that stinky girl comes to steal firewood again, I’ll skin your dog hide!"