CHAPTER 243: CHAPTER 242: SHUANGSHUANG PLANS TO COUNTERATTACK (PART 1)

Lu Yuanfeng quickly withdrew his hand as if shocked, his face blushing. "Sorry, I..."

"It’s okay, I’ll go cook some pig slop first, you can rest in the yard."

Mu Shuangshuang stepped back a few paces, tightly gripping her hand, muttered a few words hurriedly, and ran off in a particularly awkward manner.

Once in the kitchen, Mu Shuangshuang couldn’t help but berate herself: "So grown up already, yet blushing like a little girl. If word gets out, I’ll be laughed at to death."

But despite the admonishment, Mu Shuangshuang couldn’t deny how strange it felt when Lu Yuanfeng held her hand, indescribably peculiar, yet undeniably present.

It took Mu Shuangshuang quite some time to calm down before she started busying herself with cooking pig slop.

The sound of chopping vegetables immediately filled the kitchen of the third branch.

Standing outside, Lu Yuanfeng was lost in thought, not realizing that his palm was now sweaty, feeling sticky whenever touched.

However, he was in a good mood because he had just noticed that Shuangshuang’s face was equally blushing.

Carrying this realization, Lu Yuanfeng returned to his home.

...

...

Since being set straight by Mu Danian, Mu Zhenzhen thought she should return earlier; no matter how tasty the food is at her in-laws’, she might not be the one enjoying it in the future. Better to get her hands on fifty taels first and have her brother issue an IOU.

Once her brother passed the exams, she’d have money and status.

The next day, Mu Zhenzhen rose early, packed her bags, dressed beautifully, and without bothering to eat breakfast, went to bid farewell to Old Mrs. Mu.

It wasn’t time for breakfast yet, but most of the people in the Old Mu Family were already up.

Mrs. Liu was making breakfast in the kitchen, and one could hear Old Mrs. Mu grumbling from far away.

"You lazy wife of the fourth branch, all you do is eat. I ask you to make a meal and you wake up this late? Are you trying to starve us all?"

Old Mrs. Mu moved a stool to sit outside the kitchen, continually scolding Mrs. Liu.

Inside the kitchen, Mrs. Liu was busy stoking the fire, cooking, rinsing rice, and washing vegetables tirelessly, drenched in sweat, not daring to wipe it away.

She had to mind the kitchen tasks while occasionally responding to Old Mrs. Mu, or else the old lady might come in and hit her.

After hesitating for a long time, Mrs. Liu decided to reveal her daughter’s return.

"Mother, Xiao Chu and Xiaxia are coming back from my parents’ today. Can I not go out to work this morning? I’d like to care for them, give them..."

Before finishing her sentence, Old Mrs. Mu angrily stood up.

"What’s the matter, what’s the matter, you want to overturn the skies, huh? What does it matter if your daughter and son are coming back? You think you can slack off and not work then?

So much work undone at home, yet you, lazy sow, just think of going out to enjoy yourself. Should I ask my son to divorce you, so you can enjoy yourself forever?"

Mrs. Liu’s face turned blue and white, and almost cut herself with the knife in hand.

"If you disagree, I’ll... go work then."

Mrs. Liu felt bitter inside, knowing her mother wouldn’t agree, but the children said they hadn’t seen her in a long time, wanting to spend some time together.

But that wouldn’t do either...

Mrs. Liu sighed quietly, continuing to prepare breakfast.

Mu Zhenzhen came up and hugged Old Mrs. Mu, acting coquettishly: "Mother, I’m going back today. Is breakfast ready?"

Old Mrs. Mu was bewildered, "Back where? Isn’t this your home? You’re not thinking of going to Zhuangzi’s, are you?"

"Yes, yes, you’re so smart, mother. I’m going back to Zhuangzi’s family. I’ve been out so long; if I don’t return, others will laugh."

Old Mrs. Mu’s face muscles tensed, angrily retorting, "My daughter, I’d like to see who dares to spread rumors. I, the old lady, will rip their mouths apart."

Mu Zhenzhen felt delightful inside, thinking her mother wouldn’t let her suffer.

"No, mother, I heard my brother needs money, and I think Zhuangzi’s family has some. Once I return and get it, my brother will have money for the exams." Mu Zhenzhen said.

Talking about silver, Old Mrs. Mu’s eyes lit up, her face breaking into a big smile.

"That’s true, Zhuangzi’s family hasn’t contributed anything these years; it’s time for them to pitch in. When the eldest becomes an official, it would barely count as their merit too."

"Ha-ha, that’s right, mother. When my brother becomes an official, I could be an official’s daughter, and Zhuangzi’s mother wouldn’t dare bully me then."

Outside the upper room, Old Mrs. Mu and Mu Zhenzhen indulged in their dreams of the future, laughing merrily soon after.

Sighing with relief in the kitchen, Mrs. Liu was about to wipe her sweat away when Old Mrs. Mu noticed her.

"You lazy wife, thinking of slacking again? Even sows are more diligent than you. Don’t delay Zhenzhen’s journey by not getting her breakfast ready, or I’ll skin you alive."

Old Mrs. Mu’s scolding resumed, and under a straw fan in the latrine, Mu Shuangshuang felt increasingly justified in her decision to split households. If not, it would be their third branch getting cursed as livestock.

Sadly, the fourth branch lacked courage and daring.

Since Xiao Chu and Xiaxia were returning, the fourth branch’s days would only get harder.

Ah, Mu Shuangshuang sighed, applying more force in her hands.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside the latrine; Mrs. Lin ran clutching her behind, rushing towards the latrine only to find the door closed, so she cried out.

"Who’s in the latrine, hurry up and get out, I’m going to burst."

Initially planning to get up, Mu Shuangshuang decided to mess with Mrs. Lin.

She cried out, "Second aunt, what are you shouting for? I just came to the latrine, and your yelling is making me hold it back."

"You brat, it’s you. Hurry and get out, I need to go."

Mrs. Lin held her stomach, jumping in place. Last night she got hungry and ate leftovers.

Who knew, early in the morning, she’d react, about to soil her pants.

"Eldest aunt, can you stop yelling? You’re disrupting my business."

Mu Shuangshuang continued fanning herself, speaking leisurely.

Squatting so long was tiring, so she cleaned her bottom, stepped off the latrine board, covering her nose while fanning.

Ever since getting the straw fan, she hadn’t felt hot using the toilet; plus with Fengzi’s mosquito repellent, mosquitoes dared not bite her.

Mrs. Lin angrily stopped yelling, hoping Mu Shuangshuang would hurry up.

Yet after a moment of silence, a storm brewed in her belly, she couldn’t resist softly pleading.

"Shuang, second aunt was wrong before, shouldn’t have scolded or hit you, please hurry out. I’ll do whatever you ask!"

"Really?"

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