CHAPTER 692: CHAPTER 688: STINGY (SECOND UPDATE)

"Hehe, I’m just anxious you won’t believe me, since you trust me now, I don’t need to show you the evidence."

"Dad, everything I do is for Xiangxiang’s good, otherwise I wouldn’t go see that brat in the third branch, looking at her nasty face."

Mu Dazhong, on the side, also started criticizing Mu Shuangshuang.

"Dad, that brat is so stingy, you don’t even know. If you ask her to do something, she’ll definitely want revenge. This time, she’s sure to harm Gou Dan’s mother. Just look at Gou Dan’s mother’s hair and face, all black and dirty—what does that look like?"

"Alright, stop talking about this. Second daughter-in-law, clean yourself up and bring some water to Xiangxiang later. Let me know what Xiangxiang needs!"

After speaking, Mr. Mu headed towards the front yard.

...

...

After Mrs. Lin left, Mu Shuangshuang laughed enough and started tidying up everything. The yard was cleaned up of the dark rice pops too.

Fortunately, the first batch of rice pops she demonstrated making was enough to eat, otherwise, there would only be a pile of ashes.

Mu Shuangshuang shared a little with several kids, then went to deal with the leftover deer meat with Lu Yuanfeng.

Liu Zian saw the two were going out alone, so he spoke up, "Shuangshuang, let me go with you!"

"Liu Zian, we’re going to places not just in the village. We might have to visit several villages, quite a few miles away."

Mu Shuangshuang didn’t directly say not to let Liu Zian go.

After all, he was a guest, and the matter of setting up a school later might need his help.

"Shuangshuang, I have no problem, and at first, you told me that a scholar doesn’t shut themselves in to build a car, you need to go out and walk around. If it’s your own matter, shouldn’t you personally handle it?"

Liu Zian really wanted to tell Shuangshuang because, thanks to his own efforts, he now washes his own clothes, and when his parents cook, he helps with washing vegetables.

Although he always gets pushed away by his mother.

He’s striving towards a life where he can live alone.

"Well..." Mu Shuangshuang hesitated and glanced at Lu Yuanfeng.

She couldn’t make this decision alone.

"Shuangshuang, since Zian wants to come, let him go, maybe he’ll really learn something."

The trio prepared the meat for sale, equipped their weights and scales, and pushed the wheelbarrow out of the village.

A whole deer, not too much, not too little, but selling it all would take some time.

It’s still early winter, folks aren’t buying dried meat for the New Year yet. It’s not until December that they start preparing cured meat and other similar items.

People in the village buy deer meat mostly in small amounts, either two ounces or half a pound, rarely purchasing several pounds at once.

That’s why Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng have to visit several villages.

On the road, Liu Zian followed Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng, initially able to chat and laugh together.

But Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng both had good stamina, and after walking through several villages and selling some meat, Liu Zian’s pace visibly couldn’t keep up.

After walking a stretch, he needed to catch his breath, and he looked increasingly strained.

Moreover, after walking so much for the first time, Liu Zian’s feet were covered in blisters, getting more painful with each step.

Mu Shuangshuang didn’t notice at first, but later on, she realized.

Her initial plan was to let Liu Zian wait for her and Lu Yuanfeng further down the road.

But Lu Yuanfeng stopped her.

"Shuangshuang, since Zian followed us, he surely doesn’t want to be stopped in that way. Also, he’s a man, sometimes pride is more important than many things."

"Fengzi, you mean to let him keep dragging his injured leg along? Won’t his mother complain to me if she finds out?"

Mu Shuangshuang was a bit worried. Liu Zian’s parents seemed to protect him well, keeping him from doing any hard labor, which meant they valued him greatly.

If he came to Er Gui Village and injured his foot, looking so pathetic, it was likely Liu Zian’s parents would come and question her, or create trouble for Liu Zian.

"How about this, I’ll go ahead to ask the front villages, you walk slower, but... you’re not able to stay too close to him, he..."

Lu Yuanfeng didn’t finish the sentence. Shuangshuang probably wasn’t aware of Liu Zian’s intentions towards her.

But he himself knew.

As a friend, he couldn’t watch Liu Zian suffer like this, since they had no enmity. However, Shuangshuang was his future wife, and he couldn’t let another man have dubious intentions.

"Got it, he’s a man, right? Don’t worry, I’ll maintain a very, very far distance from him, you just go ahead!

Once the work’s done, we’ll rest for a day tomorrow, and the day after we’ll go to town again."

Mu Shuangshuang didn’t think there was anything wrong with what Lu Yuanfeng said.

Just like if she saw Lu Yuanfeng getting too close with other women, she’d be unhappy too.

If Lu Yuanfeng was indifferent to her and Liu Zian, she’d think there was a problem.

"Okay, I’m going now!" Lu Yuanfeng nodded heavily, pushed the wheelbarrow, and went ahead.

Mu Shuangshuang slowed her pace, waiting for Liu Zian to catch up before saying, "Liu Zian, let’s wait here for Fengzi to come back. Each household in the front villages has dogs, it’s inconvenient for us to go."

Liu Zian looked at his painful feet, understanding Shuangshuang’s intention.

Liu Zian said, "Shuangshuang, actually I’m fine, I’m slow but I’ll still catch up with you and Fengzi. I don’t want people to say I can’t even walk a few steps!"

Mu Shuangshuang started comforting Liu Zian, "Liu Zian, remember what I told you last time, handle your matters independently and learn to be self-reliant. But there’s more to it: focus on your strengths, don’t compare yourself in areas you’re not familiar with."

"You’re a scholar, what you’ve done the most is studying and writing. Fengzi and I are farmers, what do we do most often?"

"It’s working and walking! Our physical strength has accumulated over time; you’re naturally different from us."

"If we compared something else, like writing, you’d be the best. Why deny yourself over one thing?"

After listening to Shuangshuang’s words, the discomfort in Liu Zian’s heart vanished without a trace.

He earnestly observed the girl in front of him, her petite face always filled with smiles.

Her eyes were large, sparkling, like the brightest stars in the night sky. Whenever she smiles, all unhappiness seems to instantly disappear.

"Do I have something on my face? You’re staring at me!"

Perhaps Liu Zian’s gaze was too intense, Mu Shuangshuang noticed.

Thick-skinned, she asked.

"No... there’s nothing on your face!" Liu Zian’s heart nearly jumped out because of nervousness, his face flushed red, speaking with a stutter.