From Folly to Fortune：I Rewrite My Life After Rebirth!-Chapter 847 - 843: Ugly Thing (Second Update)

The Little Year’s celebration was much livelier than usual, and according to the Da Ning Dynasty’s customs, one must eat dumplings for the Little Year.

Throughout Er Gui Village, not only the third branch was preparing delicious foods, but even the Old Mu Family had changed their usual stinginess and started making dumplings.

Old Mrs. Mu gave money to Mu Danian early in the morning, and sent him to the town to buy meat for making dumplings.

So right after lunch, when Huang Bitao and Mrs. Liu from the fourth branch finished tidying up the kitchen, they began to busy themselves. The sound of chopping vegetables echoed far away.

Having been married into the Old Mu Family for several days, Huang Bitao hadn’t yet shared any words of intimacy with this fourth aunt, their interactions mostly limited to simple greetings.

While waiting for the dough to rest, Huang Bitao wanted to sneak a peek at the third branch, but she was afraid Mrs. Liu would scold her.

Thus, she worked absentmindedly.

Mrs. Liu paused her chopping, thought for a moment, and then spoke, "Bitao, if you have something to do, go do it. I can handle things here!"

Huang Bitao was full of gratitude. She was just trying to figure out how to address Mrs. Liu.

"Thank you, Fourth Aunt!" Huang Bitao replied.

After speaking, she left the Old Mu Family’s kitchen and headed towards Mu Shuangshuang’s place.

At that time, Mu Shuangshuang was also in the kitchen preparing dumplings for the evening. Seeing Huang Bitao arrive, she immediately put down her tasks.

She said, "Cousin-in-law, is the Old Mu Family making dumplings too?"

What Mu Shuangshuang meant by asking was if the Old Mu Family wasn’t, she would invite Mu Dalang and Huang Bitao over in the evening.

"They are. I was resting the dough when I came over. Shuangshuang, do you need help?" While speaking, Huang Bitao had already rolled up her sleeves and begun helping Mu Shuangshuang organize the vegetables and meat placed aside.

"Cousin-in-law, just sit for a while. Later, the Old Mu Family will still need you to help out." Mu Shuangshuang didn’t want Huang Bitao to do any work.

"It’s no trouble. I’ve spoken with Fourth Aunt. She’s chopping vegetables, and later I’ll be wrapping the dumplings."

Although there were a few years’ difference in age between Mu Shuangshuang and Huang Bitao, Huang Bitao felt particularly secure when around Mu Shuangshuang.

Especially after the incident with Qian the Fourth, Huang Bitao increasingly felt that places where Shuangshuang was, were safe places.

"Oh, by the way, your second aunt..." Mu Shuangshuang hadn’t finished speaking when Huang Bitao jumped in, "In the past few days, Mom hasn’t given me any trouble.

Since she and my eldest aunt came back disheveled that time, Mom has basically stopped coming to my room. She’s been spending all day with little sister Qingqing.

The two of them are hiding in a room, discussing who knows what. My eldest aunt also left, upset because of that matter."

In fact, Mu Xianxian had chased all the way to the Liu Family, but couldn’t stop Liu Zian from calling off the engagement. Instead, it gave Liu Zian a chance to have the Song Family stuff Mu Xianxian with a bunch of things.

Mu Xianxian refused to take them and fled in panic.

Mrs. Lin, emboldened as the sister-in-law, took the things Mu Xianxian didn’t want, and personally agreed to Liu Zian’s annulment of the engagement.

Mu Xianxian wasn’t in a hurry and waited at the entrance of the Liu Family Village. Seeing Mrs. Lin with the things, Mu Xianxian got into a fight with her.

They fought all the way back to the Old Mu Family, and the things were long discarded along the way.

Never mind relying on those things to make a comeback for Mu Xianxian.

Mu Xianxian was hit hard by that incident. The third branch didn’t deal with it, and even her daughter’s fiancé was gone.

Thus, Old Cao’s house and the second branch completely severed ties.

Mrs. Lin didn’t care about any of that. She only knew that by breaking the engagement with the Cao Family, Liu Zian could marry Mu Qingqing.

That’s what the two have been discussing in the room.

"Is that so! It seems... my eldest aunt’s daughter’s marriage is indeed busted." Mu Shuangshuang said while wiping her hands.

"Huh? I only vaguely heard Mom mention it, saying the Liu Family thinks Miao Miao looks too ugly."

Women are always gossipy, especially when two get together.

Huang Bitao couldn’t hold back and shared with Mu Shuangshuang everything she recently learned.

"Miao Miao really is unlucky, being rejected at such a young age. I’m afraid it’ll be hard to find a match in the future, just like our little aunt."

Other than Old Mrs. Mu, it was basically Huang Bitao who delivered meals to Mu Xiangxiang.

Sometimes when cleaning, Huang Bitao would see Mu Xiangxiang gnawing on wood in front of her, which pained anyone to watch.

"Cousin-in-law, you can’t just look at the surface of things at the Old Mu Family. Cao Miaomiao’s marriage was my eldest aunt trying to latch onto the Liu Family.

So she kept giving me trouble over that, saying I orchestrated Liu Zian. As for our little aunt, think about it yourself, does her behavior really seem like that of a crazy person?"

Mu Shuangshuang hadn’t intended to talk about these things with Huang Bitao, but there was so much going on at the Old Mu Family.

She was worried that if she didn’t warn her, Huang Bitao might end up being blamed, and life would become difficult for her.

"You mean, little aunt isn’t crazy?" Huang Bitao gasped, covering her mouth, completely unable to believe what she’d heard.

"It’s the same reasoning as why you and my cousin got married. Everyone’s goals are clear.

No one plays crazy for no reason; there’s always a purpose! That’s why some people do things that seem completely self-destructive."

After hearing this, Huang Bitao finally understood.

Everyone has their own difficulties, and the things people do aren’t just what they seem on the surface.

"Alright, let’s wrap dumplings!"

The preparations Mu Shuangshuang had made were slower than those at the Old Mu Family. The flour was still un-kneaded, and the fillings un-segregated.

The vegetables also hadn’t been thoroughly washed.

Thankfully, the two girls in the kitchen were diligent. In no time, finely chopped meat and vegetables were laid on the chopping board.

The only thing left was waiting for the dough to rest.

The two girls jested about everything under the sun while sitting inside, with Huang Bitao not the least bit shy. Even if she hadn’t been to some places herself, she dared to chat with Mu Shuangshuang about them if she’d heard about them from others.

In the blink of an eye, three incense sticks’ time had passed.

Huang Bitao got up in a hurry and said to Mu Shuangshuang, "Shuangshuang, I have to go back to wrap dumplings now. If you’re not in a rush here, wait for me a bit. I’ll come over after I’m done."

"Okay!" Mu Shuangshuang nodded with a smile.

Huang Bitao rushed to the main house, but before even entering the kitchen, she was stopped by Old Mrs. Mu, who’d been waiting for her.

"Halt! Where have you been?" Old Mrs. Mu asked sternly.

"I...I..." Huang Bitao, timid and hesitant, dared not answer for quite some time.

Old Mrs. Mu didn’t like the third branch, and even disallowed any mention of them unless necessary.

Being the granddaughter-in-law, these words were more of a death warrant for Huang Bitao, and she had to obey them.

"Alright, don’t stutter around, struggling to speak. I’m here to tell you, when making dumplings later, make a separate batch, make them large, and make fifty of them!

Additionally, boil ten eggs and fry a bowl of rice with lard, and add plenty of lard, got it?"