From Folly to Fortune：I Rewrite My Life After Rebirth!-Chapter 891 - 887: Treat It with a Calm Mind (First Update)
"Grandpa and Grandma didn’t agree with what Aunt said," Huang Bita remarked.
"Grandpa said that a guest is a guest, and he also mentioned that Ruan Xiao Jiao, after all, is the concubine of the County Magistrate. In the future, if someone from the Old Mu Family goes to the county, we might need her connections.
If we offend Ruan Xiao Jiao, it won’t be easy for the Old Mu Family, and even Uncle might not be able to save face."
Mu Shuangshuang nodded. That indeed sounded like something Mr. Mu would say.
The old man cares a lot about face; he wouldn’t do anything to tarnish the Old Mu Family’s reputation, nor would he let the family do so.
But Old Mrs. Mu probably wouldn’t allow it to happen, right?
Just as she thought this, she heard Huang Bita say, "Grandma doesn’t want Ruan Xiao Jiao to leave either, saying that her visit is just a meal, it won’t cost the Old Mu Family much. At most, she would pay for it herself."
After hearing Huang Bita’s words, Mu Shuangshuang couldn’t help but want to laugh. If someone else had said that, she might have believed it.
But hearing it from Old Mrs. Mu, claiming it wouldn’t cost much, she simply didn’t believe it.
If Old Mrs. Mu were that benevolent, the people of the Old Mu Family wouldn’t have been treated so poorly.
"Shuangshuang, what do you think about this?" Huang Bita asked, her face full of curiosity as she stared at Mu Shuangshuang.
Deep down, Huang Bita also didn’t quite agree with Ruan Xiao Jiao coming to the house for New Year’s.
Moreover, she always felt that Uncle and Ruan Xiao Jiao were a bit too close; the way Ruan Xiao Jiao looked at Uncle was very much like the way Da Lang looked at her.
Da Lang said that only when you like someone would you look at them that way.
Mu Shuangshuang furrowed her brows, feeling there was more to what Huang Bita was saying.
"Bita, if you have something to say, you can tell me. I won’t tell anyone else."
In Mu Shuangshuang’s heart, Huang Bita is a close friend, an inviolable confidant.
Huang Bita hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Shuangshuang, don’t tell anyone about this, not even Third Uncle or Third Aunt.
I’ve seen Uncle and Ruan Xiao Jiao alone together several times, standing very close. Their relationship is not simple; it seems like Ruan Xiao Jiao... likes Uncle."
Saying this, Huang Bita still looked very cautious, as if she was afraid of being overheard.
Mu Shuangshuang pursed her lips and took Huang Bita’s hand, "Bita, my uncle and Ruan Xiao Jiao grew up together. If it weren’t for my Aunt, they would have been married.
But something happened afterward, Aunt became Uncle’s wife, and Ruan Xiao Jiao married into the county as a concubine, and they haven’t seen each other since.
When Ruan Xiao Jiao became a concubine, at first, no one knew she married the County Magistrate, and everyone bullied the Ruan Family, thinking they disgraced the village.
Later, it was Ruan Xiao Jiao’s aunt who couldn’t stand it, and announced in the village that Ruan Xiao Jiao’s husband was the County Magistrate, so the villagers stopped bullying the Ruan Family."
"That’s quite pitiful, falling for someone who marries another woman. As a woman, I know how painful it is not being with the one you love," Huang Bita said.
"Back then, if it weren’t for you, Shuangshuang, I would’ve accepted a few taels of silver for a dowry and married anyone."
Huang Bita was older than average when she married, and when Matchmaker Sun came with a proposal, she said that marrying into a good family with someone of the same age was impossible.
She could only find someone who was a widower or had been a bachelor for half his life.
At the time, Huang Bita had made up her mind to use the dowry to help her brothers get married.
As for finding someone she liked, she thought it was a luxury, something she didn’t dare to hope for.
Fortunately, after some twists and turns, she ended up with Mu Dalang, who cherished her.
"Bita, don’t compare yourself to Ruan Xiao Jiao; you’re much better than her. Whatever happened between her and Uncle was a long time ago, and they should have moved on.
Since she’s married to the County Magistrate, she should treat him as her husband.
Not necessarily worship him, but at least give him the respect he deserves," said Mu Shuangshuang.
Essentially, Ruan Xiao Jiao is a victim, a pitiful woman.
But when she crossed the line and got involved with Mu Dade, she stopped being just a victim.
"Got it! Shuangshuang, I was just casually mentioning it, not really trying to find out anything," Huang Bita said a bit embarrassedly. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
"No worries, just treat it casually. Sometimes, even if you know something, it’s better to pretend you don’t," Mu Shuangshuang reminded Huang Bita.
Finishing this conversation, the two girls chatted a bit more, and from the room, the laughter of two young women could often be heard.
In the kitchen, the two helping youths grinned foolishly.
The one tending the fire forgot to tend the fire, and the one plucking the feathers forgot to pluck them.
It wasn’t until Mu Dashan noticed the situation and quietly coughed that the two buried their heads and got back to work.
After a while, the two young men spoke at the same time.
"Fengzi..."
"Da Lang..."
"You go first!" they said simultaneously once more.
Mu Dalang chuckled and continued, "I’ll go first!"
Lu Yuanfeng nodded in agreement.
"It’s fine if we let them chat for a while longer. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Bita this happy," Mu Dalang said.
Lu Yuanfeng agreed.
The two exchanged a knowing smile, and this little matter became a mutual understanding.
*
When Mu Shuangshuang and Huang Bita entered the kitchen, they each held a string of firecrackers, which Lu Yuanfeng had bought for the three kids in the family to play with.
They divided them into three portions; one was in Yuanbao’s hand, and the other two with Little Zhi and Xiao Han.
Taking advantage of the kids going out to play, Mu Shuangshuang secretly took some out to set off with Huang Bita.
They entered the kitchen just to inform the two men.
Lu Yuanfeng quickly shook his head, "Shuangshuang, Bita, wait a bit. Let’s go to the river to set them off in the afternoon, chat inside in the morning. The kitchen is fine with just us."
Mu Dalang also urged, "Yes, or you could help in the kitchen!"
Mu Shuangshuang looked at Huang Bita, who was full of helplessness but still entered the room and put down the firecrackers.
After a while, she entered the kitchen to help.
Seeing this, Mu Shuangshuang knew she couldn’t play for the time being.
In the kitchen, there were suddenly two more capable hands.
Mu Shuangshuang and Huang Bita were experienced in the kitchen, managing both chopping and fire-tending in an orderly manner.
As it neared noon, from afar in the village, people had already begun setting off firecrackers. Mu Dalang and Huang Bita checked the time, considering it was almost time to head back to the Old Mu Family’s place.
"Third Uncle, Third Aunt, Fengzi, Shuangshuang, Bita and I are heading over now. We’ll come back to hang out and have dumplings tonight!" Mu Dalang said.
Mu Shuangshuang watched Mu Dalang and Huang Bita head to the Old Mu Family’s house.
"Dad, Mom, I think we’re just about ready to have our New Year’s Eve dinner."
