From Folly to Fortune：I Rewrite My Life After Rebirth!-Chapter 893 - 889: Festive Atmosphere in Full Swing!
Mu Dade squinted his eyes and glanced at Mu Dandan.
"Dandan, where Aunt Ruan sits is not for you to decide. Just focus on eating your meal properly."
Being reprimanded in front of the whole family, Mu Dandan’s eyes quickly turned red.
She felt especially aggrieved.
Why should such a nobody of a woman come to her home for the New Year and sit beside her father?
Then what is her mother?
She tried not to think about it, but the more she thought, the more aggrieved she felt, even her nose tip turned red, and she was on the verge of tears.
Mu Dade continued, "Aunt Ruan is the County Magistrate’s concubine. She’s helped me a lot in the county. If I become an official in the future, I’ll need her to speak favorably for me at the County Magistrate.
Whatever little thoughts you have, keep them to yourself. Our Old Mu Family is not the same as before. I, Mu Dade, have no connections or much money, and the future path won’t be easy.
If it weren’t for Aunt Ruan’s help, I wouldn’t be sitting here eating properly now."
At the dining table, Mrs. Jin felt even more uncomfortable after hearing this.
Her husband took the imperial exam, she funded it, she found people, exerted every effort, but in the end, someone else outside contributed the most.
How could she swallow this?
Mr. Mu stepped in to mediate, "Alright, we are all family, let’s enjoy a happy New Year’s dinner together and celebrate the festival properly!"
Mu Dandan listened and murmured, "Who is family, Aunt Ruan is not part of our family."
Coincidentally, Mu Dade happened to hear this.
Mu Dade threw down his chopsticks: "Can’t you keep your mouth shut even while eating? If you feel you can’t stay in this family, go find someone to marry, and get it over with!"
Mu Dade rarely spoke harshly to his daughters.
This time, not only did he reprimand Mu Dandan, he chose to do so during a day meant for family reunion.
Mu Dandan immediately broke into tears.
"Crying, crying, always crying. Useless money-waster, are you letting people eat or not?" Old Mrs. Mu took over and cursed loudly.
Mu Dandan cried even harder.
Mrs. Jin was furious.
She said, "Mother, can’t you be more mindful of what you say? Who said Dandan is a money-waster? This matter wasn’t started by Dandan, why are you speaking against her?"
Mrs. Jin had endured enough of the old lady.
Earlier, she was made to empty and clean chamber pots at home for the old lady, tasks she had never done in her own family.
And Old Man Mu, he’s called the head of the family for the sake of it, but in reality, he sways like a reed, favoring whichever side is better.
Can’t even manage one wife, letting the daughters-in-law get bullied and treated as less than human.
"Are you trying to rebel, daughter-in-law? Why? Because I’m her grandmother and manage all kinds of affairs in this house.
Don’t think that since Da De became a scholar you became the scholar’s wife. Let me tell you, even if you became the First-rank Imperial Decree Lady.
You still have to serve me, the old lady. Must empty the chamber pot when necessary."
The words from Old Mrs. Mu were almost overwhelmingly domineering.
Mrs. Jin, listening from the side, was so angry her whole body trembled, her hands beneath her sleeves clenched into fists.
Mu Dade listened on the side, showing a detached attitude.
Aunt Ruan listened, picking up the wine glass on the table, hiding her face as she chuckled.
As for Mrs. Lin, she listened with her heart filled with excitement, almost ready to set off firecrackers in celebration.
Even Mrs. Jin has her day, even Mrs. Jin gets scolded by the old lady sometimes, truly karma circles around, Heaven spares no one!
Mrs. Lin continued to enjoy the show.
"Mother, you are too much!" said Mrs. Jin.
"What if I am too much, you’re my daughter-in-law, no matter how excessive I am, you have to endure it. A mother-in-law teaching a daughter-in-law, that’s right and proper!" said Old Mrs. Mu.
Mrs. Lin promptly agreed, "Daughter-in-law of Da Lang, did you hear that? A mother-in-law teaching a daughter-in-law, right and proper. Don’t come to Da Lang complaining about me, speaking ill of me in the future."
Huang Bitao was stunned, and instantly lowered her head.
Mu Dalang immediately defended, "Mother, let’s just eat, why drag Bitao into this?"
Mr. Mu, watching this noisy scene, suddenly felt a deep sense of sadness and sorrow.
His Old Mu Family boasts many sons and grandsons, yet not a single quiet and harmonious environment exists.
In other families, love and respect between father and son, friendship between brothers.
In the Old Mu Family, there was nothing but quarreling.
Brother argues, daughters-in-law quarrel, daughters-in-law quarrel then mothers and daughters-in-law quarrel...
How can this be called a family?
He stood up and headed towards the dining hall’s exit.
Before he reached the door, Mu Dazhong called him.
"Father, where are you going? The New Year’s dinner isn’t finished, you can’t go out."
"Exactly Father, even if you’re upset, at least finish the New Year’s dinner!" Mu Danyan added.
The whole Da Ning Dynasty places great importance on celebrating the New Year.
Firecrackers are set off before the New Year’s meal, and while eating, the main door is shut tightly. At this moment, those confined inside the home represent the family’s wealth for the year to come.
If the door is opened prematurely, the wealth escapes.
Only after realizing this did Old Mrs. Mu remember the conversation she had with Mr. Mu the previous night, expressing his desire for a harmonious environment.
Old Mrs. Mu stood up, went forward, and took Mr. Mu’s hand.
"Old man, why the rush? We haven’t eaten yet, at the worst, I won’t speak against them anymore. Let’s eat, let’s eat!" said Old Mrs. Mu.
Everyone accompanied Mr. Mu, offering well wishes.
Unfortunately, these were no longer what Mr. Mu yearned for.
A meal, apart from Mu Xiangxiang eating with all her might, consuming eight bowls of rice and three bowls of food, others felt disinterested.
Showed little appetite.
After finishing the meal, the main door was opened wide.
Mu Xiangxiang, holding onto her swollen belly, returned to her own room.
Mrs. Jin went back to the east wing, Mu Dade and Aunt Ruan went out for a stroll.
As for Mr. Mu, the anger and sadness bottled up within did not get released.
He walked for a while, finally stopping at the entrance of the third branch.
The third branch just started their New Year’s meal, right at noon.
Lu Yuanfeng took some firecrackers, just about to set them off. Upon seeing Mr. Mu, he called to Mu Dashan inside.
Mu Dashan quickly came out.
When he emerged, Mu Dashan was full of brightness, his face beaming with wrinkles from smiling.
"Father, have you eaten? Why don’t we celebrate the New Year together?"
This warmth was exactly what Mr. Mu wanted, with no hesitation, he nodded in agreement.
Mu Dashan led Mr. Mu towards the kitchen, explaining as they walked, "Father, we don’t have a dining hall, usually we eat in the kitchen or my room, there are lots of people today, so we eat in the kitchen."
Mr. Mu remained silent, he kept observing the third branch.
Bright red couplets and high hanging red lanterns, although the house was simple and some roof tiles were cracked.
But the festive atmosphere here was thick.
"Father, today Shuangshuang and Si Niang are the cooks, you must try!"
As he spoke, Lu Yuanfeng let off the firecrackers, the cracking sound echoed...
