From Folly to Fortune：I Rewrite My Life After Rebirth!-Chapter 906 - 902: Little Black Returns to the Jianghu (First Update)
On the second day of the new year, there aren’t too many people out buying vegetables, and it’s already afternoon. Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng stood for a long time, only managing to sell a few bundles of greens.
No one was interested in the game caught from the mountains. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮
Mu Shuangshuang collected a few coins, feeling she couldn’t just keep waiting like this.
"Fengzi, let’s go check out the wealthy households nearby and see if they want fresh vegetables?" Mu Shuangshuang suggested.
Typically, the wealthy families in town either get their vegetables from nearby farmhouses or have their housekeepers buy in large quantities.
Normally, those wealthy families might not buy vegetables brought to the door, but these days are special — it’s the new year and festive season, and generally, people don’t deliver vegetables; they’re stored before the festivities.
Even if they’ve stored greens, they might buy some just for freshness.
Experience proved Mu Shuangshuang’s choice was right.
Those wealthy families in the town are not lacking in silver taels. On the contrary, a bit of fresh produce might prompt them to spend money.
Mu Shuangshuang knocked on several landlords’ doors, explained her intention, and after a while, a man who looked like a housekeeper came out and bought some vegetables.
The deer and rabbits were sold in one go, at the west end of the town. Mu Shuangshuang heard it was some wealthy household to the west with the surname Liu, and even the officials were courteous when buying various things.
Mu Shuangshuang took the money and returned to the eastern market with Lu Yuanfeng.
On the night of the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month, there was almost a theft at Old Wang’s house, and all the chickens at Lu Yuanfeng’s grandparent’s house were stolen.
With the new year happening, Mu Shuangshuang couldn’t inquire around then, but now that she’s in town, it’s convenient to investigate.
Mu Shuangshuang has been setting up a stall in town not just for a day or two. The market has only three chicken vendors; the rest are hawkers selling chickens themselves from farmhouses.
Mu Shuangshuang approached one of the vendors to ask.
The vendor’s surname was Wang, and the stall owners in the market all called him Brother Wang, so Mu Shuangshuang followed suit.
Having become quite familiar, they were treated well by Brother Wang, especially after Mu Shuangshuang gave him the remaining two bundles of greens.
Brother Wang even considered Mu Shuangshuang as one of his own.
"You two have been setting up stalls in our market not just for a day or two, although not every day. Every time you come, I watch you."
No wonder the people paid attention to Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng.
Mu Shuangshuang is lively, and in the entire market, she’s the only one who likes to loudly shout when selling. Coupled with her good looks and pleasant speech, people end up buying from her.
Typically, those setting up stalls stay for a whole day, passing time with what the market offers.
"Brother Wang, do you know if anyone came to sell chickens around the thirtieth of December? Around twenty to thirty chickens?" Mu Shuangshuang asked.
According to Gu Jiulian, the Old Lu Family lost a total of twenty-eight chickens, even a plucked chicken was stolen.
If Gu Jiulian wasn’t lying, it should be easy to find.
"I have an impression, but those chickens weren’t sold to me. It was a young lad from the stall nearby. I remember there was a plucked chicken given away for free. At new year, buying a plucked chicken is unlucky."
Brother Wang’s words told Mu Shuangshuang she had found the right person.
"Do you remember who sold the chickens? Their height, appearance, anything?" She asked.
Brother Wang furrowed his brows, thinking, "Two men, one very ugly, looking fierce and intimidating."
Mu Shuangshuang was stunned for a moment.
This information seemed useless.
Ugly men, looking fierce and intimidating, any random guy might fit that description.
"What about the other one? Any characteristics?" Lu Yuanfeng asked.
"The other had his face covered, claiming to have contracted typhoid, but his tone didn’t sound like he had typhoid," Brother Wang explained.
Although not understanding why Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng were inquiring,
Brother Wang added, "That ugly one walked with a limp, seemed injured, and I heard the masked one call him Hu... Hu Sheng!"
Though it had only been two days, Brother Wang couldn’t be sure about what he’d heard.
His speech held a touch of doubt.
Mu Shuangshuang took a deep breath, instantly picturing Hu Sheng’s appearance and usual demeanor from the village.
"Shuangshuang..." Lu Yuanfeng also thought of it but didn’t speak directly, seemingly waiting for Mu Shuangshuang’s reaction.
"Brother Wang, any other distinguishing features about the masked one? Like clothing or behavior?"
Mu Shuangshuang knew Hu Sheng was from her village, but she was truly curious about the other person.
Moreover, she dared to assert that Hu Sheng wasn’t the one who went to their kitchen that night.
To speak candidly, Mu Shuangshuang’s suspects were four: Ma Houhou, to whom she once gave a horse nest for health maintenance.
Then there’s Mu Danian and Mu Dazhong, who seemed like they enjoyed sneaky activities.
Lastly, Mu Dade, but she could mostly rule him out; while she believed he might set her house on fire, she couldn’t believe he’d conspire with someone to steal.
"That’s all, he covered up pretty well, couldn’t even see half his face."
Mu Shuangshuang realized that pushing further might not yield much useful information.
To find the burglar from that night, she’d go directly to Hu Sheng.
After saying goodbye to Brother Wang, Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng pushed the cart towards Er Gui Village.
On the way, Mu Shuangshuang wondered how to make Hu Sheng reveal the other person’s identity, and Lu Yuanfeng, knowing her thoughts, suggested, "Hu Sheng is timid. We could scare him a bit."
"Scared and still dare to steal?" Mu Shuangshuang found it extremely amusing.
It was so late that night, and Hu Sheng with another small thief dared to venture out to steal, so what could they fear?
"That’s where you’re mistaken," Lu Yuanfeng said. "He’s timid when it comes to snakes. I remember when we were little, seeing Hu Sheng play with the villagers, Hu Sheng fell into the river and got entangled by a water snake, he was pale with fear.
If it weren’t for the villagers passing by, rescuing him, he would’ve been scared to death by that snake."
Lu Yuanfeng, being a boy, sometimes followed older kids to play in the village when young.
But eventually, as life became increasingly difficult, he took on family responsibilities.
"This time of year, snakes should be hibernating, finding one to scare is way harder than a direct beating and interrogation," she said.
Lu Yuanfeng nodded.
"True, but it’s not particularly difficult. Don’t forget, we still have a little creature at home that likes catching snakes and mice."
Lu Yuanfeng was naturally referring to Little Black.
That fearless Black Mink.
