From Folly to Fortune：I Rewrite My Life After Rebirth!-Chapter 988 - 984: Second Aunt Caught Stealing

"Everyone, slow down with the eating, I’m heading down first."

Putting the duck back on the table, Mu Shuangshuang said to the people in the private room.

-

During the lunch, several rounds were served back and forth, and everyone in the restaurant was almost going crazy with busyness.

Mu Shuangshuang had cooked several dishes herself, and just at this moment, the staff collecting the bowls reported that at the Old Mu Family table, only bones were left, and Mu Xiangxiang still claimed she wasn’t full.

Old Mrs. Mu instructed the staff to bring out another table of exactly the same dishes.

The waiter was unsure what to do, so he had to call Mu Shuangshuang.

Mu Shuangshuang went upstairs, and by now Mu Xiangxiang’s belly was already about to burst.

But she was still shouting, "Hungry, Mom, I’m so hungry!"

Old Mrs. Mu, seeing Mu Shuangshuang, quickly said, "Shuangshuang, go and tell the restaurant chef to serve all the same dishes as before, Xiangxiang is waiting to eat."

"Grandma, each table’s meals are very generous, it’s impossible not to be full."

"Aunt has already eaten so much, what if her stomach bursts from eating more?" Mu Shuangshuang asked.

"What nonsense are you talking? Being able to eat is a blessing. If your aunt wants to eat, you can’t just block her mouth and not let her, right? Don’t bother arguing, instruct the chef to go cook!" Old Mrs. Mu ordered imperiously.

Mu Shuangshuang’s temper flared up too.

"No means no."

"Grandma, this isn’t a pig farm providing unlimited food. If Aunt wants more, go buy her food outside. I need the restaurant table cleared so I can seat other guests!" Mu Shuangshuang said.

"Hey, what do you mean, inviting us but not letting us eat enough? What’s wrong with my Xiangxiang eating some of your food? Look at how stingy you are!" Old Mrs. Mu said.

Mu Xiangxiang started instigating again, "Hungry, Mom, I’m hungry!"

By this time, the village head and several village elders hadn’t left yet.

Seeing the unreasonable Old Mrs. Mu, and Mu Xiangxiang who could eat more than a pig, each of them couldn’t help but turn their heads away.

The conduct of the Old Mu family’s old lady was truly disgraceful.

With a woman like this, how did she ever manage to raise a scholarly son?

People used to say that sons take after their mothers, but now everyone was starting to doubt Mu Dade’s character. Could it be that he wasn’t as the rumors said?

Mr. Mu happened to see the disdain on the elders’ faces, and quickly went up to pull on Old Mrs. Mu’s arm, saying, "Enough, so many people are watching, even if you don’t care about face, I do!"

"So what if they’re watching? I can’t speak if they’re looking? My Xiangxiang isn’t full, what’s wrong with asking for more?" Old Mrs. Mu shook off Mr. Mu’s hand and shouted loudly.

Mu Shuangshuang finally understood what it looks like when a person has no self-respect.

"Ahem, Old Mu’s wife, don’t make things hard for Shuang. Xiangxiang has eaten enough. She could finish a whole basin of rice, and none of us men at the table have eaten as much as her." The village head mediated.

The others also chimed in, "Yes, Shuang has been working all day without a break, not even a sip of water, and there are still many waiting to eat. As elders, we can’t eat and drink for free and end up ruining their reputation!"

"If you ask me, old sister, let Xiangxiang eat a bit less. No girl eats that much, and though she’s a bit mad, she won’t be single forever, will she?"

Until now, the villagers thought Mu Xiangxiang was mad.

Plus, Mu Xiangxiang usually ignored everyone; eating like this, no one thought Mu Xiangxiang was normal.

"Right, a woman has to look like a woman if she wants to get married, not saying she should be as capable as Shuang, but at least not sit and eat herself out of house and home like a pig."

"Otherwise, even a mountain of gold and silver would be eaten away!" another elder said.

Each word was terribly cutting.

Old Mrs. Mu started to care about her face and said to Mu Xiangxiang, "Xiangxiang, we won’t eat anymore, let’s go home early, and Mom will make pancakes for you!" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Mu Xiangxiang finally stopped her fussing.

Everyone was preparing to get up and go downstairs.

Mrs. Lin, having overeaten, was the last to stand, and when she got up, there was a loud clatter on the ground.

A vase fell from Mrs. Lin’s belly, breaking to pieces on the floor.

Then more small items followed — wooden boxes, lanterns, and such, all fell down in a heap.

When Mrs. Lin was stealing things earlier, she had tightened her waistband tightly.

But during the meal, her belly filled with too much food and became too bloated.

Coupled with Old Mrs. Mu’s unreasonable fussing while she stood by enjoying the show, she completely forgot that her waistband was undone.

Now everything fell out in one go.

Everyone was stunned.

Before Mu Shuangshuang could question, Mrs. Lin confessed, "Shuangshuang, your second aunt really wasn’t stealing from your restaurant. It’s just that these things looked so nice... yes, I had never seen them before, so..."

"So, you stuffed them in your belly, planning to take them home, or exchange them for money somewhere in town?"

Mu Shuangshuang snorted coldly, ignoring the village elders present.

She only knew that Mrs. Lin had stolen right under her nose.

"No... It’s not like that, I just wanted a look." Mrs. Lin said, feeling guilty herself.

Mr. Mu felt even more embarrassed.

The village head was present, the village elders were there, and his daughter-in-law was stealing from his granddaughter’s restaurant.

"Grandpa, what do you think we should do about this? You brought the people!" Mu Shuangshuang first threw the question to Mr. Mu.

Mrs. Lin’s heart calmed a bit.

She thought her father would definitely protect her.

But Mrs. Lin oversimplified it; if this had happened privately, he might protect her.

With so many people present, there’s no way he could protect her without consequences.

"Second daughter-in-law, apologize to Shuangshuang, then put all these things back where they belong. Pay for whatever the broken vase is worth!"

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Lin’s face fell immediately, "Dad, I don’t have money!"

"If you don’t have money, go to your parents’ place or ask your brothers. If not, I’ll have Old Two divorce you, you thieving fool!" Old Mrs. Mu said.

"But, Mom, I really have no money..."

Mrs. Lin wore a bitter face, regretting her mistake deeply.

Why did she loosen her belt?

If she’d known, she’d rather have endured the discomfort than face this forced compensation now.

Mu Shuangshuang spoke up appropriately, "The vase cost four taels of silver, it’s an antique!"

"Ah? That much money..." Mrs. Lin exclaimed.

"Shuang, you can’t rip me off like this; a broken vase isn’t worth that much!"

"Dad, Mom, listen to this; she’s ripping me off!"

"Shut up!" Mr. Mu reprimanded.

Mrs. Lin lowered her voice, still muttering about being ripped off by Mu Shuangshuang.

Mu Shuangshuang turned to the village head and asked, "Chief, how do you think this should be handled?"

Mu Shuangshuang’s words dealt a blow to Mr. Mu’s face.

But it wasn’t her fault – she had given them a chance, yet they couldn’t even manage their own person.

To keep enduring it would be no different from weakness.