From Folly to Fortune：I Rewrite My Life After Rebirth!
Chapter 115: Mrs. Jin Freeloads a Meal

Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Mrs. Jin Freeloads a Meal

On a summer night, the weather was unbearably stuffy. Mrs. Jin tossed and turned on the bed several times, unable to fall asleep.

The travel expenses for her husband’s imperial exam had yet to be settled, and the contract she held tightly in her hand was not yet the time to be used. All of this felt like a mountain pressing on Mrs. Jin’s chest.

Thinking about how she had married into the Old Mu Family for so many years without any good fortune and always being ridiculed, now that there was finally a chance for enjoyment before her, she would not give it up for anything.

Mrs. Jin dressed herself, smoothing her hair. She glanced at her husband, Mu Dade, on the bed, and the anxiety in her heart grew stronger.

Now, Mrs. Jin wanted to find a windy place to sort out her thoughts, to quickly come up with a way to gather the money.

Leaving the wing room of the Old Mu Family, Mrs. Jin caught a whiff of enticing meat aroma that almost made her tongue fall out. Following the scent, she surprisingly ended up at the Old Mu Family’s kitchen.

Inside the kitchen, Mu the Third and his family of five sat around a small table, chatting about family matters.

There were a few dishes on the table, and the aroma was coming from the pot. Mrs. Jin swallowed her saliva as she approached and finally heard the conversation of the third branch.

Mu Dashan was wearing a slightly worn-out undershirt, his face and forehead covered with sweat from working. He was grinning foolishly at Shuangshuang, who was expertly cooking by the stove.

"Shuangshuang’s father, our daughter is just cooking a meal, and you’re already this happy. What if there are other surprises in the future?"

"Si Niang, you know I can’t hide things." Mu Dashan scratched his scalp awkwardly, with a few blushes of shame on his face.

"Yes, yes, I understand how you feel. I’m actually happy too."

The two chatted back and forth about Shuangshuang, and for a moment, the kitchen was extremely warm and cozy.

Little Zhi’s big eyes twirled, and she impatiently asked Mu Shuangshuang.

"Sister, how much longer? Little Zhi is hungry, very hungry..."

"Almost done, almost done, just one last step."

Mu Shuangshuang didn’t turn around, but she knew what the eager looks from Little Zhi and Xiao Han behind her would be like.

She stir-fried pig intestine using the simplest method: a bit of clear oil, frying the pig intestine in the wok, then adding sliced ginger and garlic. Now all that was left was to add a handful of white pepper.

White pepper was something peasant families particularly liked for its spice-enhancing flavor. Usually, Old Mrs. Mu couldn’t bear to eat it, treating it like a treasure. Tonight, taking advantage of their absence, Shuangshuang rummaged through the cupboards to find it.

Throwing a handful of white pepper into the pot, the originally golden fried intestine instantly mixed with the pepper, and the pungent smell of white pepper immediately appeared, causing synchronized sneezes in the kitchen.

As soon as an inharmonious sound appeared, Shuangshuang immediately became alert. She stared outside the kitchen and saw Mrs. Jin sneaking around like a thief.

"Old Third, Si Niang, you’re having dinner? It smells so good!" Mrs. Jin sniffed with her nose, smiling broadly at Yu Si Niang and Mu Dashan.

"Sister-in-law, you’re here, have a seat!" Mu Dashan got up and gave his seat to Mrs. Jin.

The children, upon seeing Mrs. Jin come in, politely called her Auntie.

"No need, I was just outside stargazing and smelled the food from the kitchen. So I came to see what was going on." Mrs. Jin explained on her own, then casually asked.

"What did Shuangshuang make that smells so good?"

"Auntie, it’s nothing special, just some coarse pig intestine with pig dung. You, being so refined, probably wouldn’t want any, right?"

"Why not? Aren’t you all eating it? How could it be just for coarse people?"

Mrs. Jin immediately realized that Mu Shuangshuang’s intent was to make her reluctant to eat this.

"We are indeed coarse folk, unlike you, Auntie, who is set to be an official’s wife. So you should be careful!

Should people find out you like eating butcher’s innards, who knows how they’d view you."

"You..."

Mrs. Jin was left speechless by Mu Shuangshuang’s insinuations. She really didn’t know how the most useless girl in the Old Mu Family had developed such sharp wit.

"Shuangshuang, we’re family. Don’t always see Auntie as the bad guy or pick on her. She’s very upset."

Mrs. Jin pretended to be hurt, successfully deceiving Yu Si Niang and Mu Dashan.

"Sister-in-law, don’t take it to heart. Shuangshuang didn’t mean that. Are you hungry? Would you like to eat with us?"

Mu Dashan offered his bowl and chopsticks to Mrs. Jin, but she waved her hand to decline.

"I’m not hungry, but Dade is still studying. I’m afraid he’ll get hungry, so I want to bring him some food.

Oh, this is oil residue and wild vegetables, right? Great, oil residue boosts the brain, and wild vegetables cleanse the stomach. Both are good for Dade’s exams."

As soon as Mrs. Jin spoke, Mu Dashan and Yu Si Niang were instantly embarrassed. Did the Sister-in-law want to take all the dishes to the elder master, leaving them nothing to eat?

"Auntie, if Big Brother is hungry, you can prepare a special meal for him. Didn’t you catch the rabbit from our house? A pot of rabbit meat can last several meals.

My parents have been hungry all day. At least let them eat some coarse grain and pig intestines, or else, if they fall ill, who will earn tuition for Big Brother? Who will bear the burden of the household?"

Mu Shuangshuang smiled sarcastically at Mrs. Jin. Among everyone in the family, she disliked Mrs. Jin the most, always talking about Mu Dade’s imperial examination.

Clearly greedy herself, yet she presented everything as if it were for Mu Dade, thinking everyone would listen to her. What a joke.

"Shuangshuang, what do you mean by that? Are you saying your Big Brother’s studies aren’t hard?

Your Big Brother studies hard for whom? Isn’t it all for this family?

Now you see him as a burden, but when it’s time to enjoy the good life, will you still say these things?"

Mrs. Jin looked pitifully at Mu Shuangshuang, spewing words of praise about Mu Dade as if he were a hero.

But even a pig would understand that Mu Dade was pursuing the imperial exams for himself, not for anyone else.

Yet her nonsense somehow managed to convince some people.

"Sister-in-law, don’t listen to Shuangshuang. She’s just a kid, you..." Mu Dashan tried to mediate, but was interrupted halfway through.

"Shuangshuang isn’t that young anymore. Girls her age can start discussing marriage. Your family isn’t as well-off as others, so marrying her off early would be good for both you and Si Niang."

Mrs. Jin emphatically mentioned marriage, as if hinting at something.

Mu Shuangshuang narrowed her eyes, suddenly suspecting Mrs. Jin had an ulterior motive.

"Auntie, listening to you, it sounds like you want me married off. So, do you have someone in mind? Who is it? Do tell if I ’know’ them."