From Folly to Fortune：I Rewrite My Life After Rebirth!
Chapter 161: This Girl Is Reaching for the Heavens (Second Update)

Chapter 161: Chapter 161: This Girl Is Reaching for the Heavens (Second Update)

Boiling a pot of water, Mu Shuangshuang lets it cool before adding salt and rice wine to it, then throws in some ginger and chili peppers. The most crucial element for pickles—the water—is now prepared.

Making pickles is incredibly easy; Mu Shuangshuang puts the cut cucumbers and cabbage stems into a jar and seals it tight.

The pickles made now should be ready to eat by tomorrow morning.

"Lu Yuanfeng, I’m finished here. We can pretty much start the fire and cook the congee now."

"Alrighty!" Lu Yuanfeng responds and starts adding firewood to the stove.

Mu Shuangshuang pours the soaked lychees, glutinous rice, and other ingredients into the pot and adds some rock sugar.

While the congee is simmering, Mu Shuangshuang isn’t idle; she chats intermittently with Lu Yuanfeng about their future plans, while Lu Yuanfeng listens intently, occasionally sharing his opinions.

Meanwhile, Mu Shuangshuang’s eldest sister-in-law’s house is livelier than usual.

"Erzhu’s dad, are you sure the girl you saw was our silly lass?" Mu Xianxian’s expression turned slightly peculiar, seemingly in disbelief, suspecting her husband had mistaken someone else for their niece.

"Not entirely sure. The last time that girl came to our house, I saw her from a distance, skinny body, shabby clothes.

Today the girl I saw at Jiu Si Xuan looked just like that, but the girl in Jiu Si Xuan clearly seemed paler than your niece."

Mu Xianxian rolled her eyes, quickly recalling the last time she saw Mu Shuangshuang, she still felt doubtful.

"Do you think if this girl really has the secret recipe for cold noodles like the staff at Jiu Si Xuan said, why would my dad still come over to borrow money?"

"You’re silly, your dad wants a clean break with us. It looks like your family is going to be prosperous. With this girl’s recipe, wouldn’t fifty taels of silver be easy to earn?

I heard the chefs there wanted her to deliver more, but she refused. If she really wasn’t rich, who wouldn’t want to make money?"

Cao Jianmin racked his brains and conveyed the reason to Mu Xianxian.

Upon hearing it, Mu Xianxian suddenly felt cornered, realizing her father plans to leave her behind and live a better life.

Wishful thinking, since she’s Da De’s elder sister, she must have her share when there’s meat to eat.

"I can’t, I need to go to my dad and ask what he really means, thinking of a better life and wanting to abandon me."

Mu Xianxian got up to go out but was stopped by Cao Jianmin.

"That won’t do, Xianxian, if you fight with your dad, he surely won’t treat you kindly.

If your big brother really qualifies, we’ll have no good days ahead.

Then your big brother will have authority, and that silly lass will have money, how can we compete with others."

"Right, we can’t fall out, I need to think of a way to get that silly lass’s recipe first.

Then get my dad to promise me that he won’t forget me when my brother becomes prosperous."

With these thoughts, Mu Xianxian calmed down again.

Her dad is a sentimental person; she plans to take him some unsold cloth shoes from the shop tomorrow, and speak about these things when he’s in a good mood.

Mu Shuangshuang is unaware that her plans have unwittingly been discovered by Mu Family’s eldest sister, Mu Xianxian.

Of course, Mu Xianxian doesn’t know that the third branch has already become independent, now every penny Shuangshuang earns belongs to her, and no one else has the right to say anything.

————

The Eight Treasure Congee is prepared, and roughly an hour and a half has passed. Although Old Mrs. Xue has waited long, she has no sign of impatience, but instead looks increasingly expectant at what Mu Shuangshuang is bringing.

Eight Treasure Congee is different from other congees; it’s more mixed inside, and if you haven’t tried it, it might seem strange.

Xue Yi stands out immediately. "What is this dark stuff? Can it be eaten?"

"Congee, Mr. Xue surely hasn’t tried it, but you shouldn’t take ignorance for granted, right?"

"You..." Really infuriating, this lass’s tongue is truly sharp.

"Grandmother, please drink it quickly; Lu Yuanfeng and I have been simmering this for quite some time."

Mu Shuangshuang bypasses Xue Yi and presents the congee to Old Mrs. Xue.

Old Mrs. Xue eagerly grabs the congee, her eyes occasionally falling on Mu Shuangshuang, even before drinking it she increasingly likes Shuangshuang.

"Mother, you’re not really going to drink this stuff, are you?" Xue Yi exclaimed.

"Shoo, shoo, shoo, go away; if you don’t drink, don’t stop me, old woman."

Old Mrs. Xue takes a spoonful of Eight Treasure Congee and places it in her mouth.

Fragrant, glutinous, sweet yet not cloying, the three flavors melt in her mouth, she can’t help but have several more sips.

"Delicious!" Old Mrs. Xue exclaims cheerily, her bowl soon emptied in a few spoonfuls, she places the bowl in front of Mu Shuangshuang.

"Little lass, get me another bowl, this congee is so tasty, has familiar flavors, much better than what Yi hired that Capital chef for."

"Mother, you wouldn’t lie just for this lass, would you?" Xue Yi curled his lip.

Once Mu Shuangshuang brings more congee over, after Xue Yi takes a couple of sips, he finally realizes his mother wasn’t lying.

This thing is truly delicious.

"Little lass, your skill is really good." Xue Yi sincerely remarks.

"Can you serve me another bowl?"

A pot of congee, apart from Lu Yuanfeng tasting two bowls, the rest mostly went into Xue Yi’s belly.

After drinking, Xue Yi’s belly is round and full, he keeps patting it while belching.

"Little lass, how about becoming the head chef at our house? I’ll pay you ten taels of silver a month."

A second-class maid gets only two taels of silver. Xue Yi’s offer of ten taels to Mu Shuangshuang nearly equals Housekeeper Xue’s pay.

"Mr. Xue, didn’t you previously say this wasn’t good, that wasn’t good? Why have you changed your mind?" Mu Shuangshuang rolls her eyes.

"Little lass, why bother quarreling this much with an elder; just take it as my poor sight misjudged, can you?"

Xue Yi always lets go easily, and besides, he was originally jesting with Mu Shuangshuang.

"Hmph, can elders bully juniors?" Mu Shuangshuang snorts coldly, having waited for so long for this moment of retaliation, she won’t let it go without feeling satisfied.

"Alright, alright, I apologize to you. I’ll treat you with respect from now on, okay?"

Xue Yi’s meek appearance contrasts sharply with his previous demeanor; Lu Yuanfeng and Old Mrs. Xue chuckle as they watch Mu Shuangshuang and Xue Yi bicker, both unable to see the other favorably, surprisingly finding it amusing.

After much effort to calm Mu Shuangshuang, just when Xue Yi thinks everything is resolved, Mu Shuangshuang speaks up.

"Grandmother, I might not have the time to be a chef; there are many things at home, and I know being the head chef means staying at the Xue Family, I can’t leave home for too long."

The family members are yet to explode; if she leaves, who knows how much they’d be bullied.

"Then what can we do? Does it mean I, old woman, won’t be able to eat such tasty congee anymore?" Old Mrs. Xue seems disappointed.

"That’s easy, long as you take care of yourself well, I’ll come over to cook for you whenever I have time!"