From Folly to Fortune：I Rewrite My Life After Rebirth!
Chapter 53: Joyful Return Home (2)

Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Joyful Return Home (2)

Farewell Lu Yuanfeng and Yuanbao, Mu Shuangshuang followed Yu Si Niang’s earlier directions, and found Wealth Master Zhang’s house. As Yu Si Niang was just a temporary worker there, she could only enter from the back door and take a small path through the kitchen in the backyard.

In the kitchen, Yu Si Niang was washing vegetables. She was just a kitchen helper, tasked with washing vegetables, picking vegetables, washing dishes, and tidying up the kitchen. All these jobs were her responsibilities. Other tasks, she could choose to do if she wished, or choose not to if she didn’t want to.

"Mom, all the eggs grandma had were sold out. Here’s a hundred and thirty-five coins. Please count them." Mu Shuangshuang took out the money she had hidden and handed it to Yu Si Niang.

In the kitchen, there were only Yu Si Niang and another elderly woman tending the fire, so Mu Shuangshuang wasn’t worried about showing her money.

"Oh my, Shuangshuang, how did you manage to sell all the eggs?" Yu Si Niang was astonished. Usually, the eggs she brought up took several days, sometimes even weeks, to sell, but her daughter had sold them all in less than a morning without missing a penny.

Mu Shuangshuang briefly told Yu Si Niang about selling eggs, fungus, and monkey head mushrooms, and also mentioned meeting Lu Yuanfeng and Yuanbao, making Yu Si Niang’s jaw almost drop in surprise.

"My Shuangshuang is really amazing. It’s the first time I’ve heard of selling things like this." Yu Si Niang looked at Mu Shuangshuang with a face full of affection, with one hand gently stroking Mu Shuangshuang’s hair.

During the scorching summer months, the weather became increasingly hot as it approached noon, and once noon passed, it basically felt like being roasted on fire. Mu Shuangshuang’s clothes were soaked through from the journey here, and the kitchen was still stoking a big fire, making the temperature even higher.

Earlier at the market, she hadn’t felt this way, but once she became idle, the heat was unbearable.

"Mom, don’t tease me. Oh, by the way, here’s the money from selling wild vegetables. Initially, it was twenty-seven coins, but I spent eleven coins to buy food for Little Zhi and Xiao Han. Here are sixteen coins. Mom, you keep the money, but make sure grandma doesn’t see it."

Yu Si Niang looked at her daughter’s thin little hand handing over the money, feeling her eyes getting somewhat teary. However, she didn’t take the coins.

"Shuangshuang, you keep it yourself. The family’s rule is that the money kids earn is theirs. You can keep it and buy some sugar cakes, but make sure grandma doesn’t see it."

"Mom, you’re not against me not handing over the money?" Mu Shuangshuang widened her eyes in surprise, looking at Yu Si Niang.

"You silly child, the money you earn is your own ability, naturally it’s yours to spend. Why should mom take it? Besides, even though mom respects your grandma, she’s not foolish. A daughter’s money, no matter how you count, is the daughter’s."

Mu Shuangshuang nodded heavily, feeling more fondness for Yu Si Niang.

This time, giving the money to Yu Si Niang was Mu Shuangshuang’s way to test Yu Si Niang’s attitude. If she took the money and gave it to Old Mrs. Mu, it would indicate that the plan for the third branch to split from the family was still far off.

On the contrary, if Yu Si Niang kept it herself, or asked her to keep it, it indicated that Yu Si Niang still had a sense of privacy, suggesting that the split from the family wasn’t far off. For the split, she needed someone strong enough to persuade Mu Dashan, and the best candidate was naturally Yu Si Niang.

"By the way, Mom, I bought four buns at the market, have a taste."

Mu Shuangshuang took out four buns wrapped in oil paper from the basket. Having delayed for so long, the buns were already cold. Fortunately, with the weather being hot enough, eating something cold wasn’t a big deal.

Mu Shuangshuang picked up one of the meat buns and gave it to the elderly woman tending the fire.

"Aunt, I didn’t buy many buns, so I can only give you one. I hope you don’t mind."

The woman tending the fire didn’t expect to get a share and found herself unsure whether to take it or not. Ultimately, it was Yu Si Niang who spoke up.

"Aunt Li, it’s my daughter’s kind gesture, please don’t feel offended, just take it."

Only then did Aunt Li accept Mu Shuangshuang’s bun. She took a bite and discovered that it was actually meat-filled. She wondered which family’s buns these were, with such abundant filling, so fragrant.

"Mm, delicious buns. Girl, thank you. Today I’m truly blessed eating meat-filled buns. I have a bowl of mung bean water from home; it’ll help beat the heat."

Mu Shuangshuang accepted the mung bean water and handed the remaining two buns, a meat bun and a vegetable bun, to Yu Si Niang.

"Mom, eat quickly!"

"Shuangshuang, you’re growing, you should eat. Mom just wants the vegetable one."

The big one was vegetable-filled, the small one was meat-filled, Yu Si Niang knew.

"Mom, just eat it; you’ll have to work later. Besides, if I eat so much, what if I get stuffed?"

"No way, if you don’t eat, mom won’t eat." Yu Si Niang shook her head, her attitude firm.

Seeing this, Mu Shuangshuang could only pick up the meat bun, break it in half, giving half to Yu Si Niang and keeping the other half for herself.

The meat bun split open with meat filling in the middle. Before it was even in her mouth, the meat aroma was already wafting through. Yu Si Niang looked at the bun, feeling somewhat lost, not remembering when she last ate such fragrant meat, making her mouth water.

Wealth Master Zhang’s family treated the temporary workers not as well as the regular ones. Even if they kept them for lunch, they often ate extremely plain food, and the leftover meat dishes from the masters were never within their reach.

Yu Si Niang gently bit into a meat bun, and immediately the meat fragrance filled her mouth. She chewed for a long time, unwilling to swallow it, simply because the taste was so great, the best bun she had ever eaten in life.

"Mom, drink a sip of mung bean water to cool off."

Yu Si Niang took a small sip and passed the bowl back to her daughter.

The two of them shared that bowl of mung bean water, enjoying the most delicious buns they’ve ever eaten.

————

As the sun was about to set, Mu Shuangshuang and Yu Si Niang returned home. Before they could drink a sip of water, Old Mrs. Mu rushed out.

"Money?" Old Mrs. Mu extended her hand, and Yu Si Niang handed over the silver from selling the eggs and today’s work money to her without a miss.

Old Mrs. Mu stared at Yu Si Niang for a long time with such piercing eyes and suddenly said, "You didn’t hide money today, right? Let me tell you, in our Old Mu Family, the silver is only for our own people; nobody’s dirty hands should touch it, or else I won’t be polite."

"And you, stinky girl, all filthy. Don’t wreak havoc in this house, or I’ll deal with you."

Old Mrs. Mu scolded Mu Shuangshuang and Yu Si Niang thoroughly, and finally checked their pockets, confirming no money was found before she stopped.

"Hmph, what a piece of junk."

Mu Shuangshuang ignored the bizarre nature of Old Mrs. Mu, leading Yu Si Niang towards their room. Before they even opened the door, Little Zhi rushed out.

"Mom, sister, you’re back?"

Little Zhi’s little eyes looked around but only saw Mu Shuangshuang’s empty basket, and her little mouth pouted, looking like she was about to burst into tears.

"You little stingy, your things, sister remembered. Later, sister will take you to eat!"