Chapter 17: Daily Life Continues (Part 2)

As they walked, Mu Mian shared fun stories about the twin babies with her cousin. She told her that the elder sister, Xiao Mai, had started smiling, but the younger sister, Xiao Miao, hadn’t yet.

Maybe because she already had a younger brother or maybe because she was still a true ten-year-old girl, Mu Wan wasn’t too interested in babies.

She responded casually a couple of times before swinging her mug and grumbling, “I knew my mug was at Little Uncle’s place. Mom scolded me for losing it.”

Mu Mian’s eyes twinkled. “Fourth Aunt probably thought that if you really lost it, you’d have to buy a new one, and that would be a waste of money.”

Mu Wan pouted. “My mom is just stingy. This mug is practically falling apart, and when I drink from it, it tastes like rust.”

Mu Mian couldn’t argue with that. Her fourth aunt was indeed that kind of person—stingy to the core. She wouldn’t replace anything unless it was completely unusable.

Perhaps in her fourth aunt’s opinion, as long as something could be repaired and still be used, it was no different from new.

Mu Wan didn’t need her cousin to say anything. She mumbled to herself for a long time, and by the end, she suddenly had an expression as if she had uncovered the truth. She exclaimed excitedly, “Xiao Mian! Do you think… I might not be my parents’ biological child, just like Shi Dabao?”

Mu Mian’s brain momentarily shut down. She couldn’t keep up with the conversation and could only open and close her mouth, barely managing to utter a single word, “Huh??”

Mu Wan felt she had figured it out. “Look! My mom wouldn’t even let me go to school before, saying it would save one yuan and that my sister could teach me instead. I bet it’s because I’m not her biological child. That’s why she wouldn’t let me go!”

Mu Mian: “………………”

She didn’t think that was the case. Her fourth aunt probably just genuinely believed this was a feasible way to save a yuan.

“Sister Xiao Wan, you—” Mu Mian had just started speaking when suddenly, a loud voice rang out, almost in a shout.

“Mu Wan!!!”

Mu Mian was so startled that she jolted. It was only then she realized they had unknowingly reached the entrance of her house, and her fourth aunt happened to be standing at the gate, having overheard everything Mu Wan had said.

Tang Cuixiang’s chest rose and fell with anger. Clearly furious, she picked up a stick from the ground and charged forward. “You ungrateful little brat! I was in labor for a whole day and night when I gave birth to you. I nearly didn’t make it off the bed, and now you’re saying this to me!”

As soon as Mu Wan saw the stick, she took off running, shouting as she ran, “Grandma, grandma! Save me! My mom is going to beat me to death! She’s going to kill a child!!”

Mu Mian hesitated, stretching her arms as if wanting to intervene, but she had no idea how to do so. In the end, she just stood still and watched the mother and daughter chase each other.

Liu Shuangcui, however, looked completely unfazed. “Don’t worry about them. Your grandma is there. The chickens have been making a lot of noise just now. Go check the backyard and see if they’ve laid any eggs.”

Mu Mian responded, “Oh.”

She went to the backyard and found that there was indeed a fresh egg in the nest, still warm.

The old hen was still clucking. Mu Mian stroked its back and praised it generously, “Good job! You’re the elite of all hens! Try to lay another one tomorrow!”

The hen didn’t seem to appreciate the compliment and struggled free, running away.

Mu Mian clicked her tongue but ultimately decided not to bother the family’s “hero” any further.

When she returned, she saw that her fourth aunt and cousin had stopped running.

Tang Cuixiang sat next to the old lady, wiping away tears, clearly upset. “How have I ever mistreated her? I treat her the same as I treat Daqing and Xiao Qiu, yet she says things like this to stab me in the heart.”

“I can’t believe she still remembers what happened three years ago! Back then, Mu Xingwang scolded me, and Mom, you also scolded me!”

“Didn’t she still end up going to school? I even stayed up all night sewing her a brand-new school bag by the light of an oil lamp. Xiao Qiu is still using Daqing’s old bag even now!”

Mu Wan probably hadn’t expected her mother to be so upset that she would cry. She stood to the side, feeling a little at a loss.

Zhao Meihua rubbed her temples and sighed. “Stop wailing. You’re giving me a headache.”

She then beckoned her second granddaughter over.

Mu Wan hesitated for a moment before shuffling forward. “Grandma~”

Zhao Meihua said, “Your mother may have her flaws, but—”

Before she could finish, Tang Cuixiang protested, “What flaws do I have?”

Zhao Meihua glared at her. “Shut up!”

Tang Cuixiang shrank back and continued wiping her eyes.

Zhao Meihua continued, “Your mother wasn’t lying. She nearly lost her life giving birth to you. You must never say such things again.”

Mu Wan had actually heard this many times before. She nodded seriously, showing that she truly remembered it.

Then, Zhao Meihua turned to her second daughter-in-law and reprimanded her, “You need to use your brain more. If you do something unreliable, don’t blame the child for feeling resentful and remembering it for years. They’re grown-up girls now, not toddlers who forget things in an instant.”

She didn’t lecture for long. After a while, Tang Cuixiang and her daughter left. Just as they stepped out the door, they ran into Mu Fugui, who had just returned from the commune.

Mu Fugui glanced at Tang Cuixiang, who had been crying, and asked Liu Shuangcui, “What was Fourth Sister-in-law doing here? She looked like she’d been crying. Did Mom scold her?”

Liu Shuangcui handed her husband a basin for washing. It was hot, so there was no need to heat water separately.

“No, it was just something Xiao Wan said that was a bit out of line. Cuixiang originally came over to talk about Mom’s birthday celebration, but she overheard everything at the door and got upset.”

Mu Fugui chuckled. “That’s rare. What could have made her so angry?”

Liu Shuangcui also chuckled. “What else? The same thing that happened a few days ago with Dazhuang. Chunfeng scolded him, and he immediately claimed he must not be their biological child. His father gave him a few smacks before he finally quieted down.”

Mu Mian, who had just come out carrying a plate of food, perked up at the conversation. “Dazhuang said that too? I didn’t know!”

Now she understood. It must have been inspired by Shi Dabao’s situation.

Mu Fugui looked at his daughter and warned, “You better not start saying things like that.”

Mu Mian grinned. “Of course not! I know I’m your biological child. We all look equally good!”

Liu Shuangcui laughed at her daughter’s playful antics. “Alright, stop joking around. Help your grandma set the table. I’m starving.”

—

At the dinner table, the family of four ate while discussing the old lady’s upcoming birthday next Sunday—her sixtieth birthday.

According to local customs, a sixtieth birthday should be celebrated in some way.

Zhao Meihua, however, wasn’t too keen on the idea. “What’s the point? You all just love making a fuss.”

Mu Fugui spoke in a carefree tone, “How could we not celebrate your sixtieth birthday? We might not do anything for the smaller ones, but we can’t just skip sixty. Otherwise, why did you even have us? Might as well have set off a firecracker and called it a day.”

Mu Mian: “Pfft~”

She was amused by her father’s humor.

Liu Shuangcui continued from where her husband left off, “Mom, don’t worry about it. Given our situation, we can’t do much even if we want to. It will just be our family, along with second and third sisters’ families. From the brigade, I plan to invite Guizhi, Chunfeng, and Aunt Li. Altogether, it will probably be just two tables.”

As she spoke, Liu Shuangcui went ahead and started making arrangements. “I’ll go talk to Guizhi tomorrow and ask her to save her big table for me that day.”

Then she turned to Mu Fugui and said, “You should also ask around and see if any of your coworkers still have unused meat quotas for this month. Try to get some fresh meat.”

In those days, meat purchases in the city were limited per household. Even if someone had money and ration tickets, they couldn’t buy more than their allocated amount.

Mu Fugui slurped his soup and said, “Got it, got it. I’ll make sure to get some.”

Mu Mian looked at her mother, then at her father, her little face filled with enthusiasm. “What about me? What do I do?”

Liu Shuangcui chuckled and glanced at her daughter. “I’ve never seen someone eager to take on chores. Do whatever you want. There’s really nothing for me to assign to you.”

Mu Mian pouted.

Alright then, she would find something for herself to do.