Mu Shuangshuang estimated in her heart that although Mr. Mu agreed to give cotton, he likely wouldn’t part with the good quality stuff.

So he brought over this lower quality cotton to make up the numbers.

This old geezer, so stingy!

However, Mu Shuangshuang wasn’t hoping for much, getting anything from Mr. Mu is not easy.

Besides, this time, twenty pounds of cotton is worth quite a bit!

In the Da Ning Dynasty, the most expensive things were food and cotton—one for eating, the other for clothing.

The cotton obtained from the Old Mu Family is not just simple cotton. The cotton-made clothes could save a lot of money for the third branch and Fengzi.

Mu Shuangshuang had it weighed; it was twenty pounds.

She emptied the sack and gave it to Mu Xiaxia.

As Mu Xiaxia was about to leave, she suddenly stopped and, in a very small voice, said to Mu Shuangshuang, "Sister Shuangshuang, I’m sorry, I was immature in the past."

Mu Shuangshuang was slightly surprised, upon looking, Mu Xiaxia indeed seemed to have matured quite a bit.

After all, she was just jealous that the third branch suddenly became better off when they originally struggled together with the fourth branch.

It’s understandable.

Everyone can share in hardship, but definitely not in happiness.

...

...

In the kitchen, Yu Si Niang was cooking while Lu Yuanfeng helped with the fire.

The tall young man was busy moving in and out of the small kitchen, somewhat awkwardly.

Yet a smile always hung on Lu Yuanfeng’s face.

In between stir-frying, Yu Si Niang suddenly said to Lu Yuanfeng, "Fengzi, spend this New Year at our place, let’s have fun together."

Yu Si Niang had been looking forward to New Year for a long time.

Because on New Year’s Day, Old Mrs. Mu wouldn’t scold the daughters-in-law, and any work could be postponed to the next day without anyone complaining.

Even though you’d be busy all day in the kitchen without a breather.

But now Yu Si Niang was even more looking forward to New Year.

Because this is the first year after the third branch split off, everything at home can be decided by themselves, including fireworks that they rarely saw before—they could indulge in them this time.

Just thinking about it made Yu Si Niang feel delighted.

Lu Yuanfeng added a handful of firewood and after controlling the heat well, he nodded.

"Thank you, Third Aunt!"

Getting a positive answer, Yu Si Niang was even more pleased.

Mu Shuangshuang packed the cotton in her family’s sack and hid it in her own room.

When she went back to the kitchen to help, she happened to hear this topic.

She leaned over curiously and asked, "Mom, what do we need to prepare for New Year? Is there anything we need to pay attention to?"

Regarding the New Year, Mu Shuangshuang was probably the most excited.

She hadn’t been in this era for a year yet and hadn’t experienced a traditional New Year.

But she always knew that the ancient New Year had much more flavor than the modern one’s.

A lot of customs to follow.

"You’re not young anymore, how are you still like a child.

It’s still early, it’s only October now, there’s two months left till New Year, when the time comes, I’ll explain it all to you!"

Yu Si Niang looked at her daughter with a face full of love.

"Mom, I’m not young anymore, Fengzi and I are planning to pick a time in the twelfth lunar month to settle the marriage, what do you think?" Mu Shuangshuang asked.

Yu Si Niang’s face broke into a grin that couldn’t close.

"Silly child, this is a good thing, you don’t need to ask dad and mom’s permission, dad and mom have long said, as long as it’s Fengzi, you can decide to get engaged anytime!"

Yu Si Niang’s words not only warmed Mu Shuangshuang’s heart but also touched Lu Yuanfeng’s heart.

In Lu Yuanfeng’s heart, he had nothing, just a few shabby huts.

His mother was missing, his father couldn’t be called a father.

And he had a younger brother Yuanbao, for whom he would definitely organize the marriage in the future.

"Thank you, Third Aunt..." Lu Yuanfeng’s voice was a bit choked up.

Mu Shuangshuang knew that he was moved by her mother’s words.

Yu Si Niang smiled and jokingly said, "Don’t just be grateful, when my daughter enters your family, you have to take care of her."

"I won’t lose out, do I eat that little?" Mu Shuangshuang yelled from the side.

Lu Yuanfeng laughed too, in his heart, he had long considered Yu Si Niang and Mu Dashan his own parents.

At the Third Branch of the Mu Family, there was harmony, filled with laughter.

But over at the Old Mu Family, it was like an explosion, noisy and tumultuous.

The reason was none other than Mr. Mu not allowing Mu Xiangxiang and the two daughters of the Mu Family’s eldest to eat.

Mu Xiangxiang was the type who would throw a tantrum if she didn’t eat four or five bowls at a meal.

At this moment, Mu Xiangxiang sat in the yard, her newly changed clothes were smudged with dirt.

The entire yard was a scene of chaos.

"Father Xiangxiang, you know our daughter hasn’t done any work since childhood, just let it pass this time, let her do it next time!" Old Mrs. Mu said, watching her daughter roll on the ground, her heart aching.

She took the initiative to plead with Mr. Mu.

"Dad, Dan Dan and Yingying as well, Da De raises these two daughters like treasures, treated like rich ladies, never touching a drop of water from spring, now asking them to harvest grain is indeed forcing them." Mrs. Jin also pleaded for her two daughters.

"A lenient mother raises lazy children, it’s because of you, these kids are so lazy, everyone else works, why can they rest?" Mr. Mu’s hand tapped heavily against a wooden pillar beside him.

"Old man, our Xiangxiang is their sister, brothers raising sisters is only natural, whoever disagrees, I’ll skin them!" Old Mrs. Mu yelled with her hands on her hips.

The crowd watching instantly quieted down.

Old Mrs. Mu protecting Mu Xiangxiang, what could be done.

"So by your logic, parents raising children is also natural, are you going to work in the fields too?" Mr. Mu said in an irritated tone.

Then he spoke again.

"The one in charge of the Old Mu Family is me, whoever thinks they can defy me should roll out of the Old Mu Family, including you and your treasured daughter!

Also, you, eldest daughter-in-law, Dan Dan and Yingying have always done less work compared to other branches, if now they still don’t work, what will the other branches think? Our Old Mu Family doesn’t support idlers!"

Leaving these harsh words, Mr. Mu went to call Mu Dajiang for a meal.

It was agreed that whoever finishes the work first eats first.

Once the rules are set, they must be followed.

"Old Fourth, eat a bit less later, leave some for our second branch." Mu Dazhong called out anxiously from the side.

Mu Danian watched eagerly but didn’t dare step forward.

He wished he knew his dad truly meant it, he wouldn’t have slacked off then, anyway the work had to be done.

This was the first time the Old Mu Family ate according to the order of finishing work.

But it also strengthened the determination of others to be the first to finish work in the afternoon.

If anyone had any sense, they wouldn’t go against their own stomach!