From Folly to Fortune：I Rewrite My Life After Rebirth!-Chapter 829 - 825: Shifting Responsibility

Mu Dazhong listened to Mrs. Lin’s words and retreated continually.

He looked absolutely terrified.

Mr. Mu felt a surge of old blood stuck in his throat, almost choking himself.

"Second son..." Mr. Mu called out.

"Dad, no matter what you say today, I won’t go in. Find someone else!" Mu Dazhong trembled all over, already half scared to death before even going in.

In the kitchen, the fire crackled and roared, seemingly ready to reach the roof beams, leaving Mr. Mu to call on Mu Dajiang and Mu Danian.

"Fourth, Fifth, go inside and use the water from the cistern to douse the flames!"

"Dad, don’t fool around with me and Fourth Bro, if Second Bro doesn’t want to do it, you expect us to go?"

In the face of disaster, the Old Mu Family truly demonstrated what selfishness meant.

Old Mrs. Mu jumped up and cursed at her sons, but not one was willing to step forward.

The crowd thought to themselves: What a joke, we’re not going in to put out the fire, at worst we’ll lose a kitchen, but if we go in, we’ll lose half our lives.

Even a fool knows what’s more important.

Mu Dajiang clenched his fists, wanting to go in and put out the fire, but seeing his brothers watching as if it were a show, with no one daring to step in.

All his enthusiasm was instantly extinguished, and his clenched fist was swiftly released.

Looking at everything before him, he felt somewhat numb.

The flames grew larger, the fire at the stove mouth gradually climbed to the roof beams, igniting the wood there.

At this moment, someone with a bucket of water dashed in from outside the kitchen.

Looking closer, it was Mu Dalang.

The first thing Mu Dalang did upon returning from the town wasn’t to go to the Old Mu Family, but to the third branch, because he had bought a lot of food and gifts for Huang Bita, which would be confiscated if he took them directly to the Old Mu Family.

But before he could set his things, smoke started billowing from the Old Mu Family.

Mu Dalang took a bucket of water from the third branch and rushed into the Old Mu Family.

Mu Dashan and Zhang Yutou also came along, and everyone started trying to put out the fire.

But the fire inside was already beyond control.

After Mu Dalang went in once, burning wood began falling from the roof beams.

Mu Dashan, who came along and wanted to go inside to fight the fire, was pulled back by Mu Shuangshuang.

"Dad, don’t go in, this fire can’t be saved!"

"But..." Mu Dashan hesitated a bit.

"No buts, the beams are falling inside, what if you get buried?" Mu Shuangshuang said.

"Oh... what a sin has been committed!" Mr. Mu sighed.

The fire was completely out of control.

...

The Old Mu Family lost a kitchen; everything inside was unusable, except for the big iron pot.

The cupboards, washbasins and everything else were all scrapped.

In the yard, everyone stood scattered, afraid to approach the still flickering kitchen.

Old Mrs. Mu put her hands on her hips, relentlessly spewing venomous curses.

But what good is cursing, what’s gone is gone.

"Mom, stop cursing, just find some craftsmen to fix the kitchen." Mu Dade said.

The crowd agreed along.

Mu Dazhong said, "Yeah, Mom, it’s burned, so be it. As they say, the old goes, the new comes! Big Brother is a scholar now, he has money!"

Mu Danian said, "Mom, let’s listen to Big Bro, tomorrow morning we’ll find someone to fix it. As for the pots, bowls, and basins, we’ll just buy them again."

Old Mrs. Mu widened her eyes and furiously said to Mu Dazhong and Mu Danian, "You two speak so lightly, the old goes, the new comes, who pays for this? You two?"

Mu Dazhong reddened, waved his hand awkwardly and smiled, "Didn’t Big Bro say it? Naturally, he will pay."

"Bah!" Old Mrs. Mu spat a thick phlegm directly onto Mu Dazhong’s face. "You’re talking nonsense! Your big brother’s money is his own, why should he build a kitchen for you? Whoever is responsible for this mess will pay up!"

Old Mrs. Mu’s shout made Mrs. Lin suddenly realize.

She quickly clamored, "Oh, Mom, this was all that little wretch Huang Bita’s doing, she made dinner.

Just earlier, when I asked her to bring tea to Big Aunt, I reminded her to turn off the fire, she agreed but she fooled me. I’m telling you, such a daughter-in-law can’t stay!"

"Wow, on her first day in here, she burns down my kitchen! Huang Bita, get out here!" Old Mrs. Mu was fuming, roaring toward the house where Huang Bita hadn’t come out.

Having been scalded by Mrs. Lin earlier, Huang Bita was in pain and in cold sweat, staying in the house and not daring to come out.

Hearing Old Mrs. Mu’s voice, she trembled even more.

"Grandma, why do you and mom blame this on Bita?" Mu Dalang heard Mrs. Lin and Old Mrs. Mu each wanting to reprimand Huang Bita so he stood up.

"Dalang, this matter is none of your business, go aside, this is between me and your grandma." Mrs. Lin boldly said to Mu Dalang.

"How is it not my business? Bita is my wife. I promised her three brothers in the Huang Family to take good care of Bita when I sought to marry her!"

Mrs. Lin was very displeased upon hearing this.

"Why would a woman need your care? It’s not like she’s a delicate little goldfinch from a golden nest. I’ll tell you, a mother-in-law disciplining her daughter-in-law, you stay out of it!"

After Mrs. Lin finished speaking, Huang Bita staggered out of the house.

Seeing Huang Bita, Mrs. Lin excitedly wanted to rush up and hit her and make her stay silent.

Mrs. Lin knew in her heart that she was mostly responsible for this, and if Old Mrs. Mu found out, she would surely be beaten.

She was blocked by Mu Shuangshuang.

"Second Aunt, if there’s something to discuss, let’s talk it over, laying hands isn’t a good habit!"

Mu Shuangshuang had been watching from the sidelines all along, observing everyone’s expressions in the Old Mu Family.

In her mind, only one word came to describe the Old Mu Family.

Utterly heartless!

A perfectly good kitchen was burned down because they were all afraid of dying.

Such people, no matter how well they live in the future, will never hold onto their wealth.

They were utterly absurd!

"You brat, get out of the way, this is our branch’s family matter, who I discipline is none of your business!" Mrs. Lin said stubbornly.

"Second Aunt, what’s the excitement about? Whether the fire was caused by Big Sister-in-law is still a question!"

Mrs. Lin always shirked responsibility; her claim of reminding Huang Bita was certainly false.

Huang Bita, being meticulous, would not ignore something Mrs. Lin reminded her about, especially as a new daughter-in-law who wanted to please her mother-in-law.

"What are you implying? Are you saying the fire was caused by me, Lin Xiaozao? Is there no justice or law?" Mrs. Lin said.

Mu Shuangshuang said, "Whether there’s justice and law, Second Aunt isn’t the judge! Let’s first ask Big Sister-in-law about the details of the incident!"