Chapter 496 - 493: Chilling to the Core (Sixth Update)
Chapter 496 - 493: Chilling to the Core (Sixth Update)
Mr. Mu watched his son and daughter-in-law’s actions with a heart full of despair.He felt that the dignity he’d maintained throughout his life had been completely thrown away.
How did he end up raising such a bunch of gluttonous creatures?
Though he had explicitly told them not to come yesterday, yet today, not only did they come, they also brought along so many debtors. How should the Yu Family see our Old Mu Family now?
Old Mrs. Mu was also worried, not about losing face, but whether they’d have to shell out more for the betrothal gifts for so many people.
Just then, someone approached, pointing at Mr. Mu and said, "Old brother, so it was you!"
This "so it was you" felt like a slap in the face for Mr. Mu, worsening his mood.
He awkwardly smiled at the person, who cheerfully said, "Old brother, it’s me, I’m the father of the second Yu daughter-in-law; we met at the Old Yu Family years ago."
Mr. Mu suddenly recalled that the man standing before him was indeed Mr. Li.
When the matchmaker had brought him over to see the potential bride, he had met Mr. Li.
So many years had passed, and he couldn’t even recognize the person standing before him.
"So it was you, it’s been so long, more than ten years have passed just like that." Mr. Mu sighed with emotion.
"This must be your wife, your son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren? You’re so fortunate, surrounded by children and grandchildren. My grandson felt there were too many people today and didn’t want to come."
Those words were said without malice, but they hit their target.
Mr. Mu felt that Old Li was subtly mocking him for bringing his entire family over. Mr. Mu’s previously warm demeanor instantly cooled.
No matter what Mr. Li said, Mr. Mu only responded with reluctant monosyllables like "hmm" and "oh."
Feeling uninteresting, Mr. Li left.
"Mom, I’m hungry, when can we eat meat?" Gou Dan eyed the still empty table, almost drooling onto it.
"Soon, soon, be good, Gou Dan. Today, Mommy will get you some delicious meat." Mrs. Lin comforted Gou Dan, then glanced around.
According to schedule, the feast should start about now, so why hasn’t it?
"Oh, isn’t that the third branch’s smelly girl? What’s she doing there cooking? Is that a shovel?"
Mrs. Lin caught sight of someone standing at the farthest west part of the yard, a large pot set up before her.
She wielded a big iron shovel, and in a moment, a dish was ready.
Once she finished cooking, a woman she didn’t recognize stepped forward to plate the food and distribute it into bowls.
"It’s that smelly girl. I heard yesterday from Old Three said she was coming to help, turns out she came to cook.
I heard hiring someone to cook costs at least two to three hundred copper coins for a meal." Mu Dazhong chimed in, eyes filled with envy and jealousy.
Hearing two to three hundred coins, Old Mrs. Mu’s eyes widened, staring at Mu Shuangshuang as if she wanted to devour her.
That smelly girl has become a money-making tool, showing up everywhere.
Now, Old Mrs. Mu was increasingly convinced that the third branch had stashed away a significant amount of private money and was unwilling to share it with her.
But she had no recourse, that smelly girl wouldn’t give in to pressure, and her own son was a coward who listened to his wife.
Old Mrs. Mu, filled with pent-up anger without a target, directed her frustration at Mu Dazhong, sarcastically.
"You just keep staring at them for nothing. No matter how much they earn, it belongs to them. Stop thinking about someone else’s things all day and take care of your own."
Mu Dazhong’s face turned crimson as a pig’s liver.
"Mom, Daddy Gou Dan was just making a remark, what would we want from the third branch? They’re like stingy cats, not even filial to you and Dad, how would they have anything for us!" Mrs. Lin wasn’t one to take an insult without a defense, dragging the third branch through the mud in retaliation.
Mr. Mu paused slightly, not because the third branch wasn’t sharing their earnings with him, but because he remembered a few days ago when he’d asked Old Three’s wife to help with the cooking, only to be flatly refused.
Yet now, Shuang, the girl, was cooking for the Old Yu Family. The comparison was stark.
Mr. Mu felt that as Mu Dashan’s biological father, his relationship must be stronger than with Yu Liulang, just a brother-in-law. How could they refuse him and yet help the Yu Family?
The more he thought about it, the more upset he became, losing even the will to admonish the children.
The others, seeing Mr. Mu silent and Old Mrs. Mu merely mocking Mu Dazhong, assumed their unauthorized arrival had gone unnoticed and so grew more outrageous.
In the Yu Family’s hall, Mr. Yu and Old Mrs. Yu were having a quiet conversation.
The weather today was unusually pleasant, with no sun. A few days ago, to hold the banquet in the yard, Yu Liulang had asked villagers to help set up a large shade tent.
The tables were all arranged under the tent, the cooking nearby, saving time and effort.
Mr. Yu and Old Mrs. Yu were overjoyed, but the arrival of Old Mu’s family had dampened their spirits.
"Ah, old woman, what do you think of our in-laws being like this?
Today is a joyous occasion for our son. It would be fine for them to bring the whole family, we’re all relatives, but they can’t just push our family aside!"
Mr. Yu looked outside, feeling chilled to the bone.
At the table belonging to Old Mu’s family sat Mr. Mu, Old Mrs. Mu, Mu Xiangxiang, and Mu Dazhong’s couple, along with Mu Danian—altogether six adults.
Originally, a table seated ten adults, with children sitting with their parents not counted, but Old Mu’s family let the children take up several seats.
Just now, he’d watched helplessly as Old Mu’s family pushed their own relatives aside with despicable tactics, yet he couldn’t openly clash with Old Mu’s family—after all, they were his daughter’s in-laws.
"Enough, you old fool, you put up with so many things normally, why can’t you endure this too?"
"Go out quickly and greet them. Our in-laws are here, you as the steward have to go out and host."
Saying this, Old Mrs. Yu pushed Mr. Yu out.
Mr. Yu reluctantly stepped forward to greet them warmly.
"Oh, old bro, you’re here. I was just inside attending to guests when I heard you arrived and came rushing over. Please, don’t take it to heart, old bro."
Seeing Mr. Yu approaching, Mr. Mu’s strange expression quickly melted into a friendly smile.
"Not at all, we’re the ones imposing on your Old Yu Family. Today is Sixth Son’s wedding day, and our Old Mu Family wishes him and his bride a lifetime of happiness and unity."
Upon hearing Mr. Mu’s blessing, Mr. Yu felt a wave of gratitude.
"Thank you, old brother. There’s so much happening today, it’s possible I overlooked something, please forgive me, old brother."
The two exchanged pleasantries for a while. Suddenly, the sound of firecrackers crackled outside the courtyard, signaling the start of the feast.
Members of the Old Mu Family brightened, eyes fixated intently on the area where Mu Shuangshuang was busy serving dishes...
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