Chapter 25
Thinking It Through
Mu Yangling stretched and got up from the bed. While picking up the spoiled beans outside, Shu Wanniang heard the commotion, so she came in to take a look. Seeing that her daughter was about to lie down again, she hurriedly said, “Hurry up and get up, the sun is already up to your butt. Your brother has already memorized the books.”
Mu Yangling could only get out of bed. “Where’s Father?”
“Your father has gone to town. He should be back soon.”
“So fast?” Mu Yangling was surprised. “Wasn’t he going into the mountains to hunt, too?”
“There was prey in the trap you set some time ago, so your father came out very quickly. He even left a few wild chickens and rabbits for the family. In my opinion, since the two of you can’t eat so much, you might as well sell them at the market.”
However, recalling the last time she saw her great-aunt, Mu Yangling said absent-mindedly, “It might not be for our family. Maybe it’s for someone else?”
“For who?” Although most of the villagers were relatives of the Mu Family and they usually got along well, Shu Wanniang knew that her husband rarely interacted with them. Only after she married over and had children, did they interact more with Mu Shi’s uncle’s family.
However, the Liu family rarely came here, while she and her husband also rarely went to the Liu family. Only the two children often went to play with the Liu family’s children. During the new year, her husband only asked his daughter and son to bring some things over to his two uncles’ house.
Usually, when the father and daughter had a lot of hunting gains and couldn’t sell them, they would rather marinate the meat or dry it in the sun than give it to the poor Liu family.
Her husband didn’t usually contact the Liu family, but the Liu family considered the Mu family under their wing. Whatever policies the higher-ups had, and whenever they heard any news, they would remind the Mu family. They would also help them fight for more benefits in the village. Likewise, if anything happened to the Liu family, her husband would also help.
It wasn’t that Shu Wanniang didn’t know that something had happened between her husband and the Liu family, but that was all in the past. If her husband wasn’t willing to mention it, she naturally wouldn’t ask. It was just like how her husband wouldn’t ask about her background either, when she didn’t bring up the topic herself.
To them, that was all in the past. Now, they had to look to the future, and the most important thing was to live well in the present and the future.
Mu Yangling, who didn’t know what her mother was thinking, quickly put on her clothes and said, “It might be for Great-aunt. The last time we went to town, we met Aunt and saw that her family is having a really hard time.”
Shu Wanniang frowned. “Great-aunt? Hasn’t your father always disliked her?” Even though they were in the same village, they would only nod at and greet each other when they bumped into each other.
“It’s not Second Great-aunt, it’s Eldest Great-aunt.”
Shu Wanniang suddenly recalled that her husband’s eldest aunt treated her husband quite well. When she gave birth to her daughter back then, she even came over to take care of her for three days. It was just that they had not contacted each other for the past few years.
Unable to sit still anymore, Shu Wanniang asked, “Is your Great-aunt leading a very hard life? Should we send some rice and noodles over? It’s my fault. I haven’t been keeping in contact with her for the past few years.”
Mu Yangling knew that her father didn’t interact much with his relatives. Even though they were in the same village, he only really bothered with her two great-uncles, and didn’t even care about the patriarch of the Liu family. Hence, she said, “It’s fine. I’ll go visit them later.”
“West Mountain Village is far away and you don’t know the way. It’s better to ask your father to go.”
Mu Yangling chuckled and didn’t say anything.
If her father carried the things over, her great-aunt would definitely not accept them. Therefore, she had to be the one to do it. Moreover, her father had also told her to directly go over West Mountain, which would be faster than walking on the main road, since the West Mountain Village was just at the foot of the mountain opposite.
When Little Bowen saw that his sister had woken up, he put the book away and followed behind her.
Mu Yangling almost tripped over him as she walked. She said, “Go play by yourself now. I’ll accompany you later.”
Pursing his lips, Little Bowen looked at his sister eagerly.
Mu Yangling immediately understood and said, “You want to eat candy? I’ll get it for you after I wash up. You can play by yourself for a while.”
Little Bowen sat at the side and supported his chin with his hand, while his gaze followed his sister’s movements.
The corners of Mu Yangling’s mouth twitched as she sped up her actions. Then, she returned to her room and took out a paper bag. She stuffed a candy into his mouth and Little Bowen sat at the side with the book in his hands, satisfied.
After Mu Yangling finished her breakfast, Mu Shi returned. He placed the two pheasants and two hares in the basket on his back. After thinking for a while, he returned to his room and took out 50 copper coins for his daughter. He instructed in a low voice, “Think of a way to stuff them into your great-aunt’s hands. Only bring it back if she refuses to accept it. Didn’t you buy three packets of candy yesterday? Take one out and bring it to your cousins.”
But that was for her younger brother.
At the thought of her brother looking at her with bright eyes, Mu Yangling felt a little reluctant. However, on second thought, she decided that she could just go into the mountains tomorrow to hunt more prey before buying more for her brother.
Mu Yangling entered the house and took out a bag of candy to place it in the basket on her back. As she was doing so, she caught her brother stealing glances over, and couldn’t help but rejoice. Fortunately, she had said yesterday that there was only one bag of candy. Otherwise, if he knew that there was another bag that belonged to him but was now being given away, he would definitely burst into tears.
“Alright, go quickly. Check if the villagers in the West Mountain Village are bullying your great-aunt. If so, don’t get into a conflict with them. Come back and tell Father instead. I’ll ask your great-uncle and the others to stand up for her.”
Seeing this, Shu Wanniang couldn’t help but ask, “Our daughter doesn’t know the way. How can you let her go alone?”
The father and daughter didn’t dare to tell Shu Wanniang and Mu Yangling that she was planning to cross the mountain. So he replied vaguely, “Our daughter knows the way…”
Not one to lend herself to worry and anxiety, Shu Wanniang simply assumed that Mu Shi had brought her daughter to West Mountain Village when he brought her to town, so she didn’t ask further. She went into the kitchen and baked pancakes for her daughter to eat on the way. “This trip will take more than four hours. Take these to fill your stomach on the way and come back early.”
Mu Yangling carried her basket and agreed. After taking the pancakes, she left.
As she watched her daughter’s figure disappear, Shu Wanniang couldn’t help but blame her husband. “Ah Ling is only nine years old. Don’t always order her around like an adult. She’s a little stronger, but she’s still young. Aren’t you worried about making her travel so far?”
Mu Shi said, “A nine-year-old child in the village can be considered half an adult. Besides, our daughter is smart, and she’s just going to her great-aunt’s house. It’s fine.”
Shu Wanniang couldn’t help but feel sad. At nine years old, she had felt sad over trivial matters such as her elder sister receiving a beautiful dress but not her. Meanwhile, at this age her daughter had already taken on the responsibility of supporting the family.
At the thought of being only capable of doing some housework, Shu Wanniang couldn’t help but blame herself even more. Tears fell from her eyes.
Seeing his wife cry, Mu Shi was at a loss. He hurriedly wiped her tears and reflected, “It’s my fault. Don’t cry. I spoke too loudly just now. When our daughter comes back, I won’t make her go out again. If you’re worried, I’ll go out and chase after her now.”
Her daughter would be married in the countryside in the future. Surely she couldn’t be as useless as her? Her husband even had to worry about her when she went out.
Shu Wanniang shook her head. “You’re right. I was too careful.”
Mu Shi heaved a sigh of relief. He was really worried that his wife would raise their daughter like a noble lady.