Chapter 1551 - 1546: Old Mu Family’s Reunion Dinner (Seventeenth - )

Suddenly, a woman wearing a shabby dark gray cotton jacket came into Mrs. Jin’s sight.

The woman was washing clothes, and in the cold winter, her hands were red from the freezing.

Even though she kept her head down, Mrs. Jin immediately recognized it from her figure; it was Mrs. Liu, the wife of the fourth son.

Hadn’t heard the fourth son’s wife had come to the county too?

Mrs. Jin was puzzled.

But she still called out, "Xiaxia’s mother~"

Mrs. Liu heard someone calling her name, so she slowly lifted her head. She saw a woman with a scarf covering her face, hesitated a bit, then spoke, "You are..."

"It’s me, I am..." Mrs. Jin was about to say she was Jinyin’er when Mu Xiaxia came out of the house.

She was carrying a brand new fur garment, looking at the quality, it shouldn’t be an ordinary item, at least two or three taels of silver. She went straight to Mrs. Liu and said, "Mom, how did you forget to put on this fur garment? It’s really cold here. What if you freeze?"

Mu Xiaxia’s voice was soft, and her gaze towards Mrs. Liu was full of distress.

Mrs. Liu smiled and said to Mu Xiaxia, "You wear it yourself, Mom has thick skin, used to the cold in the countryside.

But you, you are growing, what if you catch a cold?"

"Mom, I’m fine..."

The mother and daughter, pushing back and forth, seemed exceptionally warm.

After they finished speaking, Mrs. Jin called out to Mu Xiaxia, "Xiaxia, it’s your aunt! Xiaxia’s mother, it’s me!"

Hearing the familiar voice, the mother and daughter turned around simultaneously.

"Second aunt, why are you here?" Mu Xiaxia looked surprised.

Mrs. Liu also stood up, wiped her hands that were just soaked in water on her pants, and then said, "Sister-in-law, come in and have a seat, I’ll make you tea!"

"Mom, take a rest, talk to my aunt for a while, I’ll make the tea for you!"

Mu Xiaxia quickly dashed into her house.

Mrs. Liu invited Mrs. Jin inside.

The fourth family’s rented house had just one room and a living room, the living room was not big, but the room was quite large.

Moreover, the living room was very spacious.

When Mrs. Jin entered, she expected to see old tables and broken chairs but unexpectedly, these things were brand new.

Sitting on them felt very stable.

This fourth family, have they made money??????

"Here’s the tea!" Mu Xiaxia poured a cup of tea for both Mrs. Jin and Mrs. Liu, with tea leaves floating in it.

Although it wasn’t fine tea, looking at the color, Mrs. Jin could tell it was this year’s tea.

Strangely, this fourth family was using new tables, new chairs, and even new tea.

And the teacups...

Mrs. Jin took a few more glances around the house; it was indeed much warmer than the last time she was here.

"Sister-in-law, why have you come?" Mrs. Liu’s demeanor was somewhat restrained, occasionally glancing at Mrs. Jin and then quickly looking away.

"With the new year approaching, I came by to check on Xiaxia and Xiao Chu, and to give them their new year money!"

With that, she turned to Mu Xiaxia and said, "Xiaxia, take it, this is your and Xiao Chu’s new year money!"

The red envelopes with the new year money seemed quite thick.

But Mu Xiaxia didn’t accept it.

"Aunt, it’s enough that you came, Xiao Chu and I can’t accept the red envelopes."

As Mu Xiaxia spoke, a little kid ran out of the room nearby, it was Xiao Chu.

Xiao Chu was wearing a big red jacket, smiling, looking very much like a New Year painting.

Being just over three years old, he waddled as he walked, looking especially endearing.

Mrs. Jin remembered the price the buyer offered—fifty taels, fifty taels for such a useless thing, she wondered what those people were thinking.

After all, rural women, after being abducted back, fetched only three or five taels of silver.

They had to work, wash clothes, cook meals, while this little useless thing only ate and did nothing else?

"Auntie..." Mu Xiaxia couldn’t help but call out when she saw Mrs. Jin lost in thought.

"What? What?" Mrs. Jin came back to her senses to find both Mrs. Liu and Mu Xiaxia looking at her.

"Nothing, Xiao Chu was calling you!" Mu Xiaxia pointed to Xiao Chu standing on the ground.

"Is that so!" Mrs. Jin looked at Xiao Chu.

The little child quickly called out sweetly again, "Auntie!"

"Good boy, this is for you and your sister!" Mrs. Jin said, handing the red envelope to Xiao Chu.

"No, Auntie, we really can’t take it!" Mu Xiaxia grabbed Mrs. Jin’s hand, stopping her from handing over the red envelope.

"Xiaxia, be good, Gou Dan also has a share, this is what you deserve!" Mrs. Jin said softly.

Mu Xiaxia still shook her head, "We appreciate your kindness, Auntie, but we really can’t take the new year money, please!"

Seeing Mu Xiaxia’s firm attitude, Mrs. Jin couldn’t insist further.

She put the red envelope away, and then talked about the main matter.

"Here’s the deal, I came today to invite everyone to my house for a meal. It’s a family reunion dinner for the Old Mu Family, and it’s at noon today!"

"At noon today?" Mrs. Liu was taken aback.

"Yes, at noon today, Xiangxiang is also there!"

Mrs. Jin’s mention of Xiangxiang instantly turned Mrs. Liu’s face pale with fright.

Back then, she sold the house secretly and fled to the county.

As for how Xiangxiang was, she had no idea.

If she told her parents that the house had been sold, would she be finished?

"Xiaxia’s mother, what’s wrong? Why are you sweating?" Mrs. Jin stood by, watching as Mrs. Liu’s face was drenched in cold sweat in just a short moment.

"It’s... it’s nothing!" Mrs. Liu shook her head.

Mrs. Jin said, "Is it because of Xiangxiang? Don’t worry, Xiangxiang won’t bully you! I’m here.

Not only Xiangxiang but Dad and Mom are also about to leave the county!"

"Leave... the county?" Mrs. Liu moved her lips.

"Yes, let me show you!"

Saying this, she removed the veil from her face, revealing a bruised face.

Apart from her eyes, the rest of her face was battered and bruised, looking miserable to behold.

"This... what happened?" Mrs. Liu and Mu Xiaxia were both shocked.

"Mom beat me! She hit me without reason! This time, Da De got angry and wanted Dad to send Mom away.

Later, Dad decided to leave with Mom, along with Xiangxiang! Once they’re gone, your life, my life, will be easier!"

Mrs. Jin said.

"Are they going back to the village?" Mrs. Liu asked, holding her breath.

"Yes, back to the village! If not back, where else would they go!" Mrs. Jin said.

Listening to these words, Mrs. Liu felt a deep fear inside, but faintly, she also thought this was a good thing.

Going to the countryside, although the old house was gone, the third branch’s big house was already up.

If it were just Dad, Mom, and Xiangxiang, given the kindhearted nature of those in the third branch, they would surely let them live there.

By then, Dad and Mom wouldn’t be too miserable.

Mrs. Liu’s guilt eased a bit.

But she just didn’t know if Dad and Mom were aware that the countryside house had been sold.