CHAPTER 177: CHAPTER 177 YUANBAO’S FATE (SECOND UPDATE)

"Shuangshuang, do you think this fan can sell for four to five wen each?"

Mu Dashan stared at Mu Shuangshuang, dumbfounded. If it’s four to five wen each, and he weaves thirty fans a day, wouldn’t he earn over a hundred wen a day?

Mu Dashan couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Over a hundred wen is not a small sum for a family in the countryside. When he goes to the dock to carry goods, he only earns about a dozen wen a day...

"It might be more than four to five wen; specifically, I need to go to town and see the situation first."

While Mu Shuangshuang spoke to Mu Dashan, Yu Si Niang finished sewing the edge of another fan.

You know, at this rate, the third branch would surely get rich sooner or later.

Mu Dashan laughed like a fool. He was no good at needlework, so he stayed by Yu Si Niang, fanning her to cool down.

The two cooperated seamlessly. Mu Dashan’s eyes and heart were all dedicated to Yu Si Niang.

Mu Shuangshuang felt she was quite unnecessary standing there, so she took a few unfinished fans, along with a needle and knife, to her room.

Xiao Han and Little Zhi were in her room teasing Little Black. As soon as they saw Mu Shuangshuang, the two Little Doudings ran up to her.

"Sis, Little Black seems to have grown a lot. When will we change its house? I think it’s uncomfortable where it is."

Now, besides eating and working, Little Zhi was almost inseparable from Little Black.

The most important thing was, the Black Mink’s habit of eating little and often was completely changed by Little Zhi. Now Black Mink could stuff itself into a dumpling, eating and then lying down.

Mu Shuangshuang suddenly realized that Black Mink couldn’t be fed like this anymore. If it continued, Black Mink would lose its ability to climb trees.

"Little Zhi, Little Black has been eating too much lately. We need to put it on a diet, or it’ll get sick from obesity."

Being named, Little Black shrunk its neck and started making a "hiss" sound. It looked at Little Zhi, hoping for rescue, but Little Zhi didn’t notice.

"Alright, then I’ll leave Little Black to sis." Little Zhi felt somewhat reluctant, but she had to listen to what her sister said.

"Okay, you two should go outside for a bit, digest a bit; you can’t rest immediately after eating."

"Okay—"

Once Xiao Han and Little Zhi left, Mu Shuangshuang originally holding Little Black’s chubby body, suddenly ended up pinching its little neck.

The once skinny Little Black had nearly turned into a meatball. Mu Shuangshuang’s eyes twinkled as she suddenly said, "Little Black, I’ll help you lose weight. How about some exercise before bed?"

"..."

Little Black shook its body, trying hard to escape, but Mu Shuangshuang was quick and nimble, leaving it no chance of escaping Five Finger Mountain.

Half an incense stick’s time later, desperate cries echoed from Mu Shuangshuang’s room...

——

Early the next morning, as the sky barely brightened, Mu Shuangshuang carried Little Black, took a hoe and sickle, and headed to the wasteland in the north.

With double harvest starting, her time shrank significantly as she usually helped uproot seedlings, with not much time to spare.

Fortunately, today there were Mrs. Jin, Mu Dandan, and Mu Yingying helping in the field. She had talked to Mr. Mu last night, saying she wouldn’t have breakfast and lunch at home today and wouldn’t be working.

Mr. Mu knew she still "owed" Zhang Huai Shu twenty taels of silver, so he didn’t stop her and even asked her to be home on time for meals.

This reasonable attitude made Mu Shuangshuang inwardly wonder if the sun was rising from the west, as Mr. Mu was surprisingly agreeable.

However, Mu Shuangshuang wasn’t a person to overthink; even if she ate more at Old Mu’s house, it was justified. The work Mu Dashan did all these years was enough to support their family of five.

On the wasteland, wild grass still grew thickly. Mu Shuangshuang put on her handmade gloves and started cutting grass with the sickle. She piled the grass neatly and bundled it firmly when Lu Yuanfeng unexpectedly showed up.

He carried a bamboo basket, followed by Yuanbao the little chubby toddler. Both seemed to be there for cutting grass as well. Upon seeing Mu Shuangshuang, Lu Yuanfeng’s mouth couldn’t help but form a smile.

"Sister Shuangshuang, I knew you’d be here; my brother didn’t believe it." Little Yuanbao showed a peculiar confidence on his face.

Mu Shuangshuang put down the sickle, extended her hand from the gloves, and lightly knocked on Little Yuanbao’s head.

"You’re so smart, why not become a Divine Calculator? Maybe you could even predict marriage and destiny."

Mu Shuangshuang was just saying casually, but Little Yuanbao’s mouth pouted high. He glanced at Lu Yuanfeng and said.

"I want to, but my brother won’t let me. Those fortune tellers in town make a lot of money. Last time, my brother got a reading from one, they charged him two hundred wen just for saying a few words.

If I became a fortune teller and charged several hundred wen for just a few sentences like him, I’d definitely get rich."

"Phhf~" Hearing that Lu Yuanfeng had gotten a fortune told for Yuanbao, Mu Shuangshuang couldn’t help but laugh.

"Lu Yuanfeng, you actually believe in this stuff?"

Lu Yuanfeng ducked his head, his face unusually flushed. "Yuanbao’s skin is too tough; he climbs trees and swims rivers; so..."

Lu Yuanfeng didn’t really believe, but Yuanbao was his brother after all, and he’d rather spend some money for peace of mind.

"Why don’t you tell me; what did the fortune teller say?"

Mu Shuangshuang was quite curious. In modern times, she had seen many fortune tellers but never tried it herself.

"Cough..." Lu Yuanfeng suddenly coughed, turning his head aside, hesitating whether to share this matter.

To her surprise, Yuanbao blurted out himself. "That white-bearded old man said I’m not cut out for studying, that studying would be a waste, and advised my brother to save money and not wash it down the drain."

"Does Yuanbao think he’s cut out for studying?"

Mu Shuangshuang steadied her mind. She didn’t think the fortune teller was accurate, but since he said it like that, it might influence Yuanbao’s thoughts, which wouldn’t be good if he resisted learning later.

"I don’t know myself. But studying is for earning money, doing other things is also for money, the end result is the same, so why should I worry?"

Yuanbao rarely appeared serious, even speaking with some philosophical insight.

Mu Shuangshuang patted Yuanbao’s head, "Things like fate are actually in your own hands; whether it’s studying or doing something else.

If you feel happy studying, then study; don’t care about what others say. If you feel happy farming, then farm. Don’t be afraid of others looking down on you.

But Yuanbao, your thinking is slightly off. Learning isn’t just for earning money; it might involve many aspects.

For example, you enjoy eating rabbit, so you go learn to hunt, but is learning this only for eating rabbit?

Certainly not. There are other important things; for example, enjoying learning hunting can be a gain by itself."

Mu Shuangshuang didn’t know how much her words would influence Yuanbao’s thoughts, but saying them was better than not.

Life is not just about earning money; Mu Shuangshuang always believed that.

However, when food and clothing are scarce, all learning becomes for earning and survival!

Lu Yuanfeng gazed at Mu Shuangshuang with a peculiar gleam in his eyes; Shuangshuang was indeed different...

PS: I recommend a friend’s heartwarming campus novel "99 Kisses Grabbed: School Heartthrob, Too Black-bellied!" It’s especially good~