CHAPTER 186: CHAPTER 186 SOFT AND TENDER (PART 1)

Mu Dade and Mu Dashan chatted for a long time, from Mu Dashan’s health to many things from the past.

This approachable Mu Dade was someone Mu Dashan had never seen before. Of course, there was still a knot deep in Mu Dashan’s heart, one that would not easily be untied.

Fortunately, from start to finish, Mu Dade didn’t make any excessive requests.

Mu Dashan felt relieved.

"Third brother, take a good rest. Tomorrow, I’ll have your sister-in-law bring some herbs from home. Maybe they’ll cure your illness."

Mrs. Jin’s family was scholarly, but she had a distant relative who worked as an attendant at the town’s pharmacy, making it much more convenient to get medicine than for most people. Back when Mu Yingying’s face was pinched by a lobster, it was the medicine she got from them that helped her recuperate.

"Thank you, big brother, but it’s not necessary. Shuangshuang boils medicine for me every day. I’ll get better soon."

When it came to Mu Shuangshuang, Mu Dade’s eyes flickered before he spoke. "Third brother, Shuangshuang is a good child. These things, are they made by her?"

Mu Dade naturally didn’t know what a straw fan was, but being able to display it at home surely had some use.

Due to the earlier goodwill, Mu Dashan slightly lowered his vigilance.

After all, he’s his brother, sprouted from the same root, ultimately better than strangers.

"Yes, Shuangshuang is different from before. She came up with all these, saying they can be sold for money in town."

Mu Dashan spoke with pride, wanting others to know the prowess of his daughter.

He always believed that his daughter was not the worthless girl they said she was.

Such boastful words — how could Mu Dade not understand? He composed himself, not knowing why, but he suddenly felt a bit jealous of this brother.

If Shuangshuang was his daughter, if the cold noodles recipe was his...

Hold on, wait a bit more, this time definitely making the third branch voluntarily hand over the formula—

"I’ll go back and study now. Third brother, take a good rest."

Mu Dade exited the room, and Mu Shuangshuang followed in.

Her first question was about Mu Dade’s purpose for coming.

"Dad, what did uncle say?"

"Nothing much, just spoke about some past matters. Your uncle himself is under a lot of pressure. He says he cares a lot about this opportunity."

After Mu Dashan finished speaking, he looked at his daughter, seeing no extra expressions on her face, or signs of anger, he let out a breath of relief.

"Shuangshuang, your uncle isn’t a bad person, just that the pressure from family over the years was too much for him. Of course, dad will still remember what your aunt did, and won’t be easily fooled again."

These words were spoken after Mu Dashan had thought deeply about them.

Mu Shuangshuang nodded. "I know, don’t tire yourself too much. Leave the household matters to mom and me. Once the stove is built, we’ll cook on our own."

"Alright!"

Mu Shuangshuang returned outside to settle the wages for Zhao Dahu and Zhao Daniu, and Lu Yuanfeng had already started working.

Building the stove required mud bricks, which were made from clay. From the start, Lu Yuanfeng had prepared to help Mu Shuangshuang build the stove, so the mud bricks were already gathered. What remains is the matching clay, which needs to be adjusted by oneself, but these are not difficult tasks for Lu Yuanfeng.

In the mottled little wooden house, near the wall corner, Lu Yuanfeng arranged the mud bricks one by one. His movements were careful, with every step aligning the mud bricks neatly.

Mu Shuangshuang walked in, noticing that he was already drenched in sweat, beads trickling from his eyebrows past his eyelashes. This was the first time Mu Shuangshuang observed Lu Yuanfeng so closely.

From her angle, Lu Yuanfeng was bending over, his sturdy back tilted toward Mu Shuangshuang, carrying a large mud brick in his hands, focused intently on the stove before him, not even noticing Mu Shuangshuang’s presence.

Each time he placed a brick, he used a mud scraper to apply the clay he had mixed in the right proportions, resulting in a simple stove tiled evenly by Lu Yuanfeng.

It was clear that he was very meticulous.

"Fengzi, wipe your sweat, it’s about to get into your eyes."

Mu Shuangshuang’s way of addressing him changed at this moment. Previously, she had kept calling him Lu Yuanfeng, both because she herself was mentally older than Lu Yuanfeng and because calling him brother was awkward for her.

So, she casually followed everyone else and called him Fengzi, which wasn’t too distant, nor did it make her feel uncomfortable.

Lu Yuanfeng lifted his head, dumbfoundedly looking at Mu Shuangshuang, and only after quite a while he realized Shuangshuang had called his name.

"Haha, it’s fine. Once I finish here, I’ll wipe my sweat."

Lu Yuanfeng wanted to finish building the stove quickly, so Shuangshuang could cook herself soon. She was already so thin; if she continued not eating well, what would become of her?

"I’ll help you then." Mu Shuangshuang took out her cotton handkerchief from her sleeve, carefully wiping the sweat off Lu Yuanfeng’s face.

Even through a layer of handkerchief, Lu Yuanfeng could still feel the touch brought by the girl’s hand gently brushing against his cheek—soft and cool, completely different from his own warm hand.

His heart thumped incessantly, as if it was going to leap out of his chest.

He instinctively pursed his lips, and his bright eyes squinted into a straight line.

"Okay, if sweat gets into your eyes again, call me, I’ll get some food ready for you all."

While in town, Mu Shuangshuang had bought a watermelon. Upon returning, she soaked it in a bucket of water, just waiting for Lu Yuanfeng to finish his work and Yu Si Niang to come back from the fields to cut it.

Little Zhi was staring at the watermelon, drooling. She had never eaten watermelon in her life, only knowing that the outer skin was green, while the flesh inside was bright red, and delicious.

"Good girl, Little Zhi, let’s hold on a bit longer. Once mom returns, we’ll eat the watermelon."

Xiao Han was comforting his little sister beside her, and just like Little Zhi, he hadn’t eaten it either. But he knew that everything was bought with his sister’s earnings, and to eat, the whole family had to eat together.

"Okay! Little Zhi knows. Little Zhi will go play with Little Black for a while. Brother Xiao Han, stay here and guard it, don’t let anyone take it."

The reason why Little Zhi was so afraid of thieves was due to past experiences. One year, Yu Si Niang caught a chill from the winter wind and was ill for a long time. Old Mrs. Mu and Mr. Mu couldn’t bear to hire a doctor, nor make anything good to eat.

Mu Dashan walked a long distance to Yu Si Niang’s mother’s house to finally get a few eggs, but before he could make them into custard for Yu Si Niang, the next morning, even the basket holding the eggs had been stolen.

Yu Si Niang eventually pulled through, but from then on, Xiao Han and Little Zhi became more cautious. Whenever there were good things at home, they would keep an eye out to avoid being stolen.