CHAPTER 464: CHAPTER 461: NO MORE SNEAKING AROUND (12TH UPDATE)

The Huang Brothers collapsed on the ground, their limbs seemingly limp, unable to move.

"Bosses, we’re exhausted, really exhausted..." Huang Er panted like a cow.

To be fair, Huang Er truly has tough skin like Huang Da claimed; just within two days, despite being bruised, he could walk, run, jump, and even work again!

"Indeed, chopping trees is really not a job for humans!" Huang Da chimed in.

"Alright, I know you’ve worked hard, so I’ve prepared lunch at home, let’s eat first!" Mu Shuangshuang teased.

Upon hearing her, Huang Er, who was feigning death on the ground, promptly stood up.

"Really? Really? There’s food? Bro, let’s go!"

This guy turns happy in just three seconds!

Huang Er now showed no sign of exhaustion, he rushed ahead alone but quickly returned.

"Boss, I don’t know where your house is..."

"Just follow me!" Mu Shuangshuang laughed.

Watching Huang Er now being funny and comical, who would have thought that two days ago, he almost endangered Fengzi and himself?

The four returned home, coincidentally Yu Si Niang had also set the table.

For these sudden guests, Yu Si Niang and Mu Dashan looked somewhat reserved, casting glances at Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng.

After all, Huang Da and Huang Er didn’t look like good people.

With their daughter and future son-in-law mingling with such people, any parent would worry.

"Mom, this is Huang Da and Huang Er from Tie Dao Village, they’re hunters just like Fengzi."

"They may look like bad guys, but they’re not. You don’t have to be reserved, Mom and Dad."

Mu Shuangshuang proactively introduced Huang Da and Huang Er.

The two politely greeted Mu Dashan and Yu Si Niang.

However, Huang Er from the start had his eyes fixed on the pile of spicy wolf meat.

Yu Si Niang noticed this and knew he was hungry, so she spoke up, "Everyone, let’s dig in!"

With Yu Si Niang’s words, Huang Er started eating ferociously, like a wild wolf.

The meal seemed like a battlefield; once everyone was done, the table was a mess.

Luckily, everyone ate their fill.

But indeed, the Huang Brothers had quite a large appetite.

A pot of wild vegetable and sweet potato rice was completely finished, along with the ten corn pancakes, leaving half not even remaining.

Luckily, there’s a one-month trial period. Mu Shuangshuang thought to herself, after a month, she’d have to find another job for the brothers, or they’d definitely eat her poor!

In the afternoon, Lu Yuanfeng brought the Huang Brothers to start sawing wood. The sawn wood couldn’t be used immediately; it had to be soaked in the river for two days to solidify, then dried.

Fortunately, since they were building a latrine, it wouldn’t require months, up to ten days soaking is sufficient.

In other words, after ten days, the latrine can be built in their farmland.

After soaking the wood in the creek not far from Mu Shuangshuang’s courtyard, the Huang Brothers returned home.

They said they were heading to town to find some short-term work to sustain themselves.

They now pledged to Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng to stay on the straight path, no longer stealing, and promised to come over whenever needed.

Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng moved the chicks to Lu Yuanfeng’s bamboo mountain in the afternoon, sprinkling realgar around to prevent snakes from eating them.

Lai Mi also moved into Lu Yuanfeng’s home to help take care of the chicks.

As for Little Black, Little Zhi couldn’t bear to part with her, so she was kept at home.

Yet, whether Little Black was home or not didn’t make much difference, as Little Zhi would take her to Yuanbao’s place daily; the few of them would find a clean spot in the bamboo forest to relax.

They’d spend the whole morning there, only heading home by lunchtime.

Finishing all these tasks, it was already dusk, the sky hanging a beautifully orange salted duck egg yolk.

Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng originally planned to go together to the village gate to wait for Matchmaker Sun, but were intercepted by Xia Guagua as soon as they stepped out.

No one knew what was wrong with Xia Guagua today, for once not scolding her, Mu Shuangshuang found this odd since this woman typically flips out upon seeing her.

"Sister-in-law, what are you looking at?" Xia Guagua asked gently, her face carrying an innocent smile.

Yet this "sister-in-law" made Mu Shuangshuang’s skin crawl.

Xia Guagua had been eyeing Fengzi for ages; how could she possibly accept her as sister-in-law?

No good deed goes unpunished; Mu Shuangshuang continued to scrutinize Xia Guagua.

Xia Guagua wore a jade-green dress embroidered with a few bamboo sticks; today’s attire made her seem more dignified than usual.

Mu Shuangshuang suddenly felt that Xia Guagua had always worn new clothes lately, when she used to wear nearly washed-out old skirts.

Occasionally a new garment, though evidently not of particularly good quality.

"Brother Yuan Feng, Sister Shuangshuang, I’ve thought it through; there’s no point in forcing things. Instead of futilely believing Brother Yuan Feng would be with me, better to face facts."

"I’ve spoken to my mother about changing my surname soon; I’ll also be surnamed Lu from now on!"

Once Xia Guagua changes her surname to Lu, she and Lu Yuanfeng won’t have any chance together.

While cousins could marry under the Da Ning Dynasty, siblings with the same surname on a family tree couldn’t; otherwise, it’d be committing a grave crime.

Even so, Mu Shuangshuang felt no affection towards Xia Guagua.

This woman, even while speaking conciliatory words, showed no sign of remorse in her eyes.

Lu Yuanfeng never showed any affection for her, yet Xia Guagua stubbornly assumed otherwise.

Seeing Lu Yuanfeng and Mu Shuangshuang staying silent, Xia Guagua employed her trump card.

"Brother Fengzi, last night, I asked my mom and learned about the past events..."

"You know about the past events?" Lu Yuanfeng anxiously asked Xia Guagua.

His eyes showed eagerness and hope. When it came to his mother’s matter, Lu Yuanfeng lacked a bit of reason, though anyone would struggle with it.

"Yes! But I can only tell you, not that I don’t trust Sister Shuangshuang, but regarding this matter..."

Xia Guagua left the rest unsaid.

Though Mu Shuangshuang sensed Xia Guagua was likely playing tricks, she couldn’t step back now.

"Fengzi, you should hear Xia Guagua out; I’ll head to the village gate."

The matter with Matchmaker Sun needn’t be disclosed to Xia Guagua, since she wasn’t trustworthy.

"Alright! I’ll come to find you later."

Lu Yuanfeng’s words reassured Mu Shuangshuang; Lu Yuanfeng wasn’t foolish, any deception by Xia Guagua would surely be seen through.

With that thought, Mu Shuangshuang went to the village gate at ease.

"Brother Yuan Feng, let’s talk inside the house!"

Once Mu Shuangshuang left, Xia Guagua’s address immediately changed, becoming considerably more intimate.

Lu Yuanfeng’s face showed a hint of displeasure.

"Can’t we discuss it outside?"