Chapter 357: Chapter 355: Provoking Someone Who Shouldn’t Be Provoked (First Update)
With someone who bravely eats the crab first, the rest feel reassured.
Five coins, normally, people would definitely be reluctant to spend.
But now it’s the Qixi Festival, an exclusive holiday for daughters; even if it feels expensive, they’ll grit their teeth and buy it.
Several girls took a lantern each and left, leaving only the girl who had initially said that things from the town looked nice, standing in place.
Mu Shuangshuang recognizes this girl, she’s Wang Xiaoya from the Old Wang Family at the village entrance, one of the two infamous ugly girls in Er Gui Village alongside the original Mu Shuangshuang.
But unlike the original Mu Shuangshuang, this Wang Xiaoya knows to stick with several girls who have somewhat good looks in the village, even if she’s often mocked and turned into a punching bag.
Wang Xiaoya still enjoys it regardless.
Because she feels she at least has friends, unlike the original Mu Shuangshuang, who was always alone.
Mu Shuangshuang took down an orange lantern from the bamboo pole and handed it to Wang Xiaoya.
"This is five coins. I don’t do unprofitable trades. Pay me back when you have money!"
Wang Xiaoya’s eyes widened, looking at Mu Shuangshuang with disbelief.
"You... really willing to give it to me?" Wang Xiaoya repeated.
Since she’s always been bullied, Wang Xiaoya can’t believe such a good thing could happen in this world.
"Not giving it to you, but temporarily lending it to you. You need to return it later."
No matter what Mu Shuangshuang says, Wang Xiaoya is already very happy.
With the lantern, she is just like everyone else.
Mu Shuangshuang didn’t miss that little hope in her eyes.
She shook her head quietly.
This Wang Xiaoya still hasn’t learned her lesson, still thinking that friendship without dignity is worth protecting.
Holding the lantern, Wang Xiaoya went off to find those friends.
Mu Shuangshuang exchanged a glance with Lu Yuanfeng.
"Fengzi, let’s go with them. Once the lanterns are sold out, we can go back to eat, and in the evening we’ll make a bonfire, roast some meat."
To wait for this Qixi night, Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng caught two rabbits, both prepared to make roasted rabbit meat.
Yu Si Niang and Mu Dashan are not going out, Mu Shuangshuang plans to take a few kids together.
"Okay!"
Mu Shuangshuang brought over twenty lanterns to the village entrance; soon enough, they were sold out.
The speed was astonishing.
And those who got the lanterns were grinning ear to ear.
It seemed like what they held was not a mere lantern, but that they’d been chosen as the weaver.
Mu Xiangxiang arrived late, surrounded by the crowd of the Old Mu Family.
Her skirt did catch quite a few people’s attention, but as soon as they saw her face full of powder,
everyone felt a bit nauseous and couldn’t help but turn away.
Mu Xiangxiang remained oblivious, as she saw many girls in the village carrying a lantern, she was instantly drawn in.
"Hey, where did you buy the lanterns you’re holding? I didn’t see them."
Relying on her older brother being a scholar and her eldest sister doing business in town, Mu Xiangxiang always looked down on everyone.
The girl called out wasn’t just anyone, it was Shen Rong, the niece from the wealthiest family in the village, the Wang Family. Previously surnamed Wang, she was renamed after a fortune-teller predicted prosperity from her mother’s surname.
So, Old Master Wang immediately decided to change her surname.
Shen Rong rolled her eyes, showing absolutely no intention of acknowledging Mu Xiangxiang.
Mu Xiangxiang was given the cold shoulder, getting so angry that her nose twisted.
"Mom, look at that person!" Mu Xiangxiang stomped and complained to Old Mrs. Mu.
"Xiangxiang, don’t bother with such people, uneducated ones. It’s just a damn lantern, we at the Old Mu Family can afford it."
"I don’t care, I want it, I want it now!"
Mu Xiangxiang acted like she was going to cry and make a fuss; Old Mrs. Mu got anxious, but she had no solutions, so she turned to Mrs. Liu with anger.
"What kind of fourth aunt are you? Xiangxiang is bullied, and you just stand there like a stump. What’s the Old Mu Family need you for?"
Mrs. Liu was scolded so badly that her eyes turned red, and Mu Xiaxia hurriedly tugged on her hand coaxingly.
"Mom, forget it, let’s not participate, let’s just go back!"
Mu Xiaxia had no interest in being a weaver; if not for her mom insisting she be here, she certainly wouldn’t have come.
"Xiaxia, don’t speak nonsense, you can’t refuse!"
Mrs. Liu already made up her mind; if Xiaxia gets selected, she definitely won’t let her give it up.
Even if Old Mrs. Mu targets her in the future, as long as her daughter’s marriage can end up well.
"Mom..."
"Don’t say anything, no matter what your little aunt and your grandma say, you must listen and go try for the weaver selection."
Mrs. Liu felt this was the most adamant moment in her life; she had already summoned her courage and wouldn’t let herself back down.
Walking ahead, Mu Xiangxiang confronted someone else, this time she learned to use her status directly.
"My big brother is Mu Dade, the village’s only scholar; my big sister runs a shoe store in town. You better not offend me, if you dare, my family won’t spare you!"
The person being stopped wasn’t anyone else, but Wang Xiaoya who had earlier received a lantern from Mu Shuangshuang.
Wang Xiaoya’s family lacked money and status, combined with her habit of being used by others, she stuttered a bit before opening up.
"This is... from Shuangshuang!"
"Which Shuangshuang?" Mu Xiangxiang’s mind immediately thought of Mu Shuangshuang, because she was the only Shuangshuang in the village.
But she simply didn’t want to admit that the annoying girl could possess such good things.
That annoying girl deserved to be in the mud, not to be respected by anyone.
"Mu Shuangshuang from the Third Branch of the Old Mu Family, Xiangxiang, I need to go try for the weaver selection now."
Wang Xiaoya’s timid appearance reminded Mu Xiangxiang of her habitually bullied fourth aunt, and immediately placed Wang Xiaoya in the soft target category.
"Hey, give me that lantern or I’ll be unkind to you!" Mu Xiangxiang extended a hand, her face displaying a look of ’if you don’t listen to me, you’re done for,’ staring fiercely at Wang Xiaoya.
Wang Xiaoya got scared, nervously clutching the lantern, and just as she was about to hand it over to Mu Xiangxiang,
Shen Rong returned, mocking and rolling her eyes at Mu Xiangxiang.
"People say ugly ones act out the most; I didn’t believe it before, now I surely do.
Some people are not only ugly but also vile, wanting to take things others paid for without spending a penny themselves.
I don’t know, what kind of family taught such a daughter."
Shen Rong’s voice wasn’t loud but just enough for the surrounding young ladies to hear.
The crowd had long since had a poor impression of Mu Xiangxiang; if not for her brother being a scholar, they’d think of slapping her upon sight.
So when Shen Rong led, others spoke up as well.
"It’s just the youngest daughter Mu Xiangxiang from the Old Mu Family, why paint your face so white today, are you trying to be a ghost?"
Mu Xiangxiang’s makeup was truly frightening, with an unknown amount of powder layered on for effect.
Under the lanterns and torches along the road, everyone who glanced saw nothing but Mu Xiangxiang’s eerily pale face.
"Haha, you guys probably don’t know, Mu Xiangxiang’s makeup is so scary, if she went out, even ghosts wouldn’t dare come out because she’s uglier than them!"