Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
"Is there anything cheaper?" Mu Jingzhe asked the stall owner with a frown.
"There's nothing cheaper than this, girl. Look at the quality and design. This is already the lowest price."
The boss gestured to point out the strong points of those clothes to Mu Jingzhe.
Mu Jingzhe didn't show it, but she deep down wanted to say that the quality and style were really average.
Even so, she couldn't afford this.
At the moment, Mu Jingzhe was in the town market. This time, she had come with the mission to buy clothes and school supplies for the children.
Although Mu Jingzhe had said those words to Zhao Lan that day, Shao Qiyang had also heard her. Despite being worried, he was too busy, so he could only ask Mu Jingzhe to help him buy the items.
The plan to kick Mu Jingzhe out could only be postponed.
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He gave the rest of his money to Mu Jingzhe, but it was still not enough for the children to buy new clothes.
Upon seeing that the boss didn't plan on budging on the price and looking at the quality and style, Mu Jingzhe decisively gave up.
This was her fifth day in this world.
The past two days had been quite peaceful. Shao Qiyang left early in the morning and returned from work late at night. He would leave the house before dawn, leaving only her and the five children at home.
Because she only took care of them, cooked for them, washed their clothes, and thought of ways to grow some vegetables, everything had been fine in the past few days.
Mu Jingzhe observed as she looked around, then went to buy the necessary textbooks, pencils, rubbers, rulers, and other things written on Shao Dong's note.
She had asked Shao Dong what he needed to buy when school reopened. Shao Dong still wouldn't say a word, but he had given her this piece of paper that clearly listed the items and the amount needed.
Although he was only in second grade, Shao Dong's handwriting was excellent. After the boss read it, he said that it would be even better if he practiced his handwriting further.
Unfortunately… There was no money.
They didn't even have the money to buy a brush and ink.
"I have to find a way to earn money as soon as possible."
After walking around the market, Mu Jingzhe finally entered the fabric shop.
Compared to ready-made clothes, fabric was relatively cheaper.
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Not everyone knew how to make clothes, but Mu Jingzhe did. Coincidentally, a sewing machine had been included in her dowry.
After returning home that day, Mu Jingzhe closed the door and got busy.
Very soon, the first day of school arrived. Shao Dong woke up early and was about to take out his washed clothes to put them on when there was a knock on the door.
Shao Dong opened the door and saw Mu Jingzhe.
She was holding a stack of clothes in her hands. "Little Dong, these are the clothes I made for you guys. Your names are on the pockets. You can wear them to see if they fit you. I also sewed a simple school bag. You can use that for the time being."
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Mu Jingzhe wasn't blind. She could tell how old their school bags were.
Shao Dong looked at the new clothes in Mu Jingzhe's hands and was stunned for the first time.
He was used to people treating them badly. It had been like this since he could remember. Now that he was suddenly being treated nicely, he didn't know how to react.
He didn't move. Mu Jingzhe could only explain. "They are all new."
Shao Dong came back to his senses and quickly took the clothes. "Thank you."
These clothes were new. It had been a long time since he'd gotten to wear new clothes.
In the early years, when their father would come back to visit the family, Shao Dong and the kids would wear new clothes that didn't fit for a few days. When his father left, they would no longer be theirs. They would look forward to their father coming back every day so that they could wear new clothes and feel full.
However, their Dad would only come back once a year.
Later, his father would finally return home and buy new clothes for them. However, he would be too busy to care. After he left, the new clothes would be snatched by the kids next door again.
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He hadn't expected to receive new clothes again today.
When school reopened that day, the four children of the Shao Family, who used to be the most pitiful and often wore patched clothes, were in the limelight.
That was because the four of them had changed into new clothes with designs the village didn't have.
Although Shao Dong and Shao Xi were thin, they were already seven years old, so they were little adults. Thus, Mu Jingzhe had made them long-sleeved shirts and vests.
The double-layered vests could keep them warm but were suitable to be worn in spring. When the weather got warmer, they could just take off the vests and wear their shirts.
The shirts and vests were both casual, but they were indescribably beautiful and exquisite, fully accentuating the boys' true appearance and vigor.
The duo's features were similar, but their temperament was completely different.
If Shao Dong was the cool guy, then Shao Xi, who had been born so fair that he didn't look like a child from the countryside, was like a little prince in a fairy tale.
Shao Nan and Shao Bei wore checkered clothes. Shao Nan had a jacket that appeared extraordinary despite its simple design.
Using the same fabric, she had made Shao Bei a Korean-style shirt with a doll collar.
In combination with her beautiful braids and hair, she could be considered the most eye-catching girl in school.
The four children attracted everyone's attention the moment they appeared on the shabby campus.
They involuntarily straightened their backs, their eyes filled with confidence.
This was the happiest day of Shao Bei's life. Everyone surrounded her, looking at her clothes, school bag, braids, and hair ornament. All her classmates envied her as if she was a little princess.
She used to be the one who envied others.
Although she was only five years old, she loved to look pretty. Of course, she liked to be praised by everyone. Right now, she couldn't stop smiling.
On the way back from school in the afternoon, Shao Bei couldn't help jumping up and down as she walked. She kept talking about how everyone had praised her and even occasionally complimented Mu Jingzhe.
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At first, Shao Xi was still smiling as he listened, but he gradually stopped smiling.
"It's just a set of clothes, and all she did was comb your hair. You like her that much just because of that?"
Shao Bei didn't notice anything unusual about her second brother. "It… It's not that I like her very much, but she is really great at braiding hair."
Shao Bei's hair had previously been combed by Shao Xi, who only knew how to bunch it up into a ponytail that wasn't even all that smooth. Although he tried his best to be careful, he still hurt Shao Bei every time.
This morning, Mu Jingzhe had helped her comb her hair. It hadn't hurt at all, and she'd even braided her hair, a hairstyle Shao Bei had never seen before. On top of that, she'd also adorned her hair with a gorgeous hair ornament.
"Second Brother, you don't have to comb my hair for me anymore. Let her do it for me."
Seeing that their home was just up ahead, Shao Bei sped up and ran over.
"We're back."
"You are indeed. Wash your hands and eat."
Mu Jingzhe had slowly corrected the four children's hygiene habits and taught them to wash their hands before eating.
Shao Zhong was a step slower as he ran to wash his hands with his siblings.
He was also wearing new clothes.
Like his two older brothers, he was wearing a small vest, except he also had a hat that made him look rather adorable.
Usually, when his siblings went to school, he would follow them there. Every day, he would play at the school gate and wait for his siblings to finish their classes.
This time, he hadn't gone because he was wearing new clothes and was afraid of dirtying them.
Happy Shao Bei couldn't help but ask Mu Jingzhe, "Auntie, do you know how to braid hair in other ways?"
"Yes." Mu Jingzhe knew how to create many different hairstyles. "I'll tie your hair in a different way tomorrow."
There was finally some noise at the dining table, and the family at last started looking like a family with five children. The atmosphere was just right, so Shao Xi used this opportunity to continue the conversation.
"Did you make the clothes? Why did you decide to make clothes for us?"
Shao Xi's voice was filled with curiosity, but his eyes had a calmness about them that didn't match his age.
Shao Xi would one day become a future famous author, literary giant, and media big boss who would control public opinion.
He had seen the worst of human nature, so he didn't believe that Mu Jingzhe would treat them well for no reason.
Mu Jingzhe was silent for a moment before giving the most genuine answer. "I made them. I wanted to buy them, but it was expensive."
Most importantly, I couldn't afford them, dear.
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
She had made them because it was expensive to buy them?
The answer stunned Shao Xi for a moment. He had thought that Mu Jingzhe would at least say something to make them feel grateful, but it turned out to be that simple?
Mu Jingzhe glanced at him. If not, what?
She stopped talking and frowned as if something was bothering her.
After dinner, Shao Dong hesitated for a moment before asking in a low voice, "Is there… something wrong?"
Mu Jingzhe looked at Shao Dong in surprise. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded. "There is something indeed. I'll tell you about it after I give it some thought."
In the morning, Shao Zhong had been afraid of dirtying his clothes, so he'd sat obediently on the chair without moving, his eyes following Mu Jingzhe as she'd busied herself.
He'd only gone out to pick up Shao Dong and the others when their class had been about to end.
Unexpectedly, when Mu Jingzhe had come out again, she had seen Shao Zhong climbing up the apricot tree, swaying unsteadily with his arms wrapped around the tree trunk.
If Mu Jingzhe had come out a little later, his arms would have given way and he would have fallen off.
If he'd fallen from such a height, he might have broken his limbs or even died.
In the end, Mu Jingzhe had carried him down the ladder.
She had felt so startled that she'd broken out in a cold sweat. The apricots weren't ripe yet, and Shao Zhong wasn't a mischievous kid. He should have some reason for climbing up the tree, but even if she asked him, he wouldn't answer.
Earlier on, he'd nearly been unable to hold on and had found himself in a perilous situation. Because he couldn't make a sound, something terrible had nearly happened.
After Shao Zhong gave her that scare, Mu Jingzhe had to change her plans.
As Mu Jingzhe thought about this matter, someone came to the door.
It was a woman from the same village that rarely visited.
"Sister, please take a seat."
"Jingzhe, don't stand on ceremony." The woman reluctantly retracted her gaze from the children. "My Little Yue said that your children's clothes are really nice. I thought it was strange and thought she was exaggerating, but I've never seen such clothes on the street before."
"I made them."
"Really? No wonder." The woman's eyes lit up when she heard this. She then said, sounding a little embarrassed, "I just heard that Little Bei's hair ornament was made by you too. I wanted to ask if you could help me make a pair for my girl."
She was too embarrassed to ask for it directly, so she pulled five eggs out of her pocket. "I don't have anything else in my house that's good enough. Just…"
Eggs?
Mu Jingzhe raised her eyebrows and nodded readily. "Alright, I'll make the ornaments for you in the afternoon and bring them over."
Exchanging two hair ornaments for five eggs wasn't a bad deal. The five children would each get one.
After that woman came another old woman. She was also there because of the hair ornament.
She took out fifty cents instead of eggs.
Ornaments were sold at about the same price outside, just like five eggs.
When it came to prices, most of the villagers were well-versed.
Mu Jingzhe hadn't expected that the hair ornament she had made casually would become so popular.
Since business came knocking on her door, there was no reason for her to refuse. Mu Jingzhe accepted it without any hesitation.
The third guest soon arrived. This one didn't want a hair ornament. She wanted Mu Jingzhe to braid her hair.
The little girl was in Little Bei's class. In the morning, everyone had been envious of Little Bei and even asked her if she could get Mu Jingzhe to braid their hair for them.
Although Little Bei was a little hesitant, she had agreed because she wanted to save face.
Upon seeing that her classmate had really shown up, Little Bei nervously looked at Mu Jingzhe, afraid that she wouldn't agree. She didn't expect Mu Jingzhe to smile and nod.
"Sure."
Mu Jingzhe was easy to talk to and finished braiding the little girl's hair after a few strokes. The hairstyle was beautiful and completely different from Little Bei's.
Soon, Little Bei and the little girl started playing together. The little girl's mother gave Mu Jingzhe a bunch of vegetables to thank her.
This was how the village worked—the villagers helped each other and reciprocated. Mu Jingzhe accepted it.
After a while, when Shao Dong and the others were about to go to school, Zhao Lan arrived.
Shao Dong and his siblings had been in the limelight at school that day. Shao Fu and his siblings had also set their sights on their clothes and bag. Just like they usually did, they asked their grandma to help them get them.
They were used to snatching things from Shao Dong and his siblings.
Shao Dong and his siblings, who looked like they had been reborn, made Zhao Lan involuntarily think of the daughter-in-law who looked down on her, and her expression became even uglier.
"Do you think you're from the city? Is that why you're dressing like this? You don't look like village kids at all. Hurry up and take these off."
Shao Dong's face was cold, and he didn't speak or move. When Shao Zhong saw Shao Xǐ, he clenched his hands tightly and his eyes turned slightly red. Shao Xǐ had lied to him again.
Shao Xǐ had seen Shao Zhong the moment he'd gone out in the morning. Upon seeing him in those new clothes, she'd wanted him to take them off. He had refused to give in and ended up getting hit a few times.
Later on, Shao Xǐ had forced him to pluck apricots for her. She had threatened to get Zhao Lan to come over to snatch his clothes if he didn't.
In the past, Shao Xǐ had frequently bullied Shao Zhong because he didn't know how to speak. In order to protect his clothes, Shao Zhong had plucked the apricots for her. However, Shao Xǐ had directly moved the stool away and left Shao Zhong on the tree.
Now, Grandma was here to snatch their clothes.
Besides Shao Zhong, the other children were also unhappy. No one made a sound or moved.
"Didn't you hear me? Take them off quickly."
Zhao Lan grabbed Shao Dong impatiently, ready to hit him.
"What are you doing?"
Mu Jingzhe stood expressionlessly at the kitchen door.
Her tone was neither hurried nor impatient, nor did she deliberately raise her voice, but Zhao Lan somehow detected a hint of danger.
Recalling that she was at the door, she calmed down and retracted her hand. "Where did you get these clothes?"
"I made them." Mu Jingzhe slowly walked over. "If granny had bought clothes for them, I wouldn't have had to make them. But since you refused to buy them, I had no choice but to make clothes."
"They can just wear Shao Fu and his siblings' clothes. What kind of child doesn't wear older kids' clothes?"
Zhao Lan coughed and gestured with her chin. "It's enough that they wore these for half a day. Take them off and let Shao Fu and the others wear them. They can wear them after Shao Fu and the rest are done with them. It's always been like this in the past."
Mu Jingzhe shook her head. "That won't do. These clothes were made according to their sizes. They fit perfectly, so they won't fit Shao Fu and the rest."
Zhao Lan had not thought of this problem before. She had been focused on snatching the clothes.
It was only now that she realized this was true.
"Well… why don't you make a set for each of them then?" Zhao Lan immediately changed her mind.
She was afraid that Mu Jingzhe would refuse and wanted to force her to agree. She didn't expect Mu Jingzhe to be so easy to talk to or nod without hesitation.
"Sure." She hadn't been a professional fashion designer in the past, but she had been involved in this field. She could make clothes, no problem.
Shao Bei pouted unhappily. Zhao Lan, who was surprised, was about to laugh when Mu Jingzhe added, "Since we're relatives, I'll charge you eight yuan per set. Do you want a set for each of these four kids? Pay me a 20-yuan deposit first."
Zhao Lan gasped. "Eight yuan per set? Why don't you just rob me?"
"I'm not robbing you. Eight yuan is the market price. You're not asking me to do it for free, are you?" Mu Jingzhe gave her a surprised look.
"We're a family. How dare you mention money!"
With a seemingly convinced expression, Mu Jingzhe said, "Mom, you're right, we're family. My bad. I won't talk about money then. If they buy the fabric, I'll make clothes for them for free. Can you also fork out the money for Little Zhong to see the doctor?"
Zhao Lan wasn't happy to hear Mu Jingzhe ask her to buy the fabric herself. And when she heard that last line, she pulled a long face. "What doctor?"
"He hasn't said a word all this time. I think we'd better go to the hospital and let him undergo a proper checkup. He might be cured. We have to do it before it's too late. This can't go on any longer."
"I don't have much money on hand right now, so can you come with me, Mom? Or you can just give the money to me. Shao Qihai said that he gave you quite a bit of money back then and you've been saving it up on his behalf."
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Taking money from Zhao Lan was like cutting off her flesh.
"I told you before that I don't have money, so where would I get it?"
Mu Jingzhe's eyes were a tad cold. "Mom, I'm serious. Little Zhong's condition can't drag on. We've got to get him treated as soon as possible. You can just lend me the money. I'll pay you interest and return it to you after some time. Little Zhong is your grandson too. You also hope that he will speak, right?"
Mu Jingzhe had already relented, but Zhao Lan was still reluctant.
"Even if you just want to borrow money, I still don't have any. Don't listen to what Qihai said. That money was spent long ago."
"Really?" I'll give you another chance.
"There really isn't any money," Zhao Lan said firmly. "Otherwise, as a grandma, I wouldn't be unwilling to get my grandson treated. It can't be helped."
"Fine." Mu Jingzhe's eyes narrowed dangerously. If you can't even lend it to me, then fine, but don't blame me for being unjust.
Zhao Lan avoided Mu Jingzhe's eyes. "I previously already took him to a doctor. He was born mute, so there's nothing we can do."
Mu Jingzhe's eyes turned even colder. "Really? Where's the doctor you took him to?"
"Yes, really. I took him to a doctor before," Zhao Lan answered casually.
Mu Jingzhe was somewhat angered by Zhao Lan's manner.
According to the novel, Shao Zhong never spoke. By the time they had the money to get his condition treated, it was already too late. They had already missed the best treatment period.
Zhao Lan was the main culprit.
At two years old, Shao Zhong had yet to speak. When Shao Qihai had said that he wanted to take him to see a doctor, Zhao Lan had hurriedly offered to take Shao Zhong there and asked Shao Qihai to focus on his work.
Shao Qihai had given her the money and said that if the county hospital wasn't good enough, she could take him to the city to have his condition treated.
Zhao Lan had agreed to it, but she had never once taken him to the doctor. She'd only pretended to do so at the hospital in town. The doctor had suggested that they go to the county hospital, but she hadn't cared. She'd only told them that he couldn't be cured.
Mu Jingzhe had at first wanted to save up some money before taking Shao Zhong to the doctor, but this morning's incident made her push forward her plans. Otherwise, she didn't know when a dangerous situation might arise.
When she saw Zhao Lan, she recalled the plot in the book. She'd only asked because she clearly knew that the woman had hidden the money for treating Shao Zhong.
She had even said that it would be a loan, but she hadn't expected Zhao Lan to be unwilling to even lend the money to her.
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Since that was the case, she wouldn't stand on ceremony.
Mu Jingzhe retracted her gaze and saw the five children looking at her with probing eyes.
"That's what I was talking about earlier." Mu Jingzhe looked at Shao Dong and said, "I'll handle this matter. You guys can go to class."
In the afternoon, Mu Jingzhe calmed her mind and focused on making the hair ornaments.
She had bought the materials used to make the hair ornaments the last time she had bought fabrics. She had gotten them upon seeing some scraps of cloth piled up in the back.
She had bought them at a very cheap price because someone had already bought the good edges. What she'd brought back was almost like rubbish.
Mu Jingzhe had suddenly had an idea and made a hair ornament for Shao Bei.
She hadn't expected it to become so popular.
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Mu Jingzhe finished using all the materials she had bought. The ornaments she made had bow and flower designs.
Not far away, Shao Zhong watched Mu Jingzhe with his mouth wide open as if she was conjuring magic.
Mu Jingzhe let the two young customers choose what they liked. After they started wearing the ornaments, more and more children in the village asked their parents to get them some.
However, the third customer didn't show up after dinner.
This was normal. Not everyone had the means to buy such a thing.
Instead of other customers, Li Zhaodi, who had secretly come to look for her, visited.
Why did she sneak in? Because she'd brought two pieces of chicken for her daughter.
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"It's still warm. Hurry up and eat."
This was the first time Mu Jingzhe felt what it was like to have a mother.
Not only did Li Zhaodi bring her chicken, but she also wanted to bring her back for chicken soup.
"Don't be embarrassed. You have to be thick-skinned and come back. Otherwise, all of it will go into the mouths of Mu Xue and that wild man she picked up…"
Li Zhaodi nagged incessantly. She had to bring up Mu Xue every other sentence or so to criticize her.
Her face was a little long, and she had a mole on her chin. Judging from her appearance, she was definitely not a good person.
In the novel, she and the original Mu Jingzhe were the most annoying people. They disliked Mu Xue and always opposed her.
However, she was a good mother to her children. She was devoted to her husband and children and didn't favor boys over girls because she had suffered enough as a daughter and couldn't bear to let her daughter suffer.
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After a few sentences, Li Zhaodi suddenly asked Mu Jingzhe, "Why are you suddenly so concerned about those little brats? Why are you cooking and making clothes for them?"
"No reason. Just… trying to salvage my reputation." Mu Jingzhe found an excuse.
Li Zhaodi believed her, and her eyes lit up. "Jingzhe, you want to change your younger brother-in-law's impression of you? How's your progress these days?"
The corners of Mu Jingzhe's mouth twitched. "No, mom, don't talk nonsense. My brother-in-law is just my brother-in-law. I think I should find someone better and avoid being trapped in the village. If I really ended up with Shao Qiyang, I wouldn't be able to lift my head for the rest of my life."
Li Zhaodi frowned. "You're right. I didn't think it was a good idea either, but you said you liked him, and Mu Xue also seems to be interested in Shao Qiyang. I thought that anyone who catches her fancy can't be that bad."
Li Zhaodi was a weirdo and a brainless woman in the novel, but she had good judgment. She could tell that whatever Mu Xue liked, even men, wasn't bad.
Mu Jingzhe secretly gave Li Zhaodi a thumbs-up. Li Zhaodi really had good taste in this aspect. Whatever the female protagonist liked had to be good.
Unfortunately, like Mu Jingzhe, Li Zhaodi didn't have a good ending.
As Li Zhaodi was standing in front of her alive, the simple words about her ending in the novel induced heartache in Mu Jingzhe.
Mu Jingzhe held Li Zhaodi's hand tightly, thinking that no matter what, she couldn't let Li Zhaodi end up like that this time around.
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As she was thinking about it, she heard Li Zhaodi say, "I'll ask around for you. I'll definitely find you a good partner. Although this will be your second marriage, you're still a virgin. I'll make it clear to other people so that it won't be hard for you to marry someone from the city."
Mu Jingzhe was instantly embarrassed. "Mom, stop it."
"What I'm saying is the truth. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I'm even going to go around and talk about it everywhere."
When they'd gotten married, Shao Qihai had gotten very drunk on their wedding night and hadn't touched her. It was unknown if he had really been drunk or if he had deliberately done that to avoid getting intimate with her. Later on, she'd had her period. When her period had ended, Shao Qihai had gone out to work. Then, he had never returned.
Hence, the two of them hadn't actually consummated their marriage.
Mu Jingzhe was so embarrassed that she wanted to dissuade her mother. However, she suddenly heard a sneer.
It was a male voice.
Li Zhaodi immediately asked, "Who is it? Come out."
No one answered. Li Zhaodi pulled Mu Jingzhe along to chase after that person. They soon found themselves at the Mu Residence.
The Mu Family had already prepared dinner and had no intention of waiting for Li Zhaodi.
When she saw that Li Zhaodi had returned with Mu Jingzhe, Old Madam Mu's expression turned cold.
Mu Jingzhe didn't notice that. Instead, the first person she saw was Mu Xue.
In the simple, unadorned small courtyard was a group of farmers. Mu Xue was very eye-catching among them and was noticeable at a glance. It was impossible to ignore her.
Just like Mu Xue, it was also impossible for the man standing beside her to go unnoticed.
The contours of his face were well-defined, and he was extremely arrogant and intimidating.
As expected, this was the male lead, Tang Moling, whom Mu Xue had saved by accident.
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His name sounded like the name of a male protagonist.
The two brothers from the Shao Family, Hai and Yang, were obviously supporting characters, but they themselves didn't know it.
As she was thinking, she met Tang Moling's cold gaze.
Mu Jingzhe: "…"
She didn't do or say anything.
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Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The male lead of a sweet, doting romance novel had to be a powerful and influential CEO. Tang Moling was someone like that. His personality was unpredictable, suspicious, and vengeful.
He had been saved by Mu Xue after suffering an injury due to an accident. At first, he had been suspicious of her but later, he had been touched by Mu Xue's pure kindness.
After recovering, he'd started to dote on Mu Xue and Mu Xue alone. He treated her uniquely and pampered her his whole life. Other than treating her sweetly, he also sought revenge on those who had wronged him.
As one of those who had wronged him in the novel, Mu Jingzhe was under immense pressure.
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That wasn't the end of it. The moment Old Madam Mu saw her, she scolded her. "You come back to your parents' house every day. Those who don't know might think that you're not married yet. When you came back, you even stole Mu Xue's dress."
They were both her granddaughters, but Old Madam Mu only doted on Mu Xue. Reality had proven that her judgment was right. Mu Xue was the most promising girl in the village. After graduating from high school, she was now the only female teacher in the village.
She had never liked Mu Jingzhe to begin with. When the original Mu Jingzhe had stolen Shao Qihai, she had detested her even more. In her opinion, even if Mu Xue didn't want the guy, the original Mu Jingzhe wasn't qualified to snatch him.
Mu Jingzhe said that she would definitely return the dress, but Old Madam Mu continued to criticize her non-stop. It would be useless for Li Zhaodi, her father, Mu Teng, and her younger brother, Mu Han, to speak up for her.
After Old Madam Mu scolded her by using all sorts of awful insults and the table was set, Mu Xue stopped her. "Grandma, forget it. Let's eat first. If Jingzhe likes it, just let her have it."
Mu Xue looked at Mu Jingzhe gently. "But Jingzhe, don't take it without telling me next time. You have to at least let me know."
Tang Moling snickered. "Mu Xue, you should cut off the hands of anyone who steals from others. Otherwise, they will never learn and will go on to steal again."
Mu Xue quickly pulled Tang Moling back. "It's just an old dress."
Old Lady Mu scoffed. "Hasn't she taken enough from a young age?"
Li Zhaodi couldn't take it anymore and was about to lose her temper, but Mu Jingzhe held her back.
This had all been done by the original owner of the body. There was no point in trying to defend herself. In the end, after Li Zhaodi kicked up a fuss, she only ended up getting scolded and banned from eating.
"I won't do it again." She looked at Mu Xue and said, "I will return the dress and everything else."
She had just finished speaking when she heard Tang Moling scoff.
His voice sounded exactly the same as the mocking laughter she had heard before entering the Mu Residence.
Mu Jingzhe was certain that this was the person who had mocked her when it had been said that she was a virgin.
What terrible luck.
She was there to get some free chicken soup, but instead of chicken soup, she'd ended up getting chicken feathers all over her body.
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Mu Jingzhe couldn't stay any longer and quickly bade them farewell.
Old Madam Mu's sarcastic voice came from behind her, criticizing her for only knowing how to eat and not even knowing how to wash the dishes.
Mu Jingzhe pretended not to hear and left.
What had she eaten? She hadn't even had a mouthful of soup.
Indeed, returning to the Mu Family was not the right decision. If she did, a tragedy would befall the Mu Family sooner or later.
There was no doubt that the victim would be Old Madam Mu. As for the murderer… it would naturally be her.
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Mu Han chased after her and gave her the piece of chicken breast he had gotten.
"Sister, you eat it."
He had only been given this portion. However, upon seeing that his sister hadn't even gotten to drink the soup, he had hidden it in his sleeve for her.
Mu Han was 17 years old this year. He was tall but skinny, like a bamboo pole.
"When I kill a chicken in the future, you can come and eat it. I guarantee that you'll have enough."
"Okay." Mu Han smiled and didn't take it seriously.
Meanwhile, in the Mu Residence…
Mu Xue looked at Mu Han's back as he chased after her, a complicated look flashing across her eyes.
Mu Jingzhe was a bad older sister, yet Mu Han still treated her so well and ignored Mu Xue.
Tang Moling kept looking at Mu Xue and whispered when he saw her expression.
"I'm going out for a while."
"Where are you going?"
"I'll avenge you."
Tang Moling left after speaking. Mu Xue couldn't hold him back in time and could only chase after him.
"Tang Moling, don't take revenge so easily."
Tang Moling shook his head. "Alright, I'm just going to relieve myself. You should hurry back."
Mu Xue blushed and ran back.
Tang Moling turned around and sneered.
He had heard a lot about what Mu Jingzhe had done to Mu Xue recently. He had met many shameless and evil women like her, so he had to teach her a lesson to avenge Mu Xue.
2
The night was like day to Tang Moling. He quickly caught up to Mu Jingzhe and took out a slingshot.
1
Without hesitation, he aimed at Mu Jingzhe's wrist and shot.
1
Who told you to steal from Mu Xue?
A virgin who wants to marry someone from the city? You should learn how to conduct yourself as a person first.
1
Tang Moling's aim was very accurate.
Mu Jingzhe moved her hand just in time, coincidentally dodging the attack. However, the slingshot struck the back of her hand, and the flashlight fell to the ground.
"Who is it?" She picked up the flashlight and shed light over, but she only saw a tree. Before she could spot the culprit, another rock flew toward her.
This time, it struck Mu Jingzhe's chest.
"Psst…" She was wearing her homemade bra, and it hurt so much she couldn't help but bend down and rub her chest.
Tang Moling, who was about to continue aiming, felt his hands tremble. This woman!
Hitting her in the wrong position was indeed his bad, but how could she… rub her chest?
Due to a split second of distraction, the stone that was thrown missed again.
It landed right on Mu Jingzhe's… hip.
2
Mu Jingzhe was stunned.
Where had this shameless person come from? What a hooligan.
1
Mu Jingzhe gritted her teeth and turned off the flashlight. She picked up a stone and a piece of firewood from the side of the road and flung them over.
A short scream was heard.
"I'll teach you a lesson for being a hooligan!"
Mu Jingzhe chased after him, determined to castrate him, but couldn't find him.
2
She searched for a while with the torchlight but didn't find the culprit and went back unwillingly.
Only after she walked some distance away did some sounds come from the trees.
Tang Moling stood on a tree and watched as Mu Jingzhe left. He felt a chill underneath and unconsciously pulled his legs together. When he saw his swollen arm, his expression turned ugly and strange.
His arm had almost snapped.
The spots where the few scattered rocks had hit him also hurt.
What was wrong with Mu Jingzhe?
5
After a while, Tang Moling returned to the Mu Residence, feeling some discomfort.
The atmosphere in the Mu Residence was very strange. The main reason was the pair of chopsticks on the dining table where Mu Jingzhe had been sitting originally.
The chopsticks had sunk deeply into the dining table, revealing only a small portion of them.
2
He saw Old Madam Mu's pale face and heard Li Zhaodi say it definitely hadn't been Mu Jingzhe.
Tang Moling: "…"
What was going on?
The next day, Shao Qiyang didn't come back, as he was busy. After Shao Dong and the other three went to school, Mu Jingzhe carried Shao Zhong to the county city for treatment.
They set off early, but it was almost noon by the time they arrived at the county city.
After the examination, it was discovered that it wasn't a problem with his body that had caused Shao Zhong's inability to speak.
"There's nothing wrong with his vocal cords. Logically speaking, he should be able to speak. Maybe it has just taken him longer to learn to speak. You should talk to him more in the future and encourage him to speak."
Mu Jingzhe was both surprised and delighted.
"Did you hear that? Little Zhong, you can talk. You have to try to talk more in the future. I'll try my best to talk to you too."
As per the doctor's instructions, Mu Jingzhe didn't forget to speak with Shao Zhong more often even while they were busy in the county city.
The town wasn't big, so Mu Jingzhe spent two hours walking around.
Before going out, she had brought with her the leftover hair ornaments that hadn't been sold. As it was impossible to sell them separately, she sold them to a shop in the county city that sold shoes, hair accessories, and other small items, claiming they had been brought from a big city.
The boss placed the hair ornaments on his shelves without many expectations, but before long, he sold a pair. Thus, he ordered another batch from Mu Jingzhe.
After promising the boss that she would deliver the goods in five days, Mu Jingzhe bought another batch of supplies without stopping to rest.
When she got home, the sky was about to turn dark.
The person who welcomed Mu Jingzhe home was a furious Zhao Lan, whose face was as dark as the bottom of a pot and whose eyes were red.
"Mu Jingzhe, did you steal my money?"
As soon as she saw Mu Jingzhe, Zhao Lan rushed up to her, wishing she could swallow her whole.
"Mom, what are you talking about? Didn't you say that you didn't have any money? If you didn't have any money, how could it have been stolen?"
Although she had a surprised and innocent look on her face, Mu Jingzhe sneered in her heart. That's right, she was the one who had taken the money.
7
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
In the beginning, Mu Jingzhe hadn't thought of taking things this far.
However, Zhao Lan hadn't even been willing to lend her money, so she'd had to take it herself.
Since she'd had to take it herself, she wasn't going to return it.
Mu Jingzhe, who had read the novel, had known where Zhao Lan had hidden her money. One of her hiding spots was the hole behind the urinal in the corner of her room.
2
It contained the allowance that Shao Qihai had sent back over the years. The money used to build the house and pay for the daily expenses had come from this money.
As for her private savings, they had been hidden in the burial mound of her late husband.
4
Zhao Lan's so-called private savings were actually the money for Shao Zhong's treatment, as well as the money for the other children's illnesses that Zhao Lan had requested from Shao Qihai intermittently.
Shao Dong and the others hadn't been taken to the doctor when they were sick, not even once. However, Zhao Lan would ask for money from time to time, accumulating small sums into a big amount over time.
She would visit the grave every other day. The villagers said that she couldn't forget her deceased husband, but in reality, she was going there to look at her private savings.
1
Last night, Mu Jingzhe had taken advantage of the dark night and gone to the back mountain to take Zhao Lan's money.
She didn't feel guilty at all.
Using it to treat Shao Zhong's illness was a hundred times better than having it spent on good food for Zhao Lan, Shao Fu, and his family.
Mu Jingzhe naturally wouldn't admit it, but Zhao Lan was certain that it was her.
She had gone to check her private savings today, but she hadn't expected it to be gone just like that. It just so happened that Mu Jingzhe had also taken Shao Zhong to see a doctor.
How could there be such a coincidence?
Zhao Lan extended her hands and pounced on Mu Jingzhe. "You still refuse to admit that you stole my money! I'll beat you to death, you thief… Ah…"
Zhao Lan's momentum was fierce, but by the time she reached Mu Jingzhe, she couldn't move.
Just as Zhao Lan was about to kick her, Mu Jingzhe exerted force, and Zhao Lan felt like her arm was going to break.
"Let go! Let go of me!"
"Have you completely calmed down, mom? I'll let you go once you've calmed down."
It would be strange if Zhao Lan could stay calm now. "I'll kill you—"
Mu Jingzhe tilted her head. "Little Dong, help me."
Shao Dong hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to help.
Before Mu Jingzhe had returned, Zhao Lan had already taught them a lesson and given them a harsh dressing-down.
At Mu Jingzhe's command, he bound Zhao Lan's hands with a strap and tied her to a pillar.
Shao Dong and his siblings were dumbfounded.
Meanwhile, Zhao Lan was furious.
"Mu Jingzhe, you're so dead. I'll have you divorced today. Get out of the Shao Residence this very moment…"
Mu Jingzhe dug her ear. "How about… we find another towel to gag you?"
"How dare you!"
Mu Jingzhe only wanted to scare her a little. She hadn't expected to see Shao Nan pass an old towel to her.
3
Mu Jingzhe: "…"
This speed…
Upon closer inspection, the towel seemed to be the one they used to wipe their feet.
6
Mu Jingzhe glanced at the innocent, obedient-looking Shao Nan. Tsk tsk… This devious little kid.
1
She shook her head slightly and looked at Shao Xi. "Quick, invite the village chief over."
Disappointment flashed across Shao Nan's eyes as he put away the towel.
1
"Mu Jingzhe, what are you doing? Are you crazy? How can you tie Mom up?"
At that moment, Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao walked through the door, her face full of shock. "I knew something was amiss based on the sounds. How could you do such a thing?"
Then, without waiting for Mu Jingzhe to react, she turned to Shao Xi and his siblings. "Are you just going to watch Grandma get tied up? Or did you kids steal the money?"
Shao Bei retorted, "We didn't take it. We don't even know where it is."
"Children shouldn't lie. If you did something wrong, you have to admit it. Didn't you go to Grandma's room last night? Did you take it yourself, or did someone ask you to?"
Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao didn't speak loudly, but she spoke very quickly. With a few words, she determined what was going on. When she finished speaking, the village chief happened to arrive.
She immediately turned to the village chief and said, "Village Chief, what are you doing here? How could they alarm you over such a trivial matter? Children are insensible and can't distinguish right from wrong, so they took their granny's money. How embarrassing that they let you witness this. I'll untie my mother-in-law now."
Shao Bei's face and eyes were red from anger.
At that moment, a hand suddenly stroked her head.
Shao Bei looked up and saw Mu Jingzhe.
Mu Jingzhe looked at Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao and clicked her tongue. "Eldest Sister-In-Law, why did you start acting and making things up as soon as you came in? This is our home, not a theater. Let's talk normally. Also, don't be in a hurry to untie her."
She looked at the village chief. "Village Chief, my mother-in-law seems to have gone crazy."
The village leader looked at Zhao Lan, who was cursing. "What?"
"I don't know what triggered my mother-in-law, but she suddenly accused me of stealing her money and then went crazy and started trying to hit me. She's my mother-in-law, so I couldn't retaliate. I could only tie her up and let her calm down so that she wouldn't hurt herself."
Before the village leader could speak, he was interrupted by Zhao Lan.
"Mu Jingzhe, you're the one playing dumb. You're the one who stole my money. Listen to me, I'm going to kill you if you don't pay me back!"
"If you didn't have money, how could I have stolen it?" Mu Jingzhe scoffed. "Yesterday, when I asked to borrow money from you to treat Little Zhong's condition, you kept insisting that you didn't have money. Now that I took Little Zhong to the doctor, you're accusing me of stealing your money? What kind of logic is that? You said that I stole money, but it's more like you're extorting me."
Zhao Lan rolled her eyes in fury. "You stole it precisely because I refused to lend it to you!"
"I didn't steal it. I borrowed money from my mother."
"Bah! Who would believe that? Only your mother, perhaps."
Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao added, "Jingzhe, how much money did you take from mom? Return it to her quickly."
Now that they were no longer receiving money from Shao Qihai, she had the same goal as Zhao Lan—she had to get the money back.
Zhao Lan's eyes flashed with ruthlessness as she said fiercely, "If you don't return the money to me, I'll go to the Mu Family and ask for it. I want the entire village to know that you stole the money and that someone from the Mu Family is a thief."
"You can say whatever you want. No one will believe you." Mu Jingzhe didn't care at all. "Everyone in the village knows that the Shao Family has no money. I will ask again: If you didn't have money, how could I possibly have stolen it?
"Or are you saying that you had money but you couldn't afford to treat your grandson's illness?"
Zhao Lan thought to herself that there was nothing wrong with him. She then heard Mu Jingzhe answer her own question. "That's impossible. Mom, you said before that you would kindly treat the children Shao Qihai left behind. How could you be unwilling to treat your grandson's illness?"
She stared at Zhao Lan and said, "Even I, a stepmother, borrowed money to treat his illness, yet his biological grandmother had the money but didn't want to treat her grandson's illness? You were not even willing to lend the money? Isn't that a beastly action? You're not a beast, right?"
4
Are you going to be an animal and insist that I stole your money, or are you going to admit that you had no money and have wrongly accused me?
Zhao Lan's expression finally changed as she looked at Mu Jingzhe.
She wanted to curse out loud and demand her money back, but when she saw the village chief gaze at her and then looked at the people outside who had heard the commotion and come over, she almost bit off her teeth but didn't say anything.
2
Only then did she realize that Mu Jingzhe had considered everything thoroughly.
This was the first time Zhao Lan had tasted the bitter taste of having to suffer in silence.
She had already lost her money, so why couldn't she just righteously deal with the person who had stolen it? Why did she have to be so aggrieved?
2
"You… You… Ah!" Zhao Lan screamed in rage.
"See, I told you that my mother-in-law was acting strange!" Mu Jingzhe calmly looked at her and exclaimed.
After everyone left, Mu Jingzhe announced that Shao Zhong's health was fine and that he would be able to speak if he worked hard at it. She encouraged everyone to talk to Shao Zhong more before asking Shao Dong to stay and see her in private.
Mu Jingzhe took some money out of her bag and handed it to Shao Dong.
"I was actually the one who took your grandmother's money."
7
Shao Dong: "…"