Chapter Ninety-Three
Snowflakes drifted down, and before the old snow had completely melted, a new layer of white snow covered it.
Nowadays, Mu Jin mostly does her needlework sitting on the bed.
Huang Pang'er nestled at his feet, snoring softly, fast asleep.
Mu Jin plans to have the bedding made for Bai Qiqiu's dowry made tomorrow by asking Mu Mian and Zhou Si to come over.
Mu Nianjun's little Weiwei is now walking very smoothly with an adult's support, and is at the age where he is being mischievous and naughty.
I'm afraid I won't have time to go out.
As Mu Jin was pondering this, Mu Mian came looking for her on this snowy day.
"Why are you here at this time?"
Hibiscus helped brush the snow off his head and shoulders, and pulled him inside.
Seeing his pale face, Mu Jin couldn't help but feel a little worried.
"What's wrong?"
Mu Mian had impulsively run away from home, but now that she had seen Mu Jin, she felt a little regretful about coming.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Mu Jin frowned slightly.
"What's there to be uncomfortable about talking to me? Why are you becoming more and more distant?"
Mu Mian opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
"I was bored at home, so I came out to chat with you."
Mu Jin felt helpless. Thinking of Zhou Si, whom she had seen a while ago, she suddenly felt a little uneasy.
He sighed deeply, "If you all don't want to talk about it, then don't. I'm just a farmer, I have no skills, I'm useless, all I can do is worry about this here with bated breath."
Upon hearing this, Mu Mian immediately lost her appetite for the warm water in her hand.
"Jin'er, you know that's not what I meant, it's just that..."
As Mu Mian spoke, she drank the water in her hand with a do-or-die attitude and wiped her mouth.
"Well, I know you're close to Si'er, so it's no harm to talk to you about it. Could you help us persuade him not to get stuck on this stubbornness?"
Mu Jin's heart tightened; it really was about Zhou Si.
He felt that Zhou Si had been acting strangely lately, but he didn't say anything, and he couldn't force him to tell him.
"What exactly happened?"
"It's nothing serious. A while ago, because the autumn game was plentiful, apart from the time we took your husband, Lingqiao and Dad went up the mountain several times and caught a lot of game. Your mother-in-law and your second brother would come and try to catch some from time to time. Although Dad was a little unhappy about it because of our kinship, he still gave us a few pheasants and rabbits."
Mu Jin frowned. This prey wasn't hunted by Mu Lingyun. Not to mention Mu Lingqiao, even Uncle Mu would probably be annoyed by the Zhou family's mother and daughter-in-law.
Mu Mian continued, "Your mother-in-law is also amazing. Lingqiao brought prey down the mountain ten times, and eight times she could smell the scent and come to chat with her husband. Even after she left home, she never left empty-handed."
Mu Jin sighed. Zhou Wushi was the kind of woman who never got enough of taking advantage of others.
Once they've sucked your blood once, they'll start watching you closely as they suck your blood again.
"Is this the reason why Si'er has harbored resentment in her heart?"
Mu Mian nodded. "Once, when Father had a sullen face, Si'er happened to see it. I was right there at the time, and I knew it was bad as soon as I saw it. Jin'er, we met when we were wearing shorts. I won't lie to you, but the family members are annoyed by Aunt Zhou now, but they treat Si'er the same as always. Uncle and the others don't take out their dissatisfaction with Aunt Zhou on Si'er."
Mu Jin sighed softly. Qi Chao did not have the concept of severing ties with one's family. Although it was said that a woman should follow her husband after marriage, Zhou Wu Shi was still Zhou Si's biological mother.
She would occasionally sneak into the hunter's house to take advantage of him, and anyone with a conscience would feel ashamed of themselves.
Not to mention, Zhou Si is a thoughtful and meticulous young man.
“But Si’er can’t get over this hurdle. She’s been depressed these days. We’ve all seen it, so we thought it best to treat her the same as before and let her figure it out herself.”
Mu Jin nodded, "No matter what others say, he still has to get over this hurdle himself."
Mu Mian sighed, "If only things had gone smoothly like this. Today, Si'er and I had a fight over a small matter. I don't know why, but I'm not saying anything bad about him. I know he's been feeling uneasy lately."
It turned out that he had a fight with Zhou Si.
Mu Jin was quite surprised. In his mind, Zhou Si had always been a calm, intelligent, and cautious young man. How could he have lost his temper with Mu Mian?
“Jin’er, if you encounter Si’er, please help persuade him. Your father, your father, Lingqiao and I have never blamed him or been annoyed by him.”
Just as Mu Jin nodded, she heard Mu Lingqiao's voice outside.
"Jin-ge'er, is A-Mian here with you?"
Hearing the noise, Mu Jin quickly got up and opened the door.
Seeing that the cotton tree was safe and sound, Mu Lingqiao felt relieved after a long journey.
He said in a deep voice, "Why are you running around in such heavy snow?!"
Mu Mian pouted slightly and said reproachfully, "Can't I even drop by Jin'er's place for a visit?"
Mu Lingqiao draped the raincoat he had brought over his shoulders and gave Mu Jin an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry to have troubled you."
"Mian'er and I have been playing together since we were little, how could it be troublesome?"
Mu Lingqiao smiled and handed a bag of chestnut cakes he had brought to Mu Jin.
"When I came, my father asked me to bring this to you. It was just made today. You and Brother Lin can have a taste."
Mu Jin didn't stand on ceremony, "Then thank you very much, Uncle Mu."
After the two left the courtyard and walked away, Mu Jin closed the gate, her mind filled with a thousand thoughts. She really didn't know what to do about Zhou Si's situation.
When Zhou Lin returned from the snow and had lunch, Mu Jin pulled him back into the house and told him about the incident.
As the elder brother, he should also worry about his younger brother.
Zhou Lin was stunned after hearing this.
"How could Mother do such a thing? How can Si'er stand in her husband's family now?!"
Although he was honest and knew little, he was aware that if it weren't for holidays, his wife's family would really be annoyed by her husband's family for bringing back so many things from her.
The young master's life in his husband's family was naturally not good.
What are you going to do?
Zhou Lin's brows were so furrowed they could trap a fly; asking him to come up with a solution was truly a difficult task for him.
"Why don't I go and talk to Mother? No matter what, she has to think about Si'er's future."
Mu Jin rolled her eyes at him. "Go and talk to them. If your parents pay any attention to you, I'll walk with my head down."
Zhou Lin was speechless. Ever since they separated from the family, Mu Jin had taught him a lot, and he had heard and seen a lot while traveling. He now understood his parents' personalities very well.
What I just said was just a bad idea I came up with in a moment of desperation when I had no other choice.
Mu Jin sighed, "Fine, while we're making bedding for Qi Qiu's dowry, I'll call Si'er over and have a good talk with him."
Zhou Lin thought for a while, "I'll have to trouble you, my husband. Even if I get scolded by my parents, I'll still go and find them."
Mu Jin smiled. Zhou Lin was now a man who could stand up for his younger brother.
Mu Jin had shared a bed with him for nearly a year, and she had seen firsthand how afraid her husband was of Zhou Wushi and Zhou Laosan's wife.
Now, for the sake of his family, he can finally stand up a little and talk back to Zhou Wushi and the others.
After finishing the matter, Zhou Lin felt a little relieved.
The next day, after having breakfast, Mu Jin called Zhou Si over early.
Because they wanted to have a private conversation, Mu Jin only called him over, while Wen Zhaoran was taken to his own room.
Zhou Si looked listless, but forced a smile at Mu Jin.
A hint of heartache appeared on Mu Jin's face.
"Si'er, I've heard about what happened between your mother and the Mu family."
Zhou Si's face darkened. "Was it Mian-ge and Big Brother who told you?"
Mu Jin didn't reply to that, but said, "Although I know a few words, I'm not good at being a teacher. However, we are family. You should talk to your brother and me about this. Although we are just farmers who make a living from the soil, we can still support you. It hurts your brother and me to see you like this, since you keep everything to yourself."
Zhou Si's eyes reddened slightly. "Big brother, I..."
Hibiscus patted him gently, offering silent comfort.
A tear fell onto the glaring red cloth, leaving a water stain.
With a sob in her voice, Zhou Si said hoarsely, "These past few days, I've been thinking about what sins I committed in my past life to be reborn into her womb. Yesterday, I had a fight with Mian-ge. I didn't want to, but I felt so suffocated. I know it was wrong. Mian-ge's family is harmonious, and his family loves and protects him. The grievances in my heart are not caused by Mian-ge, but whenever I think about it, it feels like there are needles pricking my heart, and it aches. Because of a small matter, I don't know why, I got angry."
Mu Jin sighed deeply, “Si’er, when I was three years old, my mother couldn’t stand my father’s temper and ran away with someone. Not long after, my father remarried a stepfather. Even biological fathers and mothers can not love their own children, like you and your older brother, let alone a stepfather with no blood relation. You know, before I married your older brother, I was one of the most outstanding young men in the village. Many wealthy men came to my house to propose marriage, but my stepfather turned them all down.”
Zhou Si stopped crying and looked at Mu Jin with red eyes.
Mu Jin didn't look at him, but stared at her own hands.
"This is the first time I've talked about this with someone. In the village, you can count the number of boys who are pampered and protected by their families on two hands. There are far more like you and me."
Zhou Si said in a hoarse voice, "Brother, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to remind you of sad things."
Mu Jin smiled and said, "It's all in the past. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to marry your older brother or meet you. As for Qi Qiu and Zhao Ran, everything is preordained by fate. Now you are married to Brother Ling Yun. He is an upright man and a good man to entrust your life to. In this world, there are many men and women who have met the wrong person. You are already much luckier than others."
"That's how it is, brother. That's why I feel bad. I feel like I've let down Brother Lingyun who has been so good to me."
Mu Jin gently poked his forehead, "Have you asked Brother Lingyun what he thinks?"
Zhou Si looked dejected and gently shook her head.
How could he possibly bring himself to tell Mu Lingyun such a thing?
“You two are a couple in the same boat, sharing the same boat. Brother Lingyun is smart, and he can always come up with a good way to deal with Mother and Second Brother’s affairs.”
Zhou Si lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.
Mu Jin said softly, "Go back and apologize to Mian'er. He's the kindest and easiest person to get along with. You made a mistake, so you should apologize to him. Once it's over, you two will still be good sisters-in-law in the Mu family."
Zhou Si paused for a moment, then nodded slightly. "I understand, brother."
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