Farming and Raising Cubs by Huang Ruo Chen Xi

Chapter 55: Marry Li Mumu and Take in a Few Concubines

　　Actually, there was nothing delicious, just stewed cabbage and steamed corn bread.

　　There wasn't even a speck of oil in the cabbage.

　　Zheng Ansheng lost his appetite after just one look.

　　"What were you thinking about when you first came in?" Zheng's mother urged Zheng Ansheng to come over for dinner.

　　"I met the Gu family on the road." Zheng Ansheng said.

　　"Gu family?" There was only one Gu family in their village. Mother Zheng grabbed a steamed bread and became interested. "I heard that the daughter-in-law of the Gu family went to the town to do business and made quite a lot of money. Now the Gu family is probably the richest family in our village."

　　Zheng Ansheng sat down and also picked up a steamed bun. He used the hollow of the bun to catch the cabbage that was still dripping with juice. When he heard what his mother said, he asked, "Have you seen the new daughter-in-law of the Gu family?"

　　"I've seen her." Mother Zheng curled her lips. "She's very beautiful. So I was thinking, the three daughters-in-law went to town to do business, and they said they made a lot of money, but I'm not sure how they made the money."

　　Mother Zheng curled her lips and said, "Everyone in our village knows that the new daughter-in-law of the Gu family dresses up all day long. When she walks, her waist and buttocks twist, as if she is afraid that others will not see her."

　　"Gu Shangqing had gone to the army, but he was not dead yet. She didn't seem to be worried about Gu Shangqing's safety at home, and she kept herself fairer and prettier day by day." Mother Zheng said with disapproval, "Gu Shangqing died later, and you see Li Mumu, not only did she not take good care of Gu Shangqing, but she didn't even bring a set of plain clothes to change into, and she wore bright clothes every day."

　　"Everyone says that your Madam Gu is a powerful person, but I think she is just average. How could she not be able to control her daughter-in-law? Her own son is dead, but she lets her daughter-in-law dress up fancy every day. She doesn't look sad for Gu Shangqing at all." Mother Zheng curled her lips, "If she could control Li Mumu, would she still be like this?"

　　"I really don't know what the Gu family is thinking, allowing Li Mumu to be so ostentatious." Mother Zheng took a bite of the cabbage and gave some to Zheng Ansheng, "You eat it."

　　"I'm eating." Zheng Ansheng ate without any appetite. "There's no meat, so you don't have to keep giving it to me."

　　It doesn't taste good.

　　"Let's eat meat in a few days." Zheng's mother had to say.

　　There is no money at home, so how can we eat meat every day?

　　It's a luxury to eat it once a month.

　　"As for Li Mumu, I don't know how she does business in the town." Zheng's mother said, "As for pig offal, no matter how well it is cooked, how delicious can it be? But I heard that there are a lot of people lining up in the town to buy from her every day. And most of them are men."

　　"Li Mumu is pretty. Tell me, are those people going to her stall for the food or for her?" Mother Zheng snorted, "It's hard to say."

　　"No matter what, Li Mumu is good at making money." Zheng Ansheng took a bite of the steamed bread.

　　The steamed bread made of pure cornmeal is a bit rough because the cornmeal is not ground finely enough.

　　It was really difficult to put the food in my mouth and chew it for a long time but still not be able to swallow it.

　　"She earns that money to pour green paint on Gu Shangqing's head." Zheng's mother curled her lips, "I wonder how the Gu family feels about using that money."

　　"It's just showing your face outside and smiling. It's not like you're really doing anything with other men." Zheng Ansheng sneered, "If you ask me, it's not bad to make so much money just by smiling."

　　Mother Zheng heard the hidden meaning in Zheng Ansheng's words and couldn't help but look at him, "Why did you suddenly mention Li Mumu?"

　　"Didn't I just see the Gu family?" Zheng Ansheng said, "I also saw a man, a strange face, quite young, about the same age as Li Mumu, but definitely not from the Gu family."

　　"So what?" Zheng's mother asked in confusion.

　　"Do you think this could be the new man that the Gu family found for Li Mumu?" Zheng Ansheng asked.

　　"How is that possible!" Zheng's mother retorted without thinking, "Have you ever heard of any in-laws finding a man for their daughter-in-law? Even if the daughter-in-law is a widow, it's not allowed. She belongs to the Gu family in life and a ghost in death!"

　　"No matter how reasonable the Gu family is, there is no reason for them to find a man for Li Mumu." Mother Zheng shook her head and said, "Besides, how long has it been since Gu Shangqing died? Even if Li Mumu wanted to find one, she would have to wait for at least a year or two."

　　"Li Mumu remarried not long after Gu Shangqing died. She will be criticized by others!" Mother Zheng looked down upon such behavior.

　　"I am the right person to be." Mother Zheng said, "I raised you by myself after your father died. How could I be as shameless as Li Mumu!"

　　Zheng's mother's face suddenly changed, "You don't

　　Could it be that he has taken a fancy to Li Mumu?"

　　Zheng Ansheng chewed his steamed bread and said thoughtfully, "Li Mumu is indeed good-looking."

　　"She is a restless woman. Whoever marries her will be unlucky. You never know when she will cheat on you and make fun of you without knowing anything."

　　"Mom." Zheng Ansheng looked at his mother, "Don't keep focusing on this. Don't you want the money that Li Mumu earns?"

　　Mother Zheng paused suddenly, and Zheng Ansheng said, "Li Mumu is now famous in our village for laying golden eggs. If she becomes our family member, all the money she earns will belong to our family."

　　"Let alone eating meat every day, we can just move to the town and enjoy life." Zheng Ansheng said, "So what if Li Mumu is selling her smiles in the town? She is not selling her body. No matter how she sells her smiles, as long as she can make money for us to spend."

　　"When I have enough money, I will take in a few concubines. I will look for concubines with clean backgrounds. How dare she, a second-married girl, disagree? I already have clean concubines. They are only responsible for making money. Why would I care who she smiles at?"

　　Mother Zheng took a deep breath and said, "What you said is not impossible. But Gu Shangqing..."

　　"He's already dead, what do we have to worry about?" Zheng Ansheng said nonchalantly, "Li Mumu married Gu Shangqing, but Gu Shangqing left before anything was accomplished. To put it bluntly, Li Mumu hasn't even experienced sex yet."

　　"She doesn't know the good of men either." Zheng Ansheng laughed strangely twice. "Even if she is selling her smiles in the town, she has her two sisters-in-law watching over her. What outrageous things can she do?"

　　"As long as I use a little trick, how can she not take the bait?" Zheng Ansheng laughed triumphantly, "By then, she will be mine. Even if the Gu family is not happy, what can they do? Are they going to sink Li Mumu into a pond?"

　　Zheng's mother originally looked down on Li Mumu, but she really liked the money Li Mumu made. Now after hearing Zheng Ansheng's plan, she thought it was really good, so she agreed, "Okay, then you better hurry up and don't let anyone get there first."

　　"You just said that the strange man who was walking with the Gu family was not prepared by the Gu family for Li Mumu, but we still have to be on guard against them. What if something happens between the two of them first?" Zheng's mother warned.