“It’s inconvenient.”
He tried to say it as plainly yet politely as possible.
Mu Mianmian glanced around and realized he was right.
With so many people around in broad daylight, washing by the creek would be inappropriate. Plus, his legs were injured—he still needed someone to help wipe him.
“Mm, then I’ll help you wash tonight,” she said.
Ye Si Ming’s expression stiffened slightly. He knew resisting was useless, so he remained silent.
“You caught all these rabbits just now?”
A whole nest of rabbits—fat and plump, perfect for butchering. Eight or nine in total. Picking up such a haul effortlessly was incredible.
Mu Mianmian smiled. “Mm, maybe I was lucky. I came here and found a nest. Do you want them braised or steamed?” Her voice was soft and sweet, her smile radiant.
Ye Si Ming’s eyes darkened slightly. He glanced away quickly. “Either is fine. You’ve worked hard lately.”
“Mm, let me check your leg.”
“I hear you treated my leg—do you know medicine?”
Mu Mianmian smiled. “A little. My mother knows, and I learned some from her as a child—herbs, some acupuncture, and a bit of diagnosis by observation, listening, questioning, and feeling.”
“Just a little?” Ye Si Ming frowned. Her mother’s status was low—an illegitimate wife of the Mu household. No one knew if she really understood medicine. And she had grown up secluded, learning only to recognize herbs.
“Can my leg recover?”
Regardless of her skills, after using her remedies, he didn’t feel any pain for now.
Mu Mianmian examined the injury. “It’s recovering well. It can heal completely.”
“But bones and sinews take a hundred days to heal. It’ll be three to four months before fully recovered. Be patient.”
Hearing it could heal—even if he didn’t fully believe it—he relaxed considerably. “Mm, thank you.”
“Big Sister-in-law!”
At this moment, Shen Jia and her group approached. “With so many rabbits, can you spare two for us?”
The second and third branches had gone nearby searching for food but hadn’t found a single hair. Seeing the large, plump, snow-white rabbits of the first branch, they were envious.
Mu Mianmian’s expression turned cold. “If you want meat, go find it yourselves.”
“Big Sister-in-law, you can’t do this! We only want two rabbits to honor Grandmother. No matter what, she’s an elder of the Ye family. Big Uncle lost his mother young, but Grandmother raised him.”
“Even if she isn’t his biological mother, she did raise him. Big Uncle should repay her filial duty.”
The Shens spoke convincingly, trying to guilt her.
Mu Mianmian’s tone was icy. “My father grew up in the Ye household, always well-fed, with a house full of servants. He ate their food, used their resources. What filial duty does Grandmother owe him?”
“You—Mu Mianmian! How dare you!”
“Truly a disaster star,” the old Ye matriarch raged. “Such impudence, no upbringing, completely unfilial! If you talk back again, I’ll punish you with family law!”
Mu Mianmian rolled her eyes in annoyance. “We’re already separated. With my father in this state, if you want him to fulfill filial duties, wait until he wakes. And I’m a newlywed—you dare lecture me on filial piety?”
“If you want meat, go find it yourselves. These rabbits are mine. They’re only enough for our first branch. If you want some, pay or give up half of whatever you have.”
“You have quilts; we don’t. If you use our quilts for Father, then maybe I’ll give you a rabbit,” the old matriarch tried to bargain.
Mu Mianmian’s face remained expressionless, her gaze cold. “And why should you eat my rabbits?”
The old woman, fuming, swung her cane.
“I’ll kill you, you disaster star! If not for you, the Ye family wouldn’t have fallen into this state!”