"So the space not only provided a loom, but also a skill tutorial. How thoughtful!" Lin Wanqiu couldn't help but laugh. She rubbed her throbbing temples, knowing that this knowledge would take time to digest, and got up to walk to the other side of the warehouse to see if there were any matching weaving tools. Sure enough, in the cabinet next to the loom, she found several treasures: a sharpened bamboo comb with evenly spaced teeth, perfect for combing cotton yarn; a small winding spool with a smooth, rounded wooden core, which could easily wind cotton yarn into neat spindles; and a wooden ruler for measuring fabric width, with clear graduations, its accuracy no less than that of a modern ruler.
What surprised her most was that there were several packages of cotton yarn in different colors hidden in the cabinet—besides the white and light blue she had seen before, there were also light pink, pale yellow, and turquoise. Each color was fresh and soft, as if the colors of spring had been captured here. She picked up a small strand of light pink cotton yarn, held it to her nose, and smelled it. The faint cotton scent was mixed with a faint floral fragrance, which she guessed was due to the addition of some natural dye during the production process, giving the cotton yarn such a beautiful color.
"With this cotton yarn and tools, plus the skills given by the space, weaving beautiful fabric shouldn't be difficult." Lin Wanqiu put the cotton yarn back in the cabinet, already starting to plan: first, she would weave a bolt of white coarse cotton cloth to make two close-fitting undershirts for Nian'an, which would be absorbent and comfortable; then she would weave a bolt of light blue fine cotton cloth to make a shirt for Shen Tingzhou, so he could wear it respectably; as for herself, perhaps she could try weaving a bolt of light pink cloth to make a dress, adding a touch of brightness to this drab era. She even thought that if she wove too much fabric, she could give some to Aunt Li and Sister Zhang—they had helped a lot when she built her house, and giving them some fabric would not only express her gratitude but also strengthen their neighborly relationship, killing two birds with one stone.
Just as she was immersed in her dreams of the future, a slight noise came from outside the space, as if someone had gotten up to get a drink of water. Lin Wanqiu's heart tightened; she knew that Shen Tingzhou had woken up. She quickly walked to the entrance of the space, silently said "Go out," and instantly returned to the main room. Sure enough, Shen Tingzhou was standing at the door of the main room, holding a light coat. Seeing her come out, he quickly stepped forward and draped the coat over her shoulders: "Why aren't you in your room? It's chilly at night; be careful not to catch a cold."
Lin Wanqiu tugged at her coat collar, buried her face in the warm fabric, and said with a hint of excitement as if she had just come out of the space: "I couldn't help but go and look at the loom again, and I found that there are a lot of matching tools and cotton yarn in the space, and even the weaving techniques are provided. It's so comprehensive!" She took Shen Tingzhou's hand and told him about her discoveries in the space one by one, from the material of the loom to the color of the cotton yarn, and then to the tutorials on the skill panel. She spoke with great enthusiasm, and the light in her eyes was brighter than the stars in the night sky.
Shen Tingzhou listened patiently, nodding occasionally in response. Watching her share her joy like a child, a warm feeling welled up in his heart. He raised his hand to wipe away the tiny cotton fibers clinging to her cheek—presumably from when she was fiddling with the cotton yarn in the space—and said gently, "Seeing how happy you are, I'll inquire about weaving tomorrow. Don't be too anxious, take your time, we have plenty of time."
Lin Wanqiu nodded, her heart already brimming with an irrepressible urge to try it. She looked out the window; the eastern sky was already tinged with the pale light of dawn, a new day was about to begin. She knew that with the arrival of this loom, her life would turn a new page—not only would she be able to keep her family warm and presentable, but she would also provide a solid guarantee for their future. And what she needed to do was seize every moment, learn to weave as quickly as possible, and turn this beautiful dream into a tangible reality.
Just as dawn was breaking, a slight noise came from the small house on the east side. Shen Nian'an rubbed her sleepy eyes and pushed open the door. Seeing Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou standing in the yard, she immediately ran over happily, trotted to Lin Wanqiu's side, and looked up at her with her little face, asking, "Mom, what are we going to do today? Can we go collect eggs?"
Lin Wanqiu squatted down, pinched his soft cheeks, and said with a smile, "Go eat breakfast first. After breakfast, Mom has some good news for you—we can weave our own cloth and make new clothes from now on. Nian'an, what color new clothes do you want?"
"Really?" Shen Nian'an's eyes lit up instantly, and she gripped Lin Wanqiu's clothes tightly with her little hands. "I want blue! Blue like the sky!"
"Okay, Mother will remember. I'll definitely knit Nian'an a new sky-blue dress."
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