As the two stepped out of the space, Shen Nian'an was sitting on a small stool in the courtyard, drawing something on the ground with a small twig. Hearing footsteps, he immediately looked up, saw Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou, and ran over happily, holding up the twig in his hand, saying, "Mom, Dad, look at the sky blue I drew! My new clothes will be this color from now on!"
Lin Wanqiu squatted down, looked at the blue circle drawn on the ground, and couldn't help but laugh: "Nian'an's colors are so beautiful. The cloth that Mother weaves will definitely be even bluer than this." She took Nian'an's hand and walked to the stone table in the yard. "Mother learned to weave today. When I finish weaving the cloth in a few days, I'll make you new clothes, okay?"
"Okay!" Shen Nian'an jumped up excitedly, rubbing her little head against Lin Wanqiu's chest. "Mom, can I watch you weave? I promise I won't cause any trouble, I'll just sit next to you and watch."
Lin Wanqiu patted his head and agreed with a smile, "Of course you can, but you have to be good and not touch the threads on the loom, otherwise the cloth you make won't look good."
Over the next few days, Lin Wanqiu would spend time each day learning to weave in the space. With the guidance of the space's tutorials, and the occasional pointers from Aunt Li, her weaving skills improved rapidly. At first, when she first started using the pedals, uneven pressure would cause the warp threads to open at inconsistent sizes. But after two days of practice, her feet could skillfully coordinate with the heddles, and the "click-clack" of the weaving echoed in the space like a light and cheerful melody. The shuttle moved swiftly between her fingers, precisely tightening the weft threads with each pass through the warp, producing a smooth and even fabric. Even Aunt Li couldn't help but praise her: "Wanqiu, your skill is truly innate! It took me half a month to weave such fine cloth back then, and you've learned it in just a few days! You're amazing!"
That evening, Lin Wanqiu finally finished weaving her first piece of cloth—the exact sky blue that Nian'an had wanted. She carefully removed the cloth from the loom and spread it out on the floor. The pale blue fabric shimmered softly in the warm light, like a piece of sky cut out of the sky. The fine stitches were evenly distributed, and it felt soft and thick to the touch. Holding the cloth, she felt a surge of accomplishment. This was the most meaningful thing she had accomplished by hand since her rebirth, aside from building the house—it wasn't just a piece of cloth, but also a symbol of her love for her family, proof that their little home was getting better and better.
She eagerly took the cloth out of the space, and as soon as she reached the courtyard, she saw Shen Tingzhou and Nian'an tidying up the yard. Nian'an saw the blue cloth in her hand, immediately dropped the broom she was holding, and ran over, her eyes wide: "Mom, is this the cloth for my new clothes? It really is sky blue!"
"Yes, this is the fabric for making your new clothes." Lin Wanqiu unfolded the fabric and let Nian'an touch it. "Look, this fabric is soft and thick. It's perfect for making a little cotton-padded jacket. It will definitely keep you warm in winter."
Shen Tingzhou also came over, looking at the blue cloth in front of him with surprise in his eyes: "This cloth is woven so well, and the color is just right. It's much better looking than the cloth sold at the supply and marketing cooperative." He reached out and touched the cloth, feeling its delicate texture. His admiration for Lin Wanqiu grew even more—she always brought surprises to this family, from building the house to growing vegetables, and now to weaving cloth, she did everything quickly and well.
Seeing the joyful expressions on the father and son's faces, Lin Wanqiu felt a warmth in her heart. She folded the cloth neatly, held it in her arms, and said, "I'll start making a cotton-padded coat for Nian'an tomorrow. Winter is almost here, so I'll make it thick so he can stay warm all winter long." She remembered when she was first reborn, Nian'an only wore a thin, old cotton-padded coat in winter, his little hands red from the cold, and her heart ached. Now that she had cloth she had woven herself, she was determined to make sure her child was warm and presentable.
Chen Nian'an tugged at Lin Wanqiu's sleeve, her little face full of anticipation: "Mom, can I watch you make a cotton-padded jacket? I want to see my new clothes made little by little."
"Of course," Lin Wanqiu agreed with a smile, already planning the process of making the cotton-padded jacket in her mind—first cutting the cloth, then stuffing it with cotton, and finally sewing it together. The cotton had to be the best new cotton from her space, so it would be warm enough. She even wanted to embroider a few small clouds on the cuffs and collar of the jacket to make Nian'an's new clothes even prettier.
As night deepened, the kerosene lamp in the courtyard lit up again. Lin Wanqiu carefully put the blue cloth into the cupboard, sat under the lamp, and began to draw the pattern for the cotton-padded jacket. Shen Tingzhou sat beside her, helping her cut the threads, while Nian An lay on the table, watching her draw the pattern with wide eyes, occasionally asking softly, "Mother, why is this part drawn as an arc?"
Lin Wanqiu patiently explained, "Because these are the cuffs, drawing them in a curved shape makes them more comfortable to wear and prevents them from constricting the arms." As she drew, she savored this warm moment, her heart filled with happiness. She knew that this cotton-padded jacket, made from fabric she had woven herself, would not only warm Nian'an's winter but also fill this little family with warmth and hope in the coming winter. And what she had to do was use her own hands to weave more fabric and make more new clothes for her family, making life in the 1960s sweeter than honey.
Early the next morning, Lin Wanqiu took out blue cloth and cotton and began making a cotton-padded jacket for Nian'an. Sunlight streamed through the window onto the table, turning the blue cloth a pale gold. The cotton was fluffy and soft, like fluffy white clouds. She picked up the scissors and carefully cut the cloth according to the paper pattern, being extra careful with each cut, afraid of cutting the wrong size. Shen Nian'an sat on a small stool beside her, holding a thread in her hand, occasionally handing her a needle, her little face full of anticipation, even forgetting her usual favorite activity of collecting eggs.
"Mother, when will it be finished?" Shen Nian'an couldn't help but ask, her eyes fixed on the cloth in Lin Wanqiu's hand.
"Almost done, it'll be finished in a couple more days," Lin Wanqiu said with a smile, her needle and thread flying swiftly, securing the cotton to the fabric. She recalled the focus she had when cooking in her past life, and although this was her first time making clothes, she felt the same passion—all for her family, for this little home she had protected with all her might.
The sunlight outside the window gradually rose, the dew on the holly leaves in the yard slowly evaporated, and the shouts of commune members going to work in the fields drifted from afar—everything was full of the breath of life. Lin Wanqiu looked down at the cotton-padded coat that was gradually taking shape in her hands, her heart filled with anticipation—once this coat was finished, she would make a blue shirt for Shen Tingzhou, a pink dress for herself, and weave some cloth to give to Aunt Li and Sister Zhang, so that everyone could feel this warmth.
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