Chapter 103 Egg Rolls Are Incredibly Cute
With Canglan's reassurance, everyone quickly accepted the fact that "this winter will be cold and long."
Ning Jia also chimed in at the opportune moment:
"We have many ways to keep warm here, and we can also turn on the air conditioner in winter."
What?! An air conditioner can blow warm air in addition to cooling?!
The little figures immediately turned their gaze to the large cabinet air conditioner in the living room, revealing an even more admiring expression.
Air conditioning is so powerful, I'm not afraid of winter anymore.
Looking at that large rectangular object, the little people suddenly felt more at ease and less anxious about the coming cold weather.
Seeing that the tribespeople had calmed down, Canglan stroked her chin and smiled slightly, continuing to explain her winter plans.
"What? They're going to make us clothes for autumn and winter?"
Canglan shook her head and corrected, "To be precise, we made our own clothes."
What?
Most of the petty people looked bewildered after hearing this:
"Then how do we do it?" "Yeah, what kind of clothes should we make?" "I don't know how to make them."
By the tree spirit, they have never made any other clothes besides the grass skirts they always wear.
Just thinking about it makes me feel like it's going to be really difficult.
Seeing the troubled expressions on everyone's faces, Yunzhu quickly stepped forward at Canglan's prompting and explained in detail her specific ideas for the autumn and winter clothing of the little people.
Once he started talking, it was like a raging torrent, completely unstoppable.
Bai Su coughed softly a few times before Yun Zhu realized what was happening and stopped talking before the clansmen became drowsy:
"Anyway, well... since the clothes are for our own wear and we don't need to sell them, as long as they are practical and warm, we can be as creative as we want and make them however we want."
Upon hearing this, the other members of the tribe displayed various expressions.
Some were indifferent, some were eager to try, some looked bewildered, and some craft enthusiasts like Gancao and Shiying had already stood together and started discussing in hushed tones.
"I think the fabric we use to make sachets is quite good; it's soft and lightweight..."
"I think the new clothes should be made thicker so they can block the wind..."
Listening to everyone's various ideas about the new clothes, Gancao's little hands couldn't help but itch; she wished she could immediately take out a piece of fabric and start cutting and sewing...
Quartz also said with some regret:
"Unfortunately, we've put away all the needles, thread, and fabric, so we can't do anything for the time being."
Licorice, Malva verticillata, sappanwood, and others nodded vigorously, their faces filled with regret.
For safety reasons, they haven't been to the boys' dormitory's game room for a day. They'd definitely get more inspiration if they made clothes there!
Sigh, I really don't know when this typhoon will end...
...
Ning Jia had long noticed the restless movements of Gan Cao and the others, and seized the opportunity to say:
"Everyone, please don't rush. I have a small suggestion."
“Our family is quite large. If we sew by ourselves, even if each person only makes one garment, it will take a lot of time. Why don’t we… buy a sewing machine?”
A sewing machine? What is that?
The little people immediately stopped their discussions and all looked at Ning Jia.
Ning Jia habitually took out her phone, wanting to search online for pictures and articles about sewing machines, but seeing that the signal had not been restored, she had to put her phone down again.
"Hmm... this sewing machine is a machine that can quickly sew fabric..."
As Ning Jia spoke, she gestured, then picked up the paper and pen she had used for the calculations and drew a simple sketch on it for the children to refer to:
"Well, that's about it."
The children stared at the blurry, seemingly square-shaped display image, looking at it again and again, their minds filled with even more questions:
What on earth is this?!
"Forget it, don't look at this."
Ning Jia scratched his head, finding it hard to look directly at this "artwork of the soul," and promised the little ones:
"Once the internet is back up, I'll buy you a sewing machine online. Once you get the machine back, you'll know how to use it."
Bai Su suddenly raised her hand and asked a question:
"Ning Jia, is the dress you're wearing also made by a sewing machine?"
Ning Jia looked down at her white T-shirt and nodded:
"Yes, it's made with a sewing machine."
Suddenly, she remembered something, went to the bathroom and got the T-shirt she had washed the day before. Overnight, the T-shirt had dried.
Ning Jia held up the T-shirt, which was bigger than a bed sheet to the little people, in one hand, and pointed to the dense stitches on it with the other, saying:
"Look, this was sewn with a sewing machine. Isn't it neat?"
"Wow--"
The little ones, who had never paid attention to these details before, all looked up at the T-shirt above their heads and exclaimed in amazement.
"Really! It looks even better than what we could sew ourselves..."
Su Mu muttered something, and was immediately glared at by Gan Cao, who said unhappily:
"Why are you siding with outsiders and speaking up for that sewing machine?"
"We can sew it ourselves with needle and thread, and it will definitely be very neat!"
Hearing this, Xuecao looked at her younger brother with satisfaction and encouraged him:
"Licorice is right, you're the best!"
Having served as the group leader of the sachet embroidery team for quite some time, Gancao confidently raised her head and said, "Of course!"
Xuecao chuckled and continued:
"Since you're so capable, then you can make my new clothes for autumn."
Gan Cao's face froze for a moment, still hesitating whether to agree, when Xue Cao patted him on the shoulder:
"Keep up the good work, I believe in you!"
"...Oh, okay!"
Licorice nodded dumbly, and by the time she realized what was happening, Snow Grass had already slipped back to Bai Su's side.
Over there, Canglan and Zelan also had many questions about this "sewing machine" that they were hearing about for the first time.
Yunzhu and Baizhi scratched their heads awkwardly, too embarrassed to say that they had never seen anything about this sewing machine online, so they didn't know how to use it...
Faced with everyone's curiosity, Ning Jia tried her best to search the common sense stored in her mind and explained the questions.
Orange Leaf suddenly asked:
"You mean, this sewing machine used to exist in every giant's house? Then it must be huge, right? Could our people use it?"
Ning Jia nodded and said affirmatively:
"Yes, there are many models of this sewing machine. There are larger, old-fashioned sewing machines that can be pedaled, as well as lightweight, portable mini sewing machines that are electric and don't require pedaling. The mini sewing machine should be more suitable for you."
The little people, on the other hand, were concerned about the cost:
"Is this sewing machine very expensive?"
Ning Jia thought for a moment, "Around a few hundred yuan?"
Seeing the little people startled, she couldn't help but smile slightly:
"Yesterday was too rushed, I forgot to record the accounts. Our first batch of sachet blind boxes has basically all been shipped, and your accounts should have at least a... "
She thought for a moment and then gestured a number with her fingers.
Bai Su and the others remained silent, while many of the lesser men hesitated, boldly guessing:
Five thousand?
"It's fifty thousand."
Ning Jia was both amused and exasperated.
"When you were packing the packages yesterday, didn't you all see the blind boxes inside? Each one was 129 yuan. With such a large quantity, there's no way you only made 5,000 yuan, right?"
As she spoke, she glanced at the bewildered little people, feeling that teaching them basic arithmetic was still a long and arduous task...
Finally, after some discussion, everyone agreed to add the sewing machine to the shopping list.
Even Gan Cao and the others, though they outwardly dismissed the sewing machine with disdain, couldn't help but secretly wonder just how powerful it was.
...
Today's afternoon tea was even more lively than usual.
Although there was no ice cream, everyone was still very happy when Ning Jia brought out crispy and delicious egg rolls and sweet and crunchy popcorn.
Compared to the fruit in the morning and the vegetable salad at noon, these sweet and oily desserts have an exceptionally sweet aroma.
However, thanks to Ning Jia's on-site teaching and the real-life examples of Daoya, the knowledge about "junk food" was firmly remembered by the children.
Therefore, no one showed any particular craving; instead, everyone consciously took only two small pieces of popcorn.
Some of the younger kids, like Bai Su, Xue Cao, Shi Ying, Gan Cao, and even He Meng, only took a small piece of popcorn.
Juye didn't even take her two pieces of popcorn, only a small piece of egg roll, saying it was to accommodate Daoya's feelings about not being able to eat popcorn.
However, Ning Jia strongly suspects that, apart from this reason, Ju Ye, who is very health-conscious, might not dare to eat popcorn anymore after discovering that it is "junk food".
At this moment, Juye held the pale yellow egg roll and nibbled on it contentedly, occasionally leaning over to the small bowl of fresh milk to take a few sips with a straw to moisten her throat.
Eggs and milk are both very nutritious foods. Eating more of them regularly will definitely make you stronger!
As for popcorn, which was categorized as junk food, Ju Ye glanced at Xue Cao, who was happily munching on it, swallowed hard, and secretly decided:
If you want to eat popcorn again tomorrow, then eat less.
Guoguo and Xingxing didn't care about whether it was "trash" or not. After all, the clan leader had eaten two popcorns, so it must be fine.
They sat comfortably in their two freshly received popcorn kernels and a small egg roll, next to a makeshift bowl cut from a milk carton. They devoured the popcorn and drank some milk.
Just then, Xingxing suddenly had a brilliant idea.
She looked at the remaining egg roll, carefully picked it up, dipped one end of the egg roll in milk, and waited for the milk to be fully absorbed before slowly eating it.
The rich milky aroma mixed with the sweet egg flavor makes it soft and fragrant, yet retains a touch of crispness. The texture is simply wonderful!
Guoguo followed suit, dipping the egg roll in milk, taking a curious bite, chewing it, and then revealing a look of surprise:
Wow, this looks delicious!
"Right! I think so too!"
The two little ones ate the "egg rolls soaked in milk" with great satisfaction, their smiles as sweet as the egg rolls themselves.
...
After finishing their snacks and milk, the adults and children, no longer bored and picking their toes, gathered in twos and threes and began a "brainstorming" session about their new clothes.
Ning Jia, who is clumsy with her hands, glanced at her phone with a still weak signal and decisively transformed into the headmaster of a miniature kindergarten, leading a few little people in playing a game.
Ning Jia, acting as the referee, had the little ones line up on the floor before squatting down to explain the specific rules of the game.
"Everyone, squat down in order, saying the name of the vegetable as you squat. Once you've said it, you can't say it again, understand?"
As she spoke, Ning Jia demonstrated, squatting down as she said:
"Cucumber squat, cucumber squat, after cucumber squat, green vegetable squat!"
Guoguo immediately understood, quickly squatted down with her small body, and said loudly as she squatted:
"Cabbage squat, cabbage squat, after the cabbage squats, radish squats!"
The stars behind her paused for a moment, then slowly crouched down as well:
"Radish squat, radish squat, after the radish squats... cabbage squats!"
Everyone squatted around smoothly and soon arrived at Xingxing's spot:
"Tomato squat, tomato squat, after the tomato squat is over... I, I squat!"
Xingxing looked completely bewildered and almost lost her balance, falling on her bottom.
"Haha, Xingxing, you lost! You should have said vegetables, not yourself!"
There were too many words for "tomato" in the text, so people didn't realize it.
Xingxing pouted and stood aside sullenly.
...
Once all the little ones had learned the game of "Radish Squat," Ning Jia, the referee, had no further role to play, so she simply let them play by themselves while she lay back on the sofa to rest.
Watching the little ones having so much fun, Ning Jia couldn't help but sigh:
Actually, even if you don't use your phone, there are plenty of things to do, so you won't be bored at all.
As she was reflecting on this, she suddenly heard her phone vibrate. She quickly looked around and finally found the forgotten phone hidden in the sofa cushions.
When I opened my phone, I saw a WeChat message from Zhou Chi, asking how they were doing.
Ning Jia quickly replied, but the message, which was only a line of about ten characters, took a long time to send in the chat box and still failed to go through.
WeChat is garbage; it lags terribly whenever the signal is weak...
Ning Jia grumbled a few times, then quickly sent several more messages to Ms. Ning, Liu Yue, and others, letting the messages automatically send themselves in the chat box. Maybe they would be sent in a little while.
She casually switched the interface and opened Xiaohongshu.
With such a poor signal, Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) must be lagging too... right?
Just then, she suddenly paused, looking at her phone screen with some surprise:
Wait, Xiaohongshu actually works.
Ning Jia perked up and quickly refreshed the page to see what the local netizens were up to. Then she saw a very long and eye-catching video title at the very top:
"During a typhoon, having my most adorable, soft, and obedient kitten in the universe to keep me company at home is truly blissful!!"
Ning Jia clicked on it casually, and just as she finished reading the title and was about to watch the cat owner's video of their cat, she suddenly squinted and brought her eyes closer to the phone screen:
Huh? What did she just see?
The video footage did not show the fluffy kitten that Ning Jia had expected.
Under the blogger's loving lens, a cat that can hardly be described as cute and cuddly... lies quietly on a simple and elegant sofa, its eyes not at all obedient, but rather looking at the camera very defiantly.
"This is...this is the Ugly Cat Sachet?!"
Ning Jia stared wide-eyed in surprise, repeatedly confirming that she wasn't hallucinating. With mixed feelings, she watched the blogger happily introduce her "pet" to netizens on camera, even adding:
"My adorable kitten really healed me during the typhoon. I love her so much..."
After watching the short video, which was only a few dozen seconds long, Ning Jia looked completely dazed.
Do netizens these days really like playing with abstract concepts?
Although those cat heads were indeed very unique and addictive, Ning Jia was still a little shocked to see someone keeping them as pets.
Seeing that there were quite a few likes and comments below, she immediately clicked on the comments to see what everyone was saying, and then... nothing happened.
Because the network suddenly lost signal again.
Ning Jia was speechless. With a belly full of questions, she closed Xiaohongshu and opened WeChat. Seeing that the messages were still "sending", she had no choice but to close WeChat as well.
Sigh, days without being able to use your phone are actually quite boring!
...
Dinner is a combination of breakfast and lunch: fruit with yogurt and vegetable salad.
The little ones ate with great relish and expressed their heartfelt gratitude for every fruit and vegetable they received.
"Thank you, tomato, you're delicious!"
"Banana, banana, you're awesome! You're the best in the world!"
"Apples are so delicious, I really like you, little apple~"
Accompanied by the sound of the wind outside the window, the children's enthusiastic praise was even more sincere than in the morning.
Another strong wind blew in the afternoon, causing the persimmons on the trees to fall freely. The number of fruits on the branches was visibly decreasing, which was a blow to many people.
Therefore, everyone cherishes the food in front of them even more.
During the children's gratitude ceremony, Ning Jia casually chewed a few bites of vegetable leaves before putting down her chopsticks.
These vegetables can fill you up, but the feeling of fullness is superficial, like a gap in your stomach. Even when your stomach is full, there's still a strange emptiness.
Ning Jia's gaze swept over the fruit for a moment, finally settling on the bananas. After devouring two, she finally felt somewhat satisfied.
Since she started cooking for the dwarves, her food standards have increased, and she seems to have gained a little weight...
I'll eat less for dinner; consider it a diet.
...
After dinner, Ning Jia picked up her phone and looked at it again:
The WeChat message was finally sent, and the signal seems to be better now.
She didn't have time to read the numerous messages from her clients, and quickly chatted with Ms. Ning for a few minutes. Sure enough, before she could finish speaking, the WeChat message wouldn't go through again...
I'm so fed up with having no signal!
Ning Jia irritably turned off her phone, intending to go find Gan Cao and the others to ask about the progress of the new clothes, when suddenly a "Sunny Doll" (a nickname for a child) ran over excitedly, panting:
"Ningjia, Ningjia, come and see!"
"What are you looking at?"
Ning Jia stood up from the sofa, puzzled, and followed He Meng, who was wrapped in a small handkerchief, to the living room window.
He Meng wasn't bothered at all by the handkerchief and cloak; she remained agile and quickly climbed onto the windowsill. Then, pointing out the window, she said excitedly:
"Ning Jia, look, those are very, very bright stars!"
"So many stars!"
Ning Jia paused for a moment, then looked through the window of the bed, which was covered with cross-shaped tape, at the sky above the courtyard.
Sure enough, there were many tiny stars under the dark sky.
Although these stars appear tiny, each one twinkles and shines, striving to radiate its greatest light and contributing all its brilliance to the night sky.
The twinkling stars above the courtyard reminded Ning Jia, for some reason, of the starry sky that Gan Cao and the others had embroidered on the sachets.
Looking at the starry sky, Ning Jia said nothing, only slowly raising the corners of her mouth. The previous agitation had vanished, replaced by inner peace and tranquility.
The stars are so beautiful tonight; tomorrow will surely be a good day.
It definitely will be.
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