Chapter 129: Little Clothes
Lu Mingjiang understood what she was talking about before dinner. He squatted there and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He said slowly, "What a blockhead. It's good that she has that awareness. There are many people in the team who sneak into the fields to get things. Everyone knows it. But it's just that they weren't caught on the spot. It's only a matter of time. It's not easy to take advantage of the collective. But you can't say that Donglinwa is wrong. He may think that he is helping us and this family, but his method is wrong and some of his ideas are wrong. We still have to change. This is how we are in this life, but the child can't be led astray."
Zhang Hongying pursed her lips, her words not interrupting her work. "I don't understand the big principles. If you say Chun'e is right, then that's right, but I just think this girl is silly and a little bit lacking in common sense. She looks good, but she might suffer in the future." It's true that the things in the land are collective, but no one complains about having too much of their own things. Who hasn't taken advantage of things that can be taken secretly even if they can't be taken openly? Only her daughter is so honest that she never brings anything back. She doesn't bring anything back herself, but when she sees Lu Donglin smuggling something, she gets upset and quarrels.
Lu Mingjiang smacked his lips and said, "Then teach her. Let her spend more time with Dongping's wife. She'll definitely learn something."
Wen Wan, Zhang Hongying felt that the girl was not as good as Lu Chun'e: "She can learn knowledge. Chun'e and Donglin have made great progress, but I feel that the others are struggling." Their family did not have as good conditions as the Wen family, and they could not afford to give Lu Chun'e a sewing machine and a radio. Their children could only be self-reliant. They had to be more diligent and harder than others to get ahead of others and live a good life.
"Your wife's family is just too long-haired and too short-sighted. Dongping's wife looks soft-tempered, but she's a smart person. Chun'e has a lot to learn from her. If she can learn even half of what she knows, her life will be easier in the future."
Zhang Hongying opened her mouth for a long time but couldn't say anything. She didn't think Wen Wan was that smart.
Wen Wan didn't think she was very smart. She was just used to doing everything. She made decisions that were beneficial to herself under the current circumstances and tried to be as comfortable as possible.
She doesn't go out unless she has something to do, and stays busy in the house.
I started knitting the sweater at the beginning of the year, but I've only finished knitting two sleeves. It's getting faster day by day. Once school starts, it won't be long before it gets cold again.
Before she had woven two rounds, she heard Lu Chun'e talking to someone outside. It was Li Laiying, who rarely liked to go out.
Li Laiying was already over six months pregnant. Ever since she'd found out she wasn't allowed to work, she'd been asked to do some housework. When the weather got hotter and she was free, Gao Xiulan wasn't busy anymore, so she rarely did any housework. Besides washing their clothes, she spent the rest of her time preparing things for the unborn child. Some time ago, while she was feeling better, she'd gone to the commune and, with the money and cloth Gao Xiulan had given her, bought a piece of softer fabric.
She hadn't started working with the cloth since she bought it. Her needlework was so-so. As a girl, no one taught her, so she could only sew a button, patch a shoe, and the stitches were uneven. It was only after she came to the Lu family that she learned a little from Gao Xiulan. The brand new cloth in her hands was like a treasure, and she couldn't bring herself to cut it, for fear of ruining it.
Gao Xiulan had already prepared the diapers for the family. She had originally thought of giving them all to her mother-in-law and asking her to help make them, but she felt unwilling to do so. As a mother of her first child, she couldn't just sit there and do nothing.
Even if she tried to make it, she wouldn't be able to do it well. She had never made clothes before and didn't even dare to cut the fabric.
Thinking about it, she thought of Wen Wan. Everyone said Wen Wan had great craftsmanship. She made all the clothes she wore herself, and they were all different. Her craftsmanship was indeed good. She also had a sewing machine, and it would be even better if she could help her with some work. People said that thing was very easy to use. You just stepped on it and it would sew a line in no time.
It was difficult to ask before because Wen Wan had not yet married into the Lu family. Now that she is married and is the daughter-in-law of the Lu family, she is also a sister-in-law. It should be okay to ask her for help.
Although the wedding banquet had just been held the day before and Wen Wan was still a new bride, Li Laiying couldn't sit still when she thought about going to school soon. She came over with the cloth and said, "Chun'e, is your sister-in-law at home?"
Lu Chun'e nodded: "Yes, yes, sister-in-law Lai Ying, what do you want to talk to my sister-in-law about?"
"Well, there's something. I want her to help me cut some clothes for the child."
Lu Chun'e looked at her belly with a smile and asked, "Are you about to give birth?"
"There are still almost two months left!" Giving birth in cold weather is painful. Not to mention the adults, the confinement period always involves staying in bed. The one who suffers is the baby, and there is not enough cloth to use as diapers. It is the most painful thing in cold weather.
Lu Chun'e went into the house, took out a stool and put it under the eaves: "You sit down, I'll go call my sister-in-law."
Wen Wan didn't need to shout. The window was open and she could hear what was happening outside. She put down the yarn she was knitting and walked out of the house, calling Li Laiying, "Sister-in-law Laiying."
Li Laiying smiled, her eyes fixed on her new clothes. She felt a prick in her heart, thinking of Lu Dongcai's clothes, which didn't fit her well and were covered in patches. She felt a sense of shame, a sense of envy, and something else was quietly brewing.
"Wanwan, school starts tomorrow, right?"
Wen Wan nodded: "Yes, school is about to start and the leisurely days are coming to an end." Tomorrow she has to go with Lu Dongping and go to school early.
"School starts and we have some free time. It's better than going to work anyway. School starts tomorrow, and the team will officially start the autumn harvest."
Wen Wan said, "I don't understand either. This day should be considered a good one this year, right? The crops in the fields should be good, and there should be a good harvest, right?"
"The weather was good before, but it's hard to say now. We have to harvest the corn, dry it, and then weave what needs to be braided and stack it in the warehouse. Only then can we feel at ease. There's still so much rice in the fields. The weather here is like this every year. Once September comes, it's bad. If it doesn't get better after the Cold Dew, it won't be good anymore. Then harvesting the grain is like a war. We have to rush to get it."
Wen Wan shuddered as she thought of that scene, and sighed, "It's so hard to get a meal!"
"Farmers have to rely on the weather for their livelihood, which is not easy." During the casual conversation, Li Laiying did not forget the purpose of her visit. She showed Wen Wan the cloth she had wrapped over and over again. "I am not very promising. My needlework is just average. I thought I couldn't rely on my elders for everything. I have to learn it myself. Since you are good at needlework, I thought I could trouble you to teach me how to sew clothes."
Wen Wan smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, you're being too formal. We're all family, so it's no big deal to just raise your hand. Wait a moment, I'll go get something to set the table."
"No, you don't have to be so particular. Just use the one I wrapped in my hand."
Okay, since she said so herself, Wen Wan didn't insist anymore.
I took out a piece of chalk and asked her, "What are you going to do? Make it the same size as when it was just born, or a little bigger?"
She often made clothes for adults, but she had never made clothes for children. Cutting the material was just like that: you just had to decide the size and cut it. She had seen babies born in the compound before, and they were only a little bit big, like a corn cob, and the little clothes they wore outside were just a little bit.
Li Laiying said, "Make it a little bigger. I specially picked out soft fabrics. Take a look at what shape it can be cut into. I won't give birth for another two months, and the weather will be getting colder by the day. I'm thinking of preparing cotton pants in addition to the long underwear."
Lu Chun'e continued, "You're all wrapped up during the confinement period, so you probably can't wear cotton pants for the time being, right? Children grow fast, and they change every day after the confinement period. New clothes you make won't be wearable in the blink of an eye. If you want to make something, it would be best to make some autumn clothes that are suitable for wearing next to the body." After saying that, she paused for a moment and asked Li Laiying, "Cousin, didn't you ask what your aunt has prepared for you? Don't make the same things over and over again." She felt that with her aunt Gao Xiulan being so capable, she might have prepared everything, and Li Laiying was just worrying about nothing.
Besides, when giving birth in the mountains, no one would make special preparations. They would just modify the clothes that adults no longer wear and keep them as spares. Only those with particularly good conditions would be more particular and prepare softer cloth for the child to wear next to the body.
I saw her bringing a large piece of cloth, which was enough to make small clothes for the child, but if she added cotton clothes and trousers, it would definitely not be enough. And it made me feel uncomfortable to hear that.
Li Laiying said with a wry expression, "Mom made me some cotton trousers and small shoes. I think they're big enough to wear in the spring. I had nothing to wear when I was born last year." Even if she had made them, it would only be one set, pieced together from old cloth. She felt that this was her first child and the first grandson of the Lu family, so he was naturally a treasure. She had suffered as a child, and her child must not suffer the same hardships as her. She had to give him the best.
Wen Wan looked at the material she had brought and said, "Then make some autumn clothes. I don't know how fat or thin the baby will be when he's born, so I'll cut it a little bigger. I can cut it for you right now and see how many sets you can make. Use this piece of fabric. You can sew it yourself after it's cut. If you don't think you can sew well, I can use the sewing machine to do it for you. It's quick and will only take a moment."
Li Laiying nodded: "Alright, thank you for your help then."
"Look, you're being polite to me again." Wen Wan didn't say anything more. She took her piece of cloth and gestured with it, and she had a rough idea in her mind. Li Laiying was willing to spend all four feet of cloth to tear out fine cotton. It was all white with red flowers, which was very suitable for making children's clothes, especially for inner wear.
Wen Wan estimated, measured with her hand, drew a mark with chalk, and then began to cut. Li Laiying, the agile Li Laiying, was a little apprehensive. The scissors cut the cloth as if it were her flesh. She stared intently, not blinking, afraid that if she blinked, the cloth would be ruined.
"Children's clothes don't require much fabric. I'll cut you two sets, one slightly smaller, one slightly larger. That should be enough. You can keep the rest for now. When you're done, think about what you want to make next and cut more."
Turning back, he asked, "Should I use the sewing machine to make it for you, or did you sew it yourself? Children have delicate skin, so it might be better if you sew it yourself. Put the stitches on the outside to avoid rubbing them."
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