Chapter 144 Taking apart the cotton-padded jacket
Since Leilei and Yaoyao started school, the days have flown by like the tide outside the school, rising and falling rapidly.
Just a few days ago I was still wrapped in a cotton-padded coat and feeling shivering, but now the sun is so warm it's dazzling, and I can finally take off my heavy cotton-padded coat.
Lu Mingyue piled up the family's cotton-padded coats in the corner of the yard, moved a small stool over, sat down, and carefully picked up scissors to carefully separate the cotton threads.
The cotton-padded jackets were made last winter. Although cloth sleeves and floral bibs were sewn on the children and they were washed every few days, there was still some barely noticeable dust on the collar and cuffs.
"Mom, let me help you pull the loose thread." Leilei came home from school, threw down his schoolbag and came over, pointing with his little finger to the loose cotton thread on his cotton-padded jacket.
Lu Mingyue smiled and handed him the scissors: "Be careful not to cut your hand. Just pull on these loose threads."
Yao Yao also brought a small stool and sat down next to it, picking up the torn pieces of cloth and folding them into small squares in a very professional manner.
After taking apart the cotton-padded coat, Lu Mingyue separated the outer fabric, lining, and cotton wadding, and carried them to the hand pump well.
First, soak the fabric and lining in warm water, sprinkle some soap powder on them, and scrub them carefully with a washboard. Scrub the oil stains on the collar several times, and gently brush the gray stains on the cuffs.
The washed fabrics were hung on a rope in the yard. When the wind blew, the blue and gray pieces of fabric with small floral patterns swayed gently, like a string of small flags.
Since the cotton wadding couldn't be washed, Lu Mingyue spread it on a stone slab and gently patted it with a thin stick.
Sunlight shines on the cotton wool, and tiny dust particles float up as you pat it.
Leilei imitated her, using a small twig to pat the edges, making the cotton fluffy and fluffy, like freshly picked cotton.
"Mom, after we dry these cotton waddings, can we still make cotton-padded jackets for winter?" Lei Lei stopped what he was doing and asked, looking at the fluffy cotton waddings.
"Of course." Lu Mingyue folded up the cotton wadding she had patted. "Once it's completely dry, we can sew it back together in winter, and it will still be warm to wear."
After the fabric and cotton were dried, Lu Mingyue put them into the wooden box on the top shelf of the cabinet, and also put two packets of dried mugwort in the box.
It's mainly for preventing moths, and when you take it out in winter, the cotton wadding will have a faint fragrance of mugwort.
As the weather warms up, it's finally possible to ride a bicycle when going out. The ceramic pot at home is broken, and the old man who repairs things hasn't been to the market in a long time. We need to use it, so she plans to go to the county town to buy a few more.
With money in her pocket, Lu Mingyue pondered on the road that she should buy a larger pottery jar than the old one at home, which could be used to store rice and pickle vegetables. She also planned to buy a piece of floral fabric for Leilei and Yaoyao to make summer jackets.
When she arrived at the county supply and marketing cooperative, she first went to the ceramics counter to pick out a pottery jar. The bluish-gray glaze was bright and shiny, the mouth of the jar was round and smooth, and the handle was sturdy. She tapped the body of the jar and heard a deep sound. She was very satisfied.
After paying the fare and just as she was about to pick up the pottery jar and leave, she saw Guo Xuefu talking to a man in a military green shirt under the locust tree at the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative.
The man had his back to her, his posture was upright, and judging from his shoulder insignia, he seemed to be an officer in the military.
Guo Xuefu kept her head down, speaking in a very low voice, and her hands kept tugging at the hem of her clothes, looking somewhat nervous.
Lu Mingyue didn't want to disturb him and was about to walk around when she saw the man walk towards the street corner in a hurry. She only caught a glimpse of his blurry back and couldn't see his face clearly.
"Sister-in-law Mingyue." Guo Xuefu turned around and saw her. She quickly greeted her with a smile, but her heart was still pounding. "You've come to the county town to buy things too?"
Lu Mingyue shook the earthenware jar in her hand: "Hmm, the earthenware jar at home broke, so I came to get a new one. Who was that talking to you just now?"
"Oh, it's someone asking for directions," Guo Xuefu answered quickly, but her eyes darted away. "Sister-in-law, are you done shopping? Are you going back now?"
Lu Mingyue nodded, but she had some doubts in her heart.
Guo Xuefu has only been in the family compound for a short time and is not familiar with the area, so how could she possibly know the way?
Moreover, judging from the way the two were talking, it didn't seem like they were simply asking for directions.
But she didn't ask any further questions, and said with a smile, "Yes, the children are still waiting at home. Aren't you going to buy something?"
"I just came out for some fresh air, I'm not buying anything," Guo Xuefu waved her hand.
Lu Mingyue responded and walked back with the pottery jar. When she looked back, Guo Xuefu was still standing at the door, looking in the direction the man had just walked.
On her bike ride home, a gust of wind stirred up Lu Mingyue's unease again, and the more she thought about it, the more something seemed amiss.
She shook her head, focusing her attention back on the pottery jar. Who cares? She's the one living her life. Guo Xuefu's affairs are none of her business. As long as her family is doing well, that's better than anything else.
After returning home, Lu Mingyue cleaned the earthenware jar, put it in the sun to dry, and after the moisture had completely evaporated, she placed it in a cool place and put the family's dry food inside, making it convenient to take out and store.
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Early in the morning, Leilei tied his shoelaces himself and slung his schoolbag over his shoulder.
Lu Mingyue lay in bed, her back still aching. She thought of getting up to see him off, but Leilei held her hand down: "Mom, you just lie there. I can go to school by myself, and I'll come back to be with you after school."
He carried his cloth schoolbag and walked out of the courtyard gate, looking back every few steps, his little face full of worry.
Last night, Mom was in so much pain that she kept tossing and turning. This morning, she barely ate any porridge. I wonder if she'll feel even worse at noon.
In class, while the teacher was lecturing, Leilei kept getting distracted, staring at the trees outside the window, his mind racing with thoughts: Had Mom applied the ointment? Had Yaoyao been crying for her mother?
He only stood up abruptly when the teacher called on him to answer a question, luckily he had reviewed his lessons beforehand. He answered the teacher's question without any major mishap.
When class ended, the teacher stuck a small red paper flower on his forehead to praise him for doing a good job on his homework last week.
Leilei usually keeps the little red flower in his pocket and shows it to his mother as soon as he gets home from school.
But today, when he touched the flower on his forehead, he wasn't very happy. He just wished his mother could see it, but his mother wasn't feeling well.
As soon as the school bell rang, Leilei slung his schoolbag over his shoulder and ran home.
Niu Niu called to him from behind to play marbles, but he waved his hand and said, "No, my mother is sick, I have to go home to be with her."
His short legs ran incredibly fast, his backpack strap bouncing behind him, and the little red flower on his forehead was blown askew by the wind, but he didn't even bother to pay attention to it.
Just as I stepped out of the school gate, I ran into Zheng Xiuhua carrying a shopping basket.
Zheng Xiuhua usually goes to pick up the children with Lu Mingyue. Seeing that Leilei was alone today, she asked in confusion, "Leilei, where is your mother? Usually at this time, she would be waiting for you at the gate."
Leilei stopped, his little brows furrowed, and his voice was a little aggrieved: "My mom is sick. She has a lot of blisters on her waist, called snakes coiling around the waist. It hurts so much that she can't get out of bed. Dad said she has to avoid certain foods, not even dried fish."
As he spoke, he touched the little red flower in his pocket and added in a low voice, "I have to hurry home and show my mom the little red flower the teacher gave me. Maybe it will make her feel less pain."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Xiuhua's heart skipped a beat: "A snake wrapped around the waist is difficult to treat. You should go home and stay with your mother first."
After agreeing to say goodbye, Leilei quickened his pace and ran home.
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