In no time, two women came by, carrying baskets of sewing supplies. One of them, whom Xiao Xing called Aunt Lianhai, was a sister-in-law not beyond five degrees from the main family courtyard. She had just given birth to her third child a month ago, had plenty of breastmilk, and agreed to nurse little Shi Tou.
The other was a bit younger, whom Xiao Xing called Harvest Auntie, and she was the eldest daughter-in-law in the third division captain Zhang Guanghe's family.
As soon as the two entered and saw Ling Chengyan, they started laughing.
Aunt Lianhai's wife took a look at Harvest Auntie, whose cheerful nature was apparent despite her age, and laughed, "I wasn't up to much. I ate this morning, and it's been almost two hours, so it's just right to feed once now."
Aunt Lianhai's wife immediately chuckled, "That's fine, I'll feed him again before I leave."
Knowing these two were there to nurse little Shi Tou, Ling Chengyan naturally expressed courtesy, rising to greet them and pouring them water to drink.
"Both of you, please sit down. Little Shi Tou is asleep, we'll wait until he wakes up," their Aunt Qu Cui said, her word was final, so the two women naturally didn't object. Seeing the fabric on the kang, they realized that the clothes were being made for Ling Chengyan and her mother, and though slightly surprised, repeatedly praised how nice it looked.
Plain and twill cotton fabrics were nothing special to Ling Chengyan, considering she wore the finest plain silks even in her previous life.
But to rural women, who barely had any fabric, mechanized printed fine cotton was indeed a treasure.
"This twill cloth is really thick, soft yet sturdy, must be comfortable and durable to wear."
"Certainly, it's so soft and smooth to the touch..."
Looking at the coarse cloth clothing on the two women, Ling Chengyan gained a new understanding of the preciousness of the fabric.
Both were efficient workers both in the fields and at home, skilled at sewing, and with their help, they quickly cut the fabric and repurposed two old clothes brought by Ling Chengyan, using them as lining for the padded jackets.
With the work of four or five people combined, they completed two padded jackets, one large and one small, before noon.
During this time, Harvest Auntie fed the baby once, and Aunt Lianhai was about to feed him again before leaving, but Ling Chengyan stopped her, "You have a child at home waiting for you. Sister, you should head back. Besides, Shi Tou just ate not long ago, he's not that hungry yet."
Not quite understanding, Aunt Lianhai was gently ushered out by Ling Chengyan. Harvest Auntie picked up the basket of sewing supplies and swiftly followed along, chattering all the way back.
Back in the room, Ling Chengyan met her big aunt's approving gaze, "The Lianhai family seems straightforward, but they have their little thoughts..."
Ling Chengyan smiled and shook her head, "It's normal for a mother to prioritize her own child."
Changing the subject, Ling Chengyan continued, "Big Aunt, I noticed the river has thawed. I wonder if there's a fishing net available. I'd like to give it a try..."
Her sister-in-law Zhao Erni was surprised, "You know how to cast a net? I've never seen you messing with that before."
Ling Chengyan just smiled, "Well, her father was around before..."
No more words were needed, it said enough. Her husband was someone she could rely on before, but now as he faced hardship, all that was left was her with the two kids, having to do everything herself.
Her big aunt was understanding and laughed, "Let your second brother borrow one for you. He has a few playful friends from childhood who like to mess with these things; borrowing a cast net won't be difficult."
At noon, Ling Chengyan still didn't stay at her big uncle's place for lunch, taking the children back home instead.
Wang Lianxiang had been crying all morning at home, but when Ling Chengyan returned, she was too scared to cry anymore.
Ling Chengyan simply called out, "Lianxiang..."
Before she could be told what to do, Lianxiang hurriedly wiped her tears, her swollen eyes like slits, and brought out four eggs, speaking hesitantly, "There aren't many eggs left at home..."
Ling Chengyan calmly responded, "I was thinking, I'm too weak, wanted to slaughter a chicken to nourish myself..."
"Oh, I'll go steam the eggs and make egg soup," Wang Lianxiang interrupted hastily, adding another sentence, "There are still twenty or thirty left, enough for a few days."
She said this and, running past Ling Chengyan, headed straight to the kitchen.
Ling Chengyan paused for a while, then led the two children inside the house.
Little Shi Tou had a few full meals, and the dark yellow complexion on his face seemed to have diminished slightly. Though he hadn't visibly gotten fatter yet, his little face seemed to relax, no longer scrunched up, sleeping soundly like a little piglet.
On the flip side, the diapers were being used up especially fast, being changed three to four times in one morning.
Scanning the room, though it was shabby and broken, there certainly wasn't any extra fabric to make diapers with.
Thus, Ling Chengyan instructed Xiao Xing to watch her brother, and then she went straight to the main room.
"We're out of diapers for the baby, I've come to see if I can find some fabric..." She greeted the elderly couple lying on the kang and headed straight for the cabinet in the corner.
"What do you think you're doing? Are you going to steal?" The old woman, Zhou Xiuying, suddenly sprung up, trying to pull and catch Ling Chengyan.
Wang Liangui also pounded the kang loudly, scolding, "Is there no family rules left? Eldest, third son..."
Unfortunately, he yelled a few times, but no one came in.
Ling Chengyan nimbly sidestepped, causing Zhou Xiuying to miss, and then waved two sheets of paper in front of her eyes, "Yesterday I went to town and happened to meet Director Zhang from the police station. I casually asked him, and he said human trafficking gets at least ten years!"
Zhou Xiuying plopped down on the floor, wailing and slapping her thighs. Wang Liangui also choked up, not daring to scold anymore.
Ignoring them, Ling Chengyan went straight to open the cabinet—
Zhou Xiuying's cries abruptly stopped, and she leapt forward to beat her to it, "You don't know where it is, let me get it for you!"
Ha, this act, aren't you afraid of people finding something in your cabinet?!
Ling Chengyan didn't force her, taking a step back and waiting for Zhou Xiuying to bring out the items.
"Take your dad's old jacket!" Zhou Xiuying exclaimed, looking pained as she tossed out a tattered off-white cotton jacket full of patches.
Ling Chengyan crossed her arms, just watching without moving.
This worn-out clothing, who knows how many years old, she'd be too picky to use it as Shi Tou's diaper!
Seeing this, Zhou Xiuying gritted her teeth and pulled out an old bedsheet, "This blanket sheet is soft from washing, perfect for diapers... We're such a family that can't even wear new clothes, where can we find new fabric for diapers? Besides, new fabric is hard, not as soft and absorbent as old ones..."
Examining the striped hand-woven coarse cloth sheet, though very old, it was still relatively clean. Only then did Ling Chengyan reach out to accept it and turn around to leave.
Just as Wang Lianxiang had finished preparing the meal as ordered by Ling Chengyan and was bringing it to the east wing, Ling Chengyan handed the cloth sheet directly to her, instructing her to wash it along with the dirty morning diapers.
This time, without returning to her mother, Wang Lianxiang sat at the east wing's doorway, cradling a basin of dirty diapers and the sheet, and began to cry.
Upon hearing her cries, Xiao Xing peeked outside, but Ling Chengyan set a bowl of egg soup in front of her, "Eat up, it'll get cold otherwise."
No matter how much she cried, Wang Lianxiang still washed the diapers and sheet, hanging them on the clothesline in the courtyard.
After eating, Ling Chengyan took the kids out again, glancing at the cloth drying under the sun. No visible marks were left, it seemed she washed them rather cleanly.