Chapter 31: Continuing to Stock Up for the Cold Winter

Wen Nuan Nuan had originally thought she could leisurely stroll through the streets to buy daily necessities, after all, she could spend at least four hours exploring the city.

And how big could an ancient city possibly be?

But after entering, Wen Nuan Nuan sadly discovered that not only was it larger than she had imagined, but the key point was that she had to walk everywhere!

No matter where she went, she had to rely on her own two feet.

Not only that, but the distance between one shop and another was also far—she felt it took at least twenty minutes or more!

This meant that she hardly did any shopping at all, spending the entire time walking, walking, and walking.

Fortunately, along the way, she managed to buy a stick of candied hawthorn and some pastries.

Otherwise, if she had wanted to make a special trip to buy them, she might as well forget it—there simply wasn’t enough time.

They were now heading to the largest cloth shop in the city.

“Sister-in-law, just cross this street and turn the corner, and we’ll be there,” Ling Yun excitedly pointed the way for Wen Nuan Nuan.

Wen Nuan Nuan felt like crying but had no tears. Why was the gap between her and others so vast?

The two younger brothers were as energetic and enthusiastic as if nothing had happened, while she, on the other hand, was no different from a salted fish—she didn’t even want to flip over.

“Sister-in-law, are you tired? Do you want to rest for a while?” The quiet Leng Chen was much more thoughtful. Noticing his sister-in-law’s listless expression, he asked with concern.

Wen Nuan Nuan wanted to say that she was indeed tired. After all, she had been up since around five in the morning, and it was now probably past eleven, with little rest and constant walking.

But resting was definitely out of the question.

Wen Nuan Nuan was too embarrassed to suggest it. The two younger brothers were carrying large bamboo baskets filled to the brim with items, and they were even holding things that couldn’t fit inside.

Meanwhile, she was only carrying an empty bamboo basket covered with cotton cloth, traveling light. If she were to suggest resting now and wasting time, she would feel ashamed.

“It’s fine. Once we get to the cloth shop ahead and buy the fabric, we can rest,” Wen Nuan Nuan said, feeling a bit thirsty.

The water in the bamboo tube was finished. Earlier, at the money exchange, she had been too cautious to drink the tea there. Now, thinking back, she regretted not filling the bamboo tube with water to take with her.

Oh well, it’s always better to be cautious when outside—it never hurts.

When they reached the cloth shop, she could ask the shopkeeper for some water. That would also be a good opportunity to fill the water pouch she bought at the general store.

After the New Year, the second brother and little brother would be ten years old. From what she understood so far, the two little ones were sensible, well-mannered, and knew their limits. She would observe them for a few more months to see.

If they were suitable, she would tell them about the existence of the “treasure.” That way, whether at home or outside, with their help, it would be much more convenient to take things out.

At least in situations like this, the three of them could find a secluded, uninhabited place to take out and drink the water stored in the expanded space of the refrigerator.

If they weren’t suitable, she would have no choice but to continue keeping it a secret from them, even if it meant more trouble.

“Sister-in-law, we’re here!”

Wen Nuan Nuan looked up and saw the largest cloth shop in Tongcheng. The wooden lintel was intricately carved and painted, looking quite grand.

A true classical style.

It seemed that no matter where you went, the gap between the rich and the poor was quite significant.

There were low thatched huts, as well as grand wooden buildings.

And this was just the difference in a small place like Tongcheng. If it were Jingcheng, wouldn’t the contrast be even more stark?

“Madam, please come in. What would you like to buy?”

The enthusiastic voice of the shop assistant came from nearby.

As the saying goes, “Clothes make the man.” When going out, Wen Nuan Nuan usually made a slight effort to dress neatly and appropriately.

Today she chose a set of beige wide-sleeved gauze blouse paired with a pomegranate-red skirt. It wasn’t overly luxurious or eye-catching, but being made of silk fabric and embroidered with delicate auspicious cloud patterns on the collar, cuffs, and hem, it looked refreshing, graceful, and high-quality.

It was just that she could never manage her hair properly. In the end, she cleverly tied it up first and secured it with a translucent white jade hairpin.

Married women were supposed to wear their hair up—these common-sense rules she still knew.

The shop assistant encountered countless guests from all directions every day. Having seen so many, his eye was naturally sharp. With just one glance, he could tell that Wen Nuan Nuan’s clothes were made of silk fabric with exquisite embroidery, giving them a high-quality appearance. The lady’s outfit was also pleasing to the eye.

Well, except her hair was styled somewhat awkwardly. But that translucent jade hairpin was hard to ignore—perhaps this lady simply preferred this style.

The shop assistant silently mused to himself, then put on a cheerful smile and warmly greeted her, “Madam, are you looking for ready-made clothes or fabrics? For yourself or for your husband?”

Wen Nuan Nuan was examining the various fabrics behind the counter. Upon hearing the shop assistant’s question, she gently nudged the two little ones forward and replied softly, “For my younger brothers.”

Only then did the shop assistant turn his gaze to the two little ones, and he immediately froze.

Their coarse linen clothes were clearly ill-fitting—not only were they too short but also tattered and worn. The only redeeming quality was that they were relatively clean. Yet, compared to the lady in front of him, the contrast was simply too stark!

Even someone as experienced as him had initially assumed these two boys were servants or attendants following her.

Could it be that this lady…

Seeing the shop assistant’s stunned expression, Wen Nuan Nuan didn’t need to guess what he was thinking. But there was nothing she could do about it—the two little ones only had two sets of clothes, both equally short, ill-fitting, and tattered. This set was at least relatively clean.

“I’ve only recently become their sister-in-law. Seeing that their clothes are a bit ill-fitting, I thought of buying some fabric to make them two new outfits. Do you have any recommendations, Shop Assistant? They need to be sturdy and durable.” Wen Nuan Nuan explained concisely while stating her requirements.

The shop assistant wore an understanding expression. So she was a newlywed bride—no wonder there was such a disparity in clothing.

But with such a vast difference between the two families, how did this marriage even come about?

Still, this lady seemed truly commendable. Not only did she not look down on her husband’s impoverished family, but she was also kind enough to bring her husband’s younger brothers to buy new clothes. Such a sight was rare indeed!

The shop assistant immediately began enthusiastically recommending, “Madam, please take a look. This is undyed cotton fabric, suitable for inner garments, single-layer clothes for spring, autumn, and summer, or padded winter clothes. If they often do manual work, consider this linen fabric. It can be used for outerwear or winter clothes when going up the mountains or working in the fields. It can also be used for shoe uppers—it’s wear-resistant and won’t easily tear from branches or vines.”

Wen Nuan Nuan felt the fabrics. The cotton was soft, while the linen was rough and thick. Considering that the three little ones often went up the mountains, she calculated that each could have two sets of linen outerwear for changing. Leng Xiao occasionally went into the mountains, so one set for him would suffice.

Adding shoe uppers, she would need to buy a bolt of linen.

As for the cotton fabric, only Eldest Brother didn’t have winter padded clothes yet. She could just buy a bolt of cotton to make two sets for him, and the remaining fabric could be saved for making single-layer clothes for spring and summer, which would be comfortable to wear close to the skin.

Wen Nuan Nuan then asked, “Shop Assistant, do you have gauze fabric?”

“Yes! Would Madam like multi-layered or single-layered?”

“What’s the difference?”

“Single-layered can be used for steaming buns and steamed buns, while multi-layered can be used for making gauze jackets and washing cloths.”

Wen Nuan Nuan had originally planned to use the leftover cotton cloth to sew face and bath towels, but upon hearing the shop assistant’s recommendation, she immediately switched to gauze. A sweet smile spread across her little face as she said delightedly, “Yes, I want both!”

She then went ahead and asked, “What about window gauze for pasting on windows? Any recommendations?”

She had seen paper for pasting on windows at the bookstore before, but not only was it not cheap, it also didn’t let light through.

Moreover, she was worried it wouldn’t last long—what if it got torn by wind and snow?

Not only would that be a waste of money, but where would she find window-pasting material in the dead of winter?

In the cold, snowy winter, she couldn’t just rely on sheer willpower to keep warm, could she?