The weather has been good these past two days, with temperatures slightly higher, and the laundry is almost completely dry.
This ans the washing and airing steps have been completed, next cos the starching process.
First, a large basin of rice starch needs to be prepared, and the consistency of the starch must be just right. If it’s too thick or too thin, the results will not look good on the fabric. After preparing the rice starch, bring in the laundry that is nearly dry, and subrge it bit by bit into the basin, ensuring the fabric is thoroughly saturated with the starch. Then wring out the excess and hang it out to dry again.
This ti, the fabric should be dried until it’s about ninety percent dry, then brought back in, carefully folded, stacked together, and placed on a flat large stone slab. What cos next is the beating step.
That involves using a mallet or laundry beater to pound on the fabric. The cotton used for the bedding, both the liners and the covers, must be beaten flat. Beating also helps return pre-shrunk cotton back to its original size.
Lady Zhang had the strength; wielding a laundry beater in one hand, she worked swiftly, her movents almost leaving trails in Lian Manman’s eyes.
"Mother, take a break; I’ll do it for you," Lian Manman said.
"Okay," Lady Zhang stopped, handed over the beater to Lian Manman, and also gave up her seat for her to sit down.
"It’s not just about strength; it has to be even. Otherwise, one strike will create pits and bumps, and the fabric won’t be smooth," Lady Zhang instructed Lian Manman at her side, "Right, you have to hold your hand like this, don’t let the sharp end of the mallet fall first..."
Turns out, beating the fabric was a skilled task. After practicing for a while, Lian Manman got quite good at it. When she grew tired, it was Lian Zhizhi’s turn. They took turns until Lady Zhang said it was enough and they stopped.
Even after the beating, the process was not complete. To make the fabric crisp and stand firm, one final step was needed: pressing it with a heavy object.
Lucky for Manman, she got to be one of those heavy objects. While sitting on the Kang and writing, she was seated atop a stack of bedding fabric.
After several processes, the fabric was crisp and finally ready to be sewed back onto the cotton filling.
Lady Zhang sewed the quilts, Lian Zhizhi sewed the mattresses, and Lian Manman was assigned the simplest task, sewing the quilt ends.
Once Lady Zhang finished a cotton quilt, she passed it to Lian Manman. Manman was responsible for sewing white cotton cloth on one end of the quilt, the end that would cover the head when used. This end of the quilt tended to get dirty more easily. Instead of washing the entire quilt every ti, which was not only inconvenient but could also cause the fabric to wear out quickly, it was better and more efficient to only detach and wash the end of the quilt.
Lady Zhang and Lian Zhizhi worked with flying needles, while Lian Manman’s movents were much slower. Fortunately, the task was simple enough for her to handle. Whenever she felt the needle had beco dull, she would imitate Lady Zhang and rub it against her hair, making the next insertion much smoother.
Perhaps because of this movent, even without scrutinizing her needlework, from a distance, based solely on her posture, Lian Manman also looked like a girl skilled in needlework.
"...How did you manage to make the quilt look like this, as if it’s been rolling in the mud all day? Can’t you think of washing it yourself if I don’t tell you to?" Lady Zhou’s scolding voice ca from the courtyard.
"She’s scolding Second Aunt again, it’s the sa every year," Lian Zhizhi said without looking up, chuckling.
"...Why are there so many holes, have you grown teeth on your body? You wasteful things, can ruin a whole set of bedding in a year. Don’t even think about good things, there’s no money to replace it this year. Wash it clean and stitch up all the tears," Lady Zhou’s scolding beca louder, clearly very angry.
"That’s what happens when those half-grown boys use them, it’s the sa every year, what can I do about it," Lady He grumbled, seemingly harboring resentnt, "What’s the use of raising these boys, they can’t help out with anything. Even as a mother-in-law, I still count on her to help out, but she just can’t. Either she’s sick or it’s so catastrophe."
"Sister-in-law Xiu E looked so happy when she first entered our Second Uncle’s house. Now the joy is gone," Lian Manman said without a shred of sympathy. Lady He had hoped that by having a daughter-in-law, she could pass on the chores of washing clothes and cooking. Little did she expect, Zhao Xiue only cooked a al on the day of her wedding and after she returned, she hardly did any chores, either complaining about this ache or that pain. Sotis she would simply claim to be ill and have Erlang return alone—it was a mystery how she managed her als.
"I heard that when she sends Erlang back, she goes to eat at her parents’ ho," Lady Zhang said.
"But she can’t always do that," Lian Zhizhi interjected.
"Who knows that."
...
As the New Year drew closer day by day, the family began to discuss the purchase of New Year’s goods.
Lian Manman prepared paper and pen, spreading a large red sheet of paper on the table. Everyone had a say in choosing the New Year’s goods, and Lian Manman was in charge of taking notes.
"Do we still need to buy at?" Lady Zhang was the first to speak, "We’ve divided more than eight pounds of at, which I think is enough."
"Let’s see what the kids think, is eight pounds of at enough?" Lian Shouxin said. Now that he had so money in hand, he wanted to indulge the children a bit more.
Lian Manman and the others looked at each other.
"I think that’s about right, but let’s buy so ribs and two more chickens? You always need chickens for the New Year, and we should get so eggs too..." Lian Manman suggested.
"Okay," Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin both nodded.
"We also need to buy firecrackers," Xiao Qi interjected eagerly, as if afraid they would forget shortly.
"Then let’s buy a string of firecrackers," Lian Shouxin said. For tenant farming families, beyond the basic necessities of life, they’d like to hear so bangs during the New Year, but ordinary families couldn’t afford to buy an entire string of firecrackers. A string was a small luxury.
Xiao Qi knew this too, but still he was not satisfied.
"Sis, let’s buy another string with my own money," Xiao Qi negotiated with Lian Manman.
"Alright," Lian Manman agreed, while opening the ledger to check, "Oh no, it can’t be done. Xiao Qi, you’ve spent all your wages."
Xiao Qi imdiately widened his eyes.
"How can that, I rember..." Xiao Qi hadn’t finished speaking when he felt a pinch on his arm.
Xiao Qi looked at Lian Manman, Lian Manman looked back at him, and glanced sideways toward Lian Shouxin.
"Dad," Xiao Qi imdiately pounced over and hugged Lian Shouxin’s thigh. "Dad, give so money to buy firecrackers, please."
*****...******
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Recomnded completed book by Ruoyan: "The Brocade Screen Chronicles," a light house fight farmland tale, with familial undertakings and entanglents of grudges within a large household.
Book number: 1771214
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