Chapter 256

"Alright, go back."

Jiang Wei picked up the firewood on the ground and took it home.

Jiang Xiaoxiao looked at her mother's actions, opened her mouth, seeming to want to say something, but finally swallowed the words.

After lunch, Jiang Xiaoxiao carried a full basket of wool and prepared to set off to find Qiulian Niang, asking her to help knit a few wool sweaters.

The weather was getting colder and colder. Standing in the sun at noon, one had to wear a thick coat for the body to be warm.

Passing by the big locust tree in the village, there was still a pile of wives and old women from the village sitting there.

Now it was the slack season, and everyone had nothing to do at home, so they liked to sit in a pile with neighbors, basking in the sun and chatting, while sewing winter clothes and making shoe soles for their families.

Now many people in the village worked in the Jiang family's soap workshop, and they had an income every month. Even those without work could earn quite a lot of money by picking up firewood on the mountain and selling it to the soap workshop.

Now every family in the village had some small money, and they were willing to buy cloth that they couldn't bear to buy in previous years, buying it back to make new clothes for the whole family.

Not lacking food and having new clothes to wear, this was a life of poverty in previous years that they didn't dare to imagine.

Although they were not rich, everyone was still very happy, hoping to have a prosperous winter year this year.

When Jiang Xiaoxiao carried the basket and passed by the big locust tree, everyone greeted her and asked how she was.

Very enthusiastic.

Jiang Xiaoxiao also responded with a smile.

However, she hadn't gone far when she heard the group of old women behind her discussing in a low voice:

"Hey, you say the Jiang family is so rich now, will they recruit a son-in-law or something?"

"There is a nephew on my mother's side who is two years younger than Jiang Shi and is especially capable. If I go to propose marriage, will Jiang Shi be willing?"

"That nephew on your mother's side is dark and ugly, she definitely won't be willing. I have a nephew who is truly talented and has read books. He is an accountant in this town. Jiang Shi will definitely like him..."

……

Listening to the group of people behind her starting to prepare to find a man for her mother, Jiang Xiaoxiao accelerated her pace silently.

It seemed that for the next few days, her house would not be peaceful.

Soon she arrived at Qiulian Niang's house.

The sun in late autumn shone on her body, very warm. Jiang Xiaoxiao saw Qiulian Niang sitting in the courtyard sewing clothes at a glance. Zhao Old Lady was also busy on the side, spreading the old quilt from last year on the bamboo pole to dry, while using a bamboo pole to beat the cotton inside until it was fluffy.

She walked into the courtyard with a smile: "Auntie Qiulian, making clothes."

"Xiaoxiao is here." Qiulian Niang saw her and immediately showed a smile on her face, "Sit down."

She was about to get up to move a small stool out, but Zhao Old Lady on the side had already moved a small stool for Jiang Xiaoxiao with quick eyes and fast hands, and then looked at the basket in her hand with a smile.

The Jiang family was generous, unlike those who loved to take small advantages in the village. Every time they asked Qiulian Niang to make clothes, they would give some things as gifts of thanks, sometimes dozens of copper coins, sometimes some cloth.

This time Jiang Xiaoxiao didn't hide it either, and took the initiative to uncover the cloth covering the bamboo basket, revealing the white wool inside.

"Auntie Qiulian, this is the wool scraped from the few sheep in my house. Although there is not much, it can make two wool sweaters. You see when you have time to help my family make it, and the remaining wool will be given to your family."

Zhao Old Lady's eyes lit up instantly.

Qiulian Niang hadn't spoken yet, but Zhao Old Lady hurriedly took the basket from Jiang Xiaoxiao's hand and said with a full face of smiles: "Xiaoxiao girl, don't worry, your Auntie Qiulian will make it for you right away, and it will definitely be beautiful when sent to you."

Sheep were rare in a small place like Yong'an County, very few, let alone wool. The quantity was extremely small, the price was expensive, and only big rich families could afford wool products.

This full basket of wool brought by Jiang Xiaoxiao was more than enough to make two wool sweaters, and there would be quite a bit left.

The remaining wool would be more than enough to make a wool hat.

"Mother, don't take advantage of Xiaoxiao." Qiulian Niang glared at Zhao Old Lady. This wool was expensive, not to mention in such cold days about to enter winter, it was usually something you couldn't buy even if you had money.

"This is what Xiaoxiao gave us, so how did I take advantage." Zhao Old Lady glared back unconvinced, but was still a bit afraid that Jiang Xiaoxiao would really take the wool back, and said to Jiang Xiaoxiao with a full face of flattery: "Xiaoxiao girl, you really gave this thing to our family, you won't take it back, right?"

"No." Jiang Xiaoxiao smiled helplessly and shook her head.

She didn't know if it was because of drinking the ability water often, but the wool production of the few sheep in her family far exceeded the normal level, and this bit of wool in the basket was only one-third.

If it weren't for fear of scaring Qiulian Niang, she would have wanted to take all the wool in the house.

After Jiang Xiaoxiao went home, she told her mother about this.

Jiang Wei listened and silently put away the wool carpet that had just been laid in the house.

But speaking of which, things for keeping warm were very rare in this era. Besides straw, there were things like reed flowers and willow catkins to make cotton.

But willow catkins started to drift in the wind in spring, April or May every year, and were not easy to collect.

As for reed flowers, they had to be collected in late autumn, but there had been a drought in recent years, the rivers were dry, and even the shadows of reed clusters couldn't be seen by the river, let alone reed flowers.

She walked all the way back from Qiulian Niang's house and saw that most of the families used straw, putting it into quilts to keep warm for the whole winter.

But this thing didn't work in extremely cold weather.

I don't know if there is cotton in this era...

Jiang Xiaoxiao was thinking, when a shout suddenly sounded outside: "Xiaoxiao's mother, are you at home? Someone is here to buy soap."

It was Zhao Dasa's voice.

"Yes!"

Jiang Xiaoxiao responded immediately and hurriedly went to open the door.

The door opened, and outside, besides Zhao Dasa, there was a middle-aged man in a long gown.

Jiang Xiaoxiao had an impression of this man. He was Mr. Bai who ordered a thousand soaps from her house last time.

"Jiang Little Lady, long time no see." Mr. Bai saw Jiang Wei and bowed politely to ask how she was, then looked at Jiang Xiaoxiao, showing a warm and decent smile on his face: "Little girl, you've grown quite a bit in a few months."

"Is Mr. Bai's business going well?" Jiang Xiaoxiao squinted and smiled, thinking that he was worthy of being a businessman. His actions and treatment of people were all-encompassing, and he didn't even forget to ask how a five-year-old child like her was.

Mr. Bai nodded with a smile: "Thanks to your family, this business has been quite smooth."

"Come in and talk." Jiang Wei invited him into the courtyard.

Zhao Dasa prepared to return to the soap workshop, "Then you talk, I'll go over first."

……

In the Jiang family courtyard.

Jiang Xiaoxiao set up osmanthus cakes and poured tea, handing it to Mr. Bai with a smile, and said, "Seeing the smile on the gentleman's face, you must have earned a lot this time."