Chapter 17: New Clothes

Chen Xiao Mi was a bit more openhanded with seven taels of silver in his pocket, he took Lu Lin to the store and he spent on tale on a piece of cotton cloth. Then he spent fifty cents on some needles and threads.

There were ready-made garments in the store, but Chen Xiao Mi did some math in his mind, and he decided to do it in a cost-efficient way.

Then Chen Xiao Mi went to a pawn shop to look for bargains, he bought two old quilts with cotton wadding. Quilts with cotton wadding were very versatile, they could be used to defend against the cold at night, and the wadding could be used to pad winter jackets.

Lu Lin had been using two pieces of door planks as his bed since he married Chen Xiao Mi, Chen Xiao Mi thought it was time to treat Lu Lin better.

It was getting colder day by day, Chen Xiao Mi thought Lu Lin could really use some warm quits at night and he was willing to share all of his clothes with Lu Lin to keep him warm.

Lu Lin appreciated Chen Xiao Mi's kindness, he knew Chen Xiao Mi bought the quilts for him, but Lu Lin had a different plan for winter, he wanted to build a kang at home (T/N: Kang, a heatable brick bed.)

"Lu Lin, would you like to find yourself an aunt to make you some winter clothes?" Chen Xiao Mi asked.

Lu Lin nodded, "Sure."

'The villagers won't be busy after the Autumn Harvest, I'm sure those women are more than happy to do some sewing for some pennies, even a few pennies is a good income for them. My reputation is better than Chen Xiao Mi's, probably that's why he asked me to do it by myself.' Thought Lu Lin.

Chen Xiao Mi had also bought some salt, rice, flour, and bowls. He had bought his little brothers sugarcoated haws on a stick.

The two went back home with a full basket.

"Big Brother, we've got so much stuff!" Chen Xiao Cai exclaimed on seeing them.

Chen Xiao Mi was a bit guilty, he indeed had spent a lot of money this day, almost two taels of silver! But he saw nothing wrong in this, all the stuff he bought were essentials except the snack he bought for the kids. He thought he could always make more money with full belly and warm clothes.

Chen Xiao Mi thought for a while about who was qualified for making clothes for Lu Lin, he recommended Granny Shen.

Granny Shen had suffered many mishaps in her life, her son died in the military three years ago, her daughter-in-law had eloped with a merchant one year ago. And since then Granny Shen had been sticking together with her grandson Shen Chi who was also a Bio.

Granny Shen had some fields under her name, but they were struggling due to the lack of labor.

Lu Lin took Chen Xiao Mi's advice, but he didn't send of the fabric to Granny Shen, he decided to send a quarter of the fabric to test water.

Lu Lin saw Shen Chi when he was about to leave Granny Shen's house.

Emotion welled up inside Lu Lin when he saw a young boy who was about Chen Xiao Cai's age carrying a big basket full of firewood, 'this little boy is already helping out in the family, he is so young!'

Lu Lin took his leave after he said hi to Shen Chi.

Shen Chi ran to the room and asked his grandma why Lu Lin would visit her.

Granny Shen beamed, "Chen Xiao Mi is a great hunter, but he doesn't do needlework, neither does Lu Lin. So Lu Lin was here to ask me to make some clothes for him and the Chen Brothers."

Shen Chi nodded.

Granny Shen continued, "He offered me a good price, thirty cents for adults' clothes and twenty cents for kids clothes."

"How come Lu Lin thinks of you for the job?"

"I have no idea either, men usually ask their aunties or sisters for help when it comes to needlework, but you know Lu Lin's bloodsucking family, who knows who is going to wear these new clothes if Lu Lin really sends the fabric back to his family."

Shen Chi nodded, then he said, "I feel like Lin Ge is a changed person now." (T/N: Ge, a way to address older man in a respectful way.)

"How so?"

"He looks he is in high spirit. He used to lower his head and avoid eye contact with people, and he never talked to anyone. But I just saw him now, he said hi to me and his complexion looked so healthy, he just looked so energetic."

Granny Shen smiled, "It looks like he is happy with his marriage. Others all speak ill of Chen Xiao Mi, but Chen Xiao Mi is a kind person. We both have seen the way Chen Xiao Mi takes care of his two little brothers."

Granny Shen's house was next to the old hunter's, she had seen Chen Xiao Mi sending food and clothes to the helpless old hunter, she knew Chen Xiao Mi was nothing like what the villagers had said. So she had accepted Lu Lin's offer with alacrity.

Shen Chi nodded, "I also think Xiao Mi Ge is a grateful person."

Granny Shen squinted her eyes and said, "Poor boy has a merciless grandmother."

Shen Chi touched the fabric and exclaimed, "Grandma, this is fine cloth!"

Granny Shen nodded, "Yes, it must be comfortable to wear."

Granny Shen exclaimed in her heart that Lu Lin was a lucky guy, not only his family had got ten taels of silver as betrothal present, but now Lu Lin got to wear new clothes.