Chapter 81: Chapter 81: New Clothes
No further mention of the couple’s night talk.
Li Xuemei was really efficient, buying fabric for three children and four adults, inside and out, along with a full forty pounds of cotton, the newly harvested cotton of this year, at the market the very next day.
Later, considering the care her parents and brothers had shown her family over the years, she steeled her heart and ended up buying ten more sets of fabric and sixty pounds of cotton. It was quite a large sum of money, and truth be told, even after the purchase, Li Xuemei’s heart ached a little.
But Li Xuemei also knew that her parents hadn’t enjoyed much from their daughter over the years; instead, they’d contributed quite a lot.
This could be considered a small token of her gratitude.
Just consider it a few days of work done for free.
The couple didn’t worry too much.
Gu Ruhai said nothing about it. They knew the help from both families’ elders and brothers over the years far outweighed this.
And this was, after all, his first gesture of goodwill to his in-laws as a son-in-law, which also gave him face.
However, Li Xuemei really didn’t have time to make the clothes since the couple devoted almost all their energy to the business.
They simply couldn’t spare the time and effort.
Upon hearing this, Han Xue and Liu Fen immediately suggested bringing the materials back and having Gu Xiaoying’s grandmother make them at home.
After all, Li Zhaodi also had little to do at home, and with winter approaching, the elderly stayed home to keep warm.
In the village, many elderly people also gathered at homes to chat during the cold months.
It would be a nice way to help each other, lending a hand.
Li Xuemei thought that made sense. Even if she took them home, she’d end up asking for help from Grandma Zhang’s family, because she had no time and wanted to avoid owing favors.
It was easier with her own mother involved, without any burden in her heart.
When she mentioned the ten suits of clothing, Li Weimin and Li Weiqiang felt embarrassed, scolding Li Xuemei and Gu Ruhai for being reckless, just making a bit of money without knowing their limits.
Though they scolded them, in their hearts, they were pleased, seeing the two wives smiling cautiously on the side—this little sister and brother-in-law were impressive.
These two wives often criticized Li Xuemei and Gu Ruhai.
However, ever since starting the business, Han Xue and Liu Fen had a good relationship with Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei, no longer using cutting words. Mainly, they weren’t bad people; they just had tight lives and mouths to feed, something they couldn’t ignore.
Even if they tried to say something, their men didn’t listen.
So they could only use sarcastic remarks to ease their own dissatisfaction.
Now, because of their sister-in-law, the whole family was earning money, and not just a little. The possibility of building the house was within reach. They weren’t oblivious, and those attitudes changed.
They were especially shocked by Li Xuemei’s big gesture this time.
Ten adult outfits weren’t a small expense.
Li Weimin’s and Li Weiqiang’s children were already fifteen or sixteen, almost adult-sized, making the expenses considerable.
Plus, the cotton was newly harvested.
Han Xue and Liu Fen were deeply moved, understanding that their sister-in-law was trying to repay a kindness.
They’d often given their sister-in-law a hard time over the years, and now they felt genuinely remorseful, their faces mixed with embarrassment and shame.
Determined in their hearts to treat their sister-in-law’s family well in the future.
Such kindness needed to be reciprocated.
Gu Xiaoqing’s method and secret recipe were immensely valuable favors.
Both Li Weimin and Li Weiqiang were now earning fifteen to sixteen yuan a day, totaling four to five hundred yuan a month.
In a few months, they could build a house.
Such sums weren’t something you could simply earn from farming.
Nor could anyone easily achieve this.
So the gratitude was certain.
Li Xuemei didn’t worry; she gave her brother and sister-in-law all the materials to take back, waiting for the clothes to be made, having mentioned the approximate sizes.
Once they returned, Li Weimin and Li Weiqiang got a severe scolding from their father, Li Qinghai.
While the old man was happy, seeing so much made him realize how much money had been spent.
He couldn’t stop scolding Li Xuemei for being wasteful.
Yet Li Zhaodi and Li Qinghai couldn’t hide their smiles. Who wouldn’t be happy seeing their daughter succeed?
The next day, the old lady was so thrilled she quickly called her old friends over.
On one hand, she couldn’t finish the work alone, and Li Zhaodi wanted her grandkids to wear new clothes sooner. In this cold weather, cotton-padded jackets were essential.
On the other hand, she wanted to show off, letting her friends see the fabric and cotton her daughter provided for the family.
The friends couldn’t stop praising Li Qinghai for having such a good daughter.
She truly cared for her family.
She looked after her parents and didn’t forget her brothers, sisters-in-law, nephews, and nieces.
Which daughter would be so generous?
This was real money.
But many also secretly understood, figuring that with such care from the in-laws, it was evident. Rumor had it that the in-laws had a secret business recipe from the Li Family.
Generally, family recipes were inherited by sons, not daughters.
The Li Family had really invested in their daughter.
It’s no wonder their daughter cherished her parental family.
Thinking this, everyone stopped their assumptions.
The Old Li Family treated their children equally.
In no time, by the fourth day, seven sets of cotton-padded jackets were finished.
Li Xuemei’s was a deep green floral pattern, Gu Ruhai’s was dark blue, Gu Xiaoying and Gu Xiaoqing’s were bright red floral, while Gu Xiaojie, who might dirty his, got a light blue set.
Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu’s were made from a dark blue fabric with round patterns.
The stitching was meticulous, evidently handwork from seasoned needleworkers.
Li Xuemei was pleased, as her children wouldn’t need to suffer anymore.
In her stiff cotton-padded jacket, she shivered from the cold, let alone her three small children.
So, returning that day, she dressed the children in their new clothes.
The new clothes made Gu Xiaoying, Gu Xiaoqing, and Gu Xiaojie as happy as if it were New Year.
Once they put them on, they were reluctant to take them off.
They hadn’t had new clothes in years, not even for New Year, and this was the first time all three got something good.
That night, Xiao Jie refused to take his off, and it was only after he fell asleep that Li Xuemei gently undressed him.
The couple’s hearts ached.
These children had suffered a lot over the years.
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Thanks to kinkikids520 and Mimoca for your support. I’m storing drafts in earnest because I’ve bragged and don’t want to go back on my word, so I’m striving hard.