Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 74: Needlework as a Family Tradition, Mother and Daughter Working Together to Overcome Diffi

On the second day of the second lunar month, the day the dragon raises its head, the morning at the Hongxing Courtyard finally brought some warmth. The ice on the communal pond in the central courtyard had completely melted, and the water gurgled through the cracks in the bluestone slabs, carrying the earthy smell of soil. Qin Huairu squatted by the pond, washing clothes. As soon as her fingers, red from the cold, dipped into the water, she couldn't help but shiver and quickly breathed warm air into her palms.

Jia Dang came out of the house with her faded schoolbag on her back. She saw her mother's thin back trembling slightly in the morning breeze. She put down her schoolbag and ran over to her: "Mom, I'll wash! You go and dress my sister. I'll go to school after I'm done washing." As she spoke, the little girl snatched the washboard from Qin Huairu's hand. Her small body squatted by the sink, but her movements were very quick, obviously something she was used to doing.

Qin Huairu looked at her daughter's ears, which were purple from the cold, and felt a pang of sadness. She reached out and tucked the stray hairs behind her daughter's ears. "Don't wash anymore, the water is too cold. Mom will do it. Go inside and put on your cotton-padded coat so you don't get cold before school." Just as she was about to take the washboard, she saw something fall out of Jia Dang's pocket. She bent down to pick it up and saw that it was half a piece of dried sweet potato wrapped in oil paper.

"Where did this come from?" Qin Huairu frowned. Ever since Sha Zhu caused that scene, he hadn't delivered any lunchboxes to the Jia family. Their food ration coupons were long gone, and they relied entirely on her working as a cleaner in the workshop during the day and mending clothes for the neighbors at night to earn some food coupons to survive. Jia Zhangshi sighed every day, but she would only sit in the house with Jia Huaihua and wouldn't help with anything.

Jia Dang lowered her head and whispered, "Uncle Lin gave it to me yesterday. He said it was a reward for my good studies. He also said... he also told me to persuade you not to work too hard." She secretly glanced at her mother, then stuffed the dried sweet potato into Qin Huairu's hand, "Mom, you eat it, I'm not hungry."

Qin Huairu held the half-eaten sweet potato, still warm from the heat, and her eyes instantly reddened. Ever since she was caught stealing eggs, she had always felt ashamed in the yard. Only Lin Chen had never looked at her strangely, and would occasionally sneak some treats for the children under the guise of giving Jia Huaihua candy. She wiped her eyes, broke the sweet potato in half, put one half back in her daughter's pocket, and put the other half in her own mouth. The sweet and slightly bitter taste spread on her tongue, bringing a touch of warmth to her heart.

"Mom, I'll help you sew your clothes when I get home from school," Jia Dang said vaguely, munching on a dried sweet potato. "Last time you sewed a cotton-padded jacket for Aunt Zhang, I watched you do it twice and I learned how. I can even help you thread the needle."

Qin Huairu's heart stirred. She had learned needlework from her mother since childhood, and was adept at embroidery and sewing. However, after marrying into the Jia family, she was burdened by the daily grind and three children, and had long since lost interest in these skills. She had only picked up her old craft again to mend clothes for her neighbors out of desperation; she hadn't expected her daughter to have learned it so quickly. Looking at her daughter's earnest eyes, she nodded: "Okay, Mom will teach you tonight, and we'll do it together."

At lunchtime, Qin Huai made a special detour to the supply and marketing cooperative at the factory gate, using her overtime pay saved up over three days to buy half a roll of thick cotton thread and a new needle. Just as she stepped out of the cooperative, she saw Lin Chen and Liu Guangtian walking side by side, carrying toolboxes, clearly having just come from the workshop.

"Sister-in-law Jia, buying needles and thread?" Lin Chen greeted her with a smile, his gaze falling on the spool of thread in her hand. "This coarse cotton thread is perfect for sewing thick clothes. If you need to sew delicate things, I have some silk thread that I brought back from Shanghai. I'll get you some later."

Qin Huai blushed and quickly thanked him, "No need to trouble you, Master Lin. This coarse thread is enough. I usually mend old clothes for the neighbors." She paused, as if making a great decision, "Master Lin, thank you for what happened last time. And... I was foolish before, I will never do it again."

Lin Chen paused for a moment, then realized she was referring to the time she schemed against Sha Zhu for the lunchbox. He smiled and said, "Let's not dwell on the past. Everyone has tough times. Earning a living with your skills is reliable." He pointed to Liu Guangtian beside him, "Guangtian is currently learning precision forging. With a skill, he won't go hungry no matter where he goes. Your needlework is also a skill. Teach it to Jia Dang properly; it's a way to make a living."

Liu Guangtian nodded in agreement: "Sister-in-law Jia, my mother says that the clothes you sew fit the best. Last time, you even patched up my worn-out work clothes, and they're even sturdier than new ones. If you need any work in the future, just come to our house. My mother can also lend you a hand."

Qin Huai felt a warmth in her heart and thanked her repeatedly. She carried the needle and thread home, her steps lighter. When she arrived, Jia Zhangshi was sitting on the doorstep eating melon seeds. Seeing the needle and thread in her hand, she curled her lip: "Why buy this useless stuff? You might as well save the money and buy some cornmeal. Sha Zhu is heartless too; he hasn't brought any food in so long. If I hadn't put in a good word for him back then, would he be a head chef in the canteen?"

In the past, Qin Huairu might have gone along with her words and tried to elicit sympathy from Sha Zhu. But today, these words only sounded grating to her ears. She put the needle and thread on the table and said coldly, "Mother, Sha Zhu has it tough too. His sister just started working, and there are elderly people to support at home. We can't always rely on others. Jia Dang and I will learn needlework so we can earn our own living in the future."

Madam Jia was stunned, clearly not expecting Qin Huairu, who always obeyed her, to contradict her. She spat the melon seed shells on the ground, about to lash out, when she saw Jia Huaihua hug her leg and cry, "Grandma, I'm hungry, I want to eat dried sweet potato." Madam Jia's anger immediately dissipated, and she could only grumble as she went into the house, pulled out half a dried sweet potato from under the kang mat, and handed it to her granddaughter.

That evening, Qin Huairu called Jia Dang to the lamplight and took out her sewing basket, which had come with her dowry. Inside were several needles of different sizes, spools of thread in various colors, and a yellowed embroidery pattern book. She pulled an old blue cloth jacket from a trunk and spread it on the table: "Let's start by learning to sew patches. Patches must be sewn neatly, with even stitches; only then will they look nice, and people will want us to sew them for them."

Jia Dang stared intently at his mother's movements. Qin Huairu held the needle, threaded it, and with a slight twist of her wrist, fine stitches began to sew along the edge of the patch, the distance between each stitch almost perfectly even. "Be careful when you sew," she said, "don't pull the thread too tight, or the fabric will wrinkle; and don't pull it too loose, or the patch will fall off." She handed the needle to Jia Dang, "You try it."

Jia Dang took the needle, her little hands trembling slightly. After only a few stitches, the thread got tangled. She was so anxious that sweat beaded on her nose. Qin Huairu patiently helped her untangle the knot: "Don't rush, take your time. Practice makes perfect. When I first started learning, I pricked my hands many times." She held her daughter's hand and taught her little by little how to use the needle and how to sew.

Under the lamplight, the mother and daughter huddled together, intently watching the needle and thread in their hands. Jia Huaihua lay on the small table beside them, holding a useless needle, randomly pricking the old cloth while humming an off-key children's song. The room was devoid of its usual arguments and complaints, filled only with the soft rustling of needle and thread through the fabric, creating a particularly warm atmosphere.

Over the next few days, the mother and daughter practiced needlework whenever they had free time. Qin Huairu took out her old clothes and had Jia Dang practice mending them; she also taught her how to hem clothes and how to sew on buttons. Jia Dang was clever and quick-witted, and learned very fast. In just a few days, she could sew neat patches and sew on very sturdy buttons.

That evening, Liu Haizhong's wife, Aunt Liu, came to the door with a cotton-padded coat with worn-out cuffs: "Huairu, look at this cotton-padded coat of mine, the cuffs are worn out. I'd like you to sew the hem for me. How about I give you two steamed buns in return?" Knowing that the Jia family was not doing well, she specially brought two extra steamed buns, wrapped them in cloth, and placed them on the table.

Qin Huairu quickly agreed, took the cotton-padded coat and looked at it: "Auntie, don't worry, I'll sew it up for you to be sturdy, I guarantee you can wear it for another two years." She asked Jia Dang to get a needle and thread, while she measured the size of the cuffs, thinking about how to sew it to be both beautiful and durable.

Jia Dang quickly brought over the needle and thread, and even offered, "Aunt Liu, let me sew it for you. My mom taught me, and I can sew very well." She picked up the cotton-padded jacket, skillfully threaded the needle, and began mending the cuffs. Aunt Liu, watching her earnest expression, smiled and said to Qin Huairu, "This child is really capable, much better than our Guangfu. Guangfu still can't do any chores."

Qin Huairu watched her daughter's retreating figure, a relieved smile spreading across her face. That night, the mother and daughter worked through the night to finish sewing the cotton-padded coat. Qin Huairu even specially found a piece of old fabric of a similar color to add a lining to the cuffs, making them more durable. The next morning, when Aunt Liu came to pick up the coat, she was overjoyed to see the neatly sewn cuffs. She not only gave Jia Dang two steamed buns but also an extra piece of fruit candy.

With Aunt Liu's example, the neighbors in the courtyard all knew that Qin Huairu and her daughter were skilled at mending clothes, and they all came to them with their old clothes. Aunt Zhang's grandson needed a new blouse, and Uncle Li's work clothes were worn out on his knees, so they all came to the mother and daughter. Depending on the difficulty of the work, Qin Huairu would either exchange it for food coupons or for some vegetables and eggs, and the family's livelihood gradually improved.

That day, when Sha Zhu came home from get off work, he passed by the courtyard and saw Qin Huairu and Jia Dang washing clothes by the public pool. Several mended clothes were lying on the stone next to them, dripping water. Jia Dang was holding a small blouse and showing Qin Huairu the small flowers embroidered on it: "Mom, look at this plum blossom I embroidered, isn't it pretty? Uncle Lin said that embroidering patterns can get us more food coupons."

Qin Huairu nodded with a smile, "It looks beautiful. Next time we embroider clothes for Aunt Zhang's granddaughter, we'll use this pattern." She looked up and saw Sha Zhu, paused for a moment, then smiled politely, "Master Sha Zhu, are you off work?"

Sha Zhu was also taken aback. This was the first time Qin Huairu had greeted him since their last failed blind date. He looked at the needle and thread in Qin Huairu's hands and the clothes on the table, then at the embroidered cardigan in Jia Dang's hands, his heart filled with mixed feelings. He had always felt that Qin Huairu had a hard time raising children, so he was willing to help them, but he never expected that it would make her develop a habit of relying on others. Now, seeing her earning a living with her own skills, she seemed much more energetic.

"Yeah, just got off work." Sha Zhu scratched his head and said a little embarrassedly, "I saw that the clothes you two made are pretty good. My old Zhongshan suit has a frayed collar. Could you mend it for me? I'll give you two jin of grain coupons in return."

Qin Huairu quickly agreed, "Of course, Master Shazhu, just bring it tomorrow, and I guarantee I'll sew it up for you." She didn't try to gain sympathy like before, nor did she make any other requests; she simply agreed in a very calm tone.

Sha Zhu nodded and turned to go home. As soon as he entered, he saw He Yushui sitting inside, holding a cloth bag in her hand: "Brother, I brought you a new cardigan. I bought it with my salary. By the way, I heard that Qin Huairu and her daughter are making a living by mending clothes now. That's good. Earning money with your own hands is better than anything else."

Sha Zhu picked up the knitted sweater, looked at it, and said with a smile, "My sister still loves me the most. I just told Qin Huairu to help me mend that old Zhongshan suit and I'll exchange it for two jin of grain coupons."

He Yushui nodded: "Of course, she's a good cook, she's worth the price. Brother, you shouldn't always be thinking about helping others, focus on making your own life better first. Brother Lin told me there's a chef skills competition in the cafeteria next month, if you win you can be promoted to level two chef and get a raise, you should prepare well."

Sha Zhu's eyes lit up: "Really? Then I'd better prepare well! I've never been impressed by anyone's cooking skills!" He suddenly perked up and started thinking about what dishes to make for the competition.

On the other side, Qin Huairu and her daughter were mending Sha Zhu's Zhongshan suit. Jia Dang looked at the worn collar of the suit and said with some heartache, "Uncle Sha Zhu has worn this suit for several years. He used to bring us food all the time. Let's mend it to look nicer for him." She found a piece of old black fabric in the sewing basket. "Mom, let's use this fabric to add a edging to the collar. It will be more durable and look better."

Qin Huairu nodded, agreeing to her daughter's suggestion. The mother and daughter divided the work: Qin Huairu was responsible for mending the collar, while Jia Dang embroidered a small auspicious cloud pattern on the cuffs. They sewed very carefully, with fine and even stitches, making the garment even more exquisite than a new one.

The next day, when Sha Zhu came to collect his clothes, he was astonished to see the mended Zhongshan suit. The worn collar had been trimmed with black, making it look very neat, and the auspicious cloud pattern on the cuffs was small and exquisite, not at all out of place. "Huai Ru, this...this is so beautiful, thank you so much." He quickly took out two jin of grain coupons and handed them over, adding an extra jin, "This jin is for buying candy for the children, don't refuse."

Qin Huairu looked at the extra pound of grain coupons, hesitated for a moment, and finally accepted it: "Thank you, Master Shazhu. If you need any mending work in the future, come to us anytime." She didn't say anything as grateful as before, but simply expressed her thanks, which made Shazhu feel very comfortable.

Since they mended Sha Zhu's Zhongshan suit, even more people have come to Qin Huairu and her daughter for clothes mending, and some people from outside the factory have even come specifically to ask them to make new clothes. Qin Huairu simply asked Lin Chen for help, and they set up a small shed in a corner of the courtyard, with a table and two chairs, which served as a makeshift mending stall.

On opening day, Lin Chen specially gave them a brand-new blue cloth to use as a curtain for the shed; Aunt Liu gave them a pot of lush cactus, saying it could ward off evil spirits; Sha Zhu also gave them a basket of fresh vegetables as a congratulatory gift. Looking at the sincere blessings from her neighbors in the courtyard, Qin Huairu was filled with mixed emotions. She knew that she had finally gained a foothold in this courtyard with her own hands.

That evening, Qin Huairu took out all the grain coupons and money she had earned and carefully counted them on the table. Jia Dang, lying beside her, looked at the grain coupons on the table and said happily, "Mom, we have so many grain coupons now, we don't have to worry about going hungry anymore." Jia Huaihua also clapped her hands and shouted, "We have food to eat, we have food to eat!"

Sitting to one side, Jia Zhangshi looked at the grain coupons on the table, her face showing some unease. These past few days, she had watched Qin Huairu and her daughter bustling about, their lives improving day by day, and she felt a mixture of jealousy and guilt. She coughed and said softly, "Huairu, I'll help you watch the locust blossoms tomorrow. You go set up your stall, and I'll stay home and take care of the children."

Qin Huairu was taken aback for a moment, then realized that her mother-in-law wanted to help. She smiled and nodded, "Okay, Mother, with you helping us take care of the locust flowers, we can work with more peace of mind."

That night, the lights in the Jia family's house stayed on very late. Qin Huairu was teaching Jia Dang to embroider new patterns under the lamplight, while Jia Zhangshi sat beside her, holding Jia Huaihua. Watching the mother and daughter, a long-lost smile appeared on her face. Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating everyone in the room, warm and peaceful.

In the shed of the courtyard, Qin Huairu's sewing stall, like a mother and daughter, gradually became a scenic spot in the courtyard. Every day, neighbors would come here to mend their clothes, chatting and laughing, and the atmosphere in the courtyard became more and more harmonious. When Lin Chen passed by, he would always stop and chat with them for a few words, asking how business was; Sha Zhu would sometimes come to help move tables, or bring some treats for the children.

That day, Lin Chen came to Qin Huairu with an old work uniform: "Huairu, could you alter this work uniform a bit smaller for me? My nephew is coming to Beijing, and I need it for him. Here are some fabric coupons; enough to make a new one." He handed the coupons to Qin Huairu and said with a smile, "I heard the neighborhood committee is organizing a handicraft competition. Your needlework is so good; why don't you take Jia Dang and give it a try? Maybe they can win a prize."

Qin Huairu's eyes lit up: "Really? We can participate too?" She had never thought that her needlework could be used in a competition, and she felt both excited and a little nervous.

"Of course you can participate. The neighborhood office encourages everyone to make a living with their skills." Lin Chen nodded. "I know Director Li from the neighborhood office. I'll ask him about the specific competition rules for you. If you win an award, you'll not only get a prize, but it will also promote your sewing stall."

Jia Dang excitedly said, "Mom, let's participate! I want to embroider the most beautiful pattern and win first place!"

Seeing her daughter's excited expression and then at Lin Chen's encouraging gaze, Qin Huairu nodded vigorously: "Okay, we'll participate! Let's work together and win an award!"

Under the moonlight, the mother and daughter busied themselves in the shed. The light shone through the curtain and cast a long shadow on the bluestone slabs. In the courtyard at night, there was no more scheming or quarreling, only the rustling of needle and thread through the fabric and the children's clear laughter, weaving together a warm lullaby.