Chapter 43: Large Cotton-padded Quilts

The entire Qingshan Village was mobilized. After teaching the others how to make the large longbows and the tools for cotton fluffing, Zhao Mengcheng naturally headed up the mountain as well. He was responsible for carrying the cotton back down.

The cotton looked light and airy, but when piled and pressed into baskets, it was not light at all.

Zhao Chun and his two siblings wanted to follow along, but the Village Chief stopped them. If they went, the other children in the village would want to follow too, and he feared it would be unsafe with so many children around.

The three little ones could only stay at the threshing floor¹ to peel the cotton.

When Zhao Mengcheng came down with a high mountain of cotton on his back, he saw the three children working seriously, nearly buried in the white fluff.

“Are you tired?” Zhao Mengcheng asked with a smile as he emptied the cotton.

Zhao Chun shook his head. “Not tired. It’s very warm working here. Dad, are you tired? Why don’t you take a break?”

The Village Chief, who was in charge of overseeing the operation, heard this and called out with a smile, “Mengcheng, take a rest. You are the great hero of our village. A short break won’t hurt.”

Zhao Mengcheng took the opportunity to sit down. As soon as he did, Zhao Mao handed him a bowl of water, which was still warm.

“I timed it and brought it from home,” Zhao Mao said, his eyes gleaming with pride.

“Very clever,” Zhao Mengcheng praised with a smile.

Zhao Mao leaned close to him and whispered, “Daddy, is the White Snake still there?”

“It’s gone. It probably went home,” Zhao Mengcheng explained. With so many people going up to pick cotton, the valley was nearly being trampled flat. The White Snake was wary of humans, so there was no way it would stay.

Zhao Mao avoided the others and asked secretly, “Then where is its home? Can we go play with it later?”

“Don’t you feel scared?” Zhao Mengcheng asked curiously. The last time they had seen the White Snake, both brothers’ legs had been trembling with fear.

Zhao Mao replied, “It can understand my words. It won’t bite me.”

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t know where the White Snake had gone either. It was likely still in the mountains, but definitely hiding away from people.

After thinking for a moment, he simply said, “When it wants to see us, it will come out naturally.”

Soon, the cotton on the threshing floor piled up into small peaks, and the tools for cotton fluffing were all in place.

Ten wooden beds for cotton fluffing were lined up in a row, creating an atmosphere of intense, large-scale labor.

The rhythmic thumping sounds rang out again. The villagers couldn’t help but look up, their eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.

The villagers felt that the thumping of cotton fluffing sounded even better than a zither². The only downside was that the noise was so loud they had to shout to be heard.

The Old Village Chief stopped smoking his pipe, fearing he might ignite the cotton. He stood behind one of the beds with his hands behind his back.

Liu Bingkun had snatched up the task of cotton fluffing. Amidst the thumping, the cotton became increasingly fluffy. He shouted excitedly, “Brother, look at me! Is this right?”

“Looks good. Fluff it a bit longer,” Zhao Mengcheng shouted back with a smile.

Liu Bingkun immediately put in more effort, not pausing for a single breath.

“Wait, let me see,” the Old Village Chief called out. He couldn’t help but reach out to stroke the cotton fibers, his aged face crinkling into a wide, joyful smile. “It really is warm.”

Zhao Mengcheng stood by to give instructions. “If you plan to make clothes, you can stop here. This cotton fluff is already fluffy enough. You can just stuff it into the lined garments like Reed Fluff. It will be very warm once worn.”

“If you plan to make a quilt, you have to keep pressing it down to make the cotton fluff dense. Then you fix it with needle and thread to turn it into a cotton-padded quilt. That way, you can just put a cover on it and use it directly, which makes it easier to wash.”

He stepped forward to demonstrate. Making a cotton-padded quilt was more complicated than making a cotton-padded jacket, but once made, it would last a long time.

“Mengcheng, how do you know how to do everything? Is there anything you can’t do besides having children?” the Old Village Chief couldn’t help but marvel.

Zhao Mengcheng paused for a moment before saying, “I just like reading miscellaneous books. I didn’t expect them to come in handy.”

“Reading is good. No wonder people say there is a house of gold in books. This is even more practical than gold.”

The Old Village Chief praised him repeatedly. Back when Zhao Mengcheng worked as an accountant in town, he would go to the bookstore every few days to read. He didn’t get angry even when the shop assistants occasionally slighted him.

Occasionally, he would buy paper and brushes to bring home, which were expensive hobbies.

At that time, others laughed at him for being a bookworm, saying he was just an accountant acting like a scholar. They said he would be better off spending that time farming to get a better harvest.

Zhao Laoda, in particular, often used his status as the eldest brother to lecture him, telling him not to waste time and money.

Looking at it now, they had been short-sighted. A man of learning had his own unique skills, and his contributions were extraordinary once he took action.

The Old Village Chief had a thought. “Bingkun’s mother, stop for a moment. Come over and try making a cotton-padded jacket.”

The Village Chief’s wife wiped her hands and ran over immediately. “It just so happens I made a lined garment a few days ago and haven’t filled it with Reed Fluff yet. It can be used right away.”

She ran home and soon returned with a coarse cloth garment, stuffing the cotton directly inside.

Auntie Wang had experience from making three of them, so she taught her now. “Stuff it slowly, don’t be in a hurry. Once it’s stuffed, remember to fix it with thread, otherwise it will shift easily.”

“Is it like this?” The Village Chief’s wife worked carefully.

The two women tinkered together, and soon a cotton-padded jacket was finished.

The Village Chief’s wife shook out the garment and stroked it carefully. “It really is warm. Just putting my hand inside feels warm. It’s many times better than Reed Fluff.”

“Old man, put it on and try it.”

The Old Village Chief coughed, but unable to resist his inner curiosity, he held out his arms and put on the jacket.

As soon as the jacket was on, the Old Village Chief felt a wave of warmth through his body. It felt as if he had crawled into bed, no, it was even warmer than being under the covers.

He instinctively spread his hands to look at it, praising it repeatedly. “This garment is good. It’s so warm to wear.”

“You all should try it too. With these clothes, our village won’t have to suffer from the cold this winter.”

As he spoke, the Village Chief reluctantly took off the jacket and let his son, who had been staring at him, try it on. Liu Bingkun was working, and after wearing the cotton-padded clothes for a while, he started to sweat. He was still reluctant to take it off, saying repeatedly, “Mother, hurry up and make one for me too.”

The Old Village Chief glared at him and said, “What’s the rush? Take this to the Ancestral Hall first to offer it for two days. The remaining cotton will be used to make quilts for Mengcheng’s family first. Once his family is done, it will be the other families’ turns.”

“Don’t have any complaints. If it weren’t for Mengcheng, would we be able to wear such warm clothes? From now on, anyone who comes up with something good and is willing to share it with the villagers will be at the front of the line.”

“No complaints, how could we have complaints? That would be far too ungrateful,” Liu Fengshou shouted loudly.

The villagers all nodded in agreement.

Zhao Mengcheng scanned the people present. Although the villagers were envious, they showed no jealousy or resentment.

“Just make two quilts for my children first. The rest can be made together once there is more cotton. There’s no need for special treatment,” Zhao Mengcheng said with a smile.

Initially, he only wanted to get quilts for his home, but he had accidentally discovered an entire valley. To bring it back openly, he had included the villagers.

Being treated with such gratitude and care made Zhao Mengcheng feel a bit embarrassed.

The Old Village Chief was very insistent. “This is all thanks to you. It’s only right that your family uses it first. Not just you, but the young men who went up the mountain today should all get to wear it before the others.”

“Don’t decline this. Our village needs to have rules, otherwise who will be willing to do good deeds in the future?”

Zhao Mengcheng had no choice but to agree.

The Village Chief’s wife said with a smile, “You don’t have a woman in your house. Go get the cloth. I’m quick with my hands. I’ll help you finish it in a bit, and you can take it home to use.”

She didn’t need to worry about the other families; every household had mothers, wives, or sisters-in-law. Hearing that their families could start making them, they all brought over their sewing baskets.

When Zhao Mengcheng brought the cloth over, the Village Chief’s wife was stunned for a moment because everything he brought was new cloth.

She couldn’t help but ask, “What about the old quilts? You don’t want them anymore?”

“Let’s just set those aside for now. Use this to make the new ones,” Zhao Mengcheng said with a smile.

the original quilts in the host’s house had been prepared when Liu Yunniang married into the family. They had been used for nearly ten years and were already as hard as stones.

The Village Chief’s wife accepted it, saying with a smile, “That’s fine too. It’s time for something new. Your life is becoming more and more respectable.”

She was indeed quick, her movements even more agile than Auntie Wang’s. In a short while, she had sewn the quilt cover.

The quilt cover she made wasn’t a single piece, but was divided into two parts: a bottom and a top. She placed the cotton quilt inside and then used needle and thread to sew the top and bottom together.

As she worked, she explained, “Although this is a bit more troublesome, if the cover gets dirty, you can just pull the thread to change and wash it.”

“I’ll make the mattress padding too. This stuff should be wrapped in a cover and aired out in the sun from time to time, otherwise it will get too compressed and won’t be warm.”

Zhao Mengcheng nodded as he listened. “I’ve noted it down.”

The Village Chief’s wife paused. “Mengcheng, don’t you find it exhausting handling everything inside and outside the house alone? A home can’t be without a mistress. You should think about the children too.”

Zhao Mengcheng carried secrets with him. In both his lives, he had never thought about marrying or having children. Having three children after transmigrating was already an accident; how could he possibly plan to marry again?

Tolerating three children within his territory was already Zhao Mengcheng’s limit.

He knew himself well. He was simply not the type of person who could trust someone sharing his bed. Marrying a good girl would only be doing her a disservice.

Zhao Mengcheng would never do such a thing.

“Auntie, you just need to teach me. I’m quick-witted and will learn in no time,” Zhao Mengcheng replied with a smile.

The Village Chief’s wife said helplessly, “That’s not what I meant. I was saying…”

“Ahem,” the Old Village Chief interrupted his wife. “Be quick with your hands and stop your chattering.”

His wife rolled her eyes. “I know, I know. You’re just standing there with your hands behind your back not doing a lick of work, yet you know how to nag.”

“I can’t even have a word with you now?” the Old Village Chief grumbled.

After a few more words of bickering, the Village Chief’s wife dropped the subject and quickly finished making the three sets of bedding.

Each Cotton-padded Quilt weighed a full ten catties, feeling heavy and substantial in one’s arms.

Zhao Mengcheng could carry them easily enough, but the Cotton-padded Quilts and mattresses were bulky. Carrying them on his back felt like hauling a small mountain.

“Dad, let me do it! Let me help!” Zhao Chun came running over, with Zhao Mao following close behind.

Zhao Mengcheng laughed and simply took two quilts and stuffed them into the baskets, one for each of his sons.

Zhao Chun stumbled slightly under the weight but quickly adjusted. He even said, “Put another one in, it’s not heavy at all.”

Zhao Mengcheng patted the back of his head. “If it’s too heavy, it’ll stunt your growth. I’ll handle the rest. You two head back first.”

Only then did the boy leave, albeit reluctantly.

Zhao Mao looked much more delicate, but to everyone’s surprise, he walked steadily even with a ten-catty Cotton-padded Quilt on his back.

Seeing that her father had no intention of giving her anything to carry, Zhao Xin became unhappy. “Dad, I can help too.”

Zhao Mengcheng looked at her small frame with some hesitation. Making a five-year-old carry ten catties would be nothing short of exploiting child labor.

After a moment’s thought, Zhao Mengcheng stuffed some Reed Fluff into her basket. “Xin’er, help Dad carry this. We’ll use it to make pillows when we get home.”

“Dad, stuff more in! I can carry it!” The little girl was quite ambitious.

Zhao Mengcheng indeed piled it high. In reality, the cotton wasn’t compressed at all, so it wasn’t heavy.

Zhao Xin didn’t know this, so she marched off proudly with her chin held high.

Zhao Mengcheng chuckled at the sight of her waddling away like a little duck. He swung the rest onto his own back. “Uncle, I’ll head back first. I’ll come back to help once I’ve dropped these off.”

“Go on. We’re almost done here anyway, so it’s fine if you don’t come back,” the Old Village Chief waved him off.

Watching the family’s retreating figures, the Village Chief’s wife sighed. “Mengcheng is really strong. He just hoisted all that weight and walked off. He didn’t have this kind of strength before.”

“Before, he was in the city keeping accounts for people. He sat around all day without moving, so how could he be strong?” the Old Village Chief remarked.

His wife shot him a look. “Why didn’t you let me finish what I was saying just now?”

“It’s been nearly a year since Yunniang passed away, and Mengcheng is still so young. He can’t stay unmarried forever. Besides, he has three children. Who will look after them and manage the household if he doesn’t take a wife?”

“I see that he’s a good, capable man. Now that he’s built a new house, he must have some savings, which is why I wanted to help him find a match. I wouldn’t just suggest anyone; I’d find him someone honest and hardworking who would be good to the children from his first marriage.”

The Village Chief’s wife had it all planned out. “You’re a man, so you don’t know the hardships of running a household. Every little thing, from the firewood to the rice, oil, and salt³, requires someone to worry about it. Plus, he has three kids. The sons are one thing, but Xin’er is a girl. As she grows up, she’ll need a mother for everything.”

She was too embarrassed to say it out loud, but when it came to things like a girl’s monthly cycle, no matter how much Zhao Mengcheng doted on his daughter, could a father really be the one to teach her about that?

The Old Village Chief scolded, “Are you his mother or his grandmother? Mengcheng is a man with his own ideas. This isn’t something for you to worry about.”

He saw clearly that Zhao Mengcheng had no intention of remarrying. Since he wasn’t their biological son, being overly pushy would only be annoying.

His wife was indignant. “I’m still an elder to him, aren’t I? His parents passed away early, so why can’t I help look out for him? I’m doing this for his own good.”

The Old Village Chief sighed helplessly and advised, “Save your energy. If you have this much free time, worry about your own son instead.”

Upon hearing this, the wife’s attention was indeed diverted. “That’s true. That boy Liu Bingkun is a real headache. He’s already so old and still refuses to marry. I think he wants to be like A-De and wait until he’s an old bachelor before he stops.”

She glared fiercely at her son. Ignoring the work at hand, she ran over to him. “Once this busy period is over, you’re going on a blind date. If you still don’t find someone you like, then just wait to become an old bachelor like Old Yang!”

Even working hard couldn’t shut his parents’ mouths. Liu Bingkun’s face immediately fell into a look of misery.

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t know that Liu Bingkun was bearing the burden of marriage pressure in his stead. After carrying the quilts home, he immediately cleared all the straw off the bed frames.

The bare wooden bed frames were still brand new. After wiping them clean, he laid out the bedding. Zhao Mengcheng pressed down on it with his hand and felt it was still a bit firm.

Zhao Chun, however, shouted in surprise, “It’s so warm! Lying on this is like sleeping in the clouds!”

“Brother, do you even know what clouds are like?” Zhao Mao teased, though he couldn’t hide the excitement and curiosity in his eyes.

Zhao Chun said with a grin, “Anyway, they look soft. Maybe they’re even sweet.”

As he spoke, the boy began to lick his lips, his cravings kicking in.

Zhao Mengcheng piled the quilt on top. “If you like it, you can sleep like this tonight.”

To his surprise, while he was talking, Zhao Chun stripped off his outer coat and dove straight into the covers, leaving only his small head peeking out. “Dad, it’s so warm! Do you want to come in and lie down for a bit?”

Zhao Mengcheng patted his forehead. “It’s not even dark yet.”

“But I don’t want to come out. I want to lie here a bit longer.” The boy sniffled. “My bed smells so good.”

“Fine, fine. If you want to try it, try it. It’s your own bed anyway.” Zhao Mengcheng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He saw that although Zhao Mao looked serious, his eyes were also full of eagerness.

“A-Mao, do you want to lie down and try it too?” Zhao Mengcheng asked.

Zhao Mao kept a straight face. “Who sleeps in the middle of the day? I can wait until tonight.”

“It’s fine. You’re tired from working, so you can go in and rest for a while.” Zhao Mengcheng was amused by his attitude of saying no while clearly wanting to.

Zhao Mao couldn’t resist the temptation. “Then I’ll just lie down for a tiny bit.”

He spoke as he carefully took off his clothes before getting into bed, terrified of getting the new quilt dirty.

Zhao Chun immediately moved over to make room. “Second Brother, is it warm? I’ve already warmed it up for you.”

“It really is warm. Our Dad is the best!” Zhao Mao squinted his eyes in comfort.

Zhao Xin leaned against the side of the bed, her hands gripping the edge as her eyes widened. “Big Brother, Second Brother, can you make some room for me? I want to lie down too.”

“Why don’t you go lie down in your own room?” Zhao Chun said, unwilling.

Zhao Xin huffed and looked at her father. “Dad, I want to sleep in this room for a bit.”

Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow. “This is your brothers’ room. You have to negotiate with them yourself.”

The little girl was wise beyond her years, knowing that his word carried weight.

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t want to get involved in the children’s little dispute. He picked up his own quilt and went to the next room to make his bed, making sure to set up the little girl’s bed as well.

Having been rejected, Zhao Xin pouted. Suddenly, her eyes darted around, and she let out a couple of huffs. “Brother, are you really not going to let me up?”

Zhao Chun poked his head out impatiently. “You usually don’t let me into your room, so why should you get on my bed? There’s no room for one more.”

Zhao Xin gave a loud huff. “Then I’m going to tell Dad that you wet the bed!”

“When did I ever wet the bed?” Zhao Chun protested.

Zhao Xin put her hands on her hips. “Mom said you were still wetting the bed at five years old! Every time, it was like a flood that almost washed the bed away. You never dared to tell anyone, and Mom always had to clean up after you in secret. Shame on you!”

“You… you’re slandering me!” Zhao Chun’s face turned bright red.

Zhao Mao, watching all this, let out a small sigh and moved further inward. “Fine, come up.”

Zhao Xin immediately scrambled up. “Second Brother is the best!”

“Take off your outer clothes. Don’t get our new quilt dirty,” Zhao Mao emphasized.

“Oh.” The little girl was quite obedient.

She crawled into the covers and took a deep breath, a blissful smile appearing on her face. “It really is warm, and it smells so good.”

Zhao Chun grumbled for a long time. “When did I wet the bed? Mom was talking nonsense.”

“Mom wouldn’t talk nonsense. You must have forgotten right after you did it,” Zhao Xin insisted.

Zhao Chun countered, “Then it definitely wasn’t me. It was Second Brother.”

Sandwiched between the two of them, Zhao Mao’s head began to ache from the noise. He furrowed his little brows and scolded, “You’re already up here, so what are you still arguing for? Dad doesn’t like to see us fighting.”

Didn’t they see that Dad had gone to the next room just to avoid their bickering?

“Hmph, she’s the one who started talking nonsense,” Zhao Chun said, though his voice immediately became much quieter.

Zhao Xin stuck out her tongue and said, “Fine, I won’t say it anymore.”

The three little ones, who had always slept on Reed Fluff bedding, lay there for a while until their cheeks turned rosy. The Cotton-padded Quilts were simply too warm.

The three children, who had originally only intended to lie down for a moment, soon became drowsy from the warmth. One by one, they grew hazy.

When Zhao Mengcheng finished tidying the two rooms and came over to check, he was amused to find them all snoring softly.

He reached out and felt their heads were covered in sweat. Fearing they would catch a cold if he pulled the quilt off entirely, he moved their hands outside the covers to let them cool down a bit.

As he was doing this, he heard Zhao Xin sniffle.

He thought the child had woken up, but when he looked up, her eyes were still tightly shut. She murmured unclearly, “Mom, I miss you. When are you coming back?”

Zhao Mengcheng’s hand paused. In the end, he only stroked Little Xin’er’s hair and patted her to let her keep sleeping.

While the Zhao family was warm, cozy, and peaceful, a commotion broke out outside.

The villagers were all industrious. There was plenty of cotton in the mountains, but that didn’t stop them from working with all their might.

After the first day, the group of young men who had followed Zhao Mengcheng up the mountain all received cotton-padded quilts. They happily carried the quilts back home.

“We really have to follow Brother Mengcheng. Good things always happen when we’re with him.”

“Exactly. Even the White Dragon likes Brother Mengcheng. He must have been an immortal in his past life, descending to the mortal world to undergo trials⁴ in this one.”

“Shh, it’s enough that we know this ourselves. Don’t let others hear it, or they’ll all come to compete with us later.”

Liu Laoliu lived right next door to Zhao Laoda. Before he even entered his house, he shouted while carrying the cotton-padded quilt, “Dad, Mom, you use this new quilt first. I’m young and not afraid of the cold, I can wait a bit longer.”

Laoliu’s parents couldn’t stop smiling. “Our son is so filial. The two of us won’t be cold sleeping together, you keep it for yourself first.”

“No, you use it first. I’m young and full of energy.”

While they were going back and forth, Zhao Dasao heard the noise and walked out. She immediately spotted the snow-white quilt. “You Liu family folk, did you strike it rich? Where did you get that? Is that a quilt? Where did it come from? Was it expensive? How much did it cost?”

As she spoke, she reached out to touch it, ignoring their expressions.

Liu Laoliu slapped her hand away. “Your hands are so filthy, don’t get it dirty.”

“Oh, look at the country folk getting all precious. Who cares anyway?” Zhao Dasao rolled her eyes and scoffed loudly.

Liu Laoliu curled his lip. “I know you don’t care. That’s why the whole village went to work for quilts except for your family.”

His mother also added sarcastically, “Exactly. Their family is rich and doesn’t care for such small things. Son, let’s go inside quickly, it’s cold out here.”

“What? The village gave them out?”

Zhao Dasao realized something was wrong. She hurried inside to discuss it with Zhao Wencai, and the couple rushed out. Only then did they see the bustling activity at the drying ground.

Zhao Dasao ran over and sat on the ground. “Village Chief, how can you bully people like this? Why does everyone else have one but not my family? You can’t bully us just because my husband is lame.”

The Old Village Chief already knew he had sent someone to call them twice, but Zhao Laoda and his wife hadn’t even stepped out of their door.

He kept a stern face, with no intention of indulging them. “You didn’t come out when called to work, but you’re quick to run here when it’s time to distribute cotton.”

“This, no one came to call us!” Zhao Wencheng naturally refused to admit it.

“Don’t try to lie. I went to your door twice myself. You answered both times. Lao’er, Laoliu, and the others all heard it.”

“Yes, we heard it.”

“You clearly answered from inside, saying you weren’t willing to work.”

Zhao Wencheng’s face darkened. “Well, I didn’t know there was such a good deal. You weren’t being honest with us.”

The Old Village Chief spat right in his face. “You greedy piece of work. Let me tell you today, from now on, regarding village matters, if money is needed, you pay. If labor is needed, you work. If you contribute nothing, you get nothing.”

“I’m making my stance clear right here. Anyone with an objection can come find me.”

Zhao Dasao was about to start a scene upon hearing this.

The Old Village Chief said coldly, “Anyone who refuses to comply and makes a scene will be kicked out of Qingshan Village.”

Zhao Dasao wanted to wail more, but Zhao Wencai quickly pulled her back. He saw the cold look in the Village Chief’s eyes and noticed the clan elders only nodded in agreement without any opposition. He feared they really would be kicked out if they continued.

The couple was left without tears, forced to watch others receive quilts with bitter faces. While others were happy, they were shrouded in gloom.

On the other side, Zhao Mengcheng didn’t wake the children. Thinking of how the child had called for her mother in her sleep, his heart ached, and he planned to make them something delicious to nourish them.

However, as he rummaged through the kitchen, he realized they had been so focused solely on the cotton lately that all the meat in the house was gone.

Zhao Mengcheng had no choice but to take out the last bit of lard, intending to make lard rice⁵. He calculated in his mind that he needed to make a trip to town before the New Year to buy more meat.

Just as he was pondering this, the back window suddenly gave a creak.

Zhao Mengcheng looked up sharply, only to see a massive, bloody mouth.

Translator’s Notes