CH 73

Lu Junming said, “Mum, Yan’er wants to take a look at the fabrics.”

Mo Yan nodded, “I want to know what high-quality fabrics are like.”

Ms. Zhao took them into her bedroom and retrieved a few rolls of fabric from a drawer, putting it on her bed.

Mo Yan had only seen shimmering pieces of fabrics like these on television until today. She wanted to touch it, but stopped herself. “I just touched salted vegetables and my hands are dirty. Lu Junming, do you mind fetching me some water so I can wash my hands?”

She had forgotten Ms. Zhao was there and accidentally used his full name. Mo Yan smiled towards her embarrassedly and said, “Sorry, I should’ve called him young Mr. Lu instead.”

Ms. Zhao smiled faintly, “It’s fine, call him whatever you want!”

Mo Yan only touched the rolls of fabrics after washing her hands. There was pure white fabric, ruby red, and other different colours, all with patterns that dazzled her eyes. It looked even more beautiful than a painting.

She asked Ms. Zhao, “Is this silk?”

“Yes, it’s just an imitation of Sichuan silk, but it’s infinitely close to the real thing.”

“Ms. Zhao, are you well-versed in fabrics?”

She smiled faintly once more, “I’m from Sichuan, and my father was a fabrics merchant, so I picked up a thing or two from him.”

“Then…”

Mo Yan wanted to ask if she still kept in touch with them, but felt it was inappropriate to ask as it was their first time meeting.

A hint of resignation appeared in Ms. Zhao’s eyes, “One year, I was going to the Upper Valley with my father to sell fabrics when we were robbed by brigands. It was all thanks to Lu Junming’s father that we escaped without harm. However, he lost his wares and a great deal of money, so he sold me to him so he could afford to return home on his own. We haven’t seen each other since.”

He went to sell fabrics with his daughter and sold her for money at the slightest hint of trouble? A chill ran down Mo Yan’s back.

“Ms. Zhao, you know how to make textiles, so you could make a textiles shop and live well with the money you make off it.”

“Yes, but the start-up costs would be immense, and I don’t have any connections here. However, now Lu Junming has grown up and wants to start a business, I fully support it.”

Lu Junming said from the side, “Are there any you like? You can take a few home to make clothes for the New Year.”

Mo Yan shook her head and turned towards Ms. Zhao, “You can go browse some fabric shops. Fabrics like these will definitely sell well during the New Year.”

Lu Junming nodded and said, “My mum had wanted to do this, but I don’t know anything about fabrics. You should accompany her someday.”

Fabrics like these would be exotic and new to the people in the village, while fresh goods from the village would be in short supply in the city. Fresh grains, cotton, sunflower seeds and peanuts can all be sold in the city.

Zhong Cheng had made money by walking to the city, exchanging green beans for wheat and grinding it into flour. If they sold fresh grains in the city, they’d definitely make money.

“Lu Junming, you can find importers and exporters from the Upper Valley and organise them into a caravan. That way, there won’t be any empty carriages, and you won’t have to worry about losing any money.”

“I initially just wanted to make a moving service to move others’ wares, but mum said that wasn’t work befitting of me.”

Even if he didn’t move wares, it didn’t mean others couldn’t.

“Then you focus on inspecting the wares, I’ll find someone to move the wares for them.”

“You?” Lu Junming looked at her questioningly, and Mo Yan smiled, “I have a really good person. He can work long hours and has a lot of experience.”

“Who?”

“Brother Cheng. Our family owes him a lot of favours, and we’ll have repaid him if we find him a good job with a steady income.”

No matter if he gets together with Mo Ling or not, Zhong Cheng was someone worth trusting and being friends with.

Ms. Zhao made tea, and Mo Yan and Lu Junming chatted while drinking tea. Without either of them knowing it, it was already dark.

“Wait, it’s already dark! My sister must’ve been waiting for me for a long time. I have to go.” Mo Yan had almost ran out when she remembered to say farewell to Ms. Zhao, turned, and left.

Ms. Zhao said “Come again”, but she seemed to have not heard. Lu Junming left and got his horse, “Mum, I’ll go check up on her. If her sister isn’t there, I’ll send her back to her village, and I might not come back tonight.”

Lu Junming caught up to her on horseback and asked, “Want a ride?”

Mo Yan turned her head and glared at him, “I don’t need to!”

Lu Junming got off his horse and walked behind her. When they returned to the shop, it had been closed and when they ran to the courtyard, Ms. Hua told them Mo Ling had already gone back. Zhong Cheng had also left, and they had told her to inform them.

He extended an arm towards her, “Get on! I’ll take you back, and we might catch up with them so you won’t get scolded by your mum.”

Seeing how dark the sky was, Mo Yan could only agree. Lu Junming got her on the horse, but with less ease than before.

“You’ve gained some weight these past two months. You’ve also grown a bit taller.”

Instead of being angry, Mo Yan was delighted about it, “That means my body’s getting healthier! I haven’t been sick in a long time!”

“Yes, keep up the good work.” Lu Junming also got on the horse, and it started moving.

He stopped the horse in front of the Mo family and let Mo Yan walk back on her own.

She had just arrived when she heard Mrs. Liang continuously coughing. The weather was much colder nowadays.

“Mum, can your cough be cured?”

When she finished coughing, Mrs. Liang took a deep breath and said, “I’ve used countless medicinal formulas, and even asked Mr. Cao for help, but to no avail.”

Coughing when it’s cold isn’t a terminal disease, so even if they couldn’t get rid of it entirely, there should still be some way to mitigate it. Mo Yan patted her back a few times before helping her to the kitchen.

Mo Ling had already made dinner, and Mrs. Liang couldn’t help but start coughing again when she felt the heat of the rice.

“Mum, if you’re coughing due to sudden changes in temperature, you probably need to strengthen your immune system.”

“What’s an immune system?”

“A weak immune system is when your body’s weak, like mine. I’ll catch a cold after being caught in the rain, while you won’t.”

“Then how do you strengthen it? Running?”

Mo Yan nodded, “It’d help, but mum definitely wouldn’t go running. Taking medicine would require a lot of time and money, which is why she has a persistent cough.”

Mrs. Liang suppressed a cough. “So it’s the same as not being able to do anything about it.”

“I want to simplify a medicinal formula and make it a herbal tea, so it’ll be cheaper and you can have it consistently since it’s convenient to make.”

Mrs. Liang laughed, “Are you trying to poison me and take my inheritance?”

Mo Ling laughed as well. “Of course not, there’s not enough for it to be worth taking.”

Mrs. Liang sighed, “Sometimes when I have another coughing fit, I just pray it’ll be my last. They’re unbearable.”

Post-edit notes: Mo Yan will probably find a herbal tea that works, and Mrs. Liang’s cough will be cured very quickly. This plot point will finally be resolved soon!