"Alright, once these are dry, we can get started. I’ll find someone to draw the floral patterns tomorrow," the aunt said.
Drawing floral patterns is a skilled craft in itself, and some people specialize in it.
Su Li blinked. "I know how to draw them. I was planning on drawing the pattern for Little Mo’s insoles myself."
Seeing the aunt look over at her, Su Li smiled. "I can draw floral patterns or anything else."
"Then you should draw one for us to see. They’ll dry in this sun in a flash, and then you can get started. I’ll go find you a good pen."
The aunt seemed quite interested, and Su Li nodded.
Wu Sheng woke from his nap to the sound of voices in the courtyard. He glanced at Little Tang Mo, who had gone to sleep with his back to him but was now snuggled in his arms, and a lazy smile spread across his face.
Looking at Little Tang Mo’s flushed, sleeping face, Wu Sheng had the urge to give his cheeks a pinch, but he managed to resist.
Since coming here, Little Tang Mo had been sleeping with Wu Sheng.
At first, the little guy had been so proud, keeping his distance from Wu Sheng. He’d even slept poorly the first night, not being used to it.
’But now... Hmph, hmph. Every morning, I wake up to find him in my arms.’
Wu Sheng carefully slipped out from beside Little Tang Mo, stretched contentedly, and got up quietly. He opened the door carefully and walked out silently to look at the three women under the grapevine trellis.
Wu Sheng made very little noise, and the women didn’t notice him. They were still chatting with their heads down, busy with their needlework.
Seeing this scene, Wu Sheng couldn’t help but recall what it was like when Wu Qihua had come back home with him.
Wu Qihua was a stranger to the kitchen and had no affinity for needlework either. Whenever she tried, she would just help out with minor tasks, and the moment she picked up a needle, there would be cries of "Ouch! Ouch!"—from pricking herself.
Wu Sheng’s sewing was even better than Wu Qihua’s. Whenever a seam came undone or a button fell off, Wu Sheng was the one to fix it.
It couldn’t be helped. When Wu Qihua tried to sew on a button, it would turn into a bloody, finger-pricking incident.
Wu Sheng snapped out of his reminiscence, his excellent eyesight focused on the insole in Su Li’s hands.
’Tomorrow... or the day after at the latest, I’ll get my insole gift, hahaha.’
’Meeting Su Li, my life has finally taken a turn for the better.’
Wu Sheng sat lazily on the doorstep, gazing at the tranquil, peaceful courtyard, so full of life. He didn’t want to move a muscle.
Su Li happened to glance back and saw Wu Sheng on the doorstep.
"You’re awake."
"Mhm," Wu Sheng nodded. "I’m going to weave some baskets in a bit. Want to watch?"
He wanted to show off his many talents.
Before, whether it was weaving baskets or anything else, he would just learn it for the sake of learning, with little enthusiasm. But now, he felt excited about everything he did.
"I do," Su Li nodded.
Just as Wu Sheng was about to speak, he felt a warmth press against his back.
Little Tang Mo was yawning and rubbing his eyes, leaning bonelessly against him.
Wu Sheng glanced back, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Why are you getting up with your eyes closed?"
"Can’t sleep too long," Little Tang Mo mumbled. Su Li let him take a nap, but never for too long, so he had gotten used to it over time.
Wu Sheng looked at the swing set in the courtyard, a glint in his eye. "Want me to wake you up?"
Five minutes later, Little Tang Mo was sitting on the swing, more awake than he had ever been.
"Too high, too high!"
Wu Sheng grinned mischievously. "This isn’t even high. Hold on to the ropes tight!"
Su Li watched them while stitching the insoles, a faint smile constantly playing on her lips.
A gentle breeze blew past, and a phrase came to Su Li’s mind.
Serene and beautiful.
It really was... wonderful.
The aunt looked at the smile on Su Li’s lips and found herself smiling unconsciously as well.
"That was my father... I mean, your grandfather, who made that for Little Chun, Xiao Xia, and the other kids. That swing set alone took him two days to build, but it’s sturdy. All these years later, it can still be used."
Su Li nodded.
"If you want to have a go, you can get on too. It’s really sturdy. I used to sit on it all the time. It’s only now that I’m old and get dizzy that I don’t."
Before the aunt could finish, Grandma Wu chimed in, "That’s right, you can get on too. Have Wu Sheng push you."
Su Li was too embarrassed. "I’d better not."
The aunt didn’t press the issue. Instead, she placed a pair of shoes she had been working on for the past few days by Su Li’s feet.
"Try them on. See if they fit."
Su Li froze for a moment. "Huh?"
’These shoes... are they for me?’
She stared blankly at the red, multi-layered cloth shoes by her feet.
"Go on, try them. They should be about right," the aunt urged Su Li. "If Wu Sheng had told us earlier, we would have finished them long ago. But we only started after you arrived, so it took until now."
The aunt’s expression was calm. "I made them according to the sole of your shoe, so they should fit."
On the night Su Li and the others arrived, the aunt had gotten up early and, while they were still asleep, had secretly come to measure Su Li’s shoe for comparison.
"Thank you." Su Li finally reacted, her heart melting completely.
She hadn’t expected them to be for her.
Su Li had worn these multi-layered cloth shoes before. They were very comfortable and good for your feet, but they were time-consuming and labor-intensive to make, and you couldn’t get them wet.
As a child, she had longed for and envied shoes like these more than anything, but she had only ever worn two new pairs.
Miao Cuixia had been too lazy to make them for her, so she had mostly worn straw sandals.
Those two new pairs had been made for her by Su Xing.
She never thought she would suddenly receive a pair like this now.
After what felt like a lifetime, she was caught off guard by the gift of a beautiful pair of red cloth shoes—the very kind she had dreamed of as a child in her past life.
Su Li blinked back the moisture gathering in her eyes and carefully took off her shoes to try on the new pair.
They weren’t too big or too small—a perfect fit. "They fit perfectly."
"As long as they fit," the aunt nodded. "Next time you come back, you won’t need to bring so many shoes."
Now that they knew her size, they would have some ready for her at home.
Su Li understood the implication, and her eyes grew hot again uncontrollably. She quickly turned her head away and let out a soft "mhm."
She couldn’t bear to wear them and wanted to take them off to put them away. She was only halfway through taking one off when the aunt glanced at her.
"If they fit, just wear them. Shoes like these are perfect for the village."
’The sandals Su Li is wearing, and the other shoes she’s worn before, all look expensive. It would be a waste to wear them for hiking up the mountain every day.’
Just as the aunt was thinking this, she heard Su Li say, "I’ll wear them tonight after I’ve washed my feet. For now, these are fine."
’What if I ruin them?’
The aunt understood. She looked at the shoes on Su Li’s feet, which were clearly several times more expensive than the cloth shoes, and was speechless. "..."
’She doesn’t care about the expensive ones, but she treasures the inexpensive pair...’
’I really don’t understand young people these days.’
But even if she didn’t understand, the aunt couldn’t help but smile.
’When someone likes and treasures a gift you put your heart into making, how could you not be happy?’
Watching Su Li treasure the shoes as she went to put them away, the aunt and Grandma Wu exchanged an exasperated look.
Wu Sheng was watching Little Tang Mo, but he was also paying attention to what was happening with Su Li and the others, unable to hide the smile on his face.
When Su Li came back out, he beckoned her over.
Five minutes later, the Wu family’s courtyard erupted in commotion.
Su Li’s shrieks of surprise, Little Tang Mo’s clapping, and the aunt’s laughter all mixed together, filling the air with boisterous fun.
Su Li sat on the swing, feeling the sensation of flying.
Wu Sheng pushed her so high that she almost flew over the apple tree outside the courtyard.