CHAPTER 181: CHAPTER 181: ALMOST FORGOT

"We’ll finish this work soon, Mom. You go shopping and get Xiao Shuang a set of clothes! School starts tomorrow, and we need more clothes to change into, don’t we? Also, get some underwear for all of them! And remember to buy some for Grandma too! The weather is getting warmer, Mom, look for some lighter clothes for yourself and Dad too!" Lin Xue instructed.

That’s quite a list of things to buy.

"Alright, I’ll go for a walk and see what’s available! I’ve got clothes, I won’t buy any for myself, I’ll just get some for you all!" Wang Cuihua agreed, seeing there was nothing left for her to do.

Having many children has its perks; once they grow up, you get to relax, not needing to do everything yourself.

"Choose as you see fit, Mom! Here’s two hundred yuan!" Lin Xue handed Wang Cuihua twenty ten-yuan bills from her pocket.

"Why do I need so much money to buy those things? Twenty yuan will do!" Wang Cuihua said, refusing to take it.

"Keep the rest on you; it’s more convenient when you need it! Also, get a pair of single shoes for everyone in the family! It’s time to wear them, last year’s shoes are patched and unwearable!" Lin Xue added.

"Mom’s been making them for a while now; your dad’s are done, and yours are started! The leftover fabric from Xiao Yun’s last clothing is enough for the family’s shoes!" Wang Cuihua said, reluctant to spend money on shoes.

A pair of cloth shoes costs about a yuan, but she can make them herself, and now with Grandma helping out with the kids, if she can’t make shoes for her family, what can she make?

"Buy a pair to wear first, Mom, then take your time making them!" Lin Xue suggested.

The supermarket does have those cloth shoes, but she couldn’t take them out yet; only by going to the county market could she bring them out.

"Alright, I’ll go then!" Wang Cuihua said, taking the money carefully and going out.

She now had two hundred and ten yuan because Grandma had given her ten yuan.

After Lin Xue took Lin Daliang and Lin Shuang to change their names and complete all adoption procedures, they returned and Wang Cuihua had already finished shopping at the market.

She bought underwear and shoes for a few children, and two sets of new clothes for Lin Shuang.

Although the material was ordinary, it fit well, and also included an army green crossbody bag with a red five-star flag on it.

Lin Shuang loved it immensely.

Lin Daliang and Wang Cuihua didn’t linger; they drove the ox cart back to the village, leaving Lin Xue and Zhang Yuan in charge here.

They had absolute trust in their eldest daughter, so they returned without worry.

The group busied themselves all morning, tidying up the house inside and out. After airing and drying for a day and half, the study and workspace were finally dry.

They worked together to move the desk, bookshelf, and chairs into the study, arranged everything neatly, then moved three liquor cabinets into the workspace, followed by the sewing machine, and set it all up; thus, the two transformed rooms were done.

Xiao Yun was finally informed that this room was the independent workspace her elder sister had promised her earlier.

She didn’t expect her dreams to be realized so quickly and was so excited she stuttered.

"Xiao Yun, this is just the start! As long as your study progresses and you make it to the top three, elder sister will bring back all kinds of fabric! And thread in every color!" Lin Xue encouraged.

"Really, elder sister? I want a bolt of silk, I want to make a cheongsam for Mom..." Xiao Yun said longingly.

"We’ll save this idea for the future, what now, isn’t it asking for trouble?" Zhang Yuan advised.

"Exactly! Xiao Yun! No cheongsams! Yearning for the past will bring trouble!" Lin Xue knew roughly and agreed, "But elder sister will find a way for you! Save it for the future!"

"Got it, elder sister!" Xiao Yun was frightened, nodding immediately, her face turning pale.

"Alright, alright, the east wing is for us girls, the west wing is for the boys! You three share a room, and I’ll take the liberty of having my own, the west wing too, you brothers share a room, and your eldest brother-in-law gets a room too! Pick your bedding yourselves!" Lin Xue announced.

"Elder sister, we picked ours earlier, we knew you’d have your own room, but we don’t mind!" Lin Xia said with a smile.

"Yes, we don’t mind!" Lin Shuang echoed like a little adult.

"Elder sister, I’m so hungry! Worked all morning, I’m starving!" Lin Chuan complained loudly, clutching his stomach.

"Okay, let’s make dinner..." Lin Xue was about to start cooking when she realized there was no firewood...

"Zhang Yuan... What do we do about the lack of firewood?" Lin Xue naturally passed the problem to Zhang Yuan to solve.

"I’ll find Li Qiang and have him bring some over!" Zhang Yuan chuckled, shaking his head, as the girl had forgotten such an important thing.

Lin Xue looked innocent; the weather warming up and her having cooked without firewood in her former life made forgetting quite reasonable.

"Zhang Yuan, ask him to bring more, we’ll pay for it! When they start school, we can’t go out for firewood every meal!" Lin Xue said helplessly.

Her supermarket had a gas stove, but she dared not take it out, as she worried these little ones wouldn’t know how to use it and it would be dangerous.

She remembered she got here due to a gas stove explosion.

She’d rather use an electric pot than a gas stove now.

"Alright! I’ll handle it! You all start preparing, I’ll get the firewood for noon’s meal in a bit!" Zhang Yuan said, pushing the bike out.

"Alright, you go get ready quickly; when he returns, we’ll cook! Elder sister, go out and see if there’s any meat for sale! Buy a bit to eat!" Lin Xue waved them inside and went out herself.

Here, she couldn’t take things out; she’d have to find a chance outside.

She walked to the street corner but found no opportunity, going towards the market to buy some, soon meeting a familiar face on the way.

"Xiao Xue?" A female voice sounded behind her.

Lin Xue turned and saw Chen Qiyue, whom she hadn’t seen in almost a month, nearly forgetting about.

She had promised Chen Qiyue to get a few boxes of fragrance, but got so busy she forgot, and even Grandma Chen, whom she had promised to send good food to, was forgotten once work was settled, enough to call it ungrateful.

"Sister Qiyue..." Lin Xue called, feeling guilty.

Thinking of excuses and realizing none could really justify it.

"Xiao Xue, what are you doing here? Bringing me fragrance? I’ve waited a long time but didn’t see you come!" Chen Qiyue joyously approached, affectionately holding her arm.

"Yes! But I’ll bring it to the clinic in the afternoon, Sister Qiyue! I haven’t got the package yet, I’ll get it later!" Lin Xue lied smoothly, "Been busy at home, today was the first chance to come out, was going to bring some refined grain and meat to Grandma Chen; I’ll deliver it all to you this afternoon!"

Lin Xue found the perfect explanation, as by now everyone had started getting busy, claiming family matters was very understandable.