The two little ones fell asleep again after finishing their meal. Just as Hua Wanxi had settled them down, Wang Shi came rushing in.
Seeing that Hua Wanxi looked much cleaner than before, Wang Shi thought to herself that her second sister-in-law was indeed a clean person. Still, she couldn’t help but nag a bit:
“Second sister-in-law, I know you like to keep clean, but you must be careful during postpartum recovery. Don’t touch water carelessly—especially cold water—and don’t let yourself get blown by wind. Otherwise, you’ll suffer when you get old!”
Hua Wanxi had heard similar advice before in her past life. She smiled and accepted it gratefully.
“Thank you, Sister-in-law. I’ll remember it and be careful in the future.”
Wang Shi nodded in satisfaction. This younger sister-in-law was reasonable and pretty—so why didn’t her mother-in-law like her? Sigh.
“Then just lie down. I’ll go cook you some porridge!”
She went into the adjoining kitchen, and soon the sound of pots and bowls could be heard.
Hua Wanxi felt warm inside, but she also knew she couldn’t help at all in her current state. So she lay on the bed, thinking about how to use the supplies in the bathroom to improve her quality of life.
The first problem was food. She couldn’t keep relying on Wang Shi for support, and she also needed something better than plain porridge.
Then there was the bedding at home—it was so hard it felt like wooden planks, and it never got warm even after covering herself for a long time.
She also needed clothes for herself and the children. The original owner’s two sets of clothes weren’t warm enough, and wrapping the babies only in bath towels clearly wasn’t a long-term solution.
These were all urgent matters. Once she was able to go out, she would find a way to exchange her supplies for silver money.
Wang Shi was very efficient. In no time, she brought in a bowl of porridge and a small dish.
“Second sister-in-law, come on, eat while it’s hot!”
She placed the bowl on the bedside cabinet. The porridge was thin, and on the small plate there was a black steamed bun, a small portion of pickled vegetables, and a boiled egg.
There was actually an egg!
Hua Wanxi’s eyes turned slightly red. In this place, eggs were a precious luxury item. She didn’t know how Wang Shi had managed to get it.
Seeing her staring at the egg, Wang Shi gave a shy smile, neither trying to show off nor seeking credit.
“Second sister-in-law, eat quickly. It gets cold fast in this weather.”
“Mm, thank you, Sister-in-law.”
Hua Wanxi was someone with a low emotional threshold. Tears welled up in her eyes. The warmth from a stranger gave her a bit more confidence that she could survive in this unfamiliar era.
There wasn’t much food, and she finished quickly. After setting the bowl aside, she spoke the words she had already prepared in her mind.
“Sister-in-law, I have something I’d like to ask for your help.”
“What is it? Just tell me!”
Hua Wanxi took out four pieces of Shanghai-brand soap from under the cabinet. Each one was long, like a small brick, and handed them to Wang Shi.
“Sister-in-law, do you recognize this?”
“Oh! This is ‘soap’!” Wang Shi said in surprise, turning them over and examining them carefully, even sniffing them.
“This soap looks much nicer than the ones sold in town! It smells better too!”
She had seen similar soap in the town shop before—grayish, ugly, and one piece cost forty-five copper coins. She had only looked and never dared to buy it.
Hua Wanxi secretly smiled. Of course—it was modern craftsmanship, far superior to ancient handmade goods.
“Sister-in-law, these were brought back by my child’s father. We originally planned to use them to start a small business after the baby was born, but…”
She pretended to wipe away a tear, then continued:
“These soaps are better than anything made here. They were brought by merchants from overseas. See? It even says ‘Shanghai’ on it—that means it came by sea!”
“Oh my! From overseas? Then it must be valuable! But I can’t read this writing—I don’t recognize it,” Wang Shi said.
Most women here were illiterate, so that was normal.
“Sister-in-law, I can’t go out right now. Could you ask your family to help sell these in town when they go, and exchange them for some goods for me?”
“Of course!” Wang Shi agreed readily. “Your uncle is going to town tomorrow. I’ll tell him. What do you want him to bring back?”
“If the money from selling the soap is enough, please ask him to bring back two thick quilts, two sets of padded winter clothes, and two pairs of shoes. For the children, two sets of cotton clothes each. Also some grain, eggs, and meat. If it’s not enough, then just one quilt, one set of clothes, and some grain first.”
Hua Wanxi wanted everything—she felt like she could go shopping wildly if she had the chance.
Wang Shi, being frugal by nature, suggested, “Clothes and quilts are actually cheaper if you buy fabric and make them yourself. How about your uncle brings back one ready-made set first? Then we can buy cloth and cotton. I can help you sew.”
But Hua Wanxi refused. She couldn’t wait.
“Sister-in-law, it’s fine. Let’s just buy ready-made ones. I’ll still need many things later, and I may need to trouble you again.”
“Alright then, I’ve noted it. I’ll bring everything back when your uncle returns tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Sister-in-law.”
After seeing Wang Shi off, Hua Wanxi looked at the sleeping children and slipped back into the bathroom space again.
She felt grateful for Wang Shi’s help and thought about whether there was anything she could give her as a gift.