Chen Lan immediately got up and rushed forward to help her mother-in-law take off her raincoat, replying, "Yes! Mother-in-law, there aren't many days left until the New Year. We need to find time to start preparing new clothes for everyone's New Year. In our valley, not counting the children, there are already twenty-three or twenty-four adults! This work of making clothes is not a small task, so I asked Wen Kai and Wen Qi, those two brothers, to invite you over to help with decisions."
The mother-in-law quickly took off her raincoat and rain boots, changed into slippers for indoors, and said as she walked, "It's not early anymore! It is time to start preparing slowly. Xiao Lan, do you have any ideas yourself?"
The mother-in-law turned back and was waiting for Chen Lan's reply. Ming Wei and Ming Zhe, who followed the mother-in-law in, urged from behind her, "Mother, why don't you go in first and discuss making clothes with your eldest sister-in-law! It's windy and rainy outside, and it's so cold! Don't block the doorway, let us siblings go in first."
As the siblings spoke, they pushed the mother-in-law's back to walk inside. Chen Lan quickly helped Ming Zhe take off his raincoat and rain boots. She also lent a hand to Cui Qiao and Zhao Xiaoyue, who were following behind Ming Xuan, letting Cui Qiao hold Xiao Shi Tou and Zhao Xiaoyue go inside with the three of them. Then she helped Mother Cui, who was walking behind, take off her raincoat and rain boots. Finally, it was the two younger brothers' raincoats and rain boots. She touched their hands and faces, which were cold. After quickly letting the two of them in, she promptly closed the main door and rubbed their hands and faces vigorously until they turned red to prevent frostbite.
As soon as the mother-in-law walked into the living room, she saw several strangers. Seeing Chun Cao and the others sitting on the sofa, she was stunned for a moment, not reacting.
Seeing her mother-in-law's reaction, Old Mother guessed that Er Hu might not have explained things clearly last night. First, it might have been too late at night; second, it might have been difficult for a man to talk about matters concerning three women, and furthermore, the matter was truly difficult to articulate; third, the situation might have been too tragic, so he hadn't explained the origins of Chun Cao and the other three to his mother-in-law.
She thought this way because Lan Er had just told her that the situation was too tragic, and the three girls were still so young, plus an innocent child. The fewer people who knew about such things, the better! After all, they still had to live. They couldn't cut off the four people's means of survival. Fearing that her in-law might ask something that would make them sad without understanding, she quickly stood up and intercepted her mother-in-law's words, calling out, "In-law, come, sit here, sit here, it's warmer here. Come and see if your two darling grandchildren have grown a bit!"
Then she said to Jia Hui and Jia Yao, "Come, Jia Yao, Jia Hui, good babies, quickly bow to your Grandma and clap your hands." The dragon-phoenix twin siblings adorably used their two little chubby hands to bow and clap, busying themselves happily.
The mother-in-law, distracted by Old Mother, immediately forgot the question she was about to ask. Seeing her two extremely cute, perfectly sculpted grandchildren, she quickly walked over to cuddle and kiss her darling grandchildren. Old Mother also quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
At this moment, Chen Lan entered with her two younger brothers. Ming Wei, Cui Qiao, and Zhao Xiaoyue were looking through the two pieces of floral fabric with Hu Yuzhen. The four of them were lowering their heads, discussing the styles of the new clothes.
Cui Qiao felt someone enter and looked up to see Chen Lan. Cui Qiao immediately said, "Let Xiao Lan give us an idea! She has good taste and makes sound decisions." So the four of them called out in unison, "Xiao Lan, come here for a moment, we need your help."
Chen Lan walked over and was troubled when she heard that they were discussing making clothes. Chen Lan really didn't have any research on the clothes of this era. She herself was a novice and didn't know how to sew clothes. Moreover, in her previous life, she never had to make clothes; she always bought them online. For a moment, she didn't know how to make suggestions! But seeing their trusting eyes, she braced herself and walked to the table, looking at the floral fabric on the table and recalling the styles of floral fabric clothes she had seen in her previous life. After thinking for a long time, she only remembered floral dresses and big floral padded jackets. Yes, since it was for the New Year, it was about celebrating, so she would make them those long ones, like coats, floral padded jackets. If she made them long, two pieces of fabric might not be enough. She would also need to add Chun Cao, Ru Yi, and Xiao Xue, the three of them. For the three of them, she would make plain floral ones, which would probably require at least two more pieces of floral fabric. This would give Chun Cao, Ru Yi, and Xiao Xue something to do, so they wouldn't be so bored and have so much time to think about things. With something to do, they wouldn't be constantly reminded of such tragic and embarrassing past events. Let them slowly forget everything from the past through busy work and start a new life.
Then she thought, but she didn't know how to cut, and she didn't understand these things, so how could she explain her ideas for them to understand? Ah! It's really vexing! Forget it! She wouldn't think about it anymore; she would find the almighty system for help! Thinking of this, Chen Lan spoke up and replied, "You ask me, but I don't know how to make clothes, nor do I understand cutting, and I can't explain it clearly. I'll go upstairs and get you some books. There are many clothing styles in the books. Aunt Xiao Shan knows how to cut. You first choose the styles you like, and then ask Aunt Xiao Shan to cut out the styles for you. You can sew them yourself."
Saying this, she left them and didn't bother with them anymore. Let them discuss slowly. She turned and quickly walked upstairs. As she went upstairs, she thought about the large number of people who would soon be arriving in the valley. The population of the valley would only grow larger! But they couldn't always be improvising like this. It was time to organize the women in the valley to form a sewing cooperative, dedicated to making clothes and shoes for men, women, old, and young in the valley for all four seasons. Also, quilts, mattresses, bed sheets, and duvet covers for new arrivals in the valley. Even if they didn't make clothes and shoes for all four seasons, they should at least make them for two seasons.
Thinking of this, her resolve was strengthened even more. Since everyone was here today, she would discuss forming a sewing cooperative with her mother-in-law and Old Mother later. It was also time to bring out all the fabric stored in the system warehouse and make it known. The defective fabric should also be used up quickly, otherwise, over time, the fabric itself would be damaged.
With the matter sorted out, her steps became lighter. As she walked, she opened the system screen with her mind and searched for books on clothing. There were many books such as "Chinese Girls' Cotton Clothes," "Girls' Tang Dynasty Cotton Jackets," "Chinese Style Girls' Cotton Jackets," "Women's Long Cotton Jackets," and so on. Since she didn't understand any of it, what did it matter? She bought them all, so the people in the sewing cooperative could look at them and learn slowly.