Chapter 60: Chapter 59 Yanzi, Dresses in Flower Designs Chapter 60: Chapter 59 Yanzi, Dresses in Flower Designs Chen Afu carefully took the silk and cotton to the east room to prevent Qi Qi, Hui Hui, and Zhui Feng from spoiling them.
When Jin Yanzi was around, Zhui Feng slept in the east room. Ever since she entered the dimension, Zhui Feng started sleeping in the West Room.
In the evening, Chen Afu made two bowls of noodles. Despite its modest ingredients, the dishes were flavorful, and Dabao relished it.
They were only a few mouthfuls in when a knock sounded at the side door.
Chen Afu got up to answer the door and found Chen Dahu. He mentioned that, “His mom wanted to ask Dabao a few questions.”
Mrs. Hu had brought her displeasure here as well.
Chen Afu didn’t initially want Dabao to go, fearing if Dabao didn’t cooperate, Mrs. Hu would disrupt her work in her irritation. She reluctantly let Dabao leave and gave him a meaningful glance. Dabao nodded in understanding and left for the old courtyard, unwilling to abandon the noodles yet untouched in his bowl.
After Chen Afu had her meal and cleaned the dishes, she heard the knock on the door indicating Dabao’s return.
Walking in with reddened eyes and pursed lips, Dabao set his empty bowl on the stove and tightly hugged Chen Afu’s waist, pressing his face against her stomach.
Concern spread across Chen Afu’s face as she asked, “What happened to her son?”
Dabao replied in a low voice, “My LaoLao asked about my time at the Tang Garden. I said that the Chu family’s little girl didn’t like it there and so she wanted me to accompany her. I concealed the fact that she likes birds to protect Qi Qi and the other pets from my LaoLao’s scheming. She asked me to go to the Tang Garden with Dahu and Daya, claiming they would catch the attention of the guests because they’re smarter and cuter. But my grandfather disagreed, worried about causing disturbances and unintentionally upsetting the guests. My parents both agreed with him, asserting that it would be more detrimental if the rich guests were left unhappy and felt disrespected. My LaoLao then accused my grandfather of being ungrateful for his upbringing and said he was afraid of her descendants being thrown in the mix since Dahu and Daya are his real relatives to inherit.” He then choked out, “She also said that my mother and I have begun to live separately and it’s uncertain if my mother would even have her own children. She criticised that my grandfather prioritises me over his own bloodline. It was only after my grandfather shouted at her that she stopped her rant.” His words trailed to a sob.
Mrs. Hu had indeed crossed the line.
Chen Afu picked Dabao up, kissed his cheek, and reassured him, “My son, don’t be upset. You will always be my son in my heart. Not only in my heart, but your grandparents and Little Uncle also see you the same.”
Dabao asked quietly, “Really?”
Chen Afu confirmed, “Of course it’s true. Don’t you see how nice we are to you?” After showering him with sugared words, Dabao stopped his crying and beamed.
Chen Afu moved the table to the east room. Not daring to make the items in the west room, she feared the chaos the children might cause.
While she was sketching various small swallows on paper, Dabao sat beside her and read.
Every once in a while, Dabao would look up from his book and admire the little swallows his mother was drawing. He exclaimed, “Wow, how beautiful! How cute! But Mom, why don’t these birds look exactly like swallows but are still identifiable as swallows?”
Chen Afu replied with a smile, “As long as the bird’s characteristics are captured, no matter how exaggerated some details are, it will still be recognisable as a swallow. This applies not just to the swallow, but also to other things; the key is to capture the defining features…”
After drawing many different forms of small swallows, Chen Afu narrowed down a few varieties. She decided to make a few identical swallow dolls like Jin Yanzi and some with unique exaggerated features.
Considering the young girl was soon to leave, she didn’t have much time to make many. Her dolls must be more refined this time, and satin, being a bit trickier to sew than fine cloth, meant she had to a lot more time. She calculated and believed that with the help of Mrs. Wang, they could complete about a dozen dolls. One large swallow of sixty centimeters, six middle-sized swallows of thirty centimeters, and ten regular-sized small swallows.
She chopped the material based on scale and color combination.
After contemplating, she cut one more middle-sized swallow, intending to gift it to Jin Yanzi.
As for the dolls, not all swallow dolls were designed with authentic blue wings and white bellies. Most were made into little swallows dressed in colorful clothes; with yellow wings and red bellies, or red wings and white bellies, and the likes. She planned to ask Mrs. Wang to embroider tiny flowers on the satin and add floral embellishments on the wings to make them more delicate and presentable.
After completing the dolls, there would still be a lot of satin left. She naively thought to make a bright blue robe for Chen Ming, autumn and winter clothes in blue, and a summer shirt, all for Alu and Dabao. They could wear these to school. She would make Mrs. Wang a brown-yellow dress, and for herself, a moon-white top with trousers, and a red or pink tunic.
Ah, she should also make a piece for Mrs. Chen. For Chen Ye, Chen Dahu, and Chen Daya, she would send a piece of silk and let their household decide what to do. As for Mrs. Hu, she deliberately omitted her.
Dabao told her that Mr. Luo had a six-year-old granddaughter and a four-year-old grandson, so she would make two beautiful dolls for these children as well.
It’s not that Afu was overly keen on making gifts for others with the beautiful silk; she mainly wanted to show others the good rapport between her family and the Tang Garden. If the Tang family’s favors could secure them such exquisite silk, she could safeguard her family from being bullied in the future.
The more Chen Afu thought about it, the happier she felt. She couldn’t help humming an old familiar nursery rhyme: Little swallow, dressed in floral, comes every spring. I asked the swallow why it comes, the swallow says, the spring here is most beautiful.
She kept humming the first stanza, avoiding the controversial second one.
When she looked up after a while, she found Dabao, whose eyes sparkled as he gazed curiously at her.
Realising humming had ceased, Dabao excitedly said, “Mom, the song you sang was beautiful, so much more enjoyable than the ones the people on the stage perform.”
A short while ago, Junior Officer Gao’s mother celebrated her sixtieth birthday and invited an Opera troupe to perform. Dabao had also attended the event.
Afu chuckled, “Dabao, it’s not a correct comparison. The ones performed on the stage are operas whereas mom sung a nursery rhyme. They’re not comparable.”
Dabao grinned cheekily, “Irrespective of that, my mom is accomplished; she sings even nursery rhymes brilliantly.” His look was nothing but smug.