Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 69: Chapter 41: The Warmth of a New Cotton Quilt

Juhua knew her health was poor, so she always paid close attention to conditioning her body with food. To say nothing of other things, she had simmered and eaten quite a few pig stomachs alone. Stewed until they were falling-apart tender, eating them made her feel warm all over. ’But improving my constitution isn’t something that can be done overnight,’ she thought. ’It has to be a slow process!’

She remembered how in her past life, back in the countryside, women in postpartum confinement would eat pig trotters stewed with peanuts. So, she used her stewing pot to make it several times as well. As a result, even Zheng Changhe, who loved meat more than anyone, said it was too rich. He had to eat several mouthfuls of spicy pickled cabbage just to cut through the greasy feeling.

Juhua chuckled to herself. ’The whole family is enjoying postpartum confinement food!’

With this constant nourishment, it went without saying for Zheng Changhe and Qingmu—they weren’t doing any heavy labor, so of course they were glowing with health. Even Madam Yang, though she was so busy every day that her feet never touched the ground, her tasks were all about running around. This fit the saying ”life lies in movement.” Combined with the good food, she also developed a rosy complexion and looked several years younger, though the wind had chapped her skin a bit. Only Juhua was still like a bean sprout—frail and delicate.

Seeing Meizi shivering from the cold of her hands, she pulled her hand away and said softly, ”My mom is going to buy some cotton today. I’m going to make a cotton-padded jacket first.”

She bent down, picked up the small fire-pot at her feet, and cupped her hands over it. ’It’ll be better tonight when I can sit on the heated foot barrel,’ she thought. ’That thing is so warm.’

Meizi laughed. ”Luckily, I don’t get cold easily. I hate wearing thick cotton-padded jackets; they make you look so clumsy and stupid! Look at mine, it only has a thin layer of cotton.” As she spoke, she pulled up the lapel of her jacket for Juhua to see.

Juhua looked at the pretty, light pink, thin jacket Meizi was wearing. It was perfectly tailored, cinching her slender waist. Juhua was full of admiration. ’Here’s another one who chooses style over warmth.’ She herself didn’t have the money to make a proper cotton jacket, but Meizi actually disliked wearing them. However, seeing the healthy, rosy glow on Meizi’s face, it was clear she wasn’t afraid of the winter chill. Juhua couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.

Meizi didn’t leave until early evening. Before she left, she took a small jar of spicy pickled cabbage. Her dimples appeared as she smiled happily and said, ”I’ll have Gou Dan bring this jar to Brother Qingmu tomorrow.”

Juhua smiled and said it was no trouble at all.

Meizi had just left when Zhang Huai arrived. He was carrying a basket half-full of beef bones.

Juhua was delighted. She didn’t stand on ceremony with him, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled. She accepted it and thanked him several times.

Seeing her like this, Zhang Huai’s mood inexplicably lifted. A smile appeared on his face, and his eyes watched her gently as she bustled around the kitchen, looking for something to put the beef bones in.

”Oh, well. This will have to do!” She took down a bamboo sieve hanging on the wall and poured the beef bones into it, piling them high. But then she looked at it with some dissatisfaction. It couldn’t be hung up. ’Looks like I’ll still need to find a basket for them later.’

As she was returning the basket to Huai Zi, she suddenly remembered something. She said to him, ”Brother Huai Zi, wait a moment. The pork head meat is cooked. I’ll scoop some out for you.” With that, she hurried off to find a jar.

Huai Zi didn’t refuse, waiting quietly as she found a small earthenware pot and filled it with pork head meat. She then grabbed a small jug and ladled out some pork offal from the large cauldron, telling him, ”The offal isn’t fully cooked yet. When you get home, have your auntie put it on the stove to simmer for another hour. Use low heat, or it’ll dry out.”

Huai Zi nodded, placed the pot and the jug into the basket, and looked up at her. ”I’ll be going then.”

”Okay! Take care!” Juhua’s mind was already racing. She was thinking about chopping the beef bones into smaller pieces and putting them in the stewing pot to simmer overnight. The house would surely be filled with a wonderful aroma by morning, and her father would want to soak his scorched rice in the broth again. An unconscious smile spread across her face.

In Huai Zi’s eyes, that gentle smile seemed to spill from hers, making his heart sing. He didn’t even notice her pockmarked face. That night, he dreamt of her all night long. In his dream, Juhua blinked her large, clear eyes at him. Her gaze, full of affection and trust, made his heart tremble. He unconsciously took her hand and murmured, ”Juhua, Juhua... Don’t be afraid. If anyone bullies you, your Brother Huai Zi will beat them up...”

His younger brother, Zhang Yang, was feeling unwell and sleeping restlessly. He happened to wake up in the middle of the night and heard him. He was completely baffled. ’Didn’t Big Brother not want to marry Sister Juhua? How come he’s dreaming about her now?’

The ten-year-old boy was thoroughly confused.

Meanwhile, after seeing Zhang Huai off, Juhua washed some of the beef bones. She had Zheng Changhe chop them into small pieces, which she then packed into the stewing pot. She added water and some ginger, then buried the pot in the embers and fine ash inside the stove’s fire chamber.