The afternoon sun filtered in through the small window, casting golden beams across the bedroom floor. The moment Wei Lian finished smoothing the kang beds, she stepped into the main room and called softly:
"Girls, come help Mama."
Her daughters ran inside instantly, long legs stumbling, but excitement lighting up their childish faces.
"What Mama do?"
"Mama need help?"
"We help!"
Wei Lian smiled and brought out the large bag of cotton she had bought from the market.
"We are going to make a mattress."
The girls gasped dramatically as if she had said she was making treasure.
Wei Lian spread a thick layer of cotton on the floor.
The cotton was fluffy, uneven, and needed to be flattened properly.
She clapped her hands to gather their attention.
"Alright, listen—run over it. Back and forth. Make it smooth."
The daughters' eyes sparkled.
"Run? On cotton?"
"For real?"
"Yay!!"
Before she could even nod, they jumped onto the cotton and began running back and forth—
arms flailing, giggles filling the room, hair bouncing wildly.
The cotton flattened quickly under their weight.
When it was even, she added the second layer.
Again the girls ran.
Then the third layer.
And the fourth.
Each time, the cotton became softer, denser, and more uniform.
By the fourth round, they were breathless, laughing, cheeks flushed pink.
Wei Lian pressed her palm into the cotton.
Perfect.
She lifted the heavy, thick pad and placed it across the four attached beds.
It fit beautifully—like it was made exactly for this space.
Her daughters immediately jumped onto it.
"Mama! Soft!"
"Bounce!"
"Bed big now!"
Wei Lian let them play for a few moments before clapping again.
"Enough. Now Mama must stitch the cover."
She took out the cloth she had bought from the market, spread it over the mattress, measured the size carefully, and cut it perfectly.
Then she sat cross-legged on the floor and began stitching.
Her daughters sat beside her, passing thread, holding cloth corners, and occasionally poking their own fingers with needles and whining.
Still, they were obedient, trying their hardest to help.
The hours passed quietly, peacefully.
By the time the sunlight turned a soft orange and the sky began dimming, it was nearly five in the evening.
Wei Lian stretched her fingers and exhaled.
The mattress cover was finally complete.
She pulled it over the cotton mattress and secured the corners with strong stitches.
When she set it on the bed—
It looked like a real, proper sleeping place.
Soft.
Even.
Warm.
Safe.
Her daughters immediately climbed up again, rolling and bouncing like oversized toddlers.
Wei Lian chuckled.
Now for the pillows.
She fetched the old ones—lumpy, musty, flattened, and covered with torn cloth.
Not worth saving.
She cut them open.
Inside was cotton so dirty and dusty she had to hold her breath.
"No," she murmured. "Not good."
She discarded the dirty filling completely and stitched four new pillow covers using fresh cloth. Then she filled each pillow with new cotton, pressing and shaping until they looked plump and comfortable.
After finishing the last one, she looked at her remaining cotton pile.
"There is still enough for a quilt," she whispered to herself.
Winter would come in three months.
Nights would be cold.
A quilt would keep her daughters warm.
She placed the remaining cotton and cloth in a corner, planning to sew the quilt later.
Now—
Beds: ready
Mattress: soft
Pillows: plump
Room: warm
Her daughters would sleep comfortably tonight.
As the sun dipped lower, she walked to the kitchen.
The air still carried faint fragrances of rose, lavender, and hibiscus.
She checked the three soap pots.
The jelly had thickened more, forming a shiny, semi-solid base.
"Tomorrow morning," she murmured. "They will be ready."
She would sell them in the market the day after.
Now, she needed to prepare dinner.
---
🍲 DINNER — Pork Balls, Veg Sauté, and Rice
Wei Lian washed her hands and prepared ingredients:
• minced pork
• chopped vegetables (thanks to Qingmei's instant growth)
• salt from Xiaotang's space
• a small amount of chili sauce
• and rice soaking quietly in water
First, she mixed the pork with a bit of salt and herbs, rolling it into small round balls.
She placed them into a hot clay pan, letting them sear until the edges browned.
The fragrance filled the tiny kitchen.
Her daughters appeared immediately at the doorway, sniffing like hungry puppies.
"Mama cooking meat!"
"Smell so good…"
"Mama hurry!"
She sautéed fresh vegetables—cabbage, greens, beans—and added them to the pan with the pork balls.
A little water, a little salt…
The dish became glossy and colorful.
The rice cooked softly over the fire, sending warm steam into the room.
Finally, everything was ready.
She set the dishes on the low table.
Her daughters gathered instantly, excitement shining in their eyes.
They ate heartily, lips shiny with sauce, cheeks flushing from warmth and happiness.
Wei Lian smiled the entire time.
Their laughter echoed like bells.
After finishing dinner, she cleaned the plates with her daughters' help, though Xiaotang spilled water everywhere again and giggled innocently.
---
🛁 Evening Bath & Story Time
Wei Lian heated a big pot of water and filled three small wooden buckets.
She bathed each daughter gently:
Xinyu—quiet and calm, relaxing under warm water.
Qingmei—splashed water onto her mother with mischievous joy.
Xiaotang—almost fell asleep in the bath, humming softly.
Then she washed herself.
The house now smelled of fresh soap herbs, warm food, and clean water.
After drying everyone, she tucked her daughters into the new bed.
Four pillows.
Thick mattress.
Clean bedding.
It felt like luxury.
The three girls curled close, waiting.
"Mama, story," Xinyu said softly.
"Yes, Mama story," Qingmei echoed.
"Please Mama…" Xiaotang whispered.
Wei Lian smiled and began telling a gentle tale—
a story about a mother bird and her three baby birds who learned to fly again after falling into a new world.
Her daughters listened with sleepy eyes, breathing slowing, bodies relaxing.
By the end of the story, all three were fast asleep.
Wei Lian kissed their foreheads, one by one.
She lay beside them, listening to their soft breaths.
For the first time since transmigrating—
She felt peace.
Tomorrow, the soap would be ready.
Tomorrow, vegetables would sprout more.
Tomorrow, her life would move forward again.
And tonight, she and her daughters slept on soft pillows and a warm bed, under a quiet sky.