"Achoo!"
Early that morning, Clara got up and opened the window to air out the room. Caught off guard, she let out a loud sneeze.
With the arrival of October, the temperature had plummeted. A light drizzle had fallen for the past two days, leaving the sky gloomy and the house even dimmer and colder.
Clara assumed the morning chill had caught her off guard. She didn't think of the old saying—sneezing meant someone was thinking about you.
She left the window open just a crack and turned back to her wardrobe, pulling out a newly sewn padded jacket made by her sisters-in-law. A thin but fluffy layer of cotton lined the inside, and as soon as she slipped it on, the cold vanished.
Stepping out to the backyard, Clara began her morning exercises. Before long, Adam joined her.
Ben, being younger and less disciplined when it came to things he wasn't interested in, often slept in during winter. Clara didn't push him—resting well and studying properly were just as important.
Adam was different. He had come to enjoy martial arts practice and never needed a reminder. As long as it wasn't raining or storming, he never missed a day of training.
The moment their eyes met, they each went into their own routines. Clara focused on strength training and maintaining agility, while Adam began with a set of military-style exercises before dropping into a horse stance.
He held the stance for nearly half an hour. If he had the mind for it, he'd recite texts while at it—or simply empty his thoughts. At only nine years old, his maturity was beyond his years, and he was becoming more and more composed.
Clara finished first, washed up, then started a fire to cook a pot of warm millet porridge. She also brought out the newly bought charcoal from town, lit a brazier in the main room, and closed the doors to warm the house.
This was the season's first fire. If not for that sneeze, she might have waited a few more days. But the morning chill had been biting—if she couldn't bear it, how would the children? Besides, now that they could afford it, there was no reason to delay comfort.
Sure enough, the other three children crawled out of their quilts with cheeks red from the cold. Noticing warmth in the main room, they rushed in, letting out delighted "wows" as they sat around the brazier to warm their hands and feet—pure bliss.
After breakfast, Clara reminded them before leaving, "Don't shut the windows completely. Open them now and then for fresh air. We don't want anyone getting carbon monoxide poisoning."
Thanks to her prior explanations, the four children understood the risks and replied in unison, "Got it!"
Only then did Clara grab her ledger and a pouch of silver fragments and head to the village entrance.
Today was October fifteenth—the agreed-upon date for delivering the first batch of goods to Gavin White. It was also payday.
Last night, Clara and Carpenter Liew had carefully inspected all the goods to be delivered. With everything in order, they returned home.
The second batch of goods was already eighty percent complete. With half a month left, there was more than enough time to finish it. On schedule, no doubt.
So Clara didn't rush this morning. It felt like any other day.
But in the workshop, the workers were clearly more nervous. This was the first time they'd fulfilled a production order. Customer satisfaction mattered a lot—who didn't want their hard work to be appreciated?
By mid-morning, Gavin arrived with his caravan—five whole carts.
A small mountain village like this rarely saw so many horse-drawn carts at once, outside of tax season. The sight stirred up the normally quiet village, lifting the gloom left by the recent conscription that had taken most of the men.
Bored housewives and children gathered around out of curiosity, poking and prodding the stone and wood goods without worry of breaking anything.
Even the cold winter morning seemed to warm up in the commotion.
Clara personally loaded the thirty compact water mills onto the carts. Gavin checked each one, nodding with satisfaction before leaving behind two sharp young men to learn installation and maintenance. Then he took the goods and headed south.
Before leaving, Gavin paid the second installment—sixty taels—promising to settle the remaining twenty taels upon the next pickup.
Seeing that stack of silver pass into Clara's hands, the factory workers couldn't contain their joy.
Clara turned and met their eager eyes. Smiling, she said, "I'll do the accounting now. You'll get your wages this afternoon!"
A chorus of laughter rang out. "Alright!"
After sending the workers back to their stations, Clara and Carpenter Liew personally instructed the two young men Gavin had left behind. They explained how to install the mills, how to prevent issues, and how to repair them if they did occur.
Clara had prepared for this—she and Carpenter Liew had even made an illustrated after-sales manual during their free time.
Customers like Gavin got a complimentary copy.
The booklet included both diagrams and written instructions. Common and uncommon issues were addressed, alongside installation steps.
Clara first brought the two men to her own mill for half a day of observation before handing them the manual to study. If they had any questions, they could ask her or Carpenter Liew.
The two were from another town in Willowridge County, quite far from Liew Clan Village, and would be staying here for half a month.
Carpenter Liew's home was already packed, so Clara brought them back to her place.
She unlocked a small room next to the main hall that hadn't been used in over a month. A dusty, stale air greeted them as she opened the door.
Clara stepped back, waved her hand to disperse the dust, and waited before going in.
Opening the windows brightened the small room. Inside was a single bed, a table and chairs, and a makeshift wardrobe made from stacked wooden boxes—simple and tidy.
"You can come in," Clara called, waving them in.
The two boys—eighteen or nineteen at most—were tall and slim. The narrow bed, just over a meter wide, could easily fit them if they squeezed a bit.
They looked around, clearly pleased, and gratefully told Clara they'd help with chores like fetching water and chopping firewood.
Clara didn't hesitate. She immediately called Adam and Ben over and had them take their new big brothers out to chop wood.
The weather grew colder by the day, and firewood was a precious commodity. More was always better.
The woodshed in the yard was already two-thirds full. A few more days of chopping and it would last through spring.
With the new help, they'd hit their goal early. Adam and Ben were quietly thrilled—they'd finally have time to go gather chestnuts.
Any later, and the village kids would've picked the trees clean.
On a low hillside on the village's east side stood a chestnut grove. No one remembered who'd planted it. Over time, it grew wild and became the children's favorite spot in early winter.
(End of Chapter)
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