The next day, after sending the Yan brothers off with a jar of spices and the noodle maker, he also sent off LongWei who left to go hunting. They needed to make some money to pay for the construction at the end of the month.
Most of the materials were gathered and would be processed by them. However the finer floor boards, and roof tiles needed to be purchased. LongWei also wanted to buy some better pots for the stove and more storage for all the spices and dried fruit Zimo had been making throughout the summer.
They had accumulated so much food, they could spend all winter in bed without worry. Despite all the meat and fruit, they did however lack rice, flour, sugar, and salt. They had a lot still to prepare for the coming winter.
Today, Zimo worked in the yard and as he took some buns to eat he noticed how black and dirty his hands looked. "It would be great if we had soap." He thought. He had learned how to make some for one of the novels he had written. It was a very simple process, but he hadn't had a chance to make it.
"Okay today we make soap." Zimo decided. He had out it off for too long. Although making soap was relatively easy it needed lye. To make the you need ashes from a fire. Zimo approached the stove. LongWei was always careful to completely put out the fire in the stove after using it. But the smell of smoke and the burnt wood still lingered.
"Maybe, I should wait for LongWei to come back and handle this part? No, I can do this it's just black wood. It can't hurt me." Zimo said as he took his trusty iron shovel and started collecting the ashes,
He took an old barrel often used for water and hammered holes into the bottom. "If I remember first should be stones than stray." He thought as he prepared the barrel. He couldn't recall how much of each so he started with a two fifth of the barrel filled with stone and straw and two fifth with ash. The last fifth would be for the water.
After preparing the barrel he poured some pre-boiled water in the top and waited for the lye liquid to drain into the bucket at the bottom. "I hope this works." Zimo thought as he placed a bamboo fence around the barrel and bucket. It would be terrible if the animals tried to drink the lye that came out of the bottom.
After he finished setting up the barrel Zimo was left with nothing to do. It was a great idea to make soap, but it took a long time to do. It was the main reason he had out it off until now. The problem with that was he and LongWei had been getting more intimate and Zimo was no longer satisfied with using the soapberries to wash.
"Should I pick some flowers to make them smell nice?" He contemplated as he observed the barrel. "Maybe adding some dried fruit will be okay? I think I heard you can add goat's milk?" Well let's experiment a little later.
Despite remembering the process, it had been a long time so the finer details would need to be tried through trial and error.
...
When LongWei came back he was worried. Usually his little birdie would run out to meet him, but today. Nothing. Thinking the worst, LongWei ran into the yard looking for Zimo. What he saw was Zimo staring at a barrel with a bucket under it.
"Baby, what are you doing?" He asked feeling both relieved and a bit exasperated.
"Dear, you're back so soon?" Zimo said with his dimples on full display. He hadn't noticed LongWei return, seeing him he ran into LongWei's arms. "Dear I missed you."
"Really? It looks to me like your more interested in watching water drip." LongWei said with the smell of vinegar feeling the air.
"What? Are you jealous? Dear, don't be upset. This is a good thing." Zimo coaxed.
YOU ARE READING
Living on a Mountain with my Husband
RomanceZhang Zimo was an orphan. His life was hard, but he later grew up to be a successful author. Then, one day he died. After waking up, he found himself in ancient Chinese society, living as an abused man about to be married off to a comatose husband...
