Chapter 250: Chapter 250

Jing Shu suddenly thought, Isn’t Zijin’s specialty handcrafts?

If the first year after the apocalypse was characterized by scorching heat, dryness, water scarcity, and drought that killed 90% of the plants, triggering a subsequent famine, then the second year brought torrential rains and flooding that destroyed 70% of homes and household goods. Although the government salvaged some supplies, compared to the vast amount of unrecoverable and mold-ruined materials, people’s lives plummeted to a primitive era.

Therefore, in the third year, cotton, linen clothing, and various other resources became scarce. Coupled with a drop in temperature, everyone needed more clothing and bedding. Thus, when earthquakes began in the third year, people would strip clothes from the dead.

People wore as many layers as possible, often in a mismatched and haphazard fashion, just to stay warm.

Jing Shu would take the clothes stripped from the dead, wash them, and give them to Zijin. Zijin would then unravel them and skillfully fashion new, warm, and thick garments. Jing Shu only then learned that Zijin had come from a poor family. Her grandmother, who had raised her, supported them by rearing silkworms, stripping silk, and making handcrafted clothes. This was how Zijin had learned such a valuable skill.

Zijin explained that she had no surname because her biological parents had abandoned her. If she had to take a relative’s surname, she would choose her grandmother’s, Ali. The name Zijin had been given to her by her childhood sweetheart. After her grandmother passed away, she was left with only her given name.

Upon hearing Jing Shu say this, Zijin showed a suddenly enlightened expression. "Then it must be me. Everyone in the family compound knows I’m good with crafts. I’ve been doing this since I was a child and am very familiar with it. Thank you for your help today. If there’s anything you need done, I’ll do it for you."

As she spoke, a red earthworm slid down her nose and into her nostril. Zijin skillfully pulled it out, swiftly tied the red earthworm into a tight knot, and flung it away. She did this as smoothly as if she were digging out a booger, rolling it into a ball, and flicking it away.

Fortunately, Zijin had a naturally cute, baby-fat face. If it had been someone like Uncle Zhang, Jing Shu might have kicked them sky-high.

Jing Shu displayed a subtle expression. Indeed, she still couldn’t accept Zijin !

It seemed necessary to implement a transformation plan. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on ɴovelfire.net

Zijin was insecure, lacked confidence, and had no sense of safety. If someone suddenly treated her exceptionally well, she would undoubtedly become wary of Jing Shu. Then again, even most strangers would be cautious if someone was abruptly overly kind to them.

The first step in the transformation plan: despise her. Despise her very much so she’ll think I’m a normal person, not someone approaching her deliberately.

"You’re much too dirty all over," Jing Shu said. "Even if I wanted your help, what if those red earthworms jump into my silk? That would be more hindrance than help."

Zijin bit her lip and lowered her head. The person who, up until a moment ago, seemingly hadn’t cared about such things had made her almost forget her own condition. She knew it was impossible for someone not to care about these things.

For the second step of the plan, I must not show pity and lower the hiring standards because of her miserable state. Instead, I must actually need such a person and strengthen the requirements. This will make her believe she got the job because of her ability and nothing else.

"Here’s the deal: I was originally looking for someone skilled at handcrafts, and helping you was just incidental. If you truly want to repay me, then clean yourself up and help me make some facial masks from these silk cocoons. I need to see your speed and technique."

"If you do well, I can consider hiring you to specifically cook cocoons, reel silk, and even make silk quilts and clothes. However, I have high standards. If you can only process two or three pounds of cocoons a day, I’m not interested. As for payment, that will also depend on your skill. In any case, it starts at four Virtual Coins a day."

Jing Shu’s space still contained some cocoons from last year. Since there weren’t many, and they weren’t useful for much, she had kept them stored away.

Today happened to be a good day to make some silk face masks. Although Jing Shu didn’t need them herself, Su Malie, the ’cash cow,’ had posted in her social circle that her stock of masks had run out. Su Malie was willing to pay a high price, adding a crucial condition: "Only pure, hormone-free silk face masks." This stipulation instantly eliminated 90% of the masks available on the market.

Silk protein contains eighteen kinds of amino acids highly nutritious for the human body. It’s breathable, exceptionally absorbent, and is even used in surgical wound and burn dressings to aid healing, earning it the name ’artificial skin.’

Besides face masks, Jing Shu also planned to develop this industry. After all, those who could still afford surgery these days would probably be very willing to use these silk dressings on their wounds.

"Four... four Virtual Coins?" Zijin was somewhat surprised. That’s almost on par with a civil servant’s salary! What exactly is this person planning to do? Does her family have that many silkworms? Raising silkworms isn’t easy these days. What on earth does this person do?

Zijin kept sizing up Jing Shu. That’s right... this person just gave Captain Li a bottle of liquor, and I heard her family is raising snakes? She must not be short of money.

"What’s there to be excited about? I haven’t even seen your craftsmanship yet. Just tell me if you can do the job and meet my requirements," Jing Shu said, rolling her eyes.

Jing Shu mentally approved. Yes, that’s the air of a wealthy person.

Zijin bit her lip again, a hint of regret in her voice. "I also want to clean myself up, but the government-issued plastic raincoats always let water seep in, and then countless red earthworms cling to me. I don’t have any salt to wash my hair. Cocoons attract red earthworms even more, so I’m afraid they’ll get covered in insects... So I probably can’t help you. But if there’s anything else I can assist with, I definitely will."

"Here’s what we’ll do. My house is in the villa area, and there’s a saltwater pool by the entrance. I’ll take you there to wash your hair properly. First, you make the silk face masks, and then we can discuss other things," Jing Shu decided.

Jing Shu took Zijin to the saltwater pool at the entrance of her villa. They spent a long time there. Zijin’s hair, which she hadn’t cut in over ten years, reached her ankles. One could only imagine how many red earthworms were matted in it.

Not only were there red earthworms, but also their feces and insect eggs.

In the end, Jing Shu had to pour several more bags of salt into the pool and change the water. It took a full half an hour to finally get all the filth off Zijin. Jing Shu let out a breath. "Here, a waterproof rain hat. Put your hair up, wrap it tightly, and wear this."

Embarrassed, Zijin finally put up her clean hair, wrapped it carefully in the waterproof cap, and felt almost light-headed with relief. If only I’d had this earlier, I wouldn’t have been shunned for three months!

Jing Shu set up various frames and the necessary equipment under the awning at the entrance of her villa. Then, Zijin began her demonstration.

"Put the cocoons in a container and boil them. This degreases them so the silk can be unwound without needing to be flipped," Zijin explained as she skillfully scooped the cooked cocoons out and began to reel the silk. "Cooking the cocoons is a delicate process. If they’re overcooked, the resulting material won’t be strong enough for masks. If they’re undercooked, there will be hard, lumpy spots."