Chapter 588: Cotton, 360 Ways
Xiaomi has fully taken the matters of her menstrual period to heart.
When she went to buy a small stove, she paid rare attention to prices and asked how much cotton was being sold for.
Because her mother said that only families with better conditions would buy cotton.
It turned out that once she asked, she understood the reason.
The worst quality cotton, old cotton, costs nearly twenty coins per pound!
Although cotton is light and a pound is enough, for families who are not affluent, they indeed cannot afford twenty coins.
After all, to them, twenty coins can do many other things, and menstrual products can be replaced with ash.
As she left the cloth shop, Xiaomi couldn’t help but let out a sigh, not for anything else but for that uncomfortable yet unavoidable special female time.
She has a bathroom in her private space, but the quantity is always limited, and given the level of technology in this world, she fears they cannot produce identical ones.
However, she had a new idea.
Since sanitary napkins cannot be produced, is it possible to lower the price of cotton?
As soon as this thought arose, it filled her entire mind, the more she thought, the more feasible it seemed!
At least, allow ordinary women to afford cotton-made menstrual products, or at least be able to replace them with new ones after some time!
"Alright! That’s what we’ll do!"
Xiaomi cheered herself on!
"What do you mean do it? What did you buy this time?"
Wei Ziang opened the door and heard Xiaomi’s words, feeling a bit puzzled.
Xiaomi returned to her senses and realized she was standing at the doorway, Wei Ziang was looking curiously at the things she was holding.
Quickly hugging them tight: "Brother? Why are you here?"
Wei Ziang helplessly said: "Isn’t it because of you? You’ve been standing here for at least half an hour, right? Isn’t it cold? The door isn’t locked, even if you can’t open it, you could call for someone."
Xiaomi belatedly realized that she had been standing at the doorway in a daze, lost in thought about matters.
Quickly squeezed beside Wei Ziang into the house: "Just thinking about something, by the way, is mother still in the room?"
"Yes, she’s still there."
Seeing that she was okay, Wei Ziang was relieved, and as for the things Xiaomi suddenly brought back, he didn’t specifically ask.
After all, just now, Aunt had called the second sister into the room and talked for a while, presumably related to the things Xiaomi bought.
Since it’s girl’s stuff, of course, he wouldn’t rudely ask too many questions.
When Xiaomi went to her mother’s room, the second aunt and Xiaoxue were waiting for her, wanting to know how to use boiled water for the matter.
Xiaomi was straightforward, directly lighting the stove under the window, the second aunt used tea from the room to wash the small pot, then used a teapot to fill it with water, adding to the pot.
She and Xiaoxue knew the purpose, felt embarrassed to take the pot outside directly, but Xiaomi was not afraid, although they wouldn’t allow it.
Xiaomi couldn’t help but, for her mother and sister’s feelings, had to let them be.
Boiling cotton and menstrual products can kill most bacteria, which is currently the best disinfection method Xiaomi could think of.
Just went to the cloth shop to inquire about cotton, she also bought a pound on the side, stuffed it in the pot and brought it back, now boiled it in two batches together.
Boil for five minutes, about the time it takes for a cup of tea, scoop it out with unused chopsticks, cool it and wring it dry.
Moreover, Xiaomi taught them to prepare more menstrual products, change them more frequently, don’t use them until they can’t be used anymore, that way it’s easier to get sick.
Especially used cotton, don’t use it for too long, even if not disposable, best wash it three to five times then change to new ones.
Best to just dispose of the cotton after each period.
The second aunt felt distressed, it’s simply wasteful!
Not to mention changing, many people use one menstrual cloth for a lifetime, who can afford to be as lavish as Xiaomi said?
But no matter how distressed, under Xiaomi’s exaggerated description of the consequences of getting sick, she grudgingly accepted.
However, Xiaomi could tell that her mother wasn’t genuinely agreeing, perhaps, just outwardly agreeing, privately likely wouldn’t do this.
Xiaomi didn’t insist, just quietly made a decision, she must develop cotton cultivation!
Coming out from the second aunt’s room, it was already lunchtime, the few men in the house actually prepared lunch.
Not knowing what the three women in the house were doing, Jiang Hu didn’t let them ask, just took sons to cook.
Jiang Hu and second aunt have been married for over ten years, a good relationship.
When Xiaomi went to buy things, just entered the room, second aunt simply told him two sentences, although not detailed, knew it was about feminine private matters.
So he didn’t let the sons disturb, of course, also reminded them not to ask much during meals!
Because there’s a matter in mind, Xiaomi was quiet during meals, eating quickly then went back to her room.
After all, only by returning to her room could she enter her private space.
"Ling’er, quickly help me find out if there are cotton seeds?"
As soon as her voice fell, a packet of black objects flew over.
"Cotton? Yes, I was planning to plant some these days, why did master think of it now?"
"After going out of space a few days ago, felt so cold, cotton keeps warm well, must be expensive, are you also planning to plant cotton, master?"
Ling’er doesn’t have menstrual troubles, but knows the master is human, needs money and wealth to live.
Master said many times before, when she grows up, they’ll find a suitable time, sell some crops from the space, will definitely earn a lot of money.
By then cotton can surely be sold.
"Wonderful." Xiaomi was excited: "Ling’er, let’s plant some in the vegetable garden, I remember the crops planted there, the seeds will be improved, right?"
Previously hybrid rice, wheat, corn, etc., started planting a batch in the vegetable garden, then when taken outside, they could keep seeds, completely without hybrid seeds’ drawback of not being able to self-save seeds.
So Xiaomi’s first thought when getting cotton seeds was precisely to plant one batch there, best able to increase yield.
"No problem." As Ling’er spoke, the seeds already flew out.
Xiaomi quickly followed, the vegetable garden is small, less than half an acre, but compared to the beginning, increased significantly.
Plus, it’s black soil, different from other places in the space, the grain grown here will grow bigger and better.
Not sure if still in time this year, planting to harvesting takes at least five or six months.
But crops in space grow faster, perhaps can harvest seeds by April or May, outside still only April or May.
Timing is a bit late, but should be able to plant.
Oh, and cotton, when the time comes, take space cotton outside for mother and second sister to use, definitely better than store-bought!
