On the way back, Luo Yuan helped Jiang Huai carry the wool for a while. Having grown up reading people’s expressions, Luo Yuan had noticed the subtle changes in the village head’s demeanor earlier and felt deeply grateful to Jiang Huai.

Thanks to Jiang Huai’s words, his mother could now stay at home without being subjected to the villagers’ gossip. That alone was a huge relief.

Having someone to help carry the wool also made Jiang Huai’s load lighter. Although the wool wasn’t heavy, carrying it in a net bag over his back caused the straps to dig into his shoulders, making it uncomfortable. With someone holding it up from behind, his shoulders felt noticeably better.

On the way, Jiang Huai chatted with Luo Yuan and learned about his background. Luo Yuan was born posthumously, and He Shi had raised him alone. They had come to Bentou Village four years ago. In the beginning, because of He Shi’s beauty, she had been harassed by local troublemakers, which led to some nasty rumors about her in the village.

Jiang Huai didn’t know what to say, so he silently patted Luo Yuan’s shoulder to offer some comfort.

“Gongzi, thank you so much for what you said to the village head. Otherwise, my mother might have…” Luo Yuan’s gratitude was evident.

“You’re my employee. Of course, I’ll look out for you,” Jiang Huai said with a smile.

Xiao Jingzhao, watching Jiang Huai beam at Luo Yuan’s thanks, felt an inexplicable twinge of irritation.

After entering the city, Jiang Huai made a point of visiting various clothing and fabric shops. He eventually found garments made from wool but sighed in relief after a closer inspection.

These woolen clothes were outerwear and, judging by their texture and stitching, were not meant to be worn close to the skin. They were nothing like sweaters and wouldn’t compete with his product.

After scouting out the competition and confirming his advantages, Jiang Huai headed back with Xiao Jingzhao and Luo Yuan.

As the three walked in a line, Xiao Jingzhao noticed someone approaching from the opposite direction. His pupils contracted slightly as he locked eyes with the individual for a brief moment. His steps faltered but resumed quickly as he caught up with Jiang Huai.

This brief pause went unnoticed by Jiang Huai.

With Luo Yuan’s help, Jiang Huai’s progress in experimenting with wool increased significantly. Soon, a ball of yarn was spun.

When the first ball of yarn was ready, Jiang Huai was experimenting with de-greasing the wool. Initially, he used plant ash, but the method was costly due to the high oil content in the wool. Eventually, Luo Yuan suggested using boiling water and yellow sand to remove some of the grease, which lowered the costs further.

“Gongzi, the yarn is finished!” Luo Yuan exclaimed excitedly, bringing the news to Jiang Huai.

“Really?” Jiang Huai turned to see Luo Yuan holding a ball of yarn. The yarn was thin and neatly wound into a pale white ball with slight gray undertones, reflecting the natural color of the wool.

Taking the yarn ball, Jiang Huai ran his fingers over it, comparing it to the yarn he had touched in the past. It felt rougher and less soft than modern yarn, which was expected. Even so, Jiang Huai couldn’t help but sigh—he truly missed the comforts of modern life.

“Gongzi, is there something wrong with it?” Luo Yuan, mistaking the sigh for dissatisfaction, grew nervous.

“No, it’s fine. I was just thinking about something else.” Jiang Huai shook his head and examined the yarn ball more closely. He tugged at it and found it to be solidly spun. Smiling, he praised Luo Yuan, “You did a great job.”

Blushing at the compliment, Luo Yuan scratched his head shyly.

Jiang Huai set the yarn ball aside and retrieved the knitting needles he had prepared earlier. These were made by Xiao Jingzhao, who had whittled down wooden sticks, sharpened the ends, and polished them smooth.

“Gongzi, what’s that for?” Luo Yuan asked curiously.

“I’m going to knit something to test how well the yarn works,” Jiang Huai replied vaguely. It wasn’t that he wanted to keep it a secret—he simply wasn’t sure if he could successfully knit anything. After all, it had been years since he last attempted it.

Jiang Huai tried to recall the steps for knitting sweaters. But his memory betrayed him—he could only remember the middle of the process, not how to start.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Huai steadied his nerves. Failing a few times was nothing new; he had encountered plenty of setbacks while making yarn.

Starting with the sweater’s base, Jiang Huai tried different approaches. Whenever he made a mistake, he unraveled the yarn and began again. Fortunately, yarn was easy to undo.

The entire day was spent knitting, unknitting, and experimenting. Jiang Huai didn’t even cook, leaving Luo Yuan to handle the meal. Initially, Jiang Huai had planned to give Luo Yuan money to buy food from a stall outside, but the boy refused. Having seen the costs involved in their experiments, Luo Yuan was unwilling to waste money. Instead, he offered to cook, claiming he only needed some grains to prepare a meal.

Jiang Huai gave in and let Luo Yuan buy some eggs. Their stock of eggs was depleted after several consecutive days of eating egg custard. Although Jiang Huai thought he would tire of it, the custard remained the most flavorful dish compared to their other plain meals.

After eating, Jiang Huai returned to his knitting. By sunset, his persistence paid off—he finally recalled the sweater knitting technique. He wasn’t sure if it was entirely correct, but as he knitted further, it began to resemble the patterns in his memory.

As Jiang Huai knit the yarn into a piece of soft fabric, Luo Yuan’s eyes widened in amazement.

Having worked with wool extensively, Luo Yuan knew how coarse it usually was. Clothes made from wool were never this soft. If he hadn’t watched Jiang Huai knit the fabric himself, Luo Yuan wouldn’t have believed it was made from the yarn he had spun.

To confirm his disbelief, Luo Yuan rushed to touch the netting he had made earlier. It was still rough and firm, nowhere near as soft as the fabric Jiang Huai had just knitted.

Meanwhile, Jiang Huai was too absorbed in his success to notice Luo Yuan’s movements. His hands worked quickly, expanding the piece of fabric with a growing sense of accomplishment.

At some point, Luo Yuan had crept closer, staring at Jiang Huai’s hands with wonder.

Seeing Luo Yuan’s awestruck expression reminded Jiang Huai of his childhood. He had felt the same way when watching adults knit sweaters, marveling at how simple motions transformed yarn into fabric. It had seemed so easy that he was eager to try it himself—only to realize how difficult it actually was. A single missed stitch could ruin the pattern, forcing him to unravel and start over.

“Do you want to try?” Jiang Huai raised an eyebrow and handed the knitting needles, along with the yarn and fabric, to Luo Yuan. “If you learn, I’ll sell you some yarn at cost so you can knit a sweater for yourself and one for your mother.”

“A sweater?” Luo Yuan clumsily took the items, cradling them as if they were priceless treasures. He looked up in surprise. “Gongzi, you’d teach me such a special skill?”

Luo Yuan had seen firsthand how hard Jiang Huai worked to recreate the knitting method. The soft fabric spoke volumes about the technique’s value. Luo Yuan had been grateful enough just to watch Jiang Huai work, but now he was being offered a chance to learn.

Although tempted, Luo Yuan quickly shook his head. His mother had taught him to repay kindness and not be greedy. He couldn’t accept such generosity.

“Stop.” Jiang Huai interrupted. “Do you think I’m experimenting with yarn and knitting for fun?”

Luo Yuan instinctively shook his head, then paused, seeing Jiang Huai’s serious expression. Thinking carefully, he replied, “You’re trying to make money.”

Exactly! But Jiang Huai sighed, realizing he’d asked the wrong question. “Once the yarn becomes popular, people will need to know what it can be used for. Do you think I can keep this knitting technique a secret?”

Luo Yuan froze as understanding dawned. However, the thought of the knitting method being used to create entire garments made him realize how valuable it was.

Jiang Huai chuckled at Luo Yuan’s quick realization. “You’re right. For now, this technique is valuable, and I plan to sell sweaters first before teaching others. But since I like you, I’ll teach you early. Will you share it with others?”

Luo Yuan shook his head vigorously.

“Good. After you learn, you’ll knit for me. Just don’t show anyone until we’re ready,” Jiang Huai said, ruffling Luo Yuan’s hair before beginning the lesson.

Luo Yuan proved to be a quick learner, his nimble hands soon transforming into those of a skilled knitter. By the time Xiao Jingzhao returned, he found the two of them huddled together, knitting a strange piece of fabric that looked surprisingly soft.