Chapter 33: Making Goat Milk Soap 2

Everyone watched as Uncle Lin worked.

“Lin’er, is it really possible to do it this way with such a large jar of lard?” Lin Mama asked Lin Nuo from the side.

None of them had seen this method before, and they hoped it wouldn’t be a waste.

In the end, Lin Mama put the semi-finished goat milk soap into a bamboo tube, and Uncle Lin took it to a cool, ventilated place. It needed to sit for a few days to allow saponification and for the alkalinity to decrease, after which it should turn out fine.

She felt a bit nervous since it was her first time making it and hoped everything would go well.

After finishing the goat milk soap, Lin Nuo checked the time, which was around four in the afternoon, still early for dinner. Uncle Lin went to the fields, while Lan’er and Lin Mama made clothes for the children in the yard. Lin Nuo lay on a nearby lounge chair, with sunlight filtering through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on her face. The group chatted casually, creating a warm atmosphere.

Three days later.

Lin Nuo removed the goat milk soap from the mold and used cotton-linen thread to cut the soap into uniformly thick circular pieces.

In total, she produced 38 pieces.

The light cream-colored goat milk soap had a rich milky aroma when picked up, which was quite pleasant.

Seeing the finished soap pieces, Lin Mama and the others were very excited.

Lin Mama took some scraps, dampened them with water, and rubbed them in her hands, immediately producing soft bubbles that rinsed away easily with water. After washing, her hands smelled faintly of milk, which was delightful.

To test its effectiveness, Lin Nuo called Lan’er to find a worn piece of clothing, which she dampened and scrubbed. After rinsing it with clean water, the entire garment was thoroughly cleaned and also carried a subtle scent of milk.

It was clear that washing clothes was no problem, so it seemed to have worked.

Lan’er was the most excited.

“Cousin, cousin, it really worked! So this is goat milk soap; it’s so fragrant! From now on, our washed clothes will smell of goat milk soap!”

Lin Mama and her husband exchanged glances, feeling a bit skeptical. Back in the capital, they had also used soapberry for washing clothes, but no one had ever made goat milk soap before. How could they have done it? They were sure no one had made it before their reunion with Lin Nuo.

They noticed that since Lin Nuo had returned, she had become more cheerful than before and was also skilled at cooking. Lin Lei even mentioned that she knew medicine.

Lin Nuo did seem different from before, but ultimately, they said nothing about it.

Lin Nuo also looked very excited.

“Aunt, Uncle Lin, do you think the common people would welcome this if it were more available? It’s affordable and practical.”

Hearing Lin Nuo’s words, everyone realized that she intended to sell it. Lin Nuo had previously mentioned making over a thousand taels of silver from selling ginseng, so she was living well and didn’t have to worry about making a living.

“Lin’er, this is indeed a good product; you’re very clever. If you sell it, it will definitely be popular,” Lin Mama said with a smile.

Lin Nuo went to her room and brought out some decorative paper she had prepared in advance, handing it to Lin Mama and the others. They began wrapping the goat milk soap pieces one by one. After the simple packaging, the soap suddenly looked much more upscale.

They kept 3 pieces for home and prepared to take the other 35 to town the next day to see how they sold.

“Uncle Lin, early tomorrow morning, you go to Grandpa Li’s house to get a cart. We’re going to town to sell goat milk soap.”

“No way,” Lin Mama and her husband both refused at the same time.

Lin Nuo looked puzzled and asked, “What’s wrong? Why can’t we?”

Lin Mama pulled Lin Nuo aside and said, “Lin’er, you said you were less than four months pregnant, but your belly looks like it’s five months along. I didn’t want to pry before, but are you sure you remembered the dates correctly? I’m worried about you taking a cart to town.”

So that was it; she seemed to have forgotten to tell them about her pregnancy.

Lin Nuo smiled gently at Lin Mama and said, “Aunt, I didn’t miscount the days; it’s definitely less than four months. However, I might be carrying triplets, so my belly is bigger than others’.”

“What? Triplets?” Lin Mama exclaimed.

Carrying multiple babies is no joke; it’s difficult and risky.

Now everyone was even more concerned and firmly opposed to Lin Nuo going. Riding in a cart was too bumpy.

In the end, they unanimously decided that Uncle Lin would go buy a horse-drawn carriage tomorrow, and they would travel by carriage later on.