The men went up the mountain to chop bamboo and made some sellable items at home, which they then took to the town to exchange for some grain and cash.
If the bamboo chairs and bamboo tables at home were broken, they would also need to be repaired or remade.
The women needle-worked shoe soles, made clothes for spring and summer, and embroidered handkerchiefs among other things. In short, the people of the farm were busy throughout all the seasons of the year.
Wang Shun's mother carried a basket to Gu Youyou's house to mooch some fire, and at the same time, she taught Gu Youyou some handicrafts.
Gu Youyou was ill and couldn't be away from the stove in the cold weather, but ordinary families didn't keep a fire going—it was too wasteful.
Wang Shun's mother was going to embroider handkerchiefs anyway, so by going to Gu Youyou's house, not only could she teach her, but she could also enjoy the warmth of the fire and have a chat with Gu Youyou, which made both of them happy.
