The shirt was made from a very new type of fabric—polyester with a soft drape. The black material looked especially smooth under the light, while the rose-red collar was striking. The buttons were black pearls, and the stitching used black inner-threading. The whole piece looked fashionable and luxurious.
“This slim fit is really well done. The color combination turned out unexpectedly beautiful…” Zhang, the factory director, said with clear satisfaction.
Cheng Zi only smiled without speaking.
“Xiao Cheng, this design belongs to the ‘Hongyun’ brand. They use imported materials. You performed very well this time—keep it up.”
Director Zhang handed her two more orders. “These two dresses, I want your design drafts tomorrow.”
But Cheng Zi shook her head. “Director Zhang, I can’t make them.”
“?”
She had revised a design in just two minutes earlier today, completely transforming a very ordinary style. And now she said she couldn’t do it?
Cheng Zi frowned slightly. “Designers need inspiration. What I did this morning was forced…”
“Then tell me, how long will it take?”
The smile on Director Zhang’s face faded.
“One week,” Cheng Zi said as if hesitating. “If I want new styles, I need to create. And creation involves risk.”
“So what are you saying?”
“To be honest, I even bought a sewing machine yesterday to improve my work.”
“Mm.”
Director Zhang’s expression softened again.
“I need to take some fabric home to test designs and find inspiration. The fastest would be one week. I’ll give you a draft next Monday.”
What she was really thinking was: she could use the materials to make clothes for herself—and for Xie Ci.
Scraps weren’t as good as new fabrics.
If she was going to take them, she would take them openly—and take the best ones.
And she was sure Director Zhang wouldn’t refuse.
“Alright, go pick some fabric to take home.”
Cheng Zi nodded seriously, even putting on an appearance of thinking for the factory. “Since these branded materials are precious, I’ll also take some other fabrics for practice. Once I’ve mastered the styles, I’ll use the good ones.”
Director Zhang nodded in satisfaction. “Then hurry up.”
“Do I still need to take other assignments this week?”
Director Zhang hesitated. “Depends on your workload. If you’re busy, just focus on these two pieces.”
“Okay~”
Just as she was about to leave, she added shamelessly, “If there’s no other task assigned to me, can I work at home?”
“No.”
“Oh. But I still have to make samples after work—it’s tiring. I’m afraid I won’t even be able to get up the next day…”
Director Zhang ignored her and waved her away.
Cheng Zi turned around and went straight to the fabric storage room, picking out several rolls of fabric according to her preferences.
“Sigh~ I really am a hard worker. Even after work I still have to work overtime.”
No one could even criticize her—she always complained first.
She successfully secured a week of “light workload,” and all other tasks fell onto Sister Zheng.
Normally, Sister Zheng would never agree so easily.
But today she was surprisingly cooperative. “It’s fine, I’ll handle it. It’s all small stuff.”
“Thanks, sis.”
For the first time, Cheng Zi experienced the ease of work—and it even felt a bit unreal.
The Tongcheng Garment Factory wasn’t a competitive place at all. Everyone just focused on their own tasks. During free time, they gathered in small groups, chatting about gossip.
As soon as work ended, Cheng Zi was the first to leave, her small bag already on her back.
Xie Ci had said he would pick her up—but she waited and waited and he never came.
She was the first one at the gate, yet everyone left and still no sign of him…
“Oh? Still waiting for your husband?” Zhang Cuihua said sarcastically while holding a child.
Cheng Zi glanced at her coldly and ignored her.
“Didn’t he come to pick you up?”
Before Zhang Cuihua could finish, Cheng Zi had already turned away and walked off to take the bus.
She went straight back to the military compound.
A faint sense of disappointment crept in.
She hated people who lacked punctuality.
He had broken their first promise.
When she got home, the house was empty.
She cooked a full table of dishes and ate dinner alone—but Xie Ci still hadn’t returned.
Her mood shifted from anger to worry.
He had said he was going back to the unit to get clothes.
Then she thought of his “death time” in the original storyline…
She could no longer sit still.
There was no phone at home, and she didn’t know the number to his unit.
“This is really inconvenient.”
She decided to go next door to ask. Everyone here was military personnel—she should be able to find out the number.
But what she didn’t know was—even if she found it, Xie Ci couldn’t answer.
At that moment, Xie Ci was in Shihu City, 120 kilometers away from Tongcheng.
Earlier that day, he had indeed gone back to the unit to pack.
He originally only intended to take two sets of clothes—but then he remembered Cheng Zi telling him to move everything back…
So he packed everything.
Suitcases, bags—he cleared out his entire temporary dorm.
It was then that Li Leilei rushed over.
As the captain of the special forces, Xie Ci was already uneasy about missing the mission. Li Leilei urgently told him that a team member was critically injured and needed immediate support.
Without hesitation, Xie Ci threw his luggage and gear into a military vehicle and rushed to Shihu City with her.
But once they arrived, there were no injured personnel.
No special forces team.
Xie Ci immediately understood what had happened. He checked the time and prepared to leave.
But Li Leilei stopped him. “Aci, if you leave now, our teammates will be in danger. They’re dealing with arms smugglers. Their firepower is beyond imagination.”
“At 7 p.m. tonight, there will be a criminal meetup under the Shihu Bridge. I have accurate intel. Please trust me this once. The instructor will also be leading a team there.”
Seeing her so certain, Xie Ci stayed.
Two hours passed.
No criminals appeared.
No instructor.
No special forces.
The mission point wasn’t even here.
“You’re using something like this as a joke?” Xie Ci stood up to leave immediately.
Li Leilei was confused too. This was the exact information she had received—she wanted to help him earn merit, but something had clearly gone wrong.
“Aci, it’s not like that. The plan must have changed. I didn’t lie to you.”
“Move.”
His expression was extremely cold.
“Aci, this mission is important to you. You can’t leave. Let’s contact the instructor first.”
“I’m going back.”
“We’re already here. Can’t we finish the mission first?”
Xie Ci stepped into the car.
Li Leilei grabbed the door tightly and refused to let go.
His patience ran out.
Just as he was about to press the accelerator, she climbed into the vehicle.
“I’ll go back with you. You can’t leave me here.”
Xie Ci said nothing.
He started the car.
His mind was in chaos, filled entirely with Cheng Zi’s face.
He had promised to pick her up from work.