“Alley End” had already whetted everyone’s appetite before it even opened, so on opening day, many people from the compound came over just to watch the excitement.
People from outside didn’t know what was going on. Seeing so many people gathered together, they thought something must be happening and followed along as well. In no time, the entrance at the end of the alley was packed with people.
At first, when they saw it was just a clothing shop, quite a few people felt like leaving. However, the moment Jiang Hua opened the door and they caught a glimpse of the clothes inside, everyone stopped in their tracks and immediately turned around and walked into the shop.
“This outfit is nice. Boss, how much is it?” The speaker’s face was full of pleasant surprise.
As soon as her voice fell, another voice rang out. “Boss, I’ll take this one. How much?”
“Boss…”
Almost in the blink of an eye, all kinds of price inquiries rang out in the shop. Jiang Hua was both startled and delighted. She hadn’t expected the opening to go this smoothly.
All the clothes hanging in the shop were made by her herself. There weren’t many styles, but there were fitted women’s shirts, wide-leg suit pants that made the legs look long while covering flaws, and of course, camisole tops in the same style as Yunshu’s. Every piece looked even more fashionable than what movie stars wore.
Young girls bought camisoles, layered a shirt on top, paired them with wide-leg pants that made them look taller and shaped their legs, and finished with high heels. The result was strikingly stylish.
Older aunties might not buy camisoles, but they bought the shirts instead. Especially those who were a bit heavier. Once the shirts were on, they looked instantly slimmer. And those who were slightly shorter, once they put on the wide-leg pants, suddenly had legs that seemed to reach up to their waist.
In less than three days, all the clothes in Jiang Hua’s shop sold out. Alley End became synonymous with fashion. Many people came because of its reputation, only to leave empty-handed because everything was sold out. Some even offered to pay double the price.
Jiang Hua was more than happy about that. Her original intention in opening the shop had been to run a custom clothing studio anyway.
She took the opportunity to promote it again. Custom clothing meant made-to-measure. Every stitch was designed for the person being customized for, fitting their body and temperament perfectly. In no time, Alley End became wildly popular again.
However, there were some rules that customers needed to know. For custom orders, a deposit had to be paid. If the order was canceled due to the customer’s own reasons, the deposit would not be refunded.
As soon as this rule was announced, it immediately caused dissatisfaction among some people.
“What? You can’t even cancel and get a refund? This is a bully clause. No way, I don’t accept this!”
But as soon as these complaints came out, Jiang Hua didn’t even need to explain. Those who liked Alley End’s clothes voluntarily spoke up to refute them. “The agreement is stated clearly. If you can’t accept it, then just don’t place a custom order. Boss Jiang isn’t forcing you to do it.”
“Exactly. What are you getting worked up about? Could it be that you’re already planning to back out of paying?”
Orders at Alley End skyrocketed. Jiang Hua had no choice but to temporarily stop accepting new ones. The people in the compound were already numb. Who could have imagined that Jiang Hua, whom no one had high hopes for, would end things in such a jaw-dropping way?
Even Xu Chenghuai hadn’t expected this outcome. But he was always reserved. Even if he thought so in his heart, on the surface, he still looked no different from usual.
Seeing Jiang Hua busy making clothes, he silently took over all the household chores. He even found time to help her trim loose threads.
Jiang Hua was already used to this side of him and didn’t find it surprising. In her previous life, he had been the same. Whatever she did, he supported unconditionally; he just never offered any opinions.
The two children also wanted to help, but they couldn’t resist their playful nature. After sitting for a while, they couldn’t take it anymore and secretly slipped out to play.
And while Jiang Hua was busy during this period, another major event happened in the compound.
It was only when Song Jin came over to help and mentioned it that Jiang Hua found out.
After Ma Yuanhang stormed off in anger because of Li Qingran that day, he didn’t come home until the next morning. Li Qingran cried as she went to look for him in a nearby county, but she couldn’t find him.
Later, when she went to the research institute, someone who knew the inside story quietly told her, and only then did she learn that Ma Yuanhang had been taken away.
Song Jin said, “Do you know what the funniest part is? These past few days, Li Qingran has gone out with her head lowered, afraid people will recognize her. She really thinks everyone else is just like her, that the moment they see someone fall, they’ll rush over to step on them.”
But Jiang Hua’s focus wasn’t on that. “You said she went to a nearby county to look for Ma Yuanhang. Why?”
Song Jin froze, then shook her head. “That I really don’t know.” As she spoke, she frowned and looked at Jiang Hua, her face full of confusion. “That’s right. Why did she go to the county to look for Ma Yuanhang?”
The two of them looked at each other and analyzed it for a while, but couldn’t figure anything out. In the end, they could only set it aside for the time being.
However, once the news of Ma Yuanhang being taken away spread, the atmosphere in the compound began to feel strange. In the past, there were still a few people who would gather in small groups to discuss Xu Chenghuai and Director Chen. Now, no one dared to say a word.
Everyone had already sensed that something was different. Who knew whether someone from their own family would become the next Ma Yuanhang?
Even if you didn’t do anything wrong and weren’t afraid of ghosts knocking at your door, being talked about, speculated on irresponsibly, and gossiped about was still something no one wanted to experience. Who would want to become such a focal point?
At noon, when Xu Chenghuai came back to eat, Jiang Hua deliberately told him about this matter.
Xu Chenghuai sat upright. Hearing this, his movement paused, and he couldn’t help turning his head to look at her. “There is indeed such a matter. I’ve already arranged for someone to investigate.”
Jiang Hua froze. “There really is something abnormal?”
Xu Chenghuai nodded and then softly reminded her, “But for now, don’t tell anyone else. The people I sent out haven’t reported back yet.”
He was worried about alerting the snake by hitting the grass. Jiang Hua naturally understood this principle and responded, “I know.”
Xu Chenghuai was now used to talking at the dinner table. He even felt that this kind of feeling wasn’t bad. If Jiang Hua didn’t speak, he would take the initiative to find something to talk about.
Jiang Hua was also quite surprised by this. She didn’t know what kind of stimulus Xu Chenghuai had received for his chatty nature to gradually surface.
Who could have imagined that Xu Chenghuai, who usually couldn’t squeeze out more than a few words a day, was actually a hidden chatterbox?
Just like now, Xu Chenghuai started reminding her again. “During this period, pay attention to yourself. If you encounter unfamiliar people, don’t chat too much with them.”
What he really wanted to say was that it would be best not to chat at all. But thinking about how Jiang Hua’s current work required interacting with people, not talking at all wasn’t realistic, so he let it go.
Jiang Hua was startled by the underlying meaning in his words. “Does it have something to do with me, too?”
“It’s hard to say. Being cautious won’t hurt.”
“.”
It was strange. In her previous life, Jiang Hua’s mind seemed as if it had been covered by something, and no matter what, it wouldn’t turn. Now that she had figured things out, it was as if her Ren and Du meridians had been opened up. The white gauze that had covered her head disappeared, and her whole person became clear-headed.
With Xu Chenghuai’s warning, Jiang Hua subconsciously observed the people around her, and there really were a few people who, after placing custom clothing orders, kept holding onto her and repeatedly asking about other matters.
Fortunately, Jiang Hua was mentally prepared. With a few deft moves, she steered the conversation away.
Perhaps those people realized they couldn’t pry anything out of Jiang Hua. After a few days, they disappeared. They didn’t even want the clothes anymore, and Jiang Hua ended up gaining several deposits for nothing.
The reputation of Alley End gradually spread. Many people came for no clear reason, only to have clothes custom-made. Every day, Jiang Hua had to make clothes and also receive customers. She was so busy that her feet barely touched the ground. With no other choice, she recruited a few steady, hardworking workers from the compound.
She arranged the two who were more quick-witted to mind the shop at Alley End, and had two with good craftsmanship assist her in making clothes.
As orders increased, the amount of materials for making clothes also increased. She simply rented the courtyard behind Alley End and used it as a warehouse and for producing clothes.
Alley End’s operating model could be considered Qinhai City’s first. Jiang Hua, as the first person to eat the crab[1]meaning: the first to try something new jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_1541796_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_1541796_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, set off another trend in fashion. The news spread, unsurprisingly, throughout the nearby counties, villages, and towns. Father Jiang and Mother Jiang naturally heard about it as well.
The Jiang family was in a village under Pingcheng County near Qinhai City. Because a swift river flowed through it, the village was called Dajiang Village.
Hearing that the shop Jiang Hua opened had booming business, Father Jiang and Mother Jiang didn’t believe it at first. Later, as more and more people said it, the two of them couldn’t sit still. After discussing it, they took a bus to the city the next day, planning to see it with their own eyes.
The old couple first went to the compound, but the courtyard gate was shut tight. They knocked, but there was no movement at all.
They asked around along the way and arrived at Alley End.
At this time, there were only two workers in the shop. They didn’t recognize them, but seeing customers come in, they warmly received them.
“Old sir, old madam, what style of clothes do you need?”
Father Jiang and Mother Jiang were in their fifties. They had spent most of their lives in a small mountain village. They had come to Qinhai City a few times, but each time it was a hurried visit in and a hurried visit out. Alley End’s decor was very modern, and the two workers were enthusiastic. They were completely different from the supply and marketing cooperative’s salesclerks, who couldn’t be bothered to respond.
Father Jiang and Mother Jiang stood in front of the shop assistants, embarrassed and ill at ease.
“Comrade, Jiang Hua is here, right? We are her parents,” Father Jiang said, slightly bending his back and smiling at the shop assistant.
The shop assistant, hearing this, hurriedly said, “You’re Boss Jiang’s parents? Quick, please sit.” As she spoke, she moved chairs over for them and explained with a smile, “I’m really sorry, I didn’t recognize you. Please sit first. Boss Jiang is busy in the back. I’ll call her out right away.”
Hearing the shop assistant’s form of address for Jiang Hua, and seeing how attentive she was, Father Jiang and Mother Jiang immediately relaxed. Their backs also straightened a little more.
Mother Jiang said, “No need. Take us to find her. That way you won’t have to run another trip.”
The shop assistant froze, hesitated for a moment, and said, “It’s fine. I’ll go call her. You came from far away and must be tired. Sit and rest a bit first.”
Jiang Hua had instructed them that they couldn’t bring people to the warehouse.
Father Jiang had always been the one who had the final say at home. In his heart, the shop assistant in front of him was just someone Jiang Hua hired, while he was Jiang Hua’s own father. Being refused again and again, he immediately became a bit unhappy. The earlier embarrassment and unease dispersed, replaced by a face gone cold.
The shop assistant gave an awkward laugh and hurried off to find Jiang Hua.
Jiang Hua was next door, drawing patterns. Hearing that Father Jiang and Mother Jiang had come, she subconsciously frowned, but she immediately put down the work in her hands, then gave a few instructions to the other two workers, and only then followed the shop assistant over.
During this short wait, Father Jiang’s expression became even worse.
Jiang Hua acted as if she didn’t see it and raised her voice to greet them. “Dad, Mom, you’ve come.”
Father Jiang snorted. “What? We can’t come?”
Mother Jiang tugged him and looked at Jiang Hua with a smile. “We heard you opened a shop. We weren’t at ease, so we came to take a look.”
Father Jiang said, “So we were just being meddlesome. Don’t be self-important. Someone’s wings have hardened, and she doesn’t need us at all.”
Mother Jiang immediately smacked his arm. “What nonsense are you talking about? Eldest Girl is not that kind of person. She has always been the most filial. When has she ever not thought of us, and not thought of her younger siblings?”
Father Jiang’s expression eased a little at that. He glanced at Jiang Hua, looking like he had already softened, only held back by pride.
The two of them paused, and Jiang Hua finally had a chance to speak.
She said to them, “You came from far away and sat on the bus all morning. Your bodies are tired. If there’s anything to say, let’s go home and talk.”
There were two shop assistants in the shop. Mother Jiang thought that some words really weren’t suitable to say in front of outsiders, so she nodded in agreement.
“Alright. Her father, let’s go to Eldest Girl’s place first and rest.”
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