The aunt quickly chimed in: “This is actually two pieces of clothing, and they can be worn separately too. So, it’s like getting three pieces for the price of one—what a great deal! And this young lady is really sincere. Buying the skirt comes with a hair ribbon, a keychain, and a small cloth bag! Let me tell you, there’s only one skirt like this. If you miss it, it’s gone forever!”
With this reminder, everyone’s attention was quickly drawn to the hair ribbons and keychains displayed on the ground.
The girl at the front immediately noticed that Su Jinle’s hair ribbon was also blue-and-white checkered. She was also carrying a cloth bag of the same pattern, adorned with a cute pink lamb charm. Standing there, she looked just like a big star!
Her heart raced with excitement: “You mean twenty yuan includes everything you’re wearing?”
Su Jinle quickly nodded, then shook her head: “No, not the shoes…”
Everyone’s gaze fell on her feet, then shifted away. Black cloth shoes and white socks could be bought anywhere, but the key was how well they matched her skirt. Paired with this outfit, the plain black cloth shoes actually looked more stylish than leather shoes.
“Then I’ll take it! I’ll go home right now to get the money!” The girl no longer hesitated. She was bold and young to begin with. If Su Jinle hadn’t been wearing the outfit, she might have hesitated without seeing the effect. But with a living model right in front of her, she didn’t hesitate at all.
Besides, twenty yuan for a whole outfit was such a steal!
But as soon as she spoke up, another girl grew anxious: “Isn’t there only one set? I want it too!”
She was taller and a bit chubby, thinking that the skirt Su Jinle was wearing might help hide her figure.
The first girl turned to look at her: “Qiao Fengxia, don’t fight me for this. You won’t fit into this skirt!”
Qiao Fengxia wanted to argue back, but her gaze dimmed as she looked at the hanging clothes, and she fell silent.
The first girl, afraid someone else might snatch it away, pulled two yuan from her pocket and handed it to Su Jinle: “Wait for me. I’ll go home right now to get the money. I’ll be back in half an hour at most!”
With that, she rode off on her bicycle in a hurry, but not before glancing back at Su Jinle: “Don’t you leave! My home is nearby. If you try to trick me, you’ll never sell clothes here again!”
Originally, there were two sets of clothes. Su Jinle was wearing one, and the other had just been sold. The other girls, feeling disappointed, were about to leave.
Su Jinle stopped the chubby girl named Fengxia: “Do… do you still want it?”
Qiao Fengxia hung her head: “Forget it. I won’t fit into it anyway.”
She was tall and plump, but she was also a girl who loved beauty. Unfortunately, the pretty clothes in the department store never came in her size, so she usually had to settle for loose-fitting outfits…
Su Jinle quickly spoke up: “I can make it… make it for you. I made the clothes myself. I can make one for you.”
Qiao Fengxia was stunned: “You made the clothes?”
Such beautiful clothes—she had thought they were high-end goods imported from the south!
Su Jinle smiled shyly: “Y-yes, I can. If you want it, I’ll take your measurements.”
Qiao Fengxia immediately brightened up: “I want it, I want it! I’ll give you a deposit too!”
Because of this, the other girls started chattering and asking questions: “You made the clothes yourself? Are there other styles? I want a white dress, like the one Zhou Yun wore in Romance on Lushan Mountain. Can you make that?”
“I want to make a shirt. Do you have any nice styles? Are shirts cheaper?”
“Does the outfit you’re wearing come in other colors? I want pink—pink would look so pretty!”
…
Su Jinle had never spoken so much in one go. She had started off a bit stuttery, and before long, sweat had soaked through her clothes. “Y-yes, we can make them. All of them can be made.”
She took out a small notebook and began recording each girl’s measurements and style preferences. Soon, she had filled a whole booklet. But since they couldn’t see the actual samples, most didn’t dare pay a deposit upfront. Only Qiao Fengxia and another girl chose the outfit she was wearing.
Each person paid a two-yuan deposit, and Su Jinle generously gave away hair ribbons and keychain pouches as gifts.
The other girls who hadn’t paid deposits felt a bit embarrassed after asking so many questions. Since the hair ribbons and keychain pouches weren’t expensive, they ended up picking some out too. By the time all the girls had left, only one hair ribbon and two small pouches remained in front of her.
Clearly, the keychains sold the fastest and most easily. Young girls simply couldn’t resist such cute little items, especially at just fifty cents each. Neither the department store nor the Gongxiaoshe sold anything like them. In the end, only one little sheep keychain was left, and two girls nearly came to blows over it.
It wasn’t until Su Jinle and the elderly woman each pulled one of them aside and promised to bring new designs tomorrow that the situation finally calmed down.
Su Jinle was utterly exhausted…
The other small vendors were practically green with envy…
They could shout themselves hoarse all day and barely make a few cents, yet this young girl had only been here a few days and already customers were fighting over her stuff. What on earth was so special about her things?
Su Jinle plopped down onto her little stool. Neither in her past life nor this one had she ever talked so much that her throat went hoarse. Now, her mouth was parched, and her hair was a tangled mess from pulling the girls apart.
Catching her breath, she knew the elderly woman had been a huge help today. She hugged her tightly and said earnestly, “I… I’ll make you clothes tomorrow.”
Older folks tended to prefer loose-fitting clothes. The woman was even older than her own mother, and just from that hug, Su Jinle could roughly estimate her measurements.
The woman brushed it off as a joke. “Oh, don’t bother. I never feel comfortable in new clothes.”
A shirt alone would cost over ten yuan. She had only helped out with a few words—how could she possibly accept a whole outfit? What kind of person would that make her?
Su Jinle didn’t say anything, but she had always been the type to repay tenfold any kindness shown to her. Her mind was already racing with ideas for what style of clothes to make for the woman.
It was almost seven o’clock now. The elderly woman packed up her stall and headed home, and Su Jinle prepared to leave as well. Today’s results had exceeded her expectations, and all she could think about was going home to tally up her earnings.
She must have made a lot of money today!
Just as she finished packing away the hair ribbons and small pouches, a pair of black leather shoes appeared in front of her. Gu Jingxiu looked at her disheveled state, his tone tinged with disbelief. “Lele, it really is you.”
Su Jinle’s throat still hurt from all the talking today, and she didn’t feel like saying a word. She kept her head down, silently packing her things.
Gu Jingxiu sighed and crouched down, placing a hand on her cloth bag. “You refused to take money from me, all just to prove a point? How much can you possibly earn after a whole day of hard work here? When have I ever let you come out and expose yourself like this?”
Su Jinle finished packing everything up, acting as if she were mute, ignoring him completely.
Gu Jingxiu took a deep breath. “I spoke to Mu Qing about your father’s situation. The factory has already revoked his penalty.”
Hearing these words, Su Jinle finally turned to glance at him, lowering her voice as she spoke, “It wasn’t because of you.”
It was Brother Song who helped deliver the letter to the union and put pressure on them, so the canned food factory didn’t dare give Dad a hard time!
Only then did Gu Jingxiu notice she was wearing a matching skirt he had never seen before—blue and white checks that made her skin appear even fairer, with a delicate bow tied at the back of her slender waist. Though nothing was exposed, it added a touch of sensuality to her usual style.
“Why are you wearing something like this out?”
A flicker of admiration flashed in Gu Jingxiu’s eyes, but it quickly darkened. He took off his suit jacket and insisted on draping it over her shoulders. “I’ll take you home. Starting today, I’ll give you twenty yuan every month. Don’t come out to sell clothes anymore! Just look at yourself—exposing yourself in public like this, what kind of image is that? Wouldn’t it be better to wait and become Mrs. Gu?”
Su Jinle struggled but couldn’t break free. She glared up at him, but before she could speak, several men across the street raised their voices, “Hey, harassing someone, are you? The police station is right over there! They’ll arrest you and shoot you—one bullet, one life!”
“Little girl, need some help?”
“Just shout if there’s trouble! Granny Pang isn’t here, but we’re no pushovers either!”
Granny Pang was the woman who sold eggs.
Su Jinle immediately stomped on Gu Jingxiu’s foot. “You—get lost!”
Gu Jingxiu had come to find her time and again, believing he had already humbled himself to the utmost, yet Su Jinle kept putting on airs. He felt he had spoiled her too much! In their previous life, she had been so obedient and compliant, always doing exactly as he said at home!
If he hadn’t heard rumors outside that the Su family was so poor they couldn’t even put food on the table, and if he hadn’t pitied her suffering in that household, he wouldn’t have rushed over to give her money!
And now she showed no gratitude, even telling him to get lost?
“Fine.” Gu Jingxiu stood up, looking down at her. “Su Jinle, I’ll wait for you to beg me to marry you.”
Su Jinle wiped away her tears. “I’d rather marry a dog than you!”
Gu Jingxiu laughed in anger. “Alright then, let’s see what kind of man you end up marrying!”