Song Shixu shook his head: “Your parents are active in fixed locations, and you won’t leave home. I’ve already arranged for people to cover everything, so don’t worry.”
Su Yi’an asked him: “What about Lele? She goes out to sell things on the street every day. I can’t find a reason to stop her.”
Moreover, the little girl was currently very enthusiastic about selling clothes. She probably hadn’t even slept at this hour and was still drawing design sketches! And today he heard her mention that there were people who had pre-ordered clothes. What reason could he use to stop her from going out, and for so many days?
Song Shixu couldn’t help but shake his head: “Your sister is delicate and troublesome.”
Su Yi’an was a bit angry: “You don’t understand Lele.”
Song Shixu tapped his fingers on the table for a while, then spoke with a cold expression: “If they’re targeting anyone, it’s you and your sister. I’ve already arranged people at home, and I’ll protect your sister in secret.”
Su Yi’an smiled: “Thanks, Shi Xu.”
He knew Song Shixu’s capabilities better than anyone. With him secretly protecting Lele, it would naturally be absolutely safe. Once all the other side’s people were captured, the crisis would be resolved.
Before leaving, Song Shixu suddenly asked another question: “Has your sister been doing weighted running these past few days?”
“What?” Su Yi’an was momentarily confused: “Lele, weighted running?”
Song Shixu hummed in affirmation: “She’s physically weak. I suggest you train her more.”
Su Yi’an’s expression turned strange. After a while, he spoke with difficulty: “Shi Xu, you should find a girlfriend too.”
His friend was indeed upright, but the problem was he was a bit too upright…
After leaving Su Yi’an’s room, Song Shixu passed by the west side room. A light was on inside. The curtains on the window had poor light-blocking properties, and he could vaguely see a slender silhouette. He knew this silhouette belonged to Su Jinle.
She seemed to be in a good mood, humming a song softly. She didn’t stutter while humming. She was bent over, doing something, her long hair falling over her shoulders.
Suddenly, the slender silhouette straightened up, then stretched lazily. Then, she suddenly crossed her arms and lifted the upper part of her clothes, revealing a slender waist that seemed easy to hold and the soft, feminine curves unique to women, swaying with the movement of the curtains.
Song Shixu was stunned. After a long moment, he abruptly turned around, executing a standard military about-face as if fleeing from a ferocious beast, and leaped onto the Su family’s wall.
He crouched on the wall for a long time, waiting for his heartbeat to calm down with great difficulty. Almost uncontrollably, he glanced back again. The room’s light was already off, and he couldn’t see anything.
For a moment, he couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He only knew that when he should have jumped down, he accidentally fell straight off the wall.
The mighty soldier king, standing up again below the wall, had an expressionless handsome face with a large bruise…
Originally, she was supposed to make the same style of clothes for that plump girl, but Su Jinle hesitated while drawing the design. She was very sensitive to body shape and clothing coordination. Imagining it in her mind, she felt somewhat uncertain.
Qiao Fengxia couldn’t really be considered too fat, but she was tall with a large frame, so even a little extra flesh made her look particularly ‘sturdy’. This somewhat cute style of clothing actually didn’t suit her, but yesterday she had specifically requested this design.
When it came down to it, whether it looked good on her or not had nothing to do with Su Jinle. As long as the money was paid, wasn’t that enough?
But when Su Jinle made clothes, she only made the ones ordered by the other girl, and simply crafted a few small sheep keychains. Then, she brought the notebook she usually used for sketching to the spot where she had sold clothes the day before.
Granny Pang hadn’t arrived yet, but her small folding stool was already there. Given Granny Pang’s “reputation” on this street, no one dared to casually take her spot, let alone sit on her little stool.
Su Jinle, however, sat down quite naturally. She lowered her head, arranged her things neatly, hung up the blue-and-white plaid outfit she had made, and only then sat down to look through the notebook she had brought.
Across from her, a woman selling handmade cloth shoes, with short hair styled in trendy little curls, saw this and warned, “Girl, you’re sitting in Granny Pang’s spot. Hurry up and move aside!”
Su Jinle looked confused. “Granny… Pang?”
The cloth shoe seller hadn’t been around to set up her stall recently due to family matters. Thinking Su Jinle was setting up for the first time, and seeing how young and delicate the girl looked, she kindly explained, “She sells eggs, and she’s fierce. If you take her spot, she’ll scratch your face!”
With those slender arms, this girl was no match for Granny Pang.
Su Jinle glanced at her spot and shook her head. “This… is my spot.”
How brave!
The woman shook her head, about to continue persuading her, when she saw Granny Pang walking over from a distance, carrying her basket of eggs. She quickly shut her mouth. She had once clashed with Granny Pang over some trivial matter! Though she was a tough character at home, that encounter had taught her that there was always someone tougher.
In fact, she was the one who had given Granny Pang the nickname “Tiger.” Truth be told, she was a little intimidated by this fierce old lady!
But glancing again at Su Jinle’s delicate face, she thought that if a fight broke out, she’d better step in and mediate. Young girls setting up stalls like this were rare, and she must be facing hardships at home.
Times were tough for everyone these days!
Granny Pang spotted Su Jinle from afar. Today, she was even carrying the little lace bag Su Jinle had given her yesterday. Raising her arm as if about to speak, the woman across the way coughed loudly twice and stepped forward to grab her. “Tiger, the girl’s having a hard time. Let’s talk things out properly.”
Granny Pang was baffled. “Lion Head, what are you doing?”
Returning the favor, “Lion Head” was the nickname Granny Pang had given the woman. Everyone who set up stalls here had a nickname, though Su Jinle didn’t have one yet…
Lion Head Sister shot Su Jinle a look and pretended to be stern. “Why aren’t you getting up? Don’t you know this is Granny Pang’s spot? Acting like you’ve never seen a folding stool before—come get one from me later!”
Su Jinle looked even more confused. “Huh?”
Granny Pang wasn’t pleased. “Lion Head, aren’t you going too far? She’s just a young girl. Why are you bullying her?”
Lion Head Sister was also annoyed. “You’re the one bullying her! How old is she this year? She’s even younger than your daughter. How can you have the nerve to raise your hand to hit her right away? Her little face can’t take a slap from you. I’m definitely stepping in today!”
Granny Pang retorted, “Have you been home sewing shoe soles for days and gone blind?”
Lion Head Sister shot back, “You dare say you don’t bully people? Who was it that pinched my arm black last time?”
As the two were about to come to blows, the nearby vendors quietly shifted their positions, fearing they might get caught in the crossfire. Neither of these two were easy to deal with, and anyone who dared to step in to mediate at this moment would surely be caught in the flames of war and end up in a sorry state!
Just then, a small, delicate, pale hand reached out between the two of them, accompanied by a timid voice: “Granny… Granny, Sister, could you please stop arguing?”
Granny Pang’s expression instantly softened into one of kindness and warmth. She gracefully sat down, shooting a warning glance at the “lion’s head” sister, and pulled Su Jinle to sit on her stool. “Ignore her. With me here, you can walk this street sideways if you want!”
The “lion’s head” sister stared stiffly at the two of them for a long while before finally squeezing out a sentence: “You… you’re not going to chase her away?”
Granny Pang glared at her. “Let me tell you all, this girl is under my protection. Anyone who dares to bully her will have their dog-face scratched by me!”
The “lion’s head” sister let out a long sigh of relief. “That’s good then.”
Granny Pang: “?”
…
The two of them returned to their stalls, feeling for the first time that the other wasn’t so bad after all…
With the experience from selling over the past few days, Su Jinle had written the prices on cardboard signs today, clearly marking the cost of each item and adding the words “Custom-Made Clothes” in large letters. While others had tailor shops for custom orders, she had simply set up a stall and started selling.
Just after five o’clock, as the nearby factories let out, several female workers rode their bicycles over. Some who hadn’t managed to snag a keychain yesterday were worried they’d miss out again if they arrived late. Since there weren’t many keychains to begin with, they sold out in just five minutes.
Even the leftover hairbands and small cloth bags from the previous day were completely sold out.
The girl who had ordered the skirt also arrived. Just as she paid and took her clothes, the plump girl Qiao Fengxia hurried over. She had been looking forward to this for a full day and night, and her face was now beaming with joy. “Miss, I’ve brought the money. Where’s the dress?”
But there was only one dress, and it had just been taken by the other girl.
Su Jinle felt a bit nervous too, and her explanation came out even slower. “I… I haven’t made it yet. Could you listen to me first, please?”
“Haven’t made it? But I already paid the deposit!” Qiao Fengxia was utterly disappointed. Heaven knew how much she loved that dress. Usually, she could never find styles she liked because of her size.
She was a girl who loved beauty and longed to wear pretty dresses! All day, even while working on the production line, she had been thinking about that skirt. She had imagined herself wearing it and the admiring glances she would receive from others.
Maybe that refined technician at the factory would even take a second look and realize she wasn’t so bad after all.
But now, she was being told it hadn’t been made! She had just seen the girl who had ordered the skirt with her that day receive her dress!
Qiao Fengxia bit her lip. “Do you also think I wouldn’t look good in a skirt? But I already paid the deposit, and you promised me yesterday!”
She was so angry that her voice grew louder, drawing the attention of many nearby.
Granny Pang quickly spoke up on her behalf. “Making a skirt takes time. Give her another day, and I promise she’ll have it ready for you tomorrow, alright?”
Then, she shot Su Jinle a meaningful look. “If that’s not enough, throw in some extra little gifts!”
When someone pays a deposit, failing to deliver is breaking a promise, and dishonesty is a major taboo in business!
The crowd was growing larger, and Su Jinle forced herself to calm down. She knew that once she got nervous, her stuttering would become severe, and the more she stuttered, the harder it would be to explain clearly.
She took a deep breath, held Qiao Fengxia’s hand, and slowly began, “First, listen to me. That outfit really isn’t suitable for you.”
Upon hearing this, Qiao Fengxia grew even angrier and was about to lash out when a design sketch appeared before her.
Su Jinle spoke at her slowest pace, “Everyone’s figure has its strengths and weaknesses. Finding clothing styles that suit you is more important. This is a dress I designed specifically for you. It will definitely fit you better than that suit.”
Qiao Fengxia was stunned. Designed specifically for her?