Although Wen Hua’er couldn’t quite understand young people’s taste in fashion, she chose to respect Jiang Lai’s wishes and carefully removed the stitches she had just sewn.
She asked again to be certain,
“Little Sister, are you sure you want a straight-cut waist? You’re not fat at all. If it’s this loose, it won’t look very flattering.”
“It’ll look good.”
Jiang Lai smiled.
“Just make it the way I described.”
She found the stub of a pencil in a drawer and began sketching a long, short-sleeved dress with an asymmetrical collar.
The fabric wasn’t brushed, so even in autumn it could still be worn comfortably with a jacket.
As Wen Hua’er sewed, she couldn’t help glancing over at Jiang Lai’s notebook.
Curious, she asked,
“Little Sister, you know how to design clothes too?”
“You sketch so naturally.”
Without looking up, Jiang Lai continued drawing.
“I once met an old tailor who had studied overseas.”
“I learned a few things from him.”
Of course, that was just an excuse.
In her previous life, she’d been a professional fashion designer.
Designing clothes came as naturally as breathing.
While Jiang Lai was still sketching, Hu Yanyan returned carrying a bolt of fabric.
“I even paid an extra five yuan just so the accounting would work out.”
“Liu Minghua kept questioning me nonstop.”
“You’d think the textile factory belonged to her.”
Liu Minghua was none other than the heroine Song Wenwen’s mother.
She worked as an accountant at Hongxing Textile Factory and held a respectable management position.
Whenever anything involved the Jiang family, she always found ways to make things difficult.
The Jiangs had long since grown tired of her.
Without bothering to make a paper pattern first, Jiang Lai spread the fabric directly across the table and began marking it with chalk.
As she drew the cutting lines, she explained every detail to Wen Hua’er.
“This part needs to be taken in.”
“Leave this section looser.”
“Press this seam flat.”
Once all the lines were finished, she simply pushed the fabric toward Wen Hua’er.
“I’ll leave the sewing to you.”
“I never knew Sister-in-law was such a talented seamstress.”
Hu Yanyan laughed.
“Our eldest sister-in-law’s maternal family were tailors.”
“I heard that before Liberation, they even owned several clothing shops.”
“The business was booming.”
“She started learning from them when she was little.”
“Almost all our family’s clothes are made by her.”
Jiang Lai rested her chin on her hands, her eyes sparkling dramatically.
“With skills like yours, Sister-in-law…”
“…if private clothing factories ever become legal, you’d definitely be qualified to be the factory director.”
Usually outspoken, Wen Hua’er became embarrassed by the praise.
She lowered her head and grinned foolishly.
“Ordinary people like us could never open a clothing factory.”
“I just sew our own clothes to save money.”
Early the next morning, Ma Laihua dragged Jiang Lai out of bed.
A bowl of vegetable noodles topped with a poached egg already sat waiting on the table.
“Hurry up.”
“Today’s your interview.”
Jiang Lai yawned.
“But didn’t they say I only need to arrive by eight-thirty?”
She glanced at the wall clock.
It had only just struck seven-thirty.
She still wasn’t used to waking up so early.
“It’s your first day.”
“People always get nervous.”
Seeing Jiang Lai finally out of bed, Ma Laihua poured more water into the washbasin and urged,
“Hurry up and wash your face.”
“Then go use the toilet.”
While eating breakfast, Jiang Lai watched her mother fuss over every tiny detail.
Finally she couldn’t take it anymore.
Trying to be tactful, she said,
“Mom…”
“I know where the guesthouse is.”
“I can go by myself after breakfast.”
“I already took half a day off.”
Ma Laihua refused without hesitation.
“Until your job is settled, I won’t be able to concentrate at work anyway.”
She’d never been this nervous before.
When raising her three sons, she’d simply left breakfast for them and let them take care of themselves.
But Jiang Lai had grown up away from her.
She’d missed every important milestone in her daughter’s life.
Now that she’d finally returned, Ma Laihua wanted to personally oversee everything.
Nothing less would ease her mind.
Looking at the old clothes Jiang Lai still wore from the countryside and the two braids hanging over her shoulders, she muttered,
“I wanted to discuss it with your father.”
“I thought we’d secretly use some of our own savings to buy you a proper outfit at the department store.”
“It’s your first job, after all.”
“But your father wouldn’t agree.”
“When we get paid this month…”
“…I’m buying you new clothes no matter what.”
Jiang Lai understood perfectly.
Jiang Jianshe was worried about what his daughters-in-law might think.
The family conflict over the thousand yuan had only just settled.
Buying her expensive new clothes now would only reopen old wounds.
She looked down at herself and smiled.
“Big Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law are already making clothes for me.”
“They’ll be finished in a couple of days.”
“No need to buy any.”
“I’ve seen that fabric.”
Ma Laihua frowned.
“It’s patchy black and white.”
“It doesn’t look nice.”
“You’d look much better in something from the department store.”
“Look at all the other girls.”
“They all have little leather shoes.”
“You’re still wearing the cloth shoes your grandmother made.”
“You’re all the same age.”
“It makes my heart ache.”
She sighed deeply.
“Back then…”
“I should’ve sent your eldest brother to the countryside instead and brought you home.”
“Now I can’t even buy my own daughter a new outfit without worrying about what my daughters-in-law will think.”
Jiang Lai quickly finished her noodles.
Slipping on the canvas shoulder bag Wen Hua’er had sewn for her, she gently reminded,
“Mom.”
“Don’t ever say things like that in front of my sisters-in-law.”
“I’m perfectly fine.”
“Saving money for Xiaowei’s surgery is much more important.”
The moment they stepped outside, a loud slam echoed from the eastern courtyard.
“So I’m supposed to do everything?”
“You won’t even give me ten cents!”
“If you’re so capable, make your son do it!”
Immediately afterward, a middle-aged woman about Ma Laihua’s age rushed out wielding a spatula.
“If I’d known you’d turn out this troublesome…”
“I should’ve strangled you back then!”
“You didn’t strangle me then.”
“It’s too late to regret it now.”
“Just wait until you’re old.”
“I’ll strangle you instead!”
Jiang Lai looked toward the commotion.
A young woman about her own age stormed out of the courtyard.
She wore a faded green military uniform and had short hair.
Though obviously furious, she still forced a smile upon seeing them.
“Aunt Ma.”
“Heading out?”
“Yes…”
Ma Laihua answered awkwardly.
“We’re heading out.”
After greeting them, Zhao Ting made no attempt at small talk.
She strode past with a dark expression and disappeared around the corner of the alley within moments.
Seeing they were about to leave, Zhao Ting’s mother stepped farther outside.
“Laihua.”
“Why aren’t you at work today?”
“My daughter has her interview today.”
“I’m taking her there.”
“I heard you spent over a thousand yuan buying your daughter a job.”
“I’d say that money was completely wasted.”
“She’s almost old enough to get married anyway.”
“You could’ve waited another couple of years, married her off, and kept a thousand yuan in bride price for yourself.”
“Instead you spent it all.”
“I also heard your eldest daughter-in-law is furious.”
“Wen Guofang’s wife has been talking about it nonstop at the factory.”
“She says you don’t know your priorities.”
“You’d rather buy a job for the daughter you barely raised than care about your own grandson.”
“If you ask me…”
“…she’s absolutely right.”
She rambled on endlessly, never bothering to notice the increasingly dark expression on Ma Laihua’s face.
Finally, Ma Laihua replied coldly,
“No wonder your own daughter says she’ll strangle you when you’re old.”
“When that day comes…”
“If she abuses you…”
“…make sure you scream loudly.”
“So I can come watch the show.”
Zhao Ting’s mother laughed dismissively.
“You’ll never get to see that.”
“I’ve already asked relatives to find her a husband.”
“The farther away she marries, the better.”
“I’ve got a son.”
“And a daughter-in-law.”
“What do I need her for?”
“When your daughters-in-law start bullying you…”
“…you’d better cry loudly too.”
“Hmph.”
Ma Laihua snorted.
“Go home and scrub your pots.”
Then she grabbed Jiang Lai’s hand and marched out of the alley.
Watching them leave, Zhao Ting’s mother let out a quiet sneer.
“What a fool.”
“That daughter’s been away from her since childhood.”
“No matter how much love she pours into her…”
“…that girl will never truly be close to her.”