After dinner, Nie Honghua took the initiative to wash the dishes, leaving Nie Qinghe to explain the art of crochet to Mother Nie and their cousin.
Nie Qinghe demonstrated the basic stitches, then guided Mother Nie’s hands through the motions. By the time they’d finished a single meal’s worth of practice, Mother Nie had already mastered the fundamental technique.
Nie Honghua learned even faster, while their cousin struggled a bit more, though she still managed to grasp the basics by the end of the evening.
“This is a wonderful tool,” Mother Nie remarked. “Just a little stick, looping and pulling, and you have a whole piece of netting. It’s much easier than embroidery and doesn’t strain the eyes.”
“Different crafts serve different purposes,” Nie Qinghe explained. “You can use a crochet hook to make gloves and socks. The resulting fabric is stretchy, unlike woven cloth.”
They tested the fabric, and her words proved true.
“Isn’t this much easier than weaving?” Nie Honghua asked. “Weaving requires a loom, but with a single needle, you can work anywhere.”
Mother Nie shook her head. “No matter how tightly you crochet, there are still holes. Since it’s all made from a single thread, if it gets a snag, wouldn’t the whole thing just unravel?”
Nie Qinghe nodded in admiration. “I’ve noticed that too,” she said with a smile. “Crocheted fabric is soft and doesn’t wrinkle against the skin, but it lacks the structure and crispness needed for outerwear.”
The food, clothing, and housing habits of any region were shaped by its natural environment. In this area, where farmland was scarce and people lived as farmers, there was no large-scale livestock grazing. With no wool available, they relied on silk and cotton for warmth.
These materials were more durable and practical when woven into cloth or quilted into cotton padding, leaving little demand for knitting or crochet. Even in the twenty-first century, formal wear was still mostly made from woven fabrics rather than knits.
Socks, gloves, and undergarments, though, Nie Qinghe thought, could be worth trying later.
She knew Nie Honghua was clever and always eager to try new things, so she decided to teach her a few basic crochet techniques first. She’d start with simple flowers before moving on to more complex patterns. These small blossoms could be crocheted into hairnets, and once a market was established, they could even be expanded into shawls.
Nie Honghua was naturally inclined toward the path of least resistance. Upon discovering that crochet was far easier and less labor-intensive than embroidery, she was immediately hooked.
Nie Qinghe cautioned her, “Crocheting is simple; anyone can learn it quickly. Standing out won’t be easy. Once everyone knows how, the women will just buy their own needles and thread to do the work themselves. They won’t buy from others, so this can only be a side project.”
“It’s just like weaving,” she added. “Even though it requires a loom, every household’s women know how to do it, right?”
Nie Honghua thought it over. “Then I’ll learn it all.”
Nie Qinghe then discussed the plan with Mother Nie, asking her to find a few women who were fast and did beautiful work to crochet hair nets. Small ones would pay one copper coin, and large ones two. Tomorrow, she would have Laishun deliver the silk thread and crochet hooks.
She emphasized the key points of crocheting the hair nets, especially the need to tie a knot between each mesh hole. Otherwise, if a single thread broke, the entire hair net would be ruined.
Mother Nie, ever the most meticulous, committed this firmly to memory, already calculating who could handle the task.
This is for the jewelry shop my daughter is working with, she thought. We must be even more careful.
Nie Honghua then asked to crochet the nets at home for two days. “I have no money at the Embroidered Apparel Pavilion, but if I crochet the nets at home, I’ll earn money. How many days can I crochet at home?”
Mother Nie agreed.
Nie Honghua immediately set her terms: she wanted half of the earnings.
Mother Nie tapped Nie Honghua’s forehead with her finger. “You’re such a little schemer. Your sisters save their money, but you spend yours on food the moment you get it. How can I let you keep it?”
Nie Honghua quickly recruited her two older sisters to her side. After some bargaining, Mother Nie agreed to give her one coin for every ten she earned.
Nie Honghua wasn’t satisfied. She coaxed and pleaded, even pulling Xiaoli into the negotiation. Finally, Mother Nie relented, agreeing to give the two of them some pocket money for every ten coins earned.
Nie Qinghe considered the demands of the shop’s customers, as well as Manager Liu’s request for hairnets for a major client. “Just make as many as you can these next few days,” she told her family. “The shop will take everything you produce.”
Small items like hair ties and simple hairpins were always in high demand; even a few thousand wouldn’t be enough to meet the need.
The family usually avoided working by lamplight at night, but they had just learned to crochet. The work wasn’t too straining on the eyes, and they couldn’t resist continuing. Besides, they wanted to take advantage of Nie Qinghe being home to guide them through any mistakes.
As she worked, Nie Honghua’s imagination took flight. She crocheted a small lace trim, realizing it could be worn as a headband across the forehead, tied around the neck as a necklace, or even sewn onto a garment as a decorative border. Anything she crocheted herself seemed to look beautiful.
Finally, she crocheted a large flower and pinned it directly into her bun. “What do you think? Does it look good?”
“Honghua wears a flower,” Nie Xiaoli remarked.
“Xiaoli, Xiaoli!” Nie Honghua teased. Xiaoli meant “Little Strength,” and she was mocking him for being weak.
Nie Xiaoli shrugged. “I praised you for wearing the flower, and you mocked me for being small and weak. That’s not fair.”
Nie Honghua laughed. “Just you wait. I’ll crochet a lace trim for you to give to your little wife.”
Nie Xiaoli’s expression turned serious. “I don’t have a wife. Teacher Xie says a true man’s ambitions are set on the four corners of the earth. Why should a great man worry about having a wife?”
Nie Qinghe and the others stared, speechless.
What on earth has this kid been learning? Nie Qinghe’s opinion of Teacher Xie soured further. One minute he’s lecturing about assassins and sword-waves, and the next he’s preaching about a great man’s independence. Just because you’re a single dog doesn’t mean you want everyone else to be single with you!
Their cousin smiled. “Teacher Xie is a learned man. Boss Qin hired him to teach the young masters and ladies of the Qin family, and Xiaoli just picked up a few lines from him.”
“He taught me a lot more than that!” Nie Xiaoli exclaimed. “Teacher Xie says to read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles! He promised that if I study with him, he’ll take me all over the place to see the sights and eat delicious food!”
Nie Qinghe’s mind raced.
This is serious, she thought. I’ll have to have a proper talk with Teacher Xie later, before he lures my brother away for good.
She pulled a woven headband from her stash and handed it to her cousin, showing her how to tie it just above the hairline.
“I love it!” her cousin exclaimed. “I’ll wear it to the Embroidered Apparel Pavilion tomorrow and show the other girls.”
“I’ll spin some thicker yarn later,” Nie Qinghe said. “A thicker weave would make the headbands look even better.”
When I get the chance, I’ll buy some raw wool, process it myself, and spin it into yarn, she planned. I could make socks, gloves, and even shawls.
Late autumn was already turning chilly, but it was still too early for heavy cotton-padded coats. A warm shawl would be perfect for this weather.
Father Nie didn’t return until the end of the second watch. Mother Nie brought him a bowl of rice and sent him to his room to eat, then urged the children to go to the west room and get into bed.
Nie Honghua and Nie Xiaoli lay down on the kang and fell asleep instantly.
Nie Qinghe tucked a cloth sheet over each of their midsections before leaning in to whisper to her cousin.
“I earned 253 wen today,” she murmured.
Her cousin’s jaw dropped. “The jewelry shop is that profitable?”
“It’s not the shop that’s making the money,” Nie Qinghe explained. “I’m earning it by helping the customers directly. The high-end gowns the Embroidered Apparel Pavilion sells can cost dozens of taels each, yet the seamstresses are the ones who get paid the least.”
Her cousin seemed to understand, yet not fully. She pursed her lips and sighed. “But if you want me to attend to customers in the shop… with so many men and women about, I… I would never dare.”
It wasn’t just her. Most young women would be too mortified to even glance at a strange man, let alone approach him to sell something.
Nie Qinghe knew her cousin’s temperament all too well. She didn’t press the matter, instead telling her about the more enjoyable aspects of running the shop. She also reminded her to protect her eyes and not to work herself to exhaustion.
In her past life, Nie Qinghe had always been a planner. She had earned money during college and started her own business immediately after graduation, never even considering working for someone else.
She knew that twenty years of employment wouldn’t be enough to buy a house or provide her mother with a better life—in fact, the struggle to buy a home would only force her mother to keep suffering.
She felt the same way now.
She refused to let her family remain crammed in this tiny courtyard where they bumped into each other with every turn.
Her goal was to establish a dedicated Red Cosmetics Pavilion. She would design new products—everything from women’s inner and outer wear, shoes and socks, to rouge, cosmetics, wigs, jewelry, hair accessories, shampoo, skincare, and perfumes. It would be a one-stop destination dedicated exclusively to serving women.
Her ultimate goal was to open a grand shop in the Capital, expand with branches in Suzhou and Hangzhou, and even export her products overseas to earn foreign silver.
She was brimming with ambition.
Shopkeeper Liu was a reliable man, and since she ensured his business profited from their partnership, Liu’s would naturally want to work with her long-term. With the Liu family’s support, she had a mountain of work ahead and needed trustworthy help.
Her eldest brother could brew the shampoo and facial cleansers, while her mother could manage the hairnetting. If her cousin could work in the shop as a hairstylist and makeup artist, she would earn far more than she did at the Embroidered Pavilion.
However, her cousin was still too timid to leave the inner courtyard and interact with men—a hesitation Nie Qinghe fully understood.
The next morning, Nie Qinghe woke to find her father already gone.
Mother Nie was busy in the kitchen. “He wanted to get to the workshop early. He didn’t want to wake you all by cooking, so he went to buy a sesame cake on the street.”
The night before, Father Nie had feasted on the large fish his daughter had bought, savoring its fresh, savory flavor. It had left him feeling less capable than his own daughter, prompting him to rise at dawn to work. He’d claimed to have a few coins for a street-side breakfast, but Mother Nie wondered if he’d actually bring himself to spend them.
“Mother, Father works so hard. You should boil an egg for him in the evenings to help him keep his strength up.”
“Don’t you worry about him,” Mother Nie replied. “He’s sturdy enough.”
After finishing her meal, Nie Qinghe prepared to leave for work. A knock sounded at the door.
When she opened it, she found Qiuyue, the Song family’s maid. Today, the girl was dressed plainly in a simple cotton dress, devoid of her usual gold and silver ornaments. Her haughty air had vanished, replaced by the gentle, virtuous demeanor of a proper young wife.
Assuming Qiuyue had come for the clothes, Nie Qinghe’s voice turned cold. “I’m still recovering. The shoes aren’t finished, and I haven’t even started on the clothes.”
Qiuyue seethed.
Recovering? she thought. You’re perfectly fine, you shameless slut, parading yourself in the streets!
But she remembered her mistress’s strict instructions. Daring not to let her tone sharpen, she adopted the rehearsed posture and soft-spoken cadence they had practiced at home.
Curtsying deeply, she said, “Miss Qinghe, you are a girl from a good family. You shouldn’t be doing things that tarnish your reputation. If your family needs money, just tell our Madam. She will not refuse to help.”
Nie Qinghe glanced at her and smiled. “Why didn’t your mistress just tell you to say this at the shop?”
Qiuyue’s face flushed crimson. “Do you think our mistress lacks tact, like you? Showing your face in public like that—what will people think? Your uncle and our master are sworn brothers. Do you have any idea what kind of gossip they’re spreading? Our mistress didn’t want to embarrass you by speaking of this at the shop, so she sent me here early this morning instead.”
Oh, how considerate, Nie Qinghe thought, her smile widening.
Her almond-shaped eyes curved, and her voice took on a sweet, melodic tone. “So, how much money did you bring to help us out?”
Don’t just talk the talk, she thought. Hand over the cash.
Qiuyue froze. She hadn’t expected Nie Qinghe to be so brazen as to ask for money directly. Shouldn’t she be mortified? Shouldn’t she be promising to never set foot in the shop again?
She had drastically underestimated Nie Qinghe’s thick skin.
Nie Qinghe stepped closer, examining Qiuyue’s hair. “Qiuyue, your hair loss is getting serious. Look, you’ve got a bald patch right above your forehead. Our shop is launching a new Darkening and Growth Ointment soon. Come see me when it’s out, and I’ll give you the friend’s discount.”
Qiuyue was too furious to speak.
Nie Qinghe didn’t give her the chance to lose her temper, immediately continuing her sales pitch. “Your hair loss is already severe, and you’re still wearing your bun so tight. Why not try our new hairnet? It will relieve the tension on your scalp and let your hair rest and recover.”
She pulled a black hairnet from her pouch and displayed it before Qiuyue.
Just as Qiuyue reached for it, Nie Qinghe pulled it back with a faint smile. “I’ll see you at the shop.”
Qiuyue nearly exploded with rage as she watched her walk away.
Unable to complete her mission, Qiuyue couldn’t return home empty-handed. Instead, she went to the Nie family home to speak with Mother Nie.
Mother Nie was just about to send her cousin and Xiaoli out the door. Honghua was staying behind to crochet hairnets, while Xiaoli was accompanying his cousin to the Embroidered Apparel Pavilion to play with the other children—and perhaps eavesdrop on a few lessons.
Sensing Qiuyue’s hostile intentions, Mother Nie sent her cousin and Xiaoli away first, then instructed Honghua to keep crocheting and not to interrupt.
Fuming, Qiuyue threw the same old argument at Mother Nie: that an unmarried young woman should not be seen in public.
Mother Nie shot her a cool glance. “So,” she said softly, “your Madam is in such a hurry to arrange a marriage for the two children?”
Qiuyue blinked, startled. “Of course not. When did I say that?”
“If there’s no wedding in the works,” Mother Nie’s face hardened, “then why are you interfering so much?”
“Our Madam is an elder,” Qiuyue countered. “She’s watched Miss Qinghe grow up. How can she not care?”
“And has our Qinghe committed arson or murder?” Mother Nie snapped. “Is that why you’ve come all this way to manage her?”
“She’s showing her face in public, working with men—” Qiuyue exclaimed. “It’s scandalous!”
Mother Nie cut her off. “Did you come here wrapped in black cloth from the west side of town to the east?”
“What?” Qiuyue stammered. “No.”
A mocking smile touched Mother Nie’s lips. “Then you’re showing your face in public too, aren’t you? You didn’t even wear a veil.”
“A veil?” Qiuyue asked. “What’s that?”
“Have you never visited the shops?”
“We go to buy things,” Qiuyue said.
“And when you buy things,” Mother Nie asked, “do you not deal with the shopkeepers?”
Qiuyue replied, “Of course I have to speak with them.”
“And when you speak with them, are there men present?”
Qiuyue’s temper flared. “First Madam Nie, what kind of question is that? When I go to buy things, I naturally have to speak with the shop assistants and pay them.”
“You speak to the sellers and pay them,” Mother Nie countered. “So what’s wrong with Qinghe speaking to the buyers and accepting their money?”
Qiuyue was speechless.
She wanted to argue that she was merely a customer, whereas Nie Qinghe was a seller—which was tantamount to selling smiles—but she dared not say it aloud, fearing Mother Nie would slap her across the face.
Before she could speak, Mother Nie continued, “The customers who come to buy things are both men and women. The sellers are both men and women. What’s wrong with that? Qinghe only styles the hair of women; the men are served by the male assistants. What’s wrong with that?”
Qiuyue had no retort.
Mother Nie sneered. “Go back and tell your Madam that not everyone can sit at home and boss others around. Our family earns their living by working with their own two hands.”
Mother Nie had wasted so much breath on this because she knew these were the exact words Mother Song would use. By rebutting them one by one, she was forcing the maid to parrot her words back, giving Mother Song a clear warning.
Qiuyue, fuming but helpless, could only return to report to Mother Song.