RGL – Chapter 119

“Minzi, do you have enough money? If not, why don’t we just help pay for that store of yours together?”

“No need. I’ve got money myself. That store isn’t very big—it’ll only cost around ten thousand yuan to buy. Don’t worry about it. Besides, I can earn my own money now, and I want to rely on my own abilities to acquire some things. You and Dad still need to keep money flowing for the business. If you spend it all, how will Dad buy new stock? Didn’t you say you were planning to go south to bring back a batch of soap?”

At the mention of the soap, Su Changrong frowned again. “Yeah, we heard some factories in the south have started producing that stuff, but it’s still unclear how easy it’ll be to source.”

Su Min knew that the southern regions had only just begun to develop a few years ago, and they weren’t yet as advanced as her area. But the south had better policies, and many factories had started opening up one after another. Industrial development there was ahead. If they sourced goods now, not only would the costs be lower, but there’d also be a wider variety of products. Plus, many of those items weren’t even sold locally. If they could establish a supply route, it could potentially elevate their supermarket to a whole new level.

She explained all of this to Su Changrong.

Su Changrong nodded as he listened. “You’re right. Our biggest issue now is the high cost of stocking up. If we can cut costs, we can price things lower than the competition—and that would definitely be good for business.” Right now, the other supermarkets in the city posed a major threat to him.

Sun Qiufang added, “Then you should take a trip south when the time comes. I’ll stay home and look after the store.”

Su Changrong agreed, then added, “Oh, right, I’ve found someone to take over Li Meng’s position at the county store.”

Sun Qiufang was surprised. “That fast? Is the person reliable?”

“Their family lives in the county town, and they even brought proof from the local neighborhood office. If they did anything shady, they’d have nowhere to run. The person seems honest enough. As for work, we’ll have to wait and see. Li Meng said they seemed decent. We haven’t found anyone else yet, so I’ll just give it a try. If it works out, we’ll keep them. If not, we’ll find someone else.”

Sun Qiufang was somewhat reassured, though she knew this was just a temporary fix. After all, it really wasn’t easy to find the right person on short notice.

“What’s their name? I’ll check them out next time I’m back.”

“Jiang Ping.”

Upon hearing the name, Su Min suddenly looked up. “Who?”

Seeing her reaction, Su Changrong looked confused. “Jiang Ping. What about it? You know her?”

Know her? That was putting it lightly. The name Jiang Ping would later become well-known across the county. Her life was basically the script of an inspirational drama. She lost her job in her thirties, lost her husband in her forties, and held up an entire household on her own. Since she was older, she couldn’t find decent work, and life was incredibly tough. Eventually, because the family could barely afford to eat, she simply went to a construction site to haul bricks. There, she met many construction workers, and when the government loosened regulations, she targeted the construction industry. She bought land and started building. First, she built small factory buildings to rent out, then moved on to selling them. She gradually built up capital and connections, and eventually started developing residential buildings. She became a legendary businesswoman in the county.

But someone like that working at their family’s supermarket? That seemed unlikely. There were lots of people named Jiang Ping—it was a fairly common name.

She smiled and said, “I don’t know her. The name just sounded familiar.”

After gathering the money, Su Min went with her parents to find Manager Song and complete the paperwork.

At the time, the city’s policies weren’t very relaxed, so after purchasing a commercial property, you were only allowed to use it—you couldn’t sell it.

But Su Min wasn’t worried. Policies would gradually become more flexible, and eventually selling would be allowed. Plus, given the location, unless she was in dire need of money, she’d never consider selling it. Just renting it out could bring in a decent income every year.

Now that they owned a property, a major concern for Su Changrong and Sun Qiufang was finally put to rest.

Su Min had assumed that after receiving help from Wu Zhe and Ke Wan, their families would go back to interacting the same as before. But unexpectedly, Ke Wan called after she was discharged from the hospital and invited Su Min to attend the baby’s one-month celebration banquet.

“You absolutely have to come. It’s all thanks to you that our little one is healthy and safe. He’s turning one month old—you really must come. And there will be a lot of people there this time. Remember those outfits you helped make? They were a big hit. If you come, you can meet more people, which will be great for your custom clothing business in the future.”

Su Min couldn’t refuse when both personal and professional reasons were presented so thoroughly. She smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll be there on time.”

Since she was attending a full moon banquet, Su Min began thinking about what to wear.

Even though she was attending as a friend, just like Ke Wan said, this was also a social event. It was her first time attending such a gathering. If her outfit didn’t make an impression, people might only see how young she looked and overlook her capabilities.

After reviewing her schoolwork, Su Min began designing her outfit.

Her current focus was on qipao-style fashion, but she didn’t want to limit herself to just traditional cheongsam designs. She aimed to show how the qipao could inspire other modern variations, hoping to push her Xiuse brand further in the traditional clothing world.

Since she was still young, mature styles didn’t suit her well.

After some consideration, Su Min decided on a lively, youthful two-piece set, topped with a long overcoat.

Due to time constraints, she kept the design relatively simple. There would be no large-scale embroidery—just small, decorative patterns for embellishment.

When she brought it to the shop, Sun Yan smiled and said, “This outfit looks great. It must’ve cost quite a bit, huh?”

Su Min did a quick estimate. “Just materials and labor alone probably add up to over five hundred yuan.”

Hearing how much it cost just to make it, Sun Yan immediately gave up on the idea of making one for herself. She clicked her tongue and said, “Why are you making such an expensive outfit?”

“This isn’t just something I’m going to wear. It’s pure advertising.”

Su Min thought to herself that she probably wouldn’t have many chances to wear this again. The cost hurt a little. If it weren’t for the need to make a good impression, she definitely wouldn’t have gone to this much trouble or expense.

Now, the shop had gradually started to get some work. Fortunately, with two master tailors cutting the fabric, Su Min’s clothes were quickly cut and ready. All that remained was for Zhang Qingqing to do the embroidery. After looking at the design, Zhang Qingqing promised to finish it within a week.

Su Min knew that ever since what happened last time, Zhang Qingqing had become even more cautious in her work. But she also seemed to be working too hard, and Su Min was worried she was under too much pressure. She smiled and said, “Finishing it within ten days is fine. Don’t skip your regular rest.”

Hearing Su Min say that, Zhang Qingqing felt a weight lifted from her heart.

Recently, she’d heard the shop was hiring, and she had been worried that ever since the last incident, Su Min didn’t like her anymore and was looking to replace her. Now that Su Min was expressing concern, it meant she didn’t dislike her that much. That meant she could continue working here.

With a face full of joy, she said, “It’s fine. There aren’t too many designs. I’m quick with my hands, I’ll finish in no time.”

After Zhang Qingqing took the fabric and went back to her workshop, Sun Yan pulled Su Min aside to talk.

“Ever since that incident, she’s been working like mad. I’m wondering if we should hold off on hiring for now. Otherwise, I feel kind of bad.”

“This can’t be stopped. I’m not hiring someone to push her out—it’s for the company’s growth. Right now, business is still so-so. But what if it picks up? Are we going to scramble for people then? I’d rather pay someone to sit in the shop now and share the work than be rushing around later. Good embroiderers aren’t easy to find.”

Hearing that, Sun Yan remembered the time Su Min had trouble finding someone to make her clothes.

“What you said makes a lot of sense. We do need someone in advance. That’s what they call… preparing for a rainy day, right?” she said with a big smile at Su Min.

Su Min nodded with a smile. “Exactly.”

Knowing how urgently Su Min needed the clothes, Zhang Qingqing didn’t dare delay. She worked day and night, and finally, within a week, she finished the embroidery. The master tailor soon took over to assemble the pieces.

Three days before the banquet, Su Min finally got to see the first outfit she had designed for herself.

She first put on the inner skirt set, then draped the overcoat on top. It looked playful, yet carried a touch of elegance.

Sun Yan and Liao Zhaodi were full of envy when they saw Su Min’s outfit and couldn’t resist trying it on themselves.

After trying it on, they both found it didn’t look as good on them as it did on Su Min.

“I get why I don’t look good in it, but why does Zhaodi, who’s so pretty, not look as good either?” Sun Yan glanced at Zhaodi’s delicate face.

Su Min smiled and patted her own face. In the mirror, she only looked somewhat delicate, but the clothes really did add some flair.

“I designed this outfit specifically for myself. It matches my style. You two have different styles, so of course, it won’t look the same on you. I’ll design custom outfits for both of you someday—ones that really suit you.”

“No wonder people are willing to spend money on custom-made clothing. So that’s the magic of it,” Sun Yan said, suddenly enlightened.

Looking at the clothes, Liao Zhaodi laughed. “These are so expensive to make, even if the design is great, it’s not practical. I can’t bear to wear something like this.” She was saving up for school and couldn’t afford to waste money.

Sun Yan teased, “What’s there to be stingy about? Our Zhaodi is so pretty and well-educated. A few years from now, when you marry into a good family, what kind of clothes couldn’t you wear?”

“Sun Yan, what nonsense are you talking?” Zhaodi’s face turned red.

Su Min smiled and hung up the outfit, then said with a laugh, “Alright, when you two get married, I’ll gift each of you a dress.”

“Really? For free?” Sun Yan’s eyes sparkled, stopping her teasing.

“For free,” Su Min nodded seriously.

The baby’s one-month banquet was set for Saturday.

Su Min got up early to wash and get ready. To match the outfit, she clipped her short bob with a hairpin and walked out wearing her newly made clothes.

Sun Qiufang was making breakfast outside. When she brought the porridge into the main room and saw how her daughter looked, her eyes widened in surprise. She quickly put the bowl down and circled around Su Min with a smile. “My daughter all dressed up like this looks absolutely radiant.”

“Really?” Su Min raised her arms and looked at both sides of her outfit.

“Really. Your mom didn’t give you a stunning face, but you’ve managed to make yourself even prettier than others.”

Su Min sat at the table, ladling porridge with a smile. “Mom, are you saying I wasn’t good-looking to begin with?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Sun Qiufang said quickly. “My daughter is better-looking than anyone else. All dressed up like this, she’s even more beautiful.”

Su Min smiled at that. Having lived a second life, she no longer obsessed over her appearance. Even though she wasn’t as charming as Zhaodi, she wasn’t ugly either. Her delicate features and well-maintained fair skin made her look clean and fresh—she found her own reflection quite pleasing.

When Su Changrong came out of the room and saw his daughter, he was startled. “I almost didn’t recognize you. You should dress like this every day.”

Sun Qiufang glared at him. “She’s still a student. How can she dress up like this every day? Doesn’t she need to study?”

“What’s the big deal?” he muttered.

Sun Qiufang ignored him, placing chopsticks and bowls in front of him. “Just eat your porridge.”

Su Changrong quickly shut up and started eating, occasionally throwing in compliments for his daughter.

Sun Qiufang didn’t argue anymore. She just reminded Su Min to be polite when she visited others, not to cause trouble, and to return early after eating.

After breakfast, Su Min applied a bit of face cream, grabbed her things, and headed out.

She didn’t buy anything fancy this time—just had the master tailor make a few sets of pure cotton clothes and shoes for the baby.

After all, Ke Wan’s family was wealthy and had everything. Handmade gifts felt more sincere.

The banquet was held at Wu Zhe’s newly opened hotel.

Su Min had heard of the hotel before but had never been there. When she arrived and saw the surroundings, she finally realized why Ke Wan had been able to find her backpack that day—the hotel was right next to the park.

After entering the hotel, a staff member led Su Min to the main hall.

Wu Zhe was greeting guests. When he saw Su Min, he walked over and said quietly, “Ke Wan is in the lounge. You can head there to find her.”

Then he had another staff member guide Su Min there.

As she walked through the hotel, Su Min noticed how well it was decorated. The service and etiquette were excellent—very different from the old-style restaurants.

After going up to the second floor, the staff finally stopped at the end of a corridor.

“Mrs. Wu is inside. Do you need anything else?”

Su Min quickly shook her head. “No, thank you.”

The staff smiled and went back downstairs. Su Min paused at the door, then cautiously knocked.

After two knocks, the door opened.

She was about to call out “Sister Wan” when she saw a stranger standing in the doorway, wearing one of the outfits she had previously designed. Su Min felt she had never seen such a woman before—her smile was as warm as clouds, but her eyes held a calm clarity like water. She had an outstanding temperament.

Su Min stared, momentarily dazed. Before she could react, Ke Wan peeked out from inside, saw it was her, and quickly pulled her in with a smile.

Seeing that Su Min seemed a bit stiff, she chuckled and said, “They’re all my friends, don’t be nervous.”

“Hello,” Su Min came back to her senses and greeted the people in the room with a smile.

Aside from Ke Wan, there was the woman who had opened the door and another woman sitting by the bed, playing with a child.

Unlike the calm woman at the door, the woman by the bed was also beautiful, but in a bold, eye-catching way. She was also wearing one of Su Min’s previous designs.

Shu Jing laughed and said, “Ke Wan, is this the young designer you mentioned before?”

“Yes,” Ke Wan replied. She was proud of how well Su Min dressed today. She had worried that Su Min’s usual plain look would make her seem unimpressive in front of Shu Jing, who had very high standards. But now, seeing Su Min all dressed up, she had to admit the girl had good taste.

She pulled Su Min to the soft leather sofa and pointed to the woman by the bed. “This is Zhang Ning, you can call her Sister Ning.” Then she pointed to the elegant woman, “And this is Shu Jing, very picky. You can call her Sister Jing.”