TPW – Chapter 25

After their harmonious moment, Qiao Lu lay limp under the covers, too exhausted to open her eyes. She could only let the man wipe her down with a towel.

The night grew deeper, the mist outside thick and impenetrable. A cold wind howled through the dark, occasionally rustling the leaves with a shivering sound.

Xu Haizhou stepped out to wash the towel. As soon as the blanket was lifted, the bed turned cold. Qiao Lu urged him, “Hurry back, it’s freezing.”

Xu Haizhou moved quickly, practically taking two steps at once as he returned to the bedroom, climbed into bed, and pulled his wife into his arms, showering her with kisses, each more creative than the last.

Afraid he might get aroused again, Qiao Lu pushed his head away with all her strength.

Xu Haizhou, reluctant to part, buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing heavily, occasionally grazing her collarbone with his canines like a little wolf pup.

Qiao Lu absentmindedly stroked the back of his head as if she were petting their son. His hair was coarse and stiff, unlike Qiao An’s soft strands that were easier to touch.

As she stroked his head, she suddenly remembered something Wu Guifang had said and patted him: “Hey, that room outside is just sitting empty. Kinda wasteful. When are we putting a bed in there?”

“Hm? Huh?” Xu Haizhou was so blissfully lost in his wife’s scent that he didn’t catch her words at first.

Qiao Lu repeated, “I said that empty room outside is kind of a waste. When are we putting a bed in there?”

Xu Haizhou turned to hold her in his arms. “A bed? Who’s going to sleep there?”

Qiao Lu chuckled, “Once An’an grows a bit older, he can sleep there.”

Xu Haizhou pecked her chin. “Then we’ll put one in when he grows up. Putting one there now is just wasting space.”

“Silly, it’s so inconvenient to… do things at night. If we put a bed there now, we can…” She paused mid-sentence, noticing the amused look on Xu Haizhou’s face.

Qiao Lu’s cheeks flushed. She hit his chest in mock anger, “What are you laughing at?! It’s your fault! I told you to be gentle! What if An’an wakes up one day…”

Before she could get any angrier, Xu Haizhou quickly pulled his little wife into his arms to coax her. “Great idea. How come I didn’t think of that?”

Then he kissed her and praised, “My wife is the smart one.”

“Good thing you caught on fast.” Qiao Lu gave him a mock glare.

…

Xu Haizhou got up early the next morning to restock goods and also to look for the fabric Qiao Lu needed. He scarfed down a few bites of breakfast and was about to leave.

Qiao Lu stopped him and fixed his flipped collar. “What’s the rush? No one’s chasing you. Next time check the mirror before you leave, don’t let others laugh at you.”

Xu Haizhou bent down and snuck a kiss on his wife’s cheek. “It’s fine, as long as you’re around. You’re my mirror.”

Tsk tsk, even the innocent little wolf pup knows how to flirt now.

Qiao Lu gave him a sideways glance, amused, and patted his collar. “If you can’t find the fabric, don’t worry. I don’t absolutely need those few pieces.”

“Okay.” Xu Haizhou hoisted his tools and prepared to leave. “I might be a bit busy this morning, so I won’t come back for lunch.”

Restocking had multiple channels, and he also had to run around finding fabric. Who knew when he’d get home?

Qiao Lu asked, “Then are you still setting up the stall this morning?”

“Of course.” The lunchtime rush was a must—he could at least earn a few bucks.

Qiao Lu said, “Then how about I bring you lunch?”

Xu Haizhou replied, “No need, I’ll come back.”

“I rarely offer to bring you lunch. You’re not allowed to say no.” Qiao Lu’s tone was firm.

She was idle at home anyway, and she had never delivered lunch to him before.

Xu Haizhou had no choice. He pinched her cheek—so much softer than Qiao An’s. “It’s a bit far…”

Before he could finish, Qiao Lu slapped his hand away. “It’s just once in a while, not every day.”

This man, really… Other people’s husbands can’t wait for their wives to bring them lunch every day, treating them like maids. But this man, all he does is pamper her. Not that it’s bad—it’s just too good, making Qiao Lu feel a bit light-headed sometimes.

They say extreme things tend to backfire… Ugh, what is she even thinking?

Afraid of making Qiao Lu upset, Xu Haizhou still agreed, “Alright, we’ll see when the time comes. I’m off now.”

Lunch today was quite hearty—steamed rice with stir-fried pork that had diced carrots and onions. The vegetable side dish was Qiao An’s favorite: stir-fried shredded zucchini. There were leftover steamed buns from the morning, so Qiao Lu fried them in oil until golden and crispy, then sprinkled a layer of fine sugar over the top.

Hiss—the texture was absolutely perfect.

“An’an, let’s go. We’re going to visit Daddy at the stall.”

It was Monday, a regular workday. There weren’t many customers in Qingteng Alley in the morning—just a few scattered ones. But as soon as it hit 11:30 a.m., people began trickling in, and by 12:30, the place hit peak hour. The rush continued until around 1:30 before gradually returning to normal.

When Qiao Lu arrived at the entrance of the alley, it was exactly 11:40. Across the street, Lianshi No. 1 High School still had twenty minutes left before dismissal. It was the perfect window to let Xu Haizhou eat his lunch before he got swamped with customers.

Xu Haizhou hadn’t expected his little wife would actually come all the way to bring him food. It was quite a distance—even by bike it would take over ten minutes. She had walked the whole way with their son, and their legs must be sore. Xu Haizhou hurriedly handed over a stool.

“Sit, I’ll stand and eat.” He said as he took Qiao An into his arms and showered him with kisses. “Son, have you eaten yet?”

“Mhm! Daddy, I already ate. This is for you!” The little guy’s face was filled with pride as he pointed at the lunchbox. “Daddy, Mommy and I carried it here together!”

“You’re amazing, son. Daddy’s gonna give you a big kiss!”

The little boy obediently raised his face to be kissed.

The kiss left a visible mark on his chubby cheek, and he giggled as he cupped his face with both hands.

Before Xu Haizhou could even start eating, he proudly took out a few rolls of fabric hidden under the table and handed them to Qiao Lu.

“Here, I got these this morning. The seller said this is woolen fabric. See if the color matches. I picked it based on that swatch you gave me.”

Qiao Lu’s eyes sparkled with surprise as she took the fabric.

She accepted it with delight, unable to put it down. “Wow, nice! You got this just this morning? That must’ve taken quite a bit of work, huh?”

It was a high-quality single-faced smooth woolen fabric. The surface was flat and smooth to the touch, firm and sturdy. While not as soft and warm as double-faced wool, it was still very good—and much more affordable. Most importantly, the color matched perfectly!

This type of fabric wasn’t common on the market at the moment. Qiao Lu had expected it to take a while to find. She didn’t expect him to get it so fast.

Seeing how happy his little wife was, Xu Haizhou felt all warm and fuzzy inside. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, “It’s from Hong Kong.”

Qiao Lu’s eyes widened in shock. “Really?”

In these times, anything from Hong Kong was considered trendy, fashionable, and upscale. Whether it was daily goods, clothes, or electronics, anything remotely associated with Hong Kong meant either you had money or you had connections—either way, you were someone enviable.

The admiration and amazement in Qiao Lu’s eyes made Xu Haizhou feel like he was floating. His gaze turned tender and full of affection as he looked at her.

Loving someone really does make you want to spend money on them, to give them the best of everything.

“Look at you, quite capable, aren’t you?” she teased, her fingers running gently over the fabric, as if it still carried his warmth.

Qiao Lu blushed and nudged him in the chest with her elbow, their intimate behavior drawing several glances from passersby.

Xu Haizhou caught her dainty fist in his palm and chuckled, “I’ve got a friend in this business.”

“Which friend?” she asked.

He replied the same way he always did, “I’ll introduce you next time there’s a chance.”

Qiao Lu smiled sweetly, lips curling. “Even with a friend, this must’ve cost quite a bit, right?”

Xu Haizhou only looked at her and smiled, warm as spring sunshine. “Not too much. Just go ahead and use it.”

Of course she knew—it must’ve been expensive.

But… oh well. It was already bought, so she may as well accept it happily.

Money? It’s just paper. You spend it… and earn more later.

The more Qiao Lu looked at the fabric, the more she liked it. She had already imagined exactly what kind of garment she would make with it. A beauty like her no longer had to wear dull, bulky cotton coats!

Suddenly, she beckoned to him with her index finger. The man instantly leaned down, understanding her intent. Qiao Lu wrapped her arms around his arm, tiptoed, and whispered in his ear: “I really love it. Thank you, hubby~”

That drawn-out tone of voice was like a jolt of electricity across his skin, making Xu Haizhou’s scalp tingle. His heart melted instantly… He stared at her deeply, his eyes shimmering with joy and affection.

Qiao Lu felt her face heat up under his gaze. Their faces were just inches apart, breaths intertwining, each other’s reflections shining clearly in their eyes—it felt like time had stopped.

They simply smiled at each other for a long time, no one saying a word, until Qiao Lu clearly saw the swirling emotions in his eyes… and realized his ears had turned a bright, burning red.

He was just… too cute. She really wanted to pinch his face.

Xu Haizhou subconsciously glanced toward Li Hongjun, who was not far away. That guy was practically fuming with jealousy, glaring at the couple’s lovey-dovey display with utter contempt!

Once you’ve left the single dog camp, looking back at the ones still in it… the schadenfreude hits hard, huh?

Xu Haizhou suddenly felt refreshed and wonderful. He held his wife’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. So sweet, so satisfying.

Just then, little Qiao An squirmed his way between Mommy and Daddy, his short legs hopping as he demanded, “You’re whispering secrets! I want to hear too!”

Qiao Lu messed up her son’s hair and picked him up. “Listen to your big-headed ghost self. Come sit with Mommy and let Daddy eat.”

“Okay then.”

…

Xu Haizhou happily devoured the bento lovingly prepared by his wife—it tasted absolutely amazing.

Having a wife was truly a blessing! A hot, delicious meal delivered to his hands—it was like living the life of a god!

Li Hongjun, watching from the side, turned a little green with envy. The couple was being so affectionate like no one else was around—it was as if he didn’t even exist!

Look at that! The way he was wolfing down food like he hadn’t eaten in centuries! Li Hongjun’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he forced himself to look away and said sarcastically, “Smells amazing. Wow, even meat? Making me sit here with an empty stomach while you eat—that’s just unethical.”

Only then did Qiao Lu remember him. She gave an awkward smile. “Oh, Hongjun, I totally forgot about you. I’m so sorry! Next time I’ll bring you a portion too.”

“Oh no!” Li Hongjun quickly waved his hands and laughed. “Haha, sister-in-law, don’t! I was just joking, really, no need!”

He had just been teasing Xu Haizhou—who knew Qiao Lu would take it seriously?

Xu Haizhou shot him a sidelong glance and kept eating, ignoring him.

But the food just smelled too good. Li Hongjun tried his best to focus on something else, but their stalls were right next to each other, and the cold wind carried over waves of mouth-watering aroma…

Li Hongjun couldn’t hold on any longer. He got up in a hurry and shouted, “Sister-in-law, please help me watch the stall. I’m going out to buy a bowl of wontons—I’m starving!”

Qiao Lu stifled a laugh. “Alright, go ahead.”

While they continued eating, Li Hongjun still hadn’t returned with his wontons. The adults could sit still, but the children couldn’t. Qiao Lu handed the stall over to Xu Haizhou, got up, and took her son for a walk around the alley. They strolled here and there, and eventually bought an apple-flavored candied snack for Qiao An at a fried cake stall. After eating, the little one’s mouth was shiny with oil, looking completely satisfied.

With nothing better to do, Qiao Lu’s professional instincts kicked in. She reorganized the small accessories on Xu Haizhou’s stall. Although they had been arranged neatly before, the many colors made them look cluttered and lacking aesthetic appeal.

Now, under her reorganization, everything was arranged from small to large, from dark to light, and from warm to cool tones. Each accessory was placed according to a planned order. The once ordinary stall was suddenly transformed. The little trinkets now stood in neat rows like soldiers, a true feast for the eyes.

At first glance, it seemed as though everything had changed—and yet, nothing had changed. It was still the same items, just rearranged differently. And just like that, it was no longer a humble stall on the urban-rural fringe but a high-end display counter in a big city!

What do you call this? This is called: small adjustment, big transformation!

When Li Hongjun came back with his wontons, the accessory layout had already been transformed. He stopped by Xu Haizhou’s stall and looked at it for a moment.

“What happened to your stall? It looks totally different.” All he did was go get a bowl of wontons, and something major had changed?

Qiao Lu smiled and asked him, “Don’t you notice the accessories look more pleasing to the eye now?”

Li Hongjun scratched the back of his head in confusion. “Yeah… I think it does look better. Feels a bit… classy?”

“I rearranged everything. Haizhou’s setup before was too messy. So, how is it? Looks okay, right?”

“Ohhh, so you rearranged it!” Li Hongjun suddenly understood. “Brilliant! Truly brilliant! Only a woman can be so detail-oriented! This setup looks great—even a guy like me wants to buy something!”

Xu Haizhou looked amazed. “Didn’t notice it before, but this arrangement really is eye-catching.”

Back in high school, Qiao Lu was an art student. She got into an art college through an art entrance exam. Though her major was fashion design, art skills were universal. For her, product display was about as difficult as a tutorial for beginners.

“In business, the most important thing is catching the customer’s eye at first glance. Often, small details determine success or failure.”

The two men nodded in wholehearted agreement.

“Didn’t expect this, Comrade Qiao—you’ve really got a knack for business. Come, come, help me arrange my socks too. Look at this mess. How should I lay them out?”

He casually dragged a stool over to the side, eating his wontons while watching Qiao Lu work her magic. Her movements were fluid and confident, without a hint of hesitation. In the time it took to eat a bowl of wontons, she was done.

The little guy lay across the table, staring intently, his mouth forming a round “O” of surprise.

“Pretty socks! With flowers!”

Not only did Qiao Lu sort the women’s socks by color, but she also arranged them into the shape of a trumpet flower. Little Qiao An had sharp eyes and immediately noticed the visual effect.

“Genius, pure genius! Haizhou, what kind of wife did you marry?”

Xu Haizhou gave him a light kick. “What kind of wife?”

Li Hongjun chuckled and scratched his head. “A good wife! A smart wife!” He then gave her a big thumbs-up. “Sister-in-law, you’re awesome!”

With that, any “prejudice” Li Hongjun might’ve had about Qiao Lu being an unwed mother completely vanished, replaced by a glow of admiration in his eyes.

At exactly noon, the shrill sound of the school bell rang from outside the alley. It was lunch break at Lianshi City No.1 High School, and day students came pouring out of the school gate like a flood.

Most day students lived nearby, and 90% of them passed through the alley where Xu Haizhou had set up his stall on their way home. As a result, more and more customers began to show up.

Compared to before, the attention toward Xu Haizhou’s stall had clearly doubled. All the students were drawn to the visually appealing little accessories and stopped to admire them.

Some picked up hairpins and tried them on, asking their friends for opinions. If the friend nodded, they usually made the purchase. If the friend shook their head, they put it down and moved on.

All the stall owners began to shout their wares enthusiastically. Li Hongjun was the passionate type, shouting while stretching the socks back and forth like rubber bands: “Come one, come all! Women’s socks! The biggest selection and best-looking socks in all of Lianshi City! Top quality! Stretch ’em, pull ’em, even tear ’em—hey, they don’t rip! Come take a look!”

Xu Haizhou was the gentle type: “Hi classmate, we’ve got new glass hair clips. Feel free to try them on if you like.”

“Comrade, crystal keychains. Great as decorations for your backpack. Try them if you’re interested.”

…

As for whose sales technique was more appealing—Qiao Lu could only say: This is a face-driven era…

Most stall owners were burly men, so Xu Haizhou’s soft-spoken and gentle tone naturally drew attention.

At first, many were drawn by Xu Haizhou’s voice and handsome face. Then their gaze dropped—and they were captivated by the way the accessories were arranged on his stall.

Two schoolgirls whispered to each other, stealing glances at Xu Haizhou and giggling behind their hands.

They walked over and pointed at a pair of acrylic glass hair clips in his hand.

“How much for this one?”

The most popular items on Xu Haizhou’s stall were the brightly colored accessories. The acrylic glass hair clips came in a variety of vivid colors—pink, aqua blue, and more. Not only were they colorful, but they also came in many shapes: butterflies, petals, twists… They were durable, glossy, resistant to fading and deforming. Both young girls and young wives couldn’t resist them.

Xu Haizhou smiled gently and handed them two. “Three jiao and five fen each. Feel free to try them on.”

His voice was gentle, calm, and hard to resist.

The girls took them and pinned them in their hair.

Later, feeling a bit dissatisfied, they took them off and picked up a plastic-shelled metal hair clip. This kind didn’t open with a simple press—you had to use both hands to pry it open, then carefully position it on the head to fit the top into the slot.

“Boss, I can’t seem to clip this on. Can you help me?” The hair clip was stuck in the female student’s strands.

Xu Haizhou easily found the right spot and clipped it onto the top of her head, securing it neatly.

Even though there was a small table between them, when Xu Haizhou reached over to the top of her head, she caught a whiff of his scent.

So it turns out that not only is Boss Xu good-looking, but he even smells good… In an instant, her face flushed slightly.

“Thank you, Boss,” she said, her voice soft and sweet like a little yellow oriole.

Seeing this, the round-faced girl next to the “yellow oriole” nervously and shyly picked up a hair clip and said to Xu Haizhou, “You… you help me too…”

“I’ll help you.”

Qiao Lu stepped forward, took hold of the girl’s wrist, and a steady stream of warmth flowed from her palm into the girl’s wrist. For a moment, the girl felt as if she saw a hint of… hmm, unfriendliness? in the corners of this beautiful woman’s smile.

Qiao Lu quickly and skillfully unclipped the hairpin and fastened it on. It gripped the girl’s hair snugly and securely.

The girl glanced at Xu Haizhou, then at Qiao Lu, and unhappily tugged at the corners of her lips. “Thanks.”

Qiao Lu gave a small smile. “You’re welcome.”

Then she waved at her son, who was playing with hair ties next to the stall. “An’an, come over here. Don’t block Daddy’s business.”

“Okay~” Da-da-da-da, the little one dashed between the two girls and ran to Qiao Lu, reaching out for a hug.

Qiao Lu smiled and scooped him up. The moment they saw Qiao An, the blush on the two students’ faces vanished instantly. Even their facial expressions froze…

Qiao Lu’s lips curled up subconsciously.

Girls’ thoughts, tsk.

After closing two deals, within the next ten minutes, Xu Haizhou sold another seven hair clips in a row. After deducting the cost, he earned a net profit of 2.6 yuan. But at this time, most students were hurrying home. The real peak hour would be from 12:30 to 1:30, when students returned to school.

Suddenly thinking of something, Qiao Lu said a quick goodbye and strode out of the alley.

“Watch the child for me.”

Qiao An wanted to chase after her, but Qiao Lu walked too fast, and the little one couldn’t keep up with his short legs.

Xu Haizhou quickly caught him: “Mommy will be back soon. Stay with Daddy for now.”

“Alright then.” He turned around and snuggled into Xu Haizhou’s arms.

Xu Haizhou chuckled. Just as he lowered his head to kiss the boy’s cheek, two more female students walked up, and he turned to greet them.

Qiao Lu did return quickly. She had gone to a trust shop across from the No.1 Middle School and bought a second-hand mirror at a low price.

“A stall selling accessories has to have a mirror!”

As she spoke, she picked a nine-ring hair clip from Xu Haizhou’s stall and took a light blue silk ribbon. Her fingers moved swiftly, dazzling to the eyes.

In just four or five minutes, a stylish and beautiful “pipa knot” was ready. She used 502 glue to stick the ribbon to the hair clip.

In the 1980s, the nine-ring hair clip was definitely a classic among hair clips. Its ingenious design would still be admired even decades later.

Nine golden rings were lined up on a long pin, and the clip could be bent at will. You could insert the pin through any ring depending on your hair volume. The shape of the pin carried a touch of traditional Chinese aesthetic.

As for the silk ribbon—it was the most fashionable accessory of the time. Made from sheer scarf material, with shiny gold thread embroidered along both edges, tying this ribbon onto the nine-ring hair clip created a dreamy effect. When the wind blew, the translucent scarf shimmered under the sunlight—floating and fairy-like!

After finishing the hair clip, Qiao Lu removed her hair tie and replaced it with the clip. Using her fingers as a comb, she styled her hair into a half-up hairstyle.

Then she asked Xu Haizhou, “How much do your accessories sell for?”

Looking at his wife, Xu Haizhou’s eyes flashed with admiration. “Most are over five cents, the highest is eight yuan. The ribbon you picked is seven cents, the clip is eighty cents.”

“Okay.” After putting on the clip, Qiao Lu crouched down and asked Qiao An, “Son, is Mommy pretty?”

Qiao An’s attention was entirely on the nine-ring clip. The silk ribbon fluttered in the breeze, and he couldn’t take his eyes off it.

“Mommy is so pretty.” Qiao An felt that the woman standing in front of him was Mommy, but somehow a little different too.

The change in hairstyle and addition of small details gave Qiao Lu, who was already striking, a youthful vibe. For a brief moment, Xu Haizhou felt like he had returned to his school days.

With this new look, Qiao Lu truly had the air of a first love.

Pleased, Qiao Lu rubbed her son’s chubby cheeks and quickly made three more pipa knots, gluing each onto a hair clip.

Xu Haizhou stayed silent, quietly admiring her movements.

At that moment, a female comrade passed by. She noticed Qiao Lu. Though Qiao Lu’s outfit was simple, her hairstyle and the accessory on her head were strikingly eye-catching.

“Comrade, your hair clip… no, is that a ribbon? So interesting!”

Qiao Lu’s mind turned quickly. She immediately pointed to Xu Haizhou and said, “I bought it from him. Isn’t it pretty? Want to try? There’s a mirror too.”

She casually showed the woman a pale yellow ribbon she had just made.

Before the girl could say anything, a mirror was thrust into her hands, and then Qiao Lu personally clipped the accessory onto her braided hair.

Through the mirror, the student saw her braid transform in Qiao Lu’s hands—it was like a dead tree blooming. The bright yellow looked like little daisies blooming on a plain field.

A small change, a big transformation. The round-faced girl in the mirror felt like she’d become prettier. The ribbon fluttered in the wind with a graceful and ethereal quality. It was exquisite and absolutely attention-grabbing!

“It’s really beautiful. This color is so soft and makes you look really spirited.”

What girl could stay indifferent after being complimented by a beautiful woman? That sentence gave the student a huge confidence boost.

Looking at her familiar smiling face in the mirror, the student asked expectantly, “How much is it?”

The ribbon cost 2 cents, sold at 7 cents. The hair clip cost 30 cents, sold at 80 cents. Together, that made 87 cents.

“One yuan and twenty cents each. If you buy two, I’ll round it down—one yuan each,” Qiao Lu said, instantly raising the price.

The student froze. “That expensive?”

So expensive that she didn’t even notice how Qiao Lu, the “customer,” had somehow become the one doing the selling.