Educated Youth in the Countryside: She is the Village's Embroidery Queen!-Chapter 355: Can’t Embroider It

Ning Jiandong listened and found it made sense, so he said, "Let go."

Gu Xinghua did not let go, "I’ll let go only if you promise not to go."

"I won’t go."

So agreeable?

He looked skeptical, "Really not going?"

"Not going, I’m afraid my brother will beat me if he finds out."

Gu Xinghua let go, surprised, "You’re this old, and your brother still beats you?"

"...Occasionally beats."

Actually, it’s often; anyway, he’s used to it. His elder brother is like a father; he’s grown up under his brother’s ’iron fist’ education.

Gu Xinghua didn’t believe him but also knew he wouldn’t tell the truth.

But it didn’t matter; if Old Ning ever argued with him, he’d go complain to Brother Ning and let Brother Ning beat Old Ning.

Perfect!

Ning Jiandong didn’t know what he was thinking. He put the ticket back in the drawer, puzzled, "How does Chichi know people from the Zhang and Qiao families?"

"How would I know? From the way they interact, they seem to get along well, not like they just met."

Too familiar. If they hadn’t known each other long, there would be an awkwardness.

There was no awkwardness in their interactions, only harmony.

"If you want to know, ask Xiao Yi at dinner."

"Makes sense."

So, the two of them started looking forward to dinnertime.

Meanwhile, Yi Chichi had already taken Zhang Xiaoqin and the others to the watch counter.

The Friendship Store had quite a variety of watch brands, both domestic and imported.

Zhang Xiaojuan took a liking to a Mei Hua Watch, an authentic Swiss imported watch. Qiao Jun fancied a Rolex, though he didn’t know the model; it looked quite good.

Both of them were people who didn’t lack money or tickets. After trying them on, they decided to buy them.

Yi Chichi asked Zhang Xiaoqin, "Aren’t you going to buy one?"

The clerk’s eyes lit up, thinking to themselves how powerful and influential Chichi’s friends must be. They were quite envious of her for knowing such capable friends.

"No, I have a watch."

Zhang Xiaoqin waved her hand. After she got her job sorted, her big brother bought her a watch to encourage her to work hard.

It hadn’t been long; buying another one felt unnecessary.

"I want to buy that!"

She leaned close to Yi Chichi’s ear and whispered in almost a breathy voice.

Yi Chichi turned to look at her and noticed her little face blushing and her eyes wandering with a shy look. She understood.

Private items.

"I’ll take you."

"Okay."

After saying goodbye to Qiao Jun and Zhang Xiaojuan, Yi Chichi led her to a certain counter.

The clerk was a big sister named Xing Li, nicknamed Sister Xing.

She had a naturally stern face. When she wasn’t smiling, it was as if people owed her money.

When she smiled, it was even scarier, as if ready to pick a fight.

However, she was soft-hearted, speaking gently, with a naturally clipped voice.

Because her voice didn’t match her appearance, she avoided speaking unless necessary.

So when Yi Chichi brought someone over, she was too lazy to greet them, gesturing with her eyes: Is this your friend?

"Sis, this is my friend Zhang Xiaoqin, here to buy something."

Sister Xing slightly lifted her chin and pointed at the counter, "Speak."

Zhang Xiaoqin’s eyes widened in shock. How could the voice and appearance be so different?

While pondering, Yi Chichi nudged her, "Hurry up and tell her."

Zhang Xiaoqin let out a couple of ’ohs’, looked around sneakily, and, seeing that aside from the clerk, there weren’t many customers, mostly women, quickly leaned over the counter and whispered, "Sis, I want to buy a bra, and..."

She rattled off a list of items, and Sister Xing nodded to show she understood, then bent down to fetch what Zhang Xiaoqin wanted.

She didn’t hand them over immediately but said, "Why don’t you come in and see which type you want?"

Yi Chichi, "???"

There are multiple choices?

She pulled Zhang Xiaoqin into the counter and squatted down, whispering like undercover agents.

"This one,"

Sister Xing handed over a pink bra with a steel ring, "It’s new, looks better than those without rings."

"Let me see."

Zhang Xiaoqin became interested, inspected it thoroughly, and decided to take it.

She even took three at once.

Then they looked at menstrual products, tissue paper, etc.

The women’s products sold at the Friendship Store were of better quality than those at the department store. After all, they catered to foreigners, exports turned to domestic sales, imported goods hard to find elsewhere. Here it was no big deal.

Zhang Xiaoqin, not wanting to leave empty-handed, bought quite a bit.

Sister Xing efficiently packed the items and asked Yi Chichi, "Chichi, do you want to buy some?"

"No need, I have plenty."

She made a sound, issued an invoice, and settled the payment.

Then, Zhang Xiaoqin, with her purchases, left with Yi Chichi to meet up with Qiao Jun and the others.

They really weren’t empty-handed; when they arrived, the two had already bought a lot, from clothes to food, and even a couple of bottles of Maotai.

As soon as Yi Chichi arrived, Qiao Jun handed her the Maotai he was carrying, "Take this back to my dad."

"...Okay."

Aunt Mu didn’t want Uncle Yaozi drinking, but medicinal wine was okay in moderation. This strong one though...

But whatever, she was just in charge of delivering it; they’d decide how to distribute it as a couple.

So, she took the Maotai and carried it in her hand, "Anything else to buy?"

"Yes."

Alright, let’s continue shopping.

Without shopping, she wouldn’t have noticed how flush Qiao Jun and the others were.

They bought piles of things, spending nearly two thousand in cash.

They also bought a gold embroidered peacock under the moon, just this small piece cost over five hundred.

Yi Chichi wondered, "Buying gold embroidery as decor?"

"No, it’s a gift for an elder’s upcoming birthday."

Zhang Xiaojuan was extremely pleased with the gold embroidery she bought, admired it carefully, then had the clerk wrap it up before turning to ask Yi Chichi, "Where’s your Su Embroidery double-sided piece? I didn’t see it."

She wanted to buy a Su Embroidery double-sided piece as well.

Just as Yi Chichi was about to answer, the clerk spoke first, "Xiao Yi’s double-sided embroidery is rare; the target clients are foreigners and overseas Chinese, so we don’t have stock here."

As soon as one arrives, it goes out, earning foreign exchange.

Other embroideries earn foreign exchange too, but with more craftsmen, there’s stock available.

Zhang Xiaoqin, "!!!"

She looked at Yi Chichi, unwilling to give up, and asked, "So there’s no hope if I want to buy a double-sided embroidery?"

Yi Chichi smiled, "No."

Zhang Xiaoqin’s face fell instantly, "I wanted to buy one."

Qiao Jun, feeling sorry for his partner, quickly said, "Ask Chichi to embroider one for you at market price."

"Can’t do it."

Yi Chichi responded decisively. She really couldn’t take the order; she was too busy.

"Why not?"

"I have a piece I need to complete for an exhibition by next year’s second half, there’s truly no time for another."

She asked Zhang Xiaoqin, "Why do you need a double-sided embroidery?"

"I want to display one in the bedroom when I get married."

This was a girl with a sense of style.

But with the capabilities of the Zhang and Qiao families, she had the means to pursue such style.

"Why don’t you buy a piece of Yue Embroidery."

She pointed to the pomegranate design in the display case, "It has a good meaning and is just right for after your marriage."

Pomegranate means many seeds, and pomegranate designs are often used to symbolize a prosperous lineage.