Chapter 17: Is There Something to Celebrate?

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“I know, I know. I’ll make it clear to her. I’ll say that when there’s a good embroidery, I’ll send it to them or let them come to the shop.”

“This is okay.”

“Did you order this fan frame from the carpenter shop in our town?”

“Yeah.”

“That old carpenter is the boss. His craftsmanship is amazing. You’ve found the right person to work with. How about this? I’ll tell him to make one for each shape and use high-quality wood. We’ll use it first and give him the money for the fan frame after we sell the embroidery.”

“Is that okay?”

“Why not? The whole town knows that I don’t owe anyone money.”

“Alright, Sister Lu, can you help me order a smoky muslin from the cloth store?”

“Don’t worry. As long as you ask me to do it, I’ll do it for you.”

“Then we’ll split it 50 – 50 in the future?”

“Anything is fine.”

Shopkeeper Lu gently stroked the fan. The more she looked at it, the happier she felt.

“Let’s close for lunch today and go to a restaurant. I’ll treat you to a celebration!”

“Is this palace fan that big of a deal?”

“How can it be the palace fan? We will celebrate you breaking away from the Qiao and Tian family.”

It seemed Shopkeeper Lu also supported Qiao Mai in breaking off her ties with her maternal family. Otherwise, she would not have prepared the silver for her when she asked for it.

Qiao Mai used her mind to check on Ling’er. Seeing that she moved a few times and fell asleep again, she quickly found an excuse to go home.

After entering the space, she fed Ling ‘er and changed her diapers before returning to the shop.

It seemed that she should come to the shop less in the future. No one was at home, so it was convenient for her to do anything. When she went to the shop, there were eyes everywhere.

Lu Sanniang’s temperament was to her liking. When she was angry, she would vent it out. When she was happy, she would go for a drink to celebrate.

She dared to speak and act and was especially protective of her own. Even if she had to stop the business or fight, she would rush forward to protect them.

At noon, they ordered a few dishes and a jug of wine at a restaurant in town. Seeing that Ruxin and Ruyi could only drink water, she felt uncomfortable. When she had the conditions, she would let them drink fruit juice.

After drinking a pot of wine, their faces were flushed. When they returned to the shop, Lu Sanniang had her arms around Qiao Mai’s shoulders.

She didn’t look like a woman at all, but more like a man.

Thinking about how a man would treat a woman, Qiao Mai couldn’t help but curl her lips.

After sending Shopkeeper Lu to the shop, she returned home. She had handed her first embroidery to Lu Sanniang. It was up to her whether she could sell it.

When she got home, Qiao Mai didn’t immediately start working on the next embroidery. Instead, she entered her space.

After a month of giving birth, she could finally eat fruits and other stuff.

She opened the fridge and took some green fruits, sat down, and started eating.

Every time this happened, her brain would spin rapidly.

She had to earn money openly and secretly so that no one could find any traces of her abnormality.

Apart from embroidery, could she do some small business?

Even though it looked decent to open a shop, it did not necessarily earn a lot of money. Don’t look down on small stalls. Some of them make more than shop owners.

Back then, the auntie who made pancakes at the entrance of her neighborhood could earn tens of thousands of yuan a month.

She set up a stall in the morning and closed it at noon. Nothing was delayed, and it was easy money.

On the other hand, there was a breakfast shop opposite that opened early in the morning. It only earned a few thousand yuan.

In this life, Qiao Mai did not have any pursuits. She was free and raising her daughter in a carefree manner. When her daughter gets married, she can have as much fun as she wants.

Thinking of the pancakes, she drooled. She hadn’t eaten them for a long time.

It was a pity that she didn’t know how to make it. Of course, Qiao Mai wouldn’t be able to open a stall. However, she could learn. She had the internet, so what was she afraid of?

Even if she didn’t need to do business, she could enjoy the pancakes herself. She could also make pancakes for her daughter when she grew up.

Qiao Mai felt that this was all she could do in this lifetime.

Although the baby was born prematurely, with her mother’s love, Qiao Mai would definitely make her happy and make up for what she had lost.

Qiao Mai grinned at the thought of a comfortable life in the future.

Today, she took half a day off and slept with Ling’er in the space until the next morning.

She left the space at daybreak. After cleaning up the courtyard, she began to plan the second embroidery. She did not go to the shop again.

After a few days, Shopkeeper Lu ran over excitedly.

Qiao Mai was sunbathing in the courtyard while doing embroidery work. Shopkeeper Lu sat down at a table beside her.

Breathing heavily, she put a cloth bag on the table with a smile. After opening it, Qiao Mai’s eyes widened.

It turned out to be a bunch of fan frames. They were really beautiful, with all kinds of shapes and colors.

“Where’s the box?”

“I’m working on it. There’s a smoky muslin down there.”

“Then remember the account properly. Don’t suffer a loss when you distribute the silver.”

Lu Sanniang rolled her eyes at her. “Look at what you’re saying. I won’t be at a disadvantage. I’ve gained a huge advantage instead. Let me tell you. Today, I saw my Xin’er drawing a pattern. The double-sided embroidery that she embroidered is already quite good.”

“Mm, after a while, they can also make palace fans. In the future, we will be three double-sided embroiderers.”

“Haha, then won’t I be rich?”

“I have only taught them how to embroider in the same color. They still have a lot to learn.”

“Are you planning to teach them everything you know?”

“Of course. Do you expect me to do all the work for your shop? I’ll be exhausted.”

“Hehe, I am truly grateful to you.”

“Come on. You’re so happy today. Did something good happen?”

Lu Sanniang pursed her lips and took a cloth bag from her bosom. When she opened it, three large silver ingots appeared.

“This is?”

“I didn’t even mention the price when I sold the fan. They gave me 150 taels and even introduced me to a few rich ladies. They all said that when I have more, I could either bring it over or send someone to inform them. They would come over together.”

“Then ask Ruxin to come over tomorrow. I’ll draw a pattern for her tonight and let her start embroidering.”

“She just learned it not long ago. Can she get used to it?”

“Don’t you have me? Let her embroider with me at home. I’ll give her some pointers so she can master double-sided embroidery as soon as possible.”

“Why didn’t you go to the shop?”

“Chaos. There are always people who want to harm me.”

She almost misspoke internet slang and used a king’s pronoun. Here, she would be caught and thrown into prison.

“Isn’t it all settled?”

“Settled? You don’t know my family. Once the money is spent, they will start to rip me off. And the Tian family, do you think that they will let me off?”

Lu Sanniang immediately gritted her teeth. “You’ve already sold yourself to me. Would they still have any ideas about you?”

“Not now. Once I learn how to embroider, especially when I become the big shot in your shop, they will think of ways to coax me back. Even if they can’t, they will think of ways to make me suffer.”

“How shameless!”

“Of course. How could they let the people they once trampled on live well?”

“Then you can stay at home in the future. Don’t go to the shop. I won’t tell the outsiders that you are doing embroidery work. I will only tell them you are my servant, responsible for cooking and cleaning.”

“Let’s do as Sister says.”

“Then let’s split the silver?”

“Sure.”

As she spoke, Qiao Mai took out fifty taels of silver from the cloth bag.

“I only want these. The rest is for you.”

“Not 50 – 50?”

“You have already spent more than thirty taels on me. These fan frames are also yours. I still have to order wooden boxes to buy muslin. Including the cost and the money I owe you, taking fifty taels is considered much.”

“Tsk tsk, you’re meticulous. Those will be my two daughters ‘apprenticeship gifts.”

“No, it’s a different matter. I’m a serious person. If you don’t accept it, I won’t embroider in the future.”

“Alright, alright. You’re really stubborn.”

“Aren’t you the same?”