Chapter 35 Qin Lie Brand Sewing Machine, the Tough Guy Regiment Commander's Fingertips Create Beauty!

"Let's pull off a big heist?"

Jiang Wu blinked her bright, watery eyes, as if she hadn't understood what Qin Lie meant.

She looked at the man before her; his eyes shone with a frightening light. That light was like a hungry wolf eyeing the fattest lamb, filled with aggression and a burning, determined intensity.

"What does it mean to pull off a big heist?" Jiang Wu asked curiously.

Qin Lie tried to calm his wildly beating heart.

He saw Zhou Nianci off, closed the courtyard gate, and then grabbed Jiang Wu's hand and led her back into the house.

"Honey, these dresses you drew aren't just for you to wear, all the other women in our compound will definitely want to wear them too!"

Qin Lie's voice was low, but it carried an overwhelming excitement.

"You mean..." Jiang Wu's heart started racing.

"Let's make these dresses and sell them to them!"

Qin Lie said, word by word.

"Sell?"

Jiang Wu was stunned.

She had considered this idea before. But in this era, private trading was considered "speculation and profiteering," and would result in arrest and public criticism.

"Will this... will this work? What if someone reports us?" Jiang Wu asked with some worry.

"What's there to be afraid of!" Qin Lie straightened his chest, revealing the fierce and courageous spirit of a soldier. "We don't take money, we take things! Look at Aunt Wang, she just wants to exchange things for blueprints with you, doesn't she?"

"We can exchange them for cloth coupons, cotton coupons, eggs, and meat! With these things, you won't have to worry about not having good food or new clothes!"

Qin Lie became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he could already see a glittering golden road unfolding beneath his feet.

His wife deserves the best life!

His meager allowance was only enough to feed and clothe her, but his wife's cooking skills were enough to make her live a life of luxury!

Jiang Wu was moved by the blueprint Qin Lie described.

She was never one to settle down and behave herself.

If you can live a good life through your own abilities, who would want to stay at home every day calculating those few coupons?

"Okay! Let's do it!"

Jiang Wu slapped her thigh, her eyes shining even brighter than Qin Lie's.

“However,” she pointed to the drawings on the table, “we have the design, but how do we put it into practice? I can’t be expected to sew it all by myself, can I? That would take forever.”

“And look at these skirts, especially this ‘Fiery’ one,” she pointed to the red bodycon skirt, “the cut and sewing are extremely demanding, and hand-sewn ones definitely won’t have the same effect.”

Qin Lie stared at the alluring red dress, his throat tightening.

The thought of Jiang Wu dancing in front of him in this dress made his blood run wild.

"You're right!" Qin Lie said decisively, "Leave this to me!"

What do you need?

"I need a sewing machine!" Jiang Wu pointed out the most crucial piece of equipment.

"A sewing machine?" Qin Lie frowned.

This thing is far more valuable than a bicycle; it's a top-tier luxury item among the "four essentials" for a wedding. Not only is it expensive, but it also requires special industrial vouchers, and there are only a handful in the entire military compound.

"This is a bit difficult," Qin Lie said honestly, "but don't worry, I'll figure something out."

The next day, Qin Lie didn't go home after the meeting; instead, he rode his bicycle directly to town.

He made several turns and entered an inconspicuous alley, stopping in front of a shop with a sign that read "Clock Repair".

An old man with gray hair and reading glasses was sitting at the door, fiddling with a bunch of small parts.

"Uncle Zhou," Qin Lie greeted respectfully.

This old man is Zhou Hai, the old tailor he mentioned before, who used to be an apprentice in a Western-style clothing store in Shanghai.

Zhou Hai looked up and saw Qin Lie; a hint of a smile appeared in his cloudy eyes.

"Oh, it's Xiao Lie. What brings you to my shabby place today?"

"Uncle Zhou, I've come to ask you for a favor," Qin Lie said, getting straight to the point.

"Tell me, as long as it's something this old body of mine can do."

"I'd like to borrow something from you." Qin Lie paused, then stated his purpose, "Your sewing machine."

The smile on Zhou Hai's face faded.

He adjusted his glasses, lowered his head again to fiddle with the parts in his hands, and said slowly, "Xiao Lie, you know, that machine... is my livelihood, and also a keepsake left by my wife. I never lend it out."

It was an old-fashioned "Bee" brand sewing machine, imported from Germany. It was passed down to him by his master and he treasured it dearly.

Qin Lie was certainly aware of this rule.

He took something wrapped in oil paper from his military satchel and gently placed it on Zhou Hai's table.

“Uncle Zhou, I know your rules. But I really need it urgently this time.”

He slowly opened the oil paper package, revealing a section of ginseng wrapped tightly inside...

Although this ginseng is not large, its rootlets are intact and its shape is plump, clearly indicating that it is an old wild ginseng.

He risked his life to retrieve this from the cliff during his last mountain exercise. He had intended to keep it as a backup, but now he had no choice but to bring it out.

Zhou Hai's eyes widened immediately.

He put down his tools, carefully picked up the ginseng, brought it close to his eyes to examine it closely, and even smelled it.

"This...this is an old ginseng from Changbai Mountain?" Zhou Hai's voice trembled slightly.

He suffered from chronic illness in his youth, and his health had always been poor. The doctor said he needed good ginseng to keep him alive. But these days, good ginseng is harder to find than gold.

“Uncle Zhou, your health isn’t good. You can use this to make soup to replenish your energy,” Qin Lie said in a deep voice. “I won’t lend you your machine for nothing. How about I exchange this ginseng for a month’s use of your sewing machine? Is that alright?”

Zhou Hai held the ginseng in his hands, which were trembling.

This stuff was a life-saving medicine for him.

He remained silent for a long time, then let out a long sigh.

"You little rascal...you really went all out."

He stood up and went into the inner room. Before long, he and Qin Lie struggled to lift out a heavy machine.

It was a black cast iron sewing machine with gold butterfly patterns and English letters printed on its body. Although it looked old, it was spotless and exuded a strong sense of history.

Qin Lie tied the sewing machine to the back of his bicycle and pushed it home with great effort.

When Jiang Wu saw this big machine that smelled of engine oil, her eyes lit up.

"Qin Lie! Where did you get this?"

"I have a brilliant plan." Qin Lie wiped his sweat and grinned.

He didn't mention the ginseng.

In his view, as long as it makes his wife happy, he would give up anything, even his life, let alone a ginseng root.

With the machines in hand, the next step is to prepare the fabric.

Jiang Wu took out all the scraps of fabric she had exchanged for the blueprints, and went to Zhou Nianci's place to exchange a newly designed autumn clothing blueprint for a large piece of fine white cotton fabric.

Everything is ready.

Jiang Wu laid the design on the table, picked up the scissors, and prepared to start cutting.

But when it came time to cut the scissors, she hesitated.

This fabric was hard to come by; if it's cut badly, everything will be ruined.

Although she was a fashion designer in her previous life, her practical skills were actually quite average. Most of the time, she would draw the designs, while the actual production was done by assistants and pattern makers.

"What's wrong?" Qin Lie noticed her nervousness.

"I...I'm afraid I'll mess it up," Jiang Wu said softly.

"I'll do it."

Qin Lie actually took the heavy pair of sewing scissors from her hands.

"You?" Jiang Wu looked at him in surprise.

“I used to be in the army, and I always mended my own uniforms when they got torn. I learned a few tricks from the senior staff in the logistics department, and I’m better at cutting and marking lines than you are.”

As Qin Lie spoke, he picked up a piece of chalk and began drawing lines on the fabric, referring to the blueprint.

His large hands, which usually gripped a gun, were surprisingly steady as he held a small piece of chalk.

The lines are straight and the corners are clear, even more standard than Jiang Wu's own drawing.

After drawing the lines, he picked up the scissors and, with a few clean snips, neatly cut the fabric into several pieces.

Jiang Wu watched in stunned silence.

Just how many skills does this man possess that she doesn't know about?

After cutting, it's time for the most crucial step: sewing.

Jiang Wu sat in front of the sewing machine, threading the needle and pulling the thread with practiced ease.

But just as she stepped on the pedal to start sewing, Qin Lie picked her up from the stool and sat down himself.

“I’ll step on it, you’re in charge of delivering the fabric,” Qin Lie said without room for argument.

"Why?" Jiang Wu asked, puzzled.

"This thing is strenuous. If you use that much strength, your legs will swell up after a day of stepping on it." Qin Lie patted his thigh. "I'm strong."

Jiang Wu couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she could only let him have his way.

Thus, a strange combination was born.

Qin Lie's tall frame was cramped in front of the small sewing machine, his feet pressing the pedal to control the speed.

Jiang Wu sat on a small stool next to his legs, holding the fabric with both hands, guiding the fabric in the direction it was moving.

The two were so close they couldn't have been closer.

When Jiang Wu looked up, she could see Qin Lie's sharply defined chin and his lips, which were tightly pursed due to his focus.

Qin Lie's warm breath sprayed onto her head and neck, sending waves of tingling itch through her.

His masculine scent, a mixture of sweat and sunshine, enveloped her completely.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

The sewing machine made a rhythmic sound.

The atmosphere in the room became subtle.

It was Qin Lie's first time operating this thing, and he didn't control the force under his feet very well.

If she hadn't stepped on it too fast, the needle would have been clicking like a machine gun, which startled Jiang Wu so much that she immediately shouted to stop.

The problem is that I stepped too slowly, and the stitches were crooked and uneven, like a dog had chewed them.

"Idiot! I told you to slow down!"

"Move a little to the left, yes, like that..."

"Oops! The wire broke again!"

While giving instructions, Jiang Wu couldn't resist getting her hands dirty.

Her hand covered Qin Lie's large hand that was holding the fabric, guiding him to feel the fabric's direction.

The girl's hands were soft, delicate, and cool to the touch.

The man's hands were rough, strong, and hot.

Their hands were clasped together. A strange electric current instantly surged from the point of contact throughout their bodies.

Qin Lie's foot, which was pressing the pedal, stopped uncontrollably.

He lowered his head and looked at Jiang Wu's blushing profile, which was so close to his own, and her slightly pouting red lips, which were trembling with nervousness.

His eyes gradually darkened, and his breathing became heavier.

"Why did you stop pedaling?" Jiang Wu noticed the machine had stopped and looked up in confusion.

It met his eyes, which seemed to be burning with fire.

She panicked and was about to say something.

Qin Lie lowered his head and precisely captured her lips.

This kiss was unlike any other before.

It carried the cool smell of engine oil and the hot, sweaty smell of a man.

There are also fabrics and cotton threads, which evoke the feeling of home.

Complex, yet reassuring.

The sewing machine stopped clicking. In its place came the increasingly rapid breathing and heartbeats of the two people.

Qin Lie's large hand left the fabric at some point, and one arm wrapped around Jiang Wu's slender waist, pulling her into his embrace.

His other hand cupped the back of her head, deepening the kiss.

Jiang Wu was so overwhelmed by his kiss that the fabric in her hand slipped and fell to the ground.

She went limp in his arms, clinging to his broad shoulders, enduring his stormy passion.

Just when the two of them were both unable to control their emotions.

"Bang!"

The courtyard gate was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

"Commander! Something terrible has happened!"

The guard, Xiao Li, spoke with a frantic, thunderous voice that echoed throughout the courtyard.