“Okay.” Xu Qingning agreed without hesitation and smiled, “Auntie, although we are relatives, I also make a living with my skills. The design fee for a piece of clothing is fifteen yuan, so you can just give me ten yuan.”

She did it willingly.

But others have to be clearly priced; she can't become their free labor.

“I understand. Designing clothes is a mentally taxing job, and we can’t just take advantage of you for nothing.” Liu Yuzhen didn’t expect Xu Qingning to ask her for money directly, but what she said was like water spilled on the ground.

You can't take back what you said just because Xu Qingning wants money.

She's not that petty.

"Auntie, you truly live up to your reputation as a leader; your words are so sophisticated." Xu Qingning smiled as she got off the kang (a heated brick bed). "Auntie, let's talk in the living room."

Xu Qingning went back to her room to get a measuring tape, then invited Liu Yuzhen to sit down and asked her earnestly, "Auntie, what style of clothing would you like to wear?"

“I heard that the two of them asked you to design cheongsams, and I’d like to give it a try too.” Liu Yuzhen looked at Xu Qingning thoughtfully. “The cheongsams I want to make are for this season, because I ride a bicycle to work, so I hope they can be a little loose, the kind that I can wear to everyday meetings.”

“No problem.” Xu Qingning made a rough note, then got up to take her measurements. “Auntie, you have a great figure and are suitable for all kinds of cheongsams. Considering the season and commuting, I will design a three-quarter length cheongsam for you. This way, it will be different from the nine-quarter length cheongsams worn by Teacher Du and Manager Fang. What do you think?”

"Okay, I trust you." Liu Yuzhen agreed without hesitation, took out her wallet, and handed Xu Qingning a ten-yuan note. "About how long will it take to finish the design?"

"Just come and pick up the sample next Monday." Xu Qingning quickly put away the measuring tape and said seriously, "I only handle design here, not sewing, but if you are not satisfied, I can redesign it for you, and I can also help you match accessories and jewelry for free."

Actually, her audience is small. After all, not everyone can afford to spend ten yuan to customize clothes. It's okay to do a free design for friends and expand her network.

But Liu Yuzhen's arrival reminded Xu Qingning that not everyone is worth expanding her network with.

"Okay, I'll come again next Monday." Liu Yuzhen didn't bother her any longer and left gracefully, thinking to herself, "If only Xiao Tingshen had married Xu Qingning back then. How come I didn't know Xu Qingning could design clothes?"

Moreover, she admired this girl for her sharp edges and outspoken nature, unlike the timid and submissive type.

"You can earn ten yuan just by designing a few patterns for them?" Yang Yuelan was surprised to hear this, and Liu Yuzhen paid her the money so readily. When did money become so easy to earn?

“Mom, it takes me at least three to five days, or even longer, to design a piece of clothing,” Xu Qingning said with a smile. “So it’s perfectly reasonable for me to charge ten yuan.”

"Then don't overwork yourself." Yang Yuelan was happy, but she also told her, "You should get some sleep and rest well. Money that requires a lot of brainpower is not easy to earn."

The system couldn't find any information about Xu Qingning, but Tang Wenya still heard from Liu Yuzhen and Xiao Yaodong that Xu Qingning had accepted ten yuan from Liu Yuzhen for a design fee. Tang Wenya was stunned: "It was just a meal, and my mother-in-law is already so close to Xu Qingning?"

System: "Liu Yuzhen heard from Du Juan and Fang Meiyuan that Xu Qingning was a fashion designer, and both Du Juan and Fang Meiyuan had ordered cheongsams from Xu Qingning. Women are naturally competitive, and Liu Yuzhen is a very competitive person. She just didn't expect that Xu Qingning would charge ten yuan."

"Ten yuan, given away so easily, my mother-in-law is really rich." Tang Wenya was angry that her mother-in-law was clueless. She knew that she and Xu Qingning didn't get along, yet she still went to Xu Qingning to design clothes. She said sarcastically, "At this rate, she will really become the leading lady."

The system reminded Tang Wenya: "So, host, I suspect that Xu Qingning stole our female lead's luck, and we have to find a way to get it back."

"How can we take it back?" Tang Wenya had no better idea.

The system also harbored resentment towards Xu Qingning: "We're here to make her unlucky and cause her endless trouble. Last time she said that her date with Xiao Tingshen was fake and that she was deliberately teasing us. We have to get revenge."

"You can't even find any information about her anymore, how are you going to get revenge?" Tang Wenya was also skeptical of what the system said.

“But I can search for information about the people around her and start with them.” The system was very confident. “Host, we can start with what she’s most proud of, and it would be best to embarrass her in public.”

“I know what to do.” Tang Wenya understood and a smile appeared on her lips. “I’ll move back to the tenement today. If she wants to show off, she’ll have to ask me if I’m willing first.”

"Host, that's right!" The system was very excited. "To reclaim the female lead's luck, you have to take the initiative. The more you suppress her, the stronger your luck will become, and everything you do will become smoother. On the contrary, if her luck keeps getting stronger, you will have no power to resist."

"By the way, didn't you say last time that Zhao Jingyu had someone he liked?" Tang Wenya decided to use a two-pronged approach to completely bring Xu Qingning down from her pedestal. "Where is she now?"

System: "Oh, she's in Jiaodong City, staying at the Wujiaohua Guesthouse. She's planning to visit Zhao Jingyu's house tomorrow!"

"Really?" Tang Wenya's eyes lit up. "What's her name? How did she get here?"

"Her name is Luo Yao. She's the niece of one of Zhao Jingyu's good friends. She grew up at her maternal grandmother's house and was Zhao Jingyu's childhood playmate." The system retrieved Luo Yao's information effortlessly. "When she set off from the Northern Frontier, she didn't know that Zhao Jingyu was already married and was even thinking of marrying him!"

"Haha, that's great." Tang Wenya laughed. "It's like someone just handed you a pillow when you're sleepy. Now that the childhood sweethearts have met, Xu Qingning is out of the picture, saving her from being so arrogant!"

Xu Qingning knew that guests were coming to her house recently, but she didn't expect that there would be two of them.

Wu Yong has a full beard, is tall and robust, and is a typical Northwestern man.

His niece, Luo Yao, was petite and delicate. She wore braids, had fair skin and a beautiful face, and looked very much like a woman from the water towns of Jiangnan.

Yang Yuelan busied herself preparing tea and pumpkin seeds, while Xu Qingning poured tea for the two of them: "Jingyu called me last time and said you were coming. My mother and I have been looking forward to it, and today we've finally got you here."

"Haha, Jingyu, you're too kind." Wu Yong's voice was loud and his laughter was hearty. He glanced at Luo Yao, who was bowing her head and remaining silent, and continued, "We didn't know he was getting married, and we didn't prepare any congratulatory gifts. We've really been impolite."