Chapter 136 136 What to do, he seems to have scared her!

Originally, everyone was discussing whether to go home for the Lunar New Year, but the topic quickly turned to local customs. Jiang Yulan was in the kitchen, so Jiang Lili could only look at Zhao Dong and his wife. "Brother Zhao, sister-in-law, is there such a saying in Yuncheng?"

"Yes, it's best not to leave a new house empty in the first year." Luo Xiaoya nodded to indicate that Yuncheng also has this custom.

"Then it seems my mom and I have hit the jackpot." Jiang Lili said, then saw Lu Hongzhe coming out with some fruit. She asked casually, "Brother Hongzhe, are you going back to Jincheng for the New Year?"

"Probably not." Lu Hongzhe said as he placed the fruits on the coffee table. Jiang Liangbo quickly picked up the apple and took a bite. He was afraid that he would expose some people's lies. They were clearly talking about going home for the New Year last night.

"Then with so many of us together during the New Year, we'll have company." Jiang Lili had previously worried that their family would be too lonely during the New Year, but now it seems there is no need to worry about this at all.

"That's right, Lili, when you are free, I would like to trouble you to help us pick out furniture, curtains and other things." Lu Ziming felt that she was probably the only one who could save their house that made them feel cold just by looking at it.

"No problem, I'm usually free on weekends." After saying this, Jiang Lili felt that it would be more convenient to install a landline at home. The landline in Yuncheng had been shut down since they left, and they would be moving here during the winter vacation, so they had to prepare in advance.

Cheng Yuntian wasn't sure about his plans for the New Year yet, so he didn't interrupt them as they were chatting animatedly. Instead, he quietly asked Zhao Dong, "Are you guys staying in Beijing for the New Year as well?"

"I guess our house won't be renovated by the New Year this year, so we have to go back to Yuncheng for the New Year." In addition to Zhao Dong and his parents, Luo Xiaoya's parents also contributed money to this house, so they have to go back and say thank you in person.

"You didn't go home last year, so it's time for you to go back this year." Thinking of the fact that Zhao Dong didn't go home for the New Year last year, Cheng Yuntian nodded in agreement.

Although she was chatting with them, Jiang Lili's eyes were always on the kitchen. Estimating that it was almost time, she stood up and said, "I'll go check the kitchen. It should be almost ready."

As soon as she pushed open the kitchen door, Jiang Yulan glanced back at her and said, "It's the last dish already. Lili, take these out first. Oh, and are the tables and chairs set?"

"Of course it's ready. Let me serve this first." Jiang Lili pointed to the pig's trotter and pork rib soup in the pot next to her. The fragrance could be smelled as soon as the lid was lifted.

The first dish was served, and Lu Hongzhe followed him into the kitchen to start serving the dishes. Jiang Lili was a little embarrassed at first: "Brother Hongzhe, I'll take care of these things."

"It's okay. I'm free anyway." He was tall and had long legs, so it only took him half the time of hers to go back and forth. Seeing this, Jiang Lili thought, "Okay, let's make use of the free labor."

The overflowing table of dishes made everyone stare in amazement. Jiang Liangbo even said with a smile, "Aunt Jiang's cooking skills are amazing. When we all move in, can we come and eat for free?"

"Welcome." Jiang Yulan responded with a smile.

Cheng Yuntian drank a bowl of soup first. The soup had been stewed for a long time, and the radish was well-seasoned. She looked very satisfied: "I always feel that the soup stewed by my aunt at home is lacking something. Sister Jiang's soup is still the best."

All the compliments she received today made Jiang Yulan very happy: "If you like it, eat more."

Jiang Lili had initially worried about overcooking and wasting food, but she seemed to have underestimated how much Lu Hongzhe, the other three, and Zhao Dong could eat. By the end, the dishes on the table were mostly gone, and Jiang Yulan was beaming. Jiang Liangbo rubbed his stomach exaggeratedly, "I haven't eaten this well in ages. Aunt Jiang, your cooking is truly delicious."

"As long as you like it." Jiang Yulan stood up to clear the dishes on the table while speaking, but Jiang Lili put her hands on her shoulders. Then she heard her voice: "From now on, washing the dishes will be my job. You go chat with them for a while."

Without giving Jiang Yulan a chance to hesitate, Jiang Lili pushed her directly to the sofa. At this time, everyone else was helping to clear the things on the table. Jiang Lili continued to drive them away, and finally only she and Lu Hongzhe were left. She looked up and glanced at Lu Hongyun, half jokingly and half seriously said, "Brother Hongzhe, if you don't go over there, I will be rude to you, okay?"

"Don't be polite with me. Let's go. We can divide the work and it will be faster." As Lu Hongyun spoke, he was already carrying a stack of dishes and chopsticks to the kitchen.

"Okay, I'll be right there." Jiang Lili followed him into the kitchen.

Jiang Liangbo, who was sitting beside the sofa, cursed softly, "Old Lu is so treacherous."

Lu Ziming raised his eyes and glanced at him: "Why is he being treacherous again?"

"Isn't he cunning? Lili has just started college and hasn't had the chance to experience the colorful world of college, but he wants to kidnap her. He is so shameless as to want an old cow to eat young grass." Jiang Liangbo thought, they were all single originally, why did he have a target so soon.

Lu Ziming chuckled, then said seriously, "They say there's a generation gap every three years. I don't know if the generation gap between them is serious."

Jiang Liangbo glanced at the two people chatting happily in the kitchen. "Although I don't want to admit it, Lili is much more mature than her peers. There shouldn't be much of a generation gap between them, right?"

"That's true. Although Lili is three years younger than us, her mind is even more mature than ours." Lu Ziming's tone was full of praise.

When the two of them finished cleaning the kitchen and came out, the people outside were already chatting. Jiang Lili yawned unconsciously, and it was time for her nap. The person next to her noticed and asked softly, "Are you sleepy?"

"A little bit?" Jiang Lili said this and then realized that he had become much gentler than usual today. Was it her illusion?

Jiang Lili soon joined them. She sat down next to Jiang Yulan and looked up at Cheng Yuntian: "What are you talking about? It's so lively?"

"I was telling Xiao Cheng that your roommates are looking forward to those hair ties and hairpins. The sales volume may exceed our expectations." Jiang Yulan explained with a smile.

"I think so too. We should make some cute headbands so that people can cover the front of their hair when washing their faces." Recently, it has become popular to have bangs.

"This is a good idea. Some little girls also like to wear it." Especially primary school students, many of them wear headbands now.

"I think hairbands should have the best sales. They can be used by everyone from kindergarten children to college students. This thing is a necessity for girls. I don't think it will be bundled with other products." Jiang Lili felt that their previous concerns should not exist.

"If that's the case, that would be great. With the opening of various boutiques, sales of key chains and small pendants have increased. I hope the next step will be hairbands and other items." Although the profit margins of these things are very low, as Lili said, they are almost necessities, so the quantity is large.

"I think it should be possible." Jiang Lili is really confident now.

"We should be able to officially give birth next Tuesday, and we'll get feedback soon." Cheng Yuntian's smile widened. They chatted for almost two hours. Cheng Yuntian had other plans, so she was the first to say goodbye, and the others followed suit. After everyone left, Jiang Lili slumped back on the sofa, looking exhausted. Jiang Yulan patted her, "If you're tired, go to your room and sleep."

"Aren't you going to sleep?" Jiang Lili said and looked at her.

"I'll go check out the refrigerator and find out the price so I can return the favor." Jiang Yulan didn't expect Cheng Yuntian to give her such an expensive gift.

"Then you think about it carefully. I'll go back to my room and sleep for a while. Should we go back to the factory tomorrow or tonight?" Jiang Lili asked.

"Let's do it tomorrow. There are still some vegetables left that I haven't cooked yet. We have to eat them all tonight." Jiang Yulan pointed to the remaining vegetables in the kitchen.

"It's fine with me. It's already been delivered, so don't worry about it." In Jiang Lili's opinion, they would buy this thing sooner or later anyway. Now that Cheng Yuntian delivered it in advance, they would just accept it with peace of mind and then give a gift of equal value in return when the time comes.

"I know."

The weekend passed quickly. When Jiang Lili arrived at the classroom on Monday, she saw Dong Qiuyun waving at her: "Lili, come here quickly. We have saved a seat for you."

Jiang Lili curled her lips as she walked towards them. It seemed that Friday had indeed brought them closer together. Although they would help her save a seat before, it was only after she took the initiative to ask them. Today was completely different. She sat down next to Dong Qiuyun and said thank you in a gentle voice.

"Let's not be so polite to each other." Dong Qiuyun was in a good mood. The gift she gave on Friday allowed her to complete the blind box dolls in advance, which made her very proud in front of her friends who liked blind boxes. These were all brought to her by Jiang Lili, especially her mother, who still worked at Tongqu Player, so Dong Qiuyun planned to have a good relationship with her.

"Then I'll have to continue to trouble you in the future." Jiang Lili smiled gently. She was also happy to have a good relationship with her roommates.

"It's okay. I'll take care of reserving seats from now on." Dong Qiuyun said and glanced at her.

Jiang Lili also said to her very tactfully, "I will tell you the first news about Miaowu and the others in the future." After that, the two looked at each other and smiled happily.

As Cheng Yuntian had mentioned, the hair tie production line quickly started up. It was a simple thing; after two days of experimenting, everyone was easily able to master it. The meows on the hair ties were exquisitely crafted and adorable, surpassing the imitations available. On Tuesday afternoon, Jiang Lili had no classes, so Cheng Yuntian called her into the workshop. "What do you think?"

"Maybe these dolls could be a little bigger?" Jiang Lili offered her suggestion.

"Would it be too exaggerated if it were any bigger?" Cheng Yuntian hesitated.

"No, some people just like this kind of exaggerated cuteness." Jiang Lili still remembered that the little rabbit on her hairband was the size of a baby's fist. This was just the beginning.

"Okay, then let's produce two specifications first and see which one is more popular." Cheng Yuntian made a decision quickly.

"Can I take some back to school in advance?" Jiang Lili asked.

"Take them, take more and give them to your friends. They use these hairbands as advance publicity for us." Cheng Yuntian agreed readily.

"Has the hairpin production not started yet?" Jiang Lili glanced at the entire production line and still couldn't find any trace of the hairpin.

"Well, I haven't decided which style to make yet." Cheng Yuntian nodded.

"A grab clip, a straight clip, or a flat clip will all work. The worst-case scenario is that they'll be bundled with other products. Go ahead and try it." Jiang Lili said in a gentle voice.

"Bundling is not a get-out-of-jail-free card." Cheng Yuntian didn't refuse directly, which showed that she was really considering the proposal.

"We don't have it yet, right? If it doesn't work out, we can include it in next year's blind box and increase the price a little bit." Jiang Lili continued to give her advice so that she could buy the hairpins without any burden.

"This is a good idea. Then everyone will think that these are their accessories." Cheng Yuntian was persuaded and quickly turned around to discuss the hairpins with the team leader of the production line. Jiang Lili squatted down and picked out the hairband she wanted to take away from the basket.

Jiang Lili kept one of each style for herself, and let them choose the rest. Dong Qiuyun almost screamed: "Lili, you are so fast!" As she said that, she looked at the small cloth label on the hairband. Well, it was indeed authentic.

"It has just been produced by the factory and has not yet been launched on the market." Jiang Lili explained.

"Wow, then aren't we the first people to wear this hairband?" Dong Qiuyun said with some excitement.

"Probably not." Jiang Lili said in a serious tone.

"Ah, didn't they say it hasn't been launched into the market yet?" Dong Qiuyun was a little puzzled.

"Because I'm the first one." Jiang Lili said seriously, then turned around and let them look at her ponytail.

"Ahhh, I don't care, we will be the first one." Dong Qiuyun and the others said as they picked up their favorite hairbands to replace the original ones on their heads.

"It should be available in many places next week, but the hairpins haven't come out yet." Jiang Lili explained to them.

"Then we'll buy it when it comes out. I think it would be cuter if the meow on it was a little bigger." The person next to Dong Qiuyun suggested.

"I also made the same suggestion. They will produce another model, and everyone can buy whichever one they like." Jiang Lili thought, as expected, more people like the bigger one.

"They each have their merits. The smaller ones look more delicate. I'll buy them all to try when they come out." Dong Qiuyun was already calculating in her mind where she needed to save money this week.

The popularity of the hairband exceeded Jiang Lili's expectations. In just one afternoon, several people in their dormitory were asked about it many times. After they told everyone that this was a new product from Tongqu Player, they were greeted with many envious looks, which made Dong Qiuyun feel very proud. She liked this kind of look.

The production line was producing hair ties in full swing. In the blink of an eye, it was the weekend. The dealers also heard the news. Without waiting for the factory to inform them, some people came to inquire about the hair ties. Soon, all the hair ties produced in the past few days were sold out. The workers on the hair tie production line were recalled to work overtime on the weekend. Cheng Yuntian was very happy about this.

Jiang Lili was also busy. She was dragged by Jiang Liangbo and the others to choose furniture. She sat in the passenger seat, fastened her seatbelt, and then asked them, "Haven't you chosen any curtains yet?"

"It's because we were too busy recently that everyone forgot about this." Lu Ziming said this with some embarrassment. They were supposed to go last week, but they were dragged by Jiang Liangbo to play games, so they put the matter on hold.

"Okay, let's start by choosing curtains. Do you have a favorite color?" Jiang Lili asked about their preferences.

"Just arrange it as you see fit and make the house look warmer." Jiang Liangbo regretted using too many cold colors in order to look cool.

"Then I will do what I want. But you can't say you don't like it when the time comes." Jiang Lili made it clear to them in advance.

"Don't worry, we all believe in your aesthetic sense, just let it go." Lu Ziming nodded.

Jiang Lili turned her head and glanced at the person who had been silent the whole time: "Is that what you mean?"

"Well, I believe in your aesthetic sense. Mine should be better than theirs, right?" Lu Hongzhe chose beige as the main color to neutralize the whole decoration and make it look less cold.

Jiang Lili thought about it carefully, then nodded. "That's right. Our two houses have the same layout and the decoration seems to be similar. My mother doesn't like these things very much. Will Uncle Lu and his family have any objections?"

"No, this is where I live, so of course it's up to me." Lu Hongzhe directly dispelled her concerns.

"That's good. Now it's my turn to express myself freely." The decoration styles that parents' generation like at that time all like are magnificent and golden. They probably won't like her simple style.

The first thing she picked out was the curtains in Lu Hongzhe's house. After she chose the color, she looked at the person next to her and said, "Is this okay?"

"You decide. I trust your vision." This was the phrase Jiang Lili heard most throughout the rest of the day. Jiang Liangbo and the others would occasionally offer their own opinions, but Lu Hongzhe kept repeating it. At first, she didn't think anything of it, until the car ride home, when did she finally realize something was amiss. Lu Hongzhe had always been a man of his own ideas. When had he ever needed someone else to choose the furnishings for his house? A certain suspicion flashed through Jiang Lili's mind, and she clenched her fists, lowering her eyes to suppress the emotion. She must have been overthinking it, she thought.

The two people in the back row were talking animatedly, and when they argued, they would invite her to be the referee: "Lili, who of us do you think is right?"

This time Jiang Lili didn't say anything. She leaned back in her chair and lowered her head, pretending to be asleep. The people in the back row didn't get a response, so they couldn't help but look forward and said, "Hey, he fell asleep."

"You've been shopping all day today. You must be very tired." Lu Ziming could understand her tiredness.

"Indeed, Lili has worked really hard today. After everything is done at Huajianlouji, let's take turns treating her to a meal." Jiang Liangbo suggested.

"I'm fine with either." Lu Ziming said he had no objection.

Lu Hongzhe, who was driving in front, responded softly. He tilted his head to glance at the person pretending to sleep next to him, a helpless emotion flashing in his eyes. What should he do? He seemed to have scared her. The car moved steadily forward. He could feel that the people around him seemed to breathe lighter. He had originally wanted to make it clear, but he couldn't help but sigh. Let's take it slow.

When did he realize that the nature of his attention to her had changed? Lu Hongzhe himself couldn't seem to explain it clearly. His first impression of her was the granddaughter of his grandfather's old friend and Jiaze's childhood playmate. At the beginning, she was clearly the same as Jiaze in his eyes. When did the relationship start to deteriorate? Was it when she came to Beijing during the summer vacation, or was it the night of the New Year's fireworks? Lu Hongzhe still couldn't explain it. By the time he realized that his impression of her had changed, it was too late. He had also worried about how to tell Jiaze about this. Fortunately, he was still undecided about his choice, which made him no longer have any scruples and made him more determined in his choice.

The car drove to the factory gate, and the person pretending to sleep slowly woke up. His tone was still a little vague: "Are we there yet?"

"Yes, I just arrived." Lu Hongzhe did not expose her, but reminded her in a gentle voice.

"Then I'll go back first." Jiang Lili said and greeted the two people behind her.

"Well, I'll invite you to dinner at my house once everything's settled!" Jiang Liangbo said this only to realize Jiang Lili had already disappeared. He felt a little depressed: "Didn't you just wake up? How could you run so fast?"

The person in the front driver's seat had a smile on his face. After seeing her enter the house through the windshield, he started the car and turned back.

Jiang Lili almost jogged back. She sat on the bed and felt her heart beating too fast. She didn't know how long it took before her heartbeat in her chest returned to its original speed. She thought, Jiang Lili, you must have been wrong. It must not be what you think. Stop being narcissistic.

Perhaps she was lost in thought, and suddenly her mind flashed back to the scenes of the two of them getting along during this period. Her ears and cheeks began to heat up, and her thoughts began to wander, until Jiang Yulan patted her shoulder: "Lili, what are you thinking about? I called you several times, but you didn't respond."

"I'm thinking about the new picture. What's wrong, Mom?" Jiang Lili looked up at her.

"The orders for hair ties have exploded. I guess they will be available everywhere in Beijing tomorrow. I wonder what the market feedback will be like?" Jiang Yulan was a little worried.

"It's not the first time for those dealers to get goods. They all have their own vision. Maybe we can try to trust them." Jiang Lili comforted.

"You have a point. If the market feedback is good, Xiao Cheng plans to have Yuncheng produce it as well."

"This is a good thing. Don't underestimate hair ties. Although the profit is low, the quantity is large." Jiang Lili put those messy thoughts behind her and began to think about the order.

"Eventually, it will become popular all over the country, and that will be a real big order." Jiang Yulan began to look forward to it.

"Yes." Jiang Lili thought of the butterfly hairpins that were particularly popular in the past two years. They were really popular all over the country. She believed that their hairbands and hairpins would also have such a day.

"Because of the increase in orders, I have to work overtime tomorrow. You can make your own arrangements tomorrow."

"Well, you don't have to worry about me, I can take care of myself." Jiang Lili nodded.

Jiang Lili soon returned to school. During the week at school, she also met Lu Hongzhe. He seemed to be no different from before. Jiang Lili didn't know whether she was relieved or a little disappointed, but no matter what, she had been thinking the wrong thing before. She thought that she should be able to face him normally.

*

Back in Nanshi, Ji Mingyue had become closer to Lu Jiaze because of the previous incident. This weekend, she went to Lu Jiaze's school to give him some dried meat. With more and more places to spend money after entering college, Ji Mingyue had to start looking for ways to make money. So, she rented a house near the school to make it easier for her to make money.

Lu Jiaze's school was very strict, and she couldn't go out on weekends. She calculated that the next time she could go out would be in about ten days, so she had to prepare. She had an early class tomorrow, so she returned to the dormitory early that afternoon. As soon as she got back, she heard her roommates discussing something. She smiled and joined in their conversation until the person next to her said to her with a smile, "Mingyue, Tongqu Players has a factory in your Yuncheng, right? The hairbands and hairpins they just launched are so cute. Look. Cute, aren't they?"

This was the second time Ji Mingyue had heard about the "Tongqu Player" from her roommate. Last time it was a blind box, this time it was a hairband. She told herself it didn't matter. No matter how successful Jiang Lili was, what did the male lead choose not to go to Beijing with her? Thinking of the increased strategy value above Lu Jiaze's head, Ji Mingyue told herself that, in the end, she still won.