Emotional tug

After that night, Murong Bai came to the factory more often.

He no longer always came under the name of "interviewing" or "collecting materials", but often appeared in the workshop casually at dusk with two hot pan-fried buns or some freshly baked pastries.

He never disturbed Ling Xiuqing while she was working, but just sat quietly by her side, watching her serious face as she lowered her head to draw the design, watching her skillful figure operating the sewing machine, and watching her sparkling eyes as she discussed the craft with the masters.

For him, this factory filled with the smell of cotton wool and engine oil made him feel more at ease and fascinated than the dance floor of the Paramount or the racetrack.

The workers and masters in the studio were already accustomed to the presence of "Mr. Murong." They would even smile and joke knowingly when they saw him, then tactfully leave some space for the two of them to be alone.

On this day, Ling Xiuqing was making the final design for the school emblem for the first batch of school uniforms.

The emblem of St. John's Girls' School is an exquisite silver cross. Instead of the traditional, intricate full-body embroidery, the school ingeniously uses only a few strands of silver thread, using a simple line drawing technique to outline the cross. The design is simple yet strikingly modern and sophisticated.

She finished the last stroke, put down the pencil, rubbed her sore neck, and when she looked up, she met Murong Bai's smiling gaze.

He didn't know when he was standing in front of her desk.

"What are you busy with?" He gently placed a cup of steaming coffee next to her hand. "Let me guess, do you have any shocking new ideas?"

"It's not shocking," Ling Xiuqing said, picking up the coffee, feeling the warmth in her palm, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curled up slightly. "I'm just thinking about how to make these children willingly fall in love with wearing school uniforms."

She handed him the design draft in her hand.

Murong Bai took it, took one look, and exclaimed sincerely, "Beautiful. You always manage to use the simplest lines to express the richest meaning. This is more than just a school emblem; it's more like a work of art."

"I plan to design a unique school emblem for every school in Shanghai that orders our uniforms." Ling Xiuqing's eyes gleamed with ambition. "I want school uniforms to become a source of honor and a legacy."

"Good idea." Murong Bai put down the design draft, his eyes full of admiration. "However, a good design alone is not enough. How can you guarantee that your first batch of products will be a hit and completely open up the market?"

This is the most critical issue.

Although the previous "drug testing" incident brought great prestige to Zhixiufang, public memory is always short-lived. To truly capture the market, a more impactful and positive marketing campaign is needed.

Ling Xiuqing had obviously already thought of a countermeasure.

She took out another completely different "design draft" from the drawer.

The artwork wasn't about clothes, but rather a series of lively illustrations of young boys and girls in new school uniforms. Some were reading on the grass, some were running on the playground, and some were discussing in the classroom... Every scene was filled with youthful energy and sunshine.

"This is..." Murong Bai was a little surprised.

"This is the 'advertising poster' I prepared for our new school uniforms," ​​Ling Xiuqing explained. "I'm going to print a batch of the most beautiful promotional brochures and distribute them to schools and bookstores in Shanghai. I want everyone to see what a school uniform in the new era should look like. It represents health, vitality, hope, and a brand new next generation that belongs to us, China."

There was a bright light in Murong Bai's eyes!

In an era when advertising was still based on "calendar beauties" and simple and crude slogans, Ling Xiuqing had already thought of using "scenario-based" and "storytelling-based" methods to convey brand concepts!

This advanced marketing thinking deeply shocked even him, a media person who considers himself a trendsetter.

"Ah Xiu," he looked at her, his voice filled with a hint of deep fascination that he himself hadn't even noticed. "You know what? What attracts me most about you isn't your craftsmanship, but the fact that your head always seems to hold a more wonderful world that none of us have ever seen."

The sudden, almost confessional praise made Ling Xiuqing's heart skip a beat.

She turned her head away awkwardly, avoiding his burning gaze, her ears slightly burning. "I'm just... just daydreaming."

Looking at her rare, girlish shyness, Murong Bai felt an irresistible impulse in his heart.

He reached out and gently took her hand which was on the table.

Her hands have a thin layer of calluses on the fingertips due to years of needlework, but they are still slender and warm.

Ling Xiuqing's body suddenly stiffened, and she subconsciously wanted to pull back.

But Murong Bai held it tightly.

He didn't say anything, just looked at her quietly with his deep peach blossom eyes. That look seemed to carry a thousand words, with appreciation, heartache, protection, and even... deep affection.

It seemed as if an invisible electric current was flowing in the air.

It was a dangerous yet sweet tug that had never been experienced before.

Ling Xiuqing's heart was completely confused.

In her previous life, she and Han Shaoheng were arranged by a matchmaker and treated each other with respect, but they had never experienced such a heart-pounding, soul-colliding moment.

She didn't know how to respond and could only let him hold her hand. Her heart was beating violently in her chest, as if it was about to burst out.