Chapter 79 Ineffable

She smiled and asked, "How is it? Is it comfortable to wear? Do you like it? Is there anything that feels tight or constricting?"

"I love it so much! It's really beautiful!"

Qin Guifang nodded vigorously, her eyes shining.

She looked down and touched her belly, laughing as she said, "This dress looks amazing on me! It holds me perfectly at the waist, so it doesn't slip down or ride up. I feel like a celebrity pregnant woman! If I go for a prenatal checkup, the nurse will definitely ask me where I bought it!"

"I'm glad you like it. There are two more items!"

Zhou Shufen smiled broadly, and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes smoothed out.

She handed over the other two pieces of clothing.

"The second one is more casual, and the third one is a bit more formal. Try them both on and see which one is more suitable for everyday wear."

Qin Guifang nodded and went back into the house to change into a second and third outfit.

The second item is a loose-fitting dress made of soft off-white knitted cotton, which is light and comfortable to wear.

The third item is a navy blue fitted coat paired with a matching skirt, suitable for going out to meet people or attending family gatherings.

After putting on the last outfit, she stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself for a long time.

She kept touching the surface of the clothes with her hand, sliding from the sleeves to the hem of the skirt.

"Mom, this fabric is so comfortable!"

She turned around, her voice full of surprise.

"Not only does it look good, but it's also as soft as cotton when worn next to the skin, and it doesn't itch at all. And look at the stitching, it's so fine and dense that you can't see any stitching at all; it looks like it was woven directly."

"You're right, these are really nice."

Zhou Haiqing also looked up from the pile of newspapers, put down his reading glasses, and walked over to his daughter to take a closer look.

He wasn't good at saying nice things, and he rarely commented on clothes, but this time he genuinely thought they were good.

"I can't quite put my finger on what's so special about it, it just looks pleasing to the eye. Wearing it makes me look more energetic and composed."

He paused, then added, "Your mother put her heart into it."

Qin Guifang and Zhou Haiqing took turns praising it, both saying that the design of the maternity wear was truly ingenious.

Wearing it makes you look dignified and elegant.

He looked radiant and full of energy.

"You really think it's good? Don't just do it to make me happy!"

Zhou Shufen squinted, her gaze sweeping back and forth between the two faces.

"Mom, what are you thinking? I genuinely think it's beautiful!"

As Qin Guifang spoke, a bright smile appeared on her lips.

"Look at me in these clothes! Aren't they so much better than those old-fashioned maternity clothes I wore before? Those clothes were either too big or too dull in color; I looked like a walking sack when I wore them. But these clothes now, I don't even want to take them off when I look in the mirror!"

It really is quite beautiful.

Even though this was just a sample garment that Zhou Shufen rushed out at the last minute, the fabric was not completely ironed, and there were still some loose threads hanging on the edges, making the workmanship slightly rough.

Many details have not yet been carefully polished and corrected.

However, the overall design, cut, and color scheme have already demonstrated a very high level of quality.

"Yes, it's really good."

Zhou Haiqing echoed this sentiment sincerely.

"All you can do is say 'good-looking,' can't you use a different word?"

Hearing his clichéd comment, Qin Guifang couldn't help but laugh and gently nudge him.

"Besides, what does 'not bad' even mean? What exactly is good about it? You have to give me a detailed explanation, right?"

"I'm not good with words, and I don't have many options, but you all understand what I mean."

Zhou Haiqing recoiled from the poking, scratched the back of his head, and wore a genuinely honest and simple smile.

"Anyway... it fits you perfectly, the color is gentle, and it makes you look radiant."

"Hearing you say that, I feel more at ease."

After listening, Zhou Shufen's smile deepened.

She nodded slightly.

"I plan to register my own brand so that I can sell not only other people's goods but also my own clothes!"

She hasn't been in this line of work for very long.

But after struggling in the clothing market for a while, I quickly learned the ropes of the industry.

She has witnessed too many stall owners rise and fall.

Making a living by selling other people's branded goods yields meager profits, and they have to be at the mercy of the manufacturers.

She understood a principle deeply.

Simply selling other people's products will only ever make you a middleman, at best a mere peddler.

Only by establishing your own brand and taking control of design, production, pricing, and sales can you truly have the final say and potentially go further.

She was never content to be just a middleman, counting money for others and worrying about their problems.

This ambition had been buried in her heart for a long time.

Seeing her family approve of her design samples, she is even more convinced that it's time to take this step!

She was bound to walk this path that belonged to her sooner or later!

But after hearing this, Zhou Haiqing's smile gradually faded.

He frowned slightly, his expression becoming somewhat serious.

"Mom, I'm not against you starting a brand. It's a good thing in itself, and I support it. But... I'm a little worried. Is it too risky to go so far at once? It requires a lot of investment: factory, equipment, design team, pattern making, fabric procurement, promotion and advertising—none of these are cheap. Can we afford it right now?"

He remembered clearly that last time when funds were tight, his family almost lost their supply chain.

It was only through Qin Guifang and Zhou Haiqing gritting their teeth and mortgaging the house that they managed to scrape together an emergency fund.

In addition, Zhou Shufen personally chased after those customers who were in arrears, going door to door to urge them to pay, and humbly begged them, which barely managed to fill the huge funding gap.

He was afraid that if he took too big a step this time, and the cash flow broke down, it would really strain him and damage his vitality.

If the funding doesn't come through, all the previous efforts will be wasted.

Even more seriously, it could leave you with a mountain of debt.

Zhou Shufen didn't even dare to think about the consequences.

“You’re right. This idea has only just come to me, and it’s definitely too hasty to implement it all at once. It’s easier to run into problems if we roll it out all at once. It’s better to take it one step at a time, lay a solid foundation first, and then gradually expand the scale.”

Zhou Shufen nodded.

She knew in her heart that this was more than just a business plan.

That dream was about independence, about dignity, about no longer depending on others for survival.

The family was sitting around in the living room, chatting and laughing.

But in that moment of peace, a sharp, piercing shout suddenly came from downstairs.

"Zhou Shufen! You shameless bastard, you dare to renege on your money? Stop pretending to be dead upstairs and pay us back right now!"

The shout was filled with intense anger.

They were all too familiar with that voice.

Isn't that Wu Haiyan?

That woman who has been harassing us repeatedly ever since the tutoring incident last month.

Her voice was shrill, her temper was volatile, and she was quick to speak without thinking, which had long been a thorn in the side of the Zhou family.

Zhou Shufen frowned, her expression instantly turning cold.

She got up, walked to the window, and pushed it open forcefully.

She looked outside and saw Wu Haiyan standing in the middle of the courtyard, her feet on gravel, one hand on her hip, the other pointing upstairs.