"Yes, we do have some, but the price is a bit high. Madam, how about these two sets? One set is three taels of silver, and the other is four taels," the shopkeeper said, pointing to two other sets.
"This set is pretty good, let me try it out."
It was indeed one or two taels more expensive, though not as much as the five-tael set from before.
It looks much better than two ounces.
Those three outfits were so old-fashioned. She's not a grandmother anymore, why would she need to wear dark brown clothes?
"Alright, Madam, please come with me to the backyard. Our shop isn't very big, and there are no partitions." The shopkeeper was very polite. She took off the clothes, placed them on her arm, and lifted the curtain to the backyard, waiting for Xiaoqing to go in first.
When the two came out, it was already fifteen minutes later.
"How about it?"
The bronze mirror in the shop was even smaller than the one in the previous shop. Xiaoqing was too lazy to look in the mirror, so she asked Xiaosu directly.
"It's fine. This outfit isn't high-waisted, so you can wear it even when you're more pregnant without it showing your belly." Actually, Xiaosu thought the light green color suited her better. Xiaoqing's face was yellowish, and wearing scarlet made her look a bit tacky, and it also made her skin look even yellower.
However, she couldn't say anything unpleasant.
So she only talked about the advantages of both outfits.
"I believe you, shopkeeper. Can you give me a discount on this set? I think this cotton and linen spring shirt in your shop is well-made. Can you sell me both sets for three taels of silver?"
Xiao Qing has sharp eyes; she spotted the cotton and linen spring shirt placed in the far corner at a glance.
Cotton and linen are cheap, but more expensive than coarse cloth and plain linen.
With two clusters of flowers embroidered on each spring shirt, it doesn't look cheap at all.
If I buy this one, I'll have two outfits, which will be good for explaining to my mother-in-law.
"That won't do, Madam. The embroidery on this cotton and linen spring dress was done by my daughter herself. It took her more than a month to complete. Look at how lifelike the flowers are. I usually sell them for 8 strings of cash each. If you like them, I'll give you a discount of 1 string of cash. If you buy both, the total price will be 3.5 taels. How does that sound?"
The shopkeeper did not agree.
Xiao Qing was a little unhappy.
"Young Madam, don't be so picky. I think the two-tael silver one you just bought is quite good. If you buy one of those outfits and add this spring dress, you can save half a tael of silver. Isn't that great?" Xiao Chun interjected.
"I can't sell it for two and a half taels. These three sets are already being sold at a loss. If you want to buy a set for two taels, I can only give you two taels and six strings of cash for both sets." The shopkeeper hurriedly explained, afraid that she would misunderstand.
After she finished speaking, the shop immediately fell silent.
No one spoke again.
Xiao Qing was dressed, but she didn't know whether to take her clothes off or not.
She felt as if her dignity had been trampled underfoot once again.
"Oh my, young lady, you look familiar. Are you a maid from the Yan family?" Just as the atmosphere was getting awkward, the shopkeeper looked at Xiao Su, stared at her for a few moments, and asked tentatively.
"Yes." Xiao Su nodded.
"I knew it! When I went to your residence to deliver the clothes that day, I saw you standing next to Manager Yan. You know, we shop owners all have good memories. I remembered you after just one glance."
Manager Ma smiled faintly.
She was a widow whose ancestors had run a clothing shop for generations. Her shop was different from others; most of the clothes in it were made by her and her daughters. The shop also collaborated with several familiar embroiderers, and the clothes were all of the highest quality. Those embroiderers were widows like her, and they supported their families by doing embroidery.
She has three daughters. Her eldest daughter divorced and returned to her parents' home. She usually helps her make clothes. Her second daughter married into a neighboring county and is doing quite well. Her youngest daughter is still a young woman.
The man who died was a son-in-law who had married into her family.
Her parents only had one child, so there was no question of relatives fighting over the property.
Because her youngest daughter loved the pastries from Yan's Pastry Shop, she frequently visited Yan Xia's shop.
They got to know each other after a while.
Yan Xia almost always goes to her when she needs to order custom clothes.
"Is this your friend? Well then, I have a good relationship with your master, and he often patronizes my business. So I'll just take the half tael of silver and keep the three taels for the rest of the clothes. I won't make any money off her."
Manager Ma made a lot of money. Seeing how familiar Xiao Su and Xiao Qing seemed, she simply waved her hand and sold them off cheaply.
She kept saying she wasn't making money.
In fact, selling three ounces would have yielded at least a half ounce profit.
Xiao Su was somewhat apprehensive. She was about to open her mouth to refuse when Xiao Qing interrupted her.
"Thank you, shopkeeper. Xiaosu and I have been friends for many years. Xiaochun, why don't you pay? What are you waiting for? If you're late and Mother gets angry, I'll say you're wasting time. Don't blame me if Mother scolds you then."
Although I managed to buy it thanks to Xiao Su, it would be foolish not to take advantage of a good deal.
Xiaoqing immediately pulled Xiaochun to pay the bill.
Xiao Su couldn't get it into her mouth at all.
She was extremely anxious.
"Okay, I'm done shopping. You can go browse now. I'm leaving."
Xiaoqing was afraid the shopkeeper would change his mind, so she quickly slipped away, her speed unlike that of a pregnant woman.
"Shopkeeper, I'll give you half a tael of silver. She and I are just strangers who met by chance. There's no need for me to use my master's face to give her a discount. Please don't tell my master about this."
Xiaoqing had no idea that her actions had completely chilled Xiaosu's heart.
"It's alright, it's already sold. Businessmen value integrity above all else. Don't worry, I won't tell your master," Manager Ma said nonchalantly.
"No, you have to give it to me. Please keep it safe." Xiao Su stubbornly took out half a tael of silver, put it on the table, and ran away.
"This maid is quite loyal, afraid of causing trouble for Manager Yan. Not bad, not bad." Manager Ma picked up the loose silver, muttered to himself, and then put the silver into the money drawer.
Xiao Su, who originally had two taels of silver in her pocket, did nothing, wasted half a day, and even lost half a tael of silver.
She was furious.
My previous leisurely mood was gone.
"I should have just ignored her! What an idiot!" Xiao Su cursed under her breath as she walked, not knowing whether she was cursing Xiao Qing or herself.
She went back to the stall where she had been looking at purses and bought a silver-embroidered lotus purse, symbolizing good luck.
Don't be fooled by the fact that it's a stall.
Even a purse can sell for half a tael of silver.
With only one or two ounces left, Xiao Su bought a yellow windmill, a straw butterfly, and a very realistic colored clay doll.
These three items were bought for Tuanzi.
It cost two strings of cash.
With the remaining eight strings of cash, she spent three strings to buy some food, which she packed into a bamboo basket to take back to her residence and share with everyone.
At this moment, Yan Xia was holding her granddaughter and sitting on the swing in the courtyard.
The little dumpling is already up.
After she finished drinking her milk, she was very energetic, babbling and looking around with her eyes wide open.
"Oh, Grandma's little dumpling, are you trying to find out if we have any money at home? Come here, Grandma will show you. Look, this is our yard, and this is Grandma's house. You live in the back. When you grow up, Grandma will let you live in your own room. Then I'll fill your jewelry box with jewelry. I'll buy you whatever is expensive. Hmm... and you can't skimp on clothes either. I'll make about a hundred outfits. You can wear one every day, and if you don't like it, you can throw it away. Haha, are you satisfied, Grandma's little dumpling?"
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