Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Spending Money Day 32
Liu Yue suddenly suggested buying Shu brocade, which was not a problem at all for Sang Yu.
She said "yes," and Liu Yue returned to her bedroom with peace of mind. Seeing that she was not only looking up information on Shu brocade but also on garment manufacturing, Lin Feiran couldn't help but sigh that being a rich man's assistant wasn't easy.
She had no problem with the new itinerary. Although Shu brocade wasn't on her shopping list, it was nice to be able to visit. Going out with a wealthy woman, she felt extra confident when looking at fabrics, without having to worry about being disliked for simply looking without buying.
The next day's pure eating plan starts with breakfast.
The living room table was set with dandan noodles, red oil wontons, cross-legged beef, steamed buns, guokui (a type of flatbread), and yèrba (a type of cake). It was said that ordering was easier when there were more people. While there was a wide variety of food, the portions were small. The three of them could definitely finish a little bit each.
Liu Yue scooped some dandan noodles from her small bowl and couldn't resist taking a bite of the guokui. Even though it was delivered, it was still very crispy. Fortunately, she ate it on a plate, otherwise the crumbs would have fallen onto her clothes.
The soul of Dandan noodles lies in the sauce. The one here is very good, and the minced meat is chopped very finely. It tastes like meat but you can't taste the meat. Liu Yue believes that this is the highest level and best state of meat sauce.
None of the food had green onions, not even the meat-filled steamed buns that Liu Yue had worried about. Although the fact that the steamed buns didn't contain glutinous rice made Liu Yue exclaim this was heresy, after taking a bite, she found it to be quite delicious.
However, pork-filled siomai were her bottom line—no spicy tofu pudding, and even if the sky fell, it had to be sweet! This was her childhood favorite, and she wouldn't tolerate anyone disobeying it.
Liu Yue was very satisfied with the breakfast. Sang Yu did not take credit for it and did not say that she had specially called the steamed bun shop yesterday to ask them to prepare the meat filling without green onions. There was no need to report such a small matter.
This doesn't mean Sang Yu does good deeds without leaving her name; she just wants Liu Yue to develop the habit of "being like this." If she changes her assistant and the other person doesn't think about these things, and lets Liu Yue eat food with onions, she will immediately remember her kindness.
After breakfast, the three of them gathered in the living room to play cards, using the Three Kingdoms poker cards they bought at the cultural and creative store yesterday.
It’s not Landlord or Golden Flower, but the simplest game that requires almost no brainpower, namely, drawing ghost cards.
A few people chatted while playing cards. As for the topic of conversation, of course it was their mutual friends who were not present.
Lin Feiran asked them if Ke Yan had really broken up with her ex-boyfriend. Would they just separate for a short while and then get back together and become a sweet couple again?
Liu Yue: "I don't think so. I think Ke Yan is very determined this time. She seems to have received a great stimulus, but she is a little withdrawn."
"If she doesn't have any contact, it should be fine, but I'm afraid that man will come looking for her again..."
Although Ke Yan said that she had deleted all his contact information, she still knew her sister. If he wanted to ask her sister to pass on a message, it would be easy for him to contact Ke Yan.
Liu Yue was also a little worried about this, but there was nothing she could do. After all, they were just Ke Yan's friends, not her parents. First of all, they had no right to interfere. Even if they did, they were afraid that the young couple would become more and more in love and then become enemies with the whole world.
Lin Feiran didn't understand at all. Sang Yu said beside him, "Many women spend their entire lives obsessed with being loved. This isn't just Ke Yan's cognitive error; it's also the result of social environment and cultural guidance."
This topic was a bit heavy, so they unknowingly skipped over it. Later, Lin Feiran told some absurd jokes about the Three Kingdoms, and Liu Yue laughed so hard that her stomach hurt.
But it didn't matter. It wasn't a big deal. It didn't stop her from enjoying her mother's pig's trotters, spicy rabbit heads, and braised chicken feet. What was wrong with adding a mid-morning snack between breakfast and lunch? She had a good appetite and could eat it all.
The pig's trotter flower looked greasy, so the three of them shared one, and each of them took a few bites, which was just right. As for the rabbit head and chicken feet, these snacks didn't have much meat and didn't take up much space in the stomach.
So, when they set out for Furonghuang, they were still excited and ready to eat a lot.
When many people mention Sichuan cuisine, they think of numbness and spiciness, but this is because Jianghu cuisine is so famous that it has overshadowed the public's understanding and perception of Sichuan cuisine.
Sang Yu was free in the car, explaining, "There are roughly three schools of Sichuan cuisine: the Chengdu school, the Chongqing school, and the salty school. The spicier Sichuan dishes we usually eat, like maoxuewang (stir-fried pork with red bean curd), spicy chicken, boiled fish, and grilled fish, are basically Chongqing-style Jianghu dishes."
They are going to Furonghuang later, where they will basically eat traditional Sichuan cuisine of the Rong style.
This restaurant is very popular, and it is not just a marketing-driven internet celebrity restaurant. It has been crowded for decades and is still very popular today.
The dish that Liu Yue is most interested in is Snowflake Chicken Nao (nào), a Kung Fu dish in Sichuan cuisine. It emphasizes eating the chicken without seeing the chicken. The method is to first pick out the fascia of the chicken, then beat the meat into a paste, add egg white and lard, and stir-fry it until it is set.
The color of the snowflake chicken soup is very white. Liu Yue felt it was very ordinary when she took the first bite, but after taking another spoonful, she became more and more addicted to it.
Its taste is a bit like egg custard, very delicate and tender, accompanied by the aroma of lard, which is very suitable for eating with rice. Although Liu Yue knows that this way of eating is sinful, it is delicious! The aroma of fat is really a weapon to conquer human taste buds.
Sang Yu and Lin Feiran also loved eating snowflake chicken soup. At this table, there was no question of who should eat less and who should eat more. Liu Yue quickly added a portion to ensure that everyone could enjoy the meal.
Budget? What budget? She was going to spend a million today. A few dozen yuan worth of food couldn't even move her progress bar forward by 1%. Adding one more serving wouldn't matter, even ten would. The only thing that could limit Liu Yue was her stomach capacity.
In addition to Snowflake Chicken Soup, Liu Yue’s favorite is Kung Pao Chicken.
She often ate this dish in Guangdong. After eating it at Furonghuang, she realized that the Kung Pao Chicken was just a name and not the same dish at all.
It turns out the chicken in Kung Pao Chicken isn't tough, dry, or salty; it's actually quite tender. The sauce coats each piece of chicken, and the slightly warming texture doesn't detract from the savory, spicy flavor; instead, it enhances the flavor.
"This is delicious." Liu Yue praised, "It's a pity that I can't take it home."
Sang Yu remembered the taste of this dish and decided to tell Aunt Zhang about it when he got home, asking her to search for the recipe online and learn how to make it.
Liu Yue and others had a good meal at Furonghuang. Although this is a Michelin one-star restaurant, the bill for the meal was only over 300 yuan, which is really affordable.
Sang Yu was about to pay, but Liu Yue was quicker than her and scanned the code. Even a small amount is still meat, so spend what you have.
It was all her money, so of course Sang Yu would not compete with Liu Yue for the bill. She just thought that Liu Yue had a preference for paying the bill herself.
——It sounds a bit strange, but if it happens to a rich person, it is normal. She will pay attention to it in the future.
Sang Yu again chartered a car today. When they walked out of the gate of Furonghuang, a driver was waiting outside.
Liu Yue got in first, and Lin Feiran sat in the passenger seat. As Sang Yu was about to get in, he vaguely noticed someone looking over his shoulder.
Sang Yu looked around, trying to find the source of the gaze. When her eyes fell on a boy, he looked away from her.
She glanced at him, remembering his appearance, but she didn't say anything and just closed the car door.
The friend next to him asked He Zhiyuan: "What's wrong with you?"
"It's okay." He Zhiyuan sighed, "I must have seen it wrong just now."
He had only met her once, so how could he have the confidence to recognize her from behind, and there was no way such a coincidence could happen.
Don't think about it, He Zhiyuan said to himself in his heart. It was just a surprising crush on the journey, it's enough to keep it in memory.
Liu Yue didn't know that she had touched other people's hearts. At this moment, she was still immersed in the excitement of buying Shu brocade.
Yesterday, she mentioned buying Shu brocade, and Sang Yu automatically understood it as fabric. So, she found many examples of ready-made clothing and estimated the number of meters of fabric required for different types of clothing based on Liu Yue's height and weight.
This was so thoughtful! Liu Yue flipped through the book with great delight. She had always bought ready-made clothes before and had never tried making her own clothes from fabric. This was a novelty for her, and she applied it to other things, adding both Songjin and Yunjin to her spending plan.
Buy them all. Song brocade has been very popular in recent years, and Yunjin seems to have been reserved for the royal family in ancient times, so it sounds very expensive. Stocking up on fabric can help you spend a lot of money at once, and it won't deteriorate if you keep it, so you can find a tailor to make it later.
In this way, she can solve the large expenses of millions and the small expenses of ten thousand a day. She is really smart.
Liu Yue thought that she could bring back a lot of Shu brocade this time, but when she arrived at the site, she found out that the production of Shu brocade was very low and the inventory was very small, and all she could choose from were samples.
She almost thought that she couldn't spend her money, but fortunately the person in charge added that she could sign the contract and queue up for reservation first, which made Liu Yue feel relieved.
She had no problem queuing up. She had only wanted to buy Shu brocade on a whim, not immediately. As long as the contract was signed and the amount was locked in, the factory could take its time weaving it for her. She had no shortage of clothes in her closet.
Liu Yue really thought so at first, but after seeing the real Shu brocade, she was really amazed.
The color of Shu brocade seems to have a sense of heaviness. This heaviness may look old-fashioned on other fabrics, but Shu brocade interprets it with a sense of luxury, which reminds Liu Yue of the term that has become popular in recent years, the old money style.
The difference between old money and nouveau riche probably lies in their heritage and connotation, and the weighty texture of Shu brocade supports this aura. In the sunlight, the luster it reflects is very bright, yet elusive.
Liu Yue touched the Shu brocade and found it delicate, soft, and silky. The person in charge explained that their Shu brocade is made of 100% mulberry silk. Although it is not cheap, it is definitely worth it.
Liu Yue asked, "How much is this Shu brocade?"
"The width is 140 mm, and the price of 1 meter is 3,599 yuan. It can only be cut in multiples of 1 meter. Currently, there are only 5 meters left in stock."
"That's not very expensive." Liu Yue said casually, "To make a skirt, even if you use two meters, it's only a little over seven thousand."
Including the lining and cutting fees, it will not exceed ten thousand yuan at the most. If compared with Chanel, it is a bargain.
Person in charge: ...
Okay, no problem. You have the money, so you have the final say.
The person in charge took her on a tour here, and Liu Yue became more and more interested in Shu brocade. She really couldn't wait to put on Shu brocade clothes.
Seeing her interest, the manager then promoted their ready-made clothing. Although not as custom-made as custom-made clothing, Chinese clothing was available in large quantities, and Liu Yue was sure she would be able to wear it.
Liu Yue tried on a light-colored coat. As it hung on the hanger, she worried that the style might look old-fashioned, since it resembled a Tang suit—which it certainly was.
However, after putting it on, Liu Yue changed her mind about it. How could it make her look old? It was clearly dignified and solemn!
No wonder it was a luxury item that could earn military funds in ancient times. Liu Yue felt that as an ordinary person, she, under the influence of the saying “clothes make the man”, exuded an indescribable temperament.
The subtle brilliance I just saw is even more striking when made into clothing. It's not all-over, as that would be too conspicuous and ostentatious. The texture of Shu brocade itself is enough to highlight its value, and the unintentional shimmer and brilliance are even more stunning, making it unforgettable once you see it.
"I want this."
She just saw the tag. This coat is only over 5,000 yuan. It is really good value for money.
Sang Yu took the coat she took off and suggested, "Why don't you go through the ready-to-wear section first and buy whatever you want and the sizes available. I'll help you remember what patterns these clothes have."
"In this way, if you don't want to pick the same pattern for clothes, or want to pick the same pattern for a suit, you can have a reference and range when choosing Shu brocade."
Liu Yue felt that what she said made sense, and Sang Yu was indeed thoughtful.
The person in charge nearby continued, "In fact, Shu brocade can be used not only to make clothes, but also has a wide range of applications. It can be used to make pillows, quilt covers, pillowcases, screens, and decorative brocade paintings."
"Smaller brocade can also be made into things like round fans, purses, and sachets. We have a lot of Shu brocade cultural and creative products here. If you're interested, come and take a look."
Liu Yue nodded and said she would think about it later. She should finish shopping in the ready-to-wear area first.
"By the way, where did Feiran go? I didn't see her."
"She went on a tour on her own."
So that’s how it is. Liu Yue continued shopping for ready-made clothes.
The clothing here is mostly neo-Chinese, with Hanfu being relatively rare. This is understandable, as Hanfu requires a lot of fabric, which increases the cost. Furthermore, Hanfu is a niche hobby, so high-quality Hanfu typically requires pre-order, so merchants don't dare stock too much stock.
But Liu Yue wanted to make several sets of Hanfu (Chinese clothing) using Shu brocade, including styles from various dynasties. She wasn't worried about the high price of the brocade, nor was she worried about not having the chance to wear it regularly. Even if it was just displayed in her closet, just looking at it would be pleasing to her eyes.
Sang Yu agreed, and the person in charge took the opportunity to promote her, saying that she might as well give the order to them. They could also make her Hanfu. The Shu brocade was directly from the factory, and they would cut as much as she needed.
Well...from what Sang Yu said in the car, she was planning to find a tailor for her in Shenzhen.
Liu Yue looked at Sang Yu, who understood and stepped forward, analyzing the situation in a low voice. The person in charge also understood the hint and temporarily slowed down his pace, keeping some distance from them.
Sang Yu: "The advantage of working in Shenzhen is that the tailors are close to you, making it more convenient to get your measurements taken, and you can make adjustments at any time during the fitting process. And if you want to make fashion, there are more styles to choose from. I just went around looking at ready-to-wear clothes, and the designs here aren't very novel, but that doesn't necessarily mean the quality of the custom-made items."
"However, the advantage of making it here is that we save material. From what he said, it seems that they can accept non-integer cuts. After all, they can use Shu brocade that is less than one meter long to make other products. But if you only buy Shu brocade material, you have to cut it according to the integer."
Both methods do have their own advantages and disadvantages, but Liu Yue quickly thought of a problem.
"If we only cut as many as needed, how do we sign a contract?"
Sang Yu said without hesitation: "I will definitely estimate a rough range, and then refund if there is more and pay less if there is less. No matter where it is made, I will monitor the whole process and refer to the materials used in other clothes."
Huh? Liu Yue remembered the last time the system said she hadn't spent all her money, and an alarm immediately sounded in her mind.
No, no, the missing parts can be supplemented, but the extra parts cannot be returned. I’d better cut the Shu brocade and take it back to Shenzhen to make it.
Cutting more Shu brocade is not a big deal. Here, scraps of cloth can be made into various cultural and creative products, and she can do the same. She also wants to make a pair of shoes with Shu brocade. It would be nice to try the same style as the Empress.
Liu Yue made a decision quickly. Sang Yu had originally planned to investigate the sewing skills here, but now there was no need to say more.
Although Liu Yue didn't plan to order custom-made clothes here, she could still buy some ready-made garments. She still had to wait for the tailor's turnaround time, and she was so excited about the new clothes that she wanted to wear them as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, the most common ready-to-wear items here are vests, followed by dresses, slant-collared tops, and round-neck jackets. While some styles incorporate fashion elements, the overall look isn't very different.
When Liu Yue tried on the first piece, she liked it very much, but when she looked around and saw that they were all the same, she lost interest.
Shu brocade is beautiful, but the design is too simple. It's fine as a jacket and paired with other items, but Liu Yue really doesn't understand the existence of a short-sleeved shorts set. Doesn't anyone think it looks like something you'd wear in a bathhouse?
Well, it seems that if I want nice clothes, I still have to rely on custom-made ones. Liu Yue only picked out a few pieces and turned back to the fabric area.
When choosing materials, you have to decide how many meters to cut, and the number of meters to cut depends on what kind of clothes you want to make.
Before going out, Sang Yu measured Liu Yue's exact data and found many ready-made clothing styles for reference.
Liu Yue is not short of money today. She wants to take home every piece of Shu brocade that she likes. Being rich makes one so willful.
At the beginning, she would carefully refer to Sang Yu's example drawings and think about what this pattern is suitable for. Later, she asked Sang Yu to give her suggestions, and she would adopt one from several options.
After a while, she just decided whether to do it or not. As for what to do, it was up to Sang Yu to decide. She trusted her aesthetics and vision.
Thinking of this, Liu Yue suddenly understood - why did she have to choose the Shu brocade herself? She could just hand it over to Sang Yu!
"I'll leave the rest to you." Liu Yue and Sang Yu said, "I'll go find Fei Ran and see where she's wandering off to."
Sang Yu:......
It seems that Liu Yue's three-minute enthusiasm has passed. Rich people are indeed impulsive.
She sighed and shook her head, then continued to follow the person in charge, examining the Shu brocade samples one by one and looking at the drawings of the new products they were designing. The person in charge assured her that what she had received was definitely the first batch of goods.
Sang Yu said yes, but in her heart, what did it matter if it was just the first batch? If he was truly sincere, he should have proposed designing a new product specifically for Liu Yue, preferably for her alone. As long as he could make her happy, the price would be negotiable; she would spend millions without hesitation.
Unfortunately, he didn't mention it when Liu Yue was still excited. Now she is not so enthusiastic anymore, and it is too late to bring it up. Sang Yu certainly won't remind them.
Liu Yue found Lin Feiran in the Shu embroidery area, where she was admiring a double-sided embroidered screen.
On one side of the screen, there is a woman playing the piano, and on the other side, there are pandas playing. Liu Yue had only heard of double-sided embroidery before, but seeing the real thing today can be considered an eye-opener.
Someone nearby introduced: "Shu embroidery is our intangible cultural heritage. Every stitch of this screen is hand-embroidered. The screen is made of silk and the outer frame is wenge wood. The total price is 169,000 yuan."
Lin Feiran was shocked when he heard it. It was so expensive.
Seeing that Liu Yue had no expression, she asked her quietly, "Do you want to buy it?"
Liu Yue shook her head. She certainly had plenty of money, and she had to spend it today, but she wasn't interested in the screen. Her house wasn't decorated in a traditional Chinese style, so why would she need it? This kind of screen would only be suitable for a traditional Chinese garden; that's where it would really complement the other.
However, the Shu embroidery decorative painting next to it was very much to her liking.
The entire painting is in black and white ink, with only the lotus blossoming in the center being blue. From a distance, it's a beautiful painting, but up close, each silk thread truly mimics the strokes of a brush. Even if Liu Yue didn't understand the details, she knew it was a work of art.
The screen doesn't match the decoration style, but this painting is quite suitable to be hung in her room... There are also a few paintings in her room, but they are obviously handicrafts. Just looking at the fact that Mrs. Jiang is too lazy to remove them, you can tell that they are not valuable.
Seeing Liu Yue pause, the person next to her introduced: "The outer frame of this Shu embroidery painting is also made of chicken wing wood, and the total price is 380,000."
"Yes, I want it."
Liu Yue nodded at him and said, "Please help me pack it later. My home is in Shenzhen. You will be responsible for transportation, right?"
Lin Feiran took a deep breath. Three hundred and eighty thousand Shu embroidery, and she just wanted it? Didn't she even think about it for a few minutes?
Liu Yue really didn't need to think about it. After all, she knew the price of the Shu brocade she had just bought. It was only a few thousand yuan per meter. It would be difficult to complete her task today with this alone. She still had to buy some big items.
By the way, Shu embroidery would be a nice gift. Chinese New Year was approaching, and she wanted to give holiday gifts to the nanny, which would be another expense, and she had another place to spend the money.
The person who introduced her to the store didn't expect it either - seeing that she was so young, he thought she was just a tourist visiting, and he introduced the price to give her an idea and make her be more cautious, but he never expected that she would buy it.
As a result, the deal was done before those high-end and classy words were even spoken?
When he came to his senses, his attitude instantly became much more respectful. No matter where Liu Yue was looking, he would introduce her to her incessantly. He also always paid attention to Liu Yue's expression and often mixed in some flattery of her in his introduction.
Liu Yue: ...This person is so noisy, can you let her visit quietly?
She looked surprised, and the person in charge who came over found an excuse to send him away, and he stayed with Liu Yue to introduce her in person.
The original shopping guide: ...
Alas, rich people are really hard to please. It seems that he still has a lot of work to do to learn how to read people's expressions.
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