Chapter 93 Can we please not talk about other things in bed...?
Lin Xi leaned against Fu Qingli's chest, listening to his rapid heartbeat, her face showing heartache: "I know how you feel. I'm not a saint, and it's not that I don't hate them. I, like you, can't forgive what they did that caused us to be separated for so long. I just feel that while hating them, I'm also very tired, and I don't want you to live such a tiring life. Your mother didn't miss you either, which is why she kept urging you to let go of your resentment towards him before she passed away."
"Once you've done what you wanted to do, we'll treat them like strangers and live our own lives to the fullest."
“Hmm.” Fu Qingli responded by squeezing her hand. “I know. Now they have paid the price for what they did. Let them be. As long as they don’t cause us any trouble, I will pretend not to see it.”
Lin Xi nodded, her soft hair brushing against her chest, making one's heart flutter.
However, she was completely unaware of Fu Qingli's subtle emotional changes. The warm scene made her want to confide in him, and she remembered something along the way.
"By the way, Gu Keli just told me to pay more attention to a shop called Yiyu. He said the intangible cultural heritage inheritor is seriously ill and is being supported by a young girl. I've looked at Yiyu's information before. It's a small handicraft shop that makes Hanfu. The fact that Gu Keli specifically came to give me this advice means that the young girl is the one he's after?"
"It should be. I heard that he has been paying close attention to Hanfu production in recent years." This is clearly not in line with his aura.
Fu Qingli was never interested in other people's gossip, but seeing Lin Xi's enthusiastic and gossipy look, she couldn't help but chuckle and tap her nose. "Should I send someone to find out and satisfy your curiosity?"
Lin Xi quickly waved her hand: "No, no, I'm just a little curious about what kind of girl can make Gu Keli take a liking to her. He looks like the kind of playboy who frequents brothels and seems to have a lot of fun with women. I didn't expect him to do something so affectionate."
Recalling Gu Keli's flirtatious and carefree demeanor, Fu Qingli couldn't help but chuckle: "He may seem dissolute, but he's actually quite conservative when it comes to matters of love and sex, with a very strong sense of propriety. He always attends banquets alone, without bringing any female companions, and I've never heard of him getting close to any woman."
Fu Qingli knew all this because people always talked about him and Gu Keli together, thinking they were oddballs among men. Some people even made crude jokes in front of them, which Gu Keli eventually punished.
“In that case,” Lin Xi said thoughtfully, her interest piqued, “I’m even more curious about what that girl looks like, that she could make him do so much for her!”
"You'll see her in a few days. But—"
Fu Qingli flipped her over and pinned her beneath him, his kisses following immediately, gradually moving downwards. "Can you please not talk about other men in bed? I get jealous. Right now, I just want you to look at me!"
"Mmm—" Lin Xi groaned softly, unable to contain herself, as he moved.
Fu Qingli's deep black eyes grew even more intense, and his kiss became even more passionate.
He freed one hand to take something from the bedside table, placed it in Lin Xi's hand, and licked her earlobe with his tongue, his voice muffled: "Could you help me put this on?"
-
A few days later, Lin Xi indeed met the little girl Gu Keli had mentioned—Zhou Zhiyu—at the negotiation meeting.
The little girl wore a white openwork sweater over a blue round-neck shirt, paired with light-colored jeans, and had her hair tied in a simple ponytail. She had bright eyes, fair skin, and a gentle and well-behaved demeanor.
Despite her simple and plain outfit, she stands out in a crowd and is incredibly captivating.
She is indeed a beautiful woman worth remembering.
At the meeting, Lin Xi announced that "Yiyu" and two other intangible cultural heritage handicraft shops would be the key shops for the promotion of this intangible cultural heritage exhibition. The works of the three shops would be printed on the exhibition posters and brochures, and they would be given central booths with no booth fees.
After the meeting, Zhou Zhiyu stayed behind and waited until Lin Xi had a free moment before approaching her. Her expression was slightly reserved: "Team Leader Lin, my name is Zhou Zhiyu. I am the temporary person in charge of Yiyu. Thank you for giving Yiyu this opportunity. I will definitely not let you down!"
"You're welcome. Your work is excellent and deserves such a good position."
Lin Xi decided to place Yi Yu in a prominent position in the promotion, not only because of Gu Keli's influence, but also because the Hanfu displayed in Yi Yu's materials at the time left a deep impression on her, and it was indeed suitable to be placed in the center.
However, she did not expect that the girl Gu Keli was talking about looked so pure and innocent, as if she had never experienced the world.
I couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "Are you still a student?"
Zhou Zhiyu nodded: "Yes, I am a sophomore majoring in fashion design at Nanjing University."
She explained, “Ms. Shi Huifang in the information is my maternal grandmother. She is in poor health and cannot overwork herself, so I am in charge of this exhibition.”
"so--"
Seeing that Zhou Zhiyu was only eighteen or nineteen years old, yet had to shoulder such a heavy responsibility, Lin Xi felt a strange pity for her.
Zhou Zhiyu noticed the subtle change in her expression and mistakenly thought that Lin Xi was worried about her lack of experience and was afraid that she would change her mind. She hurriedly explained, "However, I started learning the craft of making Hanfu from my grandmother when I was five years old. I was able to complete a whole set of Hanfu by high school. You don't need to worry, I can do it well!"
“Don’t be nervous,” Lin Xi patted her arm to reassure her. “Since we’ve already decided on the location, we won’t change it easily. However, we still hope that Ms. Shi can attend the opening ceremony on the day of the event, since many people come because of her status as an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage. But if it’s really inconvenient for her, that’s okay, I can make arrangements.”
“It’s convenient.” Zhou Zhiyu nodded hurriedly: “I will bring my grandmother over that day. It’s only two hours. She can handle it, so don’t worry.”
As she spoke, she bowed deeply to Lin Xi, "Thank you for your understanding."
Lin Xi quickly reached out and pulled her up: "Zhiyu, don't be so polite. I'm not much older than you. You can just call me sister."
"Okay, sister." Zhou Zhiyu looked at Lin Xi with her bright, almond-shaped eyes, smiled, and two adorable dimples appeared on her cheeks, making her very cute. "I will definitely do my best for this intangible cultural heritage exhibition!"
The atmosphere relaxed, and Lin Xi chatted with her casually: "Hmm, I saw your promotional pictures, the clothes are all very beautiful, did your grandma make them?"
Speaking of this, Zhou Zhiyu was a little embarrassed: "My grandmother's health has been poor these past two years, and making Hanfu is too mentally taxing, so the first three pieces are my grandmother's work, and the rest are mine. I may not be very skilled at it."
Lin Xi remembered that some of the back pieces were not traditional Hanfu, but rather modified versions that could be worn in everyday life.
She couldn't help but praise, "No, the clothes you designed are very beautiful."
"Can I go to the store later? I'd like to pick some out for myself."
Receiving her praise, Zhou Zhiyu's almond-shaped eyes sparkled and narrowed into beautiful crescent moons: "Of course! If you like something, I'll give it to you."
Lin Xi knew that these handmade garments were expensive, so she quickly declined, saying, "I'll pay for them if they're too pricey."
"It's alright." Zhou Zhiyu was clearly not one for formalities. As she spoke, she stepped back, not giving Lin Xi a chance to refuse. "Sister, you go ahead with your work. I'll wait for you at the shop."
"Young Fish—" Lin Xi turned around to call out to her, but saw that she had already walked quickly into the crowd.
"Lin, please accept it. It's a token of the child's affection." Xu Wenyi, the person in charge of the venue, stood aside and overheard their conversation. She helped persuade them, "Zhiyu is always like this. She always thinks of repaying others tenfold or a hundredfold for the kindness they show her."
As he spoke, he couldn't help but sigh, "Such a good child, it's just a pity that his life is so hard."
His tone was filled with emotion, and his expression was grave, which startled Lin Xi: "Is her grandmother's illness very serious?"
Xu Wenyi nodded and then shook her head, looking sad: "Grandma Shi has cancer, the malignant kind. She has had two major surgeries before, and her body has collapsed. She can no longer make Hanfu. Zhiyu is left with only her and Grandma Shi, who depend on each other for survival. The family's expenses all depend on the Hanfu shop. Zhiyu makes and sells Hanfu while attending school to make a living."
Lin Xi felt a pang of heartache: "Where are her... parents?"
"Her mother gave birth to her in Beicheng. It is said that she died during childbirth. At that time, her family lost contact with her mother and did not know the situation in Beicheng. When Zhiyu was born, she could not find her relatives. The hospital sent her directly to an orphanage. Later, she was adopted and her grandparents took her back when she was five years old. As for her father, according to her grandparents, they had never met him. They only knew that he was from Beicheng. That year, he said he was going to come back to talk about marriage. Later, they did not know how, they could not even contact their daughter."
Lin Xi never expected that Zhou Zhiyu, who seemed gentle and lovely, had such a tragic background.
This reminded her of the dark days after losing her father, and she couldn't help but tear up.
Xu Wenyi started talking and continued, "Zhiyu is such a pitiful child. She didn't have many good years after being brought back home. Her grandfather passed away, leaving only her and her grandmother. And then her grandmother..."
Xu Wenyi shook her head and sighed for a long time, then pleaded with Lin Xi in a pleading tone, "Team Leader Lin, if there's any opportunity at this intangible cultural heritage exhibition, please try to help Zhiyu get more money. This child is diligent and will definitely not let you down!"
"Don't worry, I will."
Just before leaving get off work, Zhou Qi leaned up to Lin Xi and asked, "Xiao Xi, are you going straight home after get off work? Let's go grab some food together."
The houses in Linxi Family Compound are small, so Zhou Qi stayed at a hotel with her team members this time, and the two hadn't eaten together in a long time.
“Okay.” Lin Xi nodded as she packed her things. “But before we leave, I need to go to Yi Yu first.”
Zhou Qi naturally knew that Yiyu was one of the exhibitors at this event.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem with the project?"
"No, I want to buy some clothes."
"Isn't that store selling Hanfu? It's not suitable for work, is it? Or did you buy it for taking pictures?" Zhou Qi asked incredulously.
“They also have modified Hanfu, suitable for everyday wear.” Lin Xi hesitated for a moment, then briefly told Zhou Qi about Zhou Zhiyu’s background. “So I want to buy more, whether or not they can wear them, at least to ease the pressure on the young girl.”
Zhou Qi, with a soft heart, couldn't help but have tears welling up in her eyes upon hearing this: "Then I'll go with you, count me in."
Yi Yu Kai is located in an old alley near where they hold their exhibition.
Zhou Zhiyu had probably been waiting for Lin Xi. She saw them from afar and waved, "Sister Xiaoxi, I'm here."
It was a two-story wooden building with simple decorations and a classic charm.
Upon entering, there were two rows of Hanfu (traditional Han clothing) for men and women. Further inside were workbenches, and it was clear that Zhou Zhiyu was cutting fabric before they arrived.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
