Chapter 69 Zhao Fei's Happy Life Begins
As dawn approached, the air inside the tailor shop still carried the lingering warmth of the previous night.
Wen Xiaoxiao woke up in Zhao Fei's arms. She moved slightly, and Zhao Fei immediately woke up.
He didn't open his eyes, but tightened his arms, pulling her even closer to him.
Wen Xiaoxiao's face was pressed against his chest, and she could hear his steady and powerful heartbeat.
This intimate posture reminded her of last night, the night when she took the initiative to kiss him and things quickly became uncontrollable.
Zhao Fei's movements were very gentle, almost to the point of being cautious.
He kissed her forehead, eyes, and the tip of her nose before finally placing his kiss on her lips, as if afraid of breaking a precious piece of porcelain.
His hands caressed her back, her waist, every inch of her skin...
"Xiaoxiao..." he whispered in her ear, his voice filled with a longing that had been suppressed for too long.
Wen Xiaoxiao responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and giving herself completely to him.
In those moments of passion and confusion, she heard herself unconsciously murmuring, "Zhao Fei... Zhao Fei..."
Zhao Fei heard this, paused for a moment, and then hugged her even tighter, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
That night, actions spoke louder than words.
They fell into a deep sleep in each other's arms until they were both exhausted.
When it was fully light, both of them felt a little embarrassed.
Wen Xiaoxiao blushed as she dressed, and Zhao Fei hugged her from behind, whispering with a laugh in her ear, "Now you know how to be shy? Who was it last night..."
"Don't say it!" Wen Xiaoxiao turned around and covered his mouth, her face turning even redder.
Zhao Fei took her hand, kissed it, and his eyes were full of smiles.
He hadn't seen Wen Xiaoxiao so lively and energetic in so long.
After washing up, the two ate breakfast.
Soy milk and fried dough sticks—the most ordinary breakfast—but Zhao Fei ate them with exceptional relish.
This was his first breakfast after reuniting with Wen Xiaoxiao, making it exceptionally meaningful.
During dinner, Zhao Fei brought up the serious matter: "Xiaoxiao, I've thought about it. We need to rent another three-bedroom apartment. The one upstairs is too small; it's too cramped with four kids, and Aunt Liu doesn't have room either. Besides..."
He paused, looked at her, and said, "I want to live with you, openly and honestly."
Wen Xiaoxiao lowered her head and stirred the soy milk in her bowl. After a moment of silence, she said softly, "We don't need to rent it anymore."
Zhao Fei was taken aback.
“Let’s stay here like this.” Wen Xiaoxiao looked up, her face still flushed, but her eyes were firm. “You…you stay in the shop. The children can stay upstairs with Aunt Zhou and Aunt Liu. Anyway, the shop is open during the day and no one is here at night.”
Zhao Fei's eyes lit up: "You mean..."
“I mean,” Wen Xiaoxiao’s voice was even lower, almost inaudible, “you can come and stay often in the future.”
Zhao Fei was secretly overjoyed, but he still tried to remain calm: "That...that's so inconvenient. You still have to work during the day."
"What's inconvenient about it?" Wen Xiaoxiao glared at him, her eyes filled with a coquettish shyness. "Didn't you used to live in the pig farm all the time? Now... now treat this place as your second home."
The words were said subtly, but the meaning couldn't be clearer.
Zhao Fei grasped her hand and nodded emphatically: "Okay, okay, I'll do whatever you say."
At that moment, he felt that all the waiting and suffering of the past two years had been worth it.
His Xiaoxiao finally agreed to give him a home—a home that truly belonged to the two of them.
After finishing their meal and returning to the tailor shop, Liu Shuhua had already arrived with Wen Xiaogai.
The little guy was chasing a ball around the shop, wobbling along. When he saw his mother come in, he opened his arms to hug her.
Wen Xiaoxiao picked up her son and kissed his little face.
Liu Shuhua stood to the side, looking at Zhao Fei, her doubts still lingering in her mind since last night.
After Zhao Fei left, Liu Shuhua asked, "Master Wen, who is he...?" She asked tentatively.
“Aunt Liu, this is Zhao Fei.” Wen Xiaoxiao paused, then added, “He…he’s someone who likes me.”
She didn't mention that Zhao Fei was Zhao Qingda's cousin, nor did she mention the complicated past.
In her heart, Zhao Fei was just Zhao Fei, the person she loved, and the father of her child, even though Liu Shuhua didn't know about Yi Zhen and Yi Bao's background.
Liu Shuhua's expression changed, and after hesitating for a moment, she said, "Xiaoxiao, I...I want to tell you something."
"What is it?" Wen Xiaoxiao asked.
"I...I want to resign." Liu Shuhua lowered her head, her voice very soft. "Please don't misunderstand, it's not that I think the pay is too low, or that I think the work is too tiring. It's just...it's just that I feel like I'm superfluous here now that you have someone taking care of you..."
“Aunt Liu!” Wen Xiaoxiao interrupted her, walked over and took Liu Shuhua’s hand, “What are you saying? What do you mean by superfluous or not superfluous? If it weren’t for your help these past two years, I would have collapsed long ago raising three children on my own.”
Liu Shuhua: "But Xiaoxiao, this Mr. Zhao looks capable; he can take care of you and the child. Besides, he has an elderly person at home who can look after the child..."
“No way,” Wen Xiaoxiao said firmly for once. “Aunt Liu, let me tell you, Aunt Zhou is getting old and can’t manage four children by herself. Yizhen and Yibao will be starting kindergarten soon, and Xiaogai is so naughty. Without you, our family can’t function.”
She squeezed Liu Shuhua's hand, her voice softening: "Besides, don't you always say that taking care of a child alone is boring? Now that Aunt Zhou is here to keep you company, the two of you can chat and laugh, making life easier. I'll still pay you your wages, so you can just stay here and work without worry, okay?"
Looking into Wen Xiaoxiao's sincere eyes, Liu Shuhua finally nodded: "Then... then okay."
"I should be thanking you." Wen Xiaoxiao breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
In the afternoon, Zheng Shangyu came to pick up the bikini.
He held the exquisitely crafted swimsuit, examining it from all angles, his eyes filled with amazement: "Master Wen, your craftsmanship is truly superb. The overlocking, the stitching, are better than many of the master craftsmen I've worked with from major factories."
Wen Xiaoxiao was embarrassed by the praise: "Mr. Zheng, you flatter me. I made it according to the design you gave me."
“No, no, no, they’re not the same,” Zheng Shangyu said earnestly. “The same pattern, but different people make them, and the results are worlds apart. The one you made has a perfect cut, smooth lines, it’s tight where it should be tight, and loose where it should be loose, so it will definitely be comfortable to wear.”
He put down his swimsuit, looked at Wen Xiaoxiao, and suddenly asked, "Master Wen, have you ever thought about making your own clothes to sell?"
Wen Xiaoxiao was taken aback: "Making clothes to sell?"
“Yes.” Zheng Shangyu pointed to the ready-made clothes hanging in the shop. “Right now, you mainly take custom orders, waiting for customers to come in and making them one by one. This is a safe way, but it’s slow to make money and tiring. Why don’t you try making a few styles that the general public likes, make more, and hang them up to sell?”
Wen Xiaoxiao shook her head: "That won't work. Everyone's body shape is different, there are too many sizes. If we have to make several sizes for one garment, not only will we have unsold inventory, but what if we can't sell them..."
"Hahaha!" Zheng Shangyu burst into laughter. "Master Wen, you really don't understand the concept of 'one size fits all'!"
He pulled up a stool and sat down, then began to explain to Wen Xiaoxiao: "Now, in big cities, there's a type of clothing that's popular called 'one size fits all,' which means there's only one size available and it fits most people. For example, these loose T-shirts, these wide-leg pants, these dresses, with a little elasticity at the waist, so both slim and curvy people can wear them."
Wen Xiaoxiao listened, completely stunned.
“You have good craftsmanship and a good eye,” Zheng Shangyu continued. “You can choose a few styles that sell well, use comfortable fabrics, and make some basic styles. If you set the prices reasonably, people will definitely buy them. That way, you won’t have to rely entirely on custom orders, and your income will be more stable.”
He also told Wen Xiaoxiao about the outside world: about the wholesale market of the Thirteen Factories in Guangzhou, about the fashion boutiques on Nanjing Road in Shanghai, about the styles that young girls like now, and about how to match colors and fabrics...
Wen Xiaoxiao listened intently.
She realized for the first time that clothes could be made this way, and that business could be run this way.
The world Zheng Shangyu described seemed far away from her, yet it felt as if it were within reach.
After seeing Zheng Shangyu off, Wen Xiaoxiao sat in front of the sewing machine, remaining motionless for a long time.
Looking at the familiar fabrics, scissors, and spools of thread in the shop, a strong impulse suddenly welled up inside her.
Maybe...maybe she could really give it a try?
Since finding Wen Xiaoxiao, Zhao Fei feels that his mind has broadened.
Life has a purpose, and every day is full of hope.
Although there's a lot going on at the pig farm, he now goes to the tailor shop every few days.
Sometimes they come in the afternoon, have dinner, and then go back; sometimes they simply stay overnight and leave early the next morning.
Wen Xiaoxiao felt sorry for him traveling back and forth: "Don't keep running around like that. It takes an hour to drive there. Aren't you tired?"
"I'm not tired." Zhao Fei hugged her and nuzzled her neck. "Seeing you is more relaxing than sleeping for ten hours."
But despite her words, Wen Xiaoxiao still couldn't bear to see him working so hard.
She started calculating the time, knowing roughly when he would arrive, so she would finish her work in advance, settle the children in, and then, when he came, she could talk to him in peace, or... do something else.
That afternoon, Zhao Fei came again.
As soon as I entered, I saw Zheng Shangyu sitting in the shop, holding a picture book and talking to Wen Xiaoxiao.
The two stood very close together. Wen Xiaoxiao listened attentively, nodding occasionally, her eyes sparkling.
Zhao Fei's heart skipped a beat.
After Zheng Shangyu left, Zhao Fei casually asked, "That Mr. Zheng, does he come here often?"
"Hmm," Wen Xiaoxiao said, oblivious to his odd behavior, as she tidied up the fabric, "He's a really nice guy, very knowledgeable, and he's taught me a lot. Look, the patterns he gave me these past few times have turned out quite unique..."
As she was talking, she suddenly realized something was wrong.
Looking up, I saw Zhao Fei with a stern face and a somewhat somber gaze.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Zhao Fei turned his face away: "It's nothing."
Wen Xiaoxiao thought for a moment and suddenly understood. She suppressed a laugh, walked over, and poked his arm: "Jealous?"
"Who's jealous?" Zhao Fei denied it, but the tips of his ears turned a little red.
Wen Xiaoxiao laughed out loud: "Still saying you're not jealous? Your face is so long." She leaned closer to him and lowered her voice: "Zhao Fei, Mr. Zheng is a guest, and a fashion designer at that. I've learned a lot from him, but you..."
She tiptoed and whispered in his ear, "You're my man, the father of my children, the person I'm going to spend my life with. How can that be the same?"
Zhao Fei turned his head and looked into her bright eyes, and the awkwardness in his heart instantly disappeared.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace: "You said it yourself."
"Yes, I said it." Wen Xiaoxiao wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
The kiss was gentle and lingering, carrying a sense of comfort and promise.
The last bit of unease in Zhao Fei's heart was soothed by this kiss.
That night, Wen Xiaoxiao expressed her stance to Zhao Fei in the most direct way.
In the stillness of the night, she tossed and turned beneath him, calling his name in a soft, seductive voice, her fingers leaving red marks on his back.
Zhao Fei was extremely satisfied.
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