Chapter 13 The Eldest Brother Flees in Disarray
Six months have passed in the blink of an eye.
As autumn turned to winter, Wen Xiaoxiao had become quite capable of handling things independently in Sister Hu's shop at "Shanghai Fashion".
Simple modifications are no longer a problem for me; now I can also independently complete relatively simple garments by following the paper pattern.
She has steady hands, a meticulous mind, and is thoughtful; she does the same work better than others.
Sister Hu noticed this and formally told her at the end of the year, "Xiaoxiao, starting next month, you'll be paid by the piece for your work. The more you do, the more you earn. Although it won't be as much as the experienced workers, it'll still be an income source."
Piece-rate wages meant she was no longer just a lowly apprentice doing odd jobs.
Wen Xiaoxiao held the first month's wages that Sister Hu handed her—eighty-seven yuan and fifty cents. Although it wasn't much, every penny was earned by herself through hard work.
She carefully wrapped the money in a handkerchief and put it in her inner pocket.
While taking measurements for a customer, Sister Hu said to her, "To become a good tailor, there's no other trick than to observe more, practice more, and think more. In the early stages, you have to 'throw' fabric around. It hurts to ruin good fabric, but experience comes from those moments of heartache. Take it apart and alter it, alter it and take it apart again, until the threads and fabric scraps pile up like mountains, and that's how you hone your skills."
Wen Xiaoxiao kept these words in mind.
She was no longer content with making simple clothes, and began to secretly observe Sister Hu doing more demanding work, such as... suits.
Sister Hu once said that the cost of making a well-fitting suit could be equivalent to the labor cost of several ordinary clothes, but that also requires the most skill.
Wen Xiaoxiao had a thought in her mind.
Zhao Qingda stopped going home altogether.
Since winter began, he hasn't stepped into the courtyard house for almost two months.
Occasionally, when Li Yugu was really worried, he would go to the station to look for him, and he would always see him sticking together with that woman named Wang Juan, just like a proper married couple.
Li Yugu cursed, cried, and even dragged Zhao Qingda back by the ear in front of everyone, but he left again after only two days, becoming even more outrageous.
"That wretched child! He's going to ruin this family completely!" Li Yugu cried to Wen Xiaoxiao, her heart aching with anger.
"Xiaoxiao, I'm so sorry, I didn't discipline this beast properly..."
Wen Xiaoxiao simply handed over a cup of hot water silently, her face expressionless.
Are you heartbroken? It seems I've been heartbroken for a long time, and all that's left is numbness.
Angry? Yes, but mostly angry at my own foolish expectations.
Now, she has neither the energy nor the inclination to waste her emotions on Zhao Qingda.
It's actually quieter here now that he's not back.
She just wanted to hold onto the little bit of light she had finally earned.
Sister Hu's words echoed in my ears: "Making suits makes money."
She bought a piece of dark blue woolen cloth, which was thick and had a deep color, and it cost her almost half a month's salary.
The fabric was kept at the bottom of the trunk, and she would take it out to touch it whenever she had free time, repeatedly thinking about how to handle the shoulder line, waist, and lapel of the suit.
But who should I make it for?
To practice, you need a real person to imitate.
Zhao Qingda? Pshaw, he doesn't deserve it.
Wen Xiaoxiao felt a wave of unease just thinking about that name.
Her brother? He's a suitable candidate. His build is similar to Zhao Fei's, but he works far away and can't come back even once every year or two.
After much thought, the most suitable person at the moment turned out to be Zhao Fei.
He was tall and well-proportioned, with broad shoulders and a thick back, the kind of figure that would make a suit fit him perfectly.
Moreover... in a corner of Wen Xiaoxiao's heart, she vaguely felt that it seemed... quite good to make him her first proper suit.
The thought made her cheeks flush slightly.
That evening, Wen Xiaoxiao cooked dinner as usual.
Li Yugu was preoccupied. After eating only a few bites, he took Zhao Yidi, who had finished her homework, to the west wing to watch TV.
Only Zhao Fei and Wen Xiaoxiao remained in the main room.
Zhao Fei seemed to have gotten used to the quiet, and ate his meal silently.
He has lost some weight recently, and his jawline is more defined, but the composure between his brows gives him a different kind of temperament from Zhao Qingda's frivolousness.
After hesitating for a while, Wen Xiaoxiao took the opportunity while ladling soup to speak softly: "Big brother, there's something I'd like to ask you for a favor."
Zhao Fei raised his head: "Go on."
"I...I want to learn how to make suits, so I bought a piece of fabric."
Wen Xiaoxiao was a little embarrassed. "But I don't know what size to make it fit. Sister Hu said that I need to have a size first... Could you... please do me a favor and let me take your measurements? Just... just to make a sample for me."
After she finished speaking, she didn't dare to look Zhao Fei in the eye and stared down at her bowl.
Zhao Fei was stunned for a moment.
Taking measurements? That means she'll take a measuring tape, get close to him, and measure against him...
He looked at her blushing profile, the words of refusal swirling around his lips, but ultimately he simply said, "Okay."
Wen Xiaoxiao breathed a sigh of relief, "Then... I'll wait for you in the main room after we finish eating."
Wen Xiaoxiao turned on the light in the main room, took out the soft measuring tape she had prepared beforehand, and her heart was pounding in her chest.
Zhao Fei washed his face and came in, taking off his heavy cotton coat and wearing only a dark old sweater, which made his shoulders look even broader and his waist even narrower.
"How do I measure it?" He stood in the center of the room, his body somewhat stiff.
"You...you just need to stand still." Wen Xiaoxiao tried her best to appear professional.
She first measured his shoulder width, wrapping the measuring tape around his broad shoulders.
My fingertips touched his body beneath his sweater, and even through the thick sweater, I could still feel his firm muscles and body temperature.
Then comes the bust size.
She needed to wrap the measuring tape around his back to his chest.
The pose almost looked like she was hugging him from behind.
Her arm gently encircled his body, her nose just inches from his back.
You could smell a faint scent of soap and a hint of unpleasant smoky aroma emanating from him.
Her face flushed instantly, but luckily she was standing behind him and he couldn't see it.
Zhao Fei's body was as tense as a stone.
The woman's soft arms wrapped around his chest.
The warm breath brushed against the back of his neck, and the faint scent of face cream emanating from her body... all of this made his blood run wild.
He held his breath, and the strange reaction caused fine beads of sweat to appear on his forehead.
Next came the measurements of waist, sleeve length, and garment length... Each wrap of the measuring tape, each unintentional touch of fingertips, felt like a tiny electric current crackling silently between the two of them.
The main room was eerily quiet.
When measuring the length of the pants, you need to measure from the waist to the ankle.
Wen Xiaoxiao squatted down, and the soft measuring tape ran down along the side of his leg.
This angle and posture made Zhao Fei's blood rush.
Wen Xiaoxiao's hand suddenly stopped, and she froze as if she had been burned.
Her face immediately flushed red, and even her ears and neck turned crimson.
She stared intently at the cotton trousers fabric in front of her, her mind blank, and she almost dropped the measuring tape and chalk in her hand.
He abruptly took a step back, "Have you... have you finished measuring? I... I'll go back to my room first!"
After saying that, he turned around and rushed out of the main room as if fleeing from some flood or ferocious beast. He almost smashed open the door of his main room and then slammed it shut with a loud bang.
Wen Xiaoxiao remained in a half-squatting position for several seconds before slowly standing up.
She walked to the table, gripped the cold edge, her face burning, her heart still pounding.
She saw what just happened.
She wasn't an ignorant girl; she understood what it meant.
Embarrassment and a hint of hidden embarrassment intertwined, leaving her feeling utterly confused.
She didn't know what to think or how to face it.
In the end, she simply packed up her measuring tape and chalk, and picked up her notebook.
She looked at the sizes and numbers, closed the notebook, and clutched it tightly in her hand.
Outside the window, the winter night wind howled past.
In the east wing, the sewing machine stood quietly in the corner.
Its owner, however, was in turmoil, standing in the silence and awkwardness of the room, unsure of what to do.
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