Captain Chen raised his glass towards Ji Xia and said, "The Chen family's success this year is all thanks to Ah Xia. I'd like to toast you."
Ji Xia quickly picked up her wine glass and stood up, flattered: "Father, you flatter me. This is all the result of their own hard work. How is it my fault?"
"Why not?"
Xu Yufen said with a smile, "If it weren't for your sake, your second brother wouldn't have arranged anything for his younger brother. Your third uncle doesn't have a job, and Xiao Xu's father wouldn't have had the chance to make a living like this."
You taught me how to make candied chestnuts, and you also taught my sister-in-law how to make caramelized and spiced melon seeds. Without you, we wouldn't have these good days.
The brigade leader and his wife nodded repeatedly to Chen Zhang: "The people in the brigade say that Xia is a lucky star and has good fortune for her husband. It's really true."
Chen Jing looked at her with a smile and hooked her palm with his finger under the table.
"Yes, Xia is my greatest benefactor. Without you, I would still be a small-time hoodlum, making a little money by reselling goods with Brother Song! Here, to thank you, have your favorite chicken wing."
He placed a piece of chicken wing in Ji Xia's bowl and winked at her: "Eat whichever you want, I'll let you eat your fill tonight."
Even though he was speaking very seriously, why did Ji Xia feel that his gaze was a little dirty?
She suspected he was driving, but unfortunately there was no proof.
She gave him a quick, subtle glare, but Ji Xia readily accepted the compliment.
Although Chen Jing was very powerful in his previous life, without her, he would have to wait four or five years to start making a name for himself with the help of influential people in the city!
Starting with her now means they're equal partners, you don't have to be subservient to her, and your self-esteem won't be hurt.
Thinking of this, Ji Xia chuckled: "My parents and brother also said that everything in the family has been going smoothly since I was born, and it was only in the last two years that things started to go a little unlucky."
Chen Jing sneered: "It must be Lin Haodong who passed on the bad luck to you. He's a jinx who sucked away your good luck. You got into university, but luckily you broke up with him later. Now it's someone else who's having bad luck."
Xu Yufen whispered, "What the third brother said makes some sense. That educated youth Liu has been extremely unlucky since she got together with him."
After eating only half a meal, Captain Chen said, "If you want to go home, go and take a look. We live so close by anyway."
This was said to Ji Xia. Upon hearing this, Chen Jing and Ji Xia were delighted. They quickly finished their drinks and food and then slipped away.
Ji Xia went back inside and retrieved two red envelopes and a notebook, while Chen Jing carried two bottles of wine. The two then turned and went to the Ji family home.
At the Ji family home, Secretary Ji was drinking with Old Man Sun, the Ji brothers, and the other two men, Ji Zhijun and Ji Zhijun, discussing wedding preparations.
Ji's mother and her two daughters-in-law were already sitting to the side with their children, talking about their parenting experiences.
Hearing Ji Xia and Chen Jing's voices coming from outside the courtyard, Ji Xiangjun laughed loudly: "Chen Jing, come and have a drink."
Chen Jing grinned and sat down next to Ji Xiangjun, while Ji Xia, carrying two red envelopes, sat down next to Zhang Hong.
"Oh my, are your two little darlings still awake? Auntie's brought you New Year's red envelopes."
As Ji Xia spoke, she stuffed two large red envelopes into the clothes of the two babies, sat down next to Sun Xiaoyu, and whispered with a smile, "Sister-in-law, what are your plans for your wedding with your second brother?"
Upon hearing this, Sun Xiaoyu gave Ji Xiangjun a gentle look: "Let's keep things simple. We don't want to make things too complicated."
"Keep everything simple? Is that a good idea? Have you prepared your wedding dress yet?"
Sun Xiaoyu shook her head: "I don't have time to think about that. I'm planning to just pick one out of the factory."
"That's too casual, not good."
Ji Xia shook her head. They started out making women's clothing. As the founding members of Sansheng, how could she be casual about her wedding dress?
She tugged at Sun Xiaoyu's sleeve, gesturing for her to sit closer, and then took out a sketchbook from her backpack.
She recently painted several new wedding dresses with even more exquisite embroidery patterns, making them look even more glamorous on the models.
Sun Xiaoyu looked at the several design drafts and shook her head inwardly: "Too complicated, how could I have time to make this?"
Ji Xia winked at her: "You forgot? There are a few girls in the brigade who are free. I'll gather them together, give each of them a piece, and we can definitely finish it in a few days."
She was confident in this. Ji Xia learned some embroidery techniques by asking Rong Xiaorou for advice and by reading books on her own. She also taught two or three careful and efficient young girls in the workshop.
Among the girls, the one who was born to do this job best was Hou Fang's younger sister, Hou Xiaolian, and the second best was Zhang Lan.
Later generations of Xiuhe dresses were mostly machine-embroidered. Machine embroidery is fast, but not complicated. It only requires basic skills. Machine embroidery cannot do truly complex embroidery techniques, such as double-sided embroidery.
Although Ji Xia and others do not know how to do very complicated embroidery, most small workshops can do it by the level of machine embroidery.
Eight girls in the brigade were on holiday, and with Ji Xia's influence, she believed they would agree to help even without pay.
After persuading Ji Xia for a while, Sun Xiaoyu was tempted and chose a Xiuhe dress with a stand-up collar embroidered with auspicious clouds, lotus vines, and wave patterns.
After all, what young girl doesn't want a grand and unforgettable wedding?
Zhang Hong curiously leaned over for a few glances, then whispered in surprise, "Little sister, did you draw all of these?"
“Yes, it’s all me.” Ji Xia nodded.
Zhang Hong stared at it in surprise for a while, then suddenly realized: "The wedding dresses that the supply and marketing cooperative sometimes gets are somewhat similar to this one. Did you also draw them?"
Sun Xiaoyu explained with a smile, "A-Xia draws design drafts for two factories. Almost all the fashionable new wedding dresses in the county and province are designed by her."
When Zhang Hong saw this gorgeous and elegant new wedding dress, a look of envy appeared in her eyes.
When she married into the Ji family, she only had a light red shirt and white cloth shoes. It was Ji Zhijun who specially took her to buy a few feet of red cloth and had them made by a tailor.
Back then, her younger sister Zhang Qing was extremely envious, but compared to her current siblings, they were far inferior.
Having chosen the style, Ji Xia visited Chen Qiuyu's home the next day to offer New Year's greetings and discuss with Chen Qiuyu the matter of making a wedding dress for Sun Xiaoyu as a gift.
Chen Qiuyu was injured and could only stay at home, feeling annoyed. Upon hearing Ji Xia's suggestion, he immediately agreed.
Several colleagues came to visit, and when Chen Qiuyu mentioned Ji Xia's suggestion, most of the young women agreed.
Ji Xia was a leader in the factory, and her suggestion was for Sun Xiaoyu's wedding dress. The young girls were eager to please the Ji family, so how could they dare to refuse?
Seeing that they agreed so readily, Ji Xia smiled and reminded them, "If you have a lot of work to do at home and are really too busy to come, we won't force you."
Chen Qiuyu chuckled: "Don't worry, they're just looking for something to do to avoid getting entangled with Lin Haodong!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
