Miracle on lace
"Twenty percent of the scarf's value?"
Mrs. Chen was the first to burst out laughing, as if she had heard a ridiculous joke. Pointing at the scarf, she said to her fellow card players, "Listen! I spent a full three hundred dollars on this scarf! And she's charging me sixty dollars to patch a small hole? That's like robbery!"
Three hundred dollars was enough for an average family to live on for a year at the time, and sixty dollars was enough for an average person to earn half a year's wages.
The atmosphere in the living room suddenly became somewhat tense. The ladies began to whisper among themselves, their initial curiosity turning into a kind of contemptuous look at Ling Xiuqing. They felt that this young girl, newly married, had never seen the world, her mind clouded by money, and her arrogance was beyond her control.
Jin Meiling's face also turned grim. She felt that it was really embarrassing for Ah Xiu to discuss money in front of so many people, and it was embarrassing for her.
Facing the ridicule and questioning of the crowd, Ling Xiuqing's expression did not change at all. She just quietly pinched the silk scarf, as if caressing a piece of art.
When their laughter died down, she slowly raised her head and looked calmly at Mrs. Chen. "Mrs. Chen, your scarf is valuable because of its brand, design, and rarity. That hole instantly turned it from a three-hundred-yuan luxury item into a worthless piece of scrap fabric."
She paused, her voice clear and powerful. "My craftsmanship isn't about patching a hole, but about making this piece of scrap cloth worth three hundred yuan, or even... more than three hundred yuan. Don't you think this value is worth sixty yuan?"
These words are powerful and clear.
The living room fell silent instantly. The ladies looked at each other, unable to find a reason to refute.
Yes, what makes a luxury item a luxury is its perfection. The slightest flaw is enough to render its value zero. And how can we measure the value of the craftsmanship that can bring it back to life?
Mrs. Chen's face flushed and paled with choking. She'd intended to embarrass Ah Xiu, but she'd been outmaneuvered by this young girl. Now she was in a difficult position. If she took the scarf back, wouldn't it seem petty and unable to afford the sixty yuan?
"What a sharp tongue!" She snorted coldly, pulling out six ten-dollar bills from her purse and slapping them on the table. "I want to see how you can make it worth more than three hundred dollars! If you don't mend it well, I won't even give you six cents, let alone sixty dollars!"
This is a naked provocation.
This was exactly the effect Ling Xiuqing was aiming for. She wanted to establish not only price rules but also the authority of craftsmanship.
She took the sixty dollars, took out ten, and handed them to the maid beside her. "Please buy me the finest five-colored gold thread from the Dechang shipyard in the west of the city. The remaining fifty is my commission."
She even specified the source of the materials clearly, which showed her professionalism and stopped others from accusing her of selling inferior products as high-quality ones.
The maid quickly bought the silk thread.
Thus, this afternoon tea for the socialites and ladies turned into Ah Xiu's personal skills performance show.
She did not return to the studio, but sat on the floor in this magnificent living room, in front of everyone. She took out a hair-thin embroidery needle from her needle bag and moved it smoothly.
Everyone's breathing became lighter, and all eyes were focused on her dexterous hands.
She did not try to hide the burn hole, but instead started her own creation with the small hole as the center.
Her needlework is neither the "fusion" used in lace repair nor the "covering" used in mending cotton-padded jackets. She employs a nearly lost court embroidery technique called "inlaid kingfisher feather embroidery." This technique uses extremely fine gold thread as feathers, mimicking the technique of ancient inlaid kingfisher jewelry, creating a metallic sheen and feather-like texture.
Five-colored gold threads danced at her fingertips at a speed that was dazzling.
But in just half an hour, when she inserted the last needle, everyone was once again stunned by the scene before them.
The previously annoying burnt hole on the scarf has completely disappeared.
Instead, there is a colorful kingfisher perched on the print!
The kingfisher was barely the size of a thumb, yet exquisitely crafted. Its feathers, composed of layers of five-colored gold thread, shimmered in the light with a gorgeous metallic sheen, as if inlaid entirely with kingfisher feathers. Its eyes, outlined with the finest black lines, appeared piercing and full of spirit.
This kingfisher not only perfectly covers up the flaws, but also forms a wonderful interaction with the original floral pattern on the scarf, as if it was really attracted by the floral fragrance on the scarf and just landed to rest.
The finishing touch!
No, this is simply turning everything into gold!
"Oh my God..." Mrs. Chen covered her mouth, her eyes full of disbelief. She quickly stepped forward, picked up the scarf, and looked at it over and over again, her face full of undisguised ecstasy.
This scarf is no longer just an ordinary limited edition. With this unique and exquisitely crafted kingfisher, it has become a one-of-a-kind piece! A true work of art!
Not to mention three hundred yuan, even if it’s six hundred yuan, I’m afraid there will be people scrambling to buy it!
"It's worth it! It's absolutely worth it!" Mrs. Chen excitedly shook Ling Xiuqing's hand. "Miss Axiu, no, Master Axiu! I'm convinced that these sixty dollars are well spent!"
In the living room, the other ladies also gathered around, their eyes full of envy and desire.
"Miss Ah Xiu, there's a hole in my fox fur coat. Look..."
"Master! One of my ruby brooches has fallen off. Could you use your skills to help me 'inlay' a red butterfly on it?"
"I'll pay double the price!"
In an instant, the situation completely reversed.
The ladies who had been full of contempt for her just now were now scrambling to place orders with her, their words full of respect and flattery.
Ling Xiuqing slowly stood up and put away her needlework. She looked at the enthusiastic faces before her and simply repeated calmly:
"Ladies, I'm sure you're all aware of my rules."
This time, no one dared to object.
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