When the two entered Jiaoniang Pavilion, Lü Siniang was busy introducing fabrics to the guests.
Seeing the two enter, she gestured towards the counter. Gu Nanjiao walked over and saw two finished men's garments neatly arranged there.
Lü Siniang was incredibly fast; she finished it in just one day and one night.
Gu Nanjiao handed the clothes to Lu Yanzhao: "Go try them on."
After Lu Yanzhao came out after trying on the clothes, Gu Nanjiao couldn't help but stare in amazement.
He was tall and slender, dressed in an elegant blue robe. Even he paled in comparison to his striking features and beautiful face that was neither feminine nor effeminate.
Although I already knew that Lu Yanzhao was exceptionally handsome, with a celestial appearance, and whose elegance was undeniable even in simple linen clothes, he still looked absolutely stunning in the clothes I designed.
Although Gu Nanjiao was amazed for a while, she quickly lowered her eyes.
She's so beautiful that even her own designs pale in comparison. If she were to actually wear one out, who would even notice the clothes, or remember what it looked like?
At this moment, Lü Siniang approached with a gleam in her eyes: "Oh my, you have the appearance of an immortal, so stunning! This outfit looks dull and lackluster on you."
Hearing Lü Siniang's words, Gu Nanjiao felt even more upset.
Lu Yanzhao didn't speak, but just looked at Gu Nanjiao quietly, a smile playing on his lips.
"Do you have a veil?" Gu Nanjiao turned to ask Lü Siniang, who was staring at her with a lovesick expression.
"Yes, yes," Lü Siniang turned around and handed a white veil to Gu Nanjiao.
Gu Nanjiao waved the veil in her hand and said, "Put it on."
Lu Yanzhao frowned and his face darkened: "You want me to wear this thing? It's so girly. I won't wear it."
Gu Nanjiao looked at his face, which was as cold as could be, and was about to get angry, but then she remembered that she needed his help this afternoon, so she held back.
Today is the Little New Year, and the street where Jiaoniang Pavilion is located will open a night market, brightly lit. This is a great opportunity for promotion, and you won't get another chance if you miss it.
She forced a smile and said through gritted teeth, "If you just put it on and stand outside, I'll give you ten percent of the silver."
Lu Yanzhao, however, was unmoved, turning his face away and saying indifferently, "A gentleman loves money, but he acquires it in a proper way."
Damn it! She even gave him a tenth of her money, and he refused it. It's her own fault for not discussing it with Lu Yanzhao beforehand, which led to him acting all high and mighty now.
However, Lu Yanzhao loves to eat, so why not try to coax him with some delicious food?
"I'll make you a hot pot when we get home..." Gu Nanjiao suddenly leaned closer and whispered.
The pleasant female voice carried an indescribable allure.
Lu Yanzhao remained unmoved. Did they think they could bribe him with just a hotpot meal? Dream on.
"Dry pot potatoes, French fries, fried chicken, sweet and sour pork ribs, hot and sour potato noodles..."
Upon hearing what Gu Nanjiao said, Lu Yanzhao's eyes flickered, and he wanted to swallow, but he forced himself to hold back.
Seeing that Lu Yanzhao's expression seemed to soften somewhat, Gu Nanjiao continued, "Small wontons, steamed egg dumplings, salt and pepper chicken..."
"Alright!" Lu Yanzhao put on a reluctant expression, but inside he was overjoyed.
He didn't have the pretentious airs of a scholar; so what if he stood there? He'd been watching him for years, and he was used to it. The key was that it would earn him Gu Nanjiao's attentive cooking—it was a worthwhile deal no matter how you looked at it.
In the afternoon, Lü Siniang began to organize promotional activities for the shop.
She invited many female ready-to-wear models, divided into four age groups. Middle-aged women in their forties mainly showcased ready-to-wear clothes for older women, while women in their twenties were responsible for showcasing ready-to-wear clothes for younger women. She also modeled girls as young as fifteen or sixteen, and even girls as young as eight or nine.
Lu Yanzhao stood quietly to one side, his face covered by a white mask that barely showed his face, giving him a hazy and mysterious feeling, while his clothes were still visible despite his face.
Lü Siniang truly lived up to her reputation as a strong woman; she was incredibly efficient. Not only did she do exactly as Gu Nanjiao instructed, but she also meticulously arranged even the details that Gu Nanjiao hadn't considered.
A bronze gong was placed at the door, and Lü Siniang banged it a few times.
Soon, a crowd gathered at the entrance of Jiaoniang Pavilion. They found it very strange, as they had never seen a clothing store allow people to wear clothes out for display.
Humans are visual creatures. When a beautiful garment is worn by a model and she walks around, people automatically imagine how it would look on themselves.
In addition, there was an event today where those who ordered clothes could receive a free gift of kudzu root powder for beauty and health. With this event, people rushed to place orders, keeping Gu Nanjiao and Lü Siniang extremely busy. Lü Siniang regretted not hiring more people to help, and Gu Nanjiao hadn't expected the promotion to be so effective.
They were busy until the night market ended before they finally stopped. They were parched, their hair disheveled, and they looked utterly exhausted.
Lu Siniang paid the garment models five hundred coins each. Looking at their wages, the models grinned from ear to ear. They had just stood there, done nothing, walked around a few times, and earned so much.
"Come to us again if you need anything like this next time!" the older woman said before leaving.
"Of course, of course, you did a great job, I'll come back to you next time." Lu Siniang greeted them warmly as they left.
Gu Nanjiao's eyes lit up with an alarming gleam. She counted the silver in front of her and exclaimed, "Wow, I can earn twenty taels in one day! And with the endless stream of orders coming in, what will happen in the future...?" The more she thought about it, the happier she became.
Lu Yanzhao was unhappy. He was very hungry, yes, the kind of hungry where his stomach was practically sticking to his back.
They hadn't eaten anything that morning, only a chicken leg to stave off hunger. Afterwards, they followed Gu Nanjiao to the clothing store, and the two of them have been busy ever since, without a drop of water.
Gu Nanjiao and Lü Siniang didn't feel hungry at all; they were extremely excited at the sight of the piles of silver. When it was time to divide the silver, Lü Siniang took out forty taels and handed them to Gu Nanjiao.
"So much??" Gu Nanjiao was very puzzled. She had earned a total of twenty taels today, and she was only given forty taels?
"It's almost Chinese New Year, so I'm giving you an advance of one month's share. The finished clothes and kudzu root powder are all in here," said Lü Siniang.
"My dear sister, you're so understanding." Gu Nanjiao hugged the silver to her chest and smiled happily.
"Cough cough."
Lu Yanzhao, who had been ignored, couldn't help but cough a few times before Gu Nanjiao remembered him. She had been so busy counting money that she had forgotten about him.
"I'm hungry!" Lu Yanzhao's voice was dry and weak.
"Hey, I was so busy I forgot you haven't eaten yet!" Lu Siniang said, slapping her thigh.
The three of them ordered a braised duck, a salt-boiled chicken, several vegetable dishes, and a bowl of noodles each. They ate ravenously, especially Lu Yanzhao.
Before leaving, Gu Nanjiao remembered that Lü Siniang had a son and asked, "The academy is on holiday, why don't I see your son?"
Hearing Gu Nanjiao's question, Lü Siniang said somewhat embarrassedly, "My son is staying at his teacher's house today."
Gu Nanjiao was quite surprised. What kind of teacher would be so kind? Even helping to take care of the child! Thinking this, she asked, "Is the teacher so responsible that he even brings his student home to take care of him?"
Upon hearing this, Lü Siniang blushed slightly: "Oh dear, it was only when I was quite busy that I stayed at the Master's house. That Master Gu is a responsible and kind person."
"Oh~~ What a nice person~" Gu Nanjiao teased her by deliberately drawing out her voice.
When Lu Siniang was teased, she quickly nudged Gu Nanjiao and said, "Go back quickly, your husband is getting impatient."
Lu Yanzhao was indeed getting impatient. He couldn't understand how a woman could have so much to say, as if she had endless things to talk about.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com