With more and more people gathering outside the shop, the competition had to proceed. Wang Mei glanced around and, seeing that most of the people looked rather rustic, set her gaze on her younger sister, Wang Li.
She's not stupid; if the clothes she makes aren't sold because the price is unreasonable, she'll lose money. But Wang Li is different; she's one of them, so even if there's a problem, she can lie to her conscience.
She beckoned to Wang Li, and her sister immediately understood. The two of them stared at Jiang Yu, waiting for her to choose someone, looking like they were about to have a good show.
Some people don't necessarily need to wear outstanding clothes. But if they have a certain charisma, that's a different story.
Jiang Yu spotted an ordinary-looking girl in the crowd, wearing black-rimmed glasses, standing timidly at the back, seemingly wanting to look but hesitant to approach. She walked through the crowd and gently spoke to her:
"Comrade, can you be my model?"
The girl was about the same age as Jiang Yu and ran a cake shop in the department store. Although she wasn't particularly good-looking, she was very kind.
"Me?"
She witnessed the whole process from when Wang Li came looking for trouble and felt sorry for Jiang Yu. But her inherent timidity made her back down, and in the end, she couldn't help at all.
Moreover, the clothes in Jiang Yu's shop were so beautiful that she thought they must be very expensive and she didn't have the money to buy them.
"Are you willing?"
Jiang Yu was very confident in her skills. In her opinion, as long as she could make a dress that accentuated a girl's figure, it would definitely amaze everyone present.
She nodded, then shook her head, looking troubled. Jiang Yu couldn't help but ask if she had any concerns. She told Jiang Yu about her worries about holding her back, and Jiang Yu couldn't help but take her hand to reassure her.
When Wang Mei pulled her into the store, she glanced at her and couldn't help but burst out laughing. Seeing that many people were puzzled, she pretended to be embarrassed and explained:
"It's alright. This woman works at the cake shop next door. She seems to have an elderly mother who is paralyzed and a younger brother who is in college. They are penniless. She opened the shop here using her father's funeral expenses. If you make clothes for her, you'll be so happy that you won't be able to sleep for half a year. But let me give you a piece of advice: you probably won't get your initial investment back."
Wang Mei feigned concern for her, but in reality, she was already certain of victory. How could someone who can't even pick models possibly make good clothes? Absolutely not.
"What does that have to do with you?"
Jiang Yu stared at her with a smile, as if she could see right through the other person.
Upon hearing the news, the staff maintaining order in the department store went to report to the manager, Sister Lian, and described the situation verbatim.
Sister Lian was a woman of great vision. She didn't blame the two for causing such a commotion because of their personal grudges. Instead, she was full of ideas on how to use this as a gimmick to attract customers. She immediately instructed her staff to clear out a spot in the center of the second-floor lobby for the competition.
After a brief uproar, some men helped Wang Mei move the fabric and tools she needed. When moving the sewing machine, she specifically told the staff to be careful.
In contrast, many people were tempted by Jiang Yu's appearance. But she was independent and self-reliant. She chose a few pieces of fabric that complemented her skin tone, grabbed the necessary tools, and headed to the venue.
"Where's your sewing machine? If you don't have one, are you planning to sew by hand?"
Jiang Yu heard the voice and followed the sound; it was the man who had just refused her help. It was as if he was deliberately trying to embarrass her.
She had considered this possibility. Since the clothing stores in the mall were all competitors to some extent, seeking help from others was simply impossible. But who says making clothes necessarily requires a sewing machine? Her hand-sewing was a bit rough, but it was still acceptable.
With this mindset, Jiang Yu cheerfully explained that it was normal not to have all the necessary tools since she had just opened the shop. However, she added that overall, her abilities were quite good, so some things weren't necessarily necessities.
Wang Mei snorted coldly, dismissing her nonsense. She held up the fabric in her hand and held it up against Wang Li, occasionally frowning in deep thought.
Jiang Yu gestured for the girl to relax, as she had chosen a versatile white color because of her dull skin. Her every smile and gesture gave off a fresh, girl-next-door vibe. She planned to wear a white shirt with a hazy blue plaid suspender skirt.
Take a ruler, measure carefully, write the dimensions on a piece of paper, and record them meticulously.
The top was made of pure cotton; worried it would be cold in winter, she added an extra layer. The girl, Liu Cui, touched the fabric with some concern. The fabric was smooth and seemed expensive. Worried about not having enough money, she whispered:
"Comrade, how about we cut one layer off? I'm full of energy and I'm not afraid of the cold."
Jiang Yu's hand holding the scissors trembled slightly. She looked over, saw the woman's troubled expression, and smiled.
"It's alright. You're my first customer since I opened, so don't worry about the money. If you have it, pay up; if not, that's fine too."
Liu Cui repeatedly refused, saying that she would only buy things within her means. Their conversation created a harmonious atmosphere for everyone present.
At another stall, the Wang sisters, Wang Li and Wang Mei, were arguing fiercely. Wang Li wanted a pink top, but Wang Mei disagreed.
"Your skin is already dark, and then you chose a pink one. Are you afraid that people will recognize your features when you walk down the street? And that green polyester fabric you're holding is just indescribable. Red and green, who taught you how to match colors? If you don't know how to choose, then don't choose. Can't you just sit here quietly?"
Wang Mei was used to her own unique style of making clothes, and now that someone had contradicted her, she was so angry that she wanted to take scissors and cut the fabric in the other person's hand.
"So what if I have dark skin? Dark skin means that wearing pink will definitely turn heads on the street. What is this black fabric you're wearing? It looks like something an old lady would wear. I'm only 28. If I'm wearing this now, what will I wear when I'm old?"
Wang Li felt that her so-called older sister was acting strangely, always choosing colors that were either plain or dark. No wonder her business hadn't been doing well in recent years; it seemed there was a reason for it.
Wang Mei was too lazy to waste words with her, and started cutting according to the drawn pattern, pretending not to see her sister, who was like a fly.
Jiang Yu had already cut out the clothes; all that was left was to sew them. Before that, she needed to sew the corners together with needle and thread to prevent them from becoming misaligned and looking bad.
"Hello, where is the manager of the Sui Sui Nian Nian clothing store?"
Shen Ying entered the mall through a side door and found the clothing store's doors locked and no one around, which puzzled him greatly.
Having finally spotted the patrolling staff, I hurriedly inquired.
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