Grandma Li, seeing Su Wanyu and Jiang Mianmian wearing such thin clothes, immediately asked with concern, "Xiao Su, Mianmian, isn’t it cold wearing so little in the dead of winter?"
"Grandma Li, what we are wearing is called ’down jackets.’ These jackets are filled with specially treated duck down, which has great insulation. They are warm and lightweight, not cold at all," Jiang Mianmian crisply explained.
Grandma Li nodded in relief, "As long as you’re not cold."
"So they are called down jackets, they really look nice."
Wang Li’s mother immediately took a liking to the clothes on Su Wanyu and asked curiously, "Hey, Xiao Su, where did you and Mianmian buy these new clothes? Why do they look so nice? Are they new arrivals at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative?"
"Yes, such nice clothes must be expensive, right?" Aunt Li also asked curiously.
The other neighbors also listened closely, thinking if the clothes weren’t expensive, they might buy one as well after a hard year to treat themselves.
Hearing this, Jiang Mianmian immediately stood tall, pointed at the beautiful embroidery on her chest done with gold thread, and crisply said, "Auntie, these clothes were bought in Capital City at a tailor shop called ’Jade Cotton.’"
This tailor shop called ’Jade Cotton,’ was a store that Jiang Mianmian and Yu Cheng had opened together in Capital City. Now seeing her neighbors interested in the down jackets, she quickly seized the opportunity to advertise.
"So they were bought in Capital City, no wonder they look so good. You are right, the stuff from Capital City is just better, look how stylish it is."
Upon hearing this, everyone felt that only a place like Capital City could produce such trendy and beautiful clothes, but it was somewhat regrettable.
They had thought if the clothes were from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, they might buy one too; however, items from Capital City were out of reach.
However, they did remember the tailor shop ’Jade Cotton’ that Jiang Mianmian mentioned.
Feeling that a store that could create such nice clothes must be a very formidable store, they too promised to buy a piece if it ever opened a branch in their county.
After chatting for a while, they eventually parted ways as the weather was too cold.
Today was the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month. That evening, Jiang Changhai came home with a gust of cold wind and joyfully said, "Wife, daughter, our factory has closed for the holiday, we can go back to Stone Bridge Village tomorrow to celebrate the New Year."
"That’s great, Brother Hai. I’ve also bought all the stuff today. I’ll pack a little and we can head back early tomorrow morning," Su Wanyu excitedly said.
No matter when, the New Year’s always the most anticipated day of the year.
The next morning, after breakfast, Jiang Changhai’s family, dressed in down jackets personally designed by Jiang Mianmian, borrowed a bicycle from Aunt Li and excitedly headed back to Stone Bridge Village.
As soon as they entered the village, the villagers warmly greeted the well-dressed family of three.
"Changhai, have you come back for the New Year? Bought so much good stuff again? Really have to say, your family has such a dutiful heart, spending quite a bit on things this year, haven’t you?"
Jiang Changhai unmodestly acknowledged, "Well, of course we have to buy some New Year goods, I even bought two sets of new clothes for my parents to fit the festive season."