Qin Jin laughed and said, "Alright." He understood what an under-the-table job meant: flexible working hours, just needing to complete the assigned audits and tax work on time.
After finishing the popsicle, he casually threw away the stick. "The private market must be bustling around this time. From what I know, the management is lax these days. Even if the patrol team catches you, they won’t do much—maybe just a verbal warning and that’s it. Shall we take a look?"
"Let’s go browse." Li Qiao said excitedly.
Qin Jin thought for a moment and said, "I have a feeling that come next spring, trading will be allowed. As soon as I spot a profitable business, I’ll resign. What do you think?"
"I disagree. What’s wrong with being an accountant? Later on, you can continue to get certifications, and the salary will increase with your qualifications. A proper unit might even have weekends off in the future, and you’d have plenty of time to spend with me and our child." Li Qiao said longingly.
Qin Jin raised an eyebrow. Weekends off? No work on Saturdays in the future? "When you own a business, you can take a break anytime. I’ll take you out to play whenever I’m free."
Li Qiao made a face. Who would believe that? "My sister said that making money is exciting. By then, you’ll be obsessed with money, how will you have time for me? Plus, doing business, there will be lots of young and pretty girls around you. As I get older day by day, and you look good and have lots of money, it’s hard not to worry."
Qin Jin couldn’t help but snicker.
She had so little confidence in herself! "You’re the only one in my heart."
Everyone loves sweet talk.
Li Qiao was no exception; she smiled and paused before saying, "If you change your heart, I’ll leave and go back where I belong."
Qin Jin’s heart skipped a beat. She could leave? He dared not imagine how he would live without her. He immediately declared his love for her alone and swore never to change his heart.
Li Qiao curved the corners of her mouth: "Okay, I’ll believe you for now."
.....
Half an hour later, Qin Jin drove Li Qiao to their destination. There were more people doing small trades compared to last time, and the crowd had doubled.
Bustling and lively.
Li Qiao stopped at a fabric stall, fought her way through the crowd, and hugged a bolt of Dacron fabric: "Hey there, how much for this roll of fabric?"
"Don’t call me boss, it’s scary. A roll is six and a half. It’s Dacron, I reckon it’s enough for someone your height to make eight or nine outfits, two yuan an outfit, you can make sixteen."
Li Qiao inwardly exclaimed it was a bargain. She was about to indicate to Qin Jin to pay when he interjected.
Qin Jin said, "This color is hideously ugly, all over the place, neither red nor black. With those white flowers in the middle, it looks like something worn at a funeral. I’d be losing out even buying it for three, I’ll take it for two and a half."
The seller rebuked, "Are you trying to sabotage my business? I can’t even get it for two and a half."
Qin Jin: "I’m just speaking the truth. What, are you allowed to sell but I’m not allowed to give my opinion? I don’t even want it."
He grabbed the fabric from Li Qiao’s hands, ready to throw it back on the stall.
Only his wife would fancy such an ugly color.
He’d feel it was taking up space even if it were given to him for free.
With so many people at the stall and Dacron material still not selling, it was obvious how much everyone disliked it.
"Alright, alright, I’ll sell it to you," the seller relented.
"Two yuan," said Qin Jin.
Li Qiao was flabbergasted. Dacron fabric, and he’s haggling over two and a half?
The seller was pained to drop the price by fifty cents, but the fabric had been sitting there for days without selling. Finally, someone shortsighted took interest. If he played hard to get and ended up stuck with it, what then? After weighing his options, he closed his eyes and waved them off: "Alright, alright, take it, I’m selling at a loss here."
Qin Jin scoffed, probably just selling at cost.
He immediately paid for it.
Then he called for Li Qiao to help him unroll the fabric, making sure it wasn’t defective given the low price.
He checked it over, tugging and tearing at it a bit.
"It’s pretty sturdy, not bad."
Li Qiao looked up to him in admiration. "You’re so awesome." He had bargained it down from six and a half to two.
Qin Jin boasted, "Piece of cake."
The seller looked on with a darkened expression.
He hadn’t paid much attention to the fabric when he purchased it and only realized how ugly it was once he got it home, having wasted two bucks and carried it from afar.
Li Qiao also bought a large pack of sanitary pads, a big box of shampoo, and casually picked up a couple of novels, returning home with a full load.
Qin Jin was laden with items, while Li Qiao sat behind, holding the fabric. He asked, "What are you going to do with such a long piece of cloth?"
Li Qiao: "It’s for my sister and my nieces to make clothes."
Qin Jin tactfully said, "Won’t this color be too hot to wear in the summer?"
"Dark colors are sun-proof," Li Qiao replied. "I have a similar floral dress that isn’t hot at all."
Qin Jin continued, "It might look good on you, but not necessarily on others."
Li Qiao: "A fair complexion can hide many flaws. My older sister is quite fair, and my nieces have skin like hers, so it shouldn’t be ugly." She turned around and asked Old Mrs. Qin to make a skirt for her when she had the time to try it out.
....
The next day.
Li Qiao took out the design sketches and fabric and told Old Mrs. Qin she wanted to make a skirt and pants.
Old Mrs. Qin put on her reading glasses and examined the sketches: "The skirt is very simple, just needs a little tailoring and a wide elastic band to sew on. The pants are not difficult either. It’s just that the fabric isn’t very smart-looking, so dark and drab. Jin must have bought it for you because it was cheap; that boy is really stingy."
Li Qiao: "..... I picked it out myself."
Old Mrs. Qin laughed: "At first glance, it doesn’t look like much, but on second thought, it’s actually quite durable. I’m going to borrow the sewing machine from your next-door neighbor to make it for you right now."
Li Qiao replied with a pleasant smile, "There’s no rush."
Old Mrs. Qin: "I’m free anyway." She walked away with the fabric.
At noon, Li Qiao had lunch ready and called her: "Grandma, it’s time to eat."
"You go ahead, I’ll be right back," Old Mrs. Qin called back.
Li Qiao sat waiting.
About ten minutes later, Old Mrs. Qin came back with the clothes: "Have you eaten yet?"
"Waiting for you," Li Qiao said, as she went to the kitchen to bring out the food.
Rice, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and tiger skin peppers.
Old Mrs. Qin: "It smells delicious."
Li Qiao flipped through the clothes.
Old Mrs. Qin said, "Eat first, then look."
"Uh-huh."
...
After eating, Li Qiao cleaned up and was about to wipe the table when Old Mrs. Qin had already taken care of it.
"I’ll try on the clothes," Li Qiao said.
Old Mrs. Qin: "If it doesn’t fit, I’ll alter it."
Li Qiao took off her skirt and found a white short-sleeved tee, slipping into the wide-legged pants.
Old Mrs. Qin said, "Pretty people look good in anything. Those pants make your legs look even longer and straighter."
Li Qiao walked in front of the mirror. The style was fine, but the lack of elasticity confined her legs, so she could only wear them at home.
She then changed into the skirt.
Old Mrs. Qin said, "The skirt looks good too, very elegant and proper."
Li Qiao pursed her lips and smiled. In Grandma’s eyes, she could probably make a sack look like a flower. With a wedding to attend tomorrow, this outfit would be perfect, subdued and not drawing attention. She said, "Grandma, let me design a skirt for you too. I think this color suits all ages."
Old Mrs. Qin: "I’m of such an old age, why would I wear a skirt? People will gossip about me not acting my age."