Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: Understanding
Chapter 418: Understanding
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Ding Wan looked at her niece and said happily, “This is what everyone has been doing these past few days. They’re learning and making things fast.
There are things here and also in the inner room.”
Su Binglan saw many things on the brick bed and even the windowsills. Fortunately, the brick bed was large enough for everyone to sit apart. She sat on the edge of the bed and placed her hands under the blanket, asking, “Is the bed warm enough for you guys?
“Yes, it is.”
“Madam Ding warms it up for us every day. The brick bed stays warm all day, and we won’t catch a cold.”
Everyone hurriedly replied whenever Su Binglan asked a question. They were awkward when faced with her, but they wore grateful smiles. They would also exchange a few words with each other to avoid awkward silences.
Although everyone talked to Su Binglam, their hands did not stop moving. Instead, they continued making dolls and sewing.
Su Binglan observed everyone and realized how skilled and swift they were in sewing. They did much better than she had imagined. She looked on and nodded discreetly.
She also realized how quickly Shi Cui worked. Her pair of hands worked very swiftly. While sewing her doll, Shi Cui said, “Miss Su, my hand is all better now thanks to your prescribed medicine. It doesn’t hurt anymore, so it doesn’t affect my work.”
Shi Cui was all smiles as she spoke.
Su Binglan responded, “Your hand isn’t a big issue. Just keep applying the ointment I prescribed. Also, you should be more careful during winter and avoid washing your clothes in cold water.”
“Okay, I understand, Miss Su.” In the past, Shi Cui felt finding a cure for her hand was pointless. She thought there was nothing to do about it and that she should brave the cold.
Now that her hand had recovered and she knew not to expose it to the cold anymore, she took precautions to care for her hand. After all) she had to work hard in the embroidery shop soon.
Meanwhile, Miss He struggled to find the words to thank Su Binglan.
‘Now Lin Chai no longer stutters, Lin Shu is learning medical skills from Second Young Master Su, and I’m working at the embroidery shop to earn money.’ These changes excited Miss He.
Su Binglan also noticed how nimble Dong Xiaolei and Su Nong’s hands were when they sewed. The young girls’ hands were long and slender, making them more agile in needlework.
Ding Wan brought her niece to the back room to look at more things they had made. The bed was full of backpacks, handbags, and various-sized rag dolls. The room looked like an accessories shop.
Su Binglan’s eyes lit up. “You guys made this many things in just a few days?” She did not expect them to complete so many things in such a short time. Ding Wan said, “Although it’s been a few days, and everyone was learning slowly, they picked up the pace very quickly. They can do many things in a day now.
“We’re fast because we worked together. Take the dolls, for example. Some were in charge of sewing, some did the stuffings, and the rest stitched up the dolls. That way, we complete the dolls very quickly.”
Su Binglan looked at Ding Wan admiringly. “As expected, I can feel at ease entrusting the embroidery shop’s management to you.”
“That’s all I can do. I can’t help you with much else,” Ding Wan said smilingly. When she did embroidery in her earlier years, a few villagers would learn it from her.
At that time, she had garnered more experience helping a few villagers and learned to do more embroidery work quickly.
“This is good enough, Aunt Ding. It’s good that everyone has something they’re good at,” Su Binglan said sweetly.
Ding Wan could not help but smile when she heard her nieces words. Ding Wan’s condition had improved, and she was more confident since she resumed her embroidery work.
While coming out of the inner room with Ding Wan, Su Binglan looked at everyone and praised, “Good job, everyone.”
She could see their exquisite quality, as the stitches were so tight that she could barely see them. That alone was enough to ensure her that everyone was earnest about their work.
“Everyone is happy to work doing embroidery,” Ding Wan said, “Everyone is diligent, so you don’t have to worry about that, Binglan. I’ll also check the items we make to ensure their quality.”
Su Binglan nodded. “Everyone in our village is honest. Furthermore, you were the one who chose the people working here, so I’m not worried about their work.”
Su Binglan could do other things without worry since Ding Wan was managing the embroidery workers.
Ding Wan looked at the items on the table and said, “By the way, we should make some sweaters. I’ll teach everyone how to knit when you’re ready.”
“You can arrange these things as you see fit, Aunt Ding,” Su Binglan said. She believed in her aunt’s abilities in this area.
“All right, I’ll see to the arrangements then. Oh, when do you plan to sell these items, Binglan?”
After some thought, Su Binglan replied, “I rented a two-story shop in the east when I planned to open a hotpot restaurant there. I rented another building to sell these items two days ago.”
Ding was puzzled. “Don’t you have a shop on the west side of town? Isn’t the rent lower there?”
“Well, we’re opening an accessories shop, so it’s different from food,” Su Binglan patiently explained, “People will still go to the restaurant if the food is good enough.
“However, the embroidery items we’re selling are pretty things. Some might not visit our shop if it’s too far. That’s why opening our embroidery shop on the east side is better since more people are there. Our business will be better.”
“You’re right. The items we made look good, so many people will be willing to buy them,” Ding Wan said.
“This thing looks so good. There will be many people buying it,” Ding Wan said. Since she was an embroiderer in the past, she knew what everyone liked most. Therefore, she knew the items they had made would be quite trendy, especially among the townsfolk.
After chatting with Ding Wan and the others, Su Binglan gave them more instructions before leaving for the tofu factory. She had thought of stinky tofu when she went to town earlier.
She had made stinky tofu before but had yet to promote it because she had recently been busy with many other things. She had just remembered stinky tofu today.
Du Xiaoshuan came to pick up the needed meatballs for the hotpot restaurant when Su Binglan arrived at the factory.
Du Xiaoshuan brought two candied hawthorns with him this time. One was for his sister Du Xiaoju, and the other was for Li Mei, who had been caring for his sister in his absence.
Li Mei’s face was as red as a rose, and she kept waving. “N-No, no, I can’t accept such an expensive treat.”
Candied hawthorns were too expensive to eat for Li Mei, and she usually could not bear to buy them. Still, she enjoyed eating them and felt touched. However, she could not accept it.
Du Xiaoshuan noticed Li Mei’s flustered expression and blushed. He looked awkward, saying, “W-Well, I went to the town previously, and the older man selling these was in a hurry to leave.
“He said if I bought two, the second one would be cheaper, so I bought two.
It’ll be a waste if you don’t eat it.”
Du Xiaoju did not think much of the situation at first. However, it was still daytime, so she could see things more clearly than last time. She looked at her brother’s awkwardness and felt puzzled.
‘Big Brother isn’t usually like this since he often comes here.’
Then Du Xiaoju looked at the blushing Li Mei and suddenly realized something..