Wei Yin's cheongsam was quickly made, and when she put it on, she looked even taller and more handsome. Li and Chen Xuan praised it for being beautiful, and they were not just flattering their sister-in-law, it was really beautiful. Wei Yin was sixteen years old, at the prime of her life, and she was born with a good figure, so when she wore a cheongsam that fit her body, she looked a hundred times more beautiful than those baggy gowns.
Only Old Mrs. Wei snorted with disdain, "What a weird look." She turned her face away and found a box of snacks from the low cabinet at the head of the kang.
Wei Yundu said in a childish voice, "No wonder, my little aunt is pretty!"
Old Mrs. Wei insisted on her own aesthetic taste for gowns, "For a family like ours, we should still wear gowns, it's our duty."
I don't know how to wear clothes, and there is a difference between "proper" and "unproper". Li didn't dare to say more. She only wore a cheongsam for one day on the day Chen Xuan came home. Now that she is at home, her mother-in-law likes long gowns, so she wears long gowns.
Chen Xuan knew that her mother-in-law was always conservative, so after thinking for a while, she said, "I think this cheongsam is more economical than a gown."
"That's right." Wei Yin was always smart. When she heard Chen Xuan say this, she immediately said, "How much material do you need to make a gown? How much can you use to make a cheongsam? It's a lot easier. Not to mention anything else, the remaining material is enough to make a pillowcase."
Old Madam Wei took out an oil-paper bag from the snack box, broke off half a piece of butter date paste cake and gave it to Wei Yun. She glanced at the cotton cheongsam on Wei Yin, but she didn't quite believe it. "Our gowns are all short, and this cheongsam should reach the ankles. How can we save on material?"
"Why is the gown so short? It should be at least as short as the kneecap. Besides, this gown is so big and loose, with wide sleeves. Isn't it a waste of material? Mom, you are always so careful with your budget, how could you be so careless about this?" Wei Yin seized the opportunity and used Chen Xuan as an example, "Look at my second sister-in-law's outfit. If she changed it into a cheongsam, pinching it left and right and gathering the sleeves like this, even if the cheongsam is longer, you can calculate it, isn't it also a saving? In my opinion, it would be better if everyone in the family made cheongsams in the future, not for anything else, just to save money."
Old Mrs. Wei was not used to the cheongsam, but was somewhat tempted by the money she saved. "Your elder and second sisters-in-law work all day, and your cheongsam is so tight around your body. I'm afraid they can't get used to it."
"What's so hard to get used to?" Wei Yin said as he packed up his sewing basket. "Our landlord's wife and concubine all wear cheongsams. They do laundry and cooking. What's not to do? There's no maid in his family! Besides, my cheongsam isn't tight at all. Everyone wears it now. Even if you're not used to it at first, you'll get used to it after wearing it for a long time. Besides, this will save money for the family. I'm sure the eldest and second sisters-in-law will agree!"
Chen Xuan didn't really want to wear a cheongsam. She felt that she would have to go back to the countryside in the future. No woman in the countryside would wear a cheongsam. But Li had wanted to change into a cheongsam for a long time. Just like what her sister-in-law said before, in Beijing now, it is usually the servants and old maids who wear gowns. That is, in her family, the aesthetics that her mother-in-law developed in the countryside before coming to Beijing have always been to wear gowns. Li was honest, so she had to wear whatever her mother-in-law liked.
Hearing her sister-in-law say this, Li couldn't help but feel a little excited.
Old Mrs. Wei did not hesitate to save money for the family, so she said, "Since this cheongsam saves material, let's make this one to wear in the future."
Li quickly agreed, and Wei Yin said, "It should have been done a long time ago."
Old Madam Wei said, "I have some silk that your eldest sister brought over. Cut it tomorrow and make me a cheongsam." She said this to Li. Most of Old Madam Wei's clothes, shoes and socks were made by Li. However, as if thinking that Li was younger and had more things to do, Old Madam Wei changed her mind and looked at Chen Xuan, "Xuan, let me do it. If you don't know how to cut, ask Yin to help you. Yin cuts well, so you can do it."
Chen Xuan agreed, and the task of making cheongsam for Mrs. Wei was handed over to Chen Xuan.
Wei Yin was very skillful. She helped cut the fabric without even measuring Old Lady Wei's size. Wei Yin also privately suggested that she ask Chen Xuan to find the cheongsam she wore when she got married, and help Chen Xuan to modify it to the popular style in Beijing. Chen Xuan made clothes for Old Lady Wei, and Wei Yin modified the cheongsam style for Chen Xuan. Wei Yin was very knowledgeable about clothes, "In the past, everyone wore cheongsams with curved collars. It's different now, with square collars becoming popular. It's a pity that our family doesn't make woolen fabrics. If our shop made woolen fabrics, we could make a woolen coat for each of us. I heard that in Shanghai in winter, many women wear a thin cheongsam with a layer of silk cotton inside, and a woolen coat outside, with a furry fox collar. It looks beautiful just thinking about it."
"That woolen material is more expensive than fur. It doesn't matter what you wear. Wear a cotton-padded jacket, which is just as warm and saves money." As the year gets colder, Old Mrs. Wei puts her hands in her sleeves and sits under the window with a quilt covering her knees to bask in the sun to keep warm.
Wei Yin said, "It's so expensive, but you still gave such a big piece of tweed to my elder sister."
"What do you know? Your eldest sister has a hard time. She is the eldest son in the family, so she has to give way to her younger sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. Your brother-in-law is a public figure, so it's not good for him to dress improperly." Old Mrs. Wei stated her own reasoning.
Wei Yin pouted. Although she was dissatisfied with this matter, she didn't want to say anything more.
Wei Nian, on the other hand, brought back another piece of woolen material a few days later. This time, he did not give it to his mother. He gave it to Chen Xuan. Wei Nian was the same age as Chen Xuan, just a few months older. He always kept his word and said to Chen Xuan, "I'll take you to make a woolen coat tomorrow."
This was the first time in Chen Xuan's life that she had seen such fine and good material. It felt warm and crisp in her hands. The color was black, but it was a little bit un-festive, Chen Xuan thought. However, Wei Nian brought it back with good intentions and wanted to take her to make clothes, so Chen Xuan would not say anything to spoil her mood. Chen Xuan thought that Wei Yin also liked woolen coats very much. After touching the material, Chen Xuan put it in the cupboard carefully, poured a glass of water for Wei Nian, and said, "This material is really good."
"That's right!" Wei Nian's handsome young face showed pride, and his eyebrows seemed to glow. He said to Chen Xuan, "The previous piece of tweed material was just wool, but this one is cashmere! It's better than that one! Let's make a coat for each of us, so we can have face when we go out during the New Year."
Chen Xuan smiled, "Yes, you are right."
Wei Nian was very thoughtful. He even told Chen Xuan the time and said, "I'll go make the clothes tomorrow afternoon. Ask the tailor to hurry up and make them before the New Year so that we can wear them during the New Year."
Chen Xuan thought for a moment and asked Wei Nian, "If it's convenient for you next time, get a piece of bright-colored woolen material that little girls like. I think my second sister also wants a woolen coat. I heard from my second sister that the fashionable new-style women in Shanghai wear this in winter. This piece of material is black, and my second sister is still young, so it's not suitable for her."
Wei Nian often quarreled with his elder sister, but he liked his younger sister. Wei Nian said, "Take her with you tomorrow. Although I don't have any woolen material, we can go to the tailor's shop and find all kinds of fabrics. Just ask Ah Yin to pick one."
"Then I'll tell my second sister quietly."
Wei Nian drank half a glass of water and asked, "Why are you still being so sneaky?"
Chen Xuan whispered, "I'm afraid my mother-in-law will be unhappy when she hears that I spend money."
"Mom is always like this. She lets my eldest sister fool her with all her money, and then she saves it for others." Wei Nian and Chen Xuan got along well these days. The main thing is that they slept well on the kang, one on the east side and the other on the west side. Wei Nian was sure that Chen Xuan really had no interest in him. The two of them got along like relatives and were quite harmonious. Wei Nian was unwilling to embarrass a woman, so he said directly, "I will come back to pick you up and I will tell mom."
When Chen Xuan saw that she didn't have to worry about it, she happily agreed.
The next day, she quietly told Wei Yin about making clothes, and Wei Yin was also very happy.
It was when Wei Nian went home in the afternoon to pick up Chen Xuan and Wei Yin. Old Mrs. Wei was not very happy. Wei Nian ignored his mother and went out with Chen Xuan and Wei Yin. It was a new-style tailor shop, with silk cheongsams and woolen coats, and celebrity pictures on the wall. The female celebrities in the pictures had bright eyes and white teeth, and different postures. There was a kind of flavor that Chen Xuan could not describe. How to say it, it was a bit like the kind of people that Old Mrs. Wei despised very much, "You can tell at a glance that they are not living a normal life." However, Chen Xuan was really, from the bottom of her heart, she had to admit that she was really beautiful.
Wei Nian greeted the shopkeeper and said, "Bring the sisters over to make some clothes."
The shopkeeper was obviously familiar with Wei Nian. He asked them to sit down, made tea, and asked what kind of clothes they wanted and what style they wanted. He also took out a neatly bound album with various styles of clothes for them to choose from. Wei Nian wanted a woolen coat. He liked the style himself, and besides, men's clothes were limited in style. Wei Yin discussed with Chen Xuan what kind of coat they wanted. Wei Yin originally wanted to make a coat, but ended up taking a fancy to a small woolen cape. However, Wei Yin was never a greedy person like Wei Jin. Her second brother kindly brought her out to make clothes. Woolen clothes were quite expensive. Her second brother used his private money to make clothes for her. Wei Yin thought, just make one.
Seeing that she couldn't make up her mind, Chen Xuan said to Wei Yin, "I wonder if these two pieces can be made into one?"
"How can I make this?" Wei Yin has always been skillful and often made her own clothes at home. Chen Xuan's words reminded her of this. Wei Yin was delighted and called the shopkeeper to tell him the style she wanted. She wanted a small cape and a woolen coat that were combined into one, pretending to be two pieces, but actually one. Although it would cost more material, it would not be much more. The shopkeeper also made the old one, but this style was a little new and had never been made in the store. The shopkeeper suggested, "If the lady likes it, why not buy one of each?"
Wei Yin was a little embarrassed to say that she only wanted one piece. She said, "The woolen coat itself is thick, and if you put on this woolen cape, the shoulders will be even thicker and it won't look good. But I like both of them, so I thought about making a fake two-piece. This way, it will fit me and be pleasing to my taste."
The shopkeeper was a little embarrassed, "I've never done this before."
Chen Xuan was of course helping Wei Yin. She thought about the style Wei Yin mentioned and said, "I think this style won't be too difficult. Look, the small cape in the album is very fitted at the shoulders. Even though the hem of a coat is a bit bigger, the shoulders are also very fitted. This fake two-piece is made by cutting a shoulder of the coat and connecting it to the small cape. Although you haven't made it before and think it's a bit difficult, I think my sister's idea is a good style. If you can make it and put it in the store, other stores won't have it. If someone else likes it, then it will be your only business."
Chen Xuan had a gentle personality and was the most amiable person in her two lives. She wanted to help Wei Yin, so she didn't think much about it and said this. After she finished speaking, Chen Xuan felt that it was a bit abrupt and bold, but since she had already said it, she had no choice but to rely on her two lives. Chen Xuan bit the bullet and asked the shopkeeper, "What do you think, is this okay?"
The shopkeeper said, "I'll ask the tailor to ask. This Master Zhang is the master we invited from Shanghai."
Wei Nian laughed when he heard this and put down the fine blue and white porcelain cup in his hand. "I say, Lao Zhang, your shop is a branch of Shanghai. It's not surprising to have a master craftsman from Shanghai. Don't show it off as a rare thing. You should be more efficient. We still have to go to eat."
Shopkeeper Zhang smiled and asked his apprentice to call the tailor. The tailor thought about it and took the business. "The new style you want, Miss, we haven't made it in our shop yet. I'll wait. I'll need your suggestions."
Wei Yin smiled, "Shopkeeper Zhang just said that you are all masters invited from Shanghai, so there must be no difference."
Decide on the style, lining and buttons to choose, and when to pick it up.
After coming out of the tailor shop, Wei Yin took her second brother's arm and said, "Second brother, people who wear cheongsams and woolen coats all wear leather shoes. Second brother, you have the right leather shoes. My second sister-in-law and I don't have a pair of leather shoes. We all have cloth shoes made at home."
Wei Nian smiled, "Okay, okay, I'll buy each of you a pair of leather shoes to match your clothes."
Wei Yin thanked his second brother with a big smile and said a lot of nice things. Chen Xuan also thanked Wei Nian, feeling a little uneasy. Although she had a hard life in the Wei family in her previous life, she was still well fed and well fed by the Wei family. Chen Xuan was an honest person. She would have thought that it would be a waste if she didn't have the clothes. But she felt that she was not very kind to make clothes and buy shoes at the same time. However, Chen Xuan had lived two lives. She could read people's expressions even if she didn't know other things. Wei Nian and Wei Yin were both in high spirits, so Chen Xuan didn't want to spoil their fun and followed them.
As a result, Chen Xuan, who had just won praise from Old Lady Wei for being "good at managing life", was very dissatisfied with Old Lady Wei because of her clothes and shoes purchase before the New Year. She privately said to Old Master Wei, "This second son's daughter-in-law looks honest, but in fact, she is more cunning than the first son's daughter-in-law. She has only been married for a few days, but she has already coaxed An Nian into buying clothes and shoes. I don't know how much money she spent."
Old Master Wei hummed, squinted his eyes, dozed off on the head of the kang, and said nothing.