Starting a new chapter in life

Chapter 112 Cheongsam

Mahjong has different rules in different places. The rules in Shanghai are different from those in Northeast China. To help her learn, the men's table didn't start playing. He Zhijun sat next to Jing Yan and helped explain the rules. He even watched her play a couple of rounds to make sure she understood the rules before they started playing.

As for whether Jingyan won or lost, well, nobody cared. They were all family, and the point was to have fun. Of course, Jingyan and Sister Wang were the most excited, because one of them was unfamiliar with the game and the other couldn't remember the cards. This made Cui Hongru and Zhou Jie very happy. As long as their cards were good, they usually wouldn't lose. If they did lose occasionally, it was because their cards were really bad.

So, the women played for three or four hours. Jingyan had to feed her child, and Sister Wang had to start preparing dinner. After that, the game ended. Cui Hongru went to watch He Jiaoxu play mahjong, and Zhou Jie started helping to serve tea and water. It was quite lively.

In the evening, the women slept on the kang (heated brick bed) in Jingyan's room, while the three men slept on the kang in Grandma's room. After turning off the lights, they lay on the kang chatting. Cui Hongru said with a smile:

"This kang is really comfortable to sleep on. After winter comes, I can sleep warmly all night. It's so much better than before. Jingyan, you are really capable. You were able to find the kang builder from here. If we had found him earlier, we wouldn't have suffered all these years."

Zhou Jie chimed in, "Mom's alright. At least you slept here when you went to Liaoning Province before. I grew up like this and never imagined there would be such a way to keep warm. Since we installed the kang (heated brick bed), the house has been warmer this year, and we haven't used much more coal. In previous years, Xiao Li's hands would always get chilblains in the winter, but he didn't this year. Since the child isn't suffering, I, as his mother, feel much better."

Jing Yan smiled and said, "As long as everyone feels comfortable, that's good. This kang (heated brick bed) may not look very nice, but it is indeed practical. When we build houses in my hometown, we will put up fire walls and kangs. Once the stove in the kitchen is lit, the whole house will be warm."

It was indeed comfortable in winter, but not so good in summer. It was hot, so when we were in the Great Northern Wilderness, the small hut had a bed. Zhijun and I slept in the small hut in the summer because there really wasn't enough room on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Several people laughed as they listened: "Is it that mahogany bed in your room upstairs? The quality is indeed good. No wonder you had to bring it back in your shipment. If you bought it here, even a second-hand one would cost at least two hundred yuan. It's really a good deal."

“Mom, you didn’t see the furniture store that sold me the bed. They had a secret room with a lot of nice furniture. I even saw a few of those old-fashioned canopy beds from wealthy families. They were so exquisite. When I asked about the price, they wouldn’t even give me a price. They just said they weren’t selling.” Jingyan can still vividly recall the amazement that bed gave her.

Grandma suddenly spoke up: "If those things are old enough, they can be collected. Of course, people won't sell them. When I was a child, I was fortunate enough to see the home of a descendant of a royal family. It was really very well-made, and all the items were exquisite. Unfortunately, later there was a big commotion, and the place was probably smashed and looted. What a pity for those good things."

Jingyan asked curiously, "Grandma, isn't your family a wealthy one? There shouldn't be such a big difference between you and them."

"My family was at most a nouveau riche, we made our fortune through business, and later switched to manufacturing. In the past, we were the lowest class, and we couldn't compare with families with a solid foundation. But now, all that is in the past. Times have changed." Grandma sighed, her voice filled with emotion.

Zhou Jie changed the subject: "Oh, the past is the past. Nowadays, the policies are much more open, and I think life will only get better and better."

Jingyan chimed in, "Yeah, I also noticed that the management is much laxer. After An'an is weaned, I'd like to ask the community if they'll allow us to set up a stall or open a shop. I'd like to open a barbecue and braised meat shop so I can earn more money and my life will get better and better."

Speaking of this, Cui Hongru said, "Recently, I've seen some food shops opening up in Yangzhou. I've seen steamed bun and mantou shops, as well as small restaurants serving stir-fries. I haven't seen any barbecue restaurants yet. If possible, I could give it a try. But I need to find out all the necessary permits and get them all done at once to avoid trouble later."

“Okay, I’ll go to the community office later to ask what procedures I need to go through before opening a barbecue and braised meat shop. I’ll look for a shop after I’ve confirmed that. Anyway, there’s still time, so there’s no rush. If all else fails, I can make braised meat at home and sell it. I’ve already tried it for a few months, and business has been pretty good.” Jingyan murmured as she spoke.

"Alright, it's late, stop chatting. We have things to do tomorrow, go to sleep." Grandma heard Jingyan's sleepy voice and interrupted everyone's discussion. Zhou Jie was already exhausted and was only forcing herself to stay awake. Hearing Grandma's words, she quickly fell asleep.

Listening to the steady breathing of the two young people beside her, Cui Hongru sighed softly, "It's good to be young, you can fall asleep so quickly."

"You're not that old. If you try not to overthink things, you won't have trouble sleeping anymore. Okay, go to sleep now." After Grandma finished speaking, she turned over and went to sleep as well.

Cui Hongru... well, I should go to sleep now. Listening to the rhythmic breathing of the person next to her, she slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, after breakfast, He Jiaoxu drove the four women to the tailor's house. Upon arrival, he parked the car, and the four women went inside without waiting for He Jiaoxu. The tailor, surnamed Zhao, was only in his thirties and was the youngest son of the older tailor.

It is said that he started helping his father when he was seven or eight years old, and was able to make clothes independently when he was fifteen or sixteen. If he hadn't missed the right time, he would have become famous long ago, instead of being able to only set up a clothing workshop at home and not even be able to afford a store.

This garment workshop was probably converted from the main hall. Upon entering, you can see twenty or thirty bolts of fabric on the side wall. Some finished garments are displayed on hangers near the main entrance. There is a large table by the window, and a sewing machine is placed next to the table. There is also a large dressing mirror in the sunny spot. In short, it is small but complete.

Grandma loves custom-made cheongsams and Tang suits the most, so she has the most say in the selection. As soon as they entered the door, Master Zhao greeted them: "Hello, are you having clothes made? What style do you want?"

When he got closer and saw his grandmother, a look of doubt appeared on his face: "Grandma, haven't we met before? You look so familiar."

Grandma looked at him with a smile: "Master Zhao, is your father still in good health? My old cheongsams and Tang suits were all made by your father. It's been many years since I had new clothes made. I remember when you were a little boy, you were always by your father's side. You even took my measurements back then. Well, more than ten years have passed, a long time has gone by."

Master Zhao immediately recognized them as old customers and quickly led them to sit down next door, pouring them a pot of tea. "Please have a seat. I'll go upstairs and call my father. There aren't many elderly people coming these days. My father will be very happy to know you're here."

Grandma He nodded with a smile: "Okay, go ahead and call him. We'll need to trouble Master Zhao to help us choose a cheongsam style later. Things have changed so much over the years, some styles need to be changed, and we'll need his help to make a decision."

Master Zhao hurriedly went upstairs to invite him. Soon after, he heard someone coming down the stairs. When the person entered the door, Jingyan saw a sprightly old man with a full head of white hair. His back was not hunched at all. If she hadn't known beforehand that he was a tailor, just standing there, his demeanor would have made him look like a scholar.

The old man stood at the door, adjusted his glasses, glanced at Grandma He, and smiled so broadly that his dimples appeared: "Miss He, it's been so many years, but you still look as charming as ever."

Grandma stood up with a smile: "Master Zhao, it's been more than ten years since we last met. It's rare that you can recognize me at a glance."

Old Zhao stepped forward and bowed to Grandma: "You're too kind. Back in the day, you would come by every few days. My business was mostly supported by you. But things changed too much later, and my shop closed down. I lost contact with you after that."

At first, I was worried you might be affected, so I kept an eye on things for a while. However, I couldn't find out anything about you. I only knew that your house had been lent out, so I figured that since you lent it out voluntarily and it wasn't confiscated, you should be safe. Therefore, I stopped paying attention to it after that.

"When did you get back? Where are you staying now? Are you still in Changning District? It's been so many years! Did you come here again to have a cheongsam made? I made this cotton Tang suit for you; you've been wearing it all these years." Old Master Zhao looked at Grandma He's clothes with a touch of emotion.

Grandma touched the clothes she was wearing and smiled, "Your handiwork is exactly what I like. The clothes you make are beautiful and comfortable. Almost all the clothes in my wardrobe are still the ones you made for me back then."

"But now that I'm older, some of my clothes are too revealing to wear anymore. Over the years, I've bought ready-made clothes and had some made, but they weren't very good. That's why my son heard that your youngest son has started making clothes, so he brought some over to have a few made."

Master Zhao laughed heartily: "So what style are you planning to get this time?"

"I don't plan to make any winter clothes for now. I want to make two cheongsams for spring and autumn, but I guess I'll have to change the old styles. The slits can't be too high anymore. I'm getting old, and the skin on my legs has become much looser. I can no longer pull off that kind of high-slit style." Grandma shook her head and sighed.

“Alright, how about trying velvet fabric for spring and autumn? If the Shanghai style isn’t suitable, then let’s choose the Beijing style. Instead of a high slit, we can make it a medium slit. When walking, sitting, or lying down, at most only your calves will be exposed, so it shouldn’t be too eye-catching. How about a stand-up collar and a pipa-style neckline?” Master Zhao directly decided on the style, but Grandma didn’t feel offended at all. Instead, she nodded repeatedly to show her satisfaction.

After confirming the style, the group followed Master Zhao to the main room to select fabrics. Grandma said gently, "Don't underestimate him just because he's a man. He's incredibly knowledgeable about women's clothing and jewelry. In the past, many wealthy young ladies would come to him for help with their outfits before banquets. Master Zhao was quite the celebrity back then."

So, you can just trust him. Master Zhao's skills are pretty good, but his understanding of women is nowhere near as good as his father's. When it comes to things like adjusting styles, you might as well decide for yourself rather than asking him." Master Zhao's ears turned bright red when he heard his grandmother's comments as she followed behind them.

"Grandma, it's not that I'm bad. Back then, my dad, if not every day, would go to nightclubs to have fun, but he was a regular every few days. By the time I got here, those places had all disappeared. Where was I supposed to go to broaden my horizons?" Master Zhao said, sounding quite aggrieved.

Master Zhao walked up to the fabric and introduced it to them: "Velvet is suitable for spring and autumn. Miss He, your previous cheongsams have never been made of this material. This fabric is not suitable for young people. It can't suppress your aura. It's just right for you and your daughter-in-law. The younger generation should choose cotton or silk."

However, with the sharp decline in silkworm rearing and cloth weaving in recent years, the quantity of silk on the market is not very large. What I have at home are all old stock from before. Although they are all quite old, they have been well preserved, and the colors and luster have not changed much. However, nowadays, simplicity is considered beautiful, so there is really not much market for this. Would you like to take a look?

Grandma touched the silk fabric and nodded in satisfaction: "Although it's old, good things can withstand the test of time. Your fabric is indeed well preserved. Make me two cheongsams, short-sleeved ones, of this navy blue one with white flowers and this purplish-red one with blue flowers, for summer."

"This black velvet one, um, and this burgundy one, I'll make one cheongsam for spring and autumn each, both with a center slit. I'll choose these few. Xiaoru, Xiaojie, you two choose some for yourselves too. Jingyan, you go take a look too. If you don't want cheongsams, a Tang suit would be fine too."

Jing Yan smiled and shook her head: "I might lose some weight after I recover, and I can still get it done then. I have enough clothes for now." After she finished speaking, she walked to the wool fabric section, pointed to a piece of brown fabric, and asked: "This fabric is quite thick. Can it be used for a knee-length coat?"

Master Zhao's eyes lit up, and he quickly came over to ask, "You want to make an overcoat? This material is really suitable. It feels good to the touch, and it's heavy enough with a great drape. With the shoulder pads, the overcoat will look particularly stylish."

Jingyan nodded: "I'll make a coat for my grandma. When she wears a cheongsam in spring and autumn, if it's a rainy day, she can put on a coat and she won't be cold. Grandma loves to look good, and she doesn't like bulky cotton coats."

Master Zhao turned to look at Grandma and smiled, "Miss He, your younger generation is truly filial. What's your opinion?"

Grandma came over, touched it, and nodded with a smile: "Since my granddaughter-in-law wants to make it for me, then I'll make it."

Master Zhao smiled and called to his son, "Come and take Miss He's measurements. It's been so many years, so we need to measure her again to make sure she fits better."