CHAPTER 190: CHAPTER 190: RUSHING TO GET REINCARNATED?

After admiring it closely, he looked at Yi Chichi, "Did you embroider this?"

"No."

Yi Chichi denied it, seeing that he looked satisfied, she smiled and asked, "Would the Friendship Store accept chaotic needlework of this level?"

"The fabric is too poor."

"I can’t buy silk."

"Can you ensure that using silk fabric you can create a piece of the same quality?"

"Yes."

Liu Lan’s chaotic needle embroidery has improved significantly, and she can perfectly replicate her embroidery patterns.

However, her sensitivity to color still needs some work, so she needs to pay attention to the color matching of the embroidery thread.

"The Friendship Store hasn’t had chaotic needlework before, the price is hard to set, and I don’t know if foreign guests will like it."

"They might appreciate chaotic needlework more."

Because the composition and layering of chaotic needlework create a three-dimensional effect that is closest to oil painting.

And oil painting comes from Europe.

Compared to the embroidery pieces of Oriental aesthetics, chaotic needlework is richer in color and provides more visual impact.

"Leave this piece, I’ll give it a try when the trade fair begins."

"Alright."

"What about the price?"

"It’s hard to discuss now, I need to test the waters first."

The implication: discuss the price after the trade fair.

Yi Chichi agreed.

Thus, Liu Lan’s Spring Bunting was left behind.

An artwork needs packaging, and Liu Lan’s craftsmanship wasn’t bad.

So, Ning Jiandong took the Spring Bunting to a craftsman to make the embroidery frame.

The Spring Bunting isn’t large, suitable to be made into an ornament.

Yi Chichi and Wen Shi were taken by Ning Jiandong to see the craftsman, and after some discussion, Ning Jiandong adopted Yi Chichi’s suggestion to make the ornament in a circular shape.

The sketch for the ornament was drawn by Yi Chichi, and after looking at the sketch for a while, the craftsman said, "I’ll finish it in five days."

The ornament isn’t complex, so the cutting and making are quick, but the polishing takes time.

Compared to silk which is easy to snag, cotton fabric doesn’t pose problems, but it seems cheap.

The texture and luster can’t compare to silk brocade, so they decided to enhance the grade through the ornament.

This requires lacquering.

Mimicking the lacquerware-making process for the ornament takes more time.

Ning Jiandong pondered, "Can’t it be a bit quicker?"

The craftsman glanced up and asked dryly, "In a hurry to be reincarnated?"

These blunt words nearly made Yi Chichi burst out laughing, and Wen Shi wasn’t faring much better.

This craftsman truly dared to speak his mind.

The key was that Ning Jiandong wasn’t angry either.

He chuckled and said, "I’m just eager to see how the final product turns out."

"Eager or not, you’ll have to wait. Since you’re using lacquerware methods, it won’t be completed in a day or two."

Finding him a nuisance, the craftsman waved them off like flies, "Shoo, shoo, don’t disturb me or I’ll delay it a few more days."

With those words, Ning Jiandong promptly led Yi Chichi and Wen Shi away.

Outside, he asked, "Want to wait in my office until the workday ends?"

They didn’t want to go.

The office was for working, they’d have no business hanging around there.

"Uncle, we’d like to buy some things."

Ning Jiandong immediately understood, "Do you have vouchers?"

"Foreign exchange certificates?"

"Yes."

"I don’t have those."

They only had internal vouchers, and quite a stack of them.

Wen Shi took out a stack of tickets from his bag, "Can these be used?"

Ning Jiandong rolled his eyes; it was a typical rhetorical question.

"Come to my office, I’ll give you some."

That could be arranged.

Ning Jiandong didn’t have many foreign exchange certificates left, but being generous, he gave all that he had to them.

He also informed them which counters needed no vouchers, just money.

Then Yi Chichi and Wen Shi took their leave to shop at the Friendship Store.

The Yangcheng Friendship Store had a floor space of only 600 square meters, considered large, very large by the standards of this era.

And the goods inside were good too.

In Yi Chichi’s eyes, from the future, a 600-square-meter Friendship Store was not as good as future large supermarkets.

Because as a shop catering to foreigners, the Friendship Store wasn’t bustling like a department store or supply and marketing cooperative.

There were more clerks than customers, but every customer was either rich or important.

Foreign guests also appeared, but not many.

Wen Shi and Yi Chichi visited one counter after another, buying what they liked on the spot.

When they reached the clothing counter, a dress attracted all of Wen Shi’s attention.

The mint green dress was striking in a time dominated by black, gray, white, and navy.

"Wife, that dress looks nice."

Yi Chichi followed his gaze, it was an ordinary dress. Except for the color which she liked, she didn’t fancy anything else about it.

"I don’t like it."

She was blunt. Wen Shi was about to speak, but Yi Chichi didn’t give him the chance, "There’s no suitable occasion to wear it."

The implication: don’t buy it, it would be a waste.

She wouldn’t wear it.

The truth was she just didn’t like it.

Seeing this, Wen Shi didn’t insist, "How about buying some leather shoes then?"

"I want cashmere."

Leather shoes wouldn’t be very practical back in Kao Shan Village.

On the contrary, cashmere would be much more useful.

It’s comfortable to wear and the warmth is better than sweaters too.

"Let’s buy it."

As long as Yi Chichi liked it, Wen Shi had no reason to refuse.

The cashmere came from the Purple Mink brand yarn of the Shanghai Friendship Textile Factory, and there was wool yarn next to it.

The yarn price was 17.5 yuan per pound, and cashmere was even more expensive, over twice the price of wool yarn.

But the texture of wool yarn couldn’t compare to cashmere yarn.

However, cashmere yarn had fewer color options than wool yarn.

But it didn’t require vouchers.

You could buy it with money.

So, Yi Chichi chose black and red, although she liked white.

But white got dirty easily.

Currently, her clothing needs were for comfort, decency, and dirt-resistance, without worrying about aesthetics.

Once the reform and opening up happened, she could be as fashionable as she wanted.

Right now it wasn’t possible; stepping out of line could cause a big mess.

"I think white looks good."

"I’ll buy white later."

Wen Shi responded with an ’oh’, as long as his wife liked it.

"Come, let’s buy you a watch."

Most of the things they bought were for her, and if chocolates, etc., were counted as his, he only had a few items.

Otherwise, he didn’t have anything.

Therefore, Yi Chichi disregarded his opposition and refusal, firmly dragged him to the watch counter, and bought him a Plum Blossom brand watch for over three hundred.

Don’t be fooled by the name; Plum Blossom is a genuine imported watch.

It was also one of the first imported watches to enter China.

Wen Shi... goodness, his wife was truly generous.

"Put it on."

After paying, Yi Chichi made a grand gesture, commanding like a nouveau riche.

The clerk couldn’t help but laugh, looking envious as he told Wen Shi, "Comrade, you’re truly lucky."

Wen Shi grinned, revealing his big white teeth, "Thank you, and I wish you happiness too."

"Here, let me help you put it on."

The clerk was a young man, with handsome features and a friendly smile. Wen Shi almost agreed until Yi Chichi’s words crossed his mind, prompting a hurried refusal, "Thank you for your kindness, comrade. I’ll do it myself."

As he spoke, he took the watch and put it on.

Yi Chichi nodded in satisfaction, previously feeling something was missing, now it felt just right.

After all, a man should have a watch.