Chapter 31.2

She then grabbed a hanger, sprayed a little water on the fabric, and smoothed out the wrinkles. Satisfied, she said, “Xiao Miao, you’re free this afternoon, right? Come with me to the municipal compound. Let’s take a walk around there.”

“What are we going to do at the municipal compound?” The tailor shop wasn’t busy, and all the work had been completed, so she had nothing to do.

“You’ll find out when we get there. Let’s go.”

Yang Hemiao, still confused, followed along, holding the dress. Wen Xin even instructed her to hold it up higher so it would be more visible to people.

It wasn’t until they had walked around the municipal compound twice that Yang Hemiao started to realize what was happening. “Wen Xin-jie, you… you’re not planning to sell this dress, are you? Won’t we get caught?” The young girl was trembling as she held the dress—this was considered illegal speculation and profiteering.

“Shh…” Wen Xin glanced around, then pulled Yang Hemiao close and whispered, “Who said we’re selling it? Can’t we just be carrying it home? If anyone asks, just say the dress is yours and you’re taking it back after having it made. And besides, who would be dumb enough to come to the municipal compound to catch people for this? If they were that stupid, how could they get into the inspection team?”

According to the setting of this novel, speculation and profiteering were no longer strictly cracked down on. Whether in the city or the towns, black markets were everywhere—bartering goods, selling for cash, almost everyone had done it. People knew what was going on, and word had it that policies would be changing soon, making such transactions legal. So who would waste their time enforcing outdated rules? As long as you didn’t go around advertising it, no one would interfere.

The only problem was that material goods were still scarce in this era, and there weren’t many people selling clothing like this.

Wen Xin was banking on rarity—this style of dress wasn’t available anywhere else. And she was confident in her own figure. With her golden body proportions—ample curves, a slim waist, and a perky backside—she was a walking mannequin. She could turn a dress that was a 6/10 into a perfect 10/10 just by wearing it.

If she didn’t wear the dress herself and just carried it around, she could walk around the municipal compound a hundred times and no one would even notice.

Sure enough, after making two rounds and subtly approaching young women, one finally stopped them.

“Hey, wait a second.”

Wen Xin looked over and saw that the woman was dressed quite fashionably for this era—wearing a checkered blouse and a coordinating skirt, with a pair of black leather shoes on her feet.

“Is this dress for sale?”

The woman’s tone was a bit haughty. Wen Xin figured she must be the daughter of someone in the municipal compound—she even had a book in hand.

This seemed promising. She was tall and had a slim figure, so she should be able to wear the dress well. Women of this era were generally thin, so most could fit into it.

“Yes, it’s for sale,” Wen Xin replied with a smile. “But it’s a bit pricey. However, from the fabric to the craftsmanship and design, it’s the most fashionable style you’ll find. I guarantee you won’t find another one like it in all of Beijing. Try it on, and you won’t want to take it off.”

The woman scrutinized the dress Wen Xin was wearing. With her fair skin, the white dress made her look almost ethereal. Her waist was slender enough to be held in one hand, and with the waist tie fastened, she looked stunning. It was precisely because Wen Xin looked so good in it that the woman had stopped them.

“Is this from the south? The fabric seems average,” she commented after touching the material.

Wen Xin had searched several places to find this fabric—it was among the best available in Beijing. She said, “Miss, you have an eye for quality. It’s true that this isn’t the absolute best fabric, but it’s definitely not bad. If you like the design, you can try it on first. If you like it, you can buy it; if not, no worries.”

She was selling the design more than anything else. If someone liked it, they wouldn’t be able to resist buying it; if they didn’t, they wouldn’t even ask.

“How much is it?”

“My cousin was selling this for 80 yuan, but for you, I’ll let it go for 60. That’s already a loss on shipping costs, though, so you’ll have to cover the fabric ration tickets,” Wen Xin said, putting on an expression of reluctant regret.

Yang Hemiao, who had been quietly holding the dress like a background prop, nearly choked when she heard the price.

Si-sixty?! The fabric and labor together barely cost 20!

The woman hesitated for a moment, then looked at the dress Wen Xin was wearing again. After another glance at the two of them, she finally said, “Alright, follow me inside. I’ll try it on first. If I’m not satisfied, I won’t buy it.”

Wen Xin immediately beamed. “That’s fine. But I guarantee that once you put it on, you won’t want to take it off. This one is even prettier than the one I’m wearing.”

Yang Hemiao stared wide-eyed as she followed Wen Xin and the woman into the municipal compound.

Not long after, the two of them walked out again.

In less than an hour, they had made 60 yuan. This money was ridiculously easy to earn, and the people in the municipal compound were clearly well-off. Wen Xin had based the price on the yellow dress that the female supporting character’s mother had bought—it had cost 80 yuan despite being hideous. She had knocked 20 yuan off her price, and her dress was far more beautiful.

Anyone who had bought southern-made clothes before knew the usual prices. With a 20-yuan discount, the buyer would definitely feel like they were getting a great deal.

Wen Xin fanned herself with the 60 yuan and the fabric ration tickets before handing 30 yuan to Yang Hemiao. “This is for the labor and delivery fee. I’ll stop by your place later to sketch out some designs for a couple of blouses and skirts. We’ll come back in a few days.”

“I can’t take this, Wen Xin-jie. I didn’t really do anything…”

“Take it. If you don’t, I won’t go to your house next time,” Wen Xin threatened.

…

Wen Xin had just brought Miaomiao home when she received a call from the guard. Someone was looking for her.

“Male or female?” she asked.

“Male. He says he’s your family,” the guard replied.

Wen Xin thought for a moment—could it be the female supporting character’s younger brother? Right, Commander Yan had left a piece of clothing at the female supporting character’s house.

Her younger brother had probably brought it to the compound. She headed outside, but when she reached the gate, she realized the visitor wasn’t the female supporting character’s brother.

It was the youngest director of the state-run store—the man she had previously been set up with on a blind date.

Fang Jungui.

The person on the phone had said he was her “family.” What kind of family member did he think he was?

Fang Jungui stood by the entrance gate of the compound, dressed in a neatly tailored shirt and deep blue trousers. He looked clean and put-together, with a pair of glasses perched on his nose. When he saw Wen Xin, his eyes lit up with barely contained excitement.

The moment he noticed that she was still wearing the same white dress from their blind date, his excitement grew even stronger. It was as if he had traveled back in time to that day, as though fate had given them another chance.

The woman before him had delicate, pure features. Her large, dark eyes were as clear as black pearls, her lips soft and rosy, and her slender waist swayed slightly with every step, making her look like she had stepped out of a painting.

If he could marry such a woman, what more could a man possibly ask for?

Fang Jungui had been feeling dejected these past few days because he couldn’t find her. The matchmaker had brushed him off, saying she already had a fiancé. But how could that be possible? If she had a fiancé, why would she have gone on a blind date in the first place? He was convinced that the real reason was that he hadn’t performed well enough that day, causing her to reject him. He had indeed been too eager, a little too forward—but he was already twenty-seven. It wasn’t easy to find someone he liked this much. How could he just let her go?

He had spent days asking around and finally learned that she worked as a housemaid for a high-ranking officer’s family. As soon as he got off work, he tidied himself up and rushed over. And now, seeing her emerge from the compound, he felt an unshakable conviction—he had to marry her.

Wen Xin looked at him in surprise. “Uh… why is it you?” He had actually managed to find her here.

“I need to talk to you,” Fang Jungui said urgently, stepping forward when he saw Wen Xin turning to leave. But before he could get closer, the sentry at the gate stopped him.

Standing outside the gate, he could only look at her with deep affection and declare, “You know about my family’s situation. If you marry me, I promise you won’t suffer. You won’t have to work as a housemaid, and if you don’t want to work at the state-run store, you can stay at home instead. You won’t have to lift a finger—I’ll take care of everything. My monthly salary is over a hundred yuan, plus allowances. It’s more than enough for both of us. You’ll only need to stay home and take care of the children. And if you don’t want to take care of the children, I can even hire a nanny to serve you…”

Just as he was speaking, a military-green jeep approached from a distance. As it neared the gate, it suddenly came to a stop right beside him.

From inside the vehicle, a sharp-eyed officer glanced in Wen Xin’s direction, his gaze pausing briefly on her white dress. That single glance sent a shiver down her spine. She instinctively shrank back, trying to make herself invisible.

Then, the officer shifted his focus to Fang Jungui, who had been interrupted mid-speech. His voice was calm but carried an unmistakable authority. “Which unit are you from?”

Fang Jungui took one look at the man’s demeanor and guessed that he had to be at least a regimental commander. After all, only officers of that rank or higher were assigned vehicles. Moreover, the man exuded an air of command—calm, composed, and imposing. Fang Jungui, who had worked with many leaders in his state-run unit, immediately recognized that this was someone not to be trifled with.

Trying to be polite, he answered, “I’m the director of a state-run store. My surname is Fang.”

“And what’s your relationship with this female comrade?”

Fang Jungui hesitated briefly before his face reddened slightly. But he still answered confidently, “We’ve been on a blind date. She’s my intended fiancée.”

Wen Xin immediately protested, “Hey, what nonsense are you talking about? Who’s your fianc—”

Before she could finish, she caught sight of Yan Zeyang’s expression darkening. His gaze landed on her with a weight that made her heart skip a beat. She quickly swallowed the rest of her words.

Yan Zeyang’s cold gaze returned to Fang Jungui. “She’s your fiancée? Funny, I wasn’t aware of that.”

Something in his tone made Fang Jungui uneasy. He turned to scrutinize the man inside the jeep. “And you are…?”

The officer shot him a look of sheer disdain before turning to Wen Xin. His voice was clipped and commanding. “Get in the car.”

Without hesitation, Wen Xin stuck out her tongue playfully and dashed toward the vehicle. She hopped into the passenger seat, closed the door, and fastened her seatbelt.

Yan Zeyang snapped, “Shut the door properly.”

With a crisp thud, the door was shut tight. The jeep then roared to life and drove straight into the compound, leaving Fang Jungui standing dumbfounded at the gate.

It took him a long moment to regain his senses. He turned to the sentry and asked, “Who was that just now?”

The soldier gave him a brief glance and replied flatly, “No idea.”

Fang Jungui’s mouth twisted in frustration.

…

The jeep drove through the compound and stopped in front of Yan’s residence in just a minute and a half.

Wen Xin stole a glance at Yan Zeyang, watching him park and step out of the car. She hurriedly followed suit. As he shut the car door behind him, Miaomiao returned home. Seeing that Wen Xin wasn’t inside, the little girl dropped off her school bag and ran out again to play with her friends.

Inside the living room, Yan Zeyang stood silent for a moment before finally turning to look at her. His calm, deep-set eyes held an undercurrent of something unreadable.

“Tell me—how many ‘fiancés’ do you have?”