Chapter 124: All Pretty Little Dresses  

After Song Qingqian made up her mind, she glanced at Jiang Rou, then at Zhou Xiaochuan and Zhou Xiaohua. The two identical braided pigtails swayed in her sight, momentarily dazzling her eyes.  

She said: “Your two children look quite like you.”  

“Of course~!”  

Jiang Rou particularly liked this comment, and her smile became even more radiant.  

Zhou Xiaohua seemed to sense the kindness from Song Qingqian and gradually became a little braver. She moved two-thirds of her small body out from behind Jiang Rou.  

And…  

This Auntie Song looked so beautiful.  

She wore such pretty clothes—ones Zhou Xiaohua had never seen before.  

Girls were naturally drawn to beautiful things.  

Song Qingqian invited the mother and children into the house.  

Only Zhou Xiaochuan remained standing in place, still in a daze.  

He had yet to understand why Jiang Rou did not clarify their relationship.  

They were not mother and children at all. She was merely a stepmother, and he was her stepson.  

There was absolutely no blood relation between them.  

Then, as he heard Song Qingqian’s next words, he immediately lifted his head and looked at Jiang Rou.  

His youthful face, delicate and clear, furrowed into deep wrinkles.  

He… looked like Jiang Rou?  

They had no blood relation at all, so how could they possibly resemble each other?  

Why was Jiang Rou so happy when she was told they looked alike?  

Was she really not going to explain?  

Jiang Rou took a few steps forward and had already entered the small courtyard when she realized someone was missing.  

Turning back, she saw Zhou Xiaochuan still standing outside the door, staring blankly into space.  

The shock in the young boy’s heart was plain to see, written all over his face.  

A gleam flashed in Jiang Rou’s eyes, and a smile played at the corners of her lips.  

Oh, this was just the beginning. There would be many more moments like this in the future.

They were still far from truly becoming a family.  

Jiang Rou took Zhou Xiaohua’s hand and turned back, gently patting Zhou Xiaochuan on the top of his head.  

“Xiaochuan, what are you standing there for? Come in quickly.”  

“…Mm.”  

Only then did Zhou Xiaochuan snap out of his daze. Holding the fabric in both hands, he followed Jiang Rou’s steps and entered Song Qingqian’s courtyard together.  

—  

Song Qingqian’s courtyard was completely different from their small vegetable garden.  

It had a distinct style of its own.  

The two children had never seen anything like lofty mountains and flowing water, pavilions and terraces, or the scenery of Jiangnan. Even the small pebbles on the stone pathway fascinated them.  

In a corner of the courtyard, a pink rose bloomed, still adorned with raindrops from that morning. The delicate petals glistened, appearing fresh and vibrant.  

Zhou Xiaohua couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances, reluctant to look away.  

Upon entering the house, Jiang Rou reminded the two children that they could play but should not touch anything without permission. This was Auntie Song’s home, and they needed to ask for her consent before handling anything.  

The two children immediately nodded, looking exceptionally obedient.  

Song Qingqian watched from the side.  

It was such a simple, everyday scene, yet somehow, she found it captivating.  

After all, this was her first time encountering children who were so well-behaved and not the least bit unruly.  

She could tell that Jiang Rou had raised them very well.  

Once Jiang Rou had finished instructing the children, she turned to Song Qingqian to discuss the main purpose of her visit.  

Just as she was about to speak, Song Qingqian handed her a stack of letter paper.  

In a calm tone, Song Qingqian said: “I sketched these casually last night. Take a look and see if you like any of them. If not, I can make adjustments.”  

Jiang Rou lowered her gaze and immediately saw—fashion design sketches.  

The letter paper was white with red ruling lines, yet Song Qingqian had drawn detailed designs on the thin sheets using a pencil.  

And not just one sheet—there was an entire stack.  

“These are all for me?”  

“I had nothing better to do, so I just doodled a bit to pass the time. It’s been a while since I last practiced, so my hands are a bit rusty.”  

Song Qingqian’s tone remained light and casual, as if she were merely lending Jiang Rou a small favor.

Jiang Rou examined the sketches and could tell that they were far from casual doodles. Each design had been meticulously crafted and refined by Song Qingqian.  

From the cut of the garments to details like butterfly sleeves and flutter sleeves—down to the use of lace and the distinct styles of each piece—Song Qingqian had considered everything thoroughly.  

She had even given each dress a name.  

At the very top of the stack were three designs for girls’ dresses.  

Per Jiang Rou’s request, they were all beautiful and elegant little dresses.  

The first sketch depicted a girl’s smock.  

[Illustration: Since the author lacks sufficient ranking this time, they will personally provide an illustration, as images from the 1970s may be difficult to find. Contributions from everyone are also welcome.]  

It featured a long-sleeved design, a loose-fitting baby-doll cut, and a charming little pocket in the front—perfect for holding small treats like candies.  

The buttons were placed on the back.  

They could either be arranged in a neat row or replaced with hidden snaps, both options looking equally attractive.  

Jiang Rou noticed a small note from Song Qingqian: A ribbon tie can be used instead.  

With a ribbon tie, there would be no risk of buttons pressing into a child’s back while sleeping, making the dress much more comfortable to wear.  

This particular dress bore some resemblance to modern kindergarten uniforms.  

Zhou Xiaohua was at just the right age for kindergarten, and she would surely look adorable wearing it.  

Soft and round, like a little penguin.  

The second sketch depicted a girl’s elastic-waist dress.  

The highlight of this design was the round-neck embroidery and the puffed sleeves.  

Compared to the first smock-style dress, this one had a more fitted silhouette.  

At the very bottom of the skirt, Song Qingqian had drawn a delicate lace trim, noting in the margins that an additional layer of lace could be added.  

Jiang Rou couldn’t help but smile as she read that note.  

She was grateful for Song Qingqian’s thoughtfulness but also helplessly aware of her lack of understanding of life on the island.  

Given the island’s living conditions, even if one turned the entire place upside down, not a single strip of lace could be found.  

Everyone wore nothing but dull, dust-covered work clothes.

The third sketch was a girl’s dress with flutter sleeves and decorative trim.  

When drawing this design, Song Qingqian had put in even more effort, meticulously sketching even the tiny floral patterns on the fabric.  

The dress featured a flutter sleeve design—perfect for summer, ensuring it would be cool, breathable, and comfortable to wear.  

As Jiang Rou examined it closely, she noticed that Song Qingqian had incorporated elements of a modified qipao into the neckline and bodice.  

A delicate stand-up collar, a rounded qipao-style front opening.  

Blending the vintage elegance of the qipao with children’s fashion instantly made the design look youthful and full of energy.  

In the era Jiang Rou had lived in during her past life, this style had a fashionable name—  

New Chinese Style.  

She hadn’t expected that, in the 1970s, Song Qingqian would dare to make such a bold design choice.  

And—  

It looked beautiful!  

No matter how intricate a design was, its ultimate purpose was to be worn by people. Looking good when worn was what truly mattered.  

After reviewing all three dress designs, Jiang Rou chose the third one without hesitation.  

“I like this one. Let’s go with this.”  

Song Qingqian glanced at her selection and wasn’t the least bit surprised.  

She also thought this dress was the most beautiful.  

After seeing Zhou Xiaohua in person today, she was even more convinced that it suited her perfectly.  

However, there was just one thing…