Chapter 71

After thinking for several days without any clue, Mrs. Zhou came to Shen Cui to discuss the matter that night.

In major matters, Shen Cui didn’t help Mrs. Zhou make decisions, but she was willing to offer suggestions on the problems encountered during the process.

“I don’t know how to make clothes either. I can only help you by taking a look. What I say might not be right,” Shen Cui said, then asked Mrs. Zhou at which step she was stuck.

At that moment, Mu Er Pang returned from the academy and saw the lights on in the main house. He lifted the curtain and peeked in, asking, “What secret are Mom and Sister-in-law whispering about? Can I come in and listen?”

“You came at the right time,” Shen Cui waved him in. Mu Er Pang acted as a temporary model, allowing Mrs. Zhou to bring the fabric pieces she had cut. However, the pieces didn’t hang well on him, so they used long pins to adjust the corners.

The size of the fabric pieces was based on the measurements written by Song Shusheng and his actual body size, so they were a bit big and long for Mu Er Pang. To avoid the hem getting dirty, he stood on the kang.

With the “human model,” Shen Cui noticed the problem. She said, “The sizes you cut don’t match his measurements.”

Mrs. Zhou was surprised and measured again with a ruler. She said, “It’s correct. I cut them according to his measurements.”

“I’m not saying you cut them wrong… it’s that his drawings are idealized.”

Like designers in later generations who use nine-head models to highlight their designs, Song Shusheng’s drawings depicted a slim and tall youth. Such a figure would look good in any new design, even a sack. However, Mu Er Pang was sturdy and muscular.

It’s not that a strong and robust figure is not good. Such a figure looks good in loose robes or slim-fit clothes. However, it’s difficult to handle a mix of these two styles in the design.

So, cutting the sizes according to his measurements was like making clothes that are only suitable for small and medium sizes into extra-large sizes. No wonder Mrs. Zhou felt something was off.

Shen Cui explained to Mrs. Zhou, fearing she wouldn’t understand. She dipped her hand in tea water and, following Song Shusheng’s design, drew an enlarged version on the kang table… It was very close to the fabric pieces cut by Mrs. Zhou!

Mrs. Zhou imagined shrinking a few fabric pieces in her mind… Surprisingly, the strange feeling lessened significantly.

“What… what should we do?” Mrs. Zhou was really troubled now. “Master Song designed the clothes for himself, so they must be cut according to his measurements.”

However, cutting them according to his measurements would definitely not look good when worn.

As workers, they couldn’t just tell the customer directly that they couldn’t make the clothes because the customer’s body didn’t suit the design.

Shen Cui thought for a moment, stroking her chin, and asked Mrs. Zhou, “Have you ever seen a shoulder strap?”

Mrs. Zhou nodded and said she had seen one. “There were a few pictures of playing polo in the book you bought before, and I’ve seen them.”

This showed the benefit of Mrs. Zhou’s literacy. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to continue the conversation.

“Put simply, a shoulder strap is a strap that can be tied under the shoulders to roll up the inconveniently long sleeves to the arms when needed, and let them down when not needed. With this little thing, one piece of clothing can be turned into two designs… I guess Master Song designed this clothing for himself to maintain his literary style while making it convenient for writing and movement. Since there’s still some time, think about this aspect.”

“One garment, two designs,” Mrs. Zhou muttered to herself. “I’ll go back and think about it.”

After saying this, Mrs. Zhou left, appearing pensive.

Mu Er Pang was still on the kang, acting as a human model. There were several long pins stuck in the fabric pieces on his body. He was stunned when he saw his sister-in-law leave without a word. “Mom, what… what should I do?”

“What should you do? I’m here, aren’t I? I’ll take them off for you.”

Mu Er Pang stiffened his body and said, “I’m scared!”

Last time, his mother suddenly decided to insert a sole into their shoes. My goodness, the stitching of the sole was like a centipede, even poking through the socks and hurting their feet!

No one complained. Since it was winter, they all tacitly wore two pairs of socks for warmth and to protect against the “centipede.”

But privately, they joked that although Shen Cui was really capable in other aspects, her hands were not very skillful. It didn’t matter when she cooked; they would just eat it. However, when they saw her inserting the soles, her hands were pricked by the needles, and the blood… If you have the chance, you should advise her not to waste time on things she’s not good at, especially things that might hurt herself.

Mu Er Pang wasn’t afraid of Shen Cui pricking him now; he was afraid of her hurting herself. The fabric was meant to be delivered to someone else, and if it got stained with blood, it would be a big problem.

Mrs. Zhou walked to the window outside and heard their conversation. She realized she had forgotten something and quickly came back to apologize and release Mu Er Pang.

Back in her room, Mrs. Zhou continued to think about the clothes, unable to sleep. She scribbled and drew on paper until the night grew dark outside, and she felt too tired to continue.

She took off her robe and placed it on the quilt. Then she unbuttoned her cotton clothes and took off her cotton pants. After pulling out the waistband… Mrs. Zhou suddenly froze, staring at the waistband for a while before her eyes lit up!

The next morning, Shen Cui saw Mrs. Zhou with two panda eyes.

Although she hadn’t slept well all night, she was very excited. After breakfast, she showed Shen Cui the drawings she had made.

By using the shoulder strap and the waistband, Mrs. Zhou came up with a way to sew ties at the waist and cuffs of the clothes. When these ties were not pulled, the clothes would look like ordinary loose scholar robes. When both ties were pulled, the waist would naturally become slim, and the large sleeves would become narrow, just like the original design of Master Song!

As mentioned earlier, Master Song’s physique was not suitable for a mix of two styles.

However, with this design, he could tighten the waist and cuffs when he needed to write or move. When he realized that he wasn’t suitable for tying the straps or had finished writing and moving, he would naturally loosen the straps, and the clothes would return to their loose and comfortable style, without looking awkward.

“Not bad, it indeed meets Master Song’s requirements and adds a clever touch,” praised Shen Cui.

Mrs. Zhou’s eyes were bright with excitement. Having received Shen Cui’s approval, she continued to work—although she had a direction, she still needed to figure out how to sew the ties to be practical and aesthetically pleasing, and how to set the adjustable range, which required her own exploration.

After she left, Mu Er Pang leaned over and whispered, “Mom, did you already know about this?”

Of course, Shen Cui had already thought of it. This drawstring design was common in many clothes in later generations.

As a middle-aged office worker in her past life who worked long hours and had no time to exercise, Shen Cui had gained some weight compared to her student days. Therefore, she paid more attention to the design of clothes. In slimming women’s clothing, drawstring designs were quite common.

“How did you know I already knew?”

Although it sounded like a tongue twister, Mu Er Pang wasn’t confused by the question. He smiled and said, “I just knew. Maybe it’s because we’re mother and son.”

Then he paused and said, “But I don’t understand. If you already knew, why didn’t you just tell Sister-in-law last night instead of letting her think all night?”

“I help her make decisions and think about everything. So, should I be the one working or should she?” Shen Cui looked in the direction Mrs. Zhou had left and smiled, “The sense of achievement gained from improving oneself through hard work is actually more enjoyable and satisfying than earning money through work.”

Mu Er Pang thought of himself when he heard this.

When he first started studying, it was just because he found that his mother hoped he would study, and then he found it novel and fun to study and write.

Later, after the incident at the tailor shop, he was eager to make a name for himself and prove himself to those people.

But now, it wasn’t for others. It was for himself. Every day, learning a little more, practicing a few more characters, memorizing a page of a book, all made him very happy. This should be the “sense of achievement” his mother was talking about.

……

Soon, it was New Year’s Eve. Zheng Shi wanted to invite Shen Cui and Mu Er Pang to the city to celebrate the New Year, but this year was the first New Year after the establishment of the Cuiwei Academy. Moreover, Lao Buyu and Mrs. Zhou were there. Shen Cui didn’t want to leave them alone, so she made a deal with Zheng Shi to celebrate the New Year by themselves and return to pay respects on the first and second day of the lunar New Year.

Last year, Zhou Shi prepared the New Year’s Eve dinner, and this year, she was in charge again. Shen Cui sensibly didn’t go to help but instead, together with Mu Er Pang, was responsible for posting couplets and the character at the academy and at home.

After pasting the red couplets and character, the mother and son swept away the dust in the academy and at home. When it was getting dark, Zhou Shi had prepared a table full of dishes.

This year’s New Year’s Eve dinner was much richer than last year’s, with a steamed grass carp symbolizing “abundance every year,” a plate of Four Happiness meatballs in thick sauce, as well as chicken stewed with mushrooms, tofu meatballs with cabbage soup… A large table full of dishes.

Shen Cui could tell at a glance that Mrs. Zhou had secretly supplemented the meal by buying vegetables from the village and others.

Everyone from the academy gathered together to eat, lively and warm. Shen Cui took out the rice wine purchased before the New Year and had a small drink with Lao Buyu. After eating, Lao Buyu and Mu Er Pang hung a long whip at the entrance of the academy and the house.

Sitting in the room, listening to the crackling firecrackers outside and Mu Er Pang’s laughter, and seeing Mrs. Zhou still writing, drawing, and revising the design drafts, Shen Cui felt a sense of peace and accomplishment in the midst of the peaceful years.

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