Chapter 60: Clothing Store Plan and Trip to Yun City

“Jiaojiao.” From a distance, Xie Zhi called out to the girl. Originally, their schedules should have been about the same, but he had deliberately left work half an hour early and hurried over.

Seeing him, Xu Jiaojiao quickly said goodbye to the woman next to her and ran toward him excitedly, like a small, reckless beast. The two embraced tightly.

As they walked, Xie Zhi asked, “How did it go? Did the factory director agree?”

“Not yet,” the girl replied, her tone carrying a hint of disappointment, but she quickly brightened up again.

Xie Zhi had been thinking for a while about how much it would cost to open a clothing store in their hometown’s county. Aside from the 20,000 yuan his teacher had given him, he also had the savings left from his family over the years—adding up to quite a bit. He didn’t want to ask his parents for money, and if necessary, he could also access the trust fund his grandfather had set up for him overseas.

“Jiaojiao, why don’t we open our own shop? We could offer the personalized designs you originally wanted, and even provide makeup and hairstyling services.”

Hearing this, Xu Jiaojiao bit her lip in thought. He was right! Her greatest strength was aesthetics. From the bohemian and minimalist styles of the modern era to the classic Hong Kong glamour of the past century, she had a broad vision. Plus, her advanced sense of beauty and styling was far ahead of this time. Modern makeup was even considered one of the “four great Asian beauty techniques”!

She had completely overlooked this advantage. And in a county town, land and labor were inexpensive, yet there was still a strong consumer base. The more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

She patted Xie Zhi’s shoulder excitedly. “Husband, you’re absolutely right! I can open my own shop in the county. I won’t need an introduction letter there, and my brother can help me advertise it.”

Then she suddenly remembered something and stopped walking, her expression turning serious. “But first, we need to go to the translation office. I still don’t have enough startup capital.”

Xie Zhi chuckled and reached into his satchel, tilting it toward her so she could see the thick stack of banknotes inside. “Here’s 20,000 yuan. Plus my savings from these years—so you don’t need to worry about money, Jiaojiao.”

However, to his surprise, Jiaojiao didn’t react with excitement. Instead, she looked conflicted and twisted the sleeve of his shirt nervously.

“What’s wrong, Jiaojiao? Aren’t you happy?”

“I… I can’t keep using your money. You should keep it for yourself.”

Xu Jiaojiao had thought deeply about this. The more a man invested in you, the more he would expect in return. She hadn’t even decided whether she wanted to marry Xie Zhi yet. If she did, she’d have to deal with his parents and relatives—something she wasn’t eager to do.

Xie Zhi felt a chill in his heart, sensing her hesitation. But he remained patient. “Consider this a loan. You can pay me back later. Or, if you prefer, treat it as my investment in the business.”

Xu Jiaojiao nodded silently, thinking that she should discuss this with her mother first. If all else failed, she could borrow money from Xie Zhi.

After settling on their plan, the two took a bus to the translation office. Their busy days were filled with hope—especially when the pay was unexpectedly high, which only made them more motivated.

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Day by day, time passed. Today was their last day in Qing City. Early the next morning, they would be heading to Yun City to visit her eldest brother.

Xu Xu was the most accomplished in their family—not only had he joined the army, but he had also fought on the battlefield and was highly valued by his unit.

Xu Jiaojiao watched as Xie Zhi packed their things. On the table lay her wages from the past seven days.

She stared at the five large banknotes and two smaller ones, growing more and more pleased the longer she looked at them.

With this money, and confidence in her own abilities, she was feeling increasingly optimistic about her upcoming clothing business. She had considered settling into a steady job as a translator, but her middle school education wouldn’t take her far in the long run.

The best option was to stay in the village—running the clothing shop while preparing for the college entrance exams. After all, career advancements and promotions in the future would inevitably depend on educational qualifications.

She tucked the money into her undergarment pocket, keeping only some loose change in her purse. Counting her savings, she realized she had nearly 1,000 yuan—enough to purchase fabric and some essential tools.

Xie Zhi closed the last suitcase. They had two large ones—one filled with clothes and the other packed with local specialties from Mother Xu, along with a letter asking if her eldest son would be able to come home for the New Year.

“Jiaojiao, we’re all set. Let’s go.”

Xu Jiaojiao nodded. This time, she had left her bag mostly empty, still shaken from her last experience at the train station. Just thinking about it made her nervous.

Luckily, Qing City and Yun City were right next to each other—just a two-hour train ride away.

Teacher Guan had personally come to see them off. If not for his car, they wouldn’t have known how to manage all their luggage. Xu Jiaojiao sweet-talked him the whole way, making him beam with pride.

“Xie Zhi, I’ll send you things every month from now on. And don’t even think about refusing the money.”

Xie Zhi smiled and nodded. “Thank you, teacher.” He really needed the money now, especially since opening a shop was a big undertaking. Neither he nor Jiaojiao knew much about running a business.

They checked in, boarded the train, and quickly found their seats. Everything went smoothly.

However, they soon noticed people around them staring.

Two young adults, both strikingly good-looking, immediately stood out. Their well-tailored clothes looked expensive, making it impossible for them to go unnoticed.

Xie Zhi shifted in his seat, positioning himself to block some of the curious gazes directed at Jiaojiao. She, on the other hand, was busy wrestling with a piece of beef jerky, chewing at it determinedly.

Watching her adorable struggle, Xie Zhi felt his heart melt. As the train’s whistle blew, it slowly began moving. The scenery outside changed rapidly, but looking at it too long made one feel dizzy.

After finally conquering the tough beef jerky, Xu Jiaojiao took a sip of warm water and then cozied up against Xie Zhi.

The people across from them were dumbfounded.

“You two must be married, right?”

“Yes, you make such a lovely couple! Have you taken wedding photos yet? I know a place that does an amazing job—I could introduce you!”

Xie Zhi glanced at the woman coldly, his expression like an icy wind. “No need.”

The woman, undeterred, continued to chatter on, tirelessly promoting the photography studio. She was convinced that the couple had money—maybe she could reel in a big customer.

Just then, a train attendant walked by, carrying a basket and calling out, “Freshly steamed meat buns! Five cents each! Comes with a cup of soy milk! Anyone want some?”

It was still early—just past 8 AM. Since they had rushed out to catch the train, they hadn’t eaten breakfast, only bringing along some snacks.

“What?! Five cents for a meat bun? Might as well be robbery!”

“Exactly! Everything on the train is way overpriced.”

The passengers grumbled, but as the rich aroma of fresh meat buns filled the carriage, they couldn’t help swallowing their saliva.

Some people still ended up buying them, watching enviously as the attendant pulled out the soft, steaming buns from beneath the white cloth.

“I’ll take four buns and two cups of soy milk,” Xie Zhi said, stopping the attendant.