Auntie Li heard that the girl was helping at a clothing store in the provincial capital. She thought to herself that if they chose this match, she would immediately have Liu Fang’s niece change her job. How could a daughter-in-law of the Fan family work in such a position?

Liu Fang hadn’t visited the provincial capital for several days. When she next went to Lan Fenghuang, she brought Auntie Li along.

Xia Xiaolan had been staying home reviewing for several days. When the recruitment notice was posted and people came to apply, the previous candidate Li Fengmei and Liu Fen didn’t approve and weren’t suitable. Finally, when they found a promising candidate, they called Xia Xiaolan to evaluate them.

When Liu Fang brought Auntie Li to the store, Xia Xiaolan had just finished discussing terms with a young woman named Ma Wei: working 28 days per month, one-month probation with only the basic salary of 40 yuan, after becoming permanent staff and working the full 28 days there would be a 20 yuan bonus, and the store would provide two meals daily.

“When you complete a year here, we’ll raise your salary.”

Though this was a clothing store sales position, Xia Xiaolan didn’t offer a commission right away – she wanted to see how the person performed. Ma Wei was a junior high school graduate, not particularly beautiful, but had the kind of face that naturally drew goodwill. They just needed someone to help out, not expecting to sell many clothes. With so many people unable to find work in the city, Ma Wei hadn’t expected Lan Fenghuang would hire her.

For someone like her without professional skills, getting 60 yuan per month after becoming permanent staff, including a bonus – what was there to be dissatisfied about?

Although private stores didn’t offer medical or pension benefits, Ma Wei couldn’t find better work elsewhere, so she was both excited and grateful. Moreover, with two meals provided daily, even if the food wasn’t great, she could save over ten yuan in expenses monthly.

So, including the value of meals, the job effectively paid about 70 yuan monthly? Ma Wei came from an ordinary civilian family without connections to arrange employment. Her parents’ jobs couldn’t have been very good either – her father’s salary peaked at just over sixty yuan.

“I’ll start work tomorrow!”

Seeing the young woman nearly crying from excitement, Xia Xiaolan nodded:

“Nine AM to around eight PM. Get a letter of introduction from the street office explaining your family situation, including family members and address. If you can start tomorrow, that would be best.”

The introduction letter was mandatory for any job – how else would they know the identity of new hires?

When Auntie Li and Liu Fang entered the store, they saw Xia Xiaolan speaking with Ma Wei from the side.

Without Liu Fang’s introduction, Auntie Li knew which one they had come to see… She was beautiful, more beautiful than anyone Auntie Li had ever seen. When Xia Xiaolan turned around, Auntie Li was thoroughly satisfied. With looks like these, family background and conditions hardly mattered – she was indeed more beautiful than Liang Huan.

Liang Huan was still young, while Xia Xiaolan was already a graceful young woman.

She had curves in all the right places – though slim, she wasn’t scrawny!

Only by marrying into the Fan family would someone so strikingly beautiful be accepted, with a mother-in-law like herself who wouldn’t look down on her. Families of equal standing to the Fans might have men who liked such beauty, but their elders would likely object.

Auntie Li was very satisfied, feeling Liu Fang hadn’t deceived her.

Liu Fang was naturally proud too. Though Xia Xiaolan had the surname Xia, she only inherited the Xia family height – only Liu family members could be this beautiful.

“Xiao-“

Liu Fang was about to call Xia Xiaolan over for Auntie Li’s closer inspection.

“Xiaofang, you’re here again?”

In front of outsiders, Li Fengmei greeted her annoying sister-in-law normally. Once a pest attaches, it’s hard to get rid of – what could Li Fengmei do?

“Auntie Li, this is my sister-in-law, she owns Lan Fenghuang. Sister-in-law, I brought Auntie Li to choose some clothes.”

Liu Fang chatted and laughed, still bringing business to the store. You can’t hit a smiling face, so Li Fengmei had to receive them properly.

Auntie Li had no interest in looking at clothes – her attention was completely focused on Xia Xiaolan.

But since this was Liu Fang’s sister-in-law, that made her Xia Xiaolan’s aunt. They would be relatives in the future, so Auntie Li was very polite:

“The store is impressive, and the clothes are beautiful. Remarkably, you run such a large business yourself!”

Not knowing who this “Auntie Li” was, but appreciating her pleasant words, Li Fengmei responded humbly, inviting her to browse. Should she offer a discount since Liu Fang brought her? Her niece had said discounts shouldn’t be given casually, only at season’s end. Whether or not they bought much, she’d give them a belt and a small wallet later. Li Fengmei could tell from Auntie Li’s dignified air that she was wealthy.

A gold ring on her finger with an emerald green jade setting looked quite striking.

People who couldn’t even fill their stomachs wouldn’t wear gold and silver.

Those who shopped at Lan Fenghuang weren’t poor, but someone wearing both gold rings and jade bracelets like Auntie Li was rare indeed.

“That young lady has good taste in clothes – could she help me pick out a couple of outfits?”

Auntie Li was quite approachable, so Li Fengmei called out “Xiaolan.”

Xia Xiaolan couldn’t pretend not to see Liu Fang anymore. With a customer specifically requesting her service, how could she play dumb?

“Auntie, I was so busy talking earlier I didn’t see you. Ma Wei, you can go now.”

Xia Xiaolan’s acting wasn’t too bad. After sending Ma Wei away, she came over. She could tell at a glance that Auntie Li wasn’t young, though she looked just over fifty – that was because women these days didn’t take care of themselves much, making Auntie Li’s good maintenance stand out.

Her hair was dyed, and she wore calfskin shoes.

The bracelet on her wrist was jadeite, seemingly of good quality.

Xia Xiaolan just wasn’t sure how to address her. If Liu Fang called her auntie, wouldn’t she have to call her grandmother? What woman wants to be called old?

“Young lady, let’s keep things simple – I’m surnamed Li, just call me Auntie Li.”

Auntie Li wasn’t afraid of being called old.

If Xia Xiaolan became her daughter-in-law, calling her grandmother wouldn’t be appropriate.

“Auntie Li, would you like to look at jackets or pants? I’ll help you browse.”

Knitwear would be suitable now, and it matched Auntie Li’s temperament. Normal people couldn’t follow Liu Fang’s logic – Xia Xiaolan had no idea Liu Fang would bring someone to “look her over.” Thinking Liu Fang was just showing off to a friend, Xia Xiaolan determined to recommend expensive items so Liu Fang would feel the pain whenever she thought of Lan Fenghuang in the future.

Xia Xiaolan recommended cashmere sweaters to Auntie Li.

These goods were only available through Chen Xiliang. Cashmere was warm yet light, a hot export commodity. Even department stores had trouble stocking them. The Beijing Hotel had them though, with many display counters where foreign guests could shop while staying there. It was said the Beijing Hotel’s counters sold thousands of cashmere sweaters yearly.

Auntie Li was discerning – she could tell the material just by touch.

“Cashmere?”

She didn’t mind Xia Xiaolan recommending expensive clothes; rather, she appreciated the young woman’s good eye. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t afford cashmere sweaters.

“Yes, it’s cashmere. This has a medium collar that won’t constrict your neck, and it’s perfect for the current weather. Though spring has arrived, mornings and evenings are still quite cold.”

Xia Xiaolan spoke to everyone the same way but was especially gentle with customers.

Auntie Li thought she not only looked beautiful but had a lovely voice too.

— This daughter-in-law was going to be part of the Fan family!