Auntie Li finally selected two cashmere sweaters, two pairs of pants, and two men’s dress shirts.

Such a big spender was rare even at Lan Fenghuang. The total came to 523 yuan, and Xia Xiaolan took the initiative to round it down.

“Since Auntie introduced you, we’ll make it 500 yuan. We’re having a promotion where you can choose a belt and wallet, and I’ll throw in an extra small wallet.”

Xia Xiaolan was being quite generous. The clothing store’s profit margin was over 50%, and since this customer was letting her earn over 200 yuan, being a bit magnanimous was only natural.

Liu Fang also felt Xia Xiaolan was particularly accommodating today, showing great respect to both her and Auntie Li.

Auntie Li asked Liu Fang if she wanted to pick out some clothes.

“Don’t worry about me, I have plenty of clothes. Though I could bring Huanhuan here on the weekend to pick out a couple of items for her.”

Liu Fang tried to pay Auntie Li but couldn’t win the argument. How could she pick out clothes now? What if Auntie Li insisted on paying for them?

Auntie Li surveyed the store’s style and shook her head:

“The clothes are all beautiful, but Liang Huan is too young, they’re not suitable.”

Hearing this, Xia Xiaolan couldn’t help but give Auntie Li another look.

This was an older woman who truly understood fashion.

People these days didn’t really understand clothing coordination, especially for Liang Huan’s age group. She was too old for children’s clothes but not quite ready for adult styles. Teen fashion was the hardest to buy, and fifteen or sixteen-year-olds just wore whatever. Lan Fenghuang indeed didn’t stock many teen styles – what unemployed young customers could afford to shop here?

Xia Xiaolan had deliberately abandoned the younger consumer market – you couldn’t cater to everyone, so it was better to focus on the main spending demographic first.

Auntie Li didn’t care much about the gifts – the wallet and belt weren’t up to her standards, so she had Liu Fang choose two.

Before leaving, Auntie Li looked at Xia Xiaolan:

“Your name is Xiaolan, right? You’re very patient in your speech and actions. I’ll ask for you again next time I come.”

“Goodbye, goodbye Auntie.”

Xia Xiaolan and Li Fengmei exchanged wordless glances, and Li Fengmei muttered:

“The sun must be rising in the west today – your aunt bringing in business?”

Xia Xiaolan didn’t care; she wasn’t in the store all the time anyway.

If Liu Fang came to Grandmother Yu’s house to discuss marriage arrangements, Xia Xiaolan would simply stop staying at home. Couldn’t she just go study at Shangdu University’s library?

The university library these days was truly a place for studying – no phones to scroll through, no couples whispering and cuddling to show their affection. Those who got into Shangdu University were no slouches; Xia Xiaolan figured she could even ask someone if she had questions about difficult problems.

The more she thought about it, the more feasible this plan seemed. If only Gong Yang were back, she could borrow his entry pass.

Gong Yang was thoroughly enjoying himself in Beijing. Xia Xiaolan worried she might have led a future great artist astray – would Gong Yang’s artistic style become too “mechanical” if he drew technical illustrations for too long?

But Xia Xiaolan couldn’t worry too much about that.

She hadn’t forced Gong Yang to take these jobs. Whether he could become a great artist was uncertain, but even future great artists needed to eat.

Maybe she could borrow an entry pass from Officer Zhuo’s sister?

While Xia Xiaolan was at the store, Liu Fen went home to cook. When Liu Fen brought the food to the store later, neither Xia Xiaolan nor Li Fengmei mentioned Liu Fang’s visit.

In the afternoon, Auntie Cheng from the public phone booth called out loudly for Xia Xiaolan to take a call.

“It’s from Pengcheng, still connected, hurry and answer!”

Hearing Pengcheng, Xia Xiaolan thought “Uncle Tang” had finally remembered to look after her, but it was Bai Zhenzhu calling.

“I found the watch you wanted. It costs 1,200 yuan here, do you want it?”

1,200 yuan?

Xia Xiaolan was quite curious about what kind of watch it was.

She was looking for Zhou Cheng’s birthday gift.

Auntie Li returned to Hedong County with six pieces of clothing. Though she hadn’t been praised much during the trip, Liu Fang could tell everything from her expression.

Someone drove them both to Shangdu, so Liu Fang finally didn’t have to take the shuttle bus back. She envied Auntie Li – they both used government vehicles, but who would dare say anything about Auntie Li using one? The Liang family couldn’t compare to the Fan family at all.

Xia Xiaolan would soon enjoy the same treatment as Auntie Li – she really should be grateful to her aunt!

“Ah Fang, this sweater is for you.”

The driver took Liu Fang right to her building, and Auntie Li smiled as she handed her the bag.

What would she do with two cashmere sweaters? One was always meant for Liu Fang.

“Auntie Li, I can’t accept this…”

“Take it, we’ll all be family soon anyway, no need to be polite with me.”

She called her Auntie Li now, but that might change soon. Liu Fang couldn’t refuse and had to accept the cashmere sweater. This sweater wasn’t cheap – one cost 128 yuan. Of the six pieces Auntie Li bought, only the two pairs of pants were less expensive. She’d chosen expensive men’s shirts too; Liu Fang knew those were for Auntie Li’s son.

Liu Fang could certainly afford cashmere sweaters herself. What excited her wasn’t receiving the sweater but Auntie Li saying they’d “all be family soon” – it was settled! If the Fan family wanted to marry her, how could Xia Xiaolan not agree, how would she dare not to?

Liu Fang returned home and happily tried on the cashmere sweater in front of the mirror, then pulled out the belt and wallets from the bag.

If others had passed on “gifts” to her, Liu Fang would certainly have been unhappy, but coming from Auntie Li made it different.

The belt could be used by Liang Bing’an, and the two small wallets were red and pink – Liu Fang decided mother and daughter would each take one. She put everything away and prepared a feast; today she had to properly celebrate with Old Liang.

In the afternoon, students got out of school and workers finished their shifts.

Smelling the fragrance in the house, Liang Huan tossed her backpack aside. She first noticed the two wallets on the table – the pink one was pretty, the red one too, and surely one was meant for her.

“Mom, did you steam fish?”

Liang Huan ran into the kitchen and discovered her mom had outdone herself today.

Liu Fang wasn’t without merits. Having been a housewife for many years, before they lived separately from Liang Huan’s grandparents, she had to please the Liang family, and cooking was a skill Liu Fang had carefully cultivated.

“Hey, how can you eat meatballs without washing your hands first? Go wash them quickly.”

“Mom, what’s the good news today?”

No matter how Liang Huan asked, Liu Fang wouldn’t say. Finally, when Liang Huan hugged her and acted coy, Liu Fang gave in.

“Tell me, tell me…”

Liu Fang couldn’t resist her and lowered her voice: “You can’t go spreading this around, but I took Auntie Li to meet your cousin today. Auntie Li was very satisfied – your cousin is going to marry into the Fan family… Listen, you need to control your expressions from now on. It doesn’t matter whether you like your cousin or not, but you can’t have conflicts with her in person, especially after she marries into the Fan family!”

Marry into the Fan family!

Liang Huan naturally knew how powerful the Fan family was – they ruled Hedong County.

She admired the Fan family’s power, but if asked to marry into it herself, she wouldn’t agree.

However, even though Liang Huan herself wasn’t willing to marry into the family, hearing that Xia Xiaolan could make her uncomfortable. She blurted out: “How am I supposed to get along with Fan Han then… will my cousin be his stepmother?”

Fan Han was Liang Huan’s classmate.

Wouldn’t Fan Han have to call her aunt now?!