Du Fangping looked Xu Qiqi up and down and muttered, “Although both look good, I still think long hair looks better.”
“Really?” A trace of melancholy flashed in Xu Qiqi’s eyes, and she couldn’t help but recall the time when she had just gotten married. She thought that Chang Yan’an’s heart and eyes were entirely focused on his ex-wife, and that he had only married her because his family pressured him. Unwilling to accept this, she became almost obsessed, desperately trying to cater to Chang Yan’an’s preferences.
Chang Yan’an’s ex-wife had short hair, so she cut her hair short. Whatever Chang Yan’an’s ex-wife liked, she did the same…
Now, looking back, it all seemed a bit ridiculous. Clearly, those things didn’t suit her, but she had forced herself to change for a man.
From now on, she wouldn’t do that anymore.
Those who like you will like you no matter what you look like, and those who don’t like you won’t like you no matter how much you change.
After following Qiuqiu’s advice and having a clear talk with Chang Yan’an, she realized that despite all her efforts, Chang Yan’an hadn’t even noticed that she was imitating his ex-wife. He didn’t even know what his ex-wife liked.
This shattered Xu Qiqi’s long-held belief. Weren’t he and his ex-wife very loving when they were married? How could he not know her preferences?
But when she pressed him, he refused to say.
“Right? If you don’t believe me, ask this female comrade.”
Du Fangping took the opportunity to openly look at Cheng Fangqiu. Some people are born to be the center of attention. Even though Xu Qiqi is also very beautiful, from a distance, the first person she noticed was this fair-skinned female comrade.
Her shiny black hair was tied into a simple and elegant low ponytail that hung over her left shoulder. The stark contrast between black and white made her skin appear even fairer.
Although the hairstyle seemed very simple, Du Fangping couldn’t help but mentally rehearse it over and over, only to find that she couldn’t replicate that low ponytail no matter how hard she tried.
“I also think long hair seems more elegant,” Cheng Fangqiu recalled the first time she met Xu Qiqi, when her long hair was tied into two braids, making her look delicate and lively.
“Actually, short hair is also nice—cool and sharp. They’re just two different styles.”
Xu Qiqi’s thoughts were brought back by Du Fangping and Cheng Fangqiu. Hearing this, she couldn’t help but cover her face and exaggeratedly blinked at the two of them, “Oh, I know, whether it’s long hair or short hair, I look good, right?”
This narcissistic remark made the other two burst into laughter, lightening the atmosphere.
“Let me introduce you. This is my good friend Du Fangping, whom I’ve been close with since middle school,” Xu Qiqi took Du Fangping’s hand, then grabbed Cheng Fangqiu’s hand, “And this is my good friend Cheng Fangqiu, whom I hit it off with at first sight.”
“Hello,” Du Fangping generously extended her hand to Cheng Fangqiu first, and the latter also smiled and shook her hand, “Hello.”
After a simple greeting, Xu Qiqi added, “Qiuqiu is the beautiful designer I told you about. She designed my wedding dress and that dress.”
Du Fangping was a bit surprised, “Didn’t you say you met her in the county? Did you specifically bring her to the provincial city?”
It was hard to explain everything over the phone, so Du Fangping didn’t know much before coming. She only knew that Xu Qiqi said she could help design two dresses even more beautiful than the previous one.
“What do you mean by ‘bring her’? That sounds so bad,” Xu Qiqi retorted with a coquettish tone. Because of her close relationship with Du Fangping, she explained how she ran into Cheng Fangqiu again at the machinery factory, “Fate is just so wonderfully unpredictable.”
“That’s such a coincidence,” Du Fangping also sighed, then said, “I don’t have any special requirements, just two words—it has to look good.”
Sometimes, having no requirements is the biggest requirement.
Seeing Du Fangping so straightforward, Cheng Fangqiu didn’t hesitate either and turned her gaze to her.
Du Fangping wasn’t tall. Without the heels of her small leather shoes, she was probably only about 155 cm. She was slim with a well-proportioned figure. Her skin was very fair, her face somewhat round, and her eyes were also round. From the first glance, Cheng Fangqiu felt that she was very suitable for a sweet and cute style.
Cheng Fangqiu wasn’t in a hurry to choose fabrics or design clothes for her. Instead, she took the two of them into the department store, found a shop with a mirror at the entrance, and stopped. Then, she pulled Du Fangping in front of the mirror.
“Do you mind if I touch?” Cheng Fangqiu asked. Seeing the confused looks on Du Fangping and Xu Qiqi’s faces, she explained, “I want to share my thoughts on your outfit today.”
Du Fangping was taken aback for a moment, then nodded, “Of course, that’s fine.”
After obtaining her consent, Cheng Fangqiu first took off the hat from Du Fangping’s head. The latter was startled and instinctively reached up to tidy her messy hair, which had become slightly damp with sweat after being pressed under the hat for so long. A few strands clung stubbornly to her forehead.
Du Fangping looked at her disheveled reflection in the mirror with embarrassment. She wanted to lose her temper and demand why Cheng Fangqiu had removed her hat, but the words caught in her throat as she remembered that Cheng Fangqiu had only acted after her consent. Moreover, she was Qiqi’s friend, and losing her temper would make everyone uncomfortable.
She pursed her lips but couldn’t help raising her voice, “Give me back my hat.”
“Wait a moment,” Cheng Fangqiu took out a brand-new comb from her bag and gently combed Du Fangping’s hair. After smoothing it out, she explained, “Hats are indeed a great tool for enhancing facial features and adding flair to an outfit, but if you choose the wrong one, it can be a disaster.”
Listening to Cheng Fangqiu’s explanation, Du Fangping gradually fell silent, and Xu Qiqi also listened attentively beside her.
“This hat isn’t quite suitable for you. It’s too small, and the brim is too narrow. Not only does it fail to highlight your features, but it also drags down your overall look.”
Cheng Fangqiu’s words were tactful. She didn’t say that Du Fangping had a large head but instead focused on the hat, conveying her point while preserving Du Fangping’s dignity.
“This dress of yours would pair well with a braid and a nice hair tie,” Cheng Fangqiu said as she took out a hair tie from her bag. With nimble fingers, she braided Du Fangping’s hair into a loose braid, pulling out a few strands around her face to better frame her features.
“This is just a plain black hair tie. If you use one that matches the color of your dress, it would be even better—complementing each other and enhancing the overall look. Also, see how removing this belt or adjusting its position makes your legs appear longer?”
Du Fangping stared at her transformed reflection in the mirror and nodded in a daze.
“Your fair skin looks great in this color,” Cheng Fangqiu adjusted her belt and complimented her with a smile.
Hearing this, a faint blush crept up Du Fangping’s ears, and she shyly said, “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me.” Although Du Fangping trusted her somewhat because of Xu Qiqi, Cheng Fangqiu knew that truly winning over a customer’s heart required skill.
“Now we can go pick out the fabric.”
Hearing this, both Du Fangping and Xu Qiqi nodded eagerly, and the three of them headed toward the fabric store. Cheng Fangqiu had already asked if there was a budget limit, and Du Fangping had given a range, making it easier to choose.
With her fair skin, most colors would look good on her, but to truly stand out, it was best to choose tones that complemented her personal style. Cheng Fangqiu selected a light cream white and a soft rose pink, along with some small pieces of fabric that could be used for decorative accents.
After selecting the fabric, the three found a spot to sit in the mall. Cheng Fangqiu began sketching designs, while Xu Qiqi and Du Fangping went to a nearby supply and marketing cooperative to buy cold sodas.
“Your friend is amazing,” Du Fangping linked arms with Xu Qiqi, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration.
Xu Qiqi straightened her back with pride and chuckled, “Of course! I thought I was pretty fashionable, but compared to Qiuqiu, I’m nothing. I really want to know what’s going on in that little head of hers. How does she come up with so many ideas that we’d never think of?”
“That’s called talent,” Du Fangping sighed softly, then pestered Xu Qiqi to help her ask how Cheng Fangqiu had styled her hair today. She had been secretly studying it for a while but still couldn’t figure it out.
“Alright, leave it to me,” Xu Qiqi patted her chest, also seizing the opportunity to promote their business. “If you’re satisfied, remember to recommend us to your friends.”
Du Fangping’s father had been steadily rising in rank over the past few years, and she had gotten to know many new friends, all children of well-off officials.
“You don’t need to tell me; I’ll definitely recommend you,” Du Fangping said. What girl doesn’t love beauty? Once the clothes were made, she just needed to wear them out, and she was sure many people would ask about them.
She had confidence in Cheng Fangqiu’s craftsmanship.
“By the way, the Mid-Autumn Festival is next month. Starting from the 5th, our compound will be showing movies for three days straight. It’s going to be lively. Will you come? I can introduce you to some people,” Du Fangping genuinely wanted to befriend Cheng Fangqiu. Who wouldn’t like someone who was both talented and beautiful?
“I’ll have to ask Qiuqiu if she’s free. If we decide to come, I’ll call you in advance.”
“Alright.”
By the time the two returned with the sodas, Cheng Fangqiu had already finished sketching a dress. She had meticulously labeled the design with explanations, making it easy to understand. Anyone could take it straight to a tailor and have it made.
Du Fangping and Xu Qiqi huddled around like curious children, marveling at Cheng Fangqiu’s skill and creativity.
At first, Cheng Fangqiu felt a bit shy and embarrassed by the praise, but as it continued, she grew accustomed to it. After finishing the two sketches, Du Fangping promptly paid and hurried off with the designs and fabric, clearly planning to take them to the tailor that very day.
“As agreed, we’ll split it 60-40.”
The two of them held their shares of the money, feeling a surge of excitement. This was the first time they had earned money purely through their own efforts, and it felt amazing—just one word: awesome!
“I can’t wait to reach out to more people,” Xu Qiqi said, riding the high of their success and nearly jumping with excitement.
“I think that’s a great idea,” Cheng Fangqiu nodded with a smile. After today’s experience, she realized the entire process wasn’t tiring at all. With her past life’s experience as a photographer and her exposure to major fashion weeks, designing clothes based on someone’s unique features came effortlessly to her.
“But that’s for the future. Right now, I want to spend all this money!” Xu Qiqi grabbed Cheng Fangqiu’s hand and dashed into the department store. Cheng Fangqiu laughed and followed her lead.
Just as the two had finished buying scarves, they noticed a crowd gathered in front of a ready-to-wear clothing store. Rumor had it that a dramatic confrontation involving a mistress was unfolding. Cheng Fangqiu and Xu Qiqi exchanged glances and, with unspoken agreement, joined the crowd to witness the spectacle.
To their surprise, they spotted a familiar face in the midst of it all!