In a well-furnished building smelling of mahogany and incense, and lit by sunlight shining in through windows and lamplight falling from the ceiling, Qiang Yu and Lulu walk slowly around numerous shelves and tables containing bolts of colorful fabric, their hands gently brushing the materials as they feel their texture and quality between their fingers.
“How about this one?” Lulu turns to Qiang Yu and asks, a bolt of light yellow fabric in her hand that matches her own dress.
Qiang Yu reaches out and touches it before placing it over the sleeve of her blue dress, her eyes narrowing as she lays her hand on the material.
“I don’t think so,” she says while shaking her head. “It’s soft enough but doesn’t look good next to my skin.”
“Mmm, okay.” Lulu puts the bolt of fabric back on a shelf and continues looking.
They continue their search for a short while, picking up and putting down numerous different types and colors of fabrics before they are approached by a buxom, matronly woman with black hair tied tightly behind her hand.
“Well well! If it isn’t the little lady and her little dew drop!” The woman smiles as she greets the two young ladies, a hint of surprise and happiness in her eyes. “I didn’t know you two would be showing up today, otherwise my father would have been out here to greet you.”
Qiang Yu and Lulu both turn to the woman and smile at her. And together, they say, “Good afternoon, Matron Xing!”
Then, Qiang Yu alone speaks, her voice soft as she looks around the otherwise empty boutique, “Matron Xing, I was actually hoping to speak with you today. I don’t think Master Xing can help me…”
Looking at her face, Matron Xing nods her head knowingly. “Ah, one of those things, hmm? But, didn’t you come in just a few weeks ago? Did something happen to the pieces I made you then?”
Qiang Yu quickly shakes her head, but before she can say anything, Lulu speaks up.
“Hehe, Matron Xing, you should know that Sister Yu is as delicate as a flower. Those other pieces were too rough on her skin!”
Lulu sends a wicked grin toward Qiang Yu whose face blushes brightly as she glares back at Lulu.
Looking at the two young women’s antics with a smile on her face, Matron Xing says, “Too rough? Well, I suppose you are at that age. Things that weren’t sensitive one day will be sensitive the next.”
Qiang Yu’s face blushes even brighter, but she says nothing to clarify the situation and only nods her head at Matron Xing’s words. Lulu, on the other hand, starts giggling behind her hand.
Noticing Lulu’s antics, Matron Xing rolls her eyes and tries to comfort Qiang Yu.
“Oh, I remember being your age. Everything was always sensitive, and my mother was always fussing over me saying, ‘Bind yourself! You look like a strumpet!’ or, ‘Aiya, those other girls your age don’t have so much fat! What have I been feeding you?’ Never mind the fact that the second I became of age she was always openly praising me to our neighbors, ‘Oh, look at my daughter! Don’t you think your son would like her? Doesn’t she look so motherly? Look at her chest! Look at her waist! She can birth so many grandchildren for us! We can have an army! It just depends on if your son can keep up!’”
As the woman rolls her eyes exaggeratedly in remembrance of her youth, Lulu laughs freely and Qiang Yu lets out a sad chuckle.
“I wish things were that simple for me.” Qiang Yu sighs. “The boys around here don’t care for my hair or skin. Even that stupid Feng boy whose family is trying so hard to get my parents to marry me to him always forces himself not to look disgusted with my tanned skin.”
“That’s because he’s a freak and he can’t recognize beauty if it hit him in the face,” Lulu says. “I’ve heard rumors about him, you know. People say he’s interested in girls that look like me. I’ve even heard that he sends people to approach the families of girls he finds attractive early and pays them to send their daughters to his family’s compound as ‘maids’.”
“Come now, let’s not talk about disappointing things here. I don’t want you two to bring such nastiness into my shop!” Matron Xing reprimands the two girls, her eyes resting longer on Lulu than they do on Qiang Yu.
“Yes, Matron Xing,” the two young women respond together.
“Now then, I can’t really talk about the intelligence of those young men, but the one thing I can say is that, with your hair, eyes, and skin tone, you are blessed in that you can wear nearly anything and not have it look gaudy. You should take advantage of that.”
Qiang Yu looks at Matron Xing with clear doubt in her eyes.
Shaking her head, Matron Xing says, “Come now, I’ve been dressing girls and boys since before you were born. I happen to know a few things. Why don’t you tell me what you are looking for and I will show you just how right I am.”
Qiang Yu nods her head once, slowly, and then says, “I want something that flows like water across my skin. It should be thick enough to hide everything, but light enough that I cannot feel it at all. And it needs to be cut from one piece without excessive stitching or embroidery that might drag on my skin.”
Matron Xing scrutinizes Qiang Yu closely, surprise and a hint of pity in her gaze as she nods her head once. “I have a few things that might suit you. You’re looking at the wrong section, though. If things are as bad as you make them seem, then you will want to use fabrics normally reserved for expecting mothers.”
“Expecting mothers?” Both of the young women ask, feeling uncertain about Matron Xing’s suggestion.
“Do you think little girls are the only ones who experience a change in their sensitivity?” Matron Xing shakes her head. “Let me tell you this, any sensitivity you’re experiencing now is nothing compared to what pregnant women go through. Let’s go, let me find you a few things and you can see for yourself.”
Matron Xing then brings Qiang Yu and Lulu to a different section of the boutique full of lighter fabrics with more subdued colors. With one glance, Qiang Yu and Lulu both are able to see that the fabrics here are nowhere near as bright or colorful as those closer to the front of the boutique, and they even feel disappointed with how plain the colors seem.
But, as the girls feel the different fabrics beneath their fingers, their eyes widen. Then, Lulu exclaims, “This is so nice! Sister Yu, can I get one too?”
Qiang Yu nods her head, and after the two young women glance at one another, they begin excitedly searching through all the fabrics.
Seeing their excitement, Matron Xing chuckles to herself and begins picking through the fabrics as well. However, she doesn’t say anything or bring attention to any of the fabrics and just lets the two younger women enjoy their search.
Moments later, Lulu finds a light blue bolt of fabric and brings it to Qiang Yu. Then, looking around with a big grin on her face, she whispers, “Sister Yu! This fabric is so soft! Even if it’s someone as shameless— sorry, sorry, as sensitive as you, then I doubt you’d notice it even if you wore it while cultivating.”
Qiang Yu’s face flushes red and she reaches out with her hand to pinch Lulu’s nose.
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“Who are you calling shameless?” She hisses quietly after making sure Matron Xing wasn’t looking their way.
Lulu grabs Qiang Yu’s wrist and makes a half-hearted attempt at pulling her hand away from her nose, but she starts giggling as she whispers, “No, no! I misspoke! And I saw it wrong earlier! Don’t punish me!”
Qiang Yu pinches Lulu’s nose harder before glaring at her and letting go. “I’m not shameless! I already told you it was my clothes! I couldn’t help but feel everything touching my body! My senses were overwhelmed!”
“Mhmm,” Lulu grins at Qiang Yu. “I still can’t believe that purple spirit stone was so effective on you. It didn’t affect your mama and me nearly as much when we tried.”
Qiang Yu rolls her eyes. “It is only because I was forced to absorb all of the purple Qi from the spirit stone at once. With how lazy you are with your composure, it would probably affect you even more!”
Lulu gives Qiang Yu a glance full of skepticism and asks, “Is it even possible to be more affected than you?”
Glowering, Qiang Yu remembers Lan Jin asking her if she intended to absorb the Qi inside of the spirit stone and how she reprimanded him saying it was none of his business.
Then, Qiang Yu grumbles, “That dumb boy definitely knew there were side effects to absorbing the purple Qi! I hope my mama gets his location from the Great Physician so I can teach him a lesson!”
“Can I help?” Lulu asks, excitement clearly evident in her eyes. “He called me a dumb donkey multiple times!”
Smiling at Lulu, Qiang Yu nods her head once.
Lulu returns the smile and says, “Sister Yu really is the best even if you are a little shameless.” Then she dances off with a giggle and leaves behind the light-blue bolt of fabric.
And though Qiang Yu glares at Lulu’s back as the distance between them grows, the corners of her lips twitch slightly as she looks down at the fabric Lulu had brought her. And as she reaches out and places ribs her palm over it, Qiang Yu’s eyes widen in delight and she can’t help but bring the fabric up to her face as she presses it against her skin.
“So soft!”
However, before she has a chance to fully appreciate the cloth Lulu had brought her, Lulu comes running back with a wide smile on her face and her eyes practically beaming.
“Sister Yu!” Lulu says, her voice so excited that it almost comes out as a shout. “Guess who’s here!”
Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Qiang Yu asks, “Who? Is that stupid Feng boy following us again?”
Lulu shakes her head. “Nnn, even better! It’s the stupid pig head!”
“Stupid pig he— That boy Lan Jin? He’s here? Why? Do you think he followed us?”
Lulu shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t know. I saw him looking at some of the fabrics. He didn’t seem to be paying too much attention and I walked right behind him and he never even noticed me, so I don’t think he should be looking for us.”
“Is it just a coincidence that he’s here?” Qiang Yu asks herself, concerned with the fact that Lan Jin has shown up in the same place as her twice in as many days.
She believes that the night prior could be explained by her father’s actions. She even had her mother look at the strand of ribbon she slipped on after she returned home only to find that there was absolutely nothing special about it, so her collision with Lan Jin should have really been an accident. But even still, she can’t help but feel a little uncomfortable.
Lulu looks thoughtful for a moment before saying, “He doesn’t seem to be looking for anyone, and he’s still wearing the same clothes from last night. It looks like he cleaned them, but if he’s still wearing the same thing then he probably came here because he needs new ones. So maybe he found a house in the area and this is where he decided to look.”
Qiang Yu lowers her head in thought and then stands up on her toes to look over the nearest shelf to see if she can find Lan Jin. When she spots his obvious golden hair and sees a confused expression on his face as he looks at different fabrics, she feels that the situation is probably just a coincidence.
“Sister Yu! I have a fun idea!” Lulu says while grinning at Qiang Yu.
Narrowing her eyes at Lulu, Qiang Yu asks, “What idea?”
“Hehe, well, wouldn’t you say that Lan Jin looks confused?” When Lulu sees Qiang Yu nod her head she continues, “Do you think he realizes the section he’s looking in is for girls?”
Qiang Yu’s eyes widen and she turns around and stands on her toes again to look at Lan Jin. From what she can see, he is indeed looking at some of the more colorful fabrics in the store instead of the darker fabrics that are usually sold to men.
Turning around again, Qiang Yu takes one look at the grinning Lulu and a small smile forms on her face as she realizes what Lulu wants to do. “Go find Xiao Xian and see if she’s willing to help us! I’ll keep Matron Xing busy so she doesn’t find out!”
***
Inside the New Star Boutique, Lan Jin stares blankly at dozens of different types of fabrics. When he arrived, he had been expecting to grab different clothes from piles laid out neatly on shelves and hanging from metal rods. But, as it turned out, there was nothing ready-made here. Instead, there were only neatly-folded fabrics stacked on shelves and tables and Lan Jin could only assume he was meant to find ones that he liked and then bring them to a clerk or someone similar to order his clothing.
Not knowing what else to do, and not seeing an obvious counter that might have a helpful store clerk waiting behind it, he walks through the entire store while looking for things that he thinks feel and look nice while trying to imagine how they would look should he have them turned into actual clothing.
After a while of searching, he is approached by a teenage girl wearing a yellow dress with the character ‘Star’ stitched into it. She takes one look at him, and with a wide smile, says, “Mister guest, I am Xiao Xian! Can I help you find anything today?”
Lan Jin nods his head and feels relieved, happy to have found someone who can help him. “Yeah, I guess it’s kind of obvious, but I’m looking to get some clothes made. The only thing is, I have no clue how this works. Am I supposed to just pick out some fabrics and bring them to somebody? Or is there something else I’m meant to do?”
“Mhmm!” Xiao Xian nods her head, her smile not fading even for a second. “You just find the things you like and we take care of the rest! We’ll take you into the back and take your measurements, and from there, we begin the work of making your clothes!”
“Oh, okay. Um, by any chance, do you know how long it will take to get new clothes made? It’s a little awkward to say it, but this is all I’ve got to work with right now,” Lan Jin waves his hand at his clothes, “so if it’s at all possible, I’d like to have them made sooner rather than later.”
Xiao Xian’s eyes brighten and she says, “That won’t be a problem at all! We won’t be able to make everything immediately, but, if you’re willing to settle for my work, I can personally send you home with one outfit today and my grandpa will take care of the rest according to the order.”
Lan Jin is surprised by her response. He assumed it would take quite a while to get anything made because it was all custom. Granted, he had no clue how long it normally took to make clothing so her confidence might be reasonable. But even still, her excitement toward making clothes seemed a bit excessive and Lan Jin can’t help but wonder if she’s trying to use him to practice.
Slightly suspicious, Lan Jin asks her, “Can you really finish up an entire set of clothing in a day?”
Xiao Xian nods her head. “Of course! I’ve been trained by my mother and my grandfather, both of whom are incredible at making clothes! I might not be as good as them yet, but they still allow me to help out around the boutique. So if you are willing to trust me, I can devote all of my efforts to making sure you go home with a new set of clothing today!”
Her monologue does nothing to settle Lan Jin’s suspicions. In fact, he feels even more suspicious as he looks at her bright smile.
“Are you actually allowed to make clothes?” Lan Jin asks her.
Xiao Xian nods her head. “I make clothing all the time! Ribbons, dresses, pants, and other things. I can make them all!”
“And what if you don’t make the clothes right?” He asks, not wanting to spend money on a defective product.
“Then you don’t pay! I would never take your money if I don’t do things properly!” Xiao Xian continues smiling at him and finally, Lan Jin can’t help but shrug his shoulders as he realizes this is the best way for him to get clothing quickly.
“Alright,” he says, no longer hesitating. “I’ll trust that you can do it, then. So I just need to find the right fabric now?”
“Mhmm!” Xiao Xian’s smile brightens further and she rapidly nods her head. “I can help you with that, too! Are there any colors that you like?”
“Black, mostly.” Lan Jin shrugs.
Xiao Xian’s smile disappears. “Black? We don’t have black cloth here.” After a moment, she shakes her head and asks, “Forgive me if I am being offensive, but are you going to a funeral?”
“A funeral?” Lan Jin asks. “No, I just like black. Why? Is black only worn for funerals around here?”
Xiao Xian looks at Lan Jin’s black clothes and nods. “Normally. People who wear black are seen as being inauspicious. It’s also one of two colors worn to funerals, with the other being white, because it expresses the solemn feelings we have toward the departed.”
“Oh, uh… Okay, then. But, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen people wearing white robes around here. How come they can do that?” Lan Jin asks, disappointed that his favorite color of clothing isn’t even offered here.
“It’s because white is viewed as a pure color. If you wear it to a funeral, it implies you are wishing for a soul to be absolved of its grievances and quickly return to the heavens and the cycle of reincarnation. And if you wear it normally, it implies that you wish to become close to the heavens, free of impure feelings, and untouched by earthly bonds.” She then shakes her head and says, “Really, people who wear it outside of funerals are very arrogant, so I don’t recommend it at all! You should wear a nice, happy color instead!”
Surprised by her sudden change of tone, Lan Jin says, “Oh. Okay then. Uh… Do you have any nice blue fabrics then?”
Xiao Xian’s smile returns and she quickly nods her head. “Of course! And we have some very nice ones, too! Let me show you!”
With that, Xiao Xian takes off deeper into the store and Lan Jin follows behind her while waiting to see just what she comes up with.