Chapter 42: It's in the bag!

At the night market, Lu Fan bought five more garments for Bai Lu, all suitable for a girl her age—pure, soft, adorable, and bursting with youthful vitality.

He also specifically picked out a rather formal professional outfit for Liu Yue'e: a tailored suit jacket and a hip-hugging skirt paired with black stockings.

He would have a major use for this outfit in the near future.

Liu Yue'e was about the same height as Bai Lu, though with a slightly better figure. By holding the clothes up against Bai Lu, he was able to select the right sizes with ease.

As for Bai Shuang, she no longer needed him to buy her clothes, as Xia Hongying had already dressed her up very prettily.

While strolling through the streets, Lu Fan scanned the crowd, hoping to spot that gang of hoodlums. He wanted to demand the receipt for the motorcycle from them.

Otherwise, when they met next time, Lu Dawei would surely keep grilling him about it.

Unfortunately, after walking the streets for an entire hour, Lu Fan failed to catch sight of a single one of them.

Could it be that after being taught a lesson by him, that bunch had relocated or turned over a new leaf?

During this idle time, Lu Fan had kept his phone on ring-and-vibrate mode, constantly checking for any incoming calls.

Yet, neither Ding Maocai nor Gu Jianjun had made a single call.

He could practically rehearse the conversation between the two men in his mind.

Unless someone suddenly stepped forward and outbid him by a wide margin to snatch the deal away, this business venture was practically set in stone.

Old Ding was at his wit's end; even if he refused, Gu Jianjun and the other three major creditors would force him to accept.

To be honest, that small garment factory did not hold much investment value, and Lu Fan had no desire to deep-dive into the apparel industry. He had simply set his sights on the land itself.

As long as he could secure that land, even if he did nothing for the rest of his life, when the demolition compensation finally arrived, he would be financially set for three lifetimes.

As for the garment business, he originally just wanted to make some pocket money. But as fate would have it, once he learned about the garment factory's predicament, he gave it a push along the way.

Even though the outcome was predictable in advance, waiting was always a lengthy process. Lu Fan still yearned to receive a call from Gu Jianjun.

He hoped Gu Jianjun would tell him in person: It's a done deal!

Only then would his mind be completely at ease.

Right now, his heart was beating a little fast, filled with a trace of excitement, much like a gambler right before lifting the bowl over the dice.

Before knowing the exact outcome, a lingering sense of suspense remained.

"Bai Lu, let's buy another outfit! Let's go to the department store, I'll pick out a nice one for you."

"No more, I've already bought five pieces today. I can't possibly wear this many clothes. Lu Fan..."

"Hmm?"

Bai Lu had originally wanted to ask him what was wrong, as he had been exceptionally unusual tonight. But changing her words mid-sentence, she said instead: "You should buy a couple of outfits for yourself too!"

Lu Fan shook his head. "I'm not buying any! I have plenty of clothes at home."

"See if there's anything else you want to buy. Let's just spend away to our hearts' content today."

Bai Lu touched her shoulder bag and smiled, "I really don't lack anything. Let's go home!"

***

"Alright, let's head home!"

Upon returning home, Liu Yue'e hurriedly prepared to fix them some food, but having eaten plenty of snacks at the night market, neither of them was hungry.

Lu Fan went out into the courtyard, took off his shirt, turned the phone ringer to maximum volume, placed it in a conspicuous spot, and began working out in the yard.

Meanwhile, Bai Lu and Liu Yue'e were inside the house trying on their newly purchased clothes.

Bai Lu modeled the outfits for Liu Yue'e one by one, her eyes filled with happiness and contentment.

Liu Yue'e also felt deeply gratified. In just a few days, he had bought so many clothes for Bai Lu. Once Bai Lu married him, she would undoubtedly be deeply doted upon, and she herself would be able to share in that fortune.

After Bai Lu tried on the last piece, Liu Yue'e smiled and said, "They all look lovely. Lu Fan has a very good eye. These clothes fit you perfectly and suit your age."

"Mom, you should try yours on too. To buy this outfit for you, Lu Fan browsed through several clothing stalls. The ones he saw first, he felt the quality was too poor, so he finally chose a really nice set."

Beside Liu Yue'e was a box enclosed in a non-woven fabric bag, containing that tailored business skirt set.

This outfit was very expensive; a single set cost almost as much as five of Bai Lu's garments combined.

Liu Yue'e feigned severity and said, "I'm so old already, having any random clothes to wear is fine. Why waste that kind of money?"

Despite saying this, Liu Yue'e was brimming with joy inside.

"Mom, you're not old at all. Lu Fan said people will live longer and longer in the future, and thirties and forties are the best years of one's life. Open it up and put it on to see if you like it."

"Alright, as long as it's something you two bought, I like it."

Liu Yue'e reached her hand into the bag, intending to pull out the box, but instead pulled out something mesh-like.

"What is this... stockings? Why are they so long?"

"Oh, this kind is called pantyhose, I think. I heard Lu Fan mention them; he said this outfit has to be paired with these socks."

Liu Yue'e unfolded the stockings, held them up with both hands, and her face instantly turned beet red.

"Pui, pui, pui! What kind of socks are these, they even go all the way up to the waist!"

With a twitch of her hands, she tossed the stockings onto the bed.

Bai Lu picked them up, gestured with them against Liu Yue'e, and said, "Mom, you really are such an old-fashioned square. These stockings are worn underneath the clothes, not on the outside. Other people can't see them, what are you being shy about!"

On second thought, Liu Yue'e supposed that made sense, but she still didn't quite dare to touch the stockings. Instead, she bypassed Bai Lu's hands and pulled out the box.

Opening the box, she fell in love with the outfit at first sight. Judging by the collar, it was a lightweight suit jacket.

Black, with rounded lapels and shoulder pads, made of pure cotton, double-breasted, with a cinched waist design, and a warm, lustrous pearl brooch pinned to the lapel.

Liu Yue'e worked as a cutter at the garment factory and had handled plenty of fabrics. With a single glance, she took in all the details of the garment.

The more she looked at it, the more she adored it. She had never worn such a gorgeous piece of clothing in her life.

"Mom, there's a skirt underneath as well. Put the whole thing on and let's see."

"Ah, a skirt too!"

Seeing her mother's pleasantly surprised expression, Bai Lu glanced out the window and pulled up the cloth curtain.

***

Only then did Liu Yue'e timidly take off her trousers, preparing to slip directly into the skirt.

"Mom, and these stockings too. You need to take everything else off and put the stockings on first."

A moment later, Liu Yue'e was fully dressed. She tugged hard at the hem of the skirt with her hands, looking rather embarrassed as she said, "This skirt is way too short, it doesn't even reach my knees."

Bai Lu stared blankly at her mother and let out a soft gasp: "Wow!"

"Mom, you look so gorgeous in this outfit, just like the Hong Kong and Taiwan stars on television."

Liu Yue'e gave a wry smile and said, "With you two buying me clothes like this, how am I supposed to wear them out in public? If I wear this, the villagers will definitely point fingers and laugh at me."

"Besides, I can't even take a proper stride in this skirt!"

"Mom, just take small steps, don't take big ones."

"How am I supposed to do any work like that!"

"No more working. Lu Fan asked me to tell you to resign from your job at the Meilin Garment Factory tomorrow. He'll pay your salary from now on."

"Ah, he'll pay my salary?" Liu Yue'e pondered for a moment and asked, "Does he want me to go along with you guys to sell clothes?"

Bai Lu nodded and then shook her head. "I didn't ask, but I guess that's probably what he means. You have no idea how many people signed up tonight—over a hundred. Lu Fan and I were almost swarmed."

"It's that popular?"

"Yeah, and we didn't even have the clothes with us; those people were paying in advance to reserve them."

"Ah?"

Liu Yue'e felt her brain couldn't quite keep up!

***

Out in the courtyard, Lu Fan was sweating profusely as he exercised.

Ring-ring-ring...

Suddenly, the telephone rang.

Upon hearing the ringtone, the restless heart in Lu Fan's chest instantly calmed down.

He finished his final set of movements, withdrew his stance, and regulated his breathing.

First, he wiped away his sweat with a towel, then picked up the receiver, bit the antenna open with his teeth, and flipped the cover open with a flick of his thumb.

In the dead center of the screen were three characters for the incoming caller ID:

Gu Jianjun!

***

The third chapter is served! Seeking steady readership and monthly votes!