Chapter 778 - 780: A New Fashion that Cures All Illnesses
Although Bai Ruozhu felt sympathy for her Aunt, she still didn’t want Xiaosi to be adopted by another family. She took her mother’s hand and said, "Mother, Xiaosi might not talk much, but he tends to think a lot. Given his unique situation, if we were to let him be adopted by others, he might misunderstand that we don’t consider him a family member. He might even see himself as an orphan, leading him to despair."
"Ah, that won’t do; we can’t harm the child." Lin Ping’er had initially thought that Xiaosi could be offered more security in the future.
"I believe my Aunt can’t possibly plan to adopt Sanlang either. If it won’t work out, suggest her to adopt an orphan herself. The attachment to a child raised from a young age is not the same," said Bai Ruozhu.
Lin Ping’er nodded, "Alright, I’ll have a word with your Aunt about this."
...
The day of Hua Xiangrong’s summer new product press conference came in a blink. This time Bai Ruozhu did not worry much about it. Fusa was becoming more capable of doing things on her own, and Sui Ge was incredibly competent; he was able to manage everything comprehensively without needing Bai Ruozhu to go into much detail.
On the day of the press conference, as usual, there were many onlookers. Still, unlike the first time, Bai Ruozhu didn’t distribute flyers on the streets beforehand, so despite the crowd being big, it was not as chaotic as the last time.
By now, the protectors trained by Cui Fan had become increasingly proficient, and they served as security guards at the venue that day.
When each model stepped onto the stage, the crowd was taken aback. Weren’t summer clothing supposed to be the new products? Why were there no crocheted clothing displayed?
One of the models was seen wearing a small British-style hat with crocheted patterns, having three to four budding flowers, giving the impression of a large hairpin and fetching a unique charm.
Someone else had an object in hand, crocheted with Hook Needle, embellished with dangling pearl fringes, looking exceptionally pretty, but what was that?
Accompanying Bai Ruozhu, Jiang Yichun couldn’t help narrowing his eyes. Isn’t this the thing that Bai Ruozhu had drawn in her sketch? She was not revealing its use until today, right?
Suddenly, the model in the middle of the red carpet, in front of everyone, unpacked the small bag. She then took out from it a purse for silver, keys, a handkerchief, a folding fan, and many more items. The crowd understood then - this object was akin to a cloth wrapper for personal belongings.
Many of the ladies scanned it with minimal interest. On usual days when they go out, their maids carry these miscellaneous items. There was no need for them to worry. Small things could also be tucked inside their sleeves or bosom, so why would they need to carry such a cloth wrapper themselves?
However, as more and more colourful bags with varying crocheted patterns appeared and the different carrying methods were displayed, the gaze of these ladies and young girls became gradually attracted to them. They slowly realized that it was not just any cloth wrapper but an accessory, just like a belt, but with far more variety in styles.
"So, it’s just a cloth wrapper, huh? Was there a need to make it this mysterious?" laughed Jiang Yichun as he put his arm around Bai Ruozhu’s waist.
Bai Ruozhu lightly slapped his hand away and whispered, "We’re outside, mind your manners. Besides, it’s not just a cloth wrapper, but an indispensable accessory for women. Back in the place where I used to live, there was a saying - ’a bag that cures all illnesses’."
"Isn’t ’curing all illnesses’ normally a claim made by wandering doctors?" asked a confused Jiang Yichun.
Bai Ruozhu huffed, "It means that by having a bag, it makes one’s mood better, and all the problems seem to disappear, hence it is called ’a bag that cures all illnesses’!"
Jiang Yichun was left speechless. He couldn’t help thinking that the place where Bai Ruozhu used to live was indeed strange. How can the cloth wrapper that one carries in hand or on the shoulder be more effective than medicine?
"Ruozhu!" Tu Ying called out. She excitedly waved at Bai Ruozhu and darted over.
Those close by immediately noticed the red crocheted bag slung across her body. She ran up to them, patted the bag, and said, "This thing is really convenient. I’ll order a few more from you."
"Alright, I’ll give you a 20% discount," Bai Ruozhu said with a gleaming smile. Tu Ying was quite literally a walking advertisement for Hua Xiangrong’s bags.
"Quite a few of the rich young ladies are interested, but the mature ladies seem less intrigued," Tu Ying voiced her concern.
Bai Ruozhu laughed nonchalantly, "I wasn’t expecting everyone to accept it immediately. However, using a bag will definitely become a trend in Danliang Country in the future."
The press conference went smoothly. Although it wasn’t as sensational as the first time, there were still many orders, such as for the small hat, which one lady ordered eight of at once. Many people also ordered bags, and all of the bags used in the new product display were bought up by young girls.
Sui Ge watched with sparkling eyes. He became even more convinced of his new master’s competency and admirably submitted to Bai Ruozhu’s authority.
As soon as the Hua Xiangrong press conference concluded, Sui Ge took six embroiderers back to the Capital City. He planned to prepare Hua Xiangrong’s shop in Capital City first, aiming to open it by the time of the Autumn press conference.
With things finally settling down, Bai Ruozhu told Jiang Yichun that she wanted to take a trip to Mount Hua and look at it as bringing the children out for a trip to relax.
In her previous life, she had always wanted to roam around the vast Jiangnan area and take a look at the beautiful rivers and mountains, but she was always busy making money and hardly ever travelled anywhere. Now, although transportation was not very convenient, the air was much better and the natural scenery was everywhere. She enjoyed strolling around at her leisure.
"Are you planning to go to Mount Hua to bring Xiaosi back?" Jiang Yichun asked, "But I have official duties to fulfill. I’m afraid I can’t leave for that long."
"I just want to see how he’s doing. If he regrets his decision, I’ll bring him back and let him continue his studies. If he’s insistent, I won’t force him. You can stay at home and take care of the children. With all these dark guards around, what could happen to me?"
Bai Ruozhu had already weaned Dengdeng from breastfeeding and he was now eating solid foods and drinking some cow milk every day. Since he was getting enough nutrients, she decided not to bring him along this time, which would allow them to travel faster and return sooner.
Jiang Yichun was reluctant to part ways with her. After thinking it over, he said, "You have just come back a few days ago, and your wound has not fully healed. You should go ask our parents for their opinion. Can’t you stay home and rest for a few days?"
However, Bai Ruozhu ran off to persuade her parents. Jiang Yichun did not know what she said to them, but in any case, they agreed. With that, Jiang Yichun couldn’t even object anymore, and he spent a few days sulking. He was constantly wearing a long face in front of Bai Ruozhu, and Bai Ruozhu complained to her mother that Jiang Yichun was acting like a grumpy Rakshasa.
"Are you always this unreasonable? If you didn’t want me to go, then say so. You didn’t say anything at first, but now when I am about to leave, you have that long face every day." After putting up with him for a few days, Bai Ruozhu couldn’t stand it anymore and gave Jiang Yichun a scolding while grabbing his ear.
Jiang Yichun had been sulking and had not touched her for a few days. He didn’t resist when she grabbed his ear — the soft touch of her fingers made his ear itch. And in an instant, he changed into a wolf and pounced on her...