Casting Nets to Catch a Husband

Chapter 162: Hook

Liu Yu finished drawing the designs for “Mystic Fairy Tale (Mi Xian Ji)” and then handed the two embroidery patterns she created to Lady Zhang. She instructed her to produce other sizes and have the embroiderers start mass production. From now on, all the garments from Ruyi Embroidery Workshop would have corresponding labels on the collar.

With the labels in place, Liu Yu turned her attention to the third series of ready-to-wear clothing. After discovering that An Ji Embroidery Shop had copied her designs the day before, Liu Yu became more aware of the need for branding. If Ruyi Embroidery Workshop was going to pursue two different paths, she decided that the third series should also have labels.

However, figuring out how to do this required careful consideration. The “Mystic Fairy Tale” and “Fragrance of Flowers” collections were mid-to-high-end, naturally using embroidery. But the third series was aimed at a more affordable market, and using embroidery would make the labor costs too high.

Before Liu Yu could come up with a solution, Lu Shuang eagerly volunteered, “Third Sister-in-law, you can use fine brushwork. I can do that.”

Lu Shuang usually followed Liu Yu around, helping out wherever there was a need in the embroidery workshop. However, she had yet to find something she was truly skilled at. Upon seeing the small labels Liu Yu had drawn, she immediately found a task she could excel at.

Lu Shuang wasn’t particularly good at embroidery, but she excelled in fine brush painting.

Moreover, there were special pigments for brush painting on fabric that wouldn’t fade after being applied.

“You want to do it?”

Using fine brushwork was indeed an excellent idea, much faster than embroidery. But Liu Yu was hesitant about letting Lu Shuang, who was used to playing around, officially work for the embroidery workshop. She looked at Lu Shuang and then at Chen Shi.

Lu Shuang replied, “I’ll do it. I have nothing else to do, and this is easy. Just leave it to me.”

Chen Shi had no objections and laughed, saying, “Let her do it. I see her enjoying herself here every day. This girl may not be good at needlework, but she’s always loved painting and drawing since she was little. She should have no problem with the labels.”

With both Lu Shuang and Chen Shi in agreement, Liu Yu had no objections either. She smiled and said, “Then I’ll pay you a wage, Shuang’er.”

Lu Shuang didn’t mind earning money from Liu Yu and smiled happily, “That’s great! This will be the first time I’ve ever earned money on my own.”

Chen Shi laughed and playfully tapped Lu Shuang’s forehead, saying, “Not even a bit of modesty?”

Lu Shuang laughed and linked arms with Liu Yu, saying, “Why should I be modest with my third sister-in-law?”

Liu Yu laughed, “Exactly! No need for modesty when we’re close. Let’s go buy the pigments, Shuang’er.”

The two sisters-in-law went to the pigment shop, but when they inquired, they found that the special pigments for fabric weren’t available there. The shopkeeper directed them to a shop that sold dyes.

They followed the advice and found the dye shop, where they did find what they needed.

The labels didn’t require a complicated color scheme, but seeing the wide variety of colors in the dye shop gave Liu Yu another idea.

The affordable series of ready-to-wear clothes couldn’t be entirely without decoration; they would need some simple embellishments. If they replaced embroidery with brushwork, they could significantly reduce the cost of labor for each garment.

Liu Yu’s eyes lit up. She now knew how to make the affordable clothes.

Without further ado, she bought all the colors available in the dye shop.

Lu Shuang was astonished, “Third Sister-in-law, do we really need so many colors?”

Liu Yu smiled and nodded, “We do, Shuang’er. I’ll need your help for a while.”

If they could achieve mass production, they wouldn’t be able to rely solely on Lu Shuang. They would need to hire a few other women skilled in fine brush painting. In fact, for future designs, they could even customize the dyeing process at the source. But for now, just the two of them would suffice.

Liu Yu and Lu Chengxiao hadn’t discussed this plan, but they had both arrived at the same idea.

After paying for the pigments and leaving the dye shop, Liu Yu shared her plan with Lu Shuang, who was also excited about the idea of replacing embroidery with hand-painted designs for the affordable series.

“This will work! It will be difficult for others to copy. Just tell me what you need painted, Third Sister-in-law. I’m good at drawing, so it should be fine.”

Liu Yu laughed, “Alright, I’ll rely on your help for the initial phase. As for what to draw, I’ll create the samples, and you can just follow them.”

Regarding Liu Yu’s ability to draw, no one found it surprising. Although not everyone who can draw is good at embroidery, most people who are skilled at embroidery can also draw to some extent, as they often create embroidery patterns. So, no one gave it much thought.

~

Perhaps inspired, Liu Yu and Lu Shuang quickly got to work upon returning. One of them started cutting the fabric, while the other began drawing labels for the third series. Although Lu Shuang was just supposed to draw the labels, since Liu Yu hadn’t yet come up with a name for the series, Lu Shuang took it upon herself to think of some names. After much thought, she came up with three: “Enchanting Beauty,” “Cherished Gold Threads,” and “Jade Under the Moon.”

Lu Shuang didn’t disturb Liu Yu and, imitating her style, used a simple Ruyi motif as the base and drew the designs for each name. She then presented them to Liu Yu.

Liu Yu was pleasantly surprised as she looked at the sample designs Lu Shuang handed her. “How did you come up with such great names?”

“I’ve been reading a lot of poetry collections from my third brother, and after racking my brains, I came up with these,” Lu Shuang blushed slightly at the compliment but was also eager to hear Liu Yu’s opinion. “So, what do you think? Can we use them?”

“Of course, we can. These are excellent! It almost feels like a waste to use them for the third series.”

Lu Shuang was puzzled, “Why would it be a waste?”

Liu Yu laughed, “Not that the third series isn’t worthy, but since the third series is mostly everyday wear, these names seem better suited for a high-end collection.”

“How about this—let’s save these three names for future series. For the third series, we can use ‘Joyful Jiangnan.'”

Liu Yu hadn’t forgotten Lu Chengxiao’s suggestion to expand to nearby provinces, and she thought “Joyful Jiangnan” would be a fitting name.

“Joyful Jiangnan,” Lu Shuang repeated the name softly, her eyes lighting up. “Okay, I’ll create another version with this name.”

Since Liu Yu had decided on “Joyful Jiangnan,” Lu Shuang put extra effort into the design. She drew several versions with different calligraphy styles and color combinations—some monochrome, others with multiple colors. Once she had a good selection, she brought them to Liu Yu for her to choose from.

Liu Yu picked her favorite. “This one looks great. Let’s use this design.”

Seeing that Liu Yu was pleased with her work, Lu Shuang was overjoyed, her eyes crinkling with her smile.

Liu Yu’s gaze lingered on the other sample designs Lu Shuang had drawn, especially the seven or eight versions of “Joyful Jiangnan.” Even though the calligraphy styles were similar, each one had subtle differences.

Liu Yu suddenly realized that it was impossible for hand-drawn designs to be exactly identical. After a moment’s thought, she looked up and asked Lu Shuang, “What do you think about having your design engraved into a stamp? We could use the selected dye and print the labels directly.”

If they used printing, the blank labels could be prepared in advance and printed before being sent to the sewing team.

Lu Shuang quickly caught on, slapping her forehead in realization. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of such a simple and convenient method! I’ll go talk to the stamp maker right away.”

Liu Yu laughed, “I didn’t think of it either until just now.”

This proved that thinking things through always leads to better solutions.

With the label design decided, Lu Shuang followed Liu Yu’s choice and drew a set of labels for each size in the two series, setting them aside to dry.

By this time, the first set of fabric pieces for the new collection had been prepared, and the next step was to paint them by hand.

Liu Yu had a clear idea of what the finished garments should look like from the moment she started cutting the fabric. Although Lu Shuang was more skilled at painting, Liu Yu had to be the one to bring her vision to life for this first set, especially since she couldn’t yet fully convey her ideas to someone else.

Thanks to her embroidery background and some formal training, Liu Yu’s painting skills were certainly up to par, and the results on the fabric were excellent.

Lady Zhang, who had just returned from the embroidery room, noticed Liu Yu painting on the fabric and curiously joined Lu Shuang to watch.

Liu Yu’s designs were not overly intricate or detailed, yet each stroke seemed to be just right, transforming the plain fabric into something vibrant and full of life.

While Lu Shuang admired the artistry, Lady Zhang focused on the garments themselves. She couldn’t help but acknowledge that talent like Liu Yu’s was something most people could only dream of having.

Oblivious to Lady Zhang’s thoughts, Lu Shuang, inspired by watching Liu Yu, eagerly asked her to cut out the fabric pieces for the other two outfits so she could start painting them.

Liu Yu, interested in seeing how well Lu Shuang would do, cut out a piece of fabric for her and watched as she began to paint.

Using the same design, Lu Shuang’s strokes were quicker, steadier, and more fluid than Liu Yu’s. This was no ordinary skill, as Chen Shi had humbly suggested—Lu Shuang was truly talented!

Liu Yu couldn’t help but praise her, “Shuang’er, you have incredible skills. Your work is even better than mine, and you’re much more efficient too.”

Lady Zhang, who was watching from the side, couldn’t stop praising, “Miss Lu, your painting skills are truly remarkable!”

Lu Shuang’s smile blossomed. She had loved painting since childhood, initially seeing it as just a pastime. She never imagined that one day it would become a valuable skill, something she could use in making clothes. Her joy was so overwhelming that she seemed to be glowing with happiness.

Seeing this, Liu Yu felt completely at ease. She even considered collaborating with Lu Shuang on future designs, starting with sketches on paper before moving to fabric. Discussing and refining the designs together might yield even better results.

The two women quickly completed three sets of clothing for the “Joyful Jiangnan” series. Once the hand-painted designs had dried, Lu Shuang personally delivered them to Liu Datian’s wife for further processing.

The painting process saved a lot of time, and it also eliminated the need for an embroiderer. Liu Yu thought that if they could successfully negotiate a few distribution deals for mass production, they would need to hire more fabric cutters and seamstresses.

They worked until the sun began to set. In the evening, Liu Yu and Lu Shuang visited the stamp maker. When they returned, Liu Yanping and a few others had already brought craftsmen skilled in woodworking to create decorative wooden screens. Along with them was Lu Chengxiao.

Just as a dyeing workshop has a sample book of colors, these craftsmen also had a catalog of intricate wooden screen designs. Liu Yu and Mrs. Wei carefully browsed through it, with Lu Shuang by their side offering her input.

Once they had chosen a design and decided on the calligraphy style, Liu Yanping took over the task, sparing Liu Yu from further worry.

However, as Liu Yu looked around the shop, she felt a twinge of regret. The embroidery workshop had grown faster and better than she had expected, which was undoubtedly a good thing. But in the beginning, she had also considered selling cosmetics and jewelry. At that time, they didn’t have enough capital, so the idea was temporarily shelved. Now, with the various series and the prospect of opening branch stores, adding cosmetics and jewelry to the mix would seem too scattered.

In the short term, with plans to open branch stores, they wouldn’t have the energy or funds to venture into the cosmetics and jewelry business.

But this slight regret was fleeting. The future of the embroidery workshop was clear, and it was wise to focus on their main business.

By the time the craftsmen and their apprentices had finished taking measurements and left, the sky outside was already dark. It was time for Liu Yu and Lu Shuang to return to the Lu family estate.

Lu Chengxiao had come to pick them up, so they all bid farewell together. Lu Shuang, feeling playful, waved to Liu Yu and ran ahead as soon as they left the embroidery workshop, leaving Liu Yu to walk with Lu Chengxiao.

Lu Chengxiao silently praised Lu Shuang’s tact. In the darkness, he attempted to hold Liu Yu’s hand, but just then, Liu Yu raised her hand to adjust her sleeve, unknowingly avoiding his touch.

Some shops on the street were still open, and under the dim streetlights, Lu Chengxiao glanced at Liu Yu. His hand, once raised, remained by his side as they reached Lufeng’s fabric shop in just a few steps, missing his chance.

Lu Chengxiao’s heart raced. Was this intentional or just a coincidence?

Meanwhile, Liu Yu asked him a few questions about his work outside, smiling all the while, her expression revealing nothing.

He found out the answer later that night, after they had dinner and returned to their rooms.

Having been apart for a few days, Lu Chengxiao was unusually affectionate, pulling Liu Yu into his arms as soon as they were inside.

Liu Yu, amused, gave him a sidelong glance. “Are you sure you don’t want to keep a bit of distance?”

As soon as she said that, Lu Chengxiao stiffened.

She had figured it out, hadn’t she? She must have.

This all started on their first day back in town.

Lu Chengxiao had consulted an experienced doctor who specialized in women’s health, asking when it was best for a woman to have children. The doctor had advised that it was better to wait until she was at least seventeen or eighteen. After that, Lu Chengxiao had been reluctant to be intimate with Liu Yu.

But “reluctant” wasn’t quite accurate. Newlyweds sharing a bed—how could he completely resist? At first, he tried to control himself, then thought it would be fine just to hold her while they slept. Later, he thought it would be okay to just kiss her. And then… well, he stopped just short of going all the way.

The only line he didn’t cross was the final one.

By then, Liu Yu’s body was marked with countless traces of his affection, her eyes shimmering, and Lu Chengxiao had nearly lost his resolve.

Fearing he wouldn’t be able to control himself, he made a rash decision the next day. He took Liu Yanping and Liu Yanan to nearby counties, under the pretense of preparing for their next trade expedition.

They were handling legitimate business, so no one suspected anything.

“Why didn’t you stay out longer?” Liu Yu’s slender fingers traced the collar of his robe, as if she were helping him straighten it, but each touch seemed to stir something in Lu Chengxiao’s heart. “Hmm, let me guess. If my father and I weren’t going to Hongdu Prefecture in a few days to purchase winter fabric and cotton, you probably wouldn’t have come back. Or maybe you’d just return briefly before finding another excuse to leave?”

Liu Yu said this with a smile, but Lu Chengxiao didn’t dare take it lightly. His little scheme had clearly been seen through.

His heart tightened, and he quickly swore, “No, I didn’t come back just because you’re going to Hongdu Prefecture. I missed you, that’s all.”

Heaven knows how much he missed her. Since their wedding, they hadn’t spent a single day apart. Why had he thought it was a good idea to leave her behind?

But once the decision was made, there was no turning back. He had to carry out the business he had set in motion with Liu Yanping and Liu Yanan. There was no going back early, so he had to endure the lonely nights he had brought upon himself.

Now, he wasn’t sure if Liu Yu was upset or not. His heart was in his throat.

“Do you want to take a bath? I’ll get the water for you, okay?” he offered, trying to distract her, his voice carrying a hint of caution as he attempted to please her.

Liu Yu smiled brightly and nodded toward the water basin, signaling him to go ahead.

Seeing that she didn’t seem to be angry, Lu Chengxiao felt a huge sense of relief. He planted a quick kiss on her lips before heading out to fetch the water from the kitchen.

Watching his cheerful figure disappear, Liu Yu couldn’t help but smile.

Trying to avoid her by fleeing to other counties—no matter how well-intentioned, it wasn’t something that could be easily overlooked.

Liu Yu opened her wardrobe, her gaze sliding over the neatly arranged layers of clothing, her fingers trailing along until they landed on a set of soft silk undergarments.

Tonight, she was determined to make sure Lu Chengxiao kept his distance—just as he wanted.

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Sansukini: I will be launching a new novel to replace Interstellar Dad which is ending on Sunday. Please consider adding it to your reading list later. The title is “I’ll Share The Bed With You”. It’s a modern romance, healing/redemption drama about a guy with a split personality, who took refuge from an actress who lives on poverty. Here is the synopsis.

“I’ll Share The Bed With You”

Jiang Xingxing originally lived in a damp basement, working as an extra on film sets every day, earning just enough for a boxed meal. One day, she picked up a down-and-out “little wolf pup.” He was homeless and didn’t speak much. Jiang Xingxing, with her soft heart, took meticulous care of him, sharing half of her boxed meal with him every day. Later, even her bed was shared.

A few months later, the man disappeared, leaving Jiang Xingxing heartbroken for a long time.

One day, Jiang Xingxing was brought to a bedroom in a luxurious mansion, with a king-sized bed and a French breakfast spread out on the dining table. Outside the window was a stunning view of the deep blue ocean.

Jiang Xingxing was stunned for a few seconds, thinking she was dreaming.

At that moment, a man wrapped in a white bath towel emerged from the bathroom. He had a high, defined brow, a clean and handsome face, beautiful collarbones, and a chocolate bar-like six-pack abs.

The man walked up to her, gently wrapped his arm around her slender waist, leaned close to her ear, and said in a sexy voice, “Forgot about me after sleeping together, huh?”

~

Rumors had it that Shang Jie, the richest man in Jiangcheng, was ascetic and reserved, but after that day, Jiang Xingxing became his wife in name only.**

“In name only”? Then why are we sleeping together!

Hey, hey, who told you to take off your clothes? So what if you have an eight-pack and a V-line!

Shang Jie tugged at the collar of his shirt, his cold eyes slightly lifting, and his thin lips parting lightly—

“Don’t move. Be good.”

To Wake the Sleeping Beauty, All It Takes Is a French Kiss

A step-by-step scheming, dual-personality, domineering CEO x a cute, naive, and energetic girl.

Tags: Modern Romance, Split Personality, Entertainment Circle, Redemption, Healing