Casting Nets to Catch a Husband

Chapter 170: Dyeing Master

The commotion in the main bedroom didn’t settle until the third watch of the night. They used water three times, and the warm water in several water kettles had all run out.

Liu Yu had fallen into a deep sleep, but her eyelashes were still half-damp, making her look pitiful.

Lu Chengxiao cleaned her up with a warm cloth. As he wiped her skin, he noticed the ambiguous marks running from her neck down her body, and remembering the pleasure from earlier, his throat tightened, forcing him to focus on the task at hand.

After disposing of the water in the adjacent room, Lu Chengxiao carefully lifted the quilt and climbed into bed. Instead of lying down immediately, he gently turned Liu Yu onto her side and pulled her into his embrace.

Once she was close to Lu Chengxiao, Liu Yu, just like she usually did, unconsciously snuggled up to him, finding the most comfortable spot to nestle into. Though her eyes were slightly red, as soon as she was near him, her body trembled slightly even in her sleep.

She had nothing on and pressed up against him. Lu Chengxiao’s breath caught in his throat. The image of her dazed, alluring expression from earlier flashed in his mind, and the desire he’d managed to suppress began to rise again. He leaned down to kiss her, not with the fierce urgency of earlier, but with a lingering intensity, as if glued to her, unable to pull away.

Liu Yu responded unconsciously, her soft moans barely audible. Lu Chengxiao’s breathing grew even heavier until she wrapped her arms around his waist in her sleep. He finally turned his head abruptly and lightly bit her neck, slowly calming the restless fire within him.

Lu Chengxiao knew this was the result of deep craving. Having been starved for so long, once given a taste, he couldn’t get enough. He chuckled at the thought, kissed Liu Yu’s ear, and finally closed his eyes to sleep alongside her.

When Liu Yu woke up, it was already broad daylight, and the bed beside her was empty. Startled, she felt a sudden emptiness in her heart.

“Chengxiao?”

The room was silent; no one responded.

He had left without waking her. Liu Yu’s nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes.

On the bedside table were neatly folded clothes, from undergarments to outerwear, all freshly laid out. But Liu Yu felt no gratitude, only sadness. As she dressed, tears began to fall.

At first, only a few tears rolled down her cheeks, but soon they were streaming uncontrollably. By the time she finished dressing and put on her shoes, her face was wet with tears.

Just then, the door creaked open, and Liu Yu looked up in surprise.

Lu Chengxiao stood there, his eyes meeting Liu Yu’s tear-streaked face.

Without a word, Liu Yu threw herself into his arms like a baby bird returning to its nest, holding him tightly as she began to cry softly.

Lu Chengxiao was at a loss, unsure how to comfort her. He patted her clumsily and anxiously asked, “What’s wrong?”

Liu Yu, realizing her embarrassment, used the fabric of his shoulder to wipe away her tears, and then said in a muffled voice, “I thought you had left.”

But the tears she had just wiped away began to fall again.

Lu Chengxiao felt a pang in his heart. Over the past month, they had only been apart for a few days at a time. Now, with this trip, they would be separated for at least forty or fifty days. He finally understood that she was also sad and reluctant, though she had never expressed it before.

Yes, Liu Yu was delicate like that. Before, she had cried and begged him to stop after just once, but last night, even though he had lost control and been rougher than ever, she hadn’t said a word of protest. She had clung to him until she was half-asleep and only then did she finally rest.

His throat felt tight, and he carefully wiped her tears with his fingertips. After a long pause, he finally said, “Yu’er, I’ll make a few more trips. Once the textile mill is up and running, I’ll shift most of my focus to the cloth shop branches. After that, wherever you are, that’s where I’ll be. How does that sound?”

Liu Yu broke into a smile through her tears. “Tied to your belt?”

She felt a bit shy after saying that, but also sweetly content.

She had only cried because she thought he had left without saying goodbye, leaving a void in her heart. But now, hearing him reassure her like this made her happy.

Seeing her smile, Lu Chengxiao’s own lips curved up. “Why not?”

Liu Yu let out a small laugh, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed herself into his chest, listening to the steady, strong beat of his heart.

In the quiet morning light, the two stood there embracing at the door of the main bedroom. Babao, carrying a bucket of hot water, entered the inner courtyard just in time to see this scene. With a surprised “Oh!” he quickly turned his back to them.

Liu Yu let go, glancing outside before turning back to Lu Chengxiao with a smile. “What time is it? Are you leaving soon?”

Lu Chengxiao nodded and said, “It’s early morning. I bought the little wontons you like. Wash up and have some breakfast, and then we’ll head out.”

He turned and called for Babao, who quickly brought the water over.

“Third Young Master, as you instructed, warm water,” Babao said, leaving the water outside the door before tactfully retreating.

With one hand holding the water and the other still holding Liu Yu’s hand, Lu Chengxiao led her into the side room. He helped pour water into the cups and basin and then skillfully handed her a toothbrush and some mint salt. As he did this, he continued, “When I’m away, Babao will be going with me. I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here alone, so I spoke with my parents this morning. They’ll bring Shuang’er to stay here with you during this time, so you’ll have some company. Also, you might want to ask if any of the embroiderers’ relatives are reliable and could be hired to help with tasks like grocery shopping, cooking, laundry, and cleaning.”

Liu Yu nodded while brushing her teeth, and Lu Chengxiao added, “Hire a couple more seamstresses. I think Xi Jiangnan has potential. If the embroidery shop opens another branch, we’ll definitely need more staff, so it might be a good idea to start training them now. Don’t overwork yourself.”

“I’ve arranged for contacts in each county who will be in touch with you. They’ll notify you at the Ruyi Embroidery House if there’s any news. If we only secure one location, prioritize opening a branch for your embroidery house. If there are more, you can give the extras to me. When you go out, have your eldest brother accompany you, or ask my father to help you with any decisions.”

“As for Yuanzhou, I’ve asked Cunxu to keep an eye out for a good location to open a shop. It might take some time since good spots are hard to find. If something comes up, you should go with my father and Yanqing to check it out. If you find a place you like, go ahead and secure it. If you’re short on funds, you can borrow some from Cunxu. I’ll be able to repay him when I return from Liangzhe. I’ve already arranged everything, and Cunxu knows about it.”

He continued to gently and meticulously give her instructions while helping her with the morning routine. By the time Liu Yu finished rinsing her mouth, Lu Chengxiao had already handed her a clean towel.

After they had breakfast, Liu Yu accompanied him to the dock, still reluctant to see him go.

~

By the time the boat reached Liangzhe, it was already late November.

Lu Chengxiao and his companions were well-versed in business in this area. Once they had sold all the fabric, they made their customary visit to the trade association, bringing generous gifts as usual.

The first visit had been out of necessity, but the subsequent ones were merely friendly calls, sharing a few cups of tea and chatting with Chairman Liu, sometimes listening to the news from other merchants in the association.

As the saying goes, “No one minds a courteous guest.” Indeed, after many visits, they were welcomed everywhere, and Chairman Liu had developed a particular fondness for Lu Chengxiao and his group, treating them with extra hospitality.

Today was no different. When Chairman Liu saw Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping arriving, he was delighted and invited them into his courtyard, instructing his servants to bring out his finest tea. Smiling, he asked when Lu Chengxiao had arrived and whether he had sold all his goods.

Having met twice before, Chairman Liu had a good sense of this young man’s routine. Unlike others who only came when they needed something, Lu Chengxiao often visited just to say hello after completing his business. This endeared him to Chairman Liu, who took a special interest in their affairs, often inquiring about their business even if he couldn’t directly assist.

Lu Chengxiao smiled and said everything had been sold. “But there is one matter. I was hoping you, with your wide network, could help us out.”

This was exactly what Chairman Liu wanted to hear. He had received gifts from them multiple times without being asked for much in return, which made him feel a bit awkward. So when Lu Chengxiao mentioned he needed something, Chairman Liu was more than happy to oblige.

“Brother Lu, my young friend, please tell me what you need. I’ll be more than happy to help,” he said, inviting them to sit.

After thanking him, Lu Chengxiao explained, “My brother-in-law and I have opened a weaving and dyeing workshop. We’ve found a good location, and in our area, Yuanzhou, summer cloth is abundant, so there’s no shortage of weavers. But we’ve had trouble finding a skilled dyeing master. I thought with your wide connections, you might be able to help us find someone suitable.”

As soon as he finished, Chairman Liu chuckled. “You’re in luck! No need to look far—I know just the person. He’s been looking for a new employer recently.”

“Really?” Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping were both pleasantly surprised, having only hoped to widen their search network. They hadn’t expected to find someone so quickly.

Chairman Liu continued with a smile, “Yes, it’s quite fortunate. If you had asked a month ago, I would’ve needed some time to inquire around the association. But today, it so happens that the person you need is my relative.”

“Oh?” Lu Chengxiao raised an eyebrow. “Who might this relative be?”

“It’s my wife’s second uncle,” Chairman Liu said with a sigh. “But I need to be honest with you about his situation so you can decide if he’s a good fit. You don’t need to feel obligated because of our relationship. My uncle’s craftsmanship is top-notch, but he’s very stubborn and set in his ways. He’s worked for several employers but never stayed for more than two years before falling out with them. It all depends on whether you can handle him.”

Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping exchanged looks, intrigued. Liu Yanping asked, “What do you mean by that?”

Chairman Liu explained that his uncle, whose surname was He, had been in the dyeing business for over twenty-five years, starting as an apprentice. His skills were excellent, producing fabrics that were vibrant, colorfast, and well-crafted. He was also adept at both dyeing and hand-painting fabrics. However, he had a major flaw: an almost obsessive pursuit of quality.

“He’s very picky about the cloth he works with—it has to be top quality. He won’t use inferior dyes. But his biggest quirk is his refusal to compromise on technique. For example, the green fabric he specializes in takes six months just to set the color!”

Chairman Liu held up six fingers. “Six months! Yes, the result is fabric that doesn’t shrink, has a smooth surface, even color, and doesn’t fade easily. But how many merchants can afford to wait six months for a batch of cloth? Even if they’re willing, it’s hard to scale up the business with such time-consuming methods. As a result, he’s had to leave every employer after a short time. Just last month, he returned home with six or seven apprentices. So, whether you want to meet him or not, you should think it over carefully.”

Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping were stunned. Six months just for color setting? They had never heard of such a thing in their experience selling summer and cotton fabrics. These fabrics, while not prone to fading, did tend to lose their vibrant color over time.

Both men realized they had stumbled upon a potential opportunity. A master craftsman with such rigorous standards might be a burden for large-scale operations but could be a treasure for them, who were relatively new to the weaving and dyeing industry.

They exchanged a smile and almost simultaneously said, “We’d like to meet him. Please introduce us.”

Chairman Liu looked at them seriously. “Are you sure you want to meet him?”

They both nodded, and Liu Yanping said with a smile, “To be honest, we’re new to this industry. Having a master craftsman who insists on quality is exactly what we need. We’ve secured a large site—over thirty acres—so space won’t be an issue.”

Chairman Liu’s eyes brightened, but he asked, “And you’re okay with the six-month wait for setting the color? That’s a significant time investment.”

Lu Chengxiao smiled. “If the fabric quality is as good as promised, I think it’s worth the wait.”

They were aiming to build a brand, where quality would be their foundation, unlike the quick-turnaround profits from merely selling fabric.

Chairman Liu was delighted. “Excellent! He lives in a nearby county. We can reach it in a day by boat. If you’re free, I can take you there right away.”

Lu Chengxiao was thrilled and immediately stood up. “We’d be grateful for your help.”

Chairman Liu, eager to help his uncle find a job, was also pleased. “No problem at all.”

He then called for Steward Xu to arrange for a boat.

Lu Chengxiao also instructed Liu Yanan, Lin Huaigeng, Liu Zhang, and the guards from the security bureau to stay behind while he and Liu Yanping prepared to accompany Chairman Liu on the trip.

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