Chapter 80: The Bag is Sold!

Several gold rings adorned her fingers, along with a diamond ring that looked like an import.

On her feet was a pair of mid-heeled leather shoes, polished to a brilliant shine.

Only one word could describe her: dripping with jewels.

But then again, it made sense.

This was the Tobacco Bureau, after all, the wealthiest institution in the entire county.

Whatever she wore seemed reasonable.

Having finished his mental assessment, Xie Zhao smiled. He set down the file in his hand, looked at Mrs. Ye, and asked, “Mrs. Ye, if I may ask, what do they say about your outfits?”

“Comment?”

Mrs. Ye pursed her lips and snorted. “A bunch of penniless snobs. How else would they comment? They say I dress gaudily! Each and every one of them reeks of poverty, yet I haven’t even looked down on them!”

Xie Zhao understood.

He flashed a bright smile, looking at Mrs. Ye. “Why don’t I put together an outfit for you, and you can see what you think?”

“Sure!”

Xie Zhao stood up.

He glanced at the cardboard boxes on the floor, all wrapped in oilpaper from the state-owned store.

Mrs. Ye said, “Go ahead and open them. They’re all ready-made clothes in the most popular styles from the provincial capital. If none of them work, I’ll have someone go back to the capital to buy more. I’m bound to find something beautiful!”

Hearing this, Xie Zhao set the photos aside, squatted down, and looked at the boxes.

There were eight outfits in total.

He opened them in order, revealing a series of exquisite garments.

The fabrics felt excellent to the touch, the absolute best quality that could be produced in this era.

Unlike coarse, stuffy homespun cloth or Dacron, these fabrics were soft against the skin and vibrantly colored. Layer upon layer, they presented the most luxurious side of this era right before Xie Zhao’s eyes.

He examined them outfit by outfit.

His eyelids twitched.

He had to admit that Mrs. Ye’s taste was very standard.

She bought whatever was most expensive.

Bright silks, mink furs, and various combinations that looked gaudy at a single glance.

Xie Zhao felt both helpless and amused.

There was definitely a reason why people called Mrs. Ye tacky.

Quickly rearranging the clothes in his mind, Xie Zhao finally got to work.

First, he had to get rid of the various silk scarves and fur collars around her neck. She already had a short neck, and too many neck accessories would only make her look shorter, highlighting her flaw even more.

Her upper body was on the heavier side.

Therefore, she needed dark colors on top. Since her lower half was slimmer, she should wear a midi skirt to show off her slender ankles, which would visually slim her down.

He put the outfits together with great care.

He even managed to assemble three different outfits.

Twenty minutes later, Xie Zhao stood up and showed the three outfits to Mrs. Ye.

“These two are perfect for everyday wear. They’re elegant, decent, and graceful.”

Having said that, Xie Zhao lifted the final outfit. “This is a camel double-breasted coat. Paired with a midi skirt and a dark base shirt underneath, the wide collar will look great with a necklace. It will make your neck look longer and best highlight your elegance.”

Mrs. Ye’s eyes lit up.

She stared at the clothes for a moment, then suddenly said, “But won’t it look a bit too plain?”

It was too simple.

She was used to being draped in jewels, so this sudden shift to plain colors made her feel a bit awkward.

How should she put it?

She and Ye Haodong had worked their way up from low-level clerks. Having endured so many hardships, now that they were finally wealthy, how could she bear to hide it?

To use an inappropriate saying, returning home in wealth without showing it off was like wearing embroidered silk in the dark.

She simply couldn’t accept it.

“Ahem.”

Xie Zhao covered his mouth with a light cough, looking at Mrs. Ye. “Do you think it’s too plain, ma’am?”

Mrs. Ye nodded.

“I can’t go around losing face for our Tobacco Bureau!”

Smiling, Xie Zhao reached out and picked up the oilpaper package he had brought with him.

“What’s this?”

Mrs. Ye asked in confusion.

Xie Zhao slowly unwrapped the package, teasing her. “This is the finishing touch.”

As the last layer of oilpaper fell away, the bag was revealed to Mrs. Ye.

It was a bag that looked incredibly exquisite and beautiful at first glance.

It featured hand-embroidery with auspicious cloud patterns in a novel design. The true highlight, however, was the layer of lifelike rabbit fur, soft and dense, which was immediately recognizable as genuine.

The handle was firm and well-structured, paired with beautiful hardware that gave the bag a sense of weight and elegance.

It sat quietly on the table, but Mrs. Ye could not take her eyes off it.

She stood up, exclaiming in surprise, “This bag is so beautiful!”

Xie Zhao smiled and said, “You have great taste, ma’am. This is a handmade handbag made from rare Special Supply Cloth. The rabbit fur is from winter rabbits, harvested when their coats are at their finest. Paired with your outfit, it will be the perfect finishing touch.”

Plain?

Then pair it with a bag that looks incredibly exquisite and luxurious.

It would serve as the ultimate statement piece, making her the center of attention!

“Let me see!”

Mrs. Ye couldn’t help but stand up and take the bag into her hands.

The moment she held it, she felt its weight and quality even more.

She had never seen such a beautiful bag in her life!

“Where did you get this? It’s not from the department store, is it? I’ve never seen a bag like this even in the provincial capital’s department store!”

Holding the bag, Mrs. Ye checked her reflection in the window glass.

She looked like a completely different person!

She truly loved it!

“This is a bag from the time-honored Jinxiu Tailor Shop,” Xie Zhao smiled and said. “They have over a hundred years of history. This is a new release, hand-stitched, taking half a month to complete. What’s more, this is the very first one in the entire province, and they will only produce twenty of them in the future.”

“The sooner you buy it, the sooner you can enjoy it. What do you think, Mrs. Ye?”

Xie Zhao played the limited-edition card to perfection.

Mrs. Ye’s eyes grew brighter and brighter as she listened.

The very first one!

“How much is this bag? Can you sell it to me?”

Mrs. Ye waved her hand grandly. “Name your price!”

Xie Zhao feigned reluctance. “Originally, this bag was meant to be displayed in the shop. But since you want it, Mrs. Ye, I can make the call and sell this very first one to you.”

“One hundred and eighty-eight yuan. How does that sound?”

Mrs. Ye frowned. After a moment of thought, she looked at Xie Zhao and said, “Tell you what, I’ll add another hundred yuan and make it an even three hundred. Can you guarantee that before the banquet the day after tomorrow, I’ll be the only one with this bag?”

She certainly didn’t want anyone stealing her spotlight again!

The day after tomorrow.

This bag was just a test run for Xie Zhao to gauge the market. Two days would give him just enough time to make the next batch.

“Of course!”

Xie Zhao smiled and said, “I’ll let the boss know. Rest assured, Mrs. Ye, when you attend the banquet, this bag will be a one-of-a-kind statement piece!”

Mrs. Ye was thoroughly satisfied.

She immediately had her secretary put the bag and clothes away.

Then she had her secretary fetch the money, handing Xie Zhao a stack of exactly thirty Da Tuanjie bills.

“What’s your name, young man? You have good taste.”

Mrs. Ye asked with a pleased smile.

“Xie Zhao.”

“Little Xie, tell you what. Whenever your Jinxiu Tailor Shop comes out with a new bag, bring one over to the Finance Bureau. Just have Little Zhao pay you whatever it costs.”

Mrs. Ye yawned. “Just remember, I get the very first one. Price is no object!”