How I Tamed My Wolfish Husband Back in 80s-Chapter 295 - 297: Underling_1

The next day, a light rain drizzled.

Li Qiao and Qin Jin arrived early at the Xiang Family by car.

There was a bustle of people coming and going at the entrance, creating quite a lively scene.

In the corridor, an elderly man was busily writing in the guestbook, while a young man next to him was collecting the cash gifts.

After paying her respects, Li Qiao headed inside.

Counselor Xiang, with light makeup, her hair all swept back, sat at the edge of the bed wearing a bright red outfit.

A circle of girls surrounded her, several of whom had familiar faces.

Xue Lingqing was also in the room, entangled in conversation with two young women, while a young man beside him laughed and teased.

Li Qiao squeezed through the crowd to greet them.

Counselor Xiang introduced her, "This is Li Qiao, whom I often talk about, isn’t she beautiful?"

All eyes turned to Li Qiao unanimously.

Today, she wore a loose, light pink short-sleeved shirt, paired with a midi skirt Old Mrs. Qin made for her yesterday.

Although the shirt was tucked into the skirt, her waist still appeared ever so slender.

Her skin was fair, and she stood with a graceful poise.

"The outfit looks nice too," someone commented.

Counselor Xiang asked, "Where did you buy the skirt? It seems very versatile. I’ve seen similar styles on the street, but not with this pattern."

Li Qiao replied, "I bought the fabric at the night market, and my grandma made it for me. If you like it, I can give you one tomorrow."

"How could I accept?" Counselor Xiang reached out to touch the fabric, "It’s indeed good quality, a finished piece must cost at least two or three yuan. I’d like to order one in the same style as yours. You can set the price, consider it a token for your troubles."

Li Qiao generously said, "Consider it a wedding gift."

Counselor Xiang laughed, "Then I’ll shamelessly accept it."

"I’ll take one too."

"And me."

"..."

Li Qiao gestured to Qin Jin to take out a notebook and pen to note down the orders.

"Who are you to Li Qiao?"

"Her man," Qin Jin replied while writing, secretly making calculations.

This ugly fabric must come in more than one roll.

There’s likely a whole warehouse full of it that they couldn’t sell.

Suppose the selling price is the factory price, two yuan a roll, about thirty meters long.

His wife made skirts and trousers, it’s uncertain how much fabric she used, but he had noticed that the roll hadn’t diminished by much.

If he found a manufacturer to make long skirts, short skirts, and dresses, had his wife wear them around the night market, who wouldn’t buy?

They were going to make a fortune.

His eyes gleamed with excitement.

While Counselor Xiang attended to other guests, Li Qiao greeted Xue Lingqing, then asked, "How did you get here with the rain today?"

"Took a shuttle bus."

Qin Jin chimed in, "We can go back together later."

Xue Lingqing agreed, then after a pause, asked, "How’s your preparation for the certification exam going? Less than three months left, and not many classes remaining, do you feel confident?"

"I do, but not much," Qin Jin answered cautiously. Everyone he was competing against was a university student; he had no advantage.

Xue Lingqing smiled, "I reckon it’ll be fine."

...

As they were eating, a burst of firecrackers sounded, followed by a black sedan pulling up at the door.

Li Qiao moved forward to join the excitement, identifying from the license plate that it was the car arranged by Old Mr. Xue.

This put to rest the worry she had been harboring.

"Getting married in a car, quite stylish," Qin Jin murmured.

Li Qiao puzzled, "Others ride in a car for their wedding procession, and you seem envious."

"It’s not envy, it’s guilt. You’re the Top Scholar with excellent academic performance, while I’m so average, yet I didn’t marry you properly. I owe you too much," Qin Jin felt a twinge of shame.

Li Qiao’s heart skipped a beat. In the village, her dowry was the highest.

Even though the wedding processions used borrowed cars, the villagers said that those wedding parades were grand.

They were truly ostentatious.

So much so that afterward, when the village girls got married, they all demanded that their in-laws be as serious as Qin Jin when marrying.

Was he feeling inferior?

He was always confident, and even if he showed any inferiority, it was fleeting.

Did he know that she wasn’t the Li Qiao of before?

She didn’t respond.

Qin Jin said, "Once I’m capable, I will definitely make it up to you."

"I’m pretty content right now," Li Qiao was very satisfied.

The couple whispered to each other, and when they heard someone call out for the bride to come out, they immediately looked up.

The bride was carried on her brother’s back out of the house to the car, and people placed a red paper-wrapped nian gao (steamed cake) in front of the bride.

After the bride stepped over it, the people behind her frantically scrambled for it.

Li Qiao wondered why they had to step on and scramble for the cake—did it symbolize rising step by step?

.....

Not long after the bride left.

The banquet was nearing its end. Qin Jin held up an umbrella and embraced Li Qiao as they walked toward the bus station, chatting with Xue Lingqing.

"Are you going back to your hometown tomorrow? Did you buy the tickets?" Xue Lingqing asked.

"We didn’t buy them; we can get them at the last minute. I just promised Sister to get her a wedding gift and took several orders from other Sisters. I don’t plan to leave; staying to make money is the real deal," Li Qiao said.

Xue Lingqing didn’t understand, "You have a part-time job and scholarships; your income shouldn’t be low, right? Are you still short of money? Is Jin gambling?"

"I haven’t gambled for a long time, and when I do, it’s only small stakes," Qin Jin asserted his innocence. "And I would never use my wife’s money; she’s a miser who loves to save."

Li Qiao bared her teeth, "Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t love money?"

Qin Jin replied, "Professor Xue."

Xue Lingqing responded, "...I love money too." Just not as ardently.

Li Qiao joked, "When Jin starts a business, you can invest. At the end of each year, you’ll get a dividend proportionate to your investment."

"Who takes the loss if it fails?" Xue Lingqing soberly asked.

Even close brothers settle accounts clearly, let alone romantic rivals.

Moreover, he didn’t want to get too entangled with Qin Jin and make himself jealous.

"It would, of course, be your own loss," Qin Jin stated. "However, if I earn money in the future, I will still share it with you based on your initial investment." Professor Xue has been working for quite a while, right? According to Grandma, he studied abroad for a year. Qiaoqiao managed to save several thousand after a year at university in China.

He is a professor, young and promising. Qiaoqiao reads the same books he does, and those books say how wealthy foreign countries are. Surely, the working opportunities are more abundant abroad than at home. If he didn’t save tens of thousands in a year, he must have saved at least ten thousand, right?

If he could successfully start a factory in the future, ten thousand yuan could do a lot.

Xue Lingqing’s thoughts were circuitous. Old Mr. Xue had mentioned that the Qin family was good at doing business; Old Mr. Qin was once the president of the Southern Chamber of Commerce at his peak.

Quick-witted and handy.

There are still rumors about him in the south.

Although his generation did not keep the family business, they managed to save the mother and children in such circumstances, which must also involve certain skills.

Qin Jin, though young, had a steadiness beyond his peers and was also ambitious; Old Mr. Xue never scrimped on praise whenever he mentioned him.

There were few descendants whom the old gentleman approved, and Qin Jin should be trustworthy.

Since he didn’t have to support a wife or parents and keeping money didn’t seem to have much use, he mused to himself, "You can find me when the time comes."

Qin Jin was secretly thrilled; this was an agreement. "Great! You can invest with confidence. Anyone who rolls with me knows I’m fair and won’t let down anyone under me."

"Under you?" Xue Lingqing silently repeated the phrase and couldn’t help but laugh. "Hmm."

....