Chapter 115: Kindred Misery

Su Ruan looked at the uniquely textured old fabrics he brought back, listened to his report, and an approving smile appeared on her face: "Well done, Jiang Ran. Your thinking has become increasingly thorough."

Being praised by his sister‑in‑law, Jiang Ran felt his tail almost lift to the sky, giggling foolishly.

Su Ruan handed Jiang Ran the revised and deepened design drawing: "Take a look—using these fabrics for these designs, what do you think?"

Jiang Ran took the plans, glanced at them a few times, his eyes widened and his breathing quickened: "Whoa, sister‑in‑law! This… this is just too awesome!"

"This is even more spectacular than we imagined! If we pull this off, Yuerong Tailoring's knock‑offs wouldn't even be worthy of mentioning shoes!"

He, excited, grabbed Su Ruan and planted a hard kiss on her cheek: "My sister‑in‑law is a genius!"

Su Ruan laughed at his teasing, pushed him away: "Stop messing around. We have the fabrics and the design; now the key is to find a reliable master to make it."

"Don't rush Wang Shifu's side for now; see if you can go through Master Chen or my mother's connections, then find a few senior craftsmen with good Handcraft and trustworthy, we can raise the wages a bit. The crucial point is the work must be meticulous and understand our design intent."

"No problem, it's on me!" Jiang Ran pounded his chest in assurance, "I'll take care of it tomorrow!"

While the young couple hurriedly prepared their counterattack, the opponent lurking in the shadows was not idle either.

The mastermind behind Yuerong Tailoring was the one who, through Su Yanhua's introduction, established a connection with Liu Wen Bin, a distant cousin.

At this moment, in a luxuriously decorated office, a middle‑aged man with gold‑rimmed glasses and a slightly plump build was listening to his subordinate's report.

"Boss, the Chongsu side doesn't seem to have been heavily affected; Jiang Ran has been scouring for old fabrics these past two days, and Su Ruan has been drawing in the shop—nothing much happening."

The subordinate said cautiously.

"No activity?" the gold‑rimmed glasses man, Zhao Laoban, raised an eyebrow, exhaled a smoke ring, "Impossible. That woman Su Ruan doesn't seem like someone who just waits to die."

"Order the subordinates to keep a close watch, especially on whatever new product they launch next; we must get the news the moment it appears!"

He paused, a hint of malice flashing in his eyes: "Also, find a way to cause them more trouble."

"That Jiang Ran—doesn't he have a short fuse? See if we can set a trap for him somewhere…"

"Yes, boss!"

…

Su Yanhua's days hadn't improved much despite being pregnant.

Although Liu Mother, for the sake of her grandson, no longer resorted to beating and scolding, her sharp words and critical glances never ceased.

Liu Wen Bin still left early and returned late, lacking genuine concern for her and the unborn child, offering only a duty‑bound perfunctory attitude.

This oppression and unvented resentment made her increasingly eager to find an outlet for venting.

That afternoon, Su Yanhua, unwilling to stay in the suffocating home, tucked the pocket money Liu Wen Bin gave her and went to a department store a bit farther from home, reputed to have a wider selection, to wander.

She lingered at a scarf counter, eyeing a light‑purple chiffon shawl and hesitating over the price, when a slightly surprised female voice came from behind:

"That shawl… the color is quite demanding; if your skin isn't pale enough, it probably won't hold up."

Su Yanhua turned around and saw a young woman in a cream‑colored wool coat, dressed rather fashionably.

The woman was pretty, but her brows carried an inescapable melancholy and a subtle, barely perceptible arrogance.

In the past, Su Yanhua would have instantly flared up at such subtly disparaging words.

She unusually held back a retort, instead sighing and self‑deprecating: "Yeah, I was just looking; my complexion really doesn't match such delicate color."

That woman was Lin Wei.

She sized up Su Yanhua, noting her modest attire, slightly rounded belly, and a weary yet resentful expression, and felt a slight stir in her heart.

She too had been facing setbacks lately—family pressuring her to marry, and those who once surrounded her drifting away as her family's standing waned—leaving her extremely frustrated; seeing someone seemingly equally "unsuccessful" sparked a sense of shared misery.

"Actually… it might work if paired properly," Lin Wei's tone softened, "Try pairing it with dark clothing; perhaps it'll have an unexpected effect."

The two chatted a few sentences about matching the shawl and unexpectedly discovered they both had opinions on dressing.

"I'm Lin Wei," Lin Wei unusually introduced herself.

"I'm Su Yanhua." Su Yanhua, flattered, could tell that Lin Wei's family was probably well off.

As they talked back and forth, the two ended up chatting merrily, mainly sharing the disappointments of their lives.

Su Yanhua complained about her mother‑in‑law's harshness and her husband's indifference, noting that even while pregnant she received little affection.

Lin Wei concealed her own specific predicament, vaguely saying she had met the wrong people, was hurt by an ungrateful man, and that those around her were mostly opportunistic.

The feeling of being drifters in the world quickly brought them closer.

Su Yanhua earnestly invited Lin Wei to a nearby tea spot, and Lin Wei, almost inexplicably, didn't refuse.

Sitting in a quiet booth, sipping cheap tea, their conversation grew deeper.

Su Yanhua seemed to have found a kindred spirit, pouring out her grievances and jealousy toward Su Ruan and the Jiang Family, spicing them up as she went.

"…Can you believe it? My sister Su Ruan looks gentle, but she's incredibly scheming!"

"I have no idea what tactics she used to bewilder that playboy Jiang Ran of the Jiang Family; now she's opened a shop, leaning on the Jiang Family's backing, and looks so glorious!"

"And her older sister‑in‑law Jiang Jiaojiao even found a seemingly wealthy partner, flaunting it every day!"

She didn't notice that when she uttered "Jiang Ran," Lin Wei's hand gripping the teacup suddenly stiffened, and her complexion turned unusually grim.

"Jiang Ran?" Lin Wei's voice trembled, mixing disbelief with a sense of absurd fate, "Which Jiang Ran are you talking about…?"

Su Yanhua, unaware of the tension, kept venting: "Which other? It's the Chaos Demon King from the machine factory, Jiang (Factory Director)'s family!"

"He used to brawl and avoid real work; now he's become a flashy opportunist, all thanks to his dad!"

It really is him!

Lin Wei's heart felt clenched by an invisible hand, making breathing difficult.

She could never have imagined that the woman she had met by chance, seemingly sharing the same plight, whose "sister" she despised, had stolen the man she had coveted for years—and that woman was Su Ruan!

And Su Yanhua turned out to be Su Ruan's older sister!

This world is absurdly small, both laughable and hateful!

Su Yanhua finally noticed Lin Wei's unusually pale complexion and the intense emotions swirling in her eyes, paused, and cautiously asked, "Lin Wei… what's wrong? Do you know Jiang Ran?"