Chapter 69: How Could It Be Su Ruan

Liu Wenbin kept his word; the next afternoon after class, he indeed took Su Yanhua to the city's largest department store.

Su Yanhua felt delighted, arm‑in‑arm with Liu Wenbin, head held high, thinking she had finally made a breakthrough and could, like the fashionable women in the city, be taken by her husband to buy new clothes.

The department store's goods were dazzlingly abundant; although the styles seemed mostly outdated to Su Ruan, for Su Yanhua at that moment they were already enough to overwhelm her.

She eagerly rummaged through rows of hanging clothes, thinking this one was fine, that one was okay, holding a red‑bottom white‑spotted Dress up to herself, when indecisive she caught, out of the corner of her eye, a few young girls passing by.

The girl in front wore a Skirt that instantly caught Su Yanhua's eye.

It was a bean‑green Dress, the fabric appearing smooth and soft, the colour fresh and elegant.

The cut was especially unique, not the usual straight tube but slightly cinched at the waist, the hem with an irregular layered design, so the Skirt swayed gracefully as one walked, like ripples on a lake.

The neckline was also distinctive, fashioned as a petite Stand Collar, tied with a thin strap of the same hue into an exquisite bow.

"Wow, Xiao Juan, your Skirt is really beautiful! Where did you get it? I've never seen anything like it!" a girl walking with them couldn't help praising.

"Yes, yes, this colour makes your skin look so fair!"

The leading girl, named Xiao Juan, blushed a little at the compliment, pursed her lips in a smile, her tone carrying a hint of pride: "I didn't buy it at the department store; it was custom‑made at a newly opened Gongzuoshi."

"Gongzuoshi?" the other girls evidently hadn't heard that term.

"Hmm, it's a place that makes clothes for people, but their garments are especially new, each one unique!" Xiao Juan explained, "And they don't mass‑produce; many styles are limited‑edition, you have to get lucky to buy one ready‑made."

"I snagged this one by luck; normally you have to reserve it far in advance!"

Limited‑edition sale?

Reservation?

Those words drilled into Su Yanhua's ears, making her heart jump suddenly.

An inexplicable sense of familiarity and a competitive urge rose within her.

Even a shop coveted by these seemingly well‑off city girls must have excellent clothes!

If she could wear such a one‑of‑a‑kind outfit while accompanying Wen Bin to the city competition, how much prestige would that bring?

It would surely outshine the families of the other teachers!

She instantly pricked up her ears, listening closely to the girls' conversation, vaguely catching some key address words.

"Wen Bin," Su Yanhua could no longer bother looking at the red‑spotted Dress in her hands, hurriedly grabbing Liu Wenbin, lowering her voice with a hint of mystery and urgency, "We won't buy here; I heard there's a shop whose clothes are especially new, many people go there for custom orders, let's check it out!"

Liu Wenbin, already irritated by the department store's noisy crowd and pricey tags, frowned at the remark: "What shop? Is it reliable? Hopefully not a scam."

"Definitely reliable! Those girls just said it, look how good they look!" Su Yanhua urged strongly, "Let's go see; if it's truly good, we'll have a fine outfit, and when I'm wearing it during the competition, won't that give us prestige?"

Hearing the words "prestige," Liu Wenbin felt a stir.

He is currently at a pivotal point in his career, and his wife's attire indeed reflects his own standing.

He hesitated briefly, but ultimately was pulled by Su Yanhua and, following the address gleaned from eavesdropping, set off toward it.

The farther they walked, the more familiar the surrounding streets became.

When the two stood at the entrance of that relatively quiet Alley and saw, deep within, a tidy shop with a "Chongsu" sign hanging over the door, Su Yanhua and Liu Wenbin froze simultaneously, their faces turning extremely grim.

How could it be here?!

How could it be Su Ruan's shop?!

Su Yanhua only felt a surge of hot blood to her head, both embarrassed and angry.

She had barely managed to persuade Liu Wenbin to take her out to shop, only to end up at her rival's doorstep!

If Su Ruan saw this, where could she hide her face?

Liu Wenbin's expression was equally sullen.

He held no goodwill toward Su Ruan, this little sister‑in‑law, nor her fierce husband Jiang Ran.

"Ill‑omened!" Liu Wenbin cursed lowly, grabbing Su Yanhua and turning to leave, "Let's go, we'll pick another place!"

Su Yanhua meant the same; she didn't want to look inferior before Su Ruan, nor have Su Ruan laugh at her.

The two exchanged a glance, tacitly planning to slip away while the shop was crowded and distracted.

Yet their supposedly covert movements had already fallen into the two sharp little eyes inside the shop.

Douzi and Yaya were polishing a display rack near the entrance, and as soon as Su Yanhua and Liu Wenbin peeked from the Alley, they were spotted.

The two youngsters hadn't forgotten that those two bad guys had come to the shop last time to bully Sister Su and try to steal money!

Later Brother Jiang Ran had scolded them, but in Douzi's and Yaya's simple understanding, a bad person is a bad person, and must be watched when seen!

Seeing those two sneaking in and now trying to sneak out, Douzi's little brows immediately knit.

He tugged Yaya's sleeve, the two little heads huddled together, whispering and beginning to plot.

"They're trying to run!" Douzi whispered, his small face full of seriousness.

"We can't let them escape! They bullied Sister Su!" Yaya clenched her tiny fist, puffed up with anger.

"We must tell Sister Su and Brother Jiang Ran!" Douzi said, about to run inside.

Yaya's eyes flicked, she grabbed him, whispering, "Brother, wait! We… we'll make them lose face! For Sister Su's revenge!"

Douzi froze briefly, "How do we make them lose face?"

Yaya leaned into his ear, saying a few words that way. Douzi listened, his eyes gradually brightening, and he nodded vigorously.

Thus, just as Liu Wenbin and Su Yanhua turned, lifting a foot to make a dash—

"Sister Su's elder sister is here!"

A crisp, loud child's voice burst through the Alley like a tiny cannonball.

Immediately, two small figures shot out of the shop like arrows, purpose clear, charging straight at Su Yanhua!

Yaya surged ahead, grabbing one of Su Yanhua's thighs with one hand, tilting her small face upward, using all her strength to shout the Killer Move she and Douzi had planned:

"Sister Su! Aunt is coming to buy clothes!!!"

The words "Aunt" were shouted by Yaya especially clearly and loudly, with an excitement as if she'd discovered something novel.

Douzi followed closely, clutching Su Yanhua's other leg; though he didn't shout, his firm grip unmistakably reinforced Yaya's proclamation.

A… aunt?!

Those two characters struck like a bolt of thunder, searing Su Yanhua on the outside while leaving her tender inside, making her dizzy and vision‑blurred.