Chapter 77: You

Su Yanhua looked at Su Ruan's cold gaze, at Jiang Ran's ready-to-chase-away stance, at the contemptuous looks of the surrounding customers; she knew that today she was here to get no discount, only to bring disgrace upon herself.

The overwhelming sense of powerlessness and despair engulfed her.

It was as if all her strength had been drained; she staggered back two steps, her face as pale as paper.

Finally, she could retrieve nothing, not even a harsh retort; instead, amidst the varied gazes of the crowd, she fled the Chongsu like a bereaved dog, in a pitiful scramble.

The dark‑green Dress that once bore her boundless vanity now clung tightly to her, yet felt like an inescapable scar of shame, reminding her of all the humiliation she endured today and the ever‑widening gap between her and Su Ruan.

In the shop, Su Ruan simply said "Sorry for disturbing everyone" to the customers, then resumed her previous work, as if the earlier commotion were just an inconsequential breeze that passed and vanished.

Jiang Ran looked at her composed profile, reached out and squeezed her hand, his eyes filled with protectiveness and a proud sense of honor.

His daughter‑in‑law is that formidable.

In the evening, after seeing off the last custom‑measurement client, Su Ruan let out a gentle sigh and massaged her slightly sore neck.

Douzi and Yaya had already been taken away by Zhou Da Niang, leaving only her and Jiang Ran in the shop.

The sunset's afterglow streamed through the freshly cleaned glass windows, spilling onto the spotless floor and casting a warm golden hue.

The shop fell silent, with only the faint rustle of Jiang Ran tidying things in the back courtyard.

Su Ruan was about to lock the door when she saw Jiang Ran come in from the back courtyard, holding a rolled‑up Sketch, his face bearing a mix of nervousness and anticipation, his gaze a bit wandering, hardly daring to look her directly.

"Daughter‑in‑law…" he muttered, shuffling to Su Ruan's side, his voice a few pitches lower than usual, carrying a barely perceptible awkwardness, "Um… do you… do you have time now?"

Su Ruan looked at him with some puzzlement, nodded, "I'm free, what's up?"

Her gaze fell on the Sketch he clutched tightly, and a vague suspicion formed in her mind.

Jiang Ran's Adam's apple rolled once, as if making a firm resolve, and he handed the slightly rough Sketch to Su Ruan; his ears flushed a visible shade of red.

"It's… just some things I doodle casually," he said vaguely, trying to appear nonchalant, but his clenched jaw betrayed his concern, "You… you're a professional, take a look—how does it look? If it's no good… just… just toss it."

He said "just toss it," yet the fingers gripping the Sketch tightened, clearly saying one thing while meaning another.

Su Ruan watched his clearly caring yet feigned indifference, feeling both amused and tender inside.

She took the Sketch, carefully turning to the first page.

The visible lines still bore his somewhat raw and over‑exerted strokes, not as smooth and precise as Su Ruan's.

But when Su Ruan discerned what was drawn on the paper, her breath suddenly halted, her eyes widening instantly!

This… this is a Sketch of a trench coat!

It isn't the era's common, bulky, oversized style, but an extremely sleek, fitted H‑shape!

The shoulder lines are clear and sturdy, with double‑row buttons; the belt is tied at the back into an elegant knot, the hem split, and when walking it seems to stir the wind!

Beside it, crooked lettering notes: "Khaki thick cotton, crisp."

This design… this concept… completely transcends its era!

It even carries a hint of minimalist and powerful aesthetics that only became popular in later ages!

Su Ruan suppressed the tumult in her heart, her fingers trembling as she turned to the second page.

The second page showed a shirt, but its collar was designed as an asymmetrical diagonal lapel; one side retained a traditional shirt collar, while the other cleverly extended into a slender ribbon that could be tied into various knots.

Beside it, a note read: "Silk or chiffon, detachable ribbon."

The third page depicted a mid‑length skirt; its body was no longer a simple A‑line or straight cut, but employed an irregular multi‑piece tailoring, with seams faintly showing his drawn fine pleats, creating a lively, layered beauty.

The annotation read: "Dark‑gray wool blend, good drape."

The fourth page, the fifth page…

There were bold concepts merging Cheongsam elements with modern Dress, revisions of work‑wear jumpsuits, and even some visually striking accessory sketches.

For example, a wide belt pieced together from leather and metal chains, and exaggerated geometric ear clips…

Su Ruan flipped through page after page, the shock in her heart rising like successive tsunami waves!

This is certainly not what he called "just doodles"!

These designs, though rendered with a naïve hand and details that need refinement, possess a wild imagination, a bold deconstruction and reconstruction of garment structures, a precise capture of the coexistence of female strength and softness, and an almost instinctive, keen intuition for future fashion trends… simply astonishing!

This is the kind of inspiration and vision only a design prodigy could possess!

She had always known Jiang Ran to be smart, quick to learn, and to have his own unique sense of "beauty," but she never imagined his talent in fashion design could be terrifyingly high!

This is no longer just "having ideas"; it's as if the heavens themselves are chasing him around, feeding him!

Jiang Ran kept nervously watching Su Ruan's expression, seeing her first freeze, then her eyes widen further, her breathing quickening, yet his expected smirk or perfunctory response never appeared; instead, a complex emotion he had never seen unfolded.

Shock, disbelief, exhilaration…

He felt a nervous flutter inside, unable to help but mutter softly, "Is… is it too ugly? I told you there's nothing good about it…"

As he spoke, he reached out to take the Sketch back.

"Don't move!"

Su Ruan suddenly raised her hand to press his hand back, her voice quivering slightly from excitement.

She lifted her head, her gaze blazing at Jiang Ran; his clear eyes shone astonishingly, as if filled with the entire galaxy.

"Jiang Ran…" she inhaled deeply, trying to steady her voice, yet the excitement remained evident, "These… these are all yours?!"

Jiang Ran, a bit taken aback by her reaction, nodded dumbly, "Ah… yeah, I just watched you draw, and doodled on my own…"

"Doodling?!" Su Ruan's voice rose a few notes as she pointed at the trench coat Sketch, "You call that doodling?! Jiang Ran! Do you even know what you've drawn?!"

She grabbed Jiang Ran's arm, her fingertips whitening from excitement, "This is a genius design! It's something that can set trends! Look at the trench coat's silhouette, the belt's rear‑tying method! The shirt's asymmetrical design, the skirt's cutting logic… I've never seen anyone think like this! You… you are literally a genius!"