Chapter 299: Nineties: Spring Water Family Chapter 299 Extra 7 Hugging a Thigh Feels Really Good

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

Cultivate what feelings?!

Lin Xiyu raised her delicate brows, eyeing him with suspicion.

Don't think she doesn't know the little schemes of that mother and son; her family's precious daughter is only three years old, and someone has already set their sights on her.

Using the pretext of shooting an advertisement to win people over, wanting to play the 'near water, first get the moon' game.

This trick is just a bit too clumsy!

"Xiyu, just agree."

Wu Meng, afraid she wouldn't agree and her money-making plan would be delayed, hurriedly urged: "Li Qing's natal family runs a clothing company; doing business with our own people is more reassuring than with strangers. If I didn't trust the character of the two of them, mother and daughter, I wouldn't dare cooperate with them so easily."

"You finally said something right."

Li Qing looked at her with incomparable favor at this moment: "We do high-end brands, very well-known domestically. Cooperating with us means not only considerable income but also good future employment prospects. If Nuan Nuan really wants to be a professional model, she doesn't have to wait until high school graduation; I can hire the best teachers for her right now to provide professional guidance."

"Well then, that's great..."

Wu Meng was overjoyed: "It's settled then. My Nuan Nuan's future is in your hands."

"No problem..."

Li Qing's eyes revealed a greedy glint: "Trust me, Sister, no mistake. In a couple of days I'll have someone send the contract over. For the specific details, you can discuss them with the people in the Business Department."

"Thanks, rich woman."

Wu Meng deliberately acted silly: "Hugging a thigh feels so good, and it's such a thick thigh at that. Plucking just a single hair from the leg is thicker than my arm..."

"Are you talking about an elephant's leg?"

Li Qing laughed in anger, glaring at her in feigned annoyance.

"Hehe..."

Wu Meng followed up smoothly: "No matter what kind of leg, anyway, I'm hugging it for good."

"Aunt Lin..."

Wang Jiarui's mind turned quickly; he seized the chance to persuade further: "Mom and I both saw on the news that on Children's Day, you designed a paper-cutting show for the little brothers and little sisters. If you're willing to hold a real large-scale fashion show, we can also contribute our modest share. The clothing company has ready-made models; they all possess very high professional standards. Even with paper clothes, they have a high degree of confidence in completing the runway walk smoothly."

"Fashion show?"

Lin Xiyu's eyes lit up, revealing a hint of delight.

One must admit, those words truly spoke to her heart.

Since being selected as an Inheritor, she hasn't been idle. While continuing to hone her skills, she has also participated in many folk culture exchange activities. The series of works displayed at the SD Province Craft Exhibition, such as "Lotus Pond Moonlight" and "Flowers Bloom Hundred Branches," were conventional. Although they received much praise, they still fell far short of her original dream.

How to give paper-cutting culture greater influence, how to let ordinary people truly feel that paper-cutting is closely related to their lives — this was a problem that had troubled her for a long time and she had never been able to solve.

"Xiyu, do you want to do a fashion show?"

Li Qing saw her tone had softened, her eyes showing joy: "I can help you. From stage scenery to personnel and equipment, we'll handle it all. You just design the clothes; you don't need to worry about anything else."

"I do have this idea..."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to deny it; she was truly moved by the mother and son.

"If you want to do it, just do it!"

Li Qing perked up, urging her enthusiastically: "With so many people supporting you, what's there to hesitate about?"

"You don't know, I had this idea before..."

Lin Xiyu smiled self-mockingly: "Unfortunately, it was rejected halfway through. A heart full of passion was just splendidly extinguished like that."

"I know about this..."

Wu Meng nodded in agreement: "During that time, my mom still often came to your house to teach you tailoring. Later, when she found out you gave up, she felt very sorry for you..."

"Who?"

Li Qing didn't know the inside story, her eyes showing indignation: "So rude, not giving face. Not supporting is one thing, but splashing cold water in someone's face — what does that mean? Doesn't she know she's being hateful?"

"It's all in the past. Let's not talk about this."

Lin Xiyu pursed her lips and smiled bitterly. She knew in her heart that Grandma was doing it for her own good.

Besides, the old lady has already passed away. Talking about this again has no meaning.

"Now is different from before..."

Wu Meng knew her knot, tentatively persuading: "Back then you hadn't been approved as an Inheritor yet; playing it safe was best. Now it's different. You already have fame. The works you cut have gained recognition. It's also the time to broaden your thinking and be brave in innovation."

"Xiyu, don't blame me for being mercenary..."

Li Qing, hearing 'fame,' had another thought, intentionally looking to acquire: "Me, I'm very interested in collecting famous paintings by masters. If you're willing to sell your works, you can contact me anytime."

"Paper-cuttings can be sold too?"

Wu Meng understood nothing about art.

"Of course they can."

Li Qing's eyes revealed a greedy glint: "Any artwork, as long as someone appreciates it, has value."

"Really?"

Wu Meng felt her words had a coaxing quality, and turned back to Lin Xiyu for verification.

The living room fell silent for a moment.

Lin Xiyu's thoughts were complex. Before, she indeed felt Li Qing was a very mercenary person who measured everything with money.

However, after attending many craft expos held in various places, this idea had gradually undergone a transformation.

At the expos, many Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritors' artworks were clearly priced for sale.

She had also exchanged ideas with inheritors from other cities, and their thinking was the same as Li Qing's — they believed that only when the value of the artwork is fully realized can more people be attracted to participate; without any benefit to speak of, wanting to pass it down is just empty talk.

——

"What's there to ask? Paper-cutting can naturally be sold."

Seeing her stay silent, Li Qing continued on her own: "If it couldn't be sold, what did those old craftsmen in ancient times rely on to eat? They also had to monetize paper-cutting to survive."

"Isn't paper-cutting only pasted up during the New Year?"

Wu Meng retorted: "Who pastes paper-cuttings normally? Can that little bit of money earned only at New Year fill your stomach?"

"Big red double-happiness characters are also pasted at weddings."

Wang Jiarui chimed in with a smile: "But those patterns are relatively simple, many people know how to do them, so selling them isn't worth much."

"This paper-cutting thing, wanting to sell it is really quite difficult......"

Wu Meng realized: "No wonder it's been listed under intangible cultural heritage inheritor protection; without policy support, relying on hobby alone, it would sooner or later go extinct."

"Auntie Lin, I have an idea, let's see if it's feasible......"

Wang Jiarui had a flash of inspiration and came up with a plan: "In ancient times, pasting auspicious characters during festivals was for good luck; now handmade paper-cutting is no longer in fashion, and more has been replaced by printed products. Printed products are low-priced and highly accepted by ordinary people. We can't compete head-on with printed products; we can change our thinking, not limit ourselves to festivals, and combine paper-cutting with other household items that ordinary people use daily, giving it new value."

"Good heavens....."

Wu Meng was amused, laughing and teasing: "This kid's tongue is really sharp, she speaks in a very polished way."

"Jiarui......"

Li Qing felt extremely proud: "Since you have an idea, don't keep us in suspense; hurry up and say it, so Auntie Lin can hear and have a clear picture in mind."

"Here's what I think......"

Wang Jiarui didn't keep them waiting long; after a moment's thought, she gave an example: "We can make paper-cutting into all kinds of exquisite little items, for example, fans."

"Fans?"

Wu Meng looked completely baffled: "How would that work? You don't mean folding red paper into a fan shape and cutting a few patterns on it, do you? A paper-folded fan would break too easily; who would be willing to spend money buying that?"

"Not folded from paper."

Wang Jiarui had her own take: "Aren't there those pure white fan surfaces used for painting landscapes, flowers, and birds? We can borrow that approach too, pasting paper-cutting works onto them."

"Oh, I get it."

Wu Meng suddenly understood: "I've seen that thing you're talking about; they sell it at the cultural market, a few yuan each, quite cheap."

"Sourcing directly from the factory would be even cheaper."

Li Qing was especially sensitive to price, and she chimed in very smoothly.

"Cheap or not is another matter......"

Lin Xiyu frowned: "You two don't interrupt yet; let Jiarui finish speaking."

"Okay okay, we won't speak."

Wu Meng gave an awkward laugh, exchanged a glance with Li Qing, and both sheepishly smiled and shut their mouths.

"Just having fans naturally won't do; we still need to put effort into the paper-cutting patterns and the consumer groups."

Encouraged, Wang Jiarui spoke with even more confidence: "The patterns must have auspicious meanings, like the twelve Chinese zodiac signs; the target consumer group is children aged eight and under. Using ingenious designs, we cut out silly-cute little pets to attract children's affection."

"Oh my, I've really had my eyes opened."

Hearing this, Wu Meng couldn't help but interject again: "How did Jiarui's little brain grow? How is she so smart?"

"That's for sure......."

Li Qing got carried away again: "You don't even look at whose son she is."

"Wang Fan's son."

Wu Meng deliberately picked a fight with her.

The words had barely fallen when the living room fell into another stretch of silence.

"You, why did you have to bring that up......"

Lin Xiyu smiled helplessly, breaking the silence: "Anyone else would've been fine to mention, but you had to mention him, stirring up annoyance for no reason."

"It's fine, we mother and daughter are already used to it."

Li Qing merely knitted her brows slightly, then immediately put on an indifferent smile again: "No matter how philandering he is, no matter how many romantic debts he incurs outside, he is still Jiarui's biological father; that point will never change."

"He has such a smart son as Jiarui, and he's still not satisfied?"

Wu Meng felt indignant on her behalf: "You're too good-tempered; if it were me I couldn't have endured it long ago — every day I'd chase him with a knife from behind; he hooks up with one, I chop him once; let's see if he still dares to fool around outside."

"Couldn't tell, you're actually a fierce wife?"

Li Qing found it funny and teased back: "Is your Liangzi tamed by you like this? Submissive in front of you, not even daring to speak loudly.....?"

"Uh."

Wu Meng paused, just about to boast, when she saw Guben lift the curtain and walk in from outside; she immediately shut her mouth.

Guben gave her a half-smile, half-not look, set down a bottle of ice sour plum juice on the tea table, then picked up the plate of fruit peels his wife had left uneaten, and turned and walked out.

"Look at that......"

Wu Meng guiltily watched his retreating figure, saying with feigned calm: "Now that's a twenty-four-filial-exemplar good husband; my Liangzi can't compare."

"Hehe."

Guben could hardly fail to hear her ingratiating tone; a joking laugh emerged from his throat.

Seeing she was so tactful, he reluctantly agreed to help her cover it up, not telling his childhood friend.

As for those words badmouthing Wang Fan, he just treated them as a joke to listen to.

This is because Wang Fan isn't here; if the man himself were present, even if you gave her eight hundred guts, she wouldn't dare shoot her mouth off.

Just judging by her cowardly look, still wanting to hack someone with a kitchen knife — just thinking about it is hilarious.

——

"Our Jiarui is also very sensible; when she grows up she'll definitely be a wife-doting one too......"

Li Qing seized the opportunity and secretly harbored intentions, deliberately boasting about her son.

"Jiarui is quite good......"

At this moment, Lin Xiyu also found Wang Jiarui extremely pleasing to the eye.

Not to mention anything else, just this child's quick-wittedness makes him very likable.

"I heard that the two of you have a childhood engagement?"

Li Qing's eyes rolled, taking the opportunity to pave the way for her son.

"Your information is quite well-connected, so what if it is?"

Lin Xiyu's delicate brows lifted slightly, deliberately counter-questioning.

"You can't favor one over the other......"

Sure enough, the next second, Li Qing's petty schemes could no longer be hidden, and she blatantly put forward her demand: "Guben and his four childhood friends have a close relationship that outsiders can't compare to. You have four treasures, and you've already promised one to Wu Meng, so naturally you can't leave out me and Qiao Lin, right?"

"Heh."

Lin Xiyu laughed jokingly, revealing an 'as expected' expression: "Your abacus beads are clicking so loud they're practically bouncing onto my face."

"Didn't you just say our Jiarui is very good?"

Li Qing eagerly peddled her son: "Such an excellent child, matched with your family's precious darling, isn't that a match made in heaven?"

"Cough cough......"

Wang Jiarui was rendered quite speechless by his own mother.

The young boy had a thin face, and it flushed a deep red.

"Jiarui is very good......"

Lin Xiyu was embarrassed to discourage her in front of the child, so she spoke very tactfully: "But my daughter is too young, she doesn't have that blessing."

"Ten years difference, not small."

Li Qing didn't care at all: "When Lele is eighteen, Jiarui will only be twenty-eight. Boys mature late, twenty-eight is just right for dating."

"Lele?"

Lin Xiyu raised a brow, eyes revealing doubt: "How are you so sure Jiarui likes Lele?"

"Uh."

Li Qing's speech stalled for a beat, a bit embarrassed.

She didn't have the nerve to admit to their faces that it was because she saw the couple dote on Lele a bit more that she wanted her son to marry Lele.

"Lele's health isn't good, you'd better not set your sights on Lele. This daughter we have to raise a few more years, can't easily promise her away."

Lin Xiyu's brow knitted tight, not directly stating she had a knot in her heart.

Afraid Lele would end up like Eldest Uncle's wife, giving birth would be dangerous, even with heart surgery it couldn't set their minds at ease.

"If Lele won't do, then Xixi."

Li Qing single-mindedly wanted her son to climb into a relationship with the couple; as for which daughter he married, she didn't really care.

Xixi and Lele are both biological daughters, palm and back of the hand are both flesh.

Just going by the couple's posture of doting on their daughters, no matter which one he married, her son wouldn't suffer a loss.

"This is a one-sided infatuation like a barber's pole, isn't it?"

Lin Xiyu glanced at Wang Jiarui's deep red face, teasingly mocked: "Anan and Nuan Nuan are young, children don't understand, calling it a childhood engagement is just for fun. Jiarui is different, he's already grown up, has his own ideas. You as a mother can't go against the child's wishes, wanting to settle the marriage based solely on your own preference."