Chapter 88 Suspicion: "Who embroidered this outfit for you at the shop?"...

Chapter 88 Suspicion: "Who embroidered this outfit for you at the shop?"...

The fact that Ren Lang spent so much time picking out a piece of imitation jadeite rough stone kept the audience in the live stream laughing until the guests finished lunch and took the bus back to their guesthouse.

[Who made this GIF of Ye Hantao looking like she's suddenly realized something? Hahaha, it's the most sarcastic and sarcastic one ever!]

[What do you mean by being sarcastic and insincere? This is the truth!]

Ren Lang shouldn't have come to "Classmates Are Here"; it completely ruined his image!

[He even advised Ye Hantao not to confuse jadeite rough with ordinary stones, only to find out that her own judgment was terrible.]

He even taught Gu Fanghao a good route!

To be fair, the content he taught was fine; it's just that theoretical knowledge without practical application is dangerous.

[Hahahaha, do you remember him telling Gu Fanghao not to ask Ye Hantao, saying that Ye Hantao was all talk and no action? Hahahaha.]

[Oh my god, hahaha, boomerangs, every single one is deadly.]

Ren Lang sat on the bus, his expression unchanged, but he remained extremely silent the entire way.

Yuan Kai sat next to him, but didn't say a word.

He felt incredibly unlucky.

The students invited to the show, whether it was Ji Changtu or Ren Lang, were making a fool of themselves.

Why did they have to go against Ye Hantao for no reason?!

As early as after the news that Ye Hantao's great-aunt was Zhou Shumiao was exposed, he pushed Cai Qiwei's side to let him frame Ye Hantao and create a scandal.

Yuan Kai couldn't understand one thing at all.

On the day Ren Lang first arrived, he was intentionally or unintentionally getting close to Ye Hantao. Why is he suddenly belittling Ye Hantao in his words today?

On second thought, Ren Lang's embarrassing behavior wasn't entirely due to his opposition to Ye Hantao.

During the time Ren Lang and Ye Hantao maintained their relationship, birds could even climb on his head, and the light would explode and the water would stop when he took a shower at night.

Ye Hantao turned her head to look out the car window.

As the bus got closer to the guesthouse, the traffic became less congested.

The surrounding trees gradually became lush and verdant.

Actually, the daytime itinerary did not include the guesthouse; it was just that after the stone cutting was completed, the rankings for each group were also determined.

The rule is that the two groups with the lowest scores are penalized.

Currently, three groups have failed to produce any jade, tying for last place.

She, Cheng Zhao, Senior Sister He Qiang, and Chen Xiaofeng discussed it and decided to make the three losing groups drink the weird-tasting beverages they had concocted at the restaurant.

Everyone did drink, but the process was rather chaotic.

Shi Yue's skirt was splattered with the juice of a strange-tasting drink.

Chen Xiaofeng was making too much noise and bumped into Ang Ang, both of them falling face-first onto the table, their shirts also falling to the ground.

Just then, Senior Sister He Qiang said she wanted to put the 20,000 yuan worth of glutinous jadeite she won in a rock-paper-scissors game in her bedroom, so the group decided to go back to the guesthouse first.

Ye Hantao glanced through the car window at some large stones on the side of the street, and the image of the two piles of stones in her grandmother's yard resurfaced in her mind.

The last time she visited her maternal grandparents was on the 20th of last month, for her grandparents' birthday.

Back then, the pile of stones in the yard was still there, only some of the stones had changed size.

Many things don't seem wrong unless you consciously think about them, but Ye Hantao suddenly realized that the two piles of stones in her grandmother's yard were not always the same.

Every month or two, things change, like a new batch of stones has been replaced.

Grandpa said those stones were used to build the courtyard wall, and the walls on both sides were indeed rebuilt, but the stones used were not whole; they were all broken stones.

A moment later, Ye Hantao found her grandmother's profile picture in the list. Instead of sending a text message, she sent a voice message: "Grandma, is the stone at home still there?"

[Ahhhh, is Ye Hantao going to her grandma's house to have her stones cut?!]

[Please, please, production team, film Ye Hantao for a day!]

[The production team! They're rigging the show! Hurry up!!!]

I want to see Ye Hantao go to her grandma's house to have a stone cut open!

【Seriously, you guys actually believe that Ye Hantao has two piles of raw stones at home?】

[Be bold, maybe Ye Hantao's grandma's house doesn't actually have a bunch of fake jadeite rough stones (laughs while covering mouth.jpg)]

[Hehe, Ye Hantao chose the icy violet jadeite rough stone based on how it was displayed?]

But the second one didn't turn green.

Zhou Shuqiong looked at the voice message she had just received, then looked up and met her husband's gaze: "..."

"You too!" Zhou Shuqiong wanted to slap Xie Bairong on the head. "You could have just finished one batch and had your fun, why did you keep having people haul stones into the yard?"

Xie Bairong said weakly, "It's better to be prepared."

Sometimes, after taking a nap, they would suddenly miss their daughter and Tao Tao, and that very afternoon they would fly straight to Yuncheng.

Over the years, he has gotten used to cutting stones in his small courtyard in the suburbs of Yuncheng, and he doesn't really care about the basement of his old house in Gangcheng.

“You told Tao Tao that they were all used to build the courtyard wall,” Xie Bairong suggested. “I’ll send someone to transport all the raw stones away later.”

Even if Tao Tao comes to the courtyard after recording the show, she can't expose their lies.

After much thought, Zhou Shuqiong realized that this was the only solution left.

She pressed the voice button and said as calmly as possible, "Tao Tao, those stones have already been used to build the courtyard wall. The new batch hasn't arrived yet. Why are you asking about those stones?"

Ye Hantao converted the speech into text, and after reading the content, her doubts deepened.

Grandma said this morning that she was watching a variety show, and she must have seen the segment about stone cutting, so there's no way she could ask her anything.

However, it's also possible that Grandma missed it due to other commitments.

However, the level of trust that her own people had in Ye Hantao had already dropped significantly.

Ye Hantao opened the chat box of her friend who lived in Yuncheng.

[Sui Sui, are you free these next couple of days? I'd like to ask you for a favor.]

[I'm free!] Yuan Sui replied quickly, [Tao Tao, you're amazing! You actually got an Ice-type Violet!!!]

After chatting with Yuan Sui for a few minutes, Ye Hantao brought up the favor she had asked: "[Could you check if the raw stones in my grandma's yard are still there? I want to steal a few while my grandparents are out to cut them (address.jpg)]"

[Wheat Ear: okkkk!]

[Wheat Ear: I'm free now, I'll let you know after I finish reading!]

[Wheat Ear: Can I specify a stone for you to solve?]

Ye Hantao: [As the eldest daughter, I'll just ask for two pieces!]

If Sui Sui didn't see any stones in the yard, it means her grandmother wasn't lying.

If Sui Sui sees stones in the yard, then Grandma must be hiding a little secret from her.

With her great-aunt, a renowned expert in traditional Chinese medicine, as an example, Ye Hantao felt that even if her grandparents had a secret, she wouldn't be particularly surprised.

Even if someone is incredibly skilled, could they possibly surpass my great-aunt's master of traditional Chinese medicine?

Ye Hantao didn't think that the old man Ni she met while cutting stones was more capable than her great-aunt; they were just evenly matched.

When I looked up again, the entrance to the guesthouse was right in front of me through the car window.

She got off the car first and said to the others who were about to go back inside, "The first activity this afternoon is a Shu embroidery experience class. We'll meet in the courtyard in half an hour."

Some responded, some nodded, while others, like Ren Lang, were so worried about being unlucky again that they didn't listen attentively.

Ye Hantao and Gu Fanghao went upstairs together.

The two had just reached the bedroom and were about to open the door when they caught a glimpse of Cheng Zhao striding after them from a distance.

Gu Fanghao, with great insight, went inside first.

Ye Hantao and Cheng Zhao were left standing at the door.

Cheng Zhao opened his mouth.

He rushed over on impulse, but after standing in front of Ye Hantao, he realized that he had been too hasty.

Tao Tao already said she would give him the gift tonight.

Ye Hantao was waiting for him to speak when she suddenly remembered something. "Perfect timing, now that you're here, I'll give you the gift!"

After saying that, Ye Hantao ran into the house and opened the wardrobe door.

That evening, while hanging up her clothes, she casually placed the pendant on the shelf of the wardrobe.

When Ye Hantao returned to her room after giving the gift to Cheng Zhao, she found that Gu Fanghao had changed into a new Chinese-style dress.

Ye Hantao praised, "Fang Hao, this dress makes your skin look so fair and beautiful."

“I wanted to wear it this morning, thinking it would go well with the Shu embroidery experience class.”

Gu Fanghao blushed at Ye Hantao's praise, "It's just that when we went to the raw stone market this morning, there was too much dust there, and the hem of my skirt might get snagged by the stones."

She explained as she combed her hair, preparing to style it in a more traditional Chinese style.

Upon seeing Ye Hantao's short-sleeved shirt and jeans through the bathroom door, she suddenly had an idea: "Taotao, did you bring a Chinese-style dress to the show? I can do your hair! I learned from several stylists when I was on set."

Sometimes, when the production team hires top costume and makeup artists at great expense, she stays by their side and observes them carefully.

Ye Hantao hadn't originally considered changing her clothes.

Hearing Gu Fanghao say this now, I can't help but be tempted.

She reopened the closet door and picked out a mint green dress.

She only wore that dress once, at the university's freshman orientation party.

Ye Hantao ran into the bathroom, carrying her skirt, and asked Gu Fanghao, who was combing her hair, for her opinion, "Is this one okay?"

Gu Fanghao had met many popular celebrities on set and had also seen some of their very expensive personal clothes.

She can confidently say that although she has no money, she still has good judgment.

Not to mention that Ye Hantao already came from an excellent family in her eyes.

Gu Fanghao looked closer and realized that the shimmering light on the skirt did not come from the fabric itself, but from the moonlight-like silver thread patterns.

"Tao Tao, your dress looks like it's handmade—"

Ye Hantao said vainly, "That's right, this is a custom-made piece, hand-sewn by a master craftsman."

My mom's colleague has been a self-taught tailor for over ten years; she must be a master!

Gu Fanghao: "!!!"

She knew it!

【？？？？】

Shouldn't it have been bought from a shop on the back street of the neighborhood?!

[Hahaha, do you guys still remember the lie Ye Hantao told about her family background?]

[You guys? You didn't believe Ye Hantao when she said it was 399, but now you think she lied because she hid her family background?]

There really is a clothing store on the back street near that neighborhood, but it's closed most of the year.

[Yes, yes, Ye Hantao might not be lying. I asked the neighbors, and they said the clothes in that store are good quality and inexpensive; every time it opens, there's a rush to buy them.]

Due to the angle, the audience didn't see clearly the dress Ye Hantao carried into the bathroom.

Zhou Timing caught a glimpse of that mint green and his heart skipped a beat.

She put down her tablet, walked into Tao Tao's bedroom, opened the door to the walk-in closet, and glanced at the clothes on the shelves.

Sure enough, she couldn't find the dress she had taken out of her suitcase and put back in the closet.

"..."

The dress was designed by Zhou Yi, and the embroidery alone was the result of almost a year's work by the entire team.

He planned to give it to Tao Tao for her 19th birthday, but unexpectedly, Tao Tao wanted to buy a new dress after becoming the host of the freshman party at university.

Zhou Ti wasn't worried about others recognizing Zhou Yi's design, but she was concerned that the embroidery on the dress would arouse suspicion.

Ye Hantao and Gu Fanghao changed their dresses and restyled their hair in the room.

When they gathered in the courtyard, everyone was there except for Chen Xiaofeng.

Cheng Zhao had been looking towards the door. He heard footsteps for only two seconds before a slender figure in a mint-colored dress appeared in his line of sight.

The hibiscus petals fluttered in the breeze, scattering gracefully across the hem of the skirt.

As Ye Hantao moved, the layers of gauze seemed to gently ripple like springtime, making her skin appear even whiter than snow, radiant and lively.

Cheng Zhao instinctively lifted his foot, then stopped.

Everyone else was also taken aback.

Whether it was Ye Hantao or Gu Fanghao, standing gracefully in the sunlight, they both radiated a bright and dazzling brilliance, like gold flowing through the clouds.

Wow! The moment Ye Hantao and Gu Fanghao came out hand in hand, I felt like I was seeing a flower fairy.

【A sweet and soft flower fairy~】

[Ahhhhh, whose dress is Ye Hantao wearing?! It's so ethereal and beautiful!]

It's absolutely stunning; it gives me the illusion that early spring has arrived again.

[Ye Hantao's dress at the last food tasting event was also particularly beautiful!]

[These two have such great figures! I never noticed before!]

Gu Fanghao was quite surprised! After all, she's quite petite, but when Ye Hantao first came to the show wearing jeans, her waist and legs were stunning—she looked like a goddess!

Ye Hantao walked briskly to the front of the group. "Look, this is the hairstyle Fang Hao did. My hair seems to obey her every whim."

Along with the sound came the scent of jasmine from her hair.

As Cheng Zhao smelled the belated aroma, he suddenly realized that he had been holding his breath the whole time.

“It’s very beautiful.” He paused, then affirmed again, “It’s a real eye-catcher.”

Ye Hantao smiled, her eyes crinkling.

Jin Shiyue raised an eyebrow. "It's well-combed, it brings out all your strengths."

Two days ago, Gu Fanghao simply tied her hair in a ponytail, but this time she put in some effort to style her hair.

Ye Hantao took Gu Fanghao's arm and said, "We're about to set off. Fanghao has simplified quite a few steps."

"Tao Tao, Xiao Gu, you two are as beautiful as fairies!" Su Yi'ang said eagerly. "Xiao Gu, do you think I can style my short hair?"

Chen Xiaofeng arrived a step later and heard Ye Hantao praising Gu Fanghao's hair-combing skills from afar.

After he ran over, he exclaimed, "Your skills are just as good as the stylist my crew hired!"

This was the first time Gu Fanghao had been recognized by so many people; she was both nervous and excited.

"Director Chen, you flatter me too much. I just learned it casually." Gu Fanghao turned to Su Yi'ang and replied, "If you believe me, I'll do your hair tomorrow."

Su Yi'ang chuckled, revealing two tiger teeth, "With you and Tao Tao as my references, I have to believe it!"

After saying that, he confidently declared, "If you want to play games in the future, come find me!"

Chen Xiaofeng also followed suit, saying, "I'm currently looking for a stylist for my next movie. Come over and visit if you're free."

Gu Fanghao never expected that getting a haircut would have such an effect. "Okay, I will."

As Ren Lang watched Gu Fanghao become the center of attention, his heart grew increasingly heavy.

Having witnessed the benefits promised by others, it will inevitably be more difficult for Gu Fanghao to gain gratitude points.

They arrived at their destination an hour later, a century-old workshop specializing in Shu embroidery.

The three-story pavilion with its blue bricks and gray tiles is nestled deep within Ginkgo Street.

After Ye Hantao got out of the car, she first saw the workshop owner waiting at the door.

Holy crap! I've seen this workshop on a vlogger's channel! Every single item they make costs at least six figures.

【Huh? It's like wearing luxury brand clothes?】

Our ancestors' embroidery should be more expensive than luxury brand clothing!

Huayun has always been a luxury brand in the cheongsam world!

I'm so stingy even when I buy a cheongsam that costs around a thousand yuan, when will I ever be able to get one made at Huayun? (wiping tears.jpg)

"Hello, I am Su Jin." Su Jin was wearing a sky-blue cheongsam and had a gentle and graceful demeanor.

She stepped forward to greet everyone, and as she led them into the workshop, she introduced, "Our Huayun Workshop was founded during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty and has been around for over a hundred years."

Ye Hantao could hear the pride in her tone.

The scene on the first floor of the store comes into view, with six or seven cheongsams and several shop assistants arranging fabrics on the shelves.

A round-faced shop assistant is changing different colored fabrics one by one in front of a customer.

As they stepped onto the stairs, Ye Hantao looked up and saw the embroiderers working on the embroidery racks on the second floor.

Su Jin said softly, "Over the years, we have been committed to integrating the finest Shu embroidery and Suzhou embroidery into our fabrics. To this end, we have specially hired a national-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor—"

Before he could finish speaking, a commotion suddenly broke out at the door.

Everyone stopped in the stairwell, turned around, and looked towards the source of the sound.

Cheng Zhao stepped up a flight of stairs and approached Ye Hantao.

An elderly woman with silver hair walked into the store and threw the cheongsam she was holding at the shop assistant.

There were two young people next to the old lady offering her assistance.

"What kind of cheongsam is this? Are you trying to fool this old woman?"

Su Jin felt a headache coming on the moment she saw the old lady. She knew without a doubt that the old lady had come because she knew the production crew was filming there.

She hurried over and said with a smile, "Madam Bai, this cheongsam of yours is the most important item in our shop. It took almost half a year to complete. How could we possibly cheat you?"

Ignoring Su Jin's objections, Old Mrs. Bai insisted on going upstairs to find the embroiderer and said, "You still say you didn't cheat? Then why didn't you let Master Lin embroider it?! Did I say I only wear Master Lin's cheongsams?"

As they were talking, Old Mrs. Bai passed by Ye Hantao and the others.

Ye Hantao took a step back, intending to make way for the old lady, but unexpectedly, the old lady grabbed her arm—

Oh, he didn't catch it; Cheng Zhao blocked it.

Grandma Bai's face lit up with joy. "Who embroidered this outfit for you? I think it's even more exquisite than Master Lin's embroidery."

-----------------------

Author's Note: Here I am! Thank you everyone for the nutrient solution! [Sprinkling flowers]