Song Ning chuckled before she gently pushed Mu Chen away. “Hurry up and reply to him!”
“Come up here!” Mu Chen roared angrily.
Song Ning lowered her head and smiled. It was rare to see Mu Chen so flustered and exasperated.
When Cheng Che came upstairs, he was confused by the dark expression on Mu Chen’s face. “What’s wrong? Why is your expression like this? I don’t owe you money!”
“Cut the crap!” Mu Chen said impatiently.
Cheng Che’s eyes darted between Mu Chen and Song Ning as realization dawned on him. “Ah, did I ruin a moment? Why don’t both of you continue whatever you were doing, and I’ll come back later?”
Song Ning’s face flushed red.
“Don’t talk nonsense!” Mu Chen lifted his leg to kick Cheng Che.
Cheng Che hurriedly moved away as he said, “Sister-in-law, you have to control him. He bullies me so often that it has become a habit.”
Mu Chen was pleased by the words ‘sister-in-law’. He pulled Song Ning to his side and put his arm around her shoulders before he lifted his chin and said, “Have a look around…”
Cheng Che’s eyes moved around the studio as he said, “This place is really nice…”
Following that, Song Ning led the two men on a tour as she explained the studio’s works to Cheng Che.
Cheng Che stared at Song Ning with his mouth agape. His eyes were wide open and he could not help but gulp when he saw the double-sided embroidery in front of him. “Sister-in-law, aren’t you studying Chinese medicine?”
Song Ning nodded. “My mother left this studio behind. I don’t want her hard work to disappear.”
Cheng Che nodded in agreement. “Indeed. This is part of our nation’s culture. It would be a pity if the studio closes down.”
At this moment, Cheng Che recalled the challenge that Mu Chen spoke of in the afternoon. He looked at Mu Chen and asked, “Brother Chen, you want me to manage the studio?”
Mu Chen nodded. “Song Ning is still in school and will only graduate a year later. Moreover, with Professor Li Sen’s high regard for her, I’m afraid he has already made arrangements for her. Therefore, she doesn’t have time to look after this place.”
Song Ning hurriedly added, “The main thing is I’m not very good at managing a business. Moreover, my embroidery skills can’t compare to my mother at all. Over the years, it’s due to the support from my mother’s old employees that I managed to keep this place afloat. However, if this goes on, I’m afraid the situation would get worse. I can’t let those who supported me down.”
“Sister-in-law, don’t worry! I’m here. Ah, no, I mean, Brother Chen is here for you. Right, Brother Chen?” Cheng Che looked at Mu Chen with an ingratiating expression.
Mu Chen did not reply to Cheng Che, but he did not rebuke Cheng Che. In the end, he only said, “The staff, the accounts… We need to check everything. After that, we have to make sure the business gets back on the right track as soon as possible.”
Cheng Che nodded. “That’s not a big deal. However, sister-in-law, have you thought about what direction you want your business to take? Do you want to trademark your work and mass-market it? Or do you want to market it as a high-end product and only produce premium products?”
Song Ning quickly said, “My mother has trademarked her works. I don’t want to industrialize and mass-market the products. Embroidery requires one to be meticulous. A good embroidery takes months or even a year or two to complete. The complete work represents the painstaking efforts of the craftsman. I only hope the buyer would cherish the work they buy.”
Cheng Che snapped his fingers. “I understand. All embroidery pieces have artistic values and should be sold as such…”
Song Ning nodded.
“However, we still have to make money. This is a major matter since it concerns the livelihood of the people and the country’s economy,” Cheng Che added.
Song Ning nodded again.
“If we don’t make money, we won’t be able to keep the staff. Moreover, if the business generates profit, the staff would be more inclined to stay. The success of the business would also fill the staff with pride and satisfaction…’
Song Ning smiled and nodded in agreement again.
Upon seeing this, Mu Chen stroked her hair before he pointed at Cheng Che and asked, “What do you think? Is the person I found reliable?”
The answer to these questions could be seen in Song Ning’s joyful expressions.
After a moment, Song Ning asked Cheng Che, “Then, what do I need to do?”
Cheng Che pushed his glasses up as he said with a straight face, “Have a good relationship with Brother Chen. Tell him to stop scolding me and to spend more time with Grandma. I’ll be happy as long as she’s happy.”
Song Ning’s face flushed red upon hearing Cheng Che’s words.
Mu Chen smiled and asked, “Aren’t you to ask for rewards for yourself?”
Cheng Che scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed, as he said, “Sister-in-law, it’d be great if you can introduce a good friend of yours to me. I don’t have a girlfriend yet.”
Song Ning was taken aback. She did not expect Cheng Che to make such a request.
Cheng Che hurriedly added, “There’s no need to think too much. That Little Grape by your side will do…”
“Little Grape?” Song Ning looked at Mu Chen in confusion.
Mu Chen smiled and said, “He said Miss An’s eyes are like grapes.”
Upon hearing this, Song Ning could not help but smile. “Jiahui? Now that you mentioned it, she really does have grape-like eyes. Alright, I’ll introduce her to you. However, it’s not up to me if she becomes your girlfriend or not…”
Cheng Che was overjoyed upon hearing Song Ning’s reply. “Alright, I understand! Sister-in-law, why don’t you invite her out for dinner another day? Just as a simple introduction will do. Don’t make it seem like a blind date. Otherwise, it might be awkward.”
Song Ning nodded. “Alright, I’ll make the introductions soon. I’ll do it in a way where Jiahui won’t feel pressured.”
