Luo Yuchen truly had a way to save her.
It was just that she didn't believe it.
Perhaps by the time she finally did, it would already be too late.
At that point, it wouldn't matter what was said.
The outcome would be set in stone.
"Sister-in-law, you have to trust Brother Chen. He will definitely find a way to save you!" Tian Yang'en said, gritting her teeth with determination.
Such a wonderful sister-in-law—she truly didn't want anything bad to happen to her.
Could heaven really be so cruel as to toy with people like this?
"Let’s not talk about that. The priority right now is to handle the matter with the bell-bottom pants, pave the way for Lok Yu-chen, and help him as much as I can..." Yuen Mui pulled herself together and smiled brightly.
At that moment, So Ah-sai had also finished changing into her new clothes.
When she stepped out of the fitting room, both Yuen Mui and Tian Yang'en’s eyes lit up. Even the shop owner, who had seen countless customers, was stunned, as if she were looking at an entirely different person.
Draped in the chiffon blouse, So Ah-sai looked like a celestial being.
"Sister Mei, how is it? Does it look good?"
Seeing the expressions on Yuen Mui and Tian Yang'en’s faces, So Ah-sai already knew the result. But she asked anyway, perhaps to validate her own taste or for some other reason.
Yuen Mui nodded repeatedly. "It looks great! This chiffon blouse is perfect for you!"
"Indeed! Girl, this piece looks like it was made just for you. It suits you so well!" the owner added, having finally found her voice again.
Over the years, the shop had seen many customers—mostly women—but she had never seen anyone as beautiful as So Ah-sai. Especially in this chiffon blouse, she looked transformed, possessing a beauty that was both ethereal and stunning.
"You really know how to talk, Shopkeeper!" So Ah-sai laughed, then immediately asked, "Do you have this in the same size and one size larger?"
"Yes, yes, of course! Just a moment..." The owner hurried off to check.
In these wholesale market shops, the low-end clothing wasn't like the limited-edition pieces from famous designers that were touted as "one of a kind" purely as a marketing gimmick. This was the Sham Shui Po wholesale market; clothes weren't unique, and sizes were rarely in short supply.
"Ah-sai, are you planning for us to each have one?" Tian Yang'en asked.
So Ah-sai nodded. "Yeah, didn't you say so? Since I tried it, you two have to try it too. Otherwise, wouldn't I be hogging all the fun? Even if we end up wearing the same thing, who cares?"
Yuen Mui chuckled. "Alright, we'll listen to you..."
As they spoke, the owner returned with the chiffon blouses—one in So Ah-sai's size and one a size larger for Yuen Mui and Tian Yang'en. The owner was sharp and charismatic; she knew how to do business and how to handle people. Yuen Mui and Tian Yang'en had a good impression of her.
Once they had the clothes, the two went to change.
Left alone, So Ah-sai asked casually, "Shopkeeper, how is business lately?"
"So-so. It's much harder than it used to be. The competition is fierce, and every shop carries the same styles. It all depends on which store the customer prefers..." The owner was clearly a talker who couldn't keep things to herself; once asked, she poured it all out.
So Ah-sai asked thoughtfully, "Don't you have a steady stream of customers?"
"We do, of course. But those regulars are buying less and less. The market is bad, so they don't stock up like they used to," the owner replied.
So Ah-sai smiled, a flicker of something in her eyes. "Have you ever thought about pivoting? Maybe selling something else?"
The owner shook her head. "I've been in clothing wholesale for over twenty years; how could I pivot? I don't know how to do anything else. Girl, let me give you a piece of advice: better to stick to what you know than to try something new. If you can't find a better path, it’s better to hold on until you absolutely can't anymore."
So Ah-sai nodded with a smile and asked, "In these last few years, have there been any styles that exploded in popularity?"
"Oh, sure. Just like this chiffon blouse you're wearing—isn't it popular right now? But 'explosive' popularity is always short-lived. Nothing lasts forever, so we have to keep up with the trends. If the turnover is too fast, it kills us—we haven't even finished selling the old stock, and we need to buy new things. But if you don't buy new stock, you can't keep up with the market. It’s tough, all in all."
So Ah-sai comforted her, "Shopkeeper, the... the difficulties are only temporary. Who knows? Maybe a benefactor will suddenly drop from the sky to help you!"
The owner laughed, "You're a funny girl. But talking with you has made me feel a lot better. Tell you what, I'll give you these three at cost price—25 each, so 75 for all three."
So Ah-sai paid quickly. She still had a hundred or so dollars; she wasn't that broke.
Just then, Yuen Mui and Tian Yang'en came out in their new clothes.
"Girl, you have a great eye. They look so beautiful in them. Looking at you three, you really look like sisters," the owner exclaimed.
Indeed, Yuen Mui, usually dressed in dull, dark colors, looked vibrant and radiant in the white chiffon. As for Tian Yang'en, who usually wore black clothes convenient for fighting and rarely bothered with styling, the white blouse gave her a fresh, striking appearance. Being taller than the other two, the style suited her perfectly.
So Ah-sai and Yuen Mui were the types whose beauty was pure and exquisite. Against the backdrop of the chiffon, they looked like the legendary Goddess Luo returned to earth.
"It really is beautiful, much better than how I wear it!" So Ah-sai stepped forward, looking at Yuen Mui and Tian Yang'en, nodding in genuine praise.
"You're just like Lok Yu-chen—all smooth talk. You look beautiful too, why do you have to compare us?" Yuen Mui said with a smile. Honestly, she was quite happy with the blouse. Tian Yang'en nodded happily, too.
"Shopkeeper, please wrap them up for us," Yuen Mui requested.
The owner pointed at So Ah-sai and laughed, "She already paid for them."
"How can we let you spend your money? No, Shopkeeper, you can't take her money. Let me do it," Yuen Mui said, brows furrowed, reaching for her wallet.
"Oh, it's just... a shirt, and only a few dozen dollars. I... I can afford it. Think of it as a gift from me, okay?" So Ah-sai grabbed Yuen Mui’s hand, feigning irritation.
Yuen Mui hesitated. Seeing this, Tian Yang'en said, "Sister-in-law, since Ah-sai is so kind, let's just accept it. We can just be extra good to her later, right?"
Yuen Mui realized that made sense. Arguing over the bill was pointless, so she nodded. "Fine, but this is the last time, understand?"
So Ah-sai beamed. "Deal, deal! I won't fight for the bill next time, okay?"
Yuen Mui smiled again.
"Let’s just wear them out and pack up the old clothes," So Ah-sai suggested.
Yuen Mui looked at Tian Yang'en, who nodded.
Although one usually washes new clothes first, it was summer, and they would be sweating anyway, so they might as well wear them and wash them later. Everyone agreed, and the owner busied herself with the wrapping.
"Girls, come back and visit next time! Even if you don't buy anything, I'd love to just chat," the owner said as they left.
So Ah-sai nodded with a smile, "I will, I'll come often. Who knows, maybe your benefactor will arrive soon..."
"Haha, I'll hold you to that!" the owner laughed.
As they walked away, Yuen Mui asked, "Ah-sai, what was that about a benefactor?"
Tian Yang'en looked at her, equally confused.
So Ah-sai laughed, "Aren't we doing market research? And aren't we looking for... wholesale suppliers? What did you think of that shopkeeper?"
Yuen Mui and Tian Yang'en looked at each other, recalling the owner's behavior. "She knows business and how to treat people. She's a good supplier—at the very least, she didn't have that arrogant, dismissive attitude most suppliers have when you only want to buy a few pieces."
So Ah-sai said, "Oh, I forgot to tell you—the shopkeeper gave us a huge discount. She sold them to us at her own cost, 25 each."
"25?" Yuen Mui exclaimed, surprised. "That's less than half the price? I knew the margins in wholesale were high, but not this high. If the wholesale market is like this, the markups in those high-end malls must be insane..."
Tian Yang'en didn't care about these things; as long as she had clothes, she was happy, and she never paid attention to prices. But So Ah-sai had spent a long time in the underworld and, being a woman, she had a bit more awareness of these matters—she wasn't completely naive.