Crossing Over to Yamada Love

Madam He raised her eyebrows. "If everyone were like you, taking wages before doing any work, I wouldn't need to keep this shop open. I'm trying to help you because you're poor, but you're so ungrateful. Fine, I'll just give this job to someone else."

"No, my wife, it's all my fault for being so thoughtless. Please don't take it. I'll take it, but don't worry about the money. I'll do a good job this time. Please don't give the work to someone else, my wife!" Sister-in-law Qu pleaded pitifully.

"Fine, let Chunlu take the job. Who told me to be so soft-hearted and easy to talk to?" Madam He said with a kind and compassionate expression.

Watching Sister-in-law Qu leave, profusely thanking her, Mo Lan sighed inwardly. This was truly a case of being at the mercy of others. She had been cheated out of her wages by the boss's wife, yet she still had to be incredibly grateful. It was so unfair.

"Sister-in-law Liu is here. Have you finished your work?" Madam He picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then asked Liu.

"It's ready, Madam He, please check it." After saying that, Madam Liu stepped forward and placed the cloth bag on the table. Before she could open it, she heard voices coming from the doorway.

"Madam Fang, please come in, Miss Fang. My wife is waiting for you inside." Chunlu smiled and led several elegantly dressed women into the house.

When Madam He, who was sitting down, saw the person who came, she immediately stood up, her round face beaming so much that her eyes were practically slits.

"I was wondering what important guests were coming to my little shop this morning, since the magpies had been chirping non-stop. It turns out it's Madam Fang and her second daughter. Please come in quickly."

After Madam He finished speaking, she quickly asked the two of them to sit down and then called out, "Chunlu, quickly serve the tea. Remember to bring the Longjing tea that Master brought back from the county last time."

"Yes, I'll be right there." Chunlu replied and went to make tea.

Mo Lan sized up the people who had come. The person sitting in the seat of honor was a lady in her thirties with delicate features, indicating that she must have been a beauty in her youth. Her hair was adorned with pearl hairpins, and she wore a purple silk dress, which made her look noble, but her face revealed arrogance.

The young lady appeared to be about 13 or 14 years old, with delicate features and large eyes that shone with arrogance. A hairpin adorned her dark hair, she wore silver stud earrings, a pale white lining, and a silver-red silk skirt, giving her a graceful and delicate appearance.

Both of them were followed by maids, and judging from their demeanor, they must be young ladies from wealthy families.

"Why do you still have unfinished business here?" Madam Fang frowned as she looked at Liu and Mo Lan standing there.

"You two can go now. Leave your things here, and I'll find you when I'm done with this," Madam He waved to the two of them.

"Treat them like servants?" Mo Lan thought angrily. "We earn our living with our skills. We are not inferior to anyone."

Liu bowed her head, curtsied, and stepped forward to pull Mo Lan away, clearly intending to lead her downstairs.

“Aunt, there are still our shoes in that bag. The style is from the capital. These shoes aren't the embroidery you gave us. Shouldn't we take them with us?” Mo Lan didn't move.

"Oh? You actually have shoe patterns from the capital? That's the funniest thing I've ever heard. Not to mention you, apart from the Xue family, probably no one else in this town has the latest designs. Little girl, don't talk nonsense if you don't know." Madam Fang looked at Mo Lan with disdain.

"Lanlan, let's stop talking and go downstairs." Madam Liu stopped Molan. Then she bowed to Madam Fang and said, "Madam, please don't take offense. The child is young and inexperienced. Please don't take it to heart."

"Hmph." Madam Fang snorted through her nose.

"I'm not making this up. Our shoe designs came from the capital." Mo Lan pouted, looking aggrieved.

Madam Liu frowned. What's wrong with this girl today? She was the one who came up with the design for these shoes, and everyone else worked on it. Why is she now insisting that it came from the capital?

"Really? I'd like to see what kind of shoes this girl treasures so much. I'll have to see something interesting today." Madam Fang's words were full of sarcasm.

"Look then. I'm not making this up." Mo Lan said with a sullen expression, as she stepped forward, untied her bundle, and presented the embroidered shoes.

"Huh? This is quite novel. I've never seen anything like it before." Madam Fang's face changed from disdain to surprise.

Madam He was also drawn to the shoes, a strange light flickering in her eyes. She hadn't had a chance to look at them before Madam Fang went inside; otherwise, she could have bought them at a low price. Now, judging from the current situation, it was unlikely she would be able to buy them at a lower price.

"Let me see it." This time, it was the second young lady who spoke.

Seeing that the second young lady was clearly interested but insisted on letting her come closer to show her, Mo Lan didn't mind. She was in a disadvantaged position now, and making money was the most important thing. Wasn't it said that customers come first?

Mo Lan proudly presented the shoes to the Second Miss, as if to say, "I wasn't lying, was I? My shoes are the latest style, they came directly from the capital."

Everyone gazed at the embroidered shoes in Mo Lan's hands. The flowers on the shoe's surface were layered upon layered, blooming so beautifully that they looked almost real. The flowers outlined with silk thread on the side of the shoe were also incredibly unique. It was unforgettable at first glance.

The second young lady took the embroidered shoes and examined the inside. They were made of soft cotton, with a gentle feel, and contained exquisitely embroidered insoles. She checked the length and found it was about the same as her usual embroidered shoes. They should fit.

She nodded in satisfaction. "Mother, I want it. Will you buy it for me?" she said sweetly to her mother.

"Alright, as long as Yan'er likes them." Madam Fang nodded, then said to Madam Liu, "How much are these shoes? I'll buy them."

Liu did not speak immediately, but looked at Mo Lan.

Mo Lan hurriedly took the shoes back from the second young lady's hands and hugged them to her arms, saying, "These shoes are not for sale. They were made with silk and a design brought back by my relatives in the capital. We must keep them."

"Mother, I'm attending Miss Chen's banquet in a couple of days. I'm sure I'll stand out from the crowd if I wear these shoes. You must buy them for me!" The second young lady hurriedly asked her mother for help after hearing that Mo Lan wouldn't sell them.

"Alright, alright. Don't worry, Yan'er." Madam Fang clearly doted on this daughter. "The little girl is still so young, she doesn't need these shoes now, and they'll be out of style later. Why don't you give them to my Yan'er? I'll give you extra silver, okay?"

Mo Lan chuckled inwardly. Now he was calling her "little girl" and his attitude was so amiable. It seems one really shouldn't ask for anything in return.

"I like these shoes, what would I do with money?" Mo Lan muttered softly, clearly young and not yet understanding the value of money.

"Madam, please persuade your daughter. Money can buy many things. Let her sell the shoes to us." Madam Fang then tried to persuade Liu.

“Yes, Madam is right, but these shoes do belong to Lan’er, so it’s up to her to decide. I can only try my best to persuade her.” Madam Liu spoke to Madam Fang with neither arrogance nor servility.

After she finished speaking, she walked up to Mo Lan and whispered, "Lan Lan, since this young lady likes it, you should give it to her. Your aunt can make you a double portion later. Money can buy a lot of nice things. You can buy Lan Lan's favorite snacks, Lan Lan, be good." Although Liu's voice was low, everyone in the room could hear it.

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Xuexue will be away for the next two days, visiting her mother-in-law. Her mother-in-law lives in the mountains during the summer; the air there is fresh and good for health, but there's no internet. So, Xuexue wrote this in advance and set it to update automatically. Please favorite, recommend, and support me!