The designs Zhu Yanyi drew were not like the old-fashioned clothes people wore now. Old clothes focused only on being practical and never cared about looking good. But Zhu Yanyi’s drawings showed the shape of the body clearly. They looked stylish but still fit in with the times.
Xie Xinyan’s eyes lit up when she saw them. “Ani, did you design these?”
Zhu Yanyi did not deny it. This style was very common in the future, and even outdated there. But right now, it was top quality. Zhu Yanyi nodded. “I just drew them. I can draw new designs for you every season. You can make custom clothes for people based on these drawings. You can make a few at home first and then sell them. We don’t need to open a shop. We just choose to make and sell them ourselves. You could call it creative clothing.”
“Is it like the supply and marketing cooperatives?” Xie Xinlian asked.
Zhu Yanyi nodded. “But our clothes are not for the state. They are for individuals. People call this being an individual business owner.” More and more people were becoming individual business owners now. When Zhu Yanyi said this, Xie Xinlian and Xie Xinyan did not feel upset.
“Before we start making and selling, I think Mama and Auntie should try to go to a vocational school to learn,” Zhu Yanyi said after thinking for a moment. “I will ask our principal. The vocational school for clothing design seems to have classes for adults. I will ask the principal if you can sit in on the classes.”
“But Ani,” Xie Xinlian said, looking worried. “Your auntie graduated from high school, so she is fine. But I, your mama, can only write my own name. I don’t know anything else.”
“Start learning now,” Zhu Yanyi said directly. “Auntie will stay with us for a few days. Let Auntie teach you some characters. Learn ten characters every day. In ten days, that is one hundred. In thirty days, that is three hundred. In one year, that is over three thousand six hundred characters. Mama, learning characters is not hard.”
Xie Xinlian felt tempted. “Is it really possible? Can I really do it?”
“Of course you can.” Zhu Shunyao, who was listening nearby, spoke up. As her husband, she had noticed Xie Xinlian was worried. Hearing the conversation, she suddenly understood. her business was growing, and her wife felt inferior. They had been married for so long. How could she bear to see her wife so listless? “Look, I only graduated from primary school. Over the years, I talked to people and studied on my own. I have learned many characters. Now I can even understand high school textbooks. We will learn together. If A-Yan doesn’t have time to teach you, I will teach you.”
“Okay.” Xie Xinlian nodded, determined to learn together. No matter what, she wanted to learn many characters.
Zhu Yanyi smiled. “Mama, actually, you just need to learn pinyin. Once you know pinyin, you can find any character you don’t know in a dictionary. You will also know how to pronounce it.”
“Fine, I will learn. Ani, teach me pinyin.” They did not have the concept of pinyin when they were young. Xie Xinyan also said from the side, “To be honest, pinyin is really good now. But I am not familiar with it either. Ani, remember to teach me too.”
Zhu Yanyi thought for a moment. “How about I teach you every evening? During the day, Auntie or Dad can teach Mama characters when they are free. In the evening, I will teach you pinyin. This way, anyone can use a Xinhua Dictionary to find characters they don’t know.”