I’m really immortal Chapter 78

Here is the translation:

The plum blossoms welcomed the timely rain, while the misty late spring persisted.

It started raining in the afternoon.

For Liu Chang’an, the plum rain wasn’t a bothersome thing at all. Most people who had nothing to do and were idle would feel that the rain made their lethargic state more justified.

However, for the students of Junsha, it was certainly annoying. Few people checked the weather forecast, and when they went out in the morning, they didn’t bring an umbrella, so they got soaked in the pouring rain in the afternoon.

The plum rain in 1954 was exceptionally long, lasting over two months, which led to a rare flood. In 1958, the plum rain only lasted two or three days, resulting in a severe drought.

The flower petals were wet and delicate, their colors more vibrant than ever.

Liu Chang’an had searched for many flower patterns but wasn’t quite satisfied. He spent the entire afternoon drawing, sketching many dresses, and even drawing many Ann Wan. The flower patterns on the dresses were different, and the beautiful smiles of the lovely ladies were also distinct.

If someone as talented as Liu Chang’an were to live thirty or forty years ago, he would probably be very popular, wouldn’t he? Bai Ruan thought to himself, feeling a bit sorry for Ann Wan. People with multiple talents often started strong but ended up mediocre. They felt they were very talented, but in reality, their talents were useless in today’s society. They might open a small painting studio, draw portraits for people, or even paint tombstones, but eventually, they would collapse, feeling disillusioned and frustrated, and would take it out on their girlfriends or wives.

Of course, there were exceptions. However, in the art world, people would often abuse their spouses, have affairs, and engage in all sorts of debauchery, which was quite common.

If Ann Wan were a bit more clever, she would eventually leave Liu Chang’an. At that time, Liu Chang’an would be left holding the drawings he made today, filled with bitter resentment and sorrow. Bai Ruan couldn’t help but feel sorry for Liu Chang’an again.

Liu Chang’an spent the entire afternoon sympathizing with Ann Wan and Liu Chang’an, unsure what to think, but ultimately, he found Liu Chang’an to be extremely frustrating.

Liu Chang’an skipped his last class and, without bringing an umbrella, arrived at Zipei Street.

This was an old street, and in today’s standards, old streets were considered to have a certain charm and status. If one were to add the phrase “old street” to their writing, it would make them seem more cultured, like they were describing a hidden gem they discovered on a leisurely stroll, reading a book under the plum blossoms, and posting it on social media would make them seem more refined, at least a few levels above someone who only posted a few travel photos and selfies, geotagged in a small town like Malana.

At the entrance of Zipei Street, there used to be a large tablet bearing the inscription “Chastity and Integrity.” During the Qing dynasty, this entire street belonged to the Blue Family, who were silk weavers. Later, they fell into decline, and after the liberation, the current proprietor of the old Blue Family opened a second-hand bookstore nearby, and people called him Old Master Blue.

Liu Chang’an wasn’t going to find Old Master Blue to buy books or play chess today. This street had already changed beyond recognition, but it still maintained its original layout. Apart from the rare fabric stores, there were also silk shops and elderly people’s clothing stores, as well as the tailor shop Liu Chang’an was looking for, now called private customization.

As he walked through the pouring rain, he passed by the half-street-long willow trees and arrived at the storefront, which was filled with bright light. The shop’s name was “Explaining Characters,” and it was taken from the phrase “explaining characters and annotating scripts.” The shop owner believed that making clothes and creating characters were similar – each character was unique, and each garment required a different person to wear it, just like each character had a different sound, shape, and meaning.

The storefront had a large glass window, with stairs leading up and down. Liu Chang’an walked up and saw a group of women, their umbrellas unfolded, gathered together, chatting and laughing.

One of them was Qin Yanan, and another woman with her hair styled like a willow leaf had a distinctively different air about her. Someone was holding an umbrella for her, another was holding her arm, and someone else was hurrying to open the door of a parked Bentley.

Qin Yanan sent the woman off at the stairs, didn’t walk far, and turned back to see Liu Chang’an standing there.

“What are you doing here?” Qin Yanan looked at the time, “You skipped class? And you didn’t even bring an umbrella!”

After all, as his older cousin, seeing her little cousin, who normally wouldn’t be here at this time, soaked to the bone, Qin Yanan naturally fell into her role.

“Who is that beautiful young lady?”

Qin Yanan’s eyelids twitched, and fortunately, the air was thick and humid today, so her breathing wasn’t too rapid, and she didn’t put her hand on her chest.

“That beautiful young lady?” Qin Yanan thought her little cousin’s words were quite amusing, and he would probably get a beating someday. Qin Yanan couldn’t help but laugh, “That’s Zhu Juntang’s mother, Madam Zhu!”

“I said she had a familiar face, turns out it’s Zhu Juntang’s mother, ah.” Liu Chang’an nodded, and Madam Zhu’s figure was curvy, her legs long and slender, and her pace elegant and refined, giving off a beauty that rivaled the so-called fairy, Zhu Juntang.

“You’re here to do what? Hurry back and change your clothes, don’t catch a cold.” Qin Yanan wanted to chase him away.

“Why would I catch a cold?” Liu Chang’an countered, “What are you doing here?”

“I ordered some flower-patterned fabrics to make clothes, and they arrived today. I came to pick them up.” Qin Yanan remembered that the person she was making clothes for was right in front of her, and she felt a bit flustered, wanting to hurry Liu Chang’an away, “Here only makes women’s clothes, so I won’t serve you.”

“I came to buy some fabric, and you can give me some advice.”

“You’re not being polite at all!”

“You were almost going to be my fiancée, what’s there to be polite about?” Liu Chang’an shook his head.

“I have acquaintances here!” Qin Yanan’s face turned red, and she didn’t want others to know that her family had set her up with someone from the upper third year of high school.

“Fine, you can give me some advice.”

“You really are annoying!” Qin Yanan glared at him, pulled on his wet shoulder, and said, “But you have to promise me that after you get the fabric, you’ll hurry back home.”

“Okay.”

As they walked in, Qin Yanan handed Liu Chang’an a towel to wipe his hair, and a charming woman in her thirties, Wang Xiuzi, walked in from outside. She was the daughter of an old tailor, and the one who had just sent off Madam Zhu.

According to legend, her father, Weng Si, had named her Xiuzi because she loved the color purple, which was extremely difficult to produce in ancient times, symbolizing the preciousness of giving birth to a daughter.

Any skilled artisan who had gained a reputation wouldn’t always sit at the storefront. Normally, it was Wang Xiuzi who managed the shop.

“Qin Miss, who is this?” Wang Xiuzi knew Qin Yanan’s identity and spoke with natural politeness and warmth.

“This is Liu Chang’an, my younger cousin, he said he wanted to get some advice from me.” Qin Yanan directly said.

Wang Xiuzi smiled, “What do you want to make with the fabric?”

“I want to make clothes.” Liu Chang’an knew Weng Si and had seen Wang Xiuzi when she was young, but now Wang Xiuzi didn’t recognize him.

“Then do you want to bring…your friend over?” Wang Xiuzi asked, “You need to take measurements to make clothes.”

“I only need the fabric, I can make the clothes myself.”

Wang Xiuzi looked at Qin Yanan, who nodded.

Wang Xiuzi didn’t ask why a young man like him knew how to make clothes, only saying, “Okay, but each type of fabric can only make one piece, and if you take the one you like, you’ll have to wait for the next batch.”

“No problem.” Qin Yanan magnanimously said.

Liu Chang’an had a good eye, and indeed, he picked the fabric that Qin Yanan liked the most. Qin Yanan could only remind him not to waste it and come back to the shop to alter it if needed.

Was he going to make clothes for Zhu Juntang or that little girl from the attached middle school? This little cousin of hers, ah, it seemed like he was quite a charmer, indeed.

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