IDEI CH49

The artisans of Red Gate embroidery were deeply curious, feeling restless throughout the day. After a third young girl pricked her finger with a needle, Yu Youzhen let out a sigh and dismissed everyone, bringing an early end to the day’s practice.

Yu Youzhen’s heart was equally plagued by anxiety, though she did not let it show. It was not that she trusted strangers easily; rather, she had no other choice. She had to seize every opportunity. Even if ninety-nine out of a hundred attempts were scams, as long as a single one proved genuine, none of the past deceptions had been suffered in vain.

Tong Zong was still young and did not comprehend the delicate complexities of their plight. The current state of Red Gate embroidery was genuinely precarious. They bore the hollow title of intangible cultural heritage inheritors, yet lacked unique, defining strengths to secure a foothold. In this modern era, it was all too easy to fade into the background and vanish for good.

Hopefully, Teacher Qi truly possessed genuine mastery.

Yu Youzhen thought with lingering worry.

“Shijie…” Tong Zong walked over.

“You were far too impulsive today.” Yu Youzhen looked at Tong Zong, her brow furrowing with melancholy.

Tong Zong lowered his head. “Shijie, I was wrong.”

“Regardless of anything else, Teacher Qi is our guest. If Red Gate treats guests in such a manner, it will only invite criticism,” Yu Youzhen said with earnest gravity. “Red Gate cannot withstand any more blows.”

Tong Zong’s baby face was filled with words left unsaid, but seeing Yu Youzhen’s sorrow tinged with faint hope, he swallowed his protests.

Forget it. Let shijie hold on to hope for a day.

Throughout the day, Qi Yanning did not leave the embroidery room once, having his meals delivered inside.

Only when the sun dipped toward the mountains did Qi Yanning and the xiao-shimei finally step through the doorway.

Outside, the disciples of Red Gate gathered in small clusters across the courtyard, glancing curiously toward the closed room, eager to discover whether Qi Yanning truly possessed real skill.

The moment Qi Yanning stepped outside, every gaze locked onto him.

Among those stares were curiosity, skepticism, vigilance, and everything in between. Yet Qi Yanning seemed oblivious to it all, strolling out with effortless composure. Behind him, the xiao-shimei clutched a wooden box with radiant delight, following closely on his heels.

“Xiao He, did you succeed?”

“Xiao He, how did it go? Did you learn it?”

“Xiao He, where is what you embroidered? Let me see!”

…

The disciples swarmed forward, chattering with eager anticipation as they looked at Xiao He.

Xiao He tilted her chin up, looking exceptionally proud. “I learned it! Qi-ge is incredible!”

A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd.

“Still, how do you know what he taught is correct?” someone questioned.

“That’s true.”

“That makes sense.”

Hearing those doubts, Xiao He frowned, pouting in displeasure.

Of course she knew Qi Yanning had taught her the right technique! If what he taught was wrong, the finished piece could never look so breathtaking!

Aside from the first two hours spent familiarizing herself with the stitching under Qi Yanning’s guidance, she had spent the rest of the day working on a specific piece.

The pattern had been drafted by Qi Yanning on the spot. She had never seen such a design before, yet it suited the Huiluan Stitch to perfection. Even for a novice like her, the embroidered outcome was astonishingly good.

In her three years studying under the lineage, this was the finest piece she had ever produced! It was only a pity that time had been limited and she had completed barely a third of it, yet the finished portion already offered a clear glimpse of its breathtaking beauty.

Rather than arguing with them, Xiao He followed Qi Yanning into the largest embroidery hall.

Yu Youzhen and Tong Zong were already waiting inside.

“Teacher Qi, I must apologize once more for what happened earlier today,” Yu Youzhen said contritely. “Tong Zong has been spoiled by me and acted rashly. Please forgive him.”

Tong Zong stepped forward as well. Though his face remained rather stiff, he forced out, “Teacher Qi, I apologize.”

Qi Yanning offered no comment on the apology, simply gesturing for Xiao He to step forward.

Over thirty Red Gate disciples gathered in the room, finding places to stand as they watched the center of the hall.

Xiao He stepped into the middle of the room, opened the box in her hands, and drew out a length of pale blue sheer silk.

Pinching two corners of the fabric, the silk cascaded like flowing water, fluttering softly in the air.

Upon that sheer silk rested a slender, graceful lotus blossom!

It was a pure white blossom, half-opened with beads of morning dew, looking fresh, dewy, and tender. As the silk rippled, the lotus swayed gently, evoking delicate, touching grace.

Beneath the bloom, charcoal lines outlined lotus leaves, where only a single corner had been stitched, yet one could already glimpse its fresh, verdant green.

Yu Youzhen gazed at the embroidery in profound awe. Lotus motifs, or floral embroidery in general, were common, yet pieces carrying such crisp vitality were exceedingly rare. Embroidery could easily turn stiff and lifeless despite intricate needlework, but this piece completely bypassed that flaw.

The lines were delicate and airy without a trace of rigidity, while the color palette was elegant and refreshing, making one feel as if they had stepped straight into a cool summer lotus pond.

Had she not known better, she would have assumed this was crafted by her late master: a mature work carrying the authentic hallmarks of Red Gate embroidery.

“So beautiful. Fluid and graceful, refreshing and timeless.”

“Xiao He, you embroidered this?”

“Xiao He, since when did you become this skilled?”

Exclamations of wonder erupted from the disciples.

Xiao He lifted her head proudly, basking in the praise of her peers with a beaming smile.

Meanwhile, Yu Youzhen and Tong Zong leaned in for a closer inspection.

Tong Zong’s expression was laced with bewilderment. He recognized that this had indeed been stitched using the Huiluan Stitch, yet he was deeply puzzled by how Qi Yanning had managed it.

He never suspected his peers of leaking the technique, because only he and Yu Youzhen knew the Huiluan Stitch.

Their master had passed it down to them in her final years; the other shixiong and shimei were learning from the beginning and had not reached this stage. Only Yu Youzhen, as the da-shijie, had joined early enough to learn it, while he, despite joining later, possessed exceptional talent and had been highly valued by their master.

He stared at Qi Yanning in sheer astonishment. Unflinching, Qi Yanning met his gaze, the corners of his mouth curving slightly.

“Well?” Qi Yanning asked.

Tong Zong stood dazed for a long moment before snapping back to reality. He nodded, his face devoid of reluctance, replaced entirely by pure delight. He announced loudly, “This is indeed the Huiluan Stitch. I lost the wager!”

Though uttering words of defeat, the joy in his voice sounded as if he were the victor.

With that, he bowed deeply to Qi Yanning. “My apologies, Teacher Qi. I was narrow-minded.”

This apology was far more sincere than his earlier one.

Qi Yanning nodded, accepting the apology.

Beside them, Yu Youzhen cradled the embroidery piece, weeping silent tears. Heavy teardrops spilled over, dripping onto the fabric.

“Da-shijie, don’t cry!” Xiao He cried out hastily. “Your tears are dripping onto the embroidery!”

Yu Youzhen looked at Xiao He in mild surprise. Seeing the girl’s playful grin, she let out a helpless laugh, finally checking her tears and patting Xiao He’s head.

“Shijie, I was only teasing. Still, someone knows Red Gate stitches and is willing to teach us, so you should be happy!” Xiao He wrapped her arms around Yu Youzhen’s arm, chattering with joy. “Qi-ge is truly incredible! I only knew he was a famous stylist before, but who could have guessed he understood embroidery too!”

Wiping her tears away, Yu Youzhen looked toward Qi Yanning, only to find him already cornered by Tong Zong.

“Teacher Qi… may I call you Qi-ge?” Tong Zong asked without an ounce of shame, crowding close the moment he stood up. “Qi-ge! I heard you say you don’t embroider, so how did you teach her?”

“And also, the Huiluan Stitch is great, but it is notoriously slow. How did Xiao He embroider such a large piece in just half a day?”

“And how many stitches do you know, Qi-ge? If you teach me three or four, forget being your assistant, I’ll clean your room and tidy your space every single day!”

Tong Zong hovered beside Qi Yanning, his attitude pulling a complete 180-degree turn, darting around like an eager puppy.

Annoyed by the badgering, Qi Yanning swept a cool glance over him. “Noisy.”

Tong Zong fell silent at once, crossing his index fingers over his lips to show he was keeping quiet.

Qi Yanning scanned the room, noticing everyone harbored the exact same confusion as Tong Zong.

Arching an eyebrow, Qi Yanning called out, “Tong Zong.”

Tong Zong leaned in at once, signaling his attention.

“You and Xiao He each embroider a piece using the Huiluan Stitch. Let me see.”

Xiao He and Tong Zong exchanged a look, nodded, and took their seats at adjacent embroidery hoops.

The moment they started, everyone spotted the difference immediately.

Tong Zong’s movements were noticeably slower, requiring awkward hand swaps midway through each stitch. Xiao He was entirely different. Though her execution was slightly green, her transitions were seamless; at the exact point where Tong Zong had to awkwardly swap hands, she used a subtle wrist flick, making the motion instantly fluid.

After taking a few stitches, Tong Zong watched Xiao He’s hands, his eyes lighting up. Glancing back at Qi Yanning and seeing no objection, he stepped over to the side of her hoop, studying her movements with meticulous focus.

Compared to Xiao He’s fluid motion, he looked like an amateur, while Xiao He appeared seasoned, having mastered the rhythm of the technique.

The more he watched, the brighter his eyes shone. Sitting back down, he mimicked Xiao He’s hand movements. Though slightly clumsy at first, forcing him to peek at Xiao He occasionally, his rhythm grew smoother and smoother. Before long, a white butterfly emerged on the stretched fabric!

Glancing over, Qi Yanning gave Tong Zong a look of slight surprise. The butterfly lines were vivid and dynamic, clearly modeled after Xiao He’s demonstration.

Tong Zong truly possessed sharp natural talent.

“Qi-ge! You taught all of this? This is brilliant!” Looking at the butterfly he had stitched, Tong Zong turned to Qi Yanning. “And you drew that lotus pattern too? Using the minimum thread to achieve the most vivid result, making it ideal for delicate fabrics! That’s genius!”

“Qi-ge, from today on, you are my dage!” Tong Zong shouted with fervor.

Qi Yanning shook his head with a quiet smile. Still a young boy; his passions and dislikes flared with sudden intensity.

Having witnessed Qi Yanning’s capabilities, the other disciples saw their doubts fade, replaced by burning fervor.

Their Red Gate embroidery might actually be saved!

The disciples swarmed around Qi Yanning, peppering him with questions. Upon learning that Qi Yanning understood all the traditional Red Gate stitches, the excitement reached a fever pitch!

Dozens of people cheered, their shouts loud enough to pierce the clouds.

The disciples clustered noisily around Xiao He’s embroidery piece. Qi Yanning gave Yu Youzhen a nod and stepped outside.

Beyond the doors, deep twilight had settled over the mountains.

“Teacher Qi,” Yu Youzhen looked at Qi Yanning with glistening eyes, brimming with joy. “Thank you for taking the time to help Red Gate… I truly don’t know how to repay your kindness.”

Qi Yanning’s actions were akin to breathing new life into Red Gate, a debt as weighty as Mount Tai.

Qi Yanning smiled faintly. “It is nothing. Merely a small effort.”

“It may be a small effort to you, but to Red Gate, it means regaining our lost heritage,” Yu Youzhen insisted firmly. “If you ever have need of us in the future, Red Gate is at your command.”

Seeing her earnest persistence, Qi Yanning simply nodded in agreement.

With the day drawing to a close and darkness fully fallen, Yu Youzhen urged Qi Yanning to rest after his exhausting day.

Only then did Qi Yanning suddenly remember: he still had to share a room with Deng Qingyun!

Deng Qingyun had spent most of the day in his quarters consulting with the association’s designers on costume concepts, rarely showing his face. Qi Yanning had completely forgotten about his thunderously snoring roommate. Now that night had fallen, he was forced to face the grim reality of another sleepless night.

Qi Yanning let out a helpless sigh.

Right at that moment, his phone buzzed.

It was a message from Ling Cangzhou.

[Red-Eared Puppy]: I haven’t wrapped up my work yet, so I can’t come find you. Heartbroken.

[Red-Eared Puppy]: How was A-Ning’s day?

[Red-Eared Puppy]: By the way, I checked into Red Gate’s living conditions; their lodging isn’t very comfortable, so I found another place for A-Ning in town. A family nearby recently finished renovating a guesthouse and is opening in a few days. Why don’t you stay there instead?

[Red-Eared Puppy]: A-Ning, what do you think?

Reading Ling Cangzhou’s messages, the atmosphere around Qi Yanning softened noticeably. For a corporate CEO, Ling Cangzhou was surprisingly thoughtful.

He replied with a single word: “Alright.”

Turning around, he looked at Tong Zong, who was gazing eagerly in his direction.

“Little assistant,” Qi Yanning called out lazily. “Come, here is your first assignment.”

“Help me move my luggage.”

Tong Zong’s eyes widened. After confirming repeatedly that Qi Yanning wasn’t leaving the town, he happily picked up Qi Yanning’s luggage, trailing behind him like a little tail as they walked toward town.

Over the next few days, Qi Yanning spent his daylight hours at the Red Gate courtyard teaching stitches, returning to the guesthouse to rest at night.

In just a few days, he taught them five distinct stitches.

The five stitches corresponded to different fabrics and motifs, covering almost all common, delicate patterns. With these five stitches, the overall craftsmanship of Red Gate embroidery would leap forward significantly. Qi Yanning also taught them detailed color-matching principles; how much they could absorb depended on their own diligence.

The remaining stitches were far more complex, beyond what the current disciples could master in short order. Therefore, Qi Yanning planned to return to City A first, waiting until they fully digested these fundamentals before returning to teach the rest.

Surrounded by the disciples who gathered to see him off, Qi Yanning departed Qingshan Town.

He could not linger in Qingshan Town any longer due to pressing work commitments.

TND’s debut showcase of their title track at an upcoming gala was fast approaching, and such a vital stage required Qi Yanning’s personal oversight.

Furthermore, Editor-in-Chief Ning had scheduled him to style the next cover shoot for Tide, with filming set for the coming days.

The initial costume design drafts from Deng Qingyun’s team had also been completed, awaiting Qi Yanning’s inspection before production began. Meanwhile, official costume test shoots for the drama crew were scheduled in two weeks.

Carving out a few days for Red Gate had already pushed his schedule to the absolute limit. A mountain of accumulated tasks urgently awaited his attention.

He arrived at the airport, though Ling Cangzhou was not there this time. Ling Cangzhou had initially intended to join Qi Yanning after finishing his inspection, but a major overseas venture required his personal presence, forcing him to depart Ming Province early.

On the day he left, he had sent countless messages to Qi Yanning. Stickers of rolling and wailing puppies filled the entire screen. Qi Yanning had almost felt like shaking his phone, half-afraid Ling Cangzhou’s digital tears might flood the device.

Yet sensing Ling Cangzhou’s genuine gloom, Qi Yanning could practically picture the man with a drooping tail.

With a faint smile, he invited Ling Cangzhou to hike a mountain together once he returned to the country.

Immediately, Qi Yanning could sense Ling Cangzhou’s sudden resurgence of energy through the chat screen.

Yuchuan was truly so easy to coax.

The corner of Qi Yanning’s mouth curved upward.

Returning to City A, Qi Yanning headed to the studio for Tide‘s cover shoot the very next day.

The moment he stepped into the studio, he noticed the staff giving him peculiar, sympathetic looks.

Qi Yanning arched an eyebrow and walked toward the styling room. Midway there, his phone rang with a call from Editor-in-Chief Ning.

Her voice carried suppressed fury. “Xiao Qi, my apologies, you might have made a wasted trip today.”

“I will send you a contact: the editor-in-chief of Mingri, who has been trying to book your styling for a long time. If you don’t mind, you can reach out to him, and he will send a car to pick you up.”

“I am so sorry, a situation came up on my end.”

While Editor-in-Chief Ning was still speaking, Qi Yanning had already reached the styling room door.

An arrogant male voice rang out from within: “I have no use for the magazine’s makeup artist. I brought my own styling team!”

“They wouldn’t dare cross me! After all, they need my traffic to sell their magazines!”

Qi Yanning arched an eyebrow and turned away without hesitation.