My Virtual Wife From my Phone Has Come to See Me - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: “Your sketch looks great. Let’s go with that, A-Ying.”

Xia Ruoxin propped her head on her hand, an ice pop in her mouth, watching Qi Ying work feverishly on a trench coat.

It was a vintage-style piece made of genuine cowhide. This style was a true test of a designer’s experience and technique—done poorly, it looked like a worn-out rag used hundreds of times; done well, it was breathtaking.

Qi Ying had a measuring tape draped around her neck and a wrist cushion bristling with pins. She was giving her all on the mannequin, determined to finish the garment today.

Xia Ruoxin switched hands to prop up her chin and moved the ice pop to the other side of her mouth. She asked curiously, “Hey, A-Ying, how much are you making from this commission?”

Without looking back, Qi Ying replied, “Two thousand.”

Xia Ruoxin blinked. “I saw how hard you were working and thought you were making twenty thousand. It’s only two thousand?”

Qi Ying stopped her movements and turned to look at the little heiress. “Two thousand isn’t exactly chump change, okay?”

According to the game’s conversion ratio, that was 20,000 credits—enough to pay for a month of one-on-one math tutoring for Xing Xiaochu!

Ever since Qi Ying realized she couldn’t understand Xiaochu’s math problems, she had decided to work harder in reality to earn money for the girl’s tutoring. Because of this, she had started taking on smaller commissions she previously wouldn’t have bothered with, using every spare moment to sew.

Xia Ruoxin was surprised by her sudden earnestness. “A-Ying, are you short on cash lately?”

Qi Ying wasn’t exactly broke.

However, she didn’t want her spending in the game to affect her real-life quality of life or her savings. After some thought, she decided to earn extra pocket money. Since she had to make clothes anyway, she figured she might as well handle big and small orders together—treating it as “overtime” for Xing Xiaochu.

She turned back to her work and said, “I’m not short on money. I’m just bored, so I might as well take a few more orders.”

Despite her words, Xia Ruoxin still didn’t quite understand the sudden surge in productivity. Is something going on?

Just as Xia Ruoxin was pondering this, the shop’s doorbell chimed. She instinctively looked toward the entrance and saw a girl with impeccable style standing there. She had long, flowing hair and was wearing a white tank top with athletic trousers. She was tall, slender, and had an excellent figure.

Shi Yu took off her sunglasses. Seeing Qi Ying circling the mannequin, she greeted her with a smile: “Hello, I’m here for my measurements.”

Qi Ying looked up, nodded, and said, “Hello, Miss Shi. Please have a seat on the sofa for a moment. I’ll be right with you.”

After saying that, Qi Ying went back to her work. Shi Yu opened her mouth but decided not to speak, walking over to the sofa to wait quietly for Qi Ying to finish.

As soon as she sat down, Xia Ruoxin approached with a glass of water.

“Have some water,” Xia Ruoxin said with a smile. “A-Ying will be busy for a little while longer.”

A-Ying?

Shi Yu blinked and nodded. “It’s fine. I’ll just wait for her.”

There was no reason to make a guest wait. Xia Ruoxin’s eyes crinkled as she said, “It’s just measurements, right? I can do it for you. I’m also a designer at this shop.”

Though her skills weren’t as sharp as Qi Ying’s, Xia Ruoxin was a certified designer. She might not be as professional as Qi Ying, but she could handle basic measurements.

Shi Yu quickly declined. “No, no… I… I have an appointment with Qi Ying.”

Hearing this, Xia Ruoxin understood immediately. She looked at Shi Yu with a knowing, playful grin that made the girl feel a bit self-conscious.

“Coming specifically for our A-Ying, I see. Understood,” Xia Ruoxin said. “Then wait a bit. I’ll go hurry her up.”

Shi Yu watched as Xia Ruoxin ran over to the busy Qi Ying and whispered something. Qi Ying frowned slightly and glanced back at Shi Yu, who met her gaze openly.

Xia Ruoxin tugged on the tape around Qi Ying’s neck. “That girl came all the way here just for you. Why are you ignoring her? Is she not cute enough? I think she’s quite pretty.”

Qi Ying frowned and looked at Shi Yu again, then whispered to Xia Ruoxin, “Stop talking nonsense. What if the client hears you?”

Xia Ruoxin arched an eyebrow. “A-Ying, you really haven’t noticed?”

Qi Ying didn’t answer, instead giving Xia Ruoxin a pointed glare.

Xia Ruoxin giggled, took the needle and thread from Qi Ying’s hands, and shoved the measuring tape back toward her. “Go, go! What if the client leaves because she waited too long? Didn’t you say you were short on cash? You should pay more attention to your patron!”

Qi Ying wanted to explain that she wasn’t that desperate for money, but Xia Ruoxin practically pushed her toward the client.

Resigned, she faced Shi Yu and said with a thin smile, “Miss Shi, let’s go over there to take your measurements.”

Shi Yu’s eyes brightened as she stood up to follow.

“I’ve looked at the photos you sent me and took the style you wanted into account. What kind of ball is it? I have a few ideas, but I’m not sure if they’re suitable… Please raise your arms, I need to measure your waist.” As she spoke, Qi Ying used the tape to measure Shi Yu’s bust and waist.

Shi Yu was extremely cooperative, lifting her arms and turning as requested. She watched Qi Ying intently as the designer worked. “It’s my 22nd birthday ball. I want to be the most dazzling person there.”

The young, beautiful girl spoke with palpable pride. Qi Ying’s hand paused for a fraction of a second before letting the tape slide down to the waist.

Shi Yu had a great figure—a waist of about 60 centimeters, very similar to Xing Xiaochu’s.

However, while their sizes were similar, Shi Yu clearly worked out. Her limbs were toned, and her glutes were well-defined and firm—the kind of body that made clothes look stunning.

Qi Ying lowered her eyes and used a pencil to record the data on a notepad. Standing on the pedestal, Shi Yu tilted her chin up and asked, “Is my waist very thin?”

Qi Ying nodded. “You have a great figure. Do you dance?”

Shi Yu pinched her own waist. “I do ballet. The physical requirements are very strict. I have to weigh my food in grams every day, and I can’t drink just anything, or I’ll look bloated the next day.”

Qi Ying pulled the tape around her hips. After recording the number, she withdrew the tape and hung it habitually around her neck.

This was a small quirk of hers—since she used the tape constantly while designing and it was hard to store quickly, she had developed the habit of just draping it over her shoulders when she was done.

She leaned over to jot down the measurements and spoke professionally: “Your waist is thin and your legs are long. I’m thinking of adding a large bow to the back of the fishtail skirt. It would suit the birthday ball atmosphere better. What do you think?”

Shi Yu stepped down from the pedestal and leaned in close to Qi Ying to look at the notepad. With a few strokes, Qi Ying had sketched a rough draft of a fishtail gown with an exaggerated yet soft and elegant bow at the waist.

Qi Ying caught the sweet scent of honey-peach from Shi Yu. As she turned her head, she realized Shi Yu was leaning in very close. Their eyes met, and Shi Yu gave her a brilliant smile. She put her hands behind her back and said, “Your sketch looks great. Let’s go with that, A-Ying.”