Embroidery on suits is typically incorporated during the tailoring process, with the embroidery being done on the cut pieces before they are sewn together. Finished suits are generally not recommended for direct embroidery, as it can easily damage the fabric structure, affect the fit, and even cause irreversible damage if the embroidery fails. In simple terms, this is a high-cost, high-risk 'surgical procedure' that demands extremely high skill from the embroiderer. It's not as simple as just 'adding icing to the cake.'
"Heavy worsted wool fabric—suitable for embroidery," Xiao Ning murmured, touching the hem of the suit. Only fabrics with stable structure, high density, and substantial weight can withstand the 'destruction' of embroidery. "Ran Jie, where are you planning to embroider?"
Jian Ran pointed to the cuff area. Embroidery on a finished suit is difficult; to succeed, one must follow a 'golden rule'—start with the simplest and smallest areas. The preferred spots are the inside of the collar, the edge of the pocket flap, and the inside of the cuff. These are 'intimate details' and absolute safe zones, with minimal impact on overall appearance and structure, and the lowest risk.
Jian Ran had customized this suit as a double-breasted, peaked-lapel business suit, suitable for formal occasions. Since Chu Lulin was a student, a business suit for formal events might be more practical for him than a casual one. Embroidery for business occasions is a detail that reveals its delicacy up close, which suits it well.
The chosen embroidery pattern was the mountain-river and wave pattern. The wave pattern is a classic supporting element in Beijing embroidery; abstractly simplified, it takes on a modern feel. The symbolism is: embracing the world, as steady as a rock, and abundant wealth. Only a tiny corner is exposed, like the surging ambition within the heart.
Jian Ran usually doesn't stand out, but once she sits down to embroider, she enters a state of extreme focus. Apart from lunch, she basically didn't leave the room all day. At one point, Su Jin came over with her cane and sat for a while, chatting briefly with her disciple. Xiao Ning was also busy all day, coming back and forth countless times. She genuinely loved watching Jian Ran work from behind.
You see, there's another important reason why embroidery on a finished suit is so difficult: it requires the embroiderer not only to master high-end embroidery techniques but also to have a deep understanding of the suit's three-dimensional tailoring and internal structure. This kind of labor-intensive work that doesn't guarantee good results is something most embroiderers are unwilling to do, but Jian Ran is the exception. She had previously studied it specifically and even learned from some custom suit tailors for a while. Currently, only she can handle such orders in their workshop.
Although it was just a small embroidery area on the inside of the cuff, the entire process was tedious and complex, and it took Jian Ran two full days to complete.
"Wow—it's so beautiful," Xiao Ning exclaimed with envy. It had that understated luxury feel—revealed naturally when the arm was raised or the sleeve was rolled up. That charm was the highest level. "Yesterday I even told Lin Tao that if I had this skill, I'd definitely make him a custom suit and embroider this myself." Lin Tao is Xiao Ning's boyfriend. Jian Ran smiled and teased her to work hard. Xiao Ning agreed readily, but then couldn't help asking curiously, "Ran Jie, whose suit is this? A friend's?" Since it wasn't a workshop order, it must be a private request from a friend. But knowing Jian Ran's personality, a male friend for whom she would personally embroider an intimate garment must be someone special. After all, aside from pure work, embroidery in private can be somewhat ambiguous—in ancient times, a woman sending a man an embroidered item was a way of expressing love.
Jian Ran was startled. She hadn't thought that far ahead, but under Xiao Ning's probing, she suddenly realized it. She pressed her lips together; after all her busywork, she had apparently taken the wrong path. Given her relationship with Chu Lulin, this approach was indeed a bit ambiguous. She didn't know why she had suddenly gotten this whim. Fortunately, the embroidery part was hidden; she wouldn't mention it, and Chu Lulin probably wouldn't notice. Even if he did, he'd probably think it was part of the custom design. People who didn't understand embroidery wouldn't make that connection anyway.
Phew—Jian Ran let out a heavy breath. The worst thing for a person is to be in the wrong position; she had to know her place. A wealthy woman should just throw money around—this kind of heartfelt gesture seemed unnecessary.
So after leaving the workshop with the suit, Jian Ran headed straight to the nearest mall and generously picked out an expensive watch that matched the suit and showcased status.
Giving a watch wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; she had seriously considered it before. She still had no idea how long Chu Lulin's 'process' would last, but he had been following her without a title for over a month now. They had held hands, she had touched his abs—if she didn't show some appreciation, it would be hard to justify. This type of hard-currency watch held its value better. If he ever ran into urgent money trouble and was too embarrassed to ask her, he could sell it. It was also a way to compensate for his loss of 'salary' during this time.
The more Jian Ran thought about it, the more she felt like a generous and considerate rich woman.
Leaving the mall, she drove straight to the gate of A University. When giving gifts, sooner is better than later; early recipients are happier. She quickly dialed Chu Lulin's number. It was noisy on his end, with a group of people chattering—he should be with classmates.
"I'm at your school gate. Can you come out for a bit? I have something to give you." It didn't take long before Chu Lulin walked out of the school, but he was followed by quite a few people. After saying something to them, he turned and walked toward Jian Ran.
"Sister, why are you here?" Chu Lulin asked, a bit surprised. "Are you done with your work?" Jian Ran smiled and nodded. "I finished and saw it was still early, so I came by." Chu Lulin had messaged her at noon wanting to have dinner together, but she wasn't sure if she could finish in time. Jian Ran had planned to have dinner with him, but when her gaze fell on the group not far away, she hesitated. "Your classmates?"
Chu Lulin followed her gaze and gave a light 'mm.' "From the same lab." Jian Ran roughly guessed the situation. At this hour, they probably had plans to go out for dinner together. "Then don't keep them waiting. The things are in the trunk. Grab them and go with them; don't make them wait too long." Saying that, she turned and walked toward the trunk, but Chu Lulin stopped her halfway, saying it was just a simple dinner and he had already told them he couldn't make it. "I want to be with Sister."
Jian Ran frowned, clearly disapproving of his approach. "We can see each other anytime. Since you've made plans with your friends, you shouldn't break your promise." But Chu Lulin stubbornly shook his head, looking a bit aggrieved. "Sister is very busy; we haven't seen each other for two days." Jian Ran: "..."
Just as they were at a standoff, Jiang Ming suddenly walked up from behind them.
"Um, sorry to interrupt," he said awkwardly, introducing himself to Jian Ran. "Hello, I'm Lulin's roommate, Jiang Ming." Jian Ran was taken aback and instinctively replied, "Hello, I'm..." She suddenly stopped. She had never considered interacting with Chu Lulin's classmates, so she hadn't coordinated a story with him. For a moment, she didn't know how to introduce herself.
"Are you Lulin's sister? I heard him call you that on the phone just now," Jiang Ming continued, very familiar. Jian Ran blinked and had a flash of inspiration. "Yes, I'm his sister's bestie. I'm just here to drop something off." Claiming to be Chu Lulin's actual sister would be too easy to expose. This disguise was easier to maintain. His sister's bestie—still a sister figure.
Chu Lulin froze, looking at her in surprise. Jian Ran raised an eyebrow at him, as if to say, 'Aren't I clever?' Jiang Ming went 'oh' and suddenly understood. "So you're here to give him his birthday present." "That's perfect! We were about to celebrate Lulin's birthday—we've already booked a table. Why don't you join us? You're not a stranger, after all."