Prosperous Marriage: Married to My Brother-in-law

When the two friends met, they chatted away animatedly, seemingly arguing, but it was all in good spirits.

"How is it going? Is the business doing okay?" Julia Bluen carefully looked over Rachel Bailey's clothes, asking with concern. "You started a business without saying a word. If you'd just asked, I could have helped. The way you've set up your stall, it doesn't look much different from a street vendor's. Your clothes are good quality, but you can't sell them at high prices, so you're making much less profit. You should rent a proper shop and hang the clothes on racks, like other shops do. That would make the clothes look more valuable, and you could raise the prices."

"I want to rely on myself. Don't worry, at least I'm making a profit, not a loss. If I ever truly need your help, I won't hesitate to ask," Rachel laughed heartily, then suggested to Julia, "Let's find a place to sit down and chat."

The two of them hadn't seen each other in over a month, and both had a lot to share.

Julia pointed at Rachel's stall, asking, "What about your booth?"

After thinking for a bit, Rachel said, "There isn't much business during the day anyway. I'll pack up my clothes first." And she started gathering her clothes, with Julia helping out.

Soon enough, the clothes were all packed away. They left the Yi Dai Feng Liu Clothing Store. Julia's car was still at her company, so she hailed a taxi and instructed the driver to take them to Serendipity Cafe.

「Fifteen minutes later.」

「Serendipity Cafe.」

In a quiet corner, they each ordered a cup of coffee with milk.

"Julia, um, Glades Horne, the eldest son of the Horne Family, who was supposed to be your brother-in-law—he hasn't been giving you any trouble, has he?" Rachel instinctively asked. She had long sensed Glades Horne's deep feelings for her friend, and out of concern, she couldn't help but ask.

Julia just lifted her coffee cup, took a light sip, and upon hearing Rachel's caring words, she smiled, looked at Rachel, and responded, "Can't you tell by the look on my face?"

The melodious music of the cafe echoed in every corner. In this slightly cold weather, sitting there, drinking a steaming cup of coffee and listening to the melodious tunes, made it feel as if all their work troubles and exhaustion were swept away.

Rachel seriously studied Julia's expression, then summarized, "I see 'fortune' written on your left cheek and 'happiness' on your right."

"So, don't worry about me. I'm doing very well. Glades and I go way back; you could say we're childhood friends. We know everything about each other. He's always been good to me, and I'm very happy now. Oh, and I've started working too." Julia shared with Rachel how she had started managing the company herself.

After hearing her friend's story, Rachel gave Julia a thumbs up, laughing, "Well done! Modern women should be independent and self-reliant. It's best to earn your own money and not rely too heavily on men. Even if it's your own husband, what if you don't have a job or income, and you argue with him? What if he gets angry and refuses to give you money? Julia, you wouldn't believe how many women face this. Many have husbands who control the finances, giving them only a small living allowance each month. If they overspend, they have to ask their husbands for more and might even be scolded for being extravagant. During an argument, if the husband cuts them off financially, those who live far from their parents might not even have the fare to go home. So, I support your decision to work, both in spirit and in practice. You can't just be a parasite at home."

True to being best friends, both women shared the same independent and strong-minded ideals.

The two sat drinking coffee and sharing intimate conversations.

Before long, their conversation turned back to Rachel's business.

Julia wanted to help Rachel, but Rachel adamantly refused, so Julia had to give up. However, she made a suggestion, "Rachel, rent a wider space and display all your clothes on racks. Then, raise the prices and put up a sign saying, 'Buy three, get one free.' That will definitely attract customers; everyone is drawn to the word 'free.' You currently sell each item for forty. If you raise the price to sixty, you'll get one hundred and eighty for three items. At your original price, four items would only bring in one hundred and sixty. So, even with the 'buy three, get one free' offer, you'd still make twenty more than before. If you don't display the clothes on racks, it'll be hard to raise the prices."

After hearing the suggestion, Rachel's eyes lit up, and she laughed, "That's a great idea, Julia! You're a natural businesswoman—so shrewd, so cunning! It's true what they say: no merchant isn't cunning!"

Hearing this, Julia pretended to pout, saying, "Is that how you praise someone? I can't tell if you're complimenting me or insulting me."

Having said that, both of them looked at each other and laughed again.

「Elsewhere...」

「Yi Dai Feng Liu Clothing Store.」

Hansen Ruiz parked his car by the roadside in front of the store. He rolled down the window and, noticing Rachel's stall was empty, raised an eyebrow. Is that little woman not open for business today? he wondered. Did something happen to her? Or has Adele Horne retaliated against her again?

A flurry of questions flashed through Hansen Ruiz's mind. He immediately reached for his phone, intending to call Rachel.

Just as he was about to dial, he saw Rachel's petite figure returning to the Yi Dai Feng Liu Clothing Store. He put down his phone, opened the car door, got out, and strode towards her.

Rachel had just parted ways with Julia and returned to the shop, ready to act on Julia's advice, when a tall shadow fell over her from behind. Instinctively, she turned and met Hansen Ruiz's inscrutable gaze.

"Mr. Ruiz?" she exclaimed softly. Why is he here again?

"Where were you just now?" Hansen Ruiz's warm, deep eyes were fixed on Rachel's plain little face. On closer inspection, Rachel wasn't unattractive. Her small face was no bigger than his palm. Her complexion was neutral, neither particularly fair nor dark. She had pretty, large eyes beneath nicely shaped eyebrows, an average-sized nose, and a mouth that seemed slightly wide—though this was mainly because her face was so small. Her petite figure, however, was exquisitely curved and very alluring. Her face wasn't as beautiful as Julia's, but Julia's figure couldn't compare to her allure. At first glance, she appeared ordinary, the kind of person easily lost in a crowd. But a closer look revealed an irresistibly inviting aura. Confidence shone in her bright, large eyes—a confidence stronger than anyone else's, despite her humble beginnings.