"I'm leaving, mom, can you be at home alone, right?"

"Little Ai Jun?" Ai Shizuko suddenly shouted at her son: "Can you...?"

Ai Fei turned around and said, "Mom, are you doing something?"

"Hi Yi! Mom... I feel so bored alone at home. I think, maybe... can I be with Xiao Aijun?"

"Eh?" Ai Fei lowered his head in annoyance: "Mom, I'm sorry, I'm too busy with work recently and I don't care about you. Yes! You are really a bit bored at home alone. Let's do this, how about you and me going to the brand house? Even if you don't do anything, it's always good to talk to them."

"Is that OK?" Ai Shinko smiled like a child who had a wish to get his wish: "Is it really OK?"

So, Ai Shinko and her son came to his workplace. This was the first time she had come here. When she entered the door, she looked like a frightened deer, protruding her head and making Ai Fei chuckled: "Mom, come in, there is no danger here. Girls?"

Several girls who arrived before him turned their heads one after another: "Let me introduce my mother, Mrs. Sakiko from Japan. She may appear in the brand house frequently in the future, so everyone will call her Mrs. Sakiko. Mom, this is Sophia,..."

After introducing several girls to my mother, I couldn't speak with each other and could only say hello with a smile.

Arranged my mother to find one in the brand house. Sitting down, Ai Fei walked to the hall and looked at the clothes filled with them. He was a little dazed: There was no problem with the brand house business. It can be said that since the New Year, the business has become more popular than before. Although the door has just opened and no customers have come, just wait for a while, and by about 9 o'clock in the morning, someone will come. He is not thinking about this problem.

"Vogue" magazine has published his exclusive interview for a few days, but no one came to discuss recruitment with him: are the Americans of this era who are unwilling to work for the Japanese, or have they all found a better job? Just like Turner's words, if a company wants to develop, the power of him alone is absolutely impossible. If we continue in this way, we will always be able to guard this small brand house and be a small boss! God knows that this is not the purpose of Ai Fei coming to the United States! What should we do?

The door opened and Gloria walked in: "I'm sorry, I'm late. Eh?"

Sophia walked over and gave a brief introduction to her and Ai Shiko. The latter smiled and nodded, and walked into the locker room.

When I came out again, I had already put on a long skirt. Although it was a little thinner, its body was very standard, especially a pair of straight long legs. Wearing high heels on the wooden board, it turned out to be a beautiful scenery in the brand house.

Ai Xiko stood up with envy and walked around her. After a few rounds, she kept making tsk-sighing sounds, making the girls in the store laugh. But she didn't notice at all: "Xiao Ai Jun? Did you design this?"

"Hmm? What?" Ai Fei turned around and looked at him, nodding randomly: "Yes, it was designed by me."

"This is the first time I saw the clothes designed by Xiao Ai Jun!" The mother and son were talking fluently in Japanese, which made the few people around who couldn't understand them feel extremely depressed: What are they talking about?

Looking at the girls around her chattering, a strange thought arose in Gloria's heart. She didn't know which situation made her more annoyed, whether to become a Japanese subordinate who was unwilling to accept, or the increasingly strong and favorable feeling for an Asian person in her heart?

For well-known reasons, the Americans always had a bad attitude towards the Japanese in the years after the war. While supporting them economically, they suppressed them as much as possible politically. With Japan's national strength and status, it would be enough to be suppressed, not to mention controlling its limited support in international affairs?

Although the McCarthy era has gradually passed, the remnant power is still there. The demonized propaganda targeting North Korea, the Soviet Union, and of course, the new People's Republic of China is the voice of the government and the voice needed by the government. For more Americans, Asia is a mysterious land, and they have no idea what the difference between China and Japan is - this is also the reason why Gloria and others are unwilling to work for Ai Fei.

However, as time goes by, there is a strange feeling that even Gloria herself cannot say: it is not the kind of woman's feeling for a man she likes, but more of a kind of respect and respect that only occurs when people know each other very well! This is really strange: is it that Japanese people have always been so polite and well-educated, and regard respecting others as the minimum habit in life to maintain, or is it just deliberately pretending?

But the latter feeling was quickly rejected. Not only her, but the girls in the store who were responsible for maintaining the operations were full of blue fire in their eyes, which made Gloria know that she had a different feeling towards this boss than an ordinary colleague. This was simply too easy to distinguish. When Ai Fei and Yumiya were chatting with a smile, the hatred that flowed out of Sofia's eyes made people feel frightened!

And what about him? He is always polite to employees, including Gloria, but a little serious. When he works every day, he invites guests to create, and he doesn't even have eye contact with these people, let alone talk. As for his creations, in addition to some of the costumes, some are character paintings, which seem to be telling stories. However, because his creations are written in a kind of incomprehensible text, these people can't understand them. They only know that it is a story.

Standing on the wooden board for two hours was not an easy task. Fortunately, Ai Fei did not ask her to keep her movements unchanged and could always adjust. He looked at different guests and left with satisfied smiles, and listened to the girls' laughter in his ears. The two hours passed quickly. Walking off the board, Gloria moved her body, lifted up the corner of her long skirt and walked into the locker room.

When she came out again, she had already changed into her usual outfit. After saying a few words to Sofia and others, she slowly walked to Ai Fei and watched him draw: the paper was a short-sleeved clothing that she had never seen before. Not only was the sleeves very short, but the upper end of the person's arms, but the collar was also treated in an arc shape. The two buttons at the opening of the neck were opened casually, and nothing was seen from the color. However, it was probably made of cotton or linen, and the lower body was a pair of jeans, one was casual and generous, and the other was relaxed and simple. When they were matched, they actually highlighted a relaxed and happy feeling.

Gloria looked at it carefully for a while: "Mr. Ike, is this your new design?"

"No, this is not my design." Ai Fei smiled: "T-shirts have been available for a long time, but matching them in this way is considered a new attempt by me. When it is really made, you will know. Hello, Sofia, have you called?"

"Yes, sir, I'll go now."

Gloria glanced at the counter opposite, looked at Ai Fei sideways, speaking a little hesitantly: "Mr. Ike, as far as I know, even models in the new sense, including Miss Monica and others, are you the first to develop, right?"

"It's not something I developed. It's just a proposal that they are responsible for completing. Why, is there any problem?"

"So..." Gloria pondered for a while, and seemed a little difficult to speak: "Do you think...can't a good model like me?"

"Hey? Why do you say that? Are you not doing modeling now?"

"I mean, I can't even get a contract from a model agent company that I'm willing to sign with. Don't get me wrong, I just...is, hopefully, you can...?"

Ai Fei took a few steps back and looked at her carefully. Unlike the impression that ordinary American girls left, Gloria was very thin, and even the secondary sexual characteristics of women did not develop much. She wore a shirt and could not see the curve of her chest. His hands turned in the air: "Turn over."

The girl turned around obediently, Oh my God. She didn't even have a butt! She was too thin!

"It's OK." Ai Fei nodded: "It's probably the case: Your physical condition cannot be recognized more in the current era. The thinness is one reason, and the bigger reason is that your temperament and overall feel are a very literary and quiet feeling. This natural temperament and feeling is almost impossible to change through acquired methods. And in the fashion industry today?"

"What?"

Ai Fei sneered and shook his head, his eyes fluttered: "A customer is here. Let's wait a moment before talking. Is it OK?"

In this case, Gloria had to retreat. Sure enough, a medium-sized man pushed the door and walked into the hall. Everyone was a little stunned: No, this person was too tall! I looked at it about 6.5 feet (2 meters), with a top hat on his head and a windbreaker on his outside, looking calm. After entering the door, the person took off his hat and showed his sunny golden hair, which was also sparsely and meticulously, with straight hair. I don’t know how much wax he had applied. He seemed to have sprayed men’s perfume before coming, and a fragrance of tobacco rushed into his nose tube.

Judging from his face, he always looks 34.5 years old, and may be older. He is quite handsome, with a broad nose and a clean jaw. He holds a small briefcase in his hand, bulging and doesn't know what it is inside.

Sofia quickly met with it: "Sir, is there anything you need to serve?"

The visitor opened his lips and opened his mouth in English with accents: "I'm sorry, I want to... find Mr. Ike."

"I am Ike." Ai Fei walked over and bowed with a smile on his face: "Is there anything you need?"

"Hello, my name is Carl Schmidt, a German. Well, to be precise, a German immigrant. He came to the United States after the war." The man named Carl was randomly bowing and returning the gift, opened his bag, took out a beautifully packaged "vogue" magazine from it, and opened it casually: "I... saw your interview, so..."

"Oh, please come and talk to me." Aifei led Carl aside and asked him to sit in the chair: "Sofia, pour Mr. Schmidt a cup of coffee."

He gave a command and then looked at the visitor: "So, Mr. Schmidt, is there anything I can help you?"

"That's it..." Schmidt spoke with a strong German accent. Ai Fei could only half listen and half guess before he understood what he meant: Carl Schmidt, a student of the art department of Hamburg University in Germany before the war. During the war, he joined the German team. Later, he was captured by the Soviet army in the battle to defend Berlin. He spent six years in the prisoner-of-war camp in Siberia. After being released, he returned to Germany to find out that his parents had already gone to the United States shortly after the war. The young people had no choice and were unwilling to continue living in East Germany, so he also came to the United States.

After arriving in the United States, Carl worked in a pastry shop opened by a German. Although his salary was not very high, it was no problem to fill his stomach. However, as a college student in the art department, Carl always felt that the pastry shop was not where he could realize his ambitions. Of course, he did not have the experience of Ai Fei, nor did he pursue the latter. He just felt that his life now had a little bit less missing.

Ai Fei smiled slightly: "Leaked points? Do you think you are pursuing a lifestyle with leaked points?"

"No, I think it's not that I want to pursue a lifestyle with some flaws. But it makes me feel that what I have now is a life that can be formally used in my work." The serious and rigid personality of the Germans was fully reflected in Mr. Schmidt. He seemed to have no idea that the person he faced was the first time he met, but just said his requests bluntly.

Ai Fei nodded: "Well, then, Mr. Schmidt, is there any purpose for you to come to me?"

"Yes. If you allow it, oh, please forgive my presumptuousness." Carl picked up the magazine at hand: "I have read the exclusive interview with you by vogue, and I know you are also looking for some talented people with ambition to have a future in the fashion industry. So, I came to you."

"Yes. You are not wrong." Ai Fei took the coffee brought by Sofia and placed it in front of the guest with a cup: "Please."

"thank you."

"Continue our topic. You're not wrong. I do need some colleagues who can work with me, who are the ones you said, willing and ambitious. But please forgive my presumption, Mr. Schmidt, why do you think I chose you? Or do you have any designs that make me think you are a good candidate?"

"Yes." Schmidt was not polite, and picked up his briefcase and picked up a few pieces of paper from it: "This was designed by myself in my spare time. Of course, I can't say it was a very successful design."

Ai Fei took his design and placed it on the drawing board beside him, looking at it seriously: Carl Schmidt's design should be said to be of no novelty. Whether it is men's clothing design or women's clothing products, it is very rigid or even very deliberate under his brush. Let's talk about men's clothing first. He deliberately widened the neckline design, which looked like a combination of a tuxedo and a men's suit. In the design of the pants, the legs of the trousers were also widened, like a flap.

In women's clothing, Carl also completely withdrew the slightly dull side of the German personality. The over-tightened top was paired with the hem of a puffy skirt, full of Germanic style, and the low-cut design was not thoroughly done, which was simply inappropriate.

Looking at these design drawings, Ai Fei was really a little difficult: Schmidt's design is far from what he asked for, and, based on his German personality and design philosophy, even if he wants to teach him something new, the other party must accept it. But looking at his solemn expression, I am afraid that it is difficult to hear the teachings of a Japanese?

But what if he doesn’t leave him? Do you still have to fight alone? Then when will you get it?

Carl was a person who read the words and expressions and came out with his doubts and embarrassment: "I'm sorry, Mr. Ike, I won't disturb your time."

"Please wait!" Ai Fei called him: "Mr. Schmidt, I think we all agree to spend our time on more meaningful things. So, I don't want to circle with you. Please be honest with you. Even if you go to other similar clothing companies, you will definitely get back tickets. Unless you pay for making such a design, no one will spend money to start production, let alone market reactions."

"..." Carl blinked, and he had a pair of green eyes that looked particularly bright in the backlight.

"Can you... sit down? It's very hard for me to talk to you with my head raised like this."

Carl chuckled and sat down in front of him: "Yes, sir?"

"That's right." Ai Fei was thinking about the language while stirring the coffee that had already started to cool down: "Mr. Schmidt, I can arrange for you to work in my studio, pay you a high salary, and arrange for you to conduct your own clothing design press conference. However, I think you are also very clear that this must have the greatest premise as a guarantee, that is, you must provide a design that satisfies the market, satisfy customers, and satisfy me."

"Yes, I agree."

"I think you know, I'm not an American."

"Just like I know I'm not an American."

"Wow!" Ai Fei made a strange voice: "This is the first time I know, and Germans can joke too!"

“…………”

"Okay, Mr. Schmidt, let's continue to talk about the serious business. I am a fashion designer and I am also a businessman. Every cent I get out is hoped to be rewarded. The problem is just the size of the reward. If you are willing to work in my studio, I will arrange a place for you and the space and time for you to create. Well, as for the salary, I think the money you can get is 150/week. If you cannot complete the required design, this price will be your salary for a long time in the future. On the contrary, if you can design the market-satisfied, the customer-satisfied clothing, and your salary issues, I will discuss and negotiate with you further, and strive to make it feel good to be both satisfied with each other. "

"Is it $150 a week?" Carl was really surprised. He was satisfied that the salary here was so high?

"Yes. And it doesn't include double pay every June and December."

Carl kept calm as much as possible, but felt his heart beating: "Mr. Ike, are you saying that there are still double pay?"

"As long as you get my pass, that's the truth." Ai Fei waved his hand casually: "So, what else is there?"

"So, when will I come to work?"
Chapter completed!