Chapter 41: To the City
The night passed quietly. When Su Zhaozhao woke up, Gu Heng and the children were already up, preparing to go out for a run.
"I'll take them out for a couple of laps first, you stay home and cook."
After saying this, Gu Heng's gaze lingered on her for a few seconds. "The new clothes look very nice."
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian also nodded. "Mom looks so pretty today!"
In the morning, Su Zhaozhao had changed into new clothes, styling her hair in a braid that she coiled at the back of her head, just like most military families in the residential area did. She checked herself in the mirror when she came out; it looked good, better than tying her hair up in a bun.
"Am I only pretty today?" she asked teasingly.
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian were quick-witted. "Every day!"
They weren't lying. In Su Zhaozhao's eyes, she didn't look particularly attractive even in new clothes, only managing to be described as 'simple' at best.
But it was the 1950s, a time when most people lacked proper clothing and food, working hard from dawn till dusk, with few having the luxury of looking well-nourished.
Su Zhaozhao's appearance was actually quite average, but she had a good foundation, with delicate features and a touch more charm than others.
If she weren't attractive, she wouldn't have aroused the envy of the women in the countryside, fearing their husbands might glance at her too often.
Since arriving here, the most beautiful person Su Zhaozhao had seen was the female lead.
To her, that was true beauty.
Even Yu Huixin, dressed fashionably, was only of ordinary appearance, far inferior to the female lead.
Of course, she couldn't compare now; she wasn't even as good-looking as Yu Huixin.
Although Yu Huixin had an average face, she was fair-skinned and knew how to take care of herself.
As the saying goes, a fair complexion can hide many flaws, and since she wasn't unattractive, her white skin made her naturally beautiful in this era.
Being both fair and beautiful, she was a great beauty!
Gu Heng took the two children out, and Su Zhaozhao began washing up and preparing breakfast.
For breakfast, she made porridge and twenty thin egg pancakes using eggs and flour.
While cooking the porridge, she placed the eggplant on top of the lid to steam it with the rising water vapor. Once the porridge was ready, the eggplant was soft, which she then tore into strips, added some seasoning, and mixed with a little chili and sesame oil, creating a delicious cold eggplant dish.
It was convenient, simple, and didn't require much use of the stove.
At 7:20, Gu Heng returned with the two children.
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian each held one of his arms, hanging on him as he half-dragged them inside.
Seeing this, Su Zhaozhao's expression turned worried. "Don't push too hard at the beginning."
Gu Heng washed his face. "It's always like this on the first day, they'll get used to it in a couple of days."
Su Zhaozhao looked at her pitiful daughter. "I think exercise should be like school, with breaks. It's best to rest after two days of training to avoid overexertion and to prevent it from affecting their studies."
Gu Nian's eyes lit up, and she nodded.
Gu Heng glanced back at them. "Then we'll rest every third day."
"I think resting on odd days and exercising on even days is also good."
Gu Heng gave her a disapproving look. "How can we fish for three days and dry our nets for two? I know my limits; it won't affect their classes."
Su Zhaozhao sighed, shrugging at Gu Nian. She had done her best; if she pushed further, she would become the indulgent mother in the story of 'Indulgent Mothers Spoil Their Sons.'
Exercising every morning was indeed good for their health and could help them grow taller.
"Let's measure our heights against the door frame later. We can measure again in a month to see how much we've grown."
Upon hearing this, Gu Xiang and Gu Nian put down their towels and went to the front door to measure their heights.
After a short rest and breakfast, the two children regained their energy and followed their father out to school.
After tidying up the house, Su Zhaozhao went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives.
"Buying ink and brushes? We're out. They ran out yesterday afternoon. It might take another two days for the stock to come back. When it arrives, the cooperative will replenish a lot of goods, so you can come early to get the good stuff."
Leaving the cooperative, Su Zhaozhao went to the tailor's shop to give the old tailor Gu Heng's measurements.
"Why measure the waist for a man's pajamas?" The old tailor glanced at the paper Su Zhaozhao handed over and then at her.
He thought she understood tailoring, but it seemed she didn't.
Wearing these clothes, she looked much better than before.
Su Zhaozhao replayed the scene in her mind. Could she say she measured it inadvertently?
"You can ignore it if you don't need it. I measured the length of an open hand. Do you want to measure my hand?" She extended her hand.
The old tailor glanced at it. "That's fine."
"Just by eye?" He only glanced once.
"Do you want me to give you a number?" The old tailor looked at her as he did before.
"No, no." If he did, he might ask her to leave.
Su Zhaozhao decided to make a trip to the city.
She didn't know how to catch the bus, so she asked the old tailor.
"There's a bus that goes to the city from the neighboring town, two trips a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. When it passes through here, it stops at the crossroads for a few minutes. You can wait there."
The bus the old tailor mentioned wasn't just for the residents of one town but served two or three towns in the area, stopping at each one to pick up passengers.
The small town formed by the family resettlement area was also a stop for the bus.
Su Zhaozhao glanced at her watch, "What time roughly?"
"Around 8:40."
It was already 8:20 now.
Su Zhaozhao waved her hand and hurried home.
She needed to go back and get some tickets and some money.
Walking quickly home, she opened the drawer, took out the iron box, and counted out a hundred yuan, taking all the industrial coupons inside.
Gu Heng used to receive several industrial coupons each month with his twenty-yuan salary. When he lived alone, he had little use for them and no place to spend them, so he often traded them with his fellow soldiers who had families. This meant that there weren't many industrial coupons left at home now.
Now, when making pants, they included a hidden pocket. Su Zhaozhao put the money and coupons in the hidden pocket, leaving only one yuan in the outer pocket.
Then she picked up a pen and wrote on a piece of white paper: I'm going to the city.
Just before leaving, she realized she didn't have a bag. She usually carried one wherever she went, to hold tissues, umbrellas, and other small items.
Su Zhaozhao wished she had bought herself a schoolbag earlier. The current schoolbags were similar to the shoulder bags she used to carry; both were for holding things.
I'll buy one in the city!
Passing through the living room, she casually took down the net bag hanging on the wall, balled it up, and stuffed it into her pocket.
At the crossroads, she waited only a minute before the bus arrived.
The bus looked rather dilapidated, with paint peeling off in many places, exposing the metal underneath. It seemed to be an old vehicle that had been repurposed. On the roof, there were many items, mostly crops.
Su Zhaozhao even saw live chickens in cages tied to the roof.
Assuming the inside would be empty due to the load on the roof, she was surprised to find several fully packed baskets right by the door when she got on the bus.
Chapter 42: Outburst
The car was not empty; it carried an old farmer with a pole, a young couple with a child, and a cultured man with glasses and a book.
"Where to?" the ticket seller asked.
"To the city."
"Seven cents."
It was quite cheap. She remembered when she had to travel from her village to the county town's train station, as there were no buses in her town, she had to take a donkey cart from a local villager, which cost several times more than a bus.
Su Zhaozhao paid the fare and noticed there was still a seat at the back. She squeezed through the baskets and bags to reach it and sat down.
A minute after she boarded, another person got on, dressed in a way that suggested he was also a military family member.
After waiting for a while, the car started moving.
During the journey, people would get on and off at various stops, and they passed through a town. By the time they reached the city, it was already eleven o'clock.
Su Zhaozhao almost fell asleep due to the swaying of the car. When it stopped at a small station, everyone got off. If one wanted to go elsewhere in the city, they had to take another bus.
To be honest, this was her first time setting foot in Sea City. Last time, Comrade Xiao Fang had picked her up right at the station entrance, so it didn't count as a visit.
She inquired about the afternoon departure time, then left the station and hailed a young woman in a blouse on the roadside to ask for directions. "Comrade, hello. Could you tell me how to get to the department store?"
"There's a bus stop ahead. Take the No. 3 bus there."
The young woman had permed hair and wore small leather shoes. After speaking, she walked away with her small leather bag, 'tap-tap-tap.'
Su Zhaozhao watched her retreating figure for a moment.
People living in big cities really were different from those in the countryside.
Even in the military family resettlement area, which was considered quite good, she had never seen anyone dressed like that, let alone in her small hometown.
Two minutes later, Su Zhaozhao boarded the No. 3 bus, paying three cents for the fare.
There were no route maps inside the bus, but the ticket seller would call out at each stop, asking twice if anyone was getting off, so there was no need to worry about missing your stop.
After about twenty minutes, they arrived at the department store.
Su Zhaozhao got off the bus.
She wasn't in a hurry to enter the mall; what was most important now was to fill her stomach.
Looking around, she saw a state-owned restaurant across from the mall that was open for business.
Su Zhaozhao entered the restaurant.
There was no "welcome" greeting here. Once inside, no one attended to her, and she had to go to the counter to order her meal herself.
A few tables were sparsely occupied by guests, mostly groups of people, with only a few ordering stir-fried dishes; most were eating noodles or dumplings.
The blackboard behind the counter listed the day's menu.
"What would you like?" The cashier, a young woman in her early twenties, didn't even look up when Su Zhaozhao approached, directly asking what she wanted to eat.
"Could I have a serving of braised pork, stir-fried cabbage with oil residue, and a bowl of rice?"
The young woman finally looked up. "Just you?"
"Yes."
Upon hearing Su Zhaozhao's answer, the waitress pursed her lips, wrote down the order, tore off the slip, slapped it on the counter, and said nothing more.
Su Zhaozhao: "..." What did that mean?
Seeing that she didn't move, the waitress frowned. "Pay for your meal and give your food coupons! Don't tell me you don't know you need money and coupons to eat?"
Before Su Zhaozhao could eat, she was already seething with anger. What kind of attitude was this!
She came here to eat, not to borrow money.
She knew that service in state-owned restaurants in period pieces was poor, but she never expected it to be this bad!
Speaking to her like she was scolding a child.
"How much do I need?" Su Zhaozhao held back her anger and reached for her money.
"Three ounces of food coupons, sixty-one cents. Take this ticket and wait at the window." She grumbled, "It's written on the blackboard. Can't you read? What kind of restaurant doesn't know how to calculate the bill? You must be from the countryside..."
The blackboard listed the prices but not the food coupons. Wasn't it okay to ask? Such a terrible attitude!
Su Zhaozhao couldn't hold back any longer and slapped her hand on the counter.
"What's wrong with you, comrade! What kind of attitude is this! It says 'serve the people' at the door, and this is how you serve them? Everything has to be done by myself, what are you here for?"
"What do you mean by 'looks like someone from the countryside'? How can you look down on people from the countryside? What grains and vegetables do they eat? Should they just open their mouths and breathe the northwest wind? Don't forget that every grain of food in your stomach is grown by the hard work of people from the countryside! People from the countryside haven't offended you!"
"What are you doing here? If this is your job, do you deserve it? Do you deserve the sign of a state-owned restaurant?"
Su Zhaozhao glared coldly. "If you look down on us customers and this job, you can quit! There are plenty of excellent comrades in Sea City who can do this job better! I believe they will do it better than you!"
"Where is your supervisor? Where is he? I must complain about you in front of him! I'll give some suggestions. Someone like you isn't fit for this job!"
The waitress was stunned by her barrage of words. In over a year of working, she had never encountered such a person.
No matter how bad her attitude was, no one had ever dared to scold her to her face. Even if they had complaints, she didn't care; they had to keep them to themselves. If they had the ability, they wouldn't come to a state-owned restaurant to eat.
I didn't expect to run into such a shrew today, and she even wants to complain to the management about me.
"You, you, who said I look down on this job? Don't talk nonsense! You're not a manager, what right do you have to stop me from working?" The server's confidence was clearly waning.
Most of the other diners in the restaurant were watching the spectacle with their bowls in hand, while only a few joined in the commotion.
"She should have been scolded long ago. She's just a server, what's there to be so arrogant about?"
"Exactly, if it weren't for the excellent skills of the chefs here, I wouldn't come at all!"
"You don't know, the business used to be very good here. People from our office liked to come after getting paid, but since the server changed, many people don't want to come anymore. Business has been declining day by day."
"No wonder..."
Su Zhaozhao heard these words and snorted coldly, "The eyes of the public are sharp. If everyone thinks you're not suitable, I don't believe your management would dare to go against public opinion and let you continue as a server."
"That's right! When your management comes, I'll have a good talk with them too."
"I also want to say something; the attitude is really terrible."
The customers chimed in one after another, their grievances not small.
Only then did the server get scared. She didn't apologize but stubbornly sat behind the counter, eventually lying down on it.
Su Zhaozhao: "..."
Hearing the commotion, the chef inside came out, "Sorry, sorry, everyone, calm down, don't take it to heart. She's just quick-tempered, no ill intentions."
He then asked Su Zhaozhao with a smile, "Have you ordered your dishes? I'll start preparing them right away. Please wait a moment, they'll be ready soon."
The chef was very polite, smiling warmly as he picked up the order slip from the counter, asking Su Zhaozhao to sit down while he prepared her meal.
Su Zhaozhao placed her money and ticket on the counter, not wanting to prolong the argument or mention anything about finding the manager. A bit of scare was enough; if the server hadn't been so over the top, she wouldn't have bothered to argue.
Chapter 43: Department Store
A window separated the dining hall from the kitchen, through which dishes were passed out. Whenever a dish was ready, they would shout inside, and customers would come to the window with their order slips to pick up their food.
Su Zhaozhao found a table close to the window and sat down. Lifting her head, she could see into the kitchen through the window.
She wasn't trying to learn any cooking secrets; it was just a small suspicion that she had, fearing that someone might spit or throw sand at her food because she had offended someone in the restaurant.
The waiter was so arrogant; she didn't believe he had no connections in the restaurant.
What if he was the chef's daughter or some leader's sister?
Alright, she was being paranoid.
Fortunately, she didn't notice anything suspicious. When the sizzling sounds from the kitchen stopped, she walked to the window, "I'll take it myself."
It was unnecessary for someone to bring it out when everyone else came to pick up their own food; there was no need to be special.
The state-owned restaurant had poor service, but the food was genuinely delicious. No wonder someone said earlier that people liked to treat themselves here after getting paid.
The braised pork belly was fatty but not greasy, tender and smooth, clearly stewed for hours on the stove. The sauce was thick and rich, with a few soybeans added, and Su Zhaozhao couldn't resist mixing it with her rice. Before long, she had finished half a large bowl of rice.
The stir-fried cabbage with pork cracklings was also excellent, perfectly cooked with crispy cracklings and slightly sweet cabbage.
One meat dish, one vegetable, and a bowl of three taels of rice left Su Zhaozhao quite full.
People these days were so generous with portions; neither the meat nor the vegetables were small.
She didn't dare to waste any and had to stuff herself as much as possible.
Fortunately, her eating capacity was still pretty good, and she cleaned her plate.
As she stepped out of the restaurant, Su Zhaozhao felt someone watching her. Turning her head, she saw the waiter.
The waiter was startled by her sudden turn, his expression frozen, looking very awkward.
He must have been planning to spit at her back, and Su Zhaozhao understood immediately.
She smiled and waved, "Goodbye!"
Then she walked away.
After she was far enough, the waiter muttered under his breath, "Sick!"
The "sick" Su Zhaozhao finally entered the department store.
Standing outside, she could already tell that the store was quite large, and indeed, it was!
Looking up from the entrance, she saw rows of counters connected together, forming circles both around the perimeter and in the center. Outside the circles were customers, while inside were salespeople and a dazzling array of goods.
The store wasn't just this one floor; there was another level upstairs.
That's why it was called a department store; if it were just a regular size, it would be called a shop.
No wonder entering a city and visiting a department store was considered broadening one's horizons in this era. People who lived in the countryside all their lives probably couldn't even imagine such a large place for shopping in a big city.
Su Zhaozhao should be grateful that today was a weekday. If it were a weekend, people would have to shout to be heard inside.
Crowds of people, heads swarming, that's what this place was like.
Today's foot traffic wasn't as heavy as on weekends, but it wasn't light either. There were almost always two or three people browsing at each counter.
Su Zhaozhao went to the stationery counter first.
"Could you please get me two calligraphy brushes and two bottles of ink?"
The salesperson glanced at her, "You mean ink sticks, right? Using bottled ink for calligraphy is such a waste!"
Su Zhaozhao: "...Right, ink sticks. Could you please get me two ink sticks?"
The salesperson knew at a glance that this parent was clueless, "Your child must be taking calligraphy lessons, right?"
"Yes." She wasn't clueless; she had simply forgotten.
"Writing calligraphy uses a lot of ink. From your question, I can tell you probably have two children who need it. I suggest you buy ink sticks. They're a bit more expensive, but they last longer. Just mix a little water and grind it a bit each time, and it will be enough for both children. Even when younger siblings grow up, they can continue using it."
While speaking, the salesperson showed her an ink stick wrapped in paper, "And you'll need a grinding stone."
The salesperson's recommendations made Su Zhaozhao feel as if she had returned to the 21st century.
The salesperson then showed her the grinding stone.
The ink stick was about two fingers wide and palm-length, and indeed looked like it would last a long time, as the salesperson said.
The grinding stone was a common one, palm-sized, round, like a small plate with a lid.
Looking at the bottled ink, which came in plastic bottles, Su Zhaozhao picked it up and smelled it; the odor was pungent.
In contrast, the ink stick had a much milder smell.
"Do you need tickets?"
"No, you don't need tickets for these. Only fountain pens require industrial coupons."
"I want a set, and also a bottle of ink and a fountain pen." They had a fountain pen at home, but it belonged to Gu Heng, and she needed one for herself.
"Fountain pens come in different prices: 2.6 yuan, 3 yuan, and even more expensive ones. Which one do you want?"
"Let's go with the 3-yuan one."
"Alright, then you still need to give me 0.3 industrial coupons."
Su Zhaozhao asked the salesperson for some more Xuan paper for writing with a brush.
Now she had the pen, ink, paper, and inkstone all together.
Except for the 'precious' fountain pen which she kept in her pocket, everything else was wrapped in paper by the salesperson, tied with thin hemp rope, and handed to her.
Su Zhaozhao lifted it to test; it was quite securely tied.
For safety, she still took out her net bag to put it in.
Next stop, the clothing counter.
"Comrade, could you please bring that coat over for me to take a look?"
Su Zhaozhao pointed at a gray Lenin suit, with a Western-style collar, double-breasted buttons, a belt in the middle, and pockets on both sides.
On the wall, besides gray, there were also blue, black, and red plaid options.
She scanned back and forth for a few seconds and finally chose gray.
This shade of gray wasn't dark; it was a very light gray, looking quite elegant among the black, blue, and floral prints.
Su Zhaozhao wanted something elegant now.
The salesperson took the coat down for her, "This is the new Lenin suit just arrived. You came at the right time. If you had come two days later, after everyone's holidays, it would definitely be gone."
After visiting two counters, Su Zhaozhao found that the salespeople were all quite friendly, not treating her like a god as in the 21st century, but speaking in a warm, conversational tone.
Big stores really were different.
Su Zhaozhao tried the coat on, asking, "Can I try it on?"
"Sure, just be careful not to get it dirty," the young salesperson leaned against the counter, waving her hand casually.
Today, Su Zhaozhao was wearing a white blouse, making it easy to try on clothes. She put down the net bag and slipped the coat on directly.
"Looks good," the salesperson commented.
Outside the clothing counter was a full-length mirror. Su Zhaozhao looked at herself; it fit well, the length covering half of her buttocks, with the white blouse showing at the neckline.
It... did look good, even better when not focusing on her face.
Chapter 44: Preferring Armor to Red Makeup
"I'll take this one. How much is it?"
"Five yuan and twenty cents, plus four feet of cloth coupons."
This was the highest price Su Zhaozhao had paid for a single item since she arrived.
She then chose a thin coat in beige with light blue checks.
While she was buying clothes, other customers came to the counter, including a young female comrade who clearly knew what she wanted and asked if they still had pleated skirts.
Su Zhaozhao thought her ears must be deceiving her; there were pleated skirts in this era?
When the salesperson brought one out, it turned out to be true, though not as short as modern ones.
The skirt length covered the knees, and the pleats were few. The female comrade also picked a collared jacket, tried it on, and held the skirt up to see how it looked. It was quite nice, so she paid happily and left with her new clothes.
Su Zhaozhao decided against buying anything, thinking it best to remain simple.
Next to the women's clothing section was the men's clothing counter, which Su Zhaozhao bypassed. The male lead didn't need her to buy his clothes; the army took care of that.
At the children's clothing counter, Su Zhaozhao selected two slightly thicker autumn outfits for each of the two kids, perfect for when the weather cooled next month.
Stopping at the shoe counter, Su Zhaozhao said, "Comrade, please bring me two pairs of these shoes, size thirty-five and size thirty-seven."
She pointed to a pair of off-white sneakers with two red stripes.
These shoes weren't available at the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives, but Gu Xiang and Gu Nian would surely love them.
Mostly displayed in the glass counter were various leather shoes. From Su Zhaozhao's modern perspective, they weren't just rustic or old-fashioned; they were vintage.
There were no synthetic leathers, only genuine leather—calfskin, pigskin, and lambskin—priced from four to over ten yuan.
The sneakers for Gu Xiang and Gu Nian cost only two yuan per pair.
Despite the many leather shoes, she didn't choose any for herself. Instead, she bought a pair of simple yet comfortable 'Liberation Shoes,' which remained stylish for twenty years!
Liberation Shoes were even cheaper, costing only one yuan and thirty cents.
Seeing her with so many packages, the salesperson assumed she was well-off and initially recommended leather shoes, but she was completely unswayed, showing a clear preference for Liberation Shoes!
"Our female comrades should treat themselves better," the salesperson said.
Su Zhaozhao nodded but still chose the Liberation Shoes.
She loved them!
They could sell for three thousand yuan online!
After buying the shoes, Su Zhaozhao began searching for the cosmetics counter in the department store.
She finally found it in a small corner.
The sign read "Daily Chemicals."
In the glass counter were clam oil, snow cream, pearl cream, face oil, eau de cologne, and duck egg powder.
Su Zhaozhao saw the last lipstick being bought by a female comrade.
Noticing someone watching, the female comrade explained, "I'm buying this for my colleagues to use in a performance, not for myself."
Uh-huh, understood.
Su Zhaozhao found it interesting. The 1950s she had arrived in were different from what she had imagined. There wasn't the excessive simplicity and pursuit of hardship that characterized the 1960s and 1970s.
Women favored vibrant floral prints, such as the Bulaji dresses, and those in big cities who could afford it even got their hair permed.
Earlier, Su Zhaozhao had seen a female comrade with braids and curled bangs.
By the 1960s, women's fashion changed significantly. Female comrades across the country preferred military-style green, yellow, and blue uniforms, eschewing red makeup for practicality.
Perming hair became a thing of the past.
By then, the variety of beautiful clothes at the department store's clothing counter might disappear.
Would the items on the cosmetics counter, like duck egg powder, lipstick, and eau de cologne, still be available?
Or would they require coupons, accessible only to performers and others who needed makeup?
Having read many novels, she hadn't heard of lipstick or powder coupons, guessing that leaders might issue special permits.
"Comrade, what do you need?"
Seeing Su Zhaozhao silent, the salesperson asked.
Su Zhaozhao snapped back to reality. "Could you please get me two bottles of pearl cream and two boxes of snow cream?"
Pearl cream for her face, snow cream for her hands. She doubted she could ever look pale enough!
"Are these for your colleagues?"
Su Zhaozhao smiled, implicitly agreeing.
No, they were for her own use. It was so troublesome to come to the city, so she naturally wanted to buy an extra bottle.
Su Zhaozhao spent two hours shopping, then bought cookies and fruit candies. At the fabric counter, she purchased a piece of floral fabric and a military green shoulder bag, which she slung over her shoulder.
Before leaving the mall, she asked a salesperson if there was a hair salon nearby.
"Across the street, go through the restaurant alley, and walk for two minutes, you'll find one."
Su Zhaozhao thanked the salesperson and left the department store with a pile of goodies.
The net bag she brought was already full, so she had to buy another one. Both large net bags were packed to the brim, and even her shoulder bag was stuffed.
How nice it would be to have a cart right now!
Passersby frequently turned their heads as they walked past her, some staring at her... or rather, at the bounty in her hands.
Others whispered and pointed at her discreetly.
Su Zhaozhao interpreted all of this as envy.
She had spent quite a bit today; she wondered what Captain Gu's reaction would be when he saw?
Would her image of being frugal and simple-minded hold up?
As she passed by the restaurant, she glanced inside. The door was half-open, and a chef was yelling at a waitress. The waitress pouted, tugging on his sleeve and calling him "Dad," her voice loud.
Confirmed, the chef's daughter.
Su Zhaozhao didn't stop walking and went through the alley beside the restaurant.
When they said two minutes, they meant exactly two minutes, not a second more.
Su Zhaozhao stood at the entrance of the hair salon, looking inside.
It was a very simple hair salon, with two chairs and two mirrors hanging on the wall, and one hairdresser.
She was the only customer.
Or perhaps the only person in the shop.
The hairdresser was probably in her thirties, a woman, wearing arm protectors and an apron with a pocket holding a pair of scissors and a comb.
At first glance, Su Zhaozhao noticed her hairstyle: a neat bob that reached her ears, with two small black clips on one side, revealing her entire face, clean and clear without any bangs in the way.
For some reason, Su Zhaozhao felt like backing out.
"Getting a haircut? Come on in!" Seeing Su Zhaozhao standing at the door, the hairdresser pulled her inside.
"You bought so much stuff!" The hairdresser was surprised by the two large net bags in her hands and helped her carry them. "Put them down, don't worry, they won't get lost."
Su Zhaozhao's hands were sore from carrying, so she quickly put them down.
Well, since she was here, she might as well get a haircut.
Nowadays, getting a haircut doesn't involve washing your hair. As soon as she sat down, the hairdresser asked, "What kind of haircut do you want?"
No, I don't want to cut my head, I want to cut my hair...
Chapter 45: Years Younger
"Could you cut it short, to here?" Su Zhaozhao placed her hand at her shoulder level. "Just a straight cut, and then..."
Before she could finish, the hairdresser replied, "Got it, a Hu Lan style, just like mine. Don't worry, I'll make sure it looks great on you." She then began to undo Su Zhaozhao's braid.
Afraid the hairdresser might cut it too short, Su Zhaozhao insisted, "Shoulder-length, please, don't cut it any shorter."
The hairdresser tried to persuade her, "If you keep it this long, it will grow out in no time. What kind of Hu Lan style is that? It's better to cut it shorter, to your ears. That way, you won't need to fuss over it for half a year, much more convenient."
But Su Zhaozhao was not one to be easily swayed. She hadn't intended to get a Hu Lan style in the first place; she wanted a student cut, something that would make her look younger.
"Just cut it as I said, and when it grows out, I can tie it up again."
The hairdresser shook her head, clearly puzzled.
Su Zhaozhao's hair reached down to her waist, with the ends dry and frizzy, while the roots still looked decent. The volume was just right, so even a short cut wouldn't make her hair look messy.
Following her instructions, the hairdresser gave her a neat, straight cut, then put away her scissors, "All done."
Looking at herself in the mirror, Su Zhaozhao saw her hair parted in the middle, with the sides tucked behind her ears, revealing her forehead.
"…Can you give me a fringe?"
"Fringe, huh… What kind of fringe do you want?" The hairdresser took a strand of hair from behind her ear and placed it above her eyebrows, "Like this?"
"There's too much hair, make it thinner… Shorter in the middle, longer on the sides…"
Guided by Su Zhaozhao, the hairdresser spent more time on her fringe than on the rest of her hair.
Su Zhaozhao was satisfied, but the hairdresser was exhausted. In all her years, this was the first time a customer had directed her so closely.
"You really look good like this. You've changed a lot from before, looking much younger and very chic!"
When she came in, she looked older than her age, but now she looked younger. The effect of the fringe was truly remarkable. The hairdresser felt she had learned something valuable.
Su Zhaozhao nodded, looking at herself in the mirror. Indeed, it was exactly what she wanted.
A white shirt, shoulder-length hair, and a military green shoulder bag—quite a period-appropriate look.
"Thank you, sir. How much?"
"Twenty-six cents."
It was worth every cent.
The bus back was scheduled to leave at 4:30 PM. It was around three o'clock now, so she still had some time. After leaving the hair salon, Su Zhaozhao went to a bookstore. She browsed through it, wanting to buy a few novels to pass the time, but decided against it after some thought.
Mainly because she feared that in a few years, someone might find them and say they were problematic, given that many books were banned during that special era.
Better safe than sorry.
Instead, she bought two books on agriculture and geography, and a few picture books for Gu Xiang and the others. She had intended to buy a Xinhua Dictionary for the children to use for word lookup, but there wasn't one available.
It must not have been published yet at this time.
"Hello," Su Zhaozhao had just sat down on the bus when the woman next to her greeted her with a smile.
She recognized her as the military family member who had boarded the bus with her earlier that morning.
Su Zhaozhao smiled, "Hello."
The woman clearly remembered her, "You're a military family member too, right? You walked in front of me when we were boarding, and you were so fast."
"Yes, you are too," she confirmed.
The woman nodded, "My husband is a battalion commander in the First Regiment, his surname is Li, and his name is Li Tianfu. What does your husband do?"
As soon as she mentioned her husband's surname and rank, Su Zhaozhao knew who she was talking about, "My husband's surname is Gu, and his name is Gu Heng."
The words "my husband" made her heart flutter.
The woman's eyes widened, "So it's you, Sister-in-law!"
Now the woman became even more enthusiastic, "I'm Zhao Sufang. I've heard a lot about you and Captain Gu. I've always wanted to visit your home, but I never had the nerve, mainly because I didn't want to disturb you. Now I finally get to meet you in person."
Zhao Sufang was in her twenties, with an apple-shaped face, double eyelids, and dimples that appeared when she smiled, making her look very approachable.
Su Zhaozhao smiled, "You're welcome to visit our home. I just moved here and don't know many people. I had planned to invite everyone over, but they didn't bring their families."
"It's all my husband's fault for not bringing me," Zhao Sufang pretended to be upset. "You wouldn't believe it, he criticized my cooking, saying even pigs wouldn't eat it, and told me to learn from you. What can I do if he doesn't bring me along?"
Su Zhaozhao laughed, "Now that we've met, we can visit each other more often."
"Definitely."
Actually, Zhao Sufang was drawn to Su Zhaozhao's hairstyle. As soon as Su Zhaozhao got on the bus, Zhao Sufang noticed how nice her hair looked. Recognizing her from earlier, she decided to strike up a conversation.
"Did you get your hair cut in the city? It looks great. Where did you go? I want to get a haircut next time I go into town."
"A hair salon near the department store…" Su Zhaozhao provided the location.
"Oh, I wish I had spoken to you on the bus this morning. Maybe I could have gone with you. I've always wanted a Hu Lan style, but I was afraid it wouldn't look good. If it looks like yours, it would definitely be beautiful."
"Next time will be the same."
They chatted quite a bit on the bus, "A relative of mine is getting married, and I took a leave to attend the wedding. I wanted to bring my husband, but he couldn't make it…"
"My husband and I are from the same town, and we've known each other since childhood…"
After this ride, Su Zhaozhao even learned when the couple got married, when they had their child, and whether her husband's parents and sisters-in-law were easy to get along with.
Comrade Zhao Sufen really… has no guile; she says everything on her mind.
"Sister-in-law, you're different from what everyone imagined."
Su Zhaozhao raised an eyebrow, "What did everyone imagine me to be like?" It seems the military families have been talking about her quite a bit.
"You speak like an educated person, not someone from the countryside. And when you mentioned Captain Gu, you said 'my beloved,' only educated people would say that." Zhao Sufen covered her mouth and laughed; she felt embarrassed to call her own husband 'my beloved.'
Su Zhaozhao: "…I just heard others say it and followed suit. Besides, there's not much difference between people from the countryside and the city. We shouldn't define or distinguish people by their speech. There are uneducated people in the city, and educated people in the countryside. Most of the soldiers in our unit come from the countryside, yet they still defend the country."
"And we, as military family members, are mostly from the countryside too. Although our lives may not be wealthy and our knowledge limited, we know how to love our country and support the military. At home, we take care of the elderly, raise children, manage daily chores, and bear all the hardships silently, never complaining, never tiring, and no one can say a word against us."
Chapter 46: How Does It Look?
Zhao Sufen's eyes sparkled, "Sister-in-law, you speak so well!" If they weren't in the car, she would have clapped!
Su Zhaozhao inadvertently gained a 'fan' from the 1950s.
"I just spoke from the heart." Today, her words exceeded her usual persona.
"I feel it too, but I can't express it like that!" Zhao Sufen genuinely thought what she said was good, "Sister-in-law, you must have read a lot of books!"
"I didn't go to school, but I studied for a few years with my father-in-law. He used to be a teacher and had many books at home."
"No wonder, you must have learned a lot, with a private tutor who was a teacher."
The educated Su Zhaozhao smiled.
Apart from the late elders of the Gu family, only she knew about her level of education. Even Gu Heng wasn't very clear, only knowing that she could read and write.
So, she could easily enhance her 'education'.
Who says one can't become educated by studying at home?
But she didn't have a formal degree, which was a problem.
Zhao Sufen asked, "Sister-in-law, have you applied for a job yet?"
Su Zhaozhao shook her head, "Not yet, I plan to look after we settle down."
"Good jobs don't wait for people. There are many military wives in our compound waiting to be assigned jobs. You should apply quickly. Since you can read and write, you might get priority. After all, some jobs require someone who can write and calculate."
Su Zhaozhao nodded and decided to ask Gu Heng when she got back.
"You must have a job, right?"
Zhao Sufen smiled sheepishly, "I'm a teacher at the nursery in our military district."
"That's great." Being a teacher is a respected profession.
"It's okay, but I blame my low education. If I had finished primary school, I could have been an administrator. Unfortunately, I only attended a literacy class, so now I'm stuck with children all day."
The children at the nursery were very young, some just over a year old. A few teachers had to take care of dozens of children, amidst their chatter and cries. Not everyone could handle such an environment.
Even this job was highly sought after because its requirements were low, suitable for military families from the countryside. After all, which woman doesn't know how to take care of children? They can take care of their own, so they can take care of others' as well.
As they chatted, they arrived at their destination.
Zhao Sufang helped carry a net bag and accompanied them all the way to the door.
"I won't come in; I need to rush back to cook."
Su Zhaozhao thanked her and invited her to visit sometime. After she left, Su Zhaozhao pushed open the gate and entered the courtyard.
Smoke was rising from the kitchen. When the door creaked, Gu Heng poked his head out from the kitchen.
"You're back."
Then he paused.
Seeing his reaction, Su Zhaozhao laughed heartily and even spun around, "How does my new haircut look?"
Gu Heng walked over and took the things from her hands, "It looks good."
"How good? Be more specific," Su Zhaozhao teased.
It was interesting to see Captain Gu pause for a moment.
"Beautiful." Gu Heng sighed, wondering why he hadn't noticed her mischievous side before.
"As long as it's beautiful, I was afraid you'd all say it looked bad."
Impossible. Gu Heng thought, no matter what, he couldn't say a woman looked bad.
Besides... she really did look beautiful. She seemed different, increasingly unlike the person in his memory.
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian, who were doing their homework inside, ran out when they saw their mother.
"Mom, you look so beautiful!" The siblings were straightforward, unlike Captain Gu who was more tactful.
Su Zhaozhao was very pleased, "I think I look beautiful too!"
Gu Heng smiled briefly and carried the two net bags into the main room effortlessly.
Gu Xiang considerately took the bag from Su Zhaozhao's shoulder.
"Mom, what did you buy? So much stuff?"
The first thing the siblings thought was: How much did this cost?
"All useful things, things we need at home."
Putting the net bags on the table, Gu Heng turned to go back to the kitchen, "There's porridge simmering in the pot."
Su Zhaozhao started taking things out, "Wash the vegetables first, I'll do the cooking later."
Gu Heng agreed and left the main room.
Su Zhaozhao quickly called the children to help unpack, "Come and see what I bought for you."
As she took things out one by one, the siblings' eyes widened.
What beautiful shoes!
"Try them on to see if they fit." Su Zhaozhao handed over the clothes and shoes she had bought for them.
The expressions on the siblings' faces were particularly conflicted, both liking the items and feeling guilty about the expense.
It was an expression of joy mixed with pain.
"Hurry up and wipe that look off your faces. Aren't you happy to wear new clothes? Everything your mother bought is what you need. The weather will soon turn cold; don't you need warm clothes? If you still wear your old, tattered clothes, people will say your father isn't good to you, that he's unwilling to buy you new clothes and shoes. Do you want others to say that about your father?"
"No."
"Father is very good!"
"That's right. Go try them on quickly."
The siblings took the clothes and, as before, each went into a separate room to try them on.
After putting on the clothes, they tried on the shoes. Once Su Zhaozhao said they looked good, the siblings ran to the kitchen to show Gu Heng.
"Mom, Dad says they look good!"
"If they look good, that's all that matters." Su Zhaozhao then took out cookies and candies.
"These are cream cookies; I heard they're very delicious." The box containing the cream cookies was made of tin, with the words 'Premium Cream Cookies' written in large letters.
They looked expensive!
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian thought simultaneously.
"Mom, the cookies from the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives are also very tasty."
Su Zhaozhao: "These are even better. Let's try them. Have you forgotten what I just said? Your father spent money to buy these for you, do you understand? He wants you to experience what other children have experienced, so you won't be worse off than anyone else."
"We understand."
"Look, Mom also bought you some picture books..."
Gu Heng stood outside, listening to everything.
He felt his heart soften and sweeten, as if he had eaten sugar, or as if someone was gently rubbing his heart, over and over again.
After standing there for a while, he finally came in and looked at the almost entirely unpacked items on the table. "Why didn't you buy yourself a pair of leather shoes?"
He saw the 'Liberation Shoes' on the stool, and knew by their size that they were hers.
"I like Liberation Shoes; they're more comfortable than leather shoes."
Gu Heng didn't believe her. No one disliked wearing leather shoes; they were so dignified.
He knew she was being frugal.
Leather shoes were expensive.
How could Su Zhaozhao know what was going through his mind? She tried on the two coats she had bought for herself and showed them to him. "Do they look good?"
"They look good. Buy whatever you want; don't be frugal."
Su Zhaozhao looked at the things on the table. Was she being frugal...?
Chapter 47: The Studious Su Zhaozhao
"I spent quite a bit of money today, including coupons, especially cloth coupons; they're almost all used up." Su Zhaozhao pointed at the pearl cream and snow cream, "I also bought some face lotion for myself." She then looked at him, waiting for his reaction.
Gu Heng glanced over, "You should have bought them long ago. I received my allowance and a good number of coupons, which I put in the drawer. Don't be stingy with the coupons; if you run out, just tell me, and I'll exchange them with others."
Worried that Su Zhaozhao might not believe he could get more coupons, he added, "There are many single men in the military; coupons aren't very useful to them."
Gu Heng didn't understand much about face lotions. He had only heard Yan Guang mention that his wife's vanity table was filled with bottles and jars, which she applied to her face and hands morning and night without complaint.
Seeing the few bottles Su Zhaozhao had bought, he thought it was far from a full collection.
He felt that since other wives had these items, his own should too. They weren't short on money, so he thought Su Zhaozhao had bought too little.
Su Zhaozhao was pleased with his reaction; she feared encountering someone who would say it was fine to spend but actually couldn't bear to part with a penny.
Gu Heng picked up the writing brush and ink cake Su Zhaozhao had bought and examined them, "This is better than bottled ink; it doesn't clog the brush when writing."
He then looked at the Xuan paper she had bought and said to Gu Xiang and the others, "Don't practice calligraphy on this paper yet. I'll bring back some old newspapers tomorrow. Practice on the newspapers first, and use the Xuan paper once you've improved."
The siblings nodded; it was their first time seeing such paper.
"You also bought books on agriculture?" Gu Heng picked up one of the books, "And geography books."
Su Zhaozhao explained, "In the past, we learned farming from the older generation. Today, while browsing the bookstore, I discovered there are books teaching people how to farm. Out of curiosity, I bought one. Although we don't farm now, we should still keep learning. There's always more to learn!"
Exactly, that's it!
It's not because I can't tell wheat from leeks.
Although she had the memories of her original self, these memories were like files on a USB drive, stored in different folders. She remembered the important ones clearly, but for others, like distinguishing between oat seedlings and rice seedlings, she would need to open the folder and look... and might not even recognize them, as not everyone can identify plants just by looking at pictures.
When it came to doing farm work, she might have muscle memory, but recognizing crops was another matter.
Su Zhaozhao was genuinely afraid that one day she might point at wheat seedlings and say, "What nice leeks!"
Buying an agricultural book would help her upgrade her knowledge.
"Good idea. We come from a rural background; we shouldn't forget our roots. Learning more is always beneficial."
Gu Heng thought to himself that no wonder her handwriting was so good; she must have always been a studious person. Otherwise, she wouldn't have spoken about the boundless sea of learning.
He realized he hadn't understood her well enough before. He had always assumed her education level was limited to basic literacy, able to read and write, but he had been too presumptuous.
If she had had the opportunity to go to school, she might have become a high school graduate.
Su Zhaozhao then pointed to the geography book, "In the past, I lived in a small world, not knowing how big our country is or what cities exist, let alone what each place produces and its customs. Now that I'm here in the military, the families come from all over. By reading these books, I can know what to talk about with them, avoiding embarrassing situations due to ignorance."
Gu Heng sighed inwardly. She was thoughtful, understanding that learning these things would help him build relationships with the military families, which would benefit the men in the military. This was a significant plus.
She could think of such things, which was truly commendable.
He felt a sense of pride; even those young ladies from capitalist backgrounds with high school educations didn't know as much as she did.
"These books are great. I'll read them when I have free time, and the children can learn a lot from them too."
Su Zhaozhao was very satisfied with her response and showed Gu Heng the flowered fabric she had bought.
"This piece of fabric is for Sister Guo. When do you think you can send it back?"
She hadn't forgotten the day they went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives together to buy fabric. In the countryside, it was hard to get cloth coupons, and without them, one could only buy plain fabric, not the beautiful flowered fabric. The piece she bought was enough to make two sets of clothes, perfect to send back to Sister Guo.
Gu Heng nodded, "I found someone who can take it along. I'll ask them to deliver it tomorrow."
After tidying up the things on the table, Su Zhaozhao went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Gu Heng continued weaving the straw mats he hadn't finished. In the afternoon, Gu Xiang and the others had gone with their classmates to gather reeds, collecting even more than the previous day.
During dinner, Gu Heng told Gu Xiang and Gu Nian, "We have enough reeds now; you don't need to go gather more."
Then he said to Su Zhaozhao, "I've already woven two mats. Which room should we hang them in first?"
"So fast?"
"It's not that fast. If I have the time, I can finish one in a day."
"Let's hang it in our room first."
After dinner, Gu Heng borrowed a ladder from the neighbor and, with the help of the two children, hung the straw mat on the beam in the east room.
When Su Zhaozhao came in to see, it really looked nice! It had a rustic charm.
The long straw mat hung from the beam, about half a meter above the ground. From the window, the bed was no longer visible, avoiding the awkwardness of someone in the courtyard being able to see the bed directly.
The wall near the door wasn't covered all the way down, leaving a 'door' that divided the room into inner and outer sections.
Going through the 'door,' the bedroom remained well-lit, with the lamp overhead illuminating both sections.
Even during the day, the bedroom wouldn't feel dark.
"Beautiful!" Su Zhaozhao sincerely praised, "You did a great job."
It didn't look rough; instead, it was quite refined, with neatly trimmed edges. He even left ropes to adjust the length.
With this skill, he could start an online store on Taobao.
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian also praised their father, "Better than anyone in the village."
Gu Heng was pleased, "The day after tomorrow is a rest day. I can weave your room's mat in the morning. Once it's done, I'll hang it for you too."
"Mmm, Dad is really great." Gu Nian was never stingy with her praise for her father.
She truly felt that her dad was wonderful; her classmates were amazed when they learned that she and her brother had an egg every day.
There were also candies and cookies at home, which she could take whenever she wanted.
Of course, Mom was the best!
Gu Heng patted her head, paused for a moment, then patted his son's head as well, before heading out to return the ladder to the neighbors.
Chapter 48: I Want to Go to Work
After washing up in the evening, Su Zhaozhao entered the bedroom and opened the pearl cream she had bought today. She scooped out a dollop and dotted it all over her face, then gently spread it.
The scent was fresh, with a hint of pearls, and the texture was fine, spreading easily without leaving an oily residue. She patted her face lightly, and for some reason, she felt her skin looked a bit whiter, probably due to the pearls.
"I hope you really make me a little fairer."
Su Zhaozhao had high hopes for the pearl cream.
Gu Nian peeked in from the doorway, and Su Zhaozhao waved her in.
"Mom, you smell so good!"
"Have you washed your face?" Su Zhaozhao asked.
"Yes."
"Look up, let Mom apply some fragrance for you."
Gu Nian obediently lifted her head, and Su Zhaozhao dotted the pearl cream on her forehead, cheeks, chin, and nose. "Spread it yourself."
Gu Nian extended her small hands and slowly rubbed the cream on her face, her eyes sparkling.
After applying the cream, she went to the mirror, examining herself from all angles, happier than if she had received new clothes, feeling absolutely beautiful.
No matter how old a woman is, the love for beauty never fades.
After Gu Nian left, she would occasionally go to her father and then to her brother.
"Brother, do you notice anything different about me?" Afraid Gu Xiang wouldn't see clearly, she moved closer.
Gu Xiang, who was reading a comic book, looked up at her, "Did you bump into something?"
What did bumping have to do with anything?
"I didn't fall, just look closely!" Couldn't he smell it? It was so fragrant! Her hands were still scented.
Gu Xiang finally caught on, sniffing the air, "Mom applied snow cream for you."
"It's not snow cream, it's pearl cream. It's better than snow cream. Mom said snow cream is too oily and is better for winter. She also told me to apply it myself after washing my face. Brother, do you want to try it? Mom calls it 'applying fragrance.'"
Gu Xiang shook his head quickly, "No way! Only girls do that! I'm a man."
Gu Nian pouted, "Fine, don't bother."
"Gu Xiang, Gu Nian, go to bed early. We need to get up early tomorrow for running," Gu Heng called from the courtyard, noticing they weren't ready for bed yet.
"Okay, Dad."
When he entered the room, Su Zhaozhao had just finished applying snow cream to her hands.
"Can I ask you something?"
Gu Heng paused while taking off his shirt, "Go ahead." He continued unbuttoning and walked towards the inner room separated by a bamboo curtain.
Su Zhaozhao followed, "I heard that military dependents can apply for jobs. I want to find something to do."
Gu Heng draped his shirt over the foot of the bed and glanced at her, "My allowance is enough for our family. You don't need to work."
"It's not about money."
Su Zhaozhao shook her head, her gaze lingering on his arm for two seconds before meeting his eyes.
"To be honest... I just want to find something to do. Think about it, every morning when you wake up, you go to the base, and the kids go to school. The whole day, I'm alone at home. It's cold and empty. Instead of idling away my time, I'd rather find a job to keep myself busy, use my abilities, and learn new things."
She wanted to maintain her image as someone eager to learn!
Gu Heng thought for a moment, "I'm afraid you'll get too tired. The doctor said you should rest for a year."
"I won't do anything too strenuous, just something light."
She couldn't handle heavy work.
Gu Heng didn't expect her to do heavy work either, "Alright, I'll apply for you tomorrow. It might take some time, though."
"I can wait," Su Zhaozhao smiled sweetly.
Seeing her smile, Gu Heng smiled too, wondering why she was so eager to work.
"It's late, let's go to sleep."
They lay down.
Soon, Su Zhaozhao fell asleep.
Gu Heng carefully turned over, staring at her direction in the dark for a while, then lay flat and sighed softly.
...
"Laogu, wait up."
Hearing someone call him, Gu Heng turned around. It was Yan Guang.
"Why are you walking so fast? I've been chasing you for ages," Yan Guang panted, walking beside Gu Heng with his hands behind his back.
Gu Heng glanced at him, "Looks like you need more practice. Your stamina isn't good."
Yan Guang nudged him, "I only saw you from far away, of course I had to chase! My stamina is great!"
A man, most taboo is when others say he can't do it.
Although he was indeed a bit tired last night.
"Once we get there, we'll go to the playground and practice, I'll show you just how capable I am!"
Gu Heng refused, "No, I have something to do."
"What could you possibly have to do so early in the morning? Don't tell me you're scared?" Yan Guang suddenly laughed suggestively; Laogu now had a wife, which made him different from before.
Gu Heng kept his gaze straight ahead, not seeing his smile, "I need to go to the resettlement office to submit an application."
Yan Guang immediately understood, "Your sister-in-law wants to work?"
Gu Heng nodded.
Yan Guang smiled, "Why don't you let her work in the cafeteria? With her skills, she might become a master chef before long."
Gu Heng shot him a glare, "Why doesn't your wife work in the cafeteria?"
What does that mean? Is my wife only fit for flipping pans? What a ridiculous suggestion! Everyone knows the work in the cafeteria is heavy.
Yan Guang was puzzled by the glare, "My wife can't do it either. She only knows how to cook simple home dishes, and even those she learned after we got married. Besides, she has a job."
He still didn't understand what had upset Gu Heng, "The cafeteria is great, with plenty of benefits. Many military families would love to work there. I really think your sister-in-law would be suitable." He still remembered that meal fondly.
Gu Heng glared at him again, "Are you saying I can't support my wife and need the benefits from the cafeteria to do so?"
Yan Guang bowed deeply, clasping his hands, "Alright, I was wrong. What kind of job do you want to find for her?"
"Something not too tiring, where she can learn something, something suitable for her."
Not easy requirements, "Office jobs aren't tiring, but they're hard to come by. It would be easier if your sister-in-law were educated."
Gu Heng gave him a sidelong glance, "Who said my wife isn't educated?"
Yan Guang was surprised, "Your sister-in-law went to school? I didn't see it! Wasn't she a child bride?"
If Gu Heng knew what Yan Guang was thinking, he would definitely retort: What can you see?
"Not going to school doesn't mean she's uneducated. Her handwriting is much better than your chicken scratch, and she's still reading and learning now."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"I'm blind as a bat..." Yan Guang was relieved he hadn't listened to his wife and asked Laogu about it. If he had known his wife wanted to help introduce a cleaning job at the hospital, he would have offended Laogu.
Who would send an educated person to sweep floors?
...
Su Zhaozhao's new hairstyle almost made Wang Chunhua fail to recognize her.
"My goodness, your hair looks so beautiful! At first glance, you look years younger! When you came out just now, I thought someone was visiting you."
Wang Chunhua stared at Su Zhaozhao's hair, looking left and right, and clicked her tongue, "Where did you get it done?"
Su Zhaozhao felt flattered by the praise, "I went to the city yesterday."
"That explains why I didn't see you all day yesterday. The stylists in the city are better. If I had cut it, it wouldn't have turned out like this."
Chapter 49: My Family is Easy to Raise
Su Zhaozhao was also planning to visit her.
"Have you bought the ink for Xiaojun's writing brush yet?"
"No." At the mention of this, Wang Chunhua sighed, "I went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives specifically yesterday afternoon. When I asked, they said it had been out of stock for a while and suggested I wait. I asked how long, but the salesperson just said they didn't know—two days if it comes quickly, or maybe three to five days. They said it would be delivered with other items to save on fuel."
When Su Zhaozhao went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives yesterday, the salesperson said it might take two days, but it seemed that 'two days' wasn't a definite timeframe.
"I don't mind waiting, but I'm worried about school needing it urgently."
Although Wang Chunhua couldn't read herself, she always took her children's education seriously; otherwise, her daughter wouldn't have made it to middle school.
Su Zhaozhao handed her the items she was holding, "It's a coincidence. I bought an extra set when I went to the city to get ink and brushes for Gu Xiang. Let Xiaojun use this for now."
The items were wrapped in several sheets of rice paper, forming a complete set of the Four Treasures of the Study.
She had gone back to the counter after leaving to buy this set, having initially forgotten that Xiaojun would need it too, and since the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives didn't have any, she decided to buy an extra set.
Even if Xiaojun already had one at home, he could keep this for personal use.
Wang Chunhua instinctively reached out to take it, then hesitated and tried to push it back into Su Zhaozhao's arms, "How can I accept this? It's not right, not right at all. I'll ask Lao Zhou to have someone bring some from the city..."
Su Zhaozhao pushed it back, "What's there to be embarrassed about between neighbors? Since I moved here, you've helped me so much. I haven't even properly thanked you yet. Consider this a thank-you gift, okay? Take it, don't delay the child's studies."
Wang Chunhua was torn, "This must be expensive. I'll pay you."
"No, no," Su Zhaozhao waved her hands, "If you keep this up, I won't dare ask for your help in the future, and I won't dare eat your vegetables either. Your son Xiaojun has helped us gather a lot of reeds recently. If you don't accept my gift, consider this as my thanks to him, okay?"
Seeing her say this, Wang Chunhua finally accepted it, smiling, "Alright, I'll take it. Helping out is nothing, just a bit of effort. The vegetables in our garden are grown ourselves, not worth much."
She held the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone, "This is what costs money. Xiaojun told me that his Aunt Su invited him to eat apples and candy, and gathering reeds is nothing. I wish you'd make more use of him, so he doesn't run around everywhere. In fact, he's the one who benefits. Now he gets this set, he'll definitely be happy and will keep saying how good his Aunt Su is."
She then reminded Su Zhaozhao, "Don't do this again, okay?"
"Don't worry, just this once, alright?" Su Zhaozhao laughed.
"Alright."
...
There were no weekends back then, only Sunday was a day off. On Saturdays, offices and institutions would end work earlier.
So today, Gu Heng came home quite early.
As soon as he arrived, he told Su Zhaozhao about submitting the application.
"I'll go to the countryside tomorrow morning."
"To the countryside for what?"
"Didn't we talk about paving the courtyard? I'll go to the countryside to see if there are any bluestone slabs. Bluestone is the best for paving courtyards."
On the day they moved in, Su Zhaozhao mentioned looking for bricks and stone slabs to pave the empty areas of the courtyard to avoid stepping in mud during the rain, and Gu Heng remembered it.
"Bricks and stone slabs aren't easy to find," Gu Heng glanced at Su Zhaozhao.
If anyone found a brick or stone slab in the wild, they would take it home immediately, not leave it for others.
He gestured the distance from the front door to the main room, estimating how many bluestone slabs would be needed.
Paving the entire courtyard would be too extravagant.
Just a path would suffice.
Su Zhaozhao understood; she had been too optimistic. In those days, nothing was left unclaimed, even a broken brick was valuable.
"Can you find them in the countryside?" Should she say, can you buy them?
"Yes, there's a family that used to make stone slabs. They should have some. Also, the rocking chair you mentioned the other day, I'll ask someone to make it for us tomorrow."
"Do you need to provide the wood yourself when asking someone to make furniture?"
"The carpenter has their own supply. No need to prepare it yourself. There's no shortage of trees in the countryside; every household plants some."
In the countryside, few people would buy wood for building houses or making furniture. Trees were planted generation after generation, and newly married couples would start planting trees for their future children's furniture.
Since it was a holiday tomorrow, the bathhouse was open today. After Gu Xiang and Gu Nian returned from school, the whole family carried basins with towels and soap to go to the bathhouse together.
At this time, the bathhouse was quite busy. As they left, they encountered the Zhou family next door, with Wang Chunhua and her husband bringing Xiaojun.
Xiaojun saw Gu Xiang and Gu Nian and ran over, leaving his parents behind, not forgetting to thank Su Zhaozhao first, "Aunt Su, thank you for the writing brush, paper, ink, and inkstone."
Su Zhaozhao smiled, "You're welcome. You can simply call them the Four Treasures of the Study or just pen, ink, paper, and inkstone."
Zhou Ming turned around and scolded his son, "After studying for years, you don't even know the Four Treasures of the Study. Look at you, so accomplished."
Zhou Xiaojun made a face at his father, showing no respect, "You don't know either."
When Zhou Ming came home, Wang Chunhua showed him the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone Su Zhaozhao had given. In front of his son, he couldn't say exactly the same thing, but it was close enough.
"Xiao Su is really generous, giving not just the brush but also the inkstone and ink. This is Xuan paper, isn't it..."
Zhou Ming, having been contradicted by his son, raised his hand to hit him, but Zhou Xiaojun wasn't afraid and hid behind Gu Heng.
"You can't reach me, you can't reach me."
Zhou Ming said to Wang Chunhua, "Look at the son you've raised. If you don't beat him for three days, he'll tear the roof off!"
Wang Chunhua shot him a withering glance, "You didn't teach? It was all me? I wonder who said that the youngest one looks just like him."
"..."
Zhou Ming, hands behind his back, snorted and sought an ally, "There's a saying, isn't there, that only women and small men are hard to raise. That's true, isn't it? They really are hard to raise."
Gu Heng caught the cue, "Mine is easy to raise."
An easily raised Su Zhaozhao: "Pfft!"
She received a look from Gu Heng.
Last time, when Su Zhaozhao and the others arrived late, they didn't encounter many people on the way. Today was different; almost all the family members were out.
Sure enough, the next ones they met were Yan Guang and his wife, with their son Yan Xuewen in tow.
According to Wang Chunhua, they only had this one child.
In those days, it was rare for couples married for many years to have only one child. Everyone believed in the idea of more children bringing more blessings. Otherwise, the population wouldn't have surged from four hundred million to one billion in the 1982 census, leading the government to implement the one-child policy in the early 1980s to control the population.
Chapter 50: A Special Meeting
"Xiaowen, this is Aunt Su." Yan Guang pulled his son over to greet her.
Yan Xuewen glanced at Su Zhaozhao, then turned to look at his mother.
Yu Huixin: "Why are you looking at me? Go say hello."
Only then did Yan Xuewen obediently call out to her.
Meeting someone's child for the first time, Su Zhaozhao couldn't help but praise him: "What a well-behaved child."
Indeed, he was well-behaved, different from other children. His face was fair and smooth, his hair neatly trimmed, wearing a white shirt and dark blue trousers, with a little vest on top.
The children in the family compound all came from good homes, but few were raised so meticulously. His fair skin indicated he rarely went out in the sun, unlike other children who ran around outside all day long, never seeing anyone as fair as him.
His neatly trimmed hair suggested regular visits to the barber, not just a quick snip by his parents, like Zhou Xiaojun's hair.
His white shirt was spotless, which was unusual for a child his age, even after wearing it all day.
This showed how carefully Yu Huixin had raised him.
As they continued walking, the group naturally split into three: men, women, and children.
Yu Huixin walked alongside Su Zhaozhao, glancing at her hair several times, "Your two kids are in third grade too, right?"
Su Zhaozhao: "Yes."
"What a coincidence, my Xiaowen is in third grade too. He's only seven this year."
"It is quite a coincidence, they must be classmates." Seven years old is seven years old; why add the word 'only'?
Did she want her to compliment her child for being so young and already in third grade?
She refused to do so.
"My Xiaowen loves reading and studying, he doesn't like running around outside..."
At this point, Su Zhaozhao saw Wang Chunhua roll her eyes.
It wasn't until they entered the bathhouse and separated from Yu Huixin that Wang Chunhua spoke up, "What does she mean by not liking to run around? She just doesn't want her child playing with others. As soon as she sees him, she calls him away, thinking other children are dirty, only letting him play with those she approves of."
Those words... surely weren't said by Yu Huixin herself.
"We all grew up eating the same food. We're not fools; we can see through her after a few times. You'll understand soon enough. The children who play with hers are mostly the kids of city wives."
The bathhouse was much busier than their last visit, with people at every faucet, some with two or three people waiting their turn, wetting their bodies and then moving aside to scrub.
Su Zhaozhao almost gave up, wondering how long it would take to wash.
Just as she was considering leaving, Wang Chunhua found an empty faucet.
"Zhaodi, come quickly!"
Su Zhaozhao took Gu Nian and joined her.
There was someone at this faucet too, "This is Comrade Huang's wife," Wang Chunhua introduced.
"Are you Captain Gu's wife?"
Su Zhaozhao: "Yes, it's me. Hello, Sister."
Huang's wife was in her forties, named Cao Cui, and was lathering soap onto her body, "Hello, hello. I've heard a lot about you and Captain Gu. It's great to finally meet you in person."
Why did everyone say the same thing?
Su Zhaozhao tried hard not to stare.
Wang Chunhua quickly rinsed off under the empty faucet and then let Su Zhaozhao use it.
Su Zhaozhao: "... How awkward."
There were several more familiar faces at nearby faucets.
They were either wives of commanders, political commissars, or staff officers, some with their daughters, others with their sisters. Wang Chunhua introduced them all to Su Zhaozhao.
Among them was one familiar face.
"It's Sufen."
"Oh, Sister!"
Wang Chunhua: "You two have met before?"
"Yes, just yesterday on the bus."
Zhao Sufen, while scrubbing, said, "I was saying I'd visit your place tomorrow during my day off!"
"Sure, come over. I'll have tea ready."
"I'll come too," Cao Cui said, "I've wanted to visit your place for a long time."
"Me too."
"Count me in as well."
Su Zhaozhao welcomed each of them.
What a unique and memorable first meeting! Everyone was stark naked.
After getting out of the bath, Gu Heng and the others were already waiting at the door.
Yan Guang also waited outside with his son, not seeing Yu Huixin, he asked, "Where's my wife?"
"She's still inside, I guess. We separated after we went in; there were too many people, so we didn't call her."
Yan Guang said, "You go ahead, I'll wait for her."
Gu Heng didn't plan to go back and looked at the canteen nearby, "Let's skip cooking tonight and eat at the canteen."
"Sounds good," Su Zhaozhao nodded.
Wang Chunhua's family didn't join them, "We've already prepared all the vegetables at home. If we don't cook them today, they'll go bad tomorrow."
So the two families parted ways, each going their own direction—some heading home, others to the canteen.
The canteen menu for the day read: dumplings.
Gu Heng smiled, "We came at the right time; dumplings aren't often on the menu."
They arrived early, and there weren't many people queuing at the window. Gu Heng took Gu Xiang to line up and soon returned with four bowls of dumplings.
In Gu Heng's hand was a clove of garlic.
Su Zhaozhao noticed he particularly enjoyed eating garlic, even picking out the garlic pieces from stir-fried dishes to eat.
One bite of a dumpling followed by a bite of garlic, Gu Heng savored every mouthful!
Seeing this, Su Zhaozhao felt her mouth water, "Give me one."
Gu Heng glanced at her, "It's quite spicy, you might not be used to it."
Gu Heng's ancestors were from the north, and years ago, his parents had moved south to escape war, but he retained a northern stomach, favoring northern cuisine, such as eating raw garlic, which is common in the north but less accepted in the south.
For southerners, garlic is only used for seasoning, while in the north, it's an essential part of every household.
"I'll give it a try."
Gu Heng handed her a clove.
He then asked Gu Xiang and Gu Nian, "Do you want to try?"
The siblings nodded, they were also tempted. Watching their father eat, it seemed like he wasn't eating garlic but some incredibly delicious braised pork, one piece after another.
Following Gu Heng's example, the three of them took a bite of a dumpling followed by a bite of garlic.
Then...
"Ouch!" Su Zhaozhao winced, the spiciness hit her nose hard!
Gu Nian stuck out his tongue, "So spicy!"
Gu Heng found it amusing, "I told you, you wouldn't be used to it."
Gu Xiang looked at his mother and sister's expressions, "It's actually pretty good." He took another bite, realizing how delicious raw garlic could be! His mother and sister were overreacting.
Su Zhaozhao swallowed the food in her mouth. At first, it was indeed very spicy, a different kind of spiciness from chili or ginger, and the taste of raw garlic was vastly different from cooked garlic.