Lin Erxia and Lin Zhuer walked the whole way in silence, but it didn’t take long for them to find the scrap collection station.
The place wasn’t small—it covered about two courtyards, roughly three to four hundred square meters. Inside, all kinds of discarded items were sorted into piles: waste paper, used toothpaste tubes, scrap metal, and more.
There were also several rooms. With the main doors open, they could see people working inside.
You shouldn’t underestimate a scrap station—this was a legitimate “iron rice bowl” job. Ordinary people couldn’t just get in.
Seeing someone sorting scrap, Lin Erxia stepped forward and asked,
“Hello, comrade. I’d like to ask—do you buy braids here?”
The person looked up. He was a young man in his twenties, covered in dust, with a smudge of white powder on his dark face.
“Yes, we do buy braids.”
As he spoke, he looked at the two girls’ hair—especially Lin Zhuer’s shoulder-length short hair. His eyes lit up for a moment, then he shook his head regretfully.
“That hair is too short.”
Lin Erxia was speechless. Am I invisible or something? Or is it that standing next to the heroine automatically turns me into background?
“Comrade, I’m the one selling the braid.”
The young man snapped back to his senses and smiled awkwardly.
“Sorry, sorry. I’ll call someone right away.”
“Caifeng! Someone’s here to cut a braid!”
Soon, a woman came out. She was about the same age as the young man.
Walking over, she said,
“You two, come with me.”
“Alright.”
Lin Erxia turned and thanked the young man,
“Thank you, comrade.”
He waved his hand.
“No problem.”
Lin Zhuer quietly followed behind.
Lin Erxia followed the woman into a small room. Inside, there was a chair and a mirror about the size of a whole head. The floor was scattered with cut hair.
The woman got straight to the point.
“Sit down one by one. Tell me clearly how much you want cut.”
Lin Erxia sat down.
“Comrade, I’m the one cutting mine. Cut it to about here—around my neck.”
She gestured as she spoke.
The woman grabbed a handful of her hair.
“Your hair is long, but the quality isn’t great. I can only give you sixty cents.”
Lin Erxia didn’t hesitate.
“Alright, go ahead.”
Seeing how straightforward she was, the woman felt relieved. What she hated most were people who kept changing their minds—wanting it longer, then shorter, and crying after it was done.
She picked up the scissors and, with a few swift snips, Lin Erxia’s long hair was cut into a blunt style at neck length.
Looking at herself in the mirror, Lin Erxia saw her face clearly for the first time.
She was too thin, making her cheekbones stand out. Combined with her long face shape, it gave her a somewhat sharp, even harsh appearance.
Fortunately, she had inherited Lin Yongshun’s thick brows and big eyes. Her gaze was upright and clear, her lips light and thin, and her skin dark. Paired with the short hair, her overall look leaned slightly androgynous.
Lin Erxia smiled at the woman.
“Comrade, could I borrow your scissors for a moment? I’d like to trim my bangs.”
The woman was easygoing. Holding the cut hair in one hand, she passed the scissors with the other.
“Go ahead. I’ll put this away first.”
Lin Erxia worked quickly. She pulled a section of hair from the front and snipped it into uneven bangs, revealing her thick eyebrows.
She trimmed the hair on both sides in front of her ears slightly shorter, to about chin length, subtly softening her narrow face.
Her slightly yellowish hair looked almost like it had been dyed, giving her a spirited, sharp appearance.
She had learned these haircutting tricks in her previous life—throughout her three years of high school, she had cut her own hair and never spent a cent.
When the woman returned, she was momentarily stunned, then couldn’t help but praise her.
“Comrade, you’ve got real skill. This hairstyle looks so lively.”
Lin Erxia laughed openly.
“Thanks for the compliment. If you ever need it, I can help.”
The woman didn’t refuse.
“Sure, I’ll come to you next time. My name is Zhao Caifeng. If you ever come to the scrap station and need anything, just look for me.”
“Alright! My name is Lin Erxia. I’m from Changlin Commune, and I’m a first-year student at Pingyao No.1 High School.”
“This is my younger sister, Lin Zhuer. She’s also in her first year.”
Lin Erxia noticed Lin Zhuer shrinking slightly, wanting to speak but unable to. She seemed unsure how to introduce herself.
Zhao Caifeng smiled.
“Top students, huh? Study hard and bring honor to us girls. I’m a few years older than you—just call me Sister Caifeng. If you need anything, come find me.”
She handed over the sixty cents. Lin Erxia accepted it with a smile and didn’t linger.
“Alright, Sister Caifeng, we’d be happy to. You go ahead with your work—we’ll head back now.”
“Okay, take care on your way.”
“Goodbye, Sister Caifeng,” Lin Zhuer said softly.
Zhao Caifeng didn’t mind.
“Be careful on the road—don’t linger.”
Lin Erxia understood what she meant. After thanking her again, the two of them left the supply and marketing cooperative.
They walked quickly, and in just over twenty minutes, they saw the gates of the high school.
After being silent for a while, Lin Zhuer suddenly spoke.
“Fifth Sister, you’re amazing. You can talk to anyone and make friends so quickly.”
To Lin Zhuer, Lin Erxia seemed to have that “social butterfly” ability—able to chat easily with strangers without any sign of nervousness. In truth, it was just normal communication.
Lin Erxia glanced at her. After spending time together, she realized Lin Zhuer was genuinely simple-minded and innocent—not two-faced.
She had grown up carefree, with everything arranged for her. She never lacked materially or emotionally, so she didn’t need to think too much. That also made her less inclined to interact with others.
She wasn’t malicious, but as both of them were granddaughters of the Lin family, the contrast between them was stark. Lin Erxia couldn’t help feeling a bit sour.
“You don’t worry about food or clothes, so of course you don’t have to think about these things. If I weren’t more outgoing or sweet-talking, I wouldn’t have made it to high school.
Besides, it only takes a few extra words—why not try more? You might get unexpected gains.
Like today—meeting Sister Caifeng is already a kind of luck.”
Though most of the time, you gain nothing—and might even be seen as strange.
Lin Erxia also knew moderation. Friendships aren’t built in a single meeting—they take time and effort.
Lin Zhuer automatically ignored the hint of bitterness. She had heard such remarks countless times—from girls in the village and classmates at school. She had long learned to tune them out.
Right now, she was simply interested in Lin Erxia.
Or rather, she felt there was something worth learning from her. She didn’t sense any malice, which was why she took the initiative to speak.