Chen Li shook out the apron. “All done with your haircut, miss. That’ll be fifty cents.”
Shen Qi took out the money. “Boss, you cut hair really well. Can I learn from you?”
Chen Li paused while taking the money. “Learn haircutting?”
She looked Shen Qi up and down and shook her head. “You’re not suitable.”
“I think I’m quite suitable. How about this—let me try working here for two days first. If I’m no good, I’ll leave on my own.”
“Apprentices don’t get paid.”
“That’s fine. I’ll also take care of cleaning and all three meals these two days as tuition.”
When someone offers such a good deal for free, you might as well take advantage of it.
Chen Li agreed.
After all, this was just a young girl. She wasn’t afraid of any tricks the other might pull.
“Starting from today?” Shen Qi asked.
“Sure. Sweep up the hair on the floor.”
Shen Qi immediately went to work.
Chen Li went outside for a smoke and came back in. Shen Qi handed her a cup of hot water. “If I’m not mistaken, is Lili your name?”
“Yes, I’m Chen Li. You can call me Sister Li.”
“Okay, Sister Li.” Shen Qi sat down beside her. “Why did you say I’m not suitable for learning haircutting?”
This was different from her previous life.
In her previous life, when they were in prison, Chen Li had often praised her for being talented and having skillful hands. Was it just because they met at a different time that the evaluation changed?
Chen Li was a straightforward person.
“You’re not fashionable at all. People who aren’t fashionable can’t cut hair well.”
Just look at this girl’s outdated cotton-padded jacket. Before coming in, her bangs were thick and heavy, like a pot lid stuck on her head. There wasn’t a single fashionable thing about her from head to toe.
Shen Qi was speechless.
“I haven’t asked your name yet?”
“Shen Qi. You can call me Xiao Qi.”
Chen Li grunted in acknowledgment. She didn’t take Shen Qi’s desire to learn haircutting seriously.
It wasn’t that she had never taken on apprentices before—they all left after working for a while.
Those apprentices all held grudges against her when they left, saying she deliberately withheld techniques and made them work for free in the shop.
Chen Li wasn’t that kind of unscrupulous master. She was just responsible toward her apprentices and customers.
People who haven’t even learned to walk will definitely fall when they try to run.
She would never allow half-baked apprentices to graduate and was very strict with them.
So over the years, not a single apprentice had properly completed their training under her—they all quit halfway through.
She figured Shen Qi would probably be similar to those before her. But since the other party had offered to handle cleaning and meals, it would be unreasonable not to agree.
Business at Lili Hair Salon that morning was neither good nor bad. Two customers came in: a little girl brought by her mother for a haircut, and a middle-aged man who came for a shave.
At noon, Shen Qi went out and bought three steamed buns and two hot dishes.
Halfway through their meal, a female customer with long hair came in, saying she wanted a perm just like Chen Li’s big waves.
Chen Li put down her chopsticks and went to attend to the customer. Shen Qi placed the aluminum lunch box with steamed buns and dishes on the coal stove to keep warm, then went to assist.
During this era, perming technology was relatively simple, using electric heating caps and rollers.
Shen Qi passed rollers and elastic bands to Chen Li, occasionally complimenting the customer at the right moments.
The female customer was a regular of Chen Li’s and was delighted by Shen Qi’s flattery.
“When did you get such a sweet-talking little apprentice?”
Chen Li smiled. “Today. You happened to come at the right time.”
“I think this apprentice of yours is better than the previous ones.”
“Alright, just one more hour and your hair will be ready.”
Chen Li placed an electric heating cap on the customer’s head and plugged it in.
Shen Qi brought over a cup of hot tea. “Here, have some water, miss.”
Chen Li glanced at Shen Qi, thinking to herself: She might not be fashionable, but she’s certainly sharp.
Just as Chen Li sat down to continue her meal, the door opened again, and several older women walked in.
Chattering noisily, they had come as a group to get perms.
“This is the place. Her perming skills are the best—my hair was done by her.”
With that, any chance of finishing her meal was completely gone.
By the time they finished work, the sky had long since turned dark.
After cleaning up, Shen Qi asked, “Sister Li, take a look and see if there’s anywhere I missed.”
Chen Li scanned the room and had to admit—it was all done quite well, exactly to her liking.
Now, she truly viewed Shen Qi in a new light.
Shen Qi lifted her chin proudly.
How could she not do it well? After all, Chen Li had taught her everything by hand, and she was well aware of all those little habits Chen Li had when it came to cleaning.
“We open at eight tomorrow morning.”
Chen Li said this as she locked the door.
“Okay, I’ll definitely be on time.”
“Come on, I’ll walk you to the bus stop.”
Lili Hair Salon was located in a small alley. After a few minutes’ walk, they reached the main street, where a bus stop stood not far away.
Once on the bus, Shen Qi looked out the window and saw that Chen Li had already turned to leave.
Her graceful figure was perfectly outlined by the streetlights, and that beautiful, wavy long hair, like seaweed, was truly eye-catching.
Shen Qi sighed inwardly. She much preferred this vibrant, lively version of Sister Li. The Sister Li in prison didn’t have such beautiful long curls, and her entire demeanor had been gloomy and troubled.
Unlike Shen Qi, Chen Li in her previous life had been sentenced to life imprisonment, with no possibility of ever being released.
As for the reason Chen Li ended up in prison, Shen Qi had heard from other inmates that it was for killing her husband.
Shen Qi didn’t know the specific details because Chen Li never discussed such matters with anyone. If someone asked, she would only remain silent.
However, before Shen Qi was released from prison, Chen Li had asked her for a favor.
She wanted Shen Qi to find her son and bring him for a visit.
True to her word, Shen Qi went to look for Chen Li’s son, Wang Tao.
By then, Wang Tao was already in middle school, a half-grown boy.
As soon as he heard that Shen Qi was his mother’s prison mate, his impatient expression immediately turned fierce.
“Are you fucking crazy? Who wants to see that murderer? I don’t have a mother like that!”
“And you, get the hell out of here! What fucking bad luck!”
Shen Qi tried to persuade him twice, but it ended with Wang Tao resorting to violence.
Unable to bear telling Chen Li the truth, Shen Qi could only say that Wang Tao was no longer in North City and had probably moved away with his grandparents.
Chen Li couldn’t hide her disappointment but still forced herself to thank Shen Qi.
Later, Shen Qi went to visit Chen Li again, but Chen Li refused to see her.
On one occasion, when Shen Qi’s visit was unsuccessful, a prison guard shared some news with her.
Chen Li was sick—late-stage cancer—and she had chosen not to undergo treatment.
Shen Qi was shocked and heartbroken.
Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and in less than three months, Shen Qi received news of Chen Li’s death.
Shen Qi straightened up, her eyelashes half-lowered.
In her previous life, she hadn’t been able to change the outcome. But in this life, she was determined to uncover the full story behind Sister Li’s killing of her husband and prevent her from meeting the same tragic fate as before.
After transferring buses, Shen Qi returned to the Compound.
Pushing open the main gate, she saw the Shen Family gathered around the stove, discussing something with cheerful expressions on their faces.
“Dad, Mom, I’m back.” Shen Qi greeted them openly.
Xu Ailian’s smile stiffened for a moment before she responded with a noncommittal “Oh.”
Shen Qi walked over and assertively squeezed herself between Shen Baozhu and Xu Ailian, linking arms with the latter while acting coquettishly.
“Mom, I haven’t had dinner yet. Could you get me something to eat?”
Xu Ailian felt nothing but chills running down her spine.