Shanghai City was far more prosperous than Yu Family Village or even the county town.
In the city center, there were three to four rows of low-rise buildings, and right in the middle of the commercial street stood the department store. As the winds of reform and opening-up had just begun to sweep through Haicheng, many factory women workers were already wearing pretty floral blouses and short skirts, paired with open-toe sandals and white socks, with permed wavy hair—the most fashionable look of the time.
Though in Lin Su’s eyes, it still felt very dated, and the combination of open-toe sandals with short white socks was honestly a fashion disaster.
Buses and bicycles came and went in the streets. On the roadside, vendors sold ice pops and soda drinks. Next to the department store was even a cultural center selling movie tickets.
Besides a few imported Soviet films, domestic films like Hibiscus were showing. The female lead was Sun Xiaoqing, one of the most popular actresses of the time—round, full-faced, with bright eyes and bold eyebrows, perfectly matching the aesthetic of that era.
There were not only dubbed foreign films and domestic movies, but Lin Su even saw the Hong Kong martial arts film Shaolin Temple, and the ticket booth was crowded.
Standing by the movie poster, Lin Su didn’t notice that she and Qin Zhoucheng had already become a beautiful sight in the eyes of passersby.
A handsome man and a beautiful woman always drew attention in any era.
Qin Zhoucheng was tall, with slightly mixed-race features and a cold expression that made him stand out. Lin Su, wearing a white blouse and long skirt, somehow looked far more stylish than others dressed similarly.
If someone asked her, Lin Su would have been quite proud of it. Even though it was just a blouse, styling and tailoring made all the difference. Her sleeves were slightly longer mid-length sleeves, while most girls on the street wore short sleeves that exposed their arms. In an era where thinness was not ideal, those short sleeves only emphasized body flaws.
She also understood proportions—tucking the blouse properly, matching hairstyle to outfit. Most girls at the time preferred permed waves, but a simple tied-up hairstyle actually suited floral or clean outfits better.
There were no fashion magazines teaching any of this, so her seemingly simple outfit actually had many thoughtful details. It was no surprise that people kept glancing at her.
“The highest movie ticket price is 1.5 yuan,” Lin Su calculated.
For young couples in Haicheng, a weekend date meant taking a bus for a few cents, watching a movie for one yuan each, buying soda for fifty cents, and then maybe spending a few more yuan on snacks—it added up quickly.
“Do you want to watch?” Qin Zhoucheng was already lining up to buy tickets.
Lin Su quickly stopped him. “A movie takes over an hour. Didn’t we say we’re going to see my younger sister? I’m afraid we won’t have time.”
Qin Zhoucheng nodded, slightly disappointed.
Most people coming to the cinema now were young couples or newlyweds. Social norms had relaxed—holding hands in public was no longer considered improper.
Couples walked closely together, almost glued, their eyes full of affection.
But the person beside him wasn’t holding his hand at all. Instead, she was focused on calculating expenses on her fingers.
What, was she planning to work for the price bureau or something?
Why was she even calculating how much a date costs?
Did she not think this counted as a date at all?
Qin Zhoucheng’s lips pressed slightly downward. He wasn’t in a good mood.
He had dressed up quite nicely today too.
Seeing all the young men on the street sneaking glances at Lin Su made him even more uncomfortable.
“If we’re not watching a movie, let’s just walk around,” he suggested.
“Okay. Let’s go to the department store,” Lin Su agreed.
The department store was only two floors, more like a large marketplace inside. It had everything from basins and towels to thermoses and fabric. Lin Su even saw electrical goods like radios and fans.
Large appliances still required coupons, but most other items could be bought with cash. The clothing selection was much more varied than in the county supply cooperative, though in Lin Su’s eyes, the designs were still quite hard to describe.
“Lin Su, try this,” Qin Zhoucheng said, pulling her to a counter.
Before she could react, a box was placed in her arms. Inside was a pair of white low-heeled leather shoes.
“Leather shoes? Why try these?” she asked.
“Try them,” Qin Zhoucheng said calmly. “Your skirt needs proper shoes.”
The sales clerk, who had originally looked down on customers, unexpectedly quieted down after Qin Zhoucheng’s glance and only tossed out a cardboard pad.
“Try them here. Don’t dirty the soles.”
They were Mary Jane-style shoes—round toe, low heel, with a strap over the foot, shiny leather. In fact, many handmade cloth shoes in villages were modeled after this style.
“These are expensive,” Lin Su hesitated. “Let’s not buy them. They cost 35 yuan…”
“That’s about a month’s salary.”
“Try them first. If they look good, we’ll buy them,” Qin Zhoucheng said, leaving no room for refusal. He even pressed her gently onto a stool.
Lin Su couldn’t resist his serious expression.
Just trying them on… not buying… should be fine, right?
The leather was soft and comfortable. Although the style looked a bit old-fashioned, the material was genuine leather and didn’t rub her feet. The size fit perfectly.
Her feet were small—size 36—and slightly narrow, which made shoes hard to find. But these felt like they were made for her.
His taste was really good.
The white shoes matched her blue skirt perfectly, elevating her entire look. Even though her handmade cloth shoes were nice, leather shoes undeniably gave a more polished appearance.
She looked like a refined young lady from a novel.
Lin Su liked them—but they were too expensive.
“I still shouldn’t buy them—”
“I already paid,” Qin Zhoucheng said, showing the receipt.
Lin Su was stunned.
When did he even pay for it?
That was a whole month’s salary!
Before she could react, he had already put her cloth shoes into the box, picked it up, and pulled her away.
Still dazed, Lin Su was dragged into another shop.
A café.
A café existed in Haicheng?
Lin Su was shocked.
“Comrade, two milk coffees, a popcorn set, two ice creams, and a cream cake.”
“Yu Ting, don’t order so much… ice cream and cake are expensive…”
A familiar voice made Lin Su pause.
She looked up.
At the next table sat a man wearing glasses.
Wasn’t that Yu Minghai?