In the early days after reform and opening up had just begun, many fashionable girls in big cities had started to shed or tuck away their loose dark blue or military-green outfits and wear dresses instead.
However, fashion trends had not yet fully formed. Some girls wore old-style blaghis (one-piece dresses), while others wore short-sleeved shirts paired with half skirts.
But no matter which style it was, the designs were not fitted or tailored—they were loose and somewhat shapeless.
The dress in Lin Su’s hands, however, was a red-and-white plaid long dress. Unlike the blaghi dresses popular in the 1950s and 60s, its collar had handmade lace forming a ruffled edge, paired with puff sleeves. The waist was tightly cinched, while the skirt flowed down beautifully, almost naturally forming a slight bell shape.
The fabric was just ordinary “dacron” (synthetic fabric), but the craftsmanship was extremely refined. Every detail showed thoughtful tailoring. It didn’t look like something mass-produced.
Most homemade clothes in this era didn’t focus on tailoring or silhouette—they often looked plain and a bit rustic. But tailor-made garments usually emphasized good aesthetics.
Lin Su had used nearly all of her remaining red-and-white plaid fabric for this dress, even doubling the layers to make it feel thick and structured to the touch.
Of course, she had even more fashionable ideas in her mind, but considering the acceptance level in a county town, she made it a conservative long dress.
The moment this dress appeared, its craftsmanship and beauty made all the clothes sold in the supply cooperative look dull and outdated in comparison.
That was real fashion sense. The onlookers couldn’t explain exactly why it looked good—but it just did. It stood out.
Shanshan couldn’t take her eyes off it immediately. The shop assistant, who had been acting arrogant and dismissive, was now shocked as well.
“Did you really make this yourself? It’s not something bought from the city?”
“You can go check in the city yourself. You won’t find anything like it,” Lin Su said calmly.
The assistant couldn’t resist touching the fabric, even flipping it over trying to find a flaw or loose thread—but there was none. The workmanship was flawless.
“What we sell here are branded goods,” the assistant said with some disdain. “How can your small-time workshop compare?”
Lin Su remained calm. “Exactly. That’s why this dress would actually be cheaper if I sold it. But mine is custom-made—one of a kind. Even in Haicheng, you couldn’t find an identical one. Wearing it would make it truly unique.”
Shanshan was clearly tempted. “Can I try it on?”
The cooperative did have a fitting room. The assistant reluctantly agreed, though still displeased.
Shanshan didn’t care and immediately took the dress to try it on.
The assistant muttered, “Comrade, this is a supply cooperative, not a place for you to steal customers.”
Lin Su didn’t get angry. She simply smiled and took out a few handmade fabric hair ties from her bundle.
They were made from leftover cloth and elastic bands. Each one was different—some had little bows, others small flowers. Though handmade, they looked vivid and delicate, far better than the plain rubber bands sold in the store.
“I’m also here to shop for fabric,” she said gently. “Just happened to meet this situation. Please be understanding—I’m just a woman trying to make a living.”
A smiling face is hard to strike. Lin Su’s attitude was flawless, and the hair ties were so attractive that even the assistant softened after accepting one or two small favors.
Most importantly, these handmade hair accessories were rare items. Compared to the store’s mass-produced, tacky rubber bands, they were much more appealing.
Shanshan came out of the fitting room wearing the new dress—and looked like a completely different person.
She had a round apple-shaped face. In this era, being slightly plump was not frowned upon. Her arms and thighs naturally had a bit of softness, but the dress cleverly enhanced her strengths and hid her flaws.
The puff sleeves covered her thicker upper arms, the ruffled V-neck made her neck look longer, and her waist appeared slim with an emphasized curve at the hips.
Lin Su even playfully tied her hair into a loose side braid using a matching fabric flower accessory. If she had added makeup, she would have looked like a modern “soft aesthetic beauty.”
Her fiancé, Wu Jianguo, stared at her in shock.
“Xiao Shan… you look amazing. Like a movie star.”
Shanshan lifted her chin proudly. “Of course I look good. If I wore that wool coat, I’d look even better.”
Wu Jianguo leaned over and quietly asked Lin Su, “Comrade… how much is this dress?”
Lin Su held up seven fingers.
“Seven yuan? That’s still quite expensive.”
A store-bought dacron shirt already cost around seven yuan, so Wu Jianguo hesitated.
“This price includes fabric. If you bring your own fabric, it’s cheaper—four yuan, just for labor,” Lin Su explained.
Shanshan had already decided not to take it off.
“Alright, Comrade. We’ll take it.”
They quietly completed the transaction in a corner. A stack of one-yuan bills was handed to Lin Su—warm and real in her hands.
It was her first income.
“Comrade, I want to ask—if I order a wool coat from you, how much would it cost?” Wu Jianguo asked.
“If you provide the material, a coat is thirty yuan.”
“Why so expensive?”
Lin Su shook her head. “Coats need tailoring to fit the body, and winter clothes are much more complex than summer ones. If you want wedding clothes, sweaters, and suits all made by me, and you provide the materials, I can give you a package price—seventy yuan for everything.”
Wu Jianguo hesitated again.
“It’s fine. Take your time to think. I still need to buy fabric anyway. I’m from Yu Family Village—my name is Lin Su. If you want, you can come find me there. It’s a bit expensive, but I believe there isn’t a tailor in all of Haicheng who can make wool coats like I can.”
After her first successful sale, Lin Su even gave them a few free hair accessories. She then used her fabric coupons to buy several rolls of cloth she liked, some cotton, and a few pounds of yarn before heading downstairs.
But Yu Minghai and Yu Xiuli were still there.
Qin Zhoucheng had also arrived, looking slightly impatient, holding a cloth bag.
Yu Xiuli was still talking to Qin Zhoucheng. When she saw Lin Su, he walked straight toward her, leaving her behind.
“What did you buy?” he asked.
“Fabric. I’ll make clothes and quilts for you,” Lin Su replied.
“Lin Su, who is he?” Yu Minghai suddenly asked.
Lin Su pretended not to hear him.
Qin Zhoucheng opened his bag. “I bought some daily necessities. See if it’s enough.”
He didn’t hide it at all. Everyone could clearly see inside the bag—several bottles and tins: “Wanziqianhong” cream, “Yashuang” cold cream, “Pien Tze Huang” pearl cream, a powder compact, blush, and even a tube of lipstick.
“Yashuang—that’s Yashuang! You actually bought such expensive things for Lin Su?” Yu Xiuli screamed.