"That outfit belonged to my father. It's one of the few keepsakes he left for my mother and me…"
As soon as Xu Xiaoyue said this, the others immediately understood.
"But… the style looks a bit too youthful," Zheng Jiaojiao couldn't hold back, her tone carrying a hint of accusation.
"Is that so? I didn't realize Jiaojiao observed so carefully. That outfit was what my father wore when he got married in his youth. He kept it for many years, reluctant to take it out and wear it."
Xu Xiaoyue lowered her gaze and answered each question one by one.
"Good child, it's all in the past," Liu Ye stepped forward to ease the tension.
Zheng Jiaojiao hadn't expected Xu Xiaoyue to be so adept at making excuses. Her father's clothes? She was certain it wasn't true at all.
This frustration simmered in her heart, but Zheng Jiaojiao couldn't press further. If she continued, it would only make her seem overly fixated on the matter.
Liu Ye was a person of strong initiative. Right after the meal, she had Yan Shuli take the two girls out for a stroll.
Zheng Jiaojiao was quite happy to spend time with Yan Shuli. She would have been even happier if Xu Xiaoyue, that eyesore, weren't around.
Xu Xiaoyue paid no mind to what Zheng Jiaojiao was thinking. In the 1970s, Beijing already had buses. The group boarded one and soon arrived at the state-run supermarket.
Looking at the four large characters on the signboard, with two stone lions placed beneath, the entire building was dedicated to the state-run supermarket. Even by later standards, this structure could be considered impressive.
She stepped inside. The clerk resting on the counter was momentarily dazzled upon seeing Xu Xiaoyue's face and rose to attend to her. However, after giving her clothes a once-over, the clerk slowly slumped back down.
In those days, salesclerks didn't offer the "customer is god" service of later generations. Sometimes, you even had to mind their moods.
Still, the state-run supermarket had a wide variety of clothing styles, including ready-made garments and fabrics.
Xu Xiaoyue gave a quick scan. Most of the ready-made clothes were fashionable Lenin suits or shirts in various colors—the styles were pitifully monotonous.
By the standards of the time, these clothes were stylish, but Xu Xiaoyue didn't fancy a single one.
Since it was girls picking out clothes, Yan Shuli didn't follow them.
Zheng Jiaojiao was dazzled by the array of choices. As if struck by a thought, she let go of the arm she was holding and smiled sweetly. "Sister Yue, why don't we split up and pick out the clothes we like on our own?"
Xu Xiaoyue nodded, watching as Zheng Jiaojiao happily skipped away.
After circling the first floor several times, Xu Xiaoyue only took a liking to a cardigan and a skirt. The cardigan's cut was decent, but the style was far too simple.
Before transmigrating into the book, Xu Xiaoyue had studied design. Not only was she beautiful, but she also loved beauty—everything she wore and used was exquisite.
"Excuse me, how much are these two pieces?"
As soon as she spoke, the nearby salesclerk lifted her eyelids, quoted a price, and then lowered her head again, fiddling with some beads.
The plump pearls shimmered under the light. Xu Xiaoyue glanced at them a few times—they were polished and buffed artificial pearls, but they would look nice as embellishments on clothing.
She leaned closer and asked, "Are these pearls for sale too?"
"Yes, do you want to buy them? They're on discount now, no coupons needed. Ten cents each." At the mention of pearls, the clerk perked up a bit.
Speaking of which, these pearls have been sitting here for over half a year. Even though they’re cheap, they can’t be eaten as food or worn as clothes. Many people ask about them, but few actually buy them.
Just the other day, during a meeting, it was emphasized that the current top priority is to sell off this pile of pearls by any means necessary.
Xu Xiaoyue estimated the price wasn’t high. She held the pearls against her cardigan, determined the placement, bought a box of needles and thread, and began sewing right away.
Her fingers were as slender and fair as scallion stalks. Threading the needle and stitching deftly, she attached the pearls and buttons to the garment. Once finished, the ordinary piece of clothing looked completely transformed.
“How… how did you do this?” Several saleswomen exclaimed, gathering around the garment and running their hands over it in awe.
Xu Xiaoyue smiled without answering. After letting them admire it, she took the modified garment into the fitting room, changed into it, and stepped out.
The perfectly fitted blouse accentuated her slender waist. Not only had she sewn on pearls, but she had also taken in the waist and tucked the hem into her skirt. Paired with the small leather shoes on her feet, the look was both innocent and subtly alluring.
The saleswomen stared, eyes wide, almost itching to reach out and touch it.
“Not bad, but the skirt feels like it’s missing something,” she remarked after turning in a circle.
“I’ll take this blouse!” A sharp, bright voice rang out as a young woman strode forward, tugging at Xu Xiaoyue’s sleeve and addressing the nearby sales staff.
“Comrade, this blouse was modified by me, and I’ve already paid for it. If you like it, you can buy the materials and make one yourself,” Xu Xiaoyue replied carefully, gently pulling her sleeve free from the woman’s grasp.
“No, I want the one you’re wearing. How much?” The woman turned to the saleswomen.
The saleswomen looked uneasy. It wasn’t for no reason—the young woman before them was Sun Ningning from the cultural troupe, practically a VIP customer at their state-owned supermarket. None of them wanted to offend her.
Not getting the response she wanted, Sun Ningning turned and glared at Xu Xiaoyue with a hostile expression. “How much did you pay for it? I’ll give you double. I want the one you’re wearing.”
Xu Xiaoyue gave a slight smirk. They say poverty breeds troublemakers, but in her opinion, even in this prime piece of the capital, there weren’t many people with good manners.
If the young woman had asked politely, Xu Xiaoyue wouldn’t have minded helping her make one—she didn’t consider herself stingy. But with this entitled attitude from the start, sorry, she wasn’t going to cater to it.
She grabbed her bag and prepared to leave.
“Hey, didn’t you hear me?” Sun Ningning blocked Xu Xiaoyue’s path, her gaze fixed intently on the blouse. She had never seen such a style before. If she could take it back and have the textile factory replicate it exactly… Besides, she genuinely liked it.
Xu Xiaoyue ignored her and stepped to the side to walk around.
“Don’t you dare leave! Stop right there!” Seeing that Xu Xiaoyue paid her no mind, Sun Ningning was fuming. She blocked the woman’s path again.
At this point, Xu Xiaoyue was genuinely amused. If Sun Ningning thought she could be pushed around like a soft persimmon, she had another thing coming. Xu Xiaoyue spoke up.
“Comrade, a good dog doesn’t block the way.”
“Who are you calling a dog?!” Sun Ningning had never encountered such a defiant woman. Usually, people would cower at just a glance from her.
“You think you can brush me off? Even if you bought that blouse, since I’ve taken a liking to it, you’ll have to take it off.”
Sun Ningning spoke while pulling at Xu Xiaoyue's clothes. The clerks exchanged glances, none daring to step forward and speak up.
Xu Xiaoyue pushed her away. She could see it clearly now—this crazy woman was determined to pester her today. As for the clerks nearby, none wanted to offend anyone; they were all waiting to watch the drama unfold.
Fine. If they didn't want her to have peace, then no one would!
"Bullying! Tearing off clothes in broad daylight! Is there no justice in a state-run supermarket?"