"You wait here for a bit, let tidy up, and I’ll take you to the supply and marketing cooperative." Aunt Zhong knew she was going to buy fabric.
Tian Sangsang was about to nod when Aunt Li called out to both of them from nearby, asking to go back together since she’d already finished her shopping.
Sangsang offered proactively, "Auntie, how about you and Aunt Li head back first? You’ve already finished buying your things, and I don’t want to trouble you to accompany for another round of shopping. Besides, it’s my first ti in town; I want to walk around more. I don’t know how long I’ll be wandering, so I don’t want to waste your ti."
"Alright then." Aunt Zhong had things to do at ho and didn’t insist. "I’ll take you to the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative."
"Oh, there’s no need, Auntie. I know the way to the cooperative."
She spoke confidently, but the result—
This street, neither too small nor too big. Initially, Tian Sangsang accidentally walked in the opposite direction, ending up in front of rows of farmhouses. Among them, only one farmhouse stood out conspicuously. For so reason, she suddenly rembered what that woman had been saying earlier—Teacher Xu’s house is near South Third Road—so this must be the place? Red bricks, green tiles, a neatly-built bungalow with a lovely pale-color fence encircling its yard. In the yard stood a longan tree, a large grape trellis stretching overhead, and to the right, a swing gently swaying...
After glancing at it for a while, Tian Sangsang turned back and finally found the location of the supply and marketing cooperative, situated amidst the bustling streets. Among the streams of passersby, there were occasionally a few individuals riding bicycles, dressed in military-green clothes, drawing the curious looks of those around them.
Inside the supply and marketing cooperative, there were two won on either side of the counter.
One was sitting on a chair, her hands busily knitting a brown n’s sweater; the other was leaning idly against the counter. She was plumper than the first woman and reached into a plate, loudly cracking sunflower seeds.
When Tian Sangsang entered, the round-faced woman examined her and imdiately stepped back with a look of disgust, snorting lightly through her nose.
Sangsang felt a little uncomfortable. Thinking of the future, where bosses, waitstaff, and shop clerks all treated custors politely—no matter how aloof, they wouldn’t roll their eyes at you—it beca clear this place was different. The locals were obviously condescending and arrogant. This was her first experience of such behavior, and she was both shocked and annoyed. Fortunately, she had read about the historical context before. Back then, supply and marketing staff, communal canteen workers, and grain station clerks all carried themselves with a smug air.
The town’s supply and marketing cooperative was only one story tall, but its selection was still pretty extensive, attracting plenty of custors.
Tian Sangsang went in and paid no mind to anyone’s gaze. She planned to make her son a few sets of clothes since his current ones were worn out and needed replacing. With the sumr season, clothes had to be changed more frequently. Unlike people in the village, who didn’t switch out outfits every day—trying that would earn judgntal stares imdiately.
She intended to make two sets of sumr clothes and one for autumn for her little darling. In sumr, it was best to wear sothing light and breathable to avoid the heat. Sangsang herself wore darkcolored clothing today—what could she do? She was chubby, and dark outfits gave the illusion of slimness. Besides, her skin seed inexplicably dark, and anything white or light-colored would only create a sharp contrast that made it worse! She’d rather wear black than eye-catching patterns—it’d be embarrassing to look like a dancing clown.
One word: unsightly!
Bolts of fabric lined the shelves, ranging from black, blue, and gray to lighter, breezier colors. There was also "Dacron," a type of synthetic material that was more expensive than ordinary fabric, though her supply tickets would cover it.
Tian Sangsang picked out a piece of light green Dacron, along with so pale blue fabric for ng Shuyan. For herself, she selected a floral-patterned fabric—oh well, she’d buy it now and save it for when she successfully slimd down.
"Ew, what’s that sll? All earthy and muddy..." A disgusted voice sounded nearby. Sangsang turned her head, and her gaze t with the speaker’s.
It was one of two fashionable girls in the street—the trendier one, no less.
"Ugh, her again." Yao Fangfang murmured softly at Shui Lian’s ear, but Sangsang heard it clearly.
"Don’t look anymore; let’s go," Shui Lian tugged her away.
So, it turned out that even well-dressed people weren’t always likable.
After selecting her fabric, Sangsang queued up at the counter. Just as she was about to speak to the round-faced woman, soone squeezed past her from behind. Yao Fangfang snapped irritably, "Hillbilly, you’re blocking !"
Then she arrogantly directed the shop assistant, "Handle my checkout first."
"Of course!" The shop assistant eagerly complied; she was sharp-eyed, instantly noticing Yao Fangfang’s good looks, along with her stylish clothing and expensive fabric, dried ats, snacks, and decorative trinkets—not cheap at all. She began checking out Yao Fangfang’s items without hesitation.
As for the "hillbilly," one glance was enough to judge she couldn’t read, didn’t understand the prices marked on the fabric edges, and was likely here to ask the prices.
In the showcase, there were so balls of yarn, and beside them a piece of stiff paper with the price written on it, stuck to the counter.
An elderly village woman respectfully asked the sweater-knitting shop assistant, "Comrade, how much is this?"
She asked several tis, but the assistant didn’t even lift her head.
"Comrade, how much is this? I can’t read; whatever you say it costs, that’s what I’ll pay." The village woman said hesitantly, repeating herself.
"Comrade."
"Comrade..."
"Oh, what now?" The assistant snapped impatiently. "Why are you shouting? If you can’t read, why did you even co to the cooperative?!" Every day there were country bumpkins asking this price and that price—they didn’t need these people buying their stuff anyway! If you couldn’t afford it, you shouldn’t even ask. Annoying!
Both shop assistants were the kind who looked down on people, and Sangsang was so furious she could barely contain herself, her fingers curling tightly. Forget it. She’d tolerate it for now.
Finally, Yao Fangfang finished her checkout, and Sangsang stepped forward. Yao Fangfang’s companion Shui Lian, without skipping a beat, stepped in front of Sangsang again as if she didn’t see her. She calmly said, "Mine, too."
What were these people?
Worse than thugs.
"Everyone, stop right now!" Sangsang cleared her throat and bellowed, "Let ask the two of you comrades—is this your attitude toward serving the people? I was here first! There’s sothing called first co, first served, isn’t there? Why are you prioritizing their paynt? Is it because they’re dressed well? Unbelievable, you’re nothing more than sycophants!"
The sweater-knitting shop assistant opened her mouth to retaliate.
"You—I’m talking about you!" Sangsang interrupted her, "That elderly lady has asked you several tis, and you didn’t even say one word. What’s the aning of that?"
The shop fell silent.
All the custors turned to look at Sangsang.
The sweater-knitter put down her knitting.
The other assistant paused in counting Shui Lian’s items.
Yao Fangfang and Shui Lian were dumbfounded, staring at her in disbelief.
"Oh, so you’ve got so nerve," Yao Fangfang sneered. Mocking her tone, she said, "If you wanted to check out, why didn’t you say so earlier? Soone as bulky as you standing there—how would I know you’re here for checkout?"
Actually, as a well-read person, she usually behaved politely. She had simply decided to bypass Sangsang when she first saw her standing in front of her—bullying her for what she looked like. So what? Ugly and fat, yet daring to show herself like this—what a joke!
A fat woman thinking she could create justice by making a ruckus? In the end, wouldn’t she just embarrass herself?
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