Rebirth in the ’70s: The Cold-Faced Commander’s Pampered Feisty Wife

In the year 1977, Zhan Nanhui, a former Deputy Director of the National Security Bureau, was undercover as a “re-educated” criminal doing manual labor in the countryside. His mission was compro...

Chapter 30 An Opportunity

Zhan Nanhui's mouth drooped and he watched the bus leave with a stern face.

Tang Ah got a car and sat next to Yi Anan enthusiastically. "I took your money, so I have to do the job. Besides, I saw the address of that sister Lan last time. It's over there at the People's Stadium. It's far away. There are no cars there. You have to walk. It's too tiring for you to carry the basket. Let me help you!"

Yi Anan had no choice but to nod and looked back at the station helplessly.

Zhan Nanhui had already disappeared.

Yi Anan sighed, this is the only way now!

After getting off the car, we went to Sister Lan's house, which was really far, three streets away. Fortunately, Tang A carried Yi Anan so the journey was so easy.

Arriving at Sister Lan's house, they knocked on the door. After a while, Sister Lan came out and smiled when she saw Yi An'an. "It's great that you're here. I've finished eating several pickles. We've had guests at home these days. My guests are just like other guests. They're tired of eating big fish and meat, so they like these small pickles to relieve the greasiness. They all like them so much that some even want to take them away. Even my husband praised me for buying good things this time!"

As Sister Lan spoke, she called Yi An'an and Tang A'er in and put the jars of pickles in the basket on the table.

Today Yi Anan is wearing a grey quilted jacket and black pants. Although the colors are light, her hair ends are slightly curled up, and the red velvet butterfly flower on her head, coupled with her pink face, makes her look particularly beautiful.

Sister Lan took a look at Yi An'an's hair and asked, "Did you also get your hair permed at the state-owned barber shop on the next street? Why haven't I seen anyone with this hairstyle?"

Yi Anan said quickly: "Sister Lan, yes, I permed these by myself with an iron stick, and only permed the tail. I permed it for Sister Dani from the scrap yard to make it look better. Now the sisters over there all ask me to perm their hair!"

When Sister Lan heard that it was permed with an iron rod, she thought it was a bit ugly, but the fluffy feeling was really good-looking, so she said, "How about this, I'll take you to the state-owned barber shop, borrow a hairdresser from there, and you design a hairstyle for me. After the design is done, I will treat you badly!"

Yi Anan was planning to sell the perm hairstyles she knew to state-owned barber shops, but the threshold of today's barber shops is high and they don't look people in the eye. If she went there rashly, no one would pay attention to her. She had permed so many hair for the sisters at the scrap station before, and she also wanted to find a way out. Unfortunately, the circle of the sisters at the scrap station was not as good as that of the director's wife. Now was really an opportunity.

Yi Anan quickly agreed. She gave Tang A'jiu one dollar, told him to take a look around and then go back, then followed Sister Lan out the door.

It can be seen that Sister Lan is an old customer of the state-owned barber shop. As soon as she entered the door, the oldest female staff member in a white coat came to greet her.

"Lan Zhi, you came early this month. Didn't you always come at the end of the month before?" the female Zhi asked with a smile.

"Sister Hua, you're here to get a haircut today. You want a perm, but you want my little sister to do it for me personally. Let me tell you, she worked in a state-owned barber shop in a big city. She has good skills and her hairstyles are fashionable. I want her to try it on me." Sister Lan said.

Sister Hua glanced at Yi Anan and asked, "So what you mean is..."

"Bring out your most precious perm tool and let her use it!" said Sister Lan.

Sister Hua was stunned for a moment, and whispered: "This equipment has just been shipped from Guangdong. Only I can operate it. I'm afraid this little Zhi can do it, right?"

When Sister Lan heard this, she felt more confident and looked at Yi Anan.

In fact, Yi Anan saw the equipment placed in the corner as soon as she entered the door. In the 1970s and 1980s, hair was permed with electricity. After curling the hair, the curlers were hung up with wires and electrified on the surface, just like charging robots in science fiction movies.

In the 1980s, Yi Anan worked in a barber shop and knew how to do hair straightening and hat curling.

Yi Anan nodded at Sister Lan.

Sister Lan also knew where the courage came from, and immediately said to Sister Hua: "Let her try!"

Sister Hua had no choice but to agree, and she put down her hair and chatted with Yi Anan for a long time before going to cut the customer's hair.

Yi Anan looked at the hairpins, then selected a few curling angles based on Sister Lan's facial features and began to curl her hair.

Sister Lan looked at Yi An'an in the mirror and said, "I can tell you, you may embarrass me later, but I will forgive you!"

"Sister, please don't worry. I will definitely embarrass you!" Yi Anan said with a smile.

Seeing her firm tone, Sister Lan felt more relieved.

After curling her hair, Yi An'an went to plug in the power cord. She didn't dare to leave, but watched from the side, adjusting Sister Lan's hairstyle at any time.

Sister Hua was still cautious at first. She kept an eye on Yi Anan while cutting the customer's hair, fearing that she would damage the equipment. But now that she saw that she was really capable of doing it, she slowly became more cautious.

When the forty minutes were up, Yi An'an turned off the power, slowly spread out Lan Jie's hair, then took the scissors and trimmed it bit by bit.

When Sister Lan's hair was completely dried, she looked at herself in the mirror, raised her eyebrows in surprise, and shook her hair with great satisfaction.

Yi Anan's permed hair is soft and shiny, the curls are very elastic, and it is trimmed in a very fashionable way. At first glance, it actually looks somewhat familiar.

"Oh my, is this the same hairstyle as the Hong Kong and Taiwan stars on my calendar!" Sister Lan took a look and immediately said, "My calendar is new and they said we don't have it here yet. Have you seen it?" Sister Lan suddenly remembered, clapped her hands, and quickly asked Yi Anan.

Yi Anan smiled and said, "I come from the countryside, where have I seen calendars for women from Hong Kong and Taiwan? I just saw a hairstyle booklet when I was in a bookstore before. There are many fashionable hairstyles in it. I'll draw them for you to see. If you like any of them, I'll make them for you next time!"

Yi Anan wanted to promote her fashionable hairstyles, so she asked for paper and pen and quickly drew three or four of them. They were really full of Hong Kong and Taiwan style.

Sister Guanglan likes these hairstyles, and even the women who come to get their hair cut like them too, and they all ask the store manager if he can do them.

That sister Hua is the store manager. She has never seen these hairstyles before, so naturally she knows how to do them.

“Sister Lan, can you ask your sister to make one for us? We’ll pay double the price!” Seeing that the store manager could do it, those customers who knew Sister Lan went to ask her for help.

Sister Lan raised her hand, supported her hairstyle, and said, "I have short hair, so I can do all these long hairstyles. I'll give them to you, but I can't do it for free. It will cost twice as much as the haircut!"

The women all agreed.

Sister Lan looked at Yi Anan again: "Can you do it for them when you have time?"

Yi Anan smiled and shook her head.