After buying groceries the next morning, Lin Wei went to the supply and marketing cooperative next door.
Zhao Li happened to be there. She must have heard Liu Dan say that Lin Wei went to the beach with them. When she saw her come in, she smiled and asked, "Are you here to buy rubber shoes and gloves?"
"Yes." Lin Wei responded with a smile, and simply asked her directly, "Do you have any?"
"Should be available." Zhao Li turned around and called her colleague at the industrial products counter, "Do you have rubber shoes and gloves?"
The lady at the industrial products counter replied, "Yes, what size rubber shoes do you want? How high? What color? Do you want nylon gloves?"
"Yes, the gloves must be nylon, and the rubber shoes must be size 36, knee-high, and any color is fine." Lin Wei said as she walked towards the industrial products counter.
The counter of the supply and marketing cooperative is divided into two parts. The front is a long glass counter, and the back is a shelf built along the wall and as high as the roof. The bottom layer of the shelf is a cabinet used to store goods other than samples.
After hearing what Lin Wei said, the lady at the counter turned around and opened the cabinet at the back. She took out three pairs of knee-high rubber shoes in red, blue and black for her to choose from: "Which pair do you want?"
Lin Wei thanked them and started to select them one by one.
It was still early and not many people were in the supply and marketing cooperative. Zhao Li came over from her counter and gave her advice: "I think it's better to buy the red one, the color looks festive. The blue one is also okay, it's quite bright. Don't buy the black one, it looks old-fashioned."
"Red is nice, but will it be hard to match with other clothes?" Lin Wei hesitated.
This question was a little unexpected for Zhao Li, mainly because people these days usually wear only a few styles of clothes, and it is good enough to keep their clothes clean and tidy when going out. Few people care about matching.
What's more, a pair of rubber shoes is not used in normal times, so no one will care about you when it rains.
But Zhao Li didn't think Lin Wei was meddling. She just looked up and looked at her carefully.
Needless to say, Lin Wei has been well-dressed since she was young. Zhao Li looked at her dressing and found that her clothes, although simple, were actually very particular.
For example, the white shirt Lin Wei is wearing, looks loose and nothing special at first glance, but a closer look reveals that her collar is different from ordinary ones, it is narrower, and the shoulder line is wider than ordinary shirts. The change is not big, but it looks less rigid.
Her skirt is also different from ordinary ones. It is wider at the waist, just right to pinch her slender waist, and the hem is slightly loose, showing her slim figure.
The most special thing is the sandals on her feet. They are not the popular plastic sandals in the city, nor are they made of cloth like those commonly worn in rural areas. Instead, they look like straw sandals and are light in color. They match her outfit very well and show her temperament.
Zhao Li was very excited and asked, "Where did you buy these shoes? Are they made of straw?"
This question came a little suddenly. Lin Wei looked down along her line of sight before she reacted and said, "It's my aunt from my hometown village. She can weave straw and is good at sewing. I saw the shoes she was wearing before and thought they were pretty, so I asked her to make a few pairs for me."
People at this time also love to follow fashion. Men's leather shoes should wear 765, women's leather shoes should buy T-strap shoes, and sports shoes should buy Huili brand. They were the kind of cloth shoes with thousand-layer soles commonly worn in rural areas. Most city dwellers might not even look at them, not to mention that Lin Wei's shoes were made of straw.
Therefore, although Lin Wei saw that Zhao Li was somewhat interested, she did not rush to sell her the shoes, but only explained the source of the shoes.
Before seeing the pair of shoes on Lin Wei's feet, Zhao Li might not have liked the straw sandals, but she had a preconceived idea and didn't think about anything else. After Lin Wei finished speaking, she asked, "Does your aunt still make shoes for others in your hometown?"
"I'm going to write back and ask, do you want to do it?" Lin Wei asked again.
Zhao Li nodded: "I think the sandals on your feet are very nice and breathable, so I want to make two pairs."
Lin Wei didn't rush to agree, and asked, "How big are your feet?"
"I can wear shoes of size 36 or 37."
Zhao Li's feet are slightly bigger than Lin Wei's, but they should still fit. Lin Wei thought for a moment and said, "How about this? You try the shoes on my feet first. If you think they look good, I'll write back and ask for you. How do you think?"
"That's great," Zhao Li said happily, looking around and asking, "Shall we try it here, or should I go to your house after get off work?"
Lin Wei said, "As long as there's a seat, it's fine."
While the two were chatting, the lady at the industrial products counter was squatting and looking for gloves in the bottom shelf of the glass counter. After finally finding a dozen, she stood up and saw the two people go behind the counter. She asked what kind of shoes they were and went over to take a look.
At the counter, Lin Wei had already sat on the stool where Zhao Li usually rested and took off her sandals. Zhao Li was squatting on the ground trying to put them on her feet. They were a little tight, but not to the point where she couldn't get into them. She said she put a little effort on one shoe and then switched to put on the other.
After putting it on, Zhao Li stepped back and asked, "How is it?"
The lady at the industrial products counter saw the shoes on Zhao Li's feet and said in surprise: "These shoes look good, they make your feet look very delicate."
"Isn't it?" Zhao Li smiled and looked down at her feet, feeling very satisfied.
But she was not happy for two minutes before the lady at the industrial products counter spoke again: "But you have to change your clothes. They don't match your shoes."
Zhao Li groaned and turned to look at Lin Wei, "Do you also think it's inappropriate?"
Although the supply and marketing cooperatives did not have uniforms, employees were allowed to wear their own clothes. But Zhao Lixia's clothes are basically the same, all shirts and long pants that go above the ankles, which is indeed inappropriate with straw sandals.
Lin Wei said: "These shoes go better with the skirt."
"Like this." The smile on Zhao Li's face faded. She used to be embarrassed to wear skirts, so there were no skirts in her closet. She was not sure if it was worth buying a skirt just to match a pair of shoes.
Seeing what Zhao Li meant, Lin Wei smiled and said, "Actually, although these shoes look good, they can only be paired with a limited number of clothes. They are also easy to rub your feet. You can't wear them far away. I just wear them in the family quarters. You can think about it again."
"Okay, I'll think about it." Zhao Li took off her shoes and returned them to Lin Wei, saying, "I'm sorry for bothering you just now."
Lin Wei smiled and said, "You're welcome, we're neighbors."
After putting on her shoes, Lin Wei returned to the industrial products counter, considered and chose a pair of black rubber shoes, and then picked up a pair of nylon gloves that fit the size of her palms.
In addition to the rubber shoes she wore herself, Lin Wei also bought two small pairs for her two children. But there were no nylon gloves for children, so Lin Wei had to give up.
Rubber shoes and gloves are both industrial products and must be purchased with industrial coupons, but industrial coupons only supply fixed items in limited quantities.
Fortunately, Zong Shao had just received his salary before going to sea, and he did not return all the industrial coupons to his colleagues. He kept a few small ones, which were just enough to buy three pairs of rubber shoes and a pair of gloves.
After paying the money, Lin Wei asked the brothers for their opinions and weighed some lychees and jackfruits.
Because Lin Wei always comes to buy fruits in the morning, Zhao Li often opens the jackfruit shop earlier in the morning. However, jackfruits sell well and now they are basically sold out by noon, so there is no impact.
When handing the jackfruit wrapped in oil paper to Lin Wei, Zhao Li asked, "Do you eat durian?"
Lin Wei had been on the island for so long, but she had never seen the supply and marketing cooperative selling durian, so she asked, "I've never eaten it, what's wrong?"
Zhao Li said, "The supply and marketing cooperative is going to buy some durians. If you want to eat them, I'll save one for you."
Most people can definitely swallow other fruits even if they don’t particularly like them, but durian is different. People who love this fruit love it very much, while people who hate it can’t stand the smell of it.
There are not many people in the family quarters who can accept durian, so the supply and marketing cooperative doesn’t buy many durians. Zhao Li had her own selfish motives for buying them this time, as she is one of those who love durian. She saw that Lin Wei bought fruits in different styles and seemed to like them all, so she asked another question.
Lin Wei was a little hesitant and asked, "Old shígGdujia, do you sell durian separately? I have never eaten it before, and I am not sure if I can accept it."
As a durian lover, Zhao Li has always been generous in recommending durian to others, because if more people in the family quarters eat durian, the supply and marketing cooperative will have a stable durian supply, and she will be able to achieve durian freedom sooner.
Thinking of this, Zhao Li said enthusiastically: "It's okay, I'll open the durian and leave some for you to taste. Don't worry, although durian smells bad, it still tastes very fragrant."
Lin Wei said cheerfully: "Okay, if it tastes good, I'll buy one too."
Zhao Li rubbed her hands, touched the brothers' heads and said, "There will be delicious food in a few days."
Mingming was rather naive, but after hearing what Zhao Li said, he began to look forward to the durian that was about to enter his mouth. Ruirui, on the other hand, had a thoughtful look on his face. How could a fruit that smelled stinky taste good?
He expressed doubts about this.
…
On Sunday, Lin Wei got up before daybreak, went downstairs to cook porridge, and then went back upstairs to wake up the two children.
Both brothers had difficulty getting up. Lin Wei called them for half an hour. In order to save time, she put on the clothes of both children. When she went downstairs, Ruirui's eyelids were still fighting.
Lin Wei called out, and the little guy reluctantly opened his eyes, said "oh" and walked downstairs.
After brushing their teeth and washing their faces, the two brothers finally woke up completely. However, Ruirui was still lazy. After coming out of the bathroom, he moved a small stool to the door and sat in a daze without saying a word.
Mingming was looking forward to today's trip. He followed Lin Wei from the bathroom to the kitchen, asking "Mom, is it fun to go fishing?" and "Mom, can we catch crabs?", which made Lin Wei's head hurt. She said, "You'll know when we get there."
Breakfast is simple, a pot of porridge, a plate of pickles, and three sweet potatoes.
Lin Wei thought she got up early enough, as dinner was only served at half past six. However, Liu Dan came over while they were eating.
She was wearing a half-worn round-necked shirt today, and her pants were also patched. She was wearing rubber shoes, carrying an iron bucket on her arm, and holding a pair of half-worn nylon gloves in her hand. She was fully equipped.
Seeing her, Lin Wei hurriedly got up and went into the house to get a stool, and asked: "Have you had breakfast? Do you want to eat together?"
"I came here after drinking some porridge." Liu Dan waved his hand and asked the two brothers with a smile, "Are you happy to go fishing today?"
Mingming shouted, "Happy! Aunt Liu, can we catch some big crabs today?"
"Want to catch big crabs?" Liu Dan asked with a smile.
Mingming nodded vigorously: "I really want to."
"Okay," Liu Dan nodded and said confidently, "Then let's catch big crabs today."
Before Mingming could even cheer, she heard her mother say, "Sister Liu, don't worry about him. I'll take them to find him when the time comes. Don't let him delay your work."
"It's okay, don't delay. I used to catch crabs often." Liu Dan said with a smile.
After hearing what Liu Dan said, Mingming became proud again and winked at Lin Wei, causing her to say unhappily, "Eat quickly, we're leaving soon."
"No problem!" Mingming agreed immediately and buried his head in drinking porridge.
…
After breakfast, Lin Wei didn't rush to wash the dishes. She put the dishes in the kitchen, locked the door, put on rubber shoes, put on a hat, and went out with iron bucket gloves.
The hat was a gift from Deng Xiangyun to Lin Wei. Its style was similar to the straw hats commonly seen in rural areas, but it was made of cotton cloth, and the brim was fixed with wire so that the hat would not collapse easily.
Very novel style, doesn't look cheap at first glance.
Therefore, Lin Wei refused to accept it at first, but Deng Xiangyun said that the hat was handmade by her and didn't cost much, and she also thanked her for taking care of Xiao Shitou.
As she was talking, Lin Wei couldn't hold on any longer and put away her hat.
But this hat is really good, it looks good, and the brim is wide, which is very effective in blocking the sun.
But Lin Wei seldom goes out. She usually goes out to buy groceries in the morning. After dinner, when the sun is not so strong, she will take a walk along the beach depending on the situation. It is not often used.
Although they went out early today, it was uncertain when they would be back, so Lin Wei put on the hat.
"This hat is great for keeping out the sun!"
After Liu Dan finished praising, the next sentence was: "Where did you buy this hat?" The first time Lin Wei came out of the house, she fell in love with the hat on her head.
Lin Wei felt that this question sounded familiar. Then she thought, wasn't this what Zhao Li asked her a few days ago? I couldn't help laughing.
Liu Dan was puzzled and asked, "Why are you laughing so hard?"
Lin Wei told Liu Dan about the shoes. After listening, Liu Dan looked at her carefully and said, "You are really well dressed. For example, I look like I am going to work now, but you look like you are going to experience life."
"It's not that exaggerated." Lin Wei smiled, locked the door, carried the bucket, and called the two children to go out.
Liu Dan said as they walked: "How can this be considered an exaggeration? And have you noticed that many young wives of military officers in the family quarters are imitating your dressing style? In the past, most people wore pants, but now more and more people wear skirts. I am just old, otherwise I would have bought two skirts too."
Lin Wei laughed: "You are not even thirty yet, how can you be considered old?"
"I'll be thirty in the second half of the year, isn't that too old?"
"Thirty years old is not that old. What's important is your mentality. If your mentality is young, you will look younger."
As they were talking, the two of them walked to the door of Zhou's house. Deng Xiangyun was not at work today and was squatting in the yard washing clothes. Seeing Lin Wei and the other three, she stood up and walked out to greet them: "Why are you leaving so early?"
"Yes, go early and come back early." Lin Wei said.
Liu Dan asked, "Do you want to go with us?"
Deng Xiangyun shook her head and said with a smile: "I'd better forget it. There are a lot of things going on at home." She was used to being cautious in her words and actions, and she never dared to do something like this that everyone in the family quarters had done.
Liu Dan was not surprised to hear this, he waved his hand and said, "Then we'll leave first."
Lin Wei also waved and left with the two children.
…
I have to say, going to the beach is very different from what Lin Wei had imagined.
When she first came to the island, Lin Wei imagined going to the beach to be filled with sunshine, sand, and lobsters and crabs that popped up when the water receded. But in reality, what she saw was sunshine, beach, and mudflats submerged by the sea.
But the scenery is still beautiful, with the mudflats extending from the beach and sinking into the blue sea. The sea water above the mudflats is clear blue, and you can see the bottom structure of the mudflats clearly.
But they arrived a little late. The mudflats near the shore had already been searched and there were no big fish left. What they touched were basically shellfish the size of fingernails.
After searching for a while, Liu Dan, Zhao Li and the others said they wanted to move forward and asked Lin Wei if she wanted to go.
Lin Wei glanced at the two children who were stepping in the sea and trying hard to search, shook her head and said, "You go ahead, I'll take the children to have a look over there." She raised her hand and pointed forward. That side was farther away and no one had gone there yet.
"Okay, let's go." Liu Dan waved his hand and went to the front with Zhao Li and the others.
Lin Wei took her two children along the coastline, bending over and using a shovel to dig up the water while heading towards less crowded areas.
Facts proved that Lin Wei's choice was correct. Not long after they started walking, they found more things. Although they were all shellfish, the two children were very satisfied with their harvest and became more and more excited.
Suddenly, Mingming shouted, "Mom! What a big lobster!"
Lin Wei ran over and saw a shrimp burrowing into the mud at high speed. Mingming was still shouting beside it: "Mom, hurry up! It's running away!"
Lin Wei responded with an "okay", took the shovel in her right hand and reached in, prying open a piece of sand and mud.
There was nothing with the first shovel, so Lin Wei quickly used the second shovel. With this shovel, she finally saw the shrimp tail, so she quickly used the third shovel.
Mingming didn't see it clearly, so he stretched his neck and asked, "Did you catch it? Did you catch it?"
Lin Wei used her gloves to peel the mud off the shrimp, then rinsed it in the sea water, and then spread her hands in front of the two children: "I caught it."
"Mom is so awesome!" Mingming said excitedly, reaching out to catch the shrimp.
When Lin Wei saw this, she quickly withdrew her hand: "The shrimp shell is hard and it's easy to prick your hand." She threw the shrimp into the iron bucket.
Mingming then turned to the iron bucket, staring at the lobsters climbing on various shellfish with sparkling eyes, and then showed off to his brother: "I found this lobster!"
Ruirui was aroused by her brother's proud tone and said, "I can find lobsters, too." She bent down and started looking for them.
"Then good luck!" Mingming said with a smile, "Ah, I've found the lobster, what should I look for next? Oh, I want to find a big crab!"
Ruirui said she didn't want to bother with her smug brother: "..."
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Second update
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