Master Wang stared blankly for a moment, then walked over. Qin Xiaoyu knew more about hair than he had, who had been doing this for decades. Why was she asking him?
"A little less medicine, and a little longer treatment time will do," said Master Wang, stroking his hair.
"Does Sister Qin have a mentor?" The young wife, who loved to chat, immediately chimed in.
"How did I learn this skill without a master? My master is amazing! She used to be the head master at Dongfeng. She's retired now. Oh, right, you know Big Liu from Dongfeng? He was her apprentice too." Qin Xiaoyu said this half-truthfully, and her wife actually believed her. Actually, she wasn't exaggerating. At Dongfeng Barber Shop, apprentices learn from their own master and then study under each experienced master for a month. That's the rule, so it's not unfair to say that the top-notch Big Liu was Master Wang's apprentice.
"That Liu is the one who cuts hair for the leaders. People like us can't even get a turn," the young wife said with envy.
"Sister-in-law, if that's what you mean, then let Master Liu's chef cook for you. Today, you can experience the chef's service." Qin Xiaoyu gave a look, and Master Wang understood, quickly coming over to take over.
Master Wang has decades of experience in the craft, and he put in his utmost effort; how could he not do a good job? The young couple left happily.
"Look at what you're saying, you're making me blush with praise." Master Wang said this, but he was secretly pleased. From then on, Qin Xiaoyu deliberately flattered him, and before long, everyone who came to the shop recognized Master Wang's skills.
But something still went wrong. That day, a chubby woman with a perm came in. She was a bit pretentious when she came in. Qin Xiaoyu originally wanted to do her hair herself, but she had regular customers who wouldn't let her go, so she had to let Master Wang do it.
That day, Mr. Wang wasn't feeling well; he kept sneezing, looking like he was about to catch a cold. When the hair curlers were removed, they were stunned. His hair was all tangled up.
"What kind of work have you done! How can this be presented to anyone?!" The fat woman immediately exploded. The people in the room helped to persuade her, and it took a lot of coaxing to calm her down. Qin Xiaoyu then promised her that she would get a half-day haircut for free before finally sending this big shot away.
"Her hair wasn't washed properly, it was all sticky. I was just being lazy back then, sigh! It's my fault!" Master Wang said, blaming himself.
"This hot iron is prone to causing problems; it would be better if it were electric," a customer remarked.
"Little Fish, do you think we should buy this electric iron?" With some of the funds coming back from the shop, Mr. Wang had a new idea.
Qin Xiaoyu had been considering this matter. Sooner or later, she would have to use an electric iron, as using fire was too unreliable; even an experienced iron like Master Wang could make mistakes. However, electric irons were too expensive and took up too much space, and currently, only the largest Dongfeng store in the city had them.
"Master, if we bring in an electric iron, do you think there will be any room left for the two of us?" Qin Xiaoyu stretched out her arm to measure and shook her head.
Around 9 p.m., Mr. Wang sent her home. She could stay at the shop and take care of customers, unlike Qin Xiaoyu who had to ride her bike back home.
After a busy day, Qin Xiaoyu pushed her bicycle into the corridor and felt sore all over. She realized how tiring it was. She needed to find ways to make money work for her. Making money by relying on others was just hard work and wouldn't make her rich. She sighed to herself.
Hanhan and her younger sister weren't in the house. She heard voices coming from the upper room and went to investigate. It turned out that the whole family was watching TV. The matriarch was sitting crookedly on the kang (a heated brick bed), leaning against a rolled-up quilt, with a small dish in front of her containing a few pieces of candy and peanuts.
Grandpa Hanhan and Hanhan and her siblings were sitting on chairs on the ground. When they saw Qin Xiaoyu come in, they rushed over and hugged her legs on either side.
Qin Xiaoyu picked up his little sister and kissed her. When it was Hanhan's turn, she just hugged him but didn't hug him. The child was growing taller and heavier quickly, and she couldn't carry him anymore.
"Madam, Dad, where's Mom?" Qin Xiaoyu greeted them.
"I'm doing laundry, I'm coming right now." Grandpa Hanhan pulled over a chair and said, "Let's watch TV."
Qin Xiaoyu never expected that one day she would receive the same treatment in the Tang family, being able to watch TV with everyone. But now, she would rather go to bed and sleep soundly.
"She's tired, she should get some rest." The lady's eyes were sharp, and her words saved her from the predicament.
As I came out of the main house, my cousin's wife came to greet me with a large bag of things. The two of us chatted and laughed as we went inside.
"It's done. One pair of cotton trousers for each of you. I also made you a padded jacket. Look." My cousin-in-law's needlework is excellent; the fabric is neat, smooth, and very soft. Qin Xiaoyu took the padded jacket and put it on. It was a light purple satin jacket with a stand-up collar, Chinese knot buttons, and a fitted waist. If this were in 2018, it could be on a fashion show.
"Sister-in-law, your hands are so skillful! They look so beautiful!" Qin Xiaoyu stared at the woman in the mirror, her eyes wide with amazement. Was this really her? Working tirelessly from dawn till dusk, her face even paler from the constant sun, her dark eyes now sparkling with life, accentuated by her long eyelashes. Her delicate nose was as smooth as cream, but her bloodless lips were heartbreakingly pale. She let her hair down, black as if draped in satin, then swept it back into a heavy bun, perfectly complementing her padded jacket. She looked like a woman straight out of an ancient painting, possessing a unique charm.
"Wow, you're so beautiful! I never would have guessed..." The cousin-in-law realized she had let something slip and swallowed the rest of her sentence.
Qin Xiaoyu understood. Appearance reflects the heart. The host's short life was also a life of struggle. How could someone with a fierce expression be associated with beauty? In her previous life, she lived timidly and humbly, but she was different now. This was an independent, vibrant life with personality, and she wanted to maintain that, to live like this.
"Sister-in-law, where did you get this fabric? It's so beautiful." Qin Xiaoyu tugged at the hem of the dress, unable to get enough of it. The light purple satin fabric was adorned with small flowers of the same color, which bloomed brilliantly under the light.
"The quilt cover that came with my dowry has never been used, and it's not anything special," my cousin-in-law said with a modest smile.
"Sister-in-law, you're just making clothes for me like this! What a waste!" Qin Xiaoyu knew how precious this sister-in-law was to her, so she held her cousin's hand, not knowing what to say.
"It's not worth much. If we keep it for too many years, it'll just become useless." My cousin-in-law smiled sheepishly.
"These clothes are so new!" Grandma Hanhan heard the commotion and came over to take a look. Her expression changed as soon as she saw Qin Xiaoyu.
"It's not exactly new, just a little bit." The cousin-in-law suddenly understood what she meant. Qin Xiaoyu had only been a widow for half a year, and she felt a sense of unease.
"I won't wear it now, I'll wear it on New Year's Day." Qin Xiaoyu then remembered her dead husband. After all, the dead should be respected, so she decided not to make things difficult for him.
After hearing what Qin Xiaoyu said, Grandma Hanhan couldn't find fault anymore and grumbled as she walked out.
"Sister-in-law, you make Madam's cotton-padded trousers every year, right?" Qin Xiaoyu suddenly remembered something important.
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