Chapter Eight
Not long after, Luo Chunyan changed her clothes and came down the stairs.
Luo Chunyan awkwardly tugged at her worn-out floral shirt, then glanced at Ji Wanmei's brand-new, clean white shirt, long, straight black trousers, and a vibrant red floral scarf tied around her slender neck.
The contrast between the two situations somehow resurfaced in Luo Chunyan's heart, a sense of inferiority that had already faded away.
In Luo Chunyan's eyes, Ji Wanmei had been someone she admired since childhood.
Although her mother died early, her father doted on her and never let her do any hard or tiring work. He wouldn't even let her do light tasks like cooking or laundry at home.
Ji Wanmei's hands were well-maintained, fair and tender, with her ten fingers as smooth and delicate as scallion segments. When she stretched them out, they looked like the hands of a pampered young lady.
Then look at my own. Because I've been doing laundry, cooking and housework for my family for years, I've developed calluses on my fingertips, my knuckles have become rough, and my skin isn't fair anymore.
Alas, people are born with different fates!
Although Luo Chunyan felt this way, she was not so disgusted as to harbor such base thoughts as jealousy.
Ji Wanmei is her friend. She's lucky, and she can only be envious at most.
"Meimei, you look so good in this outfit! That shirt must have cost a lot of money, right? And the silk scarf you've paired with it is so stylish. I don't think anyone who's come back from out of town looks as good as you."
Ji Wanmei smiled and stepped forward to take Luo Chunyan's arm, her movements still showing the intimacy between best friends: "These are all old clothes, I just haven't worn them many times, so they look new. This scarf is from my dad's factory, I just tied it in a different knot, so it looks like a new style to you."
Luo Chunyan was immediately intrigued and tilted her head to look at it for a while: "Hey, it does seem like it! I didn't even notice until you pointed it out! But when it's around your neck, I always thought it was one of those foreign exchange brand-name items from a big department store."
Ji Wanmei smiled without saying a word. She would explain this to her in detail later; there was no rush.
"Let's go out for a walk. Let's buy an ice pop first. I haven't had one in ages and I'm really craving one!"
Ji Wanmei took the initiative to get closer, which pleased Luo Chunyan, who also held Ji Wanmei's hand tightly and said, "Okay, it's on you!"
She could still afford to buy an old-fashioned popsicle that cost two cents.
Luo Chunyan knew that Ji Wanmei's father often gave her ten or five yuan as pocket money, but it was different for her. Her parents would only give her fifty or eighty cents as pocket money when they were in a good mood after they received their salary.
Even this is considered rare.
So, when I used to go shopping with Ji Wanmei, she would usually pay for snacks or other small items for girls.
Over time, this fostered Luo Chunyan's feelings of inferiority in front of Ji Wanmei.
However, Luo Chunyan was a strong-willed girl at heart and was unwilling to take advantage of her good friend in every way.
In her previous life, Ji Wanmei was a delicate flower raised in a greenhouse, completely naive about human relationships and worldly affairs.
At that time, she had no idea what Luo Chunyan was thinking. She just felt that since Luo Chunyan was her good friend, and the item was inexpensive, costing only a few cents, she didn't need to be so particular about the price after paying for it.
Little did she know that her unintentional and generous behavior would push Luo Chunyan further and further away from her.
Luo Chunyan also had her own self-respect and was unwilling to accept Ji Wanmei's help and charity in every way.
But if Luo Chunyan is truly the kind of person who is vain and likes to take advantage of others, then it's actually fine; she can spend her friends' money with a clear conscience.
However, if Luo Chunyan were truly that kind of person, Ji Wanmei probably wouldn't have chosen to be her friend.
Although she didn't understand social etiquette very well at the time, she could still distinguish between a good person and a bad one.
Having been reborn, Ji Wanmei was now able to carefully discern the meaning behind Luo Chunyan's expression.
Oh, she thought, so Chunyan never liked her insisting on paying the bill; she had her pride.
Ji Wanmei smiled and said, "Okay, then it's your treat!"
Luo Chunyan smiled happily.
The two girls walked hand in hand out of the factory's staff compound and headed towards the town's main street.
This area is within the factory area, only a 20-minute walk from the county center. So, after leaving the Dongfang Daily Chemical Factory, some local residents in the two alleys outside would occasionally push small carts to sell tea eggs, popsicles, or recycle waste.
It does seem to be gradually turning into a pedestrian street.
However, back in 1988, people didn't have the courage or boldness to go into business.
Many of the vendors on the street selling tea eggs and fried dough sticks are women who don't have formal jobs and are raising children. They want to earn more money to supplement their family income, so they come out to sell things during the day when their children are at school.
Little did people know that back then, even those who pushed their carts through the streets selling tea eggs and fried dough sticks were making money and getting rich.
A person's success often stems from seizing an opportunity during a particular era, relying on their courage, boldness, and daring to carve out their own path.
After her rebirth, Ji Wanmei decided to seize this rare opportunity to rewrite her destiny.
They walked up to a vendor pushing a tin cart and selling popsicles. Luo Chunmei took out a few cents and bought two popsicles, one for herself and one for Ji Wanmei.
The cool, refreshing taste hits your taste buds and leaves you feeling invigorated and refreshed in the sweltering heat of late June.
Ji Wanmei ate with delicate and refined manners, taking small sips of her popsicle.
Luo Chunyan likes to eat to her heart's content, taking big bites of ice and letting her teeth shiver from the cold – that's what she finds so refreshing!
The two ate as they walked.
Seeing that they had been out for a while, Ji Wanmei asked, "Chunyan, what are your plans for the future?"
Luo Chunyan shrugged, looking nonchalant: "My family has already made arrangements for me to take over the factory job. Luckily, our factory will be recruiting a batch of workshop workers in the second half of this year, so I should have no problem getting in. As for what comes after that, it'll probably just be a matter of going on blind dates, getting married, starting a family, and having children."
Such a life seems predictable and unpredictable.
There were no surprises or unexpected events; it was just an ordinary, mediocre life.
However, Ji Wanmei still saw a trace of reluctance on Luo Chunyan's face.
She could tell that Chunyan was not content to live an ordinary life.
"Chunyan, I have an idea. Would you like to hear it?" Ji Wanmei asked, wrapping the small wooden stick in her handkerchief after finishing her popsicle.
"What are you thinking?" Luo Chunyan asked curiously.
Ji Wanmei said firmly, "I'm planning to open a women's goods general store. Would you like to do it with me?"
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