The supply and marketing cooperative was packed with people, all queuing up and buying things with their tickets.
The grain and oil section, the non-staple food section, and the service section were especially crowded.
Most people come to exchange for rice, flour, oil, various kinds of meat, and roasted nuts.
Many women also brought their children to pull cloth.
People in this era could only get a new set of clothes to wear during the Lunar New Year.
Groups of young women and housewives held floral fabrics in their hands, laughing and gesturing at themselves, constantly discussing what fabric to buy and what clothes to make.
In contrast, there were far fewer people in the ready-to-wear section because ready-to-wear clothing is more expensive.
Buying fabric to make clothes is quite troublesome, so Chen Jingyan went straight to the ready-made clothing section.
"Hey girl, what kind of clothes are you looking to buy?"
The sales clerk was a round-faced girl who looked no older than Shen Jingyan.
Shen Jingyan's gaze fell on the rows of beautiful wool coats.
These days, the most common winter clothing is a thick cotton-padded coat and cotton-padded trousers. However, the cotton-padded coat is so heavy that it feels like an air bladder that has been blown up, and it has no aesthetic appeal whatsoever.
In contrast, wool and cashmere coats are stylish and warm, but their prices are prohibitive.
In Dalin Village, Shen Jingyan had only ever seen the village chief's youngest daughter, Zheng Xiujuan, wear a navy blue cashmere coat, which made all the young women and wives in the village extremely envious.
Shen Yuqin, in particular, was so envious that she hovered around Zheng Xiujuan every day, practically wanting to tear off Zheng Xiujuan's coat and wear it herself.
Seeing that Shen Jingyan's gaze was fixed on the wool coat, the saleswoman said warmly:
"Hey girl, what do you think of this beige one? You have fair skin, this color suits your complexion best."
Shen Jingyan also felt that among the dull colors of black and dark blue, the beige coat looked very vibrant.
She's only eighteen, so she can't dress too old-fashioned.
“May I try that one on?” she asked.
"Of course!" The saleswoman took the beige coat down.
Shen Jingyan took the coat and walked to the fitting room next door.
It's called a fitting room, but it's really just a small space enclosed by an opaque sheet.
When Shen Jingyan took off her heavy cotton coat and walked out of the fitting room wearing a wool coat, many people, including the sales clerk, looked at her.
Some were amazed, some were envious, some were full of praise...
This made Shen Jingyan a little embarrassed.
"Girl, you look absolutely stunning in this coat! You look like someone from a traditional Chinese New Year painting!"
The saleswoman kept praising you, "How did you grow up like this? You're so tall, have such fair skin, and such a slim waist."
Shen Jingyan stood in front of the mirror and turned around.
The wool coat fit her perfectly, as if it had been tailor-made for her.
The design with straight shoulders accentuated her smooth shoulder line, while the cinched waist further highlighted her slim waist and long legs.
In fact, Shen Jingyan was quite puzzled. Chen Feng had abused her for seventeen years, beating and scolding her at every turn, and depriving her of food and clothing, yet the original owner was still able to grow to a tall and slender 1.68 meters.
Perhaps it's related to genes? Because Shen Honggang is a burly man who is 1.8 meters tall, his younger sister must not be too short.
Unfortunately, Chen Feng was short and stout, and Shen Zhiqiang, Shen Yulan, and Shen Yuqin all inherited her short stature. Only Anzi had the potential to grow into a tall person.
As Shen Jingyan was lost in thought, she saw Chen Feng and Shen Yuqin walking over from the fabric section.
Several girls were trying on clothes in the ready-to-wear section, and Shen Yuqin could only watch with envy.
"Come on, stop looking. I finally managed to squeeze five yuan out of your stingy father. I need it to buy cotton shoes for your grandparents."
Suddenly, Shen Yuqin saw a slender and tall figure.
"Mom, look, isn't that Jingya?"
Chen Feng squinted, recognized the figure, and was taken aback.
Why is she in the ready-to-wear section?
Seeing Shen Jingyan standing there looking youthful and beautiful in an expensive wool coat, Shen Yuqin was bursting with jealousy.
"Mom, where did Jingya get the money to buy such an expensive coat?"
When Chen Feng thought about how Shen Honggang had refused to pay her wages for the past two months, she wondered if he had secretly given them to Shen Jingyan.
She was furious and rushed to the counter, yelling at Shen Jingyan at the top of her lungs.
"You brat, we're barely making ends meet at home, where are you going to get the money to buy a coat?"
Shen Jingyan glanced at her coldly: "What does it have to do with me if your family is struggling to make ends meet?"
Shen Yuqin had been eyeing Shen Jingyan's rose-pink cotton coat for a long time, and now that she saw Shen Jingyan wearing a wool coat, her eyes turned red, and she was just short of going up and tearing her clothes off.
"Mom, I think she's just wearing it to show off. Where would she get the money to buy such an expensive coat?"
Shen Jingyan turned to the sales clerk and asked, "Sister, how much is this coat?"
The salesperson held up three fingers: "Thirty yuan."
Thirty yuan? Chen Feng and Shen Yuqin were speechless.
Thirty yuan is equivalent to four months of living expenses for the Shen family.
Shen Yuqin firmly refused to believe that Shen Jingyan had so much money to buy a coat.
She was waiting for Shen Jingyan to awkwardly take off her coat, but unexpectedly, Shen Jingyan readily took out three "ten-thousand-yuan" bills and handed them to the sales clerk.
"I'll take the coat."
Chen Feng and Shen Yuqin were dumbfounded.
Amidst their astonished gazes, Shen Jingyan bought another pair of woolen trousers and a pair of light and warm leather shoes.
The woolen trousers cost eight yuan, and the leather shoes cost twenty-three yuan.
There will be plenty of opportunities to make money in the future, so Shen Jingyan won't feel bad about spending these few dozen yuan.
"You brat, are you keeping a lover on the side? Where did you get so much money?"
Chen Feng glared and cursed, her hands nearly pounding on the counter because she was so distressed about the money.
She thought to herself, this is a supply and marketing cooperative, people come and go, Shen Jingyan can't possibly lay a hand on her in public, can he?
Shen Jingyan didn't even glance at her, as if she didn't exist.
Chen Feng cursed for a long time, but it had no effect at all. She felt frustrated, like punching cotton.
After selling the clothes, Shen Jingyan still had seven or eight yuan left.
After thinking for a moment, she spent another seven yuan and fifty cents to buy a men's military overcoat.
Military overcoats are thick and windproof, and families with a little financial means will buy them for their men.
In Shen Jingyan's memory, Shen Honggang hadn't worn new clothes for over ten years.
Shen Jingyan stopped giving Shen Honggang food and drinks because they wouldn't reach his mouth, but the military overcoat was bought according to his size and couldn't be worn by anyone else.
"Mom, look at her, what would a young girl like her need a military overcoat for? It must be for that bastard of hers!"
Shen Yuqin said sarcastically.
But what she really wanted was to hook up with a rich man, even if he was already married, as long as he was willing to give her money!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com