Dating (Part 1)
When Meng Songying first came to the factory, he was just a greenhorn, quiet and naive like he is now. Li Yuanhong had watched him mature, but he ended up doing something so irresponsible.
After finishing a relationship with a female comrade, he wanted to resign and go to the provincial capital without a clear understanding of the situation.
He's practically a modern-day Meng Shimei! This kind of behavior deserves to be condemned by everyone.
Li Yuanhong was furious and felt sorry for Taozi.
Meng Songying smiled slightly. Sister Li was protecting Taozi like a mother hen, perhaps Taozi's words last night were not wrong.
She will be more successful here.
After explaining in a few words, Li Yuanhong could only sigh. When facing people from the provincial capital, she and Lao Sun could only bow down and submit. Occasionally, when they successfully resisted a little, they would be so happy that they couldn't sleep.
If those two old folks are like this, how can they criticize the young people?
She rummaged in the drawer, pulled out a hard candy, and handed it to Meng Songying; this was the older generation's way of apologizing.
Meng Songying didn't eat it, but she still took it and put it in her pocket.
After the conversation ended, Wang Shuitao and Meng Songying resumed their previous way of getting along, except that Sun Ming and Li Yuanhong often looked at them with the same kind of eyes that looked at the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.
This amused Wang Shuitao so much that she briefly forgot her sorrow.
She could tell that Meng Songying had been quite busy these past few days, probably packing her things to go to the provincial capital.
Thinking of this, Wang Shuitao let out a long sigh like a dog, rested her chin on the windowsill, and looked at the sun outside.
In Shenxian County, winters are usually dry with little rain or snow. The sun is always shining, though not very warm, and there are occasional cloudy days.
Wang Shuitao used to have myopia of over 200 degrees. Because she sat in the front row in high school, she never bought glasses. Fortunately, her prescription did not increase.
During her freshman year, she did get a pair of glasses, but they were uncomfortable to wear, so Wang Shuitao had to take them off again and put them away in the closet.
Fortunately, there are plenty of seats in the first and second rows of the university, so you don't have to get up early to grab one.
She squinted as she basked in the sunlight, casting a shadow before her. When she opened her eyes, she saw Meng Songying's handsome face, which exuded a sharp and intelligent aura.
He looked sharp because he had recently lost some weight.
Meng Songying has slightly upturned phoenix eyes, a subtle difference that's only noticeable up close, a straight nose, and high brow bones that naturally cast shadows. Her eye sockets are deep-set, making it seem as if she could easily hold her monocle in place.
His lips have a clear, diamond-shaped outline, with rounded corners rather than sharp ones. When he's not smiling, he looks slightly serious and aloof, but when he smiles, his expression is very gentle. He inherited this from his mother; his lips are also a light pink, giving the impression that he needs some blood-nourishing nutrients.
Wang Shuitao reached out, but just before touching his cheek, she suddenly pulled her hand back. Looking around and seeing no one, she patted her chest and relaxed.
Meng Songying lowered her eyelashes to hide her disappointment.
He invited, "Shall we go to the department store?"
Wang Shuitao only learned about this during this era: the supply and marketing cooperatives primarily served rural areas and people around county towns, and some communes or villages would also invest in them. The goods they sold were more closely related to agriculture, such as agricultural supplies like sickles, hoes, pesticides, and seeds, or daily necessities like oil, salt, sugar, vinegar, and cloth. They also purchased agricultural products; villagers could sell their collected eggs to the supply and marketing cooperatives.
Department stores, on the other hand, belonged to the Commerce Bureau and also sold goods from supply and marketing cooperatives, but with a wider variety of products. Besides those, they also sold clothing, shoes, hats, hardware, stationery, watches, and bicycles.
It is a legitimate state-owned enterprise, and its main customer base is the residents of the county town. Rural people only come to the department store to make purchases when there are important events in their families, such as weddings.
However, whether you're from the city or the countryside, you'll receive the same treatment from the sales clerk: an impatient eye roll while serving the people.
Few people report it, and even if they do, no one cares. If someone does care, all they get is a reluctant apology, which only makes them angrier.
Customers gradually got used to it.
Occasionally, when a salesperson is in a good mood and provides excellent service, you might even feel like you're incredibly lucky that day.
Wang Shuitao was still thinking about the date that ended without a trace that day, and she also wanted to visit the department store she hadn't been to since arriving here, so she readily agreed.
I happened to run into Zhu Qiuguo when I passed by Xiangyang Street and we greeted each other.
"How have you been these past two days?" Wang Shuitao asked her.
Zhu Qiuguo was beaming: "Very good, Zhang Ping'an has been fired. I'm afraid he won't be able to find a job in the future. The two old people in the family have been crying all the time, but they're almost done crying. Last night, Zhang Pingkang ate the only egg. He never had such good fortune before."
Infected by her smile, Wang Shuitao couldn't help but smile back: "Then you should pay more attention to them."
Zhu Qiuguo nodded, indicating that she understood.
She wouldn't let her guard down; both of them were men who had hit her before, and she was still hanging out with Li Yu. If anyone disobeyed, she would call Li Yu over to beat them up.
However, the two brothers became increasingly timid.
After bidding farewell to Zhu Qiuguo, Wang Shuitao glanced at Meng Songying, wondering how Song Baicao and Huang Qingxing were doing.
As if on cue, Meng Songying suddenly said, "Lin Jiuyang of the Revolutionary Committee took Song Baicao and Huang Qingxing away and just released them back to the Legion Farm two days ago."
It was the people from the legion who noticed that the two hadn't returned for a long time and assumed they had absconded. They searched everywhere and eventually found the Revolutionary Committee.
Lin Jiuyang released the people readily, and Meng Songying guessed that he had looted everything.
Song Baicao was able to hide half a jade pendant, so she did have the skill to conceal things, but even that couldn't withstand repeated searches.
Wang Shuitao: "Well, as long as they're still alive, that's good."
She didn't like the couple, even though they were Meng Songying's biological parents. Every time she saw them, she could feel two scrutinizing gazes clinging to her.
Meng Songying disliked Song Baicao and Huang Qingxing even more than she did.
Upon entering the department store, Meng Songying headed straight for the second floor, seemingly with a specific purpose in mind, and only stopped when she reached the watch counter.
The sales clerk lazily opened her eyes and glanced at the two of them before continuing to curl up in her chair and doze off in the sunlight.
Wang Shuitao measured the distance between the chair and the counter and was quite certain that the salesperson had dragged the chair over to sit on it herself.
She stopped paying attention to the sales clerk and looked at the watches under the glass counter.
Okay, not in individual pieces, the number of watches is very small.
The afternoon sun no longer reaches here, but the faint glimmer of light on the dial is still visible.
There were seven watches in the display case, arranged in a row.
The three watches on the left are all-steel Shanghai brand watches. They look large and heavy, so they should be men's watches. The dial is a deep, dark black, with a small red five-pointed star at the 12 o'clock position.
The two middle pieces are gemstone flower plates, slightly smaller, with a warm off-white dial, delicate hands, and a faint pattern engraved on the edge of the case.
The two on the right are diamond-plated, the dial is dark brown and slightly raised, and the strap is a checkered leather strap.
Wang Shuitao had only ever used a mobile phone and the clocks hanging at the front and back of the classroom to tell time, so she knew nothing about watches from later generations, let alone those of today. Meng Songying, on the other hand, seemed to have done her homework and explained everything to her.
"Do you want to buy a new one?" Wang Shuitao asked. She remembered that Meng Songying had a watch that was different from the ones here. It didn't look like metal; it was more like ceramic, black ceramic with a warm, lustrous sheen.
Meng Songying shook her head, took out a stack of industrial coupons and money, knocked on the counter, and coughed twice: "Excuse me."
The dozing salesperson opened his eyes again, glanced at the money, and finally slowly walked over, opened the glass cover, and braced himself with his hand.
"Choose one yourself."
Wang Shuitao looked at Meng Songying warily: "I don't want it, you can wear it yourself if you buy it."
The sales clerk changed her posture, seemed less impatient, and secretly pricked up her ears.
When Meng Songying looked over with her moist eyes, Wang Shuitao's expression softened. She felt that those eyes were like, like pearls soaking in milk tea.
They're not similar in appearance or spirit, but in taste; they're both very sweet.
She raised her hands in front of her chest and made a big X: "No way, you think you can rely on just one trick? Look at me, it won't work. Don't imitate a puppy!"
The saleswoman chuckled beside them. The young couple had such a good relationship. Seeing that the man was struggling to resist, she was ready to lend him a hand: "How about I introduce some to you first, and see which one would be suitable for the girl?"
Meng Songying whispered in Wang Shuitao's ear, "Let's buy one, so we can call each other regularly."
After saying that, he looked at her again and said, "You promised."
Wang Shuitao's attitude softened somewhat.
The salesperson then began to introduce the watch, starting from left to right: "The movement of the Shanghai brand watch is made in our country. It keeps accurate time. The all-steel case is very durable. It won't deform even if you drop it. Look at this strap. It's a solid steel chain. It gets shinier the more you wear it. It's a bit heavy when you first wear it, but you'll get used to it. It sells for 123 yuan here plus 12 industrial coupons."
Wang Shuitao frowned slightly. "So expensive. A watch is a real luxury item these days."
The sales clerk clicked her tongue, put the watch down, and picked up the middle one: "This is a semi-steel watch. The case is steel, and the back cover is copper. It's not as heavy as the Haishi brand, it's lighter, and more suitable for young ladies. Look, this dial has patterns on it, much more delicate than the Haishi brand. It's also cheaper, only 108 yuan plus 10 industrial coupons. Just be careful not to get it wet, the copper back cover is prone to rust."
Wang Shuitao frowned, saying that she had to take off her mask every morning and evening when washing her face, taking a bath, and washing her hands before and after meals. It was not only troublesome but also looked rather smug.
The salesperson held the watch, box and all, in her palm: "This Diamond brand watch has a movement similar to the Shanghai brand, and its timekeeping is more accurate than the Gemstone Flower brand. The daily error won't be significant. If you're interested, I'll show you how to adjust it later. The strap is leather, so you don't need to remove links. It fits all wrist sizes, and it won't feel cold in winter. However, if your hands sweat in summer, you'll need to wipe it frequently. Young people tend to prefer this style. It's also lightweight, suitable for young women. It costs 120 yuan plus 10 industrial coupons."
Meng Songying keenly noticed that Taozi liked this one and asked softly, "We're not outsiders, are we?"
Wang Shuitao looked over speechlessly, then turned her head and pointed at the diamond-branded watch: "Of course, do you think I would refuse it or choose the cheapest one? You're thinking too much."
The sales clerk, who had been talking so much that her throat was dry, was frantically chugging water from her enamel mug. She then freed one hand to take the money.
While the sales clerk was counting the items, Meng Songying fiddled with her watch a few times, compared the time with the one on her wrist, and then put the watch on Wang Shuitao's wrist.
Tsk tsk tsk, the salesperson thought to herself, shaking her head inwardly. Young people are just so mushy.
The two left the counter and went to the pastry section, where the sugar factory's products were sold.
Brown sugar and white sugar have transitioned from seasonal limited-edition items to permanent products in candy gift boxes.
Although it's said to be a permanent supplier, it's actually often out of stock. Basic supplies like brown sugar and white sugar are more important. Only after completing the first two tasks, if there's still capacity left, will we produce more exquisite colored sugar gift boxes to satisfy spiritual needs.
After leaving the pastry section, Wang Shuitao had a bag of Evergreen biscuits in her hand. These biscuits are rectangular, with a layer of scallions and oil on the surface, and have a sweet and savory flavor.
The aromas of scallions, wheat, and oil blend together beautifully.
What Meng Songying held in her hand was a flat sesame cake, which was a baked cake sprinkled with a layer of black and white sesame seeds. It was very fragrant and had a purely sweet taste.
The two shared the food as they walked.
They had only eaten lunch and had strolled over, so they were all hungry and were munching away with gusto.
Meng Songying glanced at the furniture section as she passed by, but was pulled away by Wang Shuitao.
"Are you buying something? If it's not much more expensive in the provincial capital, then go there to buy it. Otherwise, we'll have to bring it with us, which is too much trouble."
Meng Songying didn't say a word, and was pulled away by the force of the tug. She couldn't walk more than a few steps.
When Wang Shuitao turned around, she saw an auntie sitting behind a counter, knitting a sweater. There was nothing around her, and she had no idea what was being sold there.
She tugged at Meng Songying's sleeve: "What's wrong? Let's go."
Meng Songying remained unmoved: "This is a bicycle sales area."
"Oh~" A tone that had gone around in circles came out of Wang Shuitao's mouth, and she raised one eyebrow: "What's up? You want to buy me a three-wheeled radio and a microphone?"
She crossed her arms and looked at Meng Songying with a mocking expression.
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