Chapter 35, New Clothes
When Chen Xiufang came to find Lin Qingqing with clothes, Lin Qingqing had just finished showering and was about to go to bed to read a book. Hearing someone outside say that someone was looking for her, she put on her shoes and went downstairs to open the door. As soon as she looked up, she saw Chen Xiufang standing at the door with a large bundle. She quickly welcomed her into the house and said, "Why did you come here? I was just planning to come and see you in the next couple of days."
"I've already made the clothes you wanted. I figured you might be in a hurry to wear them, so I came over since it was still early," Chen Xiufang said with a smile. Seeing Lin Qingqing taking an enamel mug to pour water, she quickly waved her hand and said, "No need, no need. I'm leaving as soon as I put my things down."
"Since you've come all this way, you should at least have some water before you leave," Lin Qingqing said with a smile.
“That’s right, since you’re here, you should at least have a glass of water,” Wang Fengxia said, then asked what kind of clothes they were wearing.
Chen Xiufang had just taken a sip of water when she heard this. She quickly put down the cup, opened the bundle on the table, took out a garment, and shook it out along the shoulder seam, saying, "This was made according to your request. Please take a look and see if it suits you."
Just then, Li Juan came in from outside and immediately saw the bright red cotton-padded jacket in Chen Xiufang's hands. She leaned over and asked, "Is this a new dress you made?" As she spoke, she frowned and said, "It looks a bit strange."
The garment Chen Xiufang was holding resembled a modern-day puffer jacket, with a cotton-padded collar that stood upright instead of folding flat like typical clothing. The shoulders were fitted, widening towards the bottom before tapering inwards at the hem.
Most importantly, this dress looks way too big.
Although work clothes or green military uniforms are loose-fitting, they still fit well. Lin Qingqing is so thin, Li Juan felt that the clothes must be too big. If she hadn't also had clothes made by Chen Xiufang, she would have suspected that Chen Xiufang was deliberately trying to use up all the fabric that Lin Qingqing had taken.
Although Chen Xiufang felt that she had strictly followed Lin Qingqing's requirements, she also felt that the clothes were a bit strange. When Li Juan asked her question, she looked a little embarrassed: "What do you think is wrong? I'll take it back and alter it."
Lin Qingqing shook her head and said, "It's fine." She genuinely thought the cotton-padded jacket was very well made, basically replicating the clothes she remembered. She reached out and took the jacket, asking, "Can I try it on? Let's see if it fits."
Chen Xiufang breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Yes, of course!"
Li Juan watched Lin Qingqing take off her old cotton-padded coat, her face contorted with dismay. She thought the girl was perfect in every way, except for her poor taste; how could she be satisfied with clothes made like this? She resolved to wait until Lin Qingqing changed into her new clothes before...
She explained in detail how to make clothes fit well, look good, and be comfortable, however—
When Lin Qingqing put on her clothes, Li Juan couldn't bring herself to say the words she had prepared in her mind.
How should I put it?
This garment does look loose and shapeless on its own, and it seems like a waste of fabric and cotton, but it looks really good when worn.
Lin Qingqing was already slender, and she didn't look much fatter in her old cotton-padded jacket. But this outfit looked bulky and oversized, yet it didn't make her look fat at all when she put it on. In fact, she looked even thinner, with long and straight legs.
As Li Juan was thinking, she saw Lin Qingqing buttoning her clothes.
The fabric Xie Wei gave to Lin Qingqing was bright red. When Li Juan first saw the fabric, she thought that Commander Xie had poor taste, because while red was beautiful, using large pieces of it to make clothes could easily look tacky.
But now that the clothes are actually finished, Li Juan has a different opinion. Lin Qingqing didn't use the small, inconspicuous buttons that she usually uses when making clothes; instead, she chose black buttons about two fingers wide. The deep black perfectly toned down the vibrancy of the red, making the whole cotton-padded jacket look not only not tacky, but also very fashionable.
There was also a stand-up collar, which seemed strange at first glance, but when Lin Qingqing buttoned it up, the collar just covered her neck, and it looked very warm. Moreover, the collar seemed to make her face look particularly small.
Lin Qingqing buttoned up her clothes and asked, "How is it?"
"It looks great!" Li Juan nodded vigorously. She decided that if it wasn't too expensive, she would make a cotton-padded jacket like that for herself.
Wang Fengxia and Chen Xiufang nodded in agreement.
The biggest surprise was for Chen Xiufang, who had almost given up several times while making the clothes. After finishing them today, her mother-in-law saw them and scolded her, feeling that she hadn't put her heart into making the clothes and demanded that she alter them to avoid upsetting Lin Qingqing.
Chen Xiufang hesitated for a moment, but she thought that she had done it according to Lin Qingqing's requirements, and even if she needed to make changes, she should let Lin Qingqing see the finished product first before discussing how to change it. With this in mind, Chen Xiufang couldn't wait until tomorrow and came over late at night with the clothes.
Seeing the effect on her body now, Chen Xiufang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
There wasn't a large full-length mirror in the dormitory, and it was already dark, so even if she went to the river, she wouldn't be able to see anything. So Lin Qingqing looked at herself in the small mirror on her desk, and seeing that they all nodded and said it looked good, she decided not to make any further changes and asked Chen Xiufang how much it would cost.
The labor cost was agreed upon when Lin Qingqing first approached Chen Xiufang—two yuan. Half was paid as a deposit then, with one yuan remaining as the balance. As for the cotton…
Chen Xiufang arranged for it to be bought, and the unit price was agreed upon at the time; it was just calculated based on the amount used. Lin Qingqing's cotton-padded jacket looked loose, but in reality, it didn't use much cotton, so it only cost a few yuan.
Even including the cost of the fabric, making this cotton-padded jacket only cost less than ten yuan. Although it was due to the use of fabric coupons, it also shows that Chen Xiufang is a kind and honest person.
Lin Qingqing counted out the money and handed it to Chen Xiufang, who quickly took it and said, "There's some fabric left over after the cotton-padded jacket is finished, and I brought it all back to you. But there's not much fabric left; I estimate it can only make two pairs of shoe uppers."
Speaking of shoe uppers, Lin Qingqing also remembered and said, "I do want to make a pair of cotton shoes, but I want the uppers to be black. Do you have any fabric? It doesn't have to be very good, ordinary homespun cloth will do. I'll pay you the market price for the fabric."
Chen Xiufang didn't have many good pieces of fabric, but she did have some leftover scraps from making clothes, including some black ones. She thought for a moment and said, "Making shoe uppers doesn't use much fabric. I have some leftovers from making clothes, you can use them, I wouldn't dare to charge you extra."
She didn't want to accept it, but Lin Qingqing couldn't refuse. When discussing the style and labor costs, an additional material cost was set. Chen Xiufang didn't want it at first, but seeing that Lin Qingqing insisted, she let it go. However, when she was leaving, Lin Qingqing gave her the extra piece of fabric, saying that the piece of fabric was too small and she wouldn't use it, which made Chen Xiufang feel very embarrassed.
As soon as Chen Xiufang left, Li Juan and Lin Qingqing inquired about the total cost of the cotton-padded coat. Although they had just calculated the amount, they were still a little unclear about it.
Lin Qingqing did not hide anything and told everyone about the expenses incurred.
After hearing this, Li Juan started to think. She had cloth coupons; besides the 1.7 feet per person, her mother had also sent her half a foot of cloth coupons from home. She also had money, and the year-end bonus was coming soon; based on previous years, she should receive twenty or thirty yuan. As for cotton, she could ask Chen Xiufang, or if that didn't work, she could check the black market.
Having made up her mind, Li Juan called out to Lin Qingqing, but didn't say what she wanted to do, her expression hesitant and awkward.
Seeing her like this for the first time, Lin Qingqing felt strange and said irritably, "Just say what you have to say, you're giving me the creeps."
"I don't have anything else to say, it's just that your dress is really nice. Do you think I could make one just like it?" Li Juan asked ingratiatingly.
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingqing sat on the bed and looked her over. She was tall enough and not fat, so she should be able to wear the clothes. She nodded and said, "Sure, you can do it if you want."
Li Juan breathed a sigh of relief: "Then I'll go see Sister-in-law Guozhu tomorrow."
...
Lin Qingqing put on her clothes as soon as she went out the next day.
Although blue, green, and black were popular at the time, it wasn't uncommon for people in the countryside to wear floral cotton-padded jackets. Lin Qingqing's jacket, while a bit red, wasn't considered outrageous. In fact, because of its novel style and flattering fit, many female educated youths who saw it wanted to have one made.
Lin Qingqing didn't hide anything after hearing this and said directly that the style of the clothes was decided by her and Chen Xiufang together. She added, "She has already made one, so she should be familiar with making more. If you want to make some, just contact her."
Her open and generous attitude delighted everyone, who started discussing it animatedly, asking Lin Qingqing for color suggestions: should they use the same red, or choose other colors that would also look good?
They were chatting enthusiastically when Zhao Lan, sitting at a table in the far corner of the cafeteria, saw this and muttered resentfully, "It's just a piece of clothing, what's the big deal!"
"It's nothing special, but the clothes are really nice." The female educated youth sitting next to Zhao Lan looked at Lin Qingqing with envy. If it weren't for Zhao Lan's sake, she would have asked Lin Qingqing what color suited her.
She was understanding towards Zhao Lan, but Zhao Lan was not, and asked with a dark expression, "Which side are you on?"
Zhao Lan's tone was stiff and her words were very impolite. The female educated youth felt a little uncomfortable and was about to retort, but Wang Li stopped her and comforted her, saying, "Alright, you two don't hold a grudge. Actually, I also think this dress is quite nice."
Zhao Lan and Wang Li were on good terms, so when Wang Li tried to smooth things over, Zhao Lan had no choice but to suppress her temper and reluctantly hummed in agreement. The female educated youth wasn't one to hold grudges, and seeing that Zhao Lan didn't say anything, she also fell silent. After a while, she said she was full and left.
As soon as the female educated youth left, Zhao Lan erupted: "Why did you stop me just now? Didn't you hear what she said?!"
"Didn't she just say that Lin Qingqing's new clothes were pretty?" Wang Li slowly peeled the sweet potato, took a bite, chewed slowly, and said calmly, "She wasn't lying, the clothes really are quite pretty."
As Wang Li spoke, she looked up and saw that Lin Qingqing had finished eating and was walking out with her empty lunchbox. She smiled and said, "She's pretty capable too."
Zhao Lan was already sulking because of what she had said, so when she heard her suddenly ask that, she reflexively asked, "Who is it?"
“Lin Qingqing,” Wang Li turned to look at Zhao Lan, a smile on her face, and said, “Don’t you think she’s amazing?”
"What's so great about her?" Zhao Lan said, rolling her eyes as she thought of Xie Wei. "She's certainly good at seducing people!"
Wang Li swallowed the sweet potato, and said meaningfully, "She just..."
When they moved in, they didn't even have blankets, and they had to borrow Wang Fengxia's lunchbox for meals.
Zhao Lan wondered if it was because Xie Wei had helped Lin Qingqing get a quilt. But before she could voice her doubts, she heard Wang Li say, "But what about now? Not only did she buy Qi Le lunchboxes and cups, which require coupons, but she also got new clothes made. I saw the fabric of her clothes; it's khaki."
Hearing this, Zhao Lan's heart skipped a beat: "That's right, where did she get so much money and tickets?"
But Wang Li didn't answer. She threw the remaining sweet potato peels into her lunchbox, closed the lid, stood up, and said, "I'm done eating." She then left with her lunchbox.
After Wang Li left, Zhao Lan sat at the dinner table, deep in thought.
Where did Lin Qingqing get so much money and tickets? There's definitely something going on here!
...
As soon as Lin Qingqing arrived at the Women's Federation office in the morning, Director Yang said, "The brigade leader agreed to yesterday's matter and approved several houses, all in the north of the village. Could you go and take a look this morning and see which one is suitable for us?"
So Lin Qingqing had barely sat down in the office when she immediately headed north of the village.
The members of Xingfeng Brigade were mainly concentrated in the southeast of the village, where the brigade headquarters and supply and marketing cooperative were located. As you entered the village from the southeast, the houses became sparser the further north you went. That's why the educated youth settlement was built in the north of the village.
The houses approved by Xie Baoshan were not far from the educated youth settlement, just a two-minute walk across the stone bridge. The houses here were originally built before the founding of the People's Republic of China. Because they were far from the city center, not many people wanted these rooms when the houses were allocated. Later, some people moved in because they had nowhere to live after their families were divided, but when they saved enough money, their first thought was to get a plot of land to build new houses in a more lively place. In the end, these houses remained empty.
There are three houses for Director Yang to choose from. The smallest one has only one room, with the master bedroom, living room, and kitchen all in one place. The largest one has three rooms, with the middle one being the living room and the two on either side being habitable. The stove is built outside the door and covered with a thatched shed. However, this house is in disrepair because of you and needs a lot of repairs.
After viewing the houses, Lin Qingqing noted down their respective advantages and disadvantages before heading back.
On the way back, I ran into Xie Wei. He had gone to the commune to run some errands that morning and was riding his bicycle to the crossroads when he saw Lin Qingqing wearing a red cotton-padded jacket in the distance.
He didn't know that Lin Qingqing had used that piece of cloth to make clothes. At first, he didn't recognize her. She looked familiar at first glance, but he recognized her after looking closer. He rode his bicycle up to her and asked, "Did you make new clothes?"
Lin Qingqing was thinking about the house and didn't notice him approaching. She heard...
The voice startled her, but a smile spread across her face when she saw it was him. She asked with delight, "What are you doing here?"
"I saw you from afar when I came back from the commune." Xie Wei said, looking Lin Qingqing up and down, unable to stop smiling. "You're so beautiful."
Lin Qingqing felt a little embarrassed by his gaze, so she lowered her head and said, "I asked Sister Xiufang to make the clothes. They were just finished last night. I wanted you to see them as soon as possible, so I wore them out today."
Xie Wei got off his bicycle, turned it around, and walked alongside her, pushing it as he asked, "How did you know I could see you wearing this today?"
"Aren't you planning to come see me today?" Lin Qingqing looked up at him.
This was a life-or-death question, but Xie Wei answered without hesitation: "Of course I'll come."
Lin Qingqing shrugged and said, "Isn't the answer obvious?"
Xie Wei couldn't help but laugh, and asked her why she had come from the north of the village. Lin Qingqing didn't hide anything and told him about how Director Yang had arranged for her to look at houses. However, this inevitably brought up Li Dongmei, which involved the Li family's affairs. By the time she finished speaking, the brigade headquarters had arrived.
Seeing the courtyard of the brigade headquarters, Lin Qingqing realized that she had finally seen Xie Wei, but she hadn't said much about her own affairs and had only talked about work. She felt a little regretful: "Look at me, I can't stop talking about work."
Xie Wei, who had been tense, smiled when she said that: "Are you busy tonight? My mother asked me to invite you over for dinner."
"Is something wrong, Auntie?" Lin Qingqing asked.
"It's nothing important, just a casual meal. If it's inconvenient for you, then forget it."
"There's nothing inconvenient about it," Lin Qingqing shook her head. "Then I'll go over this afternoon."
Xie Wei nodded: "I'll pick you up this afternoon."
Lin Qingqing had gotten used to being picked up and dropped off by Xie Wei lately, so she nodded and said, "See you tonight." She then walked into the courtyard.
When Lin Qingqing returned to the Women's Federation office, Director Yang was receiving a young woman with a bruised and swollen face. The woman looked like she had been crying. When she saw Lin Qingqing come in, she wiped away her tears and said, "Then I'll be leaving now."
Director Yang got up to see her off, and when he returned, he said to Lin Qingqing, "Her name is Tian Xiaofeng. She came to me crying and complaining that her husband beat her, and she wanted me to talk to him."
Tian Xiaofeng's husband, Ding Hongliang, hit her for the first time three years ago. He was drunk and acting very outrageously. The couple had a disagreement and Ding Hongliang slapped her.
They had been married for less than six months when Tian Xiaofeng stormed back to her parents' home. But both her mother and mother-in-law advised her that Ding Hongliang was usually mild-mannered and an honest man, and that hitting her was definitely not a big deal.
It was an accident, she should forgive her. Her mother and mother-in-law took turns persuading her, and looking at the man kneeling before her apologizing, Tian Xiaofeng's heart softened.
But once something happens, it's likely to happen again. At first, Ding Hongliang knew to use alcohol as an excuse, but later he stopped pretending and would beat her whenever he was in a bad mood. Every time she was beaten, Ding Hongliang would cry and apologize. At this time, her parents and mother-in-law would also advise her, saying that all men are like this, and that he would mature in a few years. They told her not to make a fuss and to endure it.
Tian Xiaofeng endured for three years until today when she came to see Director Yang.
Actually, after the last meeting, probably because he felt guilty, Ding Hongliang behaved submissively for several days afterward. But old habits die hard, and after holding it in for a few days, Ding Hongliang couldn't take it anymore. Last night, he argued with Tian Xiaofeng over a trivial matter.
When Tian Xiaofeng first heard Director Yang say that domestic violence was a crime of abuse and could lead to imprisonment, she didn't really think much of it. But seeing Ding Hongliang's change of heart these past few days, she knew he was probably scared. So last night, when Ding Hongliang first started hitting her, Tian Xiaofeng brought up Director Yang, hoping he would stop.
He stopped and apologized, and the matter was considered closed.
But he didn't stop; instead, he beat her even more severely and shouted that if she dared to come to Director Yang, he would beat her to death.
Tian Xiaofeng was frightened and thought about it all night before sneaking off to seek help from Director Yang this morning when Ding Hongliang was not around. After explaining the situation, she didn't dare stay any longer and went home when it was almost time.
After listening to Director Yang's explanation, Lin Qingqing asked, "Does she not want to continue living like this?"
“How could they not want to continue their relationship? They have a child,” Director Yang said, waving his hand. “She wants me to persuade Ding Hongliang to change his ways.”
"That's probably very difficult." Lin Qingqing felt that Ding Hongliang's words showed he had no intention of repenting. Even if he readily agreed when Director Yang came to him, there would still be a day when he would take action again.
Director Yang sighed and said, "Who can argue with that?"
Lin Qingqing didn't ask Director Yang what he planned to do. Instead, she picked up her notes from the house inspection and began reporting to him. Director Yang listened and nodded, but at the end, he asked, "Does it need further repairs?"
“Almost every building has a collapsed roof, so it’s definitely not safe during heavy rain. Also, the largest building has a broken window that needs to be replaced.” Lin Qingqing briefly explained the situation of the houses, and then said, “Actually, the repairs won’t cost much. We can cut down trees on the mountain to fix the broken window, and we have straw in the drying yard to fix the broken roof. We just need people to help us.”
Hearing this, Director Yang's expression softened: "Regarding personnel, I've spoken with the team leader. Which building do you think we should choose?"
"Is the son better?"
"I think it's better to choose the biggest room."
"I remember that house had three rooms. Even if you and Li Dongmei both moved in, there wouldn't be enough rooms for everyone, would there?"
“It’s called three rooms, but one of them is actually the main room,” Lin Qingqing explained. “And right now, only Li Dongmei and I are at the resettlement site. But we have to think about the future. If we fix it now, even if the room is empty, it’s better than having to repair it every now and then.”
Director Yang's expression gradually turned serious: "Do you think the number of people at the resettlement sites will continue to increase?"
"It depends on whether the members' mindset can be changed," Lin Qingqing said with reservation. "But in any case, it's always good for us to be prepared now, after all, our goal is to solve the plight of our female comrades and provide them with strong support."
After the initial excitement wore off, seeing many previously harmonious families in the brigade descend into chaos, Director Yang couldn't help but doubt whether she had done the right thing. Perhaps letting things slide would have been better? But when she heard Lin Qingqing's words, she thought, "Yes, I want to rescue the women comrades from their predicament and improve their situation."
If, for the sake of superficial peace, they are forced to constantly compromise and be exploited, what is the point of the Women's Federation's existence?
Director Yang pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Comrade Xiao Lin, I'm entrusting this matter to you. Can you handle it well?"
After the meeting, although Lin Qingqing reported to the Women's Federation office every day and assisted Director Yang with some data organization, her job role was actually very vague. Director Yang never clearly assigned her any tasks, and even when she was asked to look at houses, it was mainly to help out.
Hearing Director Yang's words, Lin Qingqing knew that she was definitely going to stay. She smiled and said firmly, "Yes!"
...
Xie Wei came to pick up Lin Qingqing in the afternoon and quickly noticed her good mood, asking, "Did something good happen today?"
"Director Yang has entrusted me with the renovation work of the women's resettlement site." Lin Qingqing tried to keep her tone calm, but happiness still shone through her eyes and brows.
Xie Wei sensed her happiness, congratulated her, and then asked if the matter was easy to handle and if she needed any help.
Lin Qingqing thought that since Director Yang said he would talk to the captain about borrowing people, it shouldn't be too much trouble for Xie Wei. However, she didn't say anything too definitive, only saying, "There shouldn't be any for the time being."
Xie Wei nodded and said, "Then just let me know if you need anything."
Lin Qingqing didn't need it originally, but hearing his words reminded her of something, and she hesitated before saying, "Yes, I do."
"Um?
Xie Wei turned his head to look over.
Lin Qingqing gestured for him to lower his head, then leaned close to ask, "Tell me honestly, your mother asked me to dinner tonight, is there anything she wants to say?"
Author's Note: First update.
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