Chapter 74 I saw the bad guy!
Who knew department stores would be so disappointing?
Shi Xiaoai had watched period TV dramas before. In those TV dramas, although the counters of the department stores were a little old and the clothes worn by the sales clerks were a little outdated, at least the windows and tables were clean.
But after entering, she discovered that the interior area of this so-called largest department store in the city was so small!
Or maybe it’s not that the area is small, it’s mainly because the things sold here are so diverse.
The first floor sells cigarettes, alcohol, sugar, tea, and various foods, not to mention. The third floor, in addition to men's and women's clothing and various daily necessities -
The middle of the venue is divided into different areas, where bicycles, sewing machines, various children's rocking cars are placed, and there is even an area with mops, brooms, and tin chimneys!
It was such a mess everywhere that two people couldn't even walk side by side.
Because there were too many varieties, men's clothing, which might not be easy to sell under normal circumstances, was squeezed out to only one counter, which was in a very remote corner.
If Cheng Yang hadn't had sharp eyes, Shi Xiaoai would have come in and looked around but still wouldn't have found it!
Several people walked to the counter. Shi Xiaoai stared at the row of clothes hanging on the wire above the counter for a long time, and became more and more dissatisfied.
It’s not that she has high standards, it’s just that these clothes are so unremarkable.
If it was just the style that was unfashionable, she could actually accept it, mainly because the clothes everyone wears nowadays are similar.
Men's clothes are either imitation military uniforms, imitation Zhongshan suits, or factory work clothes.
These styles are already at the forefront of fashion and there is no room for choice.
What she disliked was that the quality of the clothes hanging there was too poor.
Those thin clothes are obviously made of chemical fibers, and they actually reflect light slightly under the light.
Although this type of fabric is now mainstream and is said to be strong and durable, Shi Xiaoai knows that it is not breathable and is prone to pilling, and it also generates static electricity.
Just like now, many of these clothes and pants hanging together are stuck together without being touched. If you wear them, they will stick to your body when you walk, and crackling discharges will occur when you move your arms and legs. How uncomfortable that would be!
Cheng Yang couldn't help laughing when he saw his wife staring at the clothes on the counter without saying a word, but her eyes were becoming more and more disgusted.
He touched her and whispered, "I've already received my new military uniform. Qian Yingming will bring it back to me when he comes over before school starts. I have enough clothes to wear, so there's really no need to buy more. How about we go to the women's clothing counter and have a look?"
"Let's go back and look for Master Liu. It's still early and the restaurant is nearby, so it won't take much time to make another trip." Shi Xiaoai suddenly said.
Cheng Yang was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted: "You want to go to the Friendship Store?"
"Well, I haven't been there yet. Let's go there and take a look." Shi Xiaoai nodded slightly.
"I don't lack clothes..." Cheng Yang said again.
Shi Xiaoai raised her head and said stubbornly, "I want to buy it."
After hearing her say this, Cheng Yang didn't know what to say.
He had just heard from his wife that Master Liu's hotel had the task of receiving foreign guests, so he had a way to get foreign exchange coupons.
He just thought it was a casual chat at the time, but he didn't expect his wife to take it seriously.
In fact, if you really want to find a way, foreign exchange coupons are not that difficult to get. If Cheng Yang wants to, he can get them.
The main reason is that the exchange rate is a bit high, almost 1:1.5 compared to cash. Under normal circumstances, ordinary families don't need it at all.
Cheng Yang never expected that his wife would actually exchange foreign exchange coupons to buy him clothes.
It was impossible not to be excited, but he also felt a little embarrassed.
After all, I'm a grown man, and there's no need to make such a fuss about what to wear.
But he didn't want to refuse.
Who would be willing to refuse a wife who loves him so much?
Master Liu was indeed helpful. Not long after they went there, he helped them exchange 300 yuan worth of foreign exchange coupons.
Watching his wife counting out the money so naturally, Cheng Yang felt a little frightened and at the same time a little ashamed.
I suddenly felt like I had a bad stomach and had to rely on my wife for food.
The Friendship Store in Yuncheng is located in the city center of Yuncheng, not far from the city department store, but its location is much better than the department store.
It is adjacent to People's Park on the left and the city government's guesthouse on the right.
The Municipal Government Guesthouse is not open to the public. It is used exclusively to entertain distinguished guests visiting Yuncheng. It is also the only hotel in the city that can accommodate foreign guests.
It represents the facade of the city and is decorated in a simple and elegant style. It can be said to be the most beautiful building in Yuncheng.
The Friendship Store was the only foreign-related store in the city, serving foreign guests and domestic civil servants about to travel abroad on official business. Purchases here could only be made using one currency: foreign exchange coupons.
It does not cover a large area, with only one floor, and the types of goods sold there are not many, just a few simple categories such as food, handicrafts, daily necessities and clothing.
But these products are very exquisite and rarely seen outside, and some of them are imported high-end goods.
After Shi Xiaoai and her family of four entered, they went straight to the men's clothing counter.
When Xiao Ai saw the cashmere coats and full fur jackets displayed inside, she finally showed a satisfied look.
Three hundred yuan may sound like a lot, but it’s actually not that easy to spend that much money to buy something you really want.
For example, the black cashmere coat is priced at three hundred and sixty yuan.
Seeing such a price, Cheng Yang's face instantly darkened.
“Don’t buy that.”
Shi Xiaoai glanced at him, then pointed to a sweetheart-neck sweater behind the counter and said to the salesperson, "Please take this out and let me see it."
This is a navy blue wool sweater. The color is very low-key, but because of the good material, it looks particularly stylish on Cheng Yang. In addition, he has gained a little weight in the past month at home, so wearing it makes him look a bit handsome.
Not to mention Shi Xiaoai, even the two little ones jumped up and down to praise him, shouting together: "Daddy, you look so beautiful!"
Cheng Yang himself must have been very satisfied. He looked at himself in the mirror for a long time until Shi Xiaoai handed him a black woolen coat and then he looked away.
"I don't want this." He refused aloud: "I usually use this when I wear my military uniform."
"There will always be a time to wear it." Shi Xiaoai handed it to him again with a firm tone.
In desperation, Cheng Yang had to put it on again...
Thanks to Shi Xiaoai's persistence, Cheng Yang can be said to be a brand new person today.
He finally took off the military uniform that was almost growing onto his body and changed into a complete new set of clothes.
The all-wool black pants, navy blue wool sweater, and black casual hunting jacket make him look very handsome.
The total cost of this set of clothes was 260 yuan, and the coat alone was 120 yuan. Cheng Yang refused again and again, but he couldn't persuade his wife.
After receiving the 40 yuan foreign exchange coupons in return, a trace of heartache flashed in Cheng Yang's eyes.
He looked at his wife helplessly and said, "Let's go to the women's clothing counter and change if we find something suitable."
Shi Xiaoai smiled and said, "Okay, I won't let myself down. Didn't I just ask Aunt Liu to knit me a sweater a few days ago? I have clothes to wear."
"That's different." Cheng Yang didn't agree and pulled her towards the women's clothing counter.
"Why are they different? I think they're all the same. Come on, stop messing around and go to the food counter. I see they have chocolate."
"Look at the clothes first."
"Let's look at the food first."
Shi Xiaoai and Cheng Yang were arguing with each other as they walked, but they were in a pretty good mood.
It’s not that she doesn’t love herself, it’s just that there’s no need.
Winter is almost over, wouldn't it be nice to have some money left over for spring clothes? If she really wants to buy good winter clothes, she can always wait until next year when she earns more money.
By then she will have more options.
So she simply picked up her son and said, "Mingrui, do you want to eat some chocolate? Mommy will buy you some chocolate, okay?"
Usually, no matter which of them, they hug Mingxi more often, while Mingrui is rarely hugged.
When Shi Xiaoai picked up her son, the little guy's whole body was a little stiff, and he subconsciously looked at his sister several times.
It was obvious that he was not used to it.
Seeing her son like this, Shi Xiaoai found it a little funny. She simply kissed his little face twice and asked, "What are you looking at? Mingrui is also mommy's little cutie. I like our Mingrui too!"
This sentence made the young man blush again.
He put his arms around Shi Xiaoai's neck, put his face against hers and rubbed it gently, then he replied softly, "Okay."
Watching the interaction between his mother and brother, Mingxi was shocked, his eyes filled with disbelief.
It looked as if he had been abandoned once again.
Cheng Yang chuckled, picked up his daughter and put her on his neck, holding the child's waist firmly with his hands.
She said, "Mom loves my brother, Dad loves us Mingxi, and Dad loves our little girl the most."
These words made Mingxi giggle.
Sitting on her father's neck, the little girl's vision instantly became much wider, and she could take in the entire store.
She pointed ahead and said loudly, "Dad, go there and buy some candy!"
Cheng Yang knew that his daughter-in-law was trying to use the two children to divert his attention, but he couldn't refuse his daughter's request.
I could only agree and go to the food counter with my little girl.
Shi Xiaoai followed closely behind and wanted to go too.
But at this moment, Mingrui twisted his body, suddenly looked ahead and said, "Mom, I saw that person."
"Which one?" Shi Xiaoai was puzzled.
"That bad guy, the woman who kept crying at our doorstep that night."
Shi Xiaoai couldn't help but stop.
Shi Xiaomei?
Why is she here?
She looked in the direction her son was pointing.
Although the Friendship Store only has one floor, it is beautifully decorated to show the heritage of a city.
Each area is distinguished by wooden lattices and screens painted with beauties and landscapes. In addition, many flowers and trees are placed in an interlaced manner.
This not only looks good, but also increases privacy so that everything is not visible.
It was for this reason that Shi Xiaoai and the others had never seen Shi Xiaomei in the women's clothing area before.
Through the green plants, Shi Xiaoai looked across and saw Shi Xiaomei facing sideways and choosing clothes with a man.
The man was very old. Although his face could not be seen, his slightly bald head and the circle of gray hair showed that he must be at least in his fifties or sixties.
Seeing that they didn't catch up, Cheng Yang took his daughter back.
Seeing them looking towards the women's clothing counter, Cheng Yang also came over curiously and asked, "Isn't that Shi Xiaomei? Who is the man next to her? Her father?"
"I don't know, but it's definitely not her father." Shi Xiaoai replied.
Although she had never met Shi Yunpeng, she knew that he was definitely not the kind of person who would come here to buy clothes for his daughter.
not to mention--
While they were talking, the man reached out to help Shi Xiaomei straighten the collar of her new clothes.
Although the action did not cross the line, it was indescribably intimate and could definitely not be something between a father and daughter.
Cheng Yang also saw this scene, and he subconsciously said something like "rough work".
After being glared at by Shi Xiaoai, he pursed his lips and said, "Is there something wrong with this woman?"
Shi Xiaoai didn’t know whether Shi Xiaomei was sick or not, but she knew that this was definitely inconsistent with the plot.
According to the story outline, Shi Xiaomei should have married a workshop director of their chemical factory.
The workshop director's wife died from persecution during the movement, leaving behind a daughter.
But according to the description in the book, although the man had been married before, he was very good in terms of conditions and was deeply in love with the heroine.
After they got married, the two supported each other and had a very good relationship. The heroine's business was able to grow big without the hero's support and connections.
In short, in the book, Xiaomei and that man are truly a perfect couple.
Although Xiao Ai was almost certain when they met for the first time that Xiaomei was not from a legitimate background and must have been reborn, there was no evidence.
But now, seeing that she gave up the position of workshop director and got together with this man who could be her father, Shi Xiaoai believed that her judgment was absolutely correct.
This person must be very helpful to Shi Xiaomei.
Perhaps her previous experience made her realize that Cheng Yang was unreliable, so she began to look for external help again.
But what does this have to do with me?
As long as this guy doesn't go crazy and cause trouble for her family again, Shi Xiaoai doesn't bother to care what kind of "good father" she has found.
"Let's go buy some candy." Shi Xiaoai pulled Cheng Yang.
Seeing what his wife meant, Cheng Yang looked over there again, then went to the food counter with her, carrying the two children.
Here, Shi Xiaoai lavishly bought a bag of White Rabbit milk candy and a box of Golden Monkey chocolates.
In addition, she bought a beautiful handkerchief for each of the two little ones and asked the salesperson for two small safety pins, one for each of them to pin on their clothes.
The two little guys were immediately very happy, and they puffed out their chests to show off, as if they were afraid that others would not notice that they bought new handkerchiefs.
He didn't want his parents to hold him anymore, and walked out proudly with an attitude of being 1.8 meters tall.
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