CHAPTER 41: 041 RADIO

Li Xianglu was spinning around curiously while Qin Xi took a good look at the girl’s inquisitive demeanor before turning to the side and saying to Li Huai Ren, "Grandpa Li, I have something urgent to attend to and have to leave now. Let’s meet at the County Committee compound at four in the afternoon."

Li Huai Ren nodded and replied, "Sure, go ahead, and be careful." He didn’t know what the Qin Family’s boy was up to in the city; although the lad looked young, he was mature and steady, so Li himself wasn’t too worried.

Qin Xi nodded to Li Xianglu before leaving.

Li Huai Ren then turned to Li Xianglu with a smile and said, "Having fun? Come on, let’s go buy some ready-made clothes. I just saw a water-red jacket that’s absolutely beautiful. It would look fantastic on my granddaughter."

Red? Li Xianglu felt her guts trembling. In a previous life, she barely wore red clothes, thinking them tacky. But now, when the dominant tones are black, white, and gray, owning a red garment would make one the object of much envy.

Upon reaching the clothes section, they saw a female sales assistant in her twenties constantly checking herself in a small mirror.

Mr. Li then spoke up, "Comrade, take down that red jacket for my granddaughter to try on."

The sales assistant’s long eyebrows raised slightly, and her eyes, which sloped upwards at the corners, made her look very beautiful. She was clearly annoyed by the interruption and, without lifting her head, she said, "Do you have cloth tickets or industrial coupons? This is a ready-made garment, produced by a factory, and you can’t buy it just with cloth tickets."

Mr. Li furrowed his brow and replied, "What kind of attitude is that? You can’t even lift your head while speaking. Is this the kind of training you receive here?"

The sales assistant abruptly looked up and saw an old man in an old Zhongshan suit, exuding an air of authority. Her face twisted into a smile as she apologized, "I’m sorry, sir. My service was lacking. Do you have industrial coupons or cloth tickets? Both cloth and wool items are factory-made, so you need industrial coupons."

Seeing her change in attitude, Mr. Li’s expression eased, "Yes, lets take a look at the clothes first so my granddaughter can try them on."

The sales assistant glanced at Li Xianglu, who stood by watching the scene. Though contempt crossed the assistant’s mind because of Li Xianglu’s old faded clothes, she quickly controlled herself remembering Mr. Li’s authoritative tone and handed over a red jacket hanging on the rack.

Li Xianglu received it with a smile, saying cheerfully, "Thank you, auntie!"

A laugh erupted from someone nearby; the saleswoman’s face flamed up with embarrassment. At only 20 years old and unmarried, she didn’t expect to be called "auntie," but held back her anger.

Seeing the trick Li Xianglu played, Li Huai Ren didn’t expose her, instead indulging her with a smile, "Try it on. This jacket is meant for spring; it might be a bit big over a cotton-padded coat."

Li Xianglu tried it on and chose a slightly smaller size. Mr. Li also looked at a grey double-layered short jacket, perfect for wearing in the coming days, and decided to buy it.

The red jacket was priced at twelve and a half yuan, and three industrial coupons; the grey jacket was fifteen yuan, also requiring three industrial coupons.

In total, twenty-seven yuan and fifty cents was paid, and after the money and tickets were accepted, the sales assistant issued a receipt and picked it up when Li Xianglu heard a swoosh—a noise over her head.

Startled, Li Xianglu shrank back and looked up to see what it was, only to see a wooden plank sliding along an iron wire.

The beautiful sales assistant looked at the frightened Li Xianglu with contempt, thinking to herself how this country bumpkin had never seen anything like this before.

The wooden plank quickly zipped back, carrying the change.

The pleased sales assistant handed over the change with a slight smirk.

Li Xianglu finally noticed the fine iron wire strung over the counter that connected it to the cash register.

The sales assistant carefully wrapped the two garments with oiled paper and tied them with hemp rope, handing them over.

Taking the packages, Li Xianglu followed Mr. Li to the section with fabrics.

Upon seeing the dark blue fabric, Li Xianglu spoke, "Grandpa, let’s get some blue fabric. The clothes you’re wearing have faded to white. Let me make you a new set."

Mr. Li’s eyes twinkled, and he nodded with a broad smile, touched by her thoughtfulness. He was glad he had considered things carefully and not adopted a son from the Sanhe Family. Now recalling, he might even owe the Qin Family’s lad a thanks—his persistent advice against hastily adopting had probably been prudent.

They bought a huge batch of fabrics, using up all of Mr. Li’s saved cloth tickets.

Li Xianglu got four trousers in black, blue, and gray; Mr. Li got a set of dark blue woolen fabric and a white dress shirt fabric. Li Xianglu had two white dress shirt fabrics and also a floral-patterned long-sleeve garment, the latter insisted upon by Mr. Li—many young girls on the streets liked floral patterns, but why did this girl prefer only black, blue, and gray? He found it quite puzzling.

Who could have guessed that this young body housed a 21st-century lady? In their last life, they favored simple colors, hardly wearing floral unless it was a fresh-looking long dress or jumpsuit.

After ascending beyond the second floor where Mr. Li was in high spirits, Li Xianglu carried several packages and followed him.

The third floor was much quieter compared to the second.

On the western side, a whole row of bicycles was displayed.

There were models for men and women, sized 28 and 26 inches respectively.

Various parts lay scattered on the floor.

The prices were clearly marked on the wall beside the counter; Feige bicycles, model 28, one bicycle ticket, 24 industrial coupons, 168 yuan.

The price was reasonable, but the essential item was the bicycle ticket; highly limited in supply, plus the industrial coupons—a level three worker earned just over forty yuan a month, received thirty-six kilograms of grain, a few yards of cloth tickets, and only two or three industrial coupons.

Twenty-four coupons represented almost a year’s saving for a family.

Seeing Li Xianglu’s curious gaze at the bicycles, Mr. Li smiled, "Want a bicycle? I do have a bicycle ticket, but I’m afraid I don’t have enough industrial coupons. Maybe we should wait and buy it later."

Li Xianglu quickly waved her hands, "No, I was just curious."

Seeing her genuine curiosity, Mr. Li nodded and headed towards the semiconductor counter.

A young man sat behind the counter, meticulously cleaning a black radio. Li Xianglu, sharp-eyed, spotted a phrase in English, ’Normende’—a portable handheld radio from the United States.

Judging by its condition, it seemed to be a product from the 1950s.

Li Xianglu’s eyes sparkled, while Mr. Li found it odd—why was the girl fixated on an old model rather than the new radios?