Chapter 29: My Name Is Shi Jian Nu

Upon reaching the city, Xu Jiao Jiao and Xie Zhi first delivered the wedding dress draft to the shop owner. When they arrived, the bridal shop was, as usual, devoid of customers. Xu Jiao Jiao could only sigh at the deeply ingrained savings habits of her fellow countrymen.

The moment Boss Hu saw the girl, she jumped up excitedly. “Ah, you’re finally here! I’ve been waiting day after day, looking out for you like I’m watching for stars and the moon. Finally, you’ve arrived!”

Xu Jiao Jiao set down her belongings, amused by the exaggeration. She pulled out her draft and handed it to the boss. “I’ve just been too busy lately.”

“You know, this dress doesn’t look that special, but when you wore it, it was stunning! Heading somewhere far?” The shopkeeper’s gaze shifted to Xie Zhi, who was patiently waiting nearby.

“Yes,” Xu Jiao Jiao nodded. “I’m going to Qingcheng to meet my husband’s parents. Before getting married, it’s only proper to visit.”

Boss Hu unfolded the draft, and the moment her eyes landed on it, she was stunned into silence. Her eyes widened with admiration. “Xu Comrade, this design is stunning—so professional!”

Hu Liyun, who had previously worked in a garment factory, was used to receiving half-baked drafts. Many lacked detail, and even asking for clarification would often result in sneers. But Xu Jiao Jiao’s draft not only included detailed notes with color gradients but also clear measurements, a flat sketch, and even a breakdown diagram. It saved her so much effort.

She went to a drawer, pulled out a slip of paper, wrote down a phone number and an address, carefully folded it, and handed it to Xu Jiao Jiao. “Comrade, this is where I used to work in Qingcheng. With your skills, I think you should give it a try.”

“Things aren’t as strict as they used to be anymore, and there’s a huge demand for talent like you.”

Xu Jiao Jiao hadn’t expected such an opportunity. Her heart raced at the thought of pursuing her long-cherished career. She quickly accepted the slip of paper, treating it like a treasure, examining it over and over before tucking it into her small bag. “Thank you so much!”

Hu Liyun carefully studied the draft again, repeatedly nodding in approval. The more she looked, the more she appreciated it. Xu Jiao Jiao felt a warm satisfaction; compared to family praise, she treasured the recognition of strangers even more.

“I’ll take it and modify it for you as soon as possible,” Hu promised.

After chatting a bit longer, the two left. On their way to the train station, Xu Jiao Jiao couldn’t hide her excitement, her mind filled with plans to design more dresses upon reaching Qingcheng. She was determined to ace the factory interview and pursue her dream of becoming a businesswoman in this new economic age.

Factories at this time were leagues ahead of their future counterparts, offering iron rice bowls and status akin to civil service. The prospect thrilled her.

By the time they reached the station, it was 10:30 a.m. Xie Zhi went to buy tickets while Xu Jiao Jiao stayed behind to guard their luggage. This era was rife with pickpockets—far from the simplicity of modern times. Thinking of the innocent college students she’d read about online made her laugh inwardly.

If she’d transmigrated during her university years, she’d probably have been conned out of her last pair of underwear.

The station was bustling, unbearably hot, and filled with unpleasant odors. Her striking looks made her stand out in the crowd, drawing many curious glances.

Amid the noise, a sharp voice suddenly cut through, accompanied by a child’s loud cries. Everyone turned toward the commotion.

A tall, skinny woman stood at the ticket counter, a child strapped to her back and another beside her. Her face was twisted with irritation, and the crisp sound of a slap rang out as she hit the little girl next to her.

“Cry, cry, cry! You little money-wasting wretch!”

“I finally managed to go find your dad, and now there’s an extra ticket to buy because of you!”

The woman forced the little girl to crouch down, her long, blackened fingers claw-like. Yet her face wore a false smile as she pleaded with the ticket clerk: “Comrade, you see, she hasn’t exceeded the height limit. Can’t you just let us pass without a ticket?”

Xu Jiao Jiao’s expression froze. She vaguely heard the ticket clerk scolding, “Look at your daughter—her legs are practically bent in half from crouching!”

The clerk’s voice rose: “Adults need a full ticket—28 yuan and 50 cents. Half-price for children is 14 yuan and 25 cents. That’s a total of 42 yuan and 75 cents.”

In the 1970s, with the country still far from its infrastructure boom, transportation was inconvenient, and train fares were exorbitantly high. A round trip could cost two to three months’ wages.

The station’s revenue was directly tied to the ticket clerk’s bonuses, so incidents like these—people trying to dodge fares—were not uncommon. The clerks had long since steeled their hearts and were immune to sob stories. The tall, skinny woman’s sweet-talking didn’t move the clerk one bit.

Even Xu Jiao Jiao was startled by the high ticket prices, realizing why her mother had insisted on stuffing her with money.

Finding no other way, the woman harshly kicked the crying little girl toward the counter. “You useless brat, get out of here! Go home on your own and stop following me!”

Her violent motion caused the child on her back to stir awake. The woman quickly rocked him, whispering a lullaby to calm him. Finally, she grudgingly bought one adult ticket.

The skinny woman found a seat near Xu Jiao Jiao, coincidentally sitting directly across from her. The little girl’s face was pale and yellow, clearly malnourished. The sight made Xu Jiao Jiao’s heart ache, but there was nothing she could do. In these times, a child’s fate was entirely dependent on their parents.

The little girl struggled to her feet, afraid of being left behind, but she dared not cry. She chased after the woman, though there was no seat left for her. Instead, she stood blankly nearby, looking lost. “Mom…” she murmured.

But the woman she called “Mom” ignored her completely, cooing lovingly at the boy in her arms.

Unable to bear the sight, Xu Jiao Jiao waved gently at the little girl. The child hesitated, her big, curious eyes filled with longing, but she didn’t dare approach.

Xu Jiao Jiao softened her smile, gesturing again.

Finally, the girl cautiously walked over, her voice timid yet filled with admiration. “Big sister, you’re so beautiful.”

The compliment made Xu Jiao Jiao’s heart ache even more. She unwrapped a piece of candy and placed it in the child’s mouth, then put a few more into her little hands. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Shi Jian Nu (Worthless Girl),” the child replied.

Xu Jiao Jiao’s composure crumbled. Her eyes instantly brimmed with tears, a few rolling down before she quickly wiped them away. Words failed to capture her emotions at that moment.

The little girl seemed to understand that her name wasn’t a good one. She lowered her head in shame, too scared to meet the gaze of the beautiful sister who had been so kind to her. She quietly sucked on the candy.

“You don’t know to bring that candy back to your mom?” the skinny woman said coldly, casting them a sideways glance.