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Inside the state-run restaurant, two rows of eight large wooden round tables lined the walls, giving the spacious dining area a clean and inviting atmosphere. It was lunchtime, and several well-dressed patrons were enjoying their meals, clearly city dwellers.
When Shen Zhuo and Ye Xin entered, the waitress and a few diners glanced their way. Upon noticing their rural attire, they quickly diverted their gazes, dismissing them as unimportant.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable under their scrutiny, Shen Zhuo shifted awkwardly.
Ye Xin, however, was unfazed. She scanned the menu and ordered twice-cooked pork, dry-fried broccoli, and two bowls of rice before leading him to an empty table.
Before long, their food arrived. After tasting a bite, Ye Xin leaned over and whispered, “It’s not as good as what you make.”
Shen Zhuo agreed, feeling that his home-cooked meals had more flavor.
Seeing her so relaxed, he decided to ignore the other diners and focused on enjoying his meal with her. Though the food wasn’t extraordinary, the generous portions and warmth of the dishes gradually chased away the lingering nausea from the bumpy bus ride.
When it was time to pay, Ye Xin smiled and asked the waitress for directions to the department store.
“You catch more flies with honey,” she thought, noticing how the waitress’s demeanor softened in response to her friendly approach. With a smile, the waitress pointed her in the right direction.
As they exited with their baskets, Shen Zhuo furrowed his brow, muttering, “Their attitude was terrible.”
Ye Xin shrugged. “What does it matter? It didn’t ruin our meal.”
Still feeling a bit vexed and confused, Shen Zhuo replied, “They’re in business yet don’t seem to understand that a friendly attitude can bring in customers.”
Ye Xin smiled knowingly. “Don’t dwell on it. They’re just waitstaff, not the owners. A smile from them won’t change their profits. We came in to eat and ask for directions. If they’re willing to help, great; if not, we can just ask someone else.”
Slowly, Shen Zhuo’s expression relaxed as he considered her words. “You really know how to look at things.”
Ye Xin chuckled.
Having graduated from university and become a civil servant, she had her fair share of life experience. The attitude of a restaurant server didn’t bother her in the slightest. But Shen Zhuo was only seventeen, inexperienced and sensitive, so it was understandable that he felt out of sorts.
Realizing this, she added, “It’s not about being open-minded; it’s about keeping our purpose in focus—eating and asking for directions. Once we accomplish that, we can move on. These insignificant people aren’t worth our emotions.”
As he reflected on her words, Shen Zhuo found wisdom in them. Ye Xin was decisive in her actions, unaffected by the opinions of others. He realized that he had been too anxious and concerned, limiting himself.
A sense of clarity washed over him.
Yet he also felt a touch of contradiction. She was only sixteen, younger than him, but she handled situations with an air of confidence that made her seem much older. It was embarrassing to think that he needed her guidance.
Seeing that he understood, Ye Xin smiled brightly. “Alright, let’s head to the department store now. We need to buy everything we need today so we’re not rushed tomorrow.”
Shen Zhuo nodded in agreement. “Sure.”
Though the county town wasn’t large, the streets were wider and the buildings more orderly than those in the town. Shen Zhuo had only visited the county as a child with his father and didn’t remember much, so he couldn’t help but gaze around as they walked.
After a while, he turned back to Ye Xin, noticing that she seemed completely at ease, which made sense since she was from the city and likely familiar with such sights.
As they continued walking, Ye Xin suddenly spotted a stall by the roadside and exclaimed in surprise, “Isn’t small business supposed to be banned right now?”
Approaching the stall, she saw it was filled with red pamphlets bearing the portraits of great leaders. Understanding the context, her previously relaxed demeanor shifted slightly, her curiosity piqued.
The sound echoed in her mind, reminding her that this was still a turbulent time. With a cautious heart, she understood that this little item was a lifesaver in these chaotic days.
Without hesitation, she pulled out some money and bought two copies of the pamphlets, handing one to Shen Zhuo with a firm instruction to keep it safe. Shen Zhuo understood the gravity of the situation and carefully tucked it into his pocket.
After making their purchase, they continued toward the department store.
It was a stroke of luck; they hadn’t walked far before encountering a group wearing red armbands. The moment the group spotted them, they paused to scrutinize the pair. A chill ran down Ye Xin’s spine, and she quickly pulled out the pamphlet they had just bought, stealing a glance at Shen Zhuo. He caught her drift and produced his as well. Seeing them both holding the leaders’ pamphlets while dressed in rural clothing, the red-armband group decided not to inquire further and moved along.
Both of them let out a sigh of relief and pressed on, soon catching sight of the towering three-story department store.
Even though it was lunchtime, the interior buzzed with activity, filled with a variety of goods on display, each more enticing than the last.
Ye Xin’s spirits lifted as she finally regained the feeling of being on a shopping spree. She grabbed Shen Zhuo’s hand and pulled him eagerly into the sea of merchandise, ready to shop till they dropped.
Noticing her enthusiasm, Shen Zhuo quickly protested, “I don’t need to buy anything.”
“Of course you do!” Ye Xin insisted, shoving a thick, woolen cap toward him. “Try this one on; let’s see if it suits you.”
With a resigned sigh, Shen Zhuo lowered his head, allowing her to place the cap atop his head.
Initially, the sales associate considered telling them not to try on anything to avoid dirt stains, given their shabby appearance. But upon closer inspection, she realized that both youngsters had clean, delicate features that set them apart from the typical rural look. So, she kept her comments to herself.
As Shen Zhuo donned the thick cap, it framed his face perfectly, making his features stand out even more. He looked like a handsome young man, prompting Ye Xin to glance at him again and ask, “Is it warm?”
“Yeah, it’s warm,” he replied. “But it’s not that cold here; we don’t really need it…”
Ye Xin interrupted, “We do! It’s freezing riding a bike in winter!” Plus, he looked so good in it.
After settling on the cap, she grabbed him a pair of gloves to try on, followed by a scarf, earmuffs, and thick socks—everything needed to stay warm and shield against the winter winds.
When she confirmed that all the items suited him well, Ye Xin turned to the sales associate to inquire about the prices. Winter gear wasn’t cheap, with each item costing between two to three yuan, adding up to over ten yuan in total. Without hesitating, she paid up.
The sales associate was taken aback by her decisive spending, her opinion of them shifting positively.
Meanwhile, Shen Zhuo furrowed his brow, clearly discontented. “That’s so much money…”
Ye Xin shot him a glare and said, “I’m happy to spend money on you, so just enjoy it!”
Fearing he had upset her, he accepted the items reluctantly and murmured, “Once I start making money, I’ll buy you something too.”
Ye Xin’s face lit up with a smile. “Well, you better work hard. If I start shopping, it won’t just be a few yuan here and there!”
Shen Zhuo took her words to heart, resolved to earn money for her in the future.
After selecting those items, Ye Xin wanted to find him a sweater or jacket, but after glancing at the prices, she realized those were far more than she wanted to spend and decided against it.
It was worth noting that winter here wasn’t particularly harsh—at least not compared to the region where Ye Xin had lived before. Plus, her constitution had improved over time, making her more resilient to cold and heat. Wearing her old winter clothes, she hardly felt chilly at all. Shen Zhuo likely felt the same.
So they opted to skip the new winter clothes for now.
Next, they headed to find the insulated thermos she had been thinking about for half a year.
They eventually spotted two types of thermoses, but neither was very appealing. One was a small enamel thermos, holding only about four to five hundred milliliters. Ye Xin doubted its ability to keep drinks hot, but the sales associate insisted that it was indeed an insulated thermos. The other option was a stainless steel model, holding about a liter, with a dark, dull exterior and a handle resembling that of a teapot.
After examining both, Ye Xin ultimately chose the second option.
It wasn’t the most attractive, but it was functional and, unfortunately, rather pricey.
They each bought a thermos, and with one in hand, they would never have to worry about the inconvenience of carrying water again.
Next to the thermoses was a section selling lunchboxes. Ye Xin picked out a stainless steel one and grinned at Shen Zhuo, saying, “This way, you can bring your own lunch!”
Shen Zhuo felt a mix of joy at her thoughtfulness and guilt over how much money she was spending on him. His emotions were complex, but he didn’t dare refuse, not wanting to spoil her mood. He mentally noted to repay her later.
After the lunchbox, they headed to buy a flashlight. There were options with brass casings and iron ones, all designed to hold two large batteries—batteries that were nearly as thick as Ye Xin’s wrist and weighed a ton. She chose the brass-cased one.
They continued to wander through the bustling department store, eager to explore every nook and cranny. With the year drawing to a close, they needed to use up the shopping vouchers they still had; otherwise, they would be worthless by next year.
They scoured the entire store, going up and down the aisles, making sure to buy everything they had in mind. Along the way, Ye Xin spotted a seed vendor and stopped to browse. To her delight, she found watermelon seeds! Though they were just ordinary seeds, she quickly grabbed a pack, excited about the prospect of growing her own watermelons in the future.
With a cheerful mood, she continued to examine other seed varieties, noticing that the selection here was far richer than in their town. She picked out a few seeds she had never tried before and bought them all.
Time flew by as they shopped and chatted. There was a clock in the department store, and when they glanced at it, they realized it was already past four. Feeling satisfied but tired, they decided it was time to find accommodations for the night.
At the exit of the department store, Ye Xin suddenly noticed a height measurement station and her eyes sparkled with excitement. “Come on, let’s measure our heights!” she exclaimed, pulling Shen Zhuo over.
She went first, and the measurement came out to be 1.58 meters. In her memory, the original body had been only 1.56 meters tall, meaning she had grown two centimeters in the past six months—what a pleasant surprise! Yet, she still felt too short and believed she could grow a bit more.
When it was Shen Zhuo’s turn, he measured at 1.78 meters. Curious, Ye Xin asked, “How tall were you before?”
Shen Zhuo hesitated, unsure; typically, rural kids didn’t regularly measure their heights.
Ye Xin rephrased her question, “Do you feel like you’ve grown taller in the last six months?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I’ve grown,” though he couldn’t say by how much.
“That’s great! We should keep eating nutritious food; you can grow even taller,” she encouraged.
Boys usually developed later, and Shen Zhuo still had a slim, elongated frame, suggesting he would continue to grow. Reaching 1.80 meters wouldn’t be a problem for him, but Ye Xin worried about her own height.
Being under 1.60 meters was disheartening…
She silently clenched her fist, determined to eat more from now on!
After measuring their heights, they left the department store. They headed to a state-run restaurant for dinner and then made their way to find accommodations. With their introduction letters in hand, they successfully paid for their rooms.
Of course, they were staying separately.
Before parting ways, Shen Zhuo couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. He leaned closer and cautioned, “Be careful tonight and stay safe.”
Ye Xin nodded. “I’ll stay in my room and won’t go out. If someone knocks, I won’t answer.”
Shen Zhuo nodded back. “I’ll come to wake you up in the morning.”
After exchanging their reminders, they finally retreated to their respective rooms.