The morning was cool, and Xiuzhu and her cousin walked with light steps. Before long, they arrived in front of a two-story building with red brick walls and tiled roofs.  

Holding her cousin’s hand, she stepped inside eagerly.  

The first floor was lined with glass display cases showcasing a dazzling array of goods—food, clothing, household items—all of which caught her eye.  

“Sis, this place is bigger than the department stores in Yucheng, and there’s so much more here.”  

Xiuli smiled and said, “Of course! This is the capital, after all. Only Shanghai can compare.”  

“Mhm! Sis, take me to the fabric and ready-made clothes counters first. I can’t wait!”  

Xiuzhu tugged at Xiuli’s arm playfully.  

Though she had memories of her past life, they felt more like a distant, extravagant dream.  

Having lived here for 18 years, she had long adapted to local customs. In this era of material scarcity, seeing so many goods inevitably stirred excitement in her.  

A mocking voice suddenly cut in. “Tch. Country bumpkins.”  

Xiuzhu heard it but didn’t turn around—surely it couldn’t be directed at her. She was beautiful and dressed so well—who would be so blind as to call her that?  

The voice was close, and Xiuli heard it too. She knew the girl was referring to them.  

But seeing Xiuzhu ignore it, she decided not to stir trouble and simply led her cousin toward the clothing section.  

“Hmph!”  

Chu Yuqing hadn’t expected to be completely ignored. Furious, she widened her eyes and dug her fingers into her dress.  

She had come to the department store today wearing a brand-new *bulaji* dress, hoping to outshine her cousin.  

Sure enough, her cousin was wearing the same outfit she’d seen before—nothing as pretty as hers. She had been feeling smug.  

Then, not long after, a fox-like woman walked in, wearing a stylish *bulaji* even more beautiful than the one she’d gone through great lengths to have brought from Shanghai.  

The moment she entered, people’s eyes flickered toward her—even her usually aloof cousin couldn’t help stealing glances.  

But some people only looked good from afar. Yuqing deliberately moved closer, hoping to spot flaws.  

Instead, up close, the woman was even more stunning—her skin fairer, smoother, more delicate. But the moment she spoke, it was clear she was just some country bumpkin from Yucheng with no sophistication.  

Chu Yulan took in her cousin’s expression with a hint of disdain—what an airhead.  

Then, thinking of the face she had just seen, her gaze flickered. She turned to Yuqing and said gently, “Yuqing, that girl’s dress was so pretty. I wonder if it’s a new arrival in the store. Let’s go take a look.”  

“Hmph. Fine.” Yuqing rolled her eyes, her face full of anger, and stormed toward the ready-made clothing counter.  

She came here every few days—there was no way it was a new arrival.  

But that fox spirit had dared to ignore her. She was going to teach her a lesson.  

A faint smile curled Chu Yulan’s lips as she leisurely followed behind.  

Xiuzhu browsed the ready-made clothes—the styles were much nicer than those in Yucheng.  

She didn’t like *dacron* fabric, so she picked out a red-checkered, round-collar *bulaji* made of fine cotton. It felt soft against the skin, though the loose waistline wasn’t quite to her liking.  

Still, the color complemented her complexion so well that she couldn’t bring herself to put it back. She figured she could always have it tailored later.  

Turning to the saleswoman at the counter, she asked, “Comrade, how much is this dress?”  

The saleswoman, seeing how pretty and well-dressed the girl was, replied politely, “This is a new arrival from Hong Kong, so it’s a bit pricier—20 yuan plus 10 feet of cloth coupons.”  

Xiuli frowned beside her. That was far too expensive—a *dacron* coat wouldn’t even cost that much. “Xiuzhu, that’s too much. Let’s go look at the fabric instead.”  

“Hmph. Poor things. If you can’t afford it, why even look?”  

“Wrap up the one she’s holding—I’ll take it.”  

Xiuzhu turned toward the voice and saw a sweet-faced girl with round cheeks, now looking at her with disdain.  

“Yuqing, this comrade saw it first. You should let her have it.”

Xiuzhu’s eyes shifted to the other girl who had just spoken—a gentle-looking woman with an elegant, refined demeanor.  

“When it comes to shopping, whoever can pay gets it. Even if I ‘let’ her have it, can she even afford it?” Chu Yuqing’s anger flared further at her cousin’s words. She lifted her chin, her tone dripping with contempt.  

Chu Yulan frowned. “But—”  

Yuqing cut her off, turning to the saleswoman. “How much?” 

The saleswoman repeated the price.  

It *was* expensive, but thankfully, Yuqing had brought plenty of money—though she was still two feet short on fabric coupons.  

“Lend me some coupons. I’ll pay you back at home.” She glared at Yulan, her tone impatient and domineering.  

Yulan didn’t want to lend them. Her cousin was spoiled and willful—anything she “borrowed” was never returned. Asking for repayment only led to tantrums and delays, and Yulan wasn’t about to lower herself to hounding her for it.  

Instead, she turned to the stunning but silent girl and said reasonably, “Comrade, since you saw it first, you should buy it.” 

“Chu Yulan, you traitor! I’m telling Grandma about this! Give me the coupons now!” Yuqing’s voice turned shrill, her teeth clenched in fury.  

Yulan glanced at the girl, who still hadn’t spoken, then at her cousin, whose loud outburst had already drawn a crowd.  

She couldn’t afford this humiliation—not after years of carefully maintaining her reputation.  

Quickly, she opened her wallet and handed over the coupons, if only to shut Yuqing up.  

Xiuzhu watched the two girls bicker in silence, refusing to engage no matter what they said about her.  

*Seriously, after what happened yesterday with that stranger, I’m not opening my mouth today. I’m practically scared of girls now.*  

Without anyone around who could back her up physically, she wouldn’t retaliate even if they pointed fingers and cursed at her. Words couldn’t hurt her—better to avoid trouble than provoke it.  

*Of course, if I had the means, I’d pay them back twice as hard. I’m all about borrowed prestige and cold, hard practicality.*  

Quietly, she tugged Xiuli’s hand. “Let’s go look at fabric, sis. She can’t take what she doesn’t have coupons for.” 

Xiuli chuckled in agreement.  

The fabric section had plenty of colors, including the same red checkered pattern. Xiuzhu bought enough for just five yuan—she’d sketch her own design and have it tailored. It’d look even better than the ready-made dress and cost far less.  

With the fifteen yuan she saved, she splurged on woolen fabric (seven yuan), dark blue *dacron* (five yuan), and white shirt material (three yuan), spending every last bit.  

Since Yucheng was in the south and winters weren’t as harsh as the capital’s, she planned a knee-length dark blue pleated skirt paired with a white blouse and a woolen coat—enough to get her through the season.  

Her fabric coupons were nearly gone, with less than ten feet left, so she didn’t browse further.  

Once Xiuli finished her shopping, they checked the shoe section. They didn’t have Xiuzhu’s preferred color, so she settled for a pair of dark brown flat-heeled pumps.  

Finally, they bought some pastries and headed home in high spirits—without so much as a glance at the two strangers.  

Chu Yuqing’s face twisted with rage. She’d spent a fortune on that dress, yet the girl hadn’t even spared her an envious look—hadn’t acknowledged her *once*.  

Chu Yulan maintained her elegant composure—though her eyes turned icy as she watched Xiuzhu leave.