He Shaobai nodded with a warm, friendly expression. Although he wasn’t entirely sure of the true extent of Shen Niantang’s English proficiency, he found himself inexplicably inclined to trust her after hearing what she had to say.
"All right, then. Since you’re set on working as an English translator in the Qingyang District, I’ll write you a letter of recommendation. But understand this: a recommendation is just that. I can’t guarantee that you’ll land a job that meets all your expectations."
Shen Niantang was overjoyed. Her entire demeanor seemed to brighten, her face breaking into a radiant, beaming smile.
"Thank you, Uncle. Don’t worry; I won’t let you down."
The noon sun beat down with oppressive heat. After Shen Niantang finished lunch at Aunt Su Jia’s home, He Yanjing stood up to see her off.
He Yanjing was tall and handsome, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Anyone who didn't know better might have mistaken Shen Niantang for his girlfriend.
In the distance, Lu Hanze watched them, his eyes locked onto Shen Niantang’s retreating figure. In his heart, he prayed for a chance, hoping that Shen Niantang was currently unattached.
He Yanjing offered to drive his cousin home, but Shen Niantang declined.
The Shen Residence wasn't very far from the He Family home, and besides, Shen Niantang planned to stop at the shops to pick up a few necessities. Having her cousin—whom she didn't know particularly well—tagging along made her feel a bit self-conscious.
As soon as He Yanjing turned back after seeing her off, he spotted Lu Hanze standing tall, leaning casually against the gate. The collar of his crisp white shirt was slightly open, revealing his slender neck, and the stray locks of hair across his forehead gave him an air of effortless nonchalance.
"Is that your cousin?"
"Get lost!"
The dialogue between men was as simple and direct as that. He Yanjing didn't need to guess what Lu Hanze was up to.
Lu Hanze wasn't surprised by the retort. Although He Yanjing hadn't answered the question directly, his refusal to deny or explain was enough for Lu Hanze to confirm his suspicions.
A subtle, nearly imperceptible smirk tugged at the corner of Lu Hanze's mouth as his gaze drifted toward the figure already walking away.
Out on the street, Shen Niantang watched the passing pedestrians. In these times, people primarily shopped at the state-run supply and marketing cooperatives; privately owned specialty stores had yet to emerge.
When Shen Niantang was leaving, He Yanjing had practically forced a few "Da Tuanjie" banknotes into her hand. Knowing her cousin truly cared for her, she had accepted them naturally.
Shen Niantang stepped into a supply and marketing cooperative, where the cashier was a stout, middle-aged woman.
The moment Shen Niantang walked in, the cashier noticed her, though a flicker of disdain crossed her eyes.
Ignoring the woman’s expression, Shen Niantang approached the counter and politely asked if they sold hair ties.
"Hmph, hair ties?"
"There are plenty here. Right there." The cashier looked her up and down with a judgmental gaze.
"I’ll take two hair ribbons—one blue and one pink—and five hair ties."
When Shen Niantang looked up, she met the cashier’s icy glare. Her own gaze sharpened instantly.
"Traveling so far just to buy hair ties and ribbons? Someone who spends money like that clearly doesn't know how to manage a household. These things cost a few cents each; you could buy so much more with that money. What a waste. Then again, with a face like that—looking like a little temptress—you certainly have the capital to lure men in. No wonder you spend money without blinking. Perhaps you’ve already been kept by some older man."
The shop wasn't crowded, but the cashier’s remarks drew curious glances from the others inside.
Shen Niantang didn't lose her composure under the prying eyes of the crowd. Instead, she offered a faint smile.
"Ma'am, we are total strangers. Just because I happen to be attractive, does that make me a 'temptress' in your eyes? Why the unprovoked malice? Does that mean, according to your logic, only ugly women are 'respectable'?"
"If that’s the case, does your belief that you aren't a temptress stem from the fact that you’re ugly?"
"Besides, I simply wanted to buy some hair ribbons. How is that a waste of money? For a woman with long hair, ribbons are a necessity. I see you’re wearing quite a few hairpins yourself; they don't look cheap, either. If I’m being extravagant, then what are you? I suppose that would make you 'profligate,' wouldn't it?"
"I’ve lived this long and never once heard that buying basic necessities was considered a waste of money."
The stout woman had been motivated by pure jealousy, thinking that such a young, seemingly soft-spoken girl would be easy to bully. She hadn't realized she had run into a wall of iron. Shen Niantang might have looked harmless, but she had been a star debater in the provincial competitions; few could match her sharp tongue. Since the cashier had started this battle, it was only fitting that Shen Niantang finish it.
"People in every industry are working hard for the bright future of New China. We should be united, with the military and civilians helping one another in harmony. Perhaps your slanders and rumors don't mean much to you—you’ll still have your steady 'iron rice bowl' job as a cashier with a comfortable salary. But for ordinary, law-abiding citizens like us, things aren't so secure."
"When we want to buy something, we have to endure your casual insults and smears. Does your high-and-mighty attitude mean you’ve inherited the mindset of the capitalists from before the reforms?"
Shen Niantang’s words were sharp, like a spring breeze carrying a thousand invisible blades.
As soon as she finished speaking, the onlookers who had been watching the spectacle began to take her side.
"That's right! How can you talk to people like that? Just because you're a cashier doesn't mean you're better than everyone else. How could you say such things to a young girl in public?"
"Is being a shop clerk something to brag about?"
"Look at all those hairpins she’s wearing. That must have cost a fortune. It seems shop clerks really are different from us common folk. Holding such a good job, she must have skimmed plenty of profit for herself."
The voices of the crowd rose, and the scene turned chaotic. The shop clerk's face went pale, as if she had swallowed gravel.
"I... I, I didn't mean it like that."
The cashier was losing her nerve. She never expected such a delicate-looking girl to have such a viciously sharp tongue.
"Ma'am, can I have my hair ties and ribbons now?"
The clerk nodded hurriedly, scrambling to get the items for Shen Niantang.
"H-here... here is what you wanted."
Shen Niantang paid for the items and walked out without looking back.
When she arrived home that afternoon, she heard the hysterical wailing of Shen Rou before she even stepped through the door.
The moment she entered, a glass cup flew toward her head. Fortunately, Shen Niantang reacted quickly and dodged to the side. The cup shattered against the wall nearby, leaving a mess of glass shards on the floor.
"You ungrateful wretch! You still dare to show your face back here!"