"Lipstick? Did you buy this for me?" Ning Songyun cried out in surprise.
Lipstick was hard to come by in the country; it was only available at the Friendship Store. Among the female soldiers in the Cultural and Art Troupe, aside from the makeup permitted during performances, anyone who dared to dress up slightly would be reprimanded by the leadership for being out of line. Consequently, everyone wore uniform braided pigtails, a bob cut, or two small braids on either side—no other hairstyles were seen.
But young women loved beauty, and lipstick was so attractive. Some girls would sneakily use flower petals or chocolate to stain their lips. Ning Songyun had always wanted a lipstick of her own, but she couldn't get into the Friendship Store. Now that Zhao Yu had managed to buy one for her while in Beijing, she was beside herself with joy. Clutching the lipstick, she gave Zhao Yu an excited hug: "Yu Yu, I love you so much! How are you so good to me?"
Chapter 81