When Zhao Jingsong saw a large bowl of braised pork on the table, he exclaimed in surprise. He picked up his chopsticks and was about to pick up a piece, but Feng Xiuqin slapped his hand.
"You haven't washed your hands yet! It's so unhygienic."
Zhao Jingsong had no choice but to put down his chopsticks and hurried to the water room to wash his hands.
After a while, he ran back and ate a bowl of braised pork.
"Xiu Qin, you should also eat with the child! I have eaten in the cafeteria."
Under Zhao Dagang's urging, Feng Xiuqin also picked up the bowls and chopsticks.
"Uncle, why don't we wait for my cousin and cousin?"
"Don't wait for them. Your cousin works in a machinery factory. He usually eats and sleeps in the factory. He doesn't go home until he has a day off. Your cousin works in the No. 3 Textile Factory. He has already agreed to watch a movie with his colleagues tonight.
.”
Zhao Dagang waved his hand towards Liu Ye, indicating that she didn't need to pay attention.
…
After dinner, Feng Xiuqin took Liu Ye to the bathhouse of the textile factory.
Willow Ye finally cleaned herself from head to toe.
When she followed Feng Xiuqin home refreshed, her cousin Zhao Jingmei had already returned.
"You must be Ye Zi! I am your cousin Zhao Jingmei. If you have anything to do from now on, tell your cousin and she will protect you!"
Zhao Jingmei is an outgoing person. As soon as she saw Liu Ye, she warmly greeted her and held her hand.
"cousin!"
Liuye called someone obediently, grinned, and two dimples appeared.
"So good!"
Zhao Jingmei touched Liu Ye's head with a look of affection on her face.
Among the three brothers and sisters of the Zhao family, Zhao Jingmei is the second oldest.
The brother above her is four years older than her and doesn't like to play with her.
The younger brother below is four years younger than her. He is naughty and mischievous and will only make her angry.
Zhao Jingmei has been looking forward to having a sister since she was a child.
Now that Liu Ye is here, she looks very well-behaved and perfectly matches the image of a good sister in her mind. Zhao Jingmei is very happy.
"Jingmei, tomorrow, Sunday, take Ye Zi to the new world and buy her some new clothes."
Feng Xiuqin looked at Liu Ye's old clothes with white background and blue flowers. She didn't like it, so she immediately took out three big unity cards and gave them to Jingmei.
New World is the most famous department store in Shanghai. It displays the most fashionable clothes, bags and shoes. It is a favorite place for young girls to shop.
"No need, aunt! I have clothes."
Willow Ye quickly refused.
She was already very embarrassed to eat and drink for free at her uncle's house. How could she ask her aunt to pay for her clothes?
"Yi Zi, if your aunt asks you to buy it, just go and buy it. In our Shanghai city, girls are all coquettish customers, and everyone has to dress up beautifully."
"My mother is right. The girls in Shanghai are all the most fashionable. I will definitely choose clothes for you tomorrow."
After getting the task of taking Liu Ye to buy clothes, Zhao Jingmei's eyes started to shine.
Since she was a child, she has dreamed of having a younger sister whom she can dress up, and now she can finally realize her wish.
"Yi Zi, go ahead! Let Mei Zi pick out two good clothes for you."
Zhao Dagang also echoed.
"All right……"
Facing the expectant eyes of everyone, Liu Ye had no choice but to accept this kindness.
However, several of my clothes were indeed too old and worn out. Two of them were even patched.
Not to mention that the Zhao family looked down upon her, even she herself disliked him.
"Second sister, cousin, can you take me with you tomorrow?"
In the 1980s, the single-day holiday system was implemented, that is, there was only Sunday off in a week.
Tomorrow is Sunday, and Zhao Jingsong doesn't have to go to school. He is also looking forward to going outside for a walk.
"We two girls are going shopping, why are you following us?"
Zhao Jingmei glanced at Zhao Jingsong with disgust.
She recalled that back then, when Zhao Jingzhu took Zhao Jingsong out, she wanted to follow them, but they left them behind on the excuse that she was a girl.
Now, I can finally "treat others in their own way."
"Hey, I can protect you."
Zhao Jingsong looked at Zhao Jingmei with a flattering expression.
"No, you can't go! We don't need your protection."
Zhao Jingmei decisively refused, she didn't want to go with this burden.
"Cousin, please take me there!"
Seeing that Zhao Jingmei didn't let go, Zhao Jingsong immediately turned his head and looked pitifully at Liu Ye.
Liu Ye couldn't stand such begging, so she immediately said to Zhao Jingmei: "Cousin, how about... just take him there! When we buy something, we can still let him carry it."
"Okay! For Ye Zi's sake, I'll let you follow."
Even Liu Ye spoke, Zhao Jingmei could only nod in agreement.
"Thank you, second sister, thank you cousin, you two are the best, most beautiful, and kindest sisters in the world."
Zhao Jingsong was overjoyed and said sweet words as if they were free of charge, making others laugh.
"Okay, it's getting late, let's go to bed early!"
Zhao Dagang had long noticed Liu Ye's tired look and called for everyone to take a rest early.
At night, Zhao Dagang and Feng Xiuqin slept in the same bed.
Zhao Jingsong slept on the upper bunk of the bunk bed, while Liu Ye and Zhao Jingmei squeezed into the lower bunk.
Although Liu Ye was not used to a large family sleeping in such a small room, she had to accept it.
Fortunately, the curtains were hung on the lower bunk, so the two older girls Liu Ye and Zhao Jingmei had a small private space.
Shanghai is the most prosperous metropolis, with many people and little land. Most people are like the Zhao family, with their whole family crowded into a small house.
There are even three generations of seven or eight people living under the same roof, crowded into a small house of more than ten square meters in a small alley.
Like the Zhao family, it is already very good to live in a tube building with running water and public toilets on every floor.
After running around for a day, Liu Ye was already exhausted. She lay on the bed and fell into a deep sleep not long after.
When I opened my eyes again, it was already the next morning.
Feng Xiuqin cooked porridge early, cut a bunch of side dishes, and cooked a hard-boiled egg for everyone.
After a simple breakfast, the three of them were ready to set off.
Before going out, he was stopped by Feng Xiuqin.
"Yi Zi, you'd better change your clothes before going out!"
Liu Ye was still wearing that rustic white-on-blue flowered dress.
"Meizi, find some old clothes and give Ye Zi an emergency first!"
"Okay, I'll go right away."
Zhao Jingmei readily agreed.
Liu Ye looked at her clothes and asked Feng Xiuqin in confusion: "Auntie, is there anything wrong with my dress...?"
"Apart from being a little tacky, there's nothing wrong with it, but you're going to Shinsegae Department Store today, and if you dress like this, you'll definitely be looked at like a monkey."
People in Shanghai are very fashionable. Liu Ye's dress makes her look like a country girl. She will inevitably be looked down upon by others, so it would be better to change her clothes.
Soon, Zhao Jingmei found a white shirt and a blue skirt for Liu Ye.
After a while, the willow leaves were replaced.
Zhao Jingmei is half a head taller than Liu Ye, and her clothes are naturally bigger.
Liu Ye had no choice but to roll up her sleeves a few times, to her elbows, and raise her skirt a little further, until it reached her waistline, revealing half of her smooth calves.