Chapter 12 - 11: Brother Goes to School
If someone has a military coat, it would make others insanely jealous.
In the ready-to-wear store in town, it’s always the same old styles. The styles sold in the county should be more fashionable than here.
After making a round, Lin Wan, using the fabric tickets she had earned lately, only bought some quilt lining for her brother, along with some cotton.
She also got a few yards of fabric for Mom and brought them back.
Lin Wan picked a non-market day, and early in the morning, she took a bus to the market in the county. She picked out a trendy white shirt made of Dacron for her brother and also bought a blue and white striped short-sleeve shirt, a tracksuit, two pairs of pants, and two pairs of canvas shoes, spending more than a dozen tickets and ten yuan.
Her brother was going to the city for school; he couldn’t go wearing patched clothes. The first impression people have based on appearance is always important.
After buying these, Lin Wan picked out a set of clothes for Mom. She fancied a floral over-the-knee long dress for herself; it required one fabric ticket plus three yuan. After hesitating for a long time, she couldn’t bring herself to buy it; the weather was about to get cold, and she wouldn’t be able to wear it for long.
Fashion changes every year; it’s better to wait until next year to buy something.
When Lin Wan got home, she happened to run into their landlord. Upon inquiry, she found out he was there to collect rent, and he also wanted to raise it. Only then did Lin Wan remember a month had gone by.