Chapter 21: The Model

After returning the farm tools, Qiao Yufan went inside the house to grab a few things, then headed out with Shen Qingyao.

Seeing a popsicle vendor on the street, she bought one for Shen Qingyao. Although Shen Qingyao claimed she didn't want it, she kept licking her lips. Qiao Yufan couldn't help but laugh, urging her to eat it quickly.

If one were looking for work, the vicinity of the factories was naturally the best place to start. The reason Qingtan Village even had factories was thanks to support from above. Some factories had taken root in the countryside, and a group of early workers sent down from the cities had remained to provide technical guidance. Meanwhile, other educated youths who had been sent down, along with those returning from major coastal cities, began attempting to start small businesses.

By 1978, policies had relaxed significantly, and there was no longer a need to conduct small trade in secret. Still, one couldn't operate on too large a scale. Consequently, many learned to keep a low profile. In the big cities, business was still conducted in a very traditional manner. It wasn't like the 21st century, where everything under the sun was sold; by and large, it was still a market driven by conscience.

Shen Qingyao had considered going into business, but she knew she lacked the capital. She had thought about returning to her old profession, but here, she had no credentials to prove her qualifications. Relying solely on her word felt a bit too forced.

As Shen Qingyao and Qiao Yufan wandered around, Qiao Yufan pulled her into a tailor shop. Shen Qingyao assumed Qiao Yufan wanted to buy clothes and enthusiastically helped her look at the fabrics. To her surprise, Qiao Yufan picked up a bright red piece of cloth and asked if she liked it.

Shen Qingyao froze.

Qiao Yufan suppressed a smile. "My Yaoyao has fair skin; she would look beautiful in this material."

Shen Qingyao blinked. "Grandma, you should buy it for yourself."

"Measure yourself; Grandma will make you a new outfit." Qiao Yufan ignored her, holding the fabric up against Shen Qingyao to gauge the size.

"Grandma, don't waste your money. The clothes I have are perfectly fine." Shen Qingyao grabbed Qiao Yufan’s hands.

Qiao Yufan slowly pulled them away. "What’s fine about them? This is for you to wear when you get married. Even if Grandma can't afford the finest materials, it’s a gesture from my heart, isn't it?"

Hearing this, tears nearly welled up in Shen Qingyao’s eyes. She held them back and pulled Qiao Yufan toward the door. The fabric felt soft and looked lovely in her hands, but Shen Qingyao knew it wasn't cheap. The labor cost alone would likely exceed a yuan, and once the fabric was factored in, it would be even more.

"Where are you going? Your brother earns money specifically for us to spend; why are you trying to save it for him?" Qiao Yufan pulled her back.

The old woman was remarkably strong, and Shen Qingyao was almost dragged back into the shop. A young girl watching the storefront stared at the two of them as they tugged at each other. Suddenly, the fabric curtain at the back of the shop was swept aside, and Xie Meiyi stepped out.

She immediately recognized a familiar figure. It was Shen Qingyao. She was wearing the same outfit from their last meeting—there was no doubt about it.

Xie Meiyi greeted her warmly. "Yaoyao?"

Shen Qingyao turned around, momentarily at a loss for how to address her. They had only met once at the Political Department; she hadn't expected to run into her in a place like this. Most importantly, the woman had called her "Yaoyao" instead of "Shen Qingyao." For some reason, Shen Qingyao felt her face flush.

When she didn't react for a moment, Xie Meiyi walked over. Qiao Yufan looked at Xie Meiyi, then at Shen Qingyao. "Who is this?"

"Someone who worked at the Political Department when Jiang Yan and I got married," Shen Qingyao explained casually.

Xie Meiyi felt a surge of anxiety upon hearing this. The progress between Shen Qingyao and Jiang Yan was so slow that she found herself worrying on their behalf. But upon reflection, maybe it wasn't that slow after all. She forced herself to stay calm and keep her true intentions hidden.

"You can just call me Auntie Xie. This is my shop. Take a look and see if there’s anything you like."

"Auntie Xie, this is your shop?" Shen Qingyao took a quick look around. Although the space was small, the decor was anything but simple. In the days since she had arrived, Shen Qingyao had been observing, and most households didn't decorate their walls so exquisitely. Most people didn't even think about interior design; if there was a crack, they simply pasted a newspaper over it to cover the flaw.

But Xie Meiyi’s shop was different. While Shen Qingyao didn't know the exact cost, she guessed it had the same appeal as the "internet-famous shops" from her own world.

"Auntie Xie, we’ll keep looking, we'll keep looking..." Shen Qingyao pulled on Qiao Yufan, trying to leave again.

Xie Meiyi, sharp-eyed, squinted and called out to her. "By the way, are you interested in modeling these for me?"

Shen Qingyao searched her mind for the term. "You mean, be a model?"

Qiao Yufan blinked. "What does 'model' mean, Yaoyao?"

"A model is someone who wears clothes to help advertise them."

"Exactly! If that's how you put it, then yes, a model." Xie Meiyi grinned, looking at Shen Qingyao with anticipation. "I won't take much of your time—just two hours. Would that be alright?"

Shen Qingyao felt a bit resistant. "I’m sorry, I’m busy looking for work, so I might not be able to..."

Xie Meiyi calculated a figure in her head. Jiang Yan had mentioned that Shen Qingyao’s parents both worked at the textile mill, where a monthly salary was only about thirty or forty yuan. That broke down to roughly one yuan a day, and with ten-hour workdays at the factory, that was ten cents an hour.

After a moment of thought, Xie Meiyi held up five fingers. "For two hours, I’ll pay you fifty cents. How does that sound? Mind you, I don't have work every day—I’ll only need you when I have new clothes to showcase."

Xie Meiyi had laid it all out. Shen Qingyao wasn't a fool; to her, this was a decent opportunity. She accepted readily.

She hadn't expected to find a job so quickly, and the pay was quite good, too. The best part was that the work wasn't demanding—she just had to wear the clothes and sit at the front of the shop. If anyone came in to ask about them, Shen Qingyao would simply tell them she was the shop’s designer.

Qiao Yufan couldn't help but think that Shen Qingyao had hit a stroke of luck. It was only then that Shen Qingyao looked up and noticed a small sign hanging by the door. It read "Shi Jian Mei Yi." She silently committed the characters to memory.

Seeing that she had secured the girl, Xie Meiyi let out a sigh of relief. However, she decided she would have to go back and ask Jiang Yan why he had let Shen Qingyao go out looking for work on her own.

"Well, Yaoyao, that just means we should definitely buy that outfit." Before Qiao Yufan could finish her persuasion, Xie Meiyi joined in. "How about this: you provide the cloth coupons, and I’ll waive the labor fee."