PFC Chapter 29: The Shopping Spree Begins
Chapter 29: The Shopping Spree Begins
The streets are filled with the crisp sound of bicycle bells, and pedestrians are dressed in simple, unpretentious clothes. Occasionally, an old-fashioned bus slowly passes by. On both sides of the street are quaint arcade buildings, with various shops on the ground floor: general stores selling daily necessities, teahouses wafting with the aroma of tea, and stalls overflowing with fresh fruit. Children run and play on the side streets, while elderly people sit in their doorways, chatting and basking in the sun, creating a vibrant atmosphere of daily life. The air is filled with the fragrance of food, giving a sense of warmth and tranquility.
Turning two streets, the Guomao Building in Huacheng suddenly comes into view. It's a four-story building with a vintage feel, standing like a majestic landmark in the bustling commercial district. The building's exterior is dignified, with large glass windows embedded in its gray cement walls, reflecting the sunlight and gleaming brightly. A bustling crowd gathers in front of it, creating a vibrant atmosphere.
Upon entering the China World Trade Center, one notices that the white tiles on the exterior walls are already showing signs of wear and tear. Above the main entrance of the building, a huge red sign bears the four large characters "China World Trade Center," and below the sign are two glass revolving doors.
Zhao Yuan and Zheng Ziqi entered the building through the glass revolving doors and were greeted by a spacious lobby filled with all sorts of goods, from daily necessities to home appliances. Several large chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a soft glow. Salespeople in uniforms served customers with enthusiasm, showcasing the unique commercial atmosphere of that era.
Zhao Yuan and Zheng Ziqi began to stroll around. Each floor of the building had a different theme, such as clothing, home appliances, and food. On the top floor, there was an observation deck overlooking the entire city, a popular attraction in Guangzhou.
After touring the entire China World Trade Center, Zhao Yuan first went to the clothing section and bought a skirt for Zhao Zhaodi and Zhao Laidi, and a floral shirt for Lin Fangfang.
We passed a suit shop.
"Director Zheng, let's each buy a suit; it'll be more appropriate for us to discuss business in the future."
Zhao Yuan said.
"A suit? I'm not used to wearing this. How about I buy a Zhongshan suit?"
Zheng Ziqi made the suggestion.
"When doing business with foreign businessmen, a suit is more formal."
After Zhao Yuan finished speaking, he took Zheng Ziqi's hand and went into the suit store, where the two of them each bought a blue suit.
"Director Zheng, let's go take another look at the candy section."
Zhao Yuan said.
Then the two walked toward the candy section.
The candy counter is located on the second floor, with a brightly colored sign above it that prominently displays the words "Candy Counter." The counter is overflowing with all kinds of candies: fruit-flavored hard candies, milk-flavored soft candies, chocolates, and more—a dazzling array. The sales staff, dressed in uniform white coats, smile warmly and enthusiastically introduce the flavors and characteristics of the various candies to customers. Children hold their parents' hands, their eyes glued to the candies, constantly calling out their desired flavors.
Zhao Yuan spotted a familiar face among the many candies: lard candy.
In his previous life, Zhao Yuan had a classmate from Huacheng in college. His family made lard candy, and Zhao Yuan slept in the lower bunk. Every time Zhao Yuan went home and returned to school, his classmate would bring lard candy with him. The lard candy was sweet and chewy, with an indescribable but very appealing flavor. Since graduating from college, Zhao Yuan had never eaten this kind of candy again, and he really missed that taste.
"Comrade, please help me weigh out two jin of lard candy."
Zhao Yuan said to a short-haired saleswoman.
"Ok."
As he spoke, the salesperson weighed out two jin of lard candy and handed it to Zhaoyuan.
Zhao Yuan paid the money, handed one to Zheng Ziqi, and immediately took one for himself and put it in his mouth.
"Yes, I really like this flavor."
Zhao Yuan talked as he ate.
Zhao Yuan discovered that there was chocolate in the counter. Chocolate was not a common item in this era. It could not be bought in ordinary places and could only be found in big cities like Huacheng. Lin Fangfang and the children had definitely never seen it before.
"Comrade, please weigh out two more pounds of chocolate for me."
Zhao Yuan said.
Then the short-haired sales clerk weighed out two more pounds of chocolate for Zhao Yuan.
After tasting the lard candy, Zheng Ziqi bought two jin (1 catties) of it. Since it wasn't available at home, he brought it home for his wife and children to try. Zheng Ziqi also bought a jin (0.5 kg) of chocolate and a jin (0.5 kg) of White Rabbit milk candy, packing them in paper bags to give to his cousin.
After buying candy, the two browsed around the second floor. Just as they were about to leave, Zhao Yuan suddenly stopped as they passed a department store on the first floor. His eyes lit up; he had spotted Barbie dolls inside! Zhao Yuan was extremely surprised. How could Barbie dolls exist in China at this time? Although Barbie had become a global phenomenon for little girls since its introduction to the United States in 1959, Zhao Yuan was still quite astonished that Barbie dolls were available in China at this time. He went over and asked about the price of the Barbie dolls.
"Excuse me, how much does a Barbie doll cost?"
Zhao Yuan asked.
"8 yuan each."
The saleswoman glanced at Zhao Yuan, told him the price, and then went to greet another woman wearing a skirt who was holding a little girl's hand.
"This is really expensive," Zhao Yuan thought, patting his pocket. Eight yuan could buy eight jin (4 catties) of meat to feed his family for half a month. But then he thought about how he had managed to sign such a lucrative contract today with his silver tongue, calculating that he would receive a commission of around 400,000 US dollars. Suddenly, those eight yuan seemed like a drop in the ocean.
"Comrade, give me a Barbie doll, here's the money."
Zhao Yuan handed a large denomination banknote to the sales clerk.
Upon seeing the large ten-yuan note handed to him, the sales clerk quickly abandoned the mother and daughter, took the note, and handed Zhao Yuan the two yuan change and the Barbie doll wrapped in a paper bag.
Zhao Yuan took the Barbie doll and followed Zheng Ziqi to look at electrical appliances and other items, and then strolled around for a while.
The two figured it was time for lunch, so they walked out of the China World Trade Center and headed towards the state-run restaurant. On their way, they passed a Xinhua Bookstore.
"Director Zheng, wait for me a moment, I need to go to Xinhua Bookstore to buy some books."
Zhao Yuan walked toward Xinhua Bookstore as he spoke.
Even in such a metropolis, there weren't many books he wanted to buy for his daughter. He browsed through the bookstore and finally bought a set of "Railway Guerrillas" comic books. After paying, he carried the books out of the Xinhua Bookstore.
"Brother Zhao, I didn't realize you were so willing to spend money on your daughter. Look at all the things you buy for your wife and daughter. This baby can't even eat, and it's so expensive. You're really generous. How many sons do you have?"
Zheng Ziqi asked.
"I have three daughters, no sons. I love daughters, daughters are good."
Zhao Yuan answered with a smile.
"Hmm? They're all daughters."
After hearing Zhao Yuan's words, Zheng Ziqi looked at Zhao Yuan, whose face showed no sign of dissatisfaction.
Zheng Ziqi naturally didn't continue the topic.
Speechless all the way.
The two arrived at the state-run restaurant, which already had several tables occupied. Being a metropolis like Huacheng, the state-run restaurant, while lacking luxurious furnishings, was much larger in scale, reflecting the atmosphere of the era. There were also four private rooms, each with a large round table. The main hall had six square tables; since only three of them were dining, Zheng Ziqi and Zhao Yuan chose one near the edge.
It took quite a while for a waiter to come, but their service attitude was exactly the same as the waiters in the county—arrogant and condescending. Back then, state-run restaurants paid employees with government salaries, which was considered a prestigious job for many. Therefore, there was no concept of good service here.
Zheng Ziqi ordered a braised prawn, a steamed crab, a chicken and ham soup, a cold beef, two plates of shrimp dumplings, and a bottle of Moutai, totaling 15.1 yuan.
"My guests haven't arrived yet. I'll serve the dishes when they arrive."
Zheng Ziqi handed the money and menu to the waiter.
"Ok."
The waiter left with the menu and money.
After a while, the waiter returned with a bottle of Moutai and a pot of tea. He placed the tea and wine on the table and then handed Zheng Ziqi the change.
Zhao Yuan and Zheng Ziqi sat in the restaurant and each poured themselves a cup of tea.
After a while, a familiar figure appeared at the door.
"Uncle, over here."
Zheng Ziqi stood up and waved to his cousin.
"Waiter, we're all here. Please arrange for the kitchen to serve our food. Thank you."
Zhao Yuan waved to the waiter and said.
The waiter glanced at Zhao Yuan and his group, then went to the kitchen.