Chapter 43: The Department Store

When Xiao Weiguo returned home, he found the sky still dark. He lay back in bed and soon drifted into a deep sleep, intending to catch a little more rest. It was only when the rooster's crowing became frequent that Xiao Weiguo woke, hurriedly donned his work uniform, and washed up.

He took some food from his secret space to fill his stomach. In the future, he thought, it would be convenient to store more ready-made food there—steamed buns, stir-fried dishes, cold plates, all kinds of braised meats—so whenever he wanted something to eat, he could simply take it out. He could buy in bulk and stock up, since nothing would spoil. Xiao Weiguo guessed this was because the space lacked the bacteria necessary for decay. The only downside was that hot dishes lost their warmth, but he could always reheat them or prepare more cold dishes to eat directly.

This would greatly simplify his meals, though naturally, when eating with others, he would still need to cook in the kitchen. Xiao Weiguo set out, not for the nearest supply cooperative, but for the Grand Department Store in the Capital.

The Grand Department Store, the largest modern department store of its era, was rumored to have a dazzling array of goods—thirty thousand items on display. It held a special place in the hearts of the city's residents, many of whom visited daily just for the novelty, even if they bought nothing.

Located on Wangfujing Avenue, Xiao Weiguo was thankful for his car, which made every destination so much easier to reach. Before him stood a six-story building with reddish walls; at the center of the second floor hung a portrait of the Chairman, beneath which was inscribed: “Capital Department Store, Wangfujing Branch.”

Inside, crowds surged everywhere. It was just after opening, yet citizens eager to browse filled the halls to capacity—up to twenty thousand people, so it was said. Xiao Weiguo struggled forward, losing any desire to linger. In truth, the place deserved its reputation as the nation’s premier building, yet to his eyes, any modern shopping mall from later years would far outshine it.

All he wanted now was to buy what he needed and return to the village; his shoulders were red and swollen from being jostled by the throng. It felt as though the entire city had gathered here.

Xiao Weiguo noticed several single shoes lying discarded—someone must have lost them in the crush. He sympathized, wondering how they would get home barefoot.

He finally squeezed to the ready-made clothing counter, which was less crowded; the higher the floor, he realized, the fewer people there were. He planned to buy clothes and then explore the upper levels.

“Comrade, may I ask, how much is a set of men's clothing, including undershirts and Liberation shoes?” Xiao Weiguo inquired, eyeing a black suit resembling a Sun Yat-sen uniform.

“Twenty-eight yuan for the suit, five yuan eighty for the undershirt, two yuan eighty-five for a pair of Liberation shoes,” the sales clerk replied without expression.

Such steep prices! Xiao Weiguo had thought to buy several sets for changing, but now he hesitated—buying a whole outfit was a real dilemma. Still, he only had this one set; making his own was possible, but time was short.

“I’ll take one set in my size, two undershirts, and two pairs of Liberation shoes,” Xiao Weiguo said.

The sales clerk finally looked him over, quickly gathered the items, and handed him a bill. “Pay at the front desk, then bring the receipt back to collect your goods.”

This payment method was new to Xiao Weiguo, and he found it quite novel. He wasn’t in a rush to pay—there were still other things to buy, so he would settle up all at once.

Nearby, he saw a commotion as people rushed the counter in a frenzy, prompting Xiao Weiguo to step back in alarm. On closer inspection, he realized it was mostly older women scrambling for something. He asked a man beside him, “Comrade, may I ask, what are they fighting over?”

“Defective cloth! No ration coupons needed, and it’s cheap. This opportunity only comes early in the morning,” the man answered, himself itching to join the scramble.

“What’s defective cloth?” Xiao Weiguo asked, curious.

“It’s fabric with flaws—misprints or uneven patterns—sold as seconds. Regular cloth is thirty-three cents per yard, but defective cloth is a third less; fine cloth is only twenty-two cents per yard, eleven cents cheaper than market price, and no coupons required. I’m going in to buy a few yards!” With that, the man plunged into the fray among the old ladies.

Xiao Weiguo marveled at the man's fighting spirit, daring to compete with the formidable aunties.

He calculated that he had to buy some cloth himself—he’d promised his grandmother, after all. If possible, he must buy some.

But when he saw the human wall at the counter, he lacked the courage to fight as that man had, determined and bold. He decided to buy other things first; there were plenty left on his list.

He went to the candy counter and bought a huge assortment—White Rabbit, fruit hard candy, orange soft candy, and more. Anything he couldn’t finish could go into his space, so he resolved to use up all his candy ration coupons in one go.

He noticed not every counter required a coupon and payment at the main desk; at the candy counter, you simply handed over cash and coupons directly. The reason for this difference eluded him, and Xiao Weiguo didn’t bother to ponder it.

He continued shopping, stopping at the cosmetics counter to buy some scented creams for his sisters. The snow cream prices were: sixty-eight cents for the bagged version, one yuan thirty-eight for the tin, and the most luxurious—a yellow tin with a painted songstress, “Elegant Cream” in a glass bottle—cost three yuan twenty. Xiao Weiguo couldn’t bring himself to buy the top-tier one, though it would make a fine gift for a young lady in the future. In the end, he bought ten tins and ten bags of snow cream, figuring it would last for a while.

He bought a heap of miscellaneous things, filling his bags to overflowing.

All that remained was to buy cloth. Returning to the fabric section, he checked whether the defective cloth counter still had crowds. If it did, he’d just buy regular cloth—he had ration coupons, after all.

Arriving, he found the defective cloth counter deserted, but the clerk informed him that it was sold out for the day; he could try again tomorrow.

Disappointed, Xiao Weiguo was about to buy regular cloth when, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Shi Guanglin, laughing and chatting with a group as they headed upstairs.