C3 Entering the City to Shop

After spending a few days in bed, Qian Duojing started to feel better, thanks to the care of some kind neighbors. She began to do a bit of work around the house. Having been a college student from a poor mountain village in her previous life, she wasn't averse to farm work and quickly got the hang of it after a couple of tries.

Once she was feeling better, Duojing took a bath and examined her body. Despite having gone without food for so long, her waist was slim, but her hips and chest hadn't lost any volume. The many days of rest had also allowed her sun-darkened skin to regain some of its natural fairness.

However, there wasn't a single mirror in the house; the original owner had smashed the only one during a fit of madness. Duojing hadn't been able to see what she looked like now. Washing her hair was a challenge; her long locks were tangled, and it took ages to comb them out, even breaking several teeth off the wooden comb. Without shampoo, she had to make do with soapnuts.

Duojing liked to keep clean, but after two more days, she couldn't stand it any longer and went to seek help from Ms. Lan and the other neighbors. Fortunately, they all lived close by, just around the corner.

"Ms. Lan! Third aunt-in-law!" Duojing called out as she approached the courtyard.

"Hey—right here, coming!" came the replies from Ms. Lan and the third aunt-in-law inside.

Soon after, the door creaked open.

"Duojing, what brings you here? Come on in, come on in," they greeted her.

Unable to resist the third aunt-in-law's insistence, Duojing was ushered into the courtyard.

Once inside, Duojing asked, "Third aunt-in-law, do you have any hair conditioner? I've been bedridden for a few days and haven't been able to wash my hair properly. After tidying up and working around the house, my hair's become a dusty mess, and it's just too knotted to comb."

The third aunt-in-law looked at her hair, laughed, and said, "Dear, where would I get something as luxurious as hair conditioner? We all just use soapnuts and wood ash. We wash our hair once every ten days or so. Honestly, you might as well cut your hair short—it's so long, doesn't it get in the way?"

Qian Duojing ran her fingers through her waist-length hair. It was a bit dry and split at the ends, but still maintained its dark luster, a testament to the care the previous owner had given it. Despite contemplating a trim, she ultimately couldn't bring herself to cut it.

"Do you know where I can buy shampoo?" she inquired of her third aunt-in-law.

Noticing Duojing's hesitation to cut her hair and recognizing the young girl's desire to look her best, the third aunt-in-law didn't press the issue. She replied with a smile, "We'll need to head into town for that. Let's save up some eggs over the next couple of days and take them to the market. I'll take you with us then, and we can get your shampoo."

Duojing nodded in agreement, already planning to find her hidden stash of money once home. She intended to purchase not only shampoo but also a mirror and some paper. The thought of using bamboo slips like the rest of the village for toilet hygiene was unbearable to her. Thankfully, after her fast and with her minimal diet, she rarely needed to use the facilities.

Back at home, Duojing searched thoroughly until she unearthed a small bundle of cash tucked away under a piece of red cloth at the bottom of the wardrobe. She counted roughly twenty yuan.

Two days later, having saved a basketful of eggs, Duojing joined her third aunt-in-law on a cart ride out of the village.

Upon reaching the city, Duojing helped sell the eggs—two cents apiece. Her thirty eggs fetched a total of sixty cents. Once her third aunt-in-law had sold her share, they headed to the general store.

At the store, Duojing inquired about the prices. The clerk listed them: "Shampoo is four cents a bag, toilet paper is fifteen cents a roll, face cream is ten cents a box, and a mirror costs sixty cents."

With a determined bite of her lip, Duojing purchased three bags of shampoo, two rolls of toilet paper, a box of face cream, and a mirror. She then asked, "Do you have sesame paste for sale?"

The third aunt-in-law quickly took hold of her arm and said, "If you need sesame seeds, I've got plenty at home. I can give you a jin when you need it. Make it yourself and save the money."

Qian Duojing, always looking to save a penny, promptly replied, "Thank you, third aunt-in-law."

After the payment was made, the third aunt-in-law continued to grumble, "Why waste money on toilet paper? A rag works just fine for cleaning, and bamboo strips are good enough for the bathroom."

Not wanting to invite further lecturing, Qian Duojing didn't bother explaining. Once she had purchased her items, she hurried home and set about boiling water for a much-needed hair wash.