Free Web NovelChapter 94: Chapter 94: Red Skirt
Gu’er opened the bundle.
On the very top was a blue outfit.
It was a simple, versatile style that could be worn anywhere. Gu’er smiled. The outfit was perfect, whether she was in the village or going to the city to sell popsicles.
There was also a cotton shirt and pants set.
Cotton absorbs sweat and is comfortable to wear.
She picked up the blue outfit and the cotton set and placed them aside. Beneath them lay another set of clothes.
A white short-sleeved shirt and a red skirt.
Gu’er’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Sun Jiaming had actually bought her a red skirt.
In all her years, Gu’er had never once worn a red skirt.
Not when she was married to Zhang Da, and certainly not afterward. As far as she could remember, she had never worn any red clothing at all, let alone a red skirt. The color was completely alien to her.
In her past life, living with the Zhang Family, she had rarely gone out, but she later learned about the popular trends.
’What was popular in the 80s?’
Perms, jeans, bell-bottoms, Sachiko shirts, aerobics pants, and of course, red skirts.
She remembered a movie called "Red Skirts Are in Vogue," which depicted the conflict a female model worker at a textile factory felt between her duty and a beautiful skirt.
The red skirt was a symbolic item that represented Chinese women’s liberation from monotonous, rigid clothing styles. It marked their pursuit of colors and designs that suited their femininity, heralding the official arrival of a diverse and colorful era in women’s fashion.
Later, many red down jackets appeared, a lot of them even reversible.
She remembered seeing many people wearing them on the street and feeling envious. But she had never bought one for herself. She felt that red didn’t suit her—that it was a color that would never belong to her in this lifetime.
But today, she was looking at a red skirt. A red skirt that a man had bought for her.
Gu’er’s hands gripped the skirt tightly, wrinkling the fabric without her even noticing. She felt her eyes begin to moisten.
’Can I wear red too?’
’Can I also wear a beautiful skirt?’
Not a single person in the village owned a red skirt yet. Not even many in the city did. The trend hadn’t reached the village at all.
’Can I also be fashionable?’
’Why is Sun Jiaming being so good to me?’
She was already grateful that he’d bought her two practical outfits; after all, she hadn’t worn new clothes in her current life yet.
But this red skirt left Gu’er’s heart in turmoil.
After a long while, Gu’er finally put the skirt down. She didn’t try it on. She was a little scared. She didn’t dare...
Gu’er went to the kitchen to light the stove.
It took her a long time to get it lit because her hands were shaking.
The flame slowly caught. The birch bark ignited the firewood, and the firebox lit up.
Gu’er stared blankly at the flames.
The dancing flames were like fiery sprites. Gu’er watched, mesmerized.
That day, Sun Jiaming had helped her in front of the whole village, brought her to his home, and then let her live in this house.
When he heard she wanted to sell popsicles, he immediately went to the city to buy her a bicycle and clothes. Gu’er refused to believe Sun Jiaming didn’t have feelings for her.
If he simply felt sorry for her and wanted to lend a hand, he wouldn’t have been so meticulous.
’He must like me, right?’
As Gu’er was thinking, she pulled out a piece of firewood from the side.
A small splinter from the wood pricked her finger. She tossed the firewood into the firebox and, by the light of the fire, pulled the splinter out.
’Am I like this splinter to Sun Jiaming?’
’In my last life, I had a husband and reached middle age. In this life, though I’m still a young maiden, my heart feels much older. Am I, like this, worthy of Sun Jiaming?’
Sun Jiaming had asked about her plans for the future.
’Actually, I’ve already thought it through. I’m going to make a lot of money. I’ll build a big house in the village and buy a place in the city so I can live in both. Without the Zhou family, if I decide to marry, I’ll find an honest man. If not, I’ll just live on my own. Anyway, I can’t have children, and don’t all men want children? So no one would want to marry me. I’ll be better off alone. Life is easier that way, anyway.’
’I’ll earn my own money and spend it however I want, living comfortably without finding someone just to make myself suffer.’
But...
It seemed Sun Jiaming had already found a place in her heart. Her heart raced a little when she saw him now, and she would feel a bit shy. Maybe she hadn’t reached the point of being deeply in love, but she was definitely moved.
’What should I do?’
’If Sun Jiaming really does have feelings for me, should I marry him?’
Gu’er didn’t know.
Sun Jiaming was a good man, and it seemed she was starting to like him. But Gu’er was afraid, especially of having children—it terrified her. If she couldn’t have children, Sun Jiaming wouldn’t want her, would he?
A pang of sorrow hit Gu’er at the thought.
She sighed at the flames.
’Forget it. I won’t think about it anymore. I’ll deal with it later. Right now, making money is more important. Once Sun Jiaming finishes the box for me, I’ll focus on earning money and getting my life in order first.’
The water in the pot came to a boil.
Gu’er mixed in some cool water and washed herself. She changed into the cotton outfit. She did not put on the red skirt; she had subconsciously rejected it.
Gu’er quickly washed the clothes she had taken off and hung them up to dry.
She added some more water to the iron pot, covered the firebox opening with a sheet of metal, and went into the inner room. After blowing out the lamp, she fell asleep with her hand on the cleaver under her pillow.
Meanwhile, Sun Jiaming tossed and turned. He had walked a lot today and was tired, but his mind refused to rest.
He thought about the red skirt he had packed in the bundle for Gu’er.
He hadn’t originally intended to buy it. He had planned on getting two outfits that were more suitable for village life, but when he saw that red skirt, he couldn’t tear his eyes away. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
Another girl bought one, and as he watched her wear it, his mind automatically replaced her with Gu’er. He felt Gu’er was much prettier than that girl; she would definitely look beautiful in that red skirt.
So, Sun Jiaming couldn’t help but buy one for her, hoping she would like it.
Gu’er’s face kept flashing through Sun Jiaming’s mind. What would her expression be when she saw the red skirt?
’Joy or shock? Will she try it on?’
’If only I could see her wear it. She would look so beautiful. I wonder if she’ll wear it for me.’
The more he thought about it, the more restless Sun Jiaming became. It felt like a small kitten was gently scratching at his heart.
He sat up abruptly. He wanted to get off the kang, go outside, and find Gu’er.
He wanted to see if Gu’er looked breathtakingly beautiful in the skirt.
But before his feet touched the ground, Sun Jiaming pulled back. ’It’s the middle of the night. What would it look like if I went to find Gu’er? What would she think? I’d definitely scare her.’
’Just go to sleep.’ Sun Jiaming fell back onto the kang and, with these thoughts in his mind, slowly drifted off.
