Chapter 7: Improving the Image
No more words were spoken that night between the child and the parent.
The next morning, after breakfast, Su Zelin spread his hands: "Dad, give me money, I'm going to buy clothes today!"
"Buy, buy, buy, all you do is buy clothes all day long. Look at your closet, it's full, and they're all weird clothes, expensive and ugly!" Zhao Lixia couldn't help but complain.
The 'fashion' in Su Zelin's closet was simply an eye-sore in the eyes of the two elders.
"That's right, those clothes are too ugly, I plan to change them all into normal ones!" Su Zelin's face turned red.
"Are you sure?" Su Jianjun didn't quite believe it. Based on his understanding of his son, these weird clothes were 'normal'.
Su Zelin got angry all of a sudden: "Dad, with your IQ, can I fool you? If you don't believe me, you can go with me!"
"That's right!" Su Jianjun was very pleased with this flattery.
"But your mother and I are not free, the store will be very busy today!" He hesitated and made a decision.
After a conversation with Su Zelin yesterday, he found that his son was indeed different from before. He even had the idea of starting a business after entering college. If he wanted to change his image, he naturally had to support him.
He took out five big red notes from his cowhide bag and stuffed them into Su Zelin's hands. Prices in this era were still very cheap, and this money was enough to buy several sets of decent brand summer clothes.
"Stinky boy, remember, you can't buy ripped ones, colorful ones, or fancy ones. If you dare to cheat us, you will be in trouble!" Zhao Lixia gave some instructions.
She originally considered asking Qin Shiqing to follow and keep an eye on them, but she was afraid of wasting other people's precious time to review their lessons, so she gave up the idea.
"I know, mother!" Su Zelin took the money with a smile and stuffed them into his trouser pockets.
"Keep this money safe, beware of thieves!" Zhao Lixia frowned.
"Don't worry, old man. If anyone in Jianglan dares to steal my money, I will smash his head!" Su Zelin was careless, but he was telling the truth. He had been restless since he was a child. He fought every other day, with classmates and gangsters. He fought for countless nonsense reasons. He was known for his ferocity and bravery. He was called a street bully and was well-known in the circle.
Besides, gangsters and thieves were used to picking on the weak. Even if they didn't know Su Zelin, they could guess that he was either a colleague or a tough guy when they saw that he was tall and strong and had a bad attitude. No one would go to trouble for nothing.
"You are so young, and you only know how to fight all day!" Zhao Lixia nagged a few more words, and then she went out with Su Jianjun, rode his car, and left the alley.
In the car, Zhao Lixia said dissatisfiedly: "You, you are too indulgent to your son. You give so much money to buy a few sets of clothes. What a spoiled son!"
"It's a good thing that my son wants to change his image. Besides, Zelin is more sensible than before. I talked to him last night and asked him what his plans were for the future. My son said he planned to start his own business after college!" Su Jianjun drove the car and responded without turning his head.
"Did he really say that?"
"Really, and I don't think he is lying. Zelin really wants to have his own ideas!"
"That's good!" Zhao Lixia breathed a sigh of relief. What she was most worried about was that her son would continue to be so muddle-headed.
"By the way, when I was washing dishes last night, Shiqing told me that Zelin was very obedient in school last week and often stayed in the classroom after school!"
"Haha, it seems that our Zelin has really grown up!"
"..."
As soon as the two elders left, Su Zelin rode out on his bicycle.
Jianglan is still a small place. It has only been a few years since the county was abolished and the city was established. The places where people often buy clothes can be counted on one's fingers. The big markets with more favorable prices are the Central Market, the South Market, and so on.
Su Ze first ran around and was disappointed to find that almost all the goods were street stalls, with poor styles and quality, and "Nike" and "Adidas" everywhere. The prices were very cheap, some clothes were only 20 or 30 yuan, and you could even bargain further, and it would be no problem to bargain for 20% off.
This was the experience Zhao Lixia told Su Zelin before leaving. If you buy clothes in these two places, you must bargain. If the price exceeds 20% off, turn around and leave. You don't have to walk five steps, the stall owner will automatically call you back and make a deal with excuses such as "It's just opened today" or "Since you are a student, I'm selling it at a low price."
Before his rebirth, Su Zelin wore big brand clothes. It was not because he was vain, but the branded clothes were indeed of good fabric quality, which helped to improve his image, and they were also comfortable to wear. Besides, his family was still quite well-off, and he was sure that he would make money soon, so there was no need to wrong himself to save a little money.
After visiting two markets, Su Zelin estimated that the situation in other markets was basically the same. He did not waste time and went straight to the famous brand street in the city center.
There are more styles of clothes in this place. While the prices are higher, there are also designs.
He walked all the way down the street.
Caesar, Old Man Head, Youngor, and King Power are too old-fashioned and not suitable for young people. Pass!
Su Zelin stopped at the fifth store.
This is a Jack Jones store, which focuses on jeans and targets young people.
This is it!
The bicycle was parked at the door of the store, and Su Zelin walked in.
"Hello, welcome!"
Jack Jones understands the psychology of young consumers very well. The clerks inside are all handsome men and beautiful women dressed in fashionable clothes, and the receptionist is also very pleasing to the eye.
There are not many brands in China that focus on the younger market. Merchants have not realized the trend of future consumption trends. The concept direction of this brand is right. At present, it is profitable to open a few stores in any city.
"Well, I want to see some jeans, straight-leg jeans!" Straight-leg jeans are a timeless style that never goes out of style. Small flares, large flares, and skinny jeans have all been popular, but they either disappeared or could not take on the mainstream.
"Okay, this way, please!" The female clerk took Su Zelin to a certain part of the store, where all the jeans were straight-leg jeans, and there were dozens of styles.
Su Zelin took a few glances and his eyes fell on one of them, and he picked it up. "It has a certain elasticity, good drape, and good breathability. It should be a blend of spandex and cotton, with a spandex content of about 30%!"
"Indigo dye, bright and bright, slightly red, no obvious staining of the bag cloth!"
"It feels delicate and has a high count!"
"..."
Before the girl introduced it, Su Zelin described it like a treasure, which made the girl stunned. She didn't even recognize some of the terms.
I met an expert!
But this handsome boy looks like a high school student, why does he know so much...
Su Zelin fell in love with this pair of pants at first sight, and the girl quickly went to the warehouse to find the right size, and took a look at the washing label.
The spandex content is 31%, and the cotton content is 69%.
Awesome!
Su Zelin tried it on, saw himself in the mirror, and nodded with satisfaction. This is what a handsome guy looks like, his previous image was too bad!
His figure is a clothes rack, as long as it is not strange clothes and the size is right, he can easily control the flow. When wearing this pair of straight jeans, the whole person looks handsome, and the key is that it is comfortable.
Pure polyester fiber clothes are elastic, soft and drapey, with good color and not easy to fade, but they are not breathable and sweat-absorbent, and are not skin-friendly.
Pure cotton clothes are just the opposite. They are breathable, sweat-absorbent and skin-friendly, but they are not elastic and drapey, and are easy to fade. Therefore, adding a certain proportion of polyester fiber to cotton is the most suitable material.
In addition, we also need to consider the craftsmanship, such as the thread count, which directly affects the skin touch and comfort.
He left the Jack Jones store with two pairs of jeans. In this era, consumption was low, so he only spent more than 100 yuan. Compared with those 23 yuan street stalls in the market, Jack Jones in 2000 was considered light luxury.
He continued to visit other brand stores and bought a set of hip-hop style wide-leg shorts and loose T-shirts, a set of island college style, and a set of sportswear. The money in his pocket was almost spent.
Carrying a few big bags, Su Zelin left the brand street and went straight to a hair salon. In addition to his old clothes, he was not satisfied with his hairstyle.
Although the long hair with a 28 or 37 split is not non-mainstream, it is even a popular classic in Hong Kong. Lin Zhiying, Guo Tianwang, Gu Zai, and Xie Tingfeng all have this hairstyle, but Su Zelin, a future person who traveled back ten years later, still feels that it is not refreshing enough, and it is also very hot in summer.
This is one of the most famous hair salons in the town. The fee is a bit expensive, but they can cut a lot of avant-garde hairstyles, such as Hong Kong style, Bay style and even European and American style, so Su Zelin chose it.
As soon as he entered the door, he called the director by name, described it in person, and asked him to make his hair short, just like the hairstyle of the male protagonist Ke Zhendong in the movie "Those Years, We Chased the Girl Together". It is neither long nor short, just right, with the vigor of young people, and it can also make you look more mature at any time by applying mousse.
The director's skills are good, at least Su Zelin is quite satisfied with the results.
After the image renovation project was completed, it was almost noon, and he rode his bicycle back home leisurely.
He stopped at the convenience store at the entrance of the alley. After walking around the street for half a day under the scorching Sun, Su Zelin was exhausted and his throat was completely dry.
"It's so hot, Uncle Chen, come and have a Arctic Ocean!"
Uncle Chen has been running this convenience store for many years. He is an old neighbor. Su Zelin used to buy snacks and drinks here when he was a child.
"Okay, one Arctic Ocean!" Uncle Chen quickly took out a soda with a polar bear logo from the refrigerator and handed it to him. He looked at it carefully and smiled, "Oh, Zelin has become a handsome guy!"
Su Zelin couldn't stand his old clothes for a moment, so he bought a bento on the brand street and changed into new clothes. With a short and messy hairstyle, he looked brand new.
"Uncle Chen, what are you talking about? It's as if I wasn't handsome before!" Su Zelin protested.
Uncle Chen laughed.
Although Su Zelin had a good face before, his dress was really not good. Only this brat was thick-skinned and not afraid of being beaten. His son also played the same tune before he got married, but he was beaten twice and then he was scared.
Su Zelin shook the bottle a few times to open the lid, and the orange soda splashed out with bubbles. Su Zelin took in a few gulps.
It was refreshing! Huh, it feels good now!
While sitting at the door and drinking soda, Su Zelin also looked at the things in the convenience store. Although it is small, it has everything, and it sells a lot of daily necessities.
Su Zelin is mainly interested in snacks.
Maltesers, Monkey King Pills, Lard Candy, Fig Shreds, Whistle Candy, Popping Candy...
Yes, the popping candy is still used for eating, and boys eat it too.
"Uncle Chen, give me two packs of sour plum powder!" Su Zelin's childishness was aroused.
"You are such a big boy, why do you still eat sour plum powder!" Having said that, Uncle Chen still took out two packs of sour plum powder.
Su Zelin first fumbled up and down through the small bag of packaging for a while, and then he bit it open with great interest. After digging open the pile of dark red powder, there was a small flat plastic spoon hidden inside, and the handle of the spoon was a statue of Sha Monk. This kind of sour plum powder is a three-no product, but it has become the ceiling of street snacks. It is not because it is delicious, but because of the 'treasure' inside.
The shape of the small spoon is random. It may be a cold weapon series such as a knife, fork, sword, halberd, axe, hook, fork, etc., or a character from Journey to the West, or the twelve zodiac signs of dragon, snake, horse, sheep, or the immortal series such as Taishang Laojun and Tathagata Buddha. The rarer ones are the European gods series and the machine gun, pistol and submachine gun series.
Buying a bag of sour plum powder gives you the pleasure of fighting monsters and getting equipment, which is not an ordinary stimulation. If a rare series spoon is exploded, this spoon alone can be exchanged for several bags of sour plum powder, but most children are reluctant to exchange it.
When Su Zelin was a child, he ate hundreds of bags of sour plum powder, not for eating, but to collect spoons. His family still keeps the weapon set and the complete set of Journey to the West, and most of the twelve zodiac sets. It's a pity that he never exploded a rare spoon, which is a little regretful.
I opened another pack, but my luck was still bad. There were many spoons of this type in the cold weapon series, and they were not worth collecting.
Su Zelin was not disappointed. He just played around and poured the sour plum powder into his mouth. It was sour and sweet and tasted very good. After finishing a bottle of soda, he was still not satisfied, so he bought a banana popsicle, which was also one of Su Zelin's favorite summers.
At this time, two more children ran to the convenience store, a boy and a girl, about six or seven years old, and they were children from nearby neighborhoods.
The two of them were sweating profusely while playing, and the girl looked at the banana popsicle in Su Zelin's hand with her eyes wide open, her saliva almost flowing down.
Su Zelin laughed dumbly, and suddenly remembered when he and Qin Shiqing were young, and immediately asked Uncle Chen to get them a box of "Seven Dwarfs".
"Thank you, brother!"
The two children were very happy.
Being able to eat a popsicle on such a hot summer day is their greatest happiness.
"Little boy, wait a minute!" Su Zelin stopped the boy holding the ice cream box and asked casually: "There are seven popsicles here, how do you divide them?"
The little boy tilted his head and thought for a while: "Three for me, four for Qiqi!"
"Oh, why?" Su Zelin was very interested.
"Because I am a boy, my father said that boys should give way to girls, so Qiqi can eat one more!" The little boy answered in a dignified manner.
"Very good!"Su Zelin touched his little head.
"You can't divide it like this!" The little girl suddenly spoke.
"Oh?"
"Mom said that we should be fair, so Xiaoqiang and I will each lick the last popsicle until we finish it!"
"You are a good kid too!" Su Zelin gave her a thumbs up.
The two children ran away with the popsicles.
Su Zelin was filled with emotion.
This is our childhood, so simple!
"Zelin!" A gentle and graceful female voice came from behind.
Su Zelin turned around and saw Qin Shiqing stood behind him at some point.
"How long have you been here?" Su Zelin was slightly stunned.
Qin Shiqing did not answer, but looked at the two children's backs as they walked away, a trace of nostalgia appeared on her quiet face: "Back then, we also divided it this way in the end."
Well, she has been here for a while...
Qin Shiqing's face suddenly turned red when she thought of something.
She and Su Zelin also licked the last popsicle each.
After a long while, Qin Shiqing's eyes were retracted.
Looking at Su Zelin in front of her, her beautiful eyes lit up and she was slightly surprised. As neighbors for so long, this was the first time she saw her childhood sweetheart's current appearance.
The thick long hair with a 3:7 split was cut off, replaced by a refreshing short and broken hair. The slim straight jeans made him look more upright at 1.8 meters tall, and paired with a red and blue T-shirt, the whole person exuded a casual and fashionable taste.
Very trendy!
It was not the 'pseudo-trend' of non-mainstream clothing in the past, but a real taste. At least Qin Shiqing found it very pleasing to the eye.
"Am I too handsome now that I can't recognize me?"
Su Zelin waved his hand in front of her, and Qin Shiqing came back to her senses and spat: "No, stop being so conceited!"
Uncle Chen looked at the two with a smile. In the boy and girl just now, he saw what Su Zelin and Qin Shiqing looked like in the past.
When the girl from the Qin family had two pigtails, she liked to run behind the boy from the Su family.
In a blink of an eye, the two children have grown up, and I have also become old!
"Uncle Chen, two more bottles of Arctic Ocean!" Su Zelin knew Qin Shiqing's taste without asking.
They both liked the same soda.
They grew up together and were in the same class from kindergarten to high school. He knew her too well!
Uncle Chen took out two more bottles of Arctic Ocean from the refrigerator and opened them. Su Zelin took one for himself and handed the other to Qin Shiqing.
The two of them sat outside the convenience store, sipping soda slowly, no one spoke, and it felt like they had returned to the old days.
After talking for a long time, Su Zelin spoke again: "Qin Shiqing, promise me one thing!"
"What is it?" Qin Shiqing asked casually.
"You must be admitted to Tsinghua University and Peking University!" Su Zelin said seriously.
In the previous life, Qin Shiqing was also a candidate for Tsinghua University and Peking University, but later, for some reason, she performed poorly and finally got admitted to Zhejiang University in the same city in the province.
It was because of this that the two had many opportunities to contact each other during college, which led to him cheating on her later. So, Su Zelin didn't want it to be like that in this life.
"I'll try my best, that's it, I'm going home!" Qin Shiqing put the bottle down, stood up and walked towards the alley.
"Hey, why are you walking so fast? I haven't finished drinking yet, wait for me!"