The two of them waited for a little while, and soon it was lunchtime. Large groups of workers appeared all over the factory area, and places like the family housing, hospital, and market also became lively.

Anna Thompson was a nurse at the Anshan Steel Hospital. Her father and two older brothers worked at the factory, both in fairly high positions. Her mother and older sister were also employed at collective enterprises—a typical case of a “red-rooted” family.

She was the youngest, spoiled since childhood, fond of new things, and a bit of a big spender.

Just now, she had gotten upset with a colleague and lost her appetite, so she decided to go out for a walk. She was planning to go to the department store, but as soon as she stepped out the main gate, she spotted two strange people across the street.

A man and a woman—the woman was leaning against a bicycle, the man squatting on the ground with a piece of cloth spread out.

Selling something?

Anna Thompson's eyes lit up. This wasn’t Beijing or the South; seeing a street vendor in Anshan was a real rarity! She forgot all about the department store and hurried across the road.

“Someone’s coming!”

Andrew Brooks immediately got nervous, thinking he should say something, but couldn’t get the words out. Then he heard the other guy start his pitch: “Come take a look! Shoulder bags, handbags, all handmade, materials sourced by myself, unique styles, sturdy and durable, I guarantee you won’t find a second shop like this…”

What a big boast!

Anna Thompson curled her lip. She’d seen plenty of good stuff before, but when her eyes fell on the goods, she couldn’t look away.

There were six small bags, looking a bit shabby, but the styles and designs were truly unlike anything she’d seen before.

She casually picked up a shoulder bag—blue as the base color, blue on both sides, the colors blending smoothly and evenly, not at all jarring.

Two thin straps were sewn on top, so it could be slung over the shoulder. There was no zipper, just two rows of delicate butterfly buttons sewn on, fastened together like on a qipao.

But what attracted her most was a novel decorative pattern on the lower right corner of the front.

At first glance, she couldn’t make it out, but looking closer, it was a little girl in a hat and white dress. The style was odd—the hat covered her entire face, with no facial features, and the body was very small, but the proportions were extremely harmonious.

The more Anna Thompson looked, the more she liked it. Without this pattern, the whole thing would look old-fashioned, but with it, it unexpectedly gave off a very pleasant vibe.

She couldn’t quite describe it, but in later years there would be a word for it: “fresh and simple.”

“How much is this?”

“Six yuan!”

Andrew Brooks’s eyes widened. Bro, didn’t you say five yuan before? She already thought five was expensive!

“Six yuan? You’ve got some nerve!”

Anna Thompson was startled too, staring at the young vendor. “You’re pretty bold. Aren’t you afraid I’ll report you?”

“One look and I can tell you’re a good young person of the new era, not like those old fogeys stuck in their ways. You’re so youthful and pretty, lively and cute. With my bag, you’ll look even better, but even without it, you’re still gorgeous. Why bother with something as boring as reporting me?”

Brian Clark didn’t panic at all, and rattled off another spiel.

“Haha!”

Anna Thompson laughed. “You sure have a slick tongue. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you’re from Beijing! But your bag is too expensive—make it a bit cheaper.”

“Small business, just trying to make a living. Look at my materials, my craftsmanship…”

“Oh, come on! It’s obviously made of work cloth. If you used silk, I’d give you ten yuan.”

“You can’t make a bag out of silk! Work cloth may be a bit plain, but it’s sturdy and durable. Carry it for three days or three years—it’s not the same. And look at this style—no exaggeration, you won’t find another like it on the market.”

The two haggled for a while. Brian Clark stuck to six yuan, and when he thought the time was right, he pretended to give in and pulled out something else. “I was planning to sell this too. If you’re really buying, six yuan flat, and I’ll throw this in for free.”

Anna Thompson took it and saw it was a palm-sized red cloth pouch, long and narrow, with a single bamboo stalk standing tall and strong. The opening was tied with an elastic band—simple yet elegant.

“This is a pen pouch. It’s handy for holding a fountain pen, eraser, or a small comb.”

“A pen pouch…”

Anna Thompson liked it too. Whether it was the shoulder bag or the pen pouch, both were actually pretty rough, but what made them stand out was that touch of lively design and an aesthetic taste far ahead of the times.

Clothes and accessories nowadays were all boxy and stiff, with not a hint of creativity.

“All right, six yuan it is!” She didn’t haggle anymore.

“Great! We have shoulder bags and handbags—see which one suits you.”

Anna Thompson tried them out and still chose the shoulder bag. Even after she left and walked far away, Andrew Brooks was still in a daze. “It… it’s sold?”

“Yeah, it’s sold.”

“But that’s six yuan!”

“No big deal, this is just the first sale!”

Brian Clark stuffed the money into his pocket, feeling triumphant.

Chapter 13: Ideals

Everyone has a common flaw.

Whenever you do something, or encounter something, as long as it scratches an itch in your heart, you’ll do everything you can to make others feel it too. There are no exceptions—no one can hold it in.

When Anna Thompson returned to the hospital, the lunch break wasn’t over yet. A group of young nurses were gathered in the room, chattering away.

“Xiaoman’s back. Did you have lunch?” a colleague called out.

“No, I went for a stroll downtown.”

She walked past her colleague.