Chapter 116: Shopping Spree Mode Activated
It was Saturday, and the supply and marketing cooperative was packed!
And since it was the busiest time of the day, Li Yi and Tang Xue found the place packed with people the moment they walked in—there wasn’t even room to stand.
Seeing so many people, Tang Xue’s face paled slightly. She looked at Li Yi and said, “Should we wait a bit?”
Li Yi smiled and said, “It’s fine. Let’s head to the section for large items first—there are fewer people there!”
With that, Li Yi took Tang Xue’s hand and weaved through the crowd toward the section where bicycles and sewing machines were displayed.
Sure enough, there were far fewer people here.
After all, not many people could afford such big-ticket items these days!
When the sales clerk saw Li Yi and Tang Xue, he didn’t greet them but instead kept fiddling with the abacus in front of him, seemingly lost in his calculations.
Li Yi was long used to the sales clerk’s attitude.
That was just how things were in the era of the planned economy. Whether it was a supply and marketing cooperative or a state-run store, they were all part of the state-owned commercial sector. Even the sales clerks working here had iron rice bowls—they were no different from civil servants in later years.
As a result, these clerks were all quite arrogant—figures ordinary people simply couldn’t afford to cross.
Precisely because of this, sales clerks often paid little attention to customers and would frequently get into arguments with them.
Meanwhile, ordinary people had to grovel before these clerks just to get a small discount.
Can you believe it? Some stores even posted signs explicitly stating, “Do not hit or scold customers.” If that were to happen in later times, they’d be drowned in a flood of criticism.
“Comrade, do you have any watches?” Li Yi asked, taking the initiative.
He was here today to shop for wedding supplies; there was no need to get into an argument with these clueless people.
Besides, this sales clerk was clearly new on the job; otherwise, she wouldn’t have failed to recognize him.
If it had been any other clerk, they would have greeted him warmly long ago.
“We have them!”
“Where are they all from?”
“Just buy it already—why are you asking so many questions?” the clerk said impatiently.
Hearing this, Li Yi immediately got upset and snapped, “What kind of attitude is that? Is that how you’re supposed to serve the people?”
“What’s wrong with my attitude? If you can’t afford it, just say so—why are you making such a fuss?” the sales clerk said with a sneer.
“Whether I can afford it or not is my business, but as long as you’re standing here, you’re supposed to serve me. That’s the most basic duty of a worker. If you don’t even understand that, what are you even here for?” Li Yi said angrily.
“Who do you think you are? Is this any of your business?”
The saleswoman was getting flustered by Li Yi’s confrontation and shouted back impatiently.
The sudden commotion immediately drew the attention of others, and several veteran sales clerks immediately turned to look this way.
When they saw Li Yi, their hearts skipped a beat.
“What’s going on with that new girl, Xiao Li? How did she manage to provoke him again?”
Someone immediately rushed to the back to report the situation to the new director, hoping to prevent any further trouble.
The new director had been transferred from the supply and marketing cooperative in the local commune. Before arriving, he’d specifically inquired about the situation: the bald-headed director at the county supply and marketing cooperative had been fired for offending a young man.
So he’d been telling himself to keep a low profile and play it safe, so he wouldn’t get the same fate.
But before he’d even had a chance to settle into his new seat, someone from the front desk came to report that the new employee, Xiao Li, had gotten into an argument with a customer—and the person she was arguing with was none other than the very individual who had brought down his predecessor.
Instantly, the new Director Zhou panicked and rushed out of his office to the front desk!
As soon as he arrived, he heard Xiao Li yelling at a young couple. His heart sank, and he immediately shouted, “Shut up!”
Xiao Li was in the middle of a tirade when she was suddenly shouted at, startling her.
She turned to see the newly arrived Director Zhou and hurriedly said, “Director, you have to take my side! They’re bullying me!”
Li Yi saw that this woman had the nerve to turn the tables on him, but he said nothing. He wanted to see how this so-called leader would handle the situation.
If he sided with this foolish woman just like that bald guy had before, Li Yi wouldn’t mind causing another scene right there.
However, to his surprise, Director Zhou not only failed to take his subordinate’s side but instead barked angrily, “Shut up!”
“Um… Director…”
“Comrade Xiaoli, you’re a sales clerk serving the people, not some feudal landlady or official from the old society. How dare you get into a huge argument with a customer?”
“Director, I didn’t. I was just…”
“You’re still trying to wriggle out of it? I saw it all—how could it be anything but the truth?”
Director Zhou continued, “All right. Given your misconduct, your bonus for this month is gone. I hope you’ll take this as a lesson!”
Xiao Li was stunned. Their monthly bonus was a full two yuan—and just like that, it was gone?
But she didn’t dare argue with the director—otherwise, it wouldn’t just be a month’s bonus being withheld!
After disciplining Xiao Li, Director Zhou turned to Li Yi and said, “Comrade, I’m truly sorry. It was our poor service. On behalf of our Supply and Marketing Cooperative, I apologize to you!”
Li Yi nodded and said, “No need for apologies, but I hope this doesn’t happen again!”
“Yes, yes, yes… Are you planning to buy a watch?”
“Yeah, I’m getting married. I want to buy a watch for my wife!” Li Yi said.
“We have Shanghai All-Steel watches here, as well as Hongqi watches made in Liaoning and Suzhou watches from the Suzhou Watch Factory!”
Apart from the Shanghai watches, Li Yi hadn’t heard of any of the other brands, so he asked right away, “Which one would be suitable for my wife to wear?”
“Suzhou watches are more suitable for women!”
With that, Director Zhou immediately took several exquisitely packaged watches from behind the counter and placed them in front of Li Yi and Tang Xue.
Li Yi immediately spotted a small, round watch and asked, “How much is this one?”
“The retail price is 138 yuan, but as a gesture of apology, I’ll give you an 8-yuan discount—130 yuan!”
Hearing that the watch cost 130 yuan, Tang Xue couldn’t help but cover her mouth.
That’s way too expensive—it’s equivalent to three and a half months’ salary for most people.
“Never mind… I’m not really into watches…”
Before she could finish, Li Yi cut in, “Fine, 130 it is. We’ll take the watch. Now show me the sewing machines and radios!”
Director Zhou was taken aback for a moment, then hurriedly replied, “Alright, we have ‘Flying Man’ brand sewing machines—165 yuan each!”
“Sold!”
“We have Nanjing Panda radios here; they’re 110 yuan each!”
“Sold!”
With a thousand yuan in his pocket, Li Yi felt confident!
He was also very satisfied with Director Zhou’s service, so Li Yi immediately began stocking up at the supply and marketing cooperative according to the shopping list he’d planned out the night before…