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Join the ServerOn the weekend, Song Wenbin took Xu Hengzhou and Xiang Chen to a barbershop in the city to get haircuts.
The shop they visited had been recommended by Song Wenbin’s colleague, who claimed the master barber had decades of experience.
Song Wenbin specifically sought out experience, as cutting children’s hair presented unique challenges.
Children were prone to fidgeting, and with sharp blades and scissors working near their heads and faces, any mishap would be disastrous.
‘Where would I even go to cry if something happened?’ he mused.
Although his little nephew was usually well-behaved and obedient, accidents could always happen.
Thus, finding a master barber with exquisite skill and rich experience was paramount.
They departed right after breakfast, taking a public bus to the barbershop.
Xiang Chen, being a child, didn’t need a ticket, but the weekend bus was quite crowded.
He settled onto his brother’s lap, his eyes wide and unblinking as he watched the buildings and pedestrians outside.
The barbershop wasn’t far; they arrived after only about twenty minutes on the bus.
The storefront was easy to spot, marked by a large sign that made the entrance itself seem somewhat small.
Song Wenbin ushered the two boys inside, and Xiang Chen curiously surveyed the 1960s barbershop.
The shop wasn’t large, with two chairs on each side, facing mirrors that only reflected the upper half of a person.
A long, narrow table ran along the bottom edge of each mirror.
Its turmeric-yellow surface looked aged, and a few scattered shaving tools lay upon it.
Inside, a barber in his fifties was diligently shaving a customer’s head.
Seeing the trio enter, the barber didn’t pause his work but merely asked, “Haircut? How many?”
Song Wenbin nodded, confirming all three needed haircuts.
The barber instructed them to take a seat and wait until he finished with his current client.
Song Wenbin and the boys found stools and sat down, observing the barber at work.
After all, they would be next, so a preliminary observation was only natural.
The barber’s skill was indeed as rumored, his hands remarkably steady.
He was trimming the customer’s bangs, styled in a classic 80/20 side part.
The customer, a man in his thirties, frankly didn’t suit such a long-fronted hairstyle based on his appearance.
However, it was clear from their conversation that he had insisted on it, believing it would give him a more scholarly air.
After a few attempts at persuasion failed, the barber simply proceeded as requested.
Once finished, the man’s demeanor certainly changed, though it was less scholarly and more akin to a ruffian’s.
Yet, the man seemed quite satisfied, admiring himself in the mirror for a while before paying three mao and leaving.
The man’s haircut was quite impactful.
Xiang Chen suppressed a laugh for a moment, then hesitantly tugged on his brother’s sleeve, wondering if they should find a different shop.
Xu Hengzhou shook his head, finding the barber’s technique acceptable.
At the very least, he reasoned, it couldn’t go too wrong if they didn’t give vague instructions.
As the barber tidied his tools, Xu Hengzhou tugged at Song Wenbin’s sleeve and whispered, “Uncle, why don’t I go first?
I’ll get a crew cut, just like yours, to gauge the barber’s skill.
If it’s good, you can get yours; if not, we’ll find another place.”
Song Wenbin was touched, realizing his eldest nephew was truly considerate, always looking out for his uncle’s reputation.
Unable to refuse such thoughtful intentions, Song Wenbin patted Xu Hengzhou’s shoulder and agreed.
So, when the barber finished tidying up and asked who was next, Xu Hengzhou stepped forward.
He asked, “Can you do a rounded crew cut?”
Song Wenbin found this a bit odd; he was getting a flat-top crew cut.
Still, he mused, they were both crew cuts, so perhaps there wasn’t much difference?
The barber nodded, confirming he could do it, and Xu Hengzhou proceeded to get his hair washed, preparing for the cut.
As for why Xu Hengzhou wanted to go first and specifically requested a rounded crew cut…
The former reason was that if Song Wenbin went first, it would likely lead to a simple “cut it like his” when it was his turn.
However, current flat-top crew cuts were truly rigid; he had seen several that looked like a square brick had been placed on the person’s head.
While it might not necessarily look bad on him, why take that gamble?
He chose the rounded crew cut because he had sported that style before, during his university days.
Xu Hengzhou’s appearance was actually quite striking, with sharp features and a defined profile, complemented by an intimidating aura.
A rounded crew cut would only accentuate his inherent charisma, though it might appear overly severe.
He had only switched to a more mature hairstyle after starting work, due to various reasons.
However, at his current young age, a rounded crew cut merely highlighted his refined features, without any adverse effects.
Even Song Wenbin was tempted, but after a closer look, he decided a flat-top crew cut still suited him better.
He then stuck to his original plan, asking the barber for a flat-top crew cut.
As the barber began cutting, Xiang Chen continuously praised his brother’s good looks, his little mouth chattering away, truly endearing.
Xu Hengzhou beamed at the compliments but didn’t let it go to his head.
Xiang Chen wasn’t suited for a rounded crew cut; it looked best on those with slightly pointed chins.
Xiang Chen, on the other hand, had a round, dumpling-like face at the moment, which, while adorable, truly didn’t suit a rounded crew cut.
“Then what kind of haircut should I get? Like Uncle’s?” Xiang Chen asked, his head drooping in disappointment after hearing Xu Hengzhou’s explanation.
He had thought he could get a cool haircut just like his brother.
The barber, having overheard the brothers’ conversation, interjected, “A crew cut or a flat-top isn’t suitable for him either.
A bald head would be great! It’ll be much cooler if you shave it all off!”
Song Wenbin was swayed.
He had already noticed Xiang Chen was sensitive to heat; even though it was just starting to warm up, the boy kept complaining about being hot.
Shaving his head would at least make summer more comfortable for the child.
However, before he could speak, Xiang Chen covered his hair with a horrified expression. “I don’t want a bald head!”
Just as Xu Hengzhou had gotten a rounded crew cut when he was older, Xiang Chen had had his head shaved when he was little.
It had been a hot summer, and his grandmother had shaved it off for him.
Afterward, he looked like a little monk, and many of his classmates had made fun of him.
Song Wenbin hesitated.
Xiang Chen was usually so obedient, and he didn’t want to force him on something like this.
So, he gently asked what kind of haircut Xiang Chen wanted.
Xiang Chen’s face was a picture of distress.
After a moment’s thought, he whispered, “Can’t I just have it like it is now, but shorter?”
The barber heard this and carefully examined Xiang Chen’s hair.
Then he realized… there was no discernible style; it had been too long since his last cut, and its shape was completely lost.
When the barber mentioned this, Xiang Chen’s eyes drooped, looking utterly pitiful, which melted hearts.
Xu Hengzhou, seeing his brother’s predicament, had an idea.
He picked up Xiang Chen and gently coaxed him, “How about I cut your hair?”
Xiang Chen’s head snapped up in surprise. “Brother, can you cut hair? Have you done it before?”
Xu Hengzhou smiled with a hint of reserve. “I’d never cooked before either.”
Xiang Chen understood instantly.
His brother was a genius! Being good at everything was just part of his brother’s persona.
And his brother would definitely not let him down; he would surely give him the coolest haircut ever!
Xiang Chen excitedly hugged Xu Hengzhou, softly saying, “Brother, you’re the best! You cut it for me!”
Huang Hengzhou’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Then you have to listen to me.”
Xiang Chen quickly nodded. “I’ll listen to everything.”
With their plan decided, Xiang Chen called out to Song Wenbin, “Uncle, I’m not getting a haircut anymore! My brother is cutting it for me!”
Song Wenbin had heard their conversation.
His eldest nephew never spoke idly; if he said he could cut hair, then he surely could.
The barber’s skill was excellent, and Song Wenbin’s flat-top crew cut looked sharp and spirited.
Satisfied, he paid the barber the fee.
Xiang Chen watched as he paid five mao for his brother’s haircut and three mao for Song Wenbin’s.
‘So cheap!’ Xiang Chen thought to himself.
Soon, he would directly experience just how low prices were in this era and how powerful money’s purchasing ability was.
After their haircuts, it was already getting late.
Song Wenbin took them to eat at a state-run restaurant.
It was Xiang Chen’s first time dining out in this era.
The restaurant offered limited food choices, and there was no white rice, which he had been hoping for.
Song Wenbin looked at the menu board, asked them what they wanted to eat, and then ordered three bowls of beef noodles and several steamed buns.
The beef noodles cost one mao five per bowl, and the buns were five fen each.
The prices were cheap, but they also required grain coupons, and the beef noodles needed an additional tael of meat coupons.
Once the beef noodles were ready, Song Wenbin went to retrieve them.
Xiang Chen began to eat with hopeful anticipation.
The taste was acceptable; the key was the high quality of the beef, which made it very fragrant, though the rest was rather ordinary.
Xiang Chen secretly whispered to his brother, “It’s not as good as the noodles you make.”
Xu Hengzhou smiled, pressing his lips together, and whispered back, “I’ll make you noodles when we get home.”
After eating, since they still needed to return home for Xu Hengzhou to cut Xiang Chen’s hair, the three of them didn’t linger in the city.
There wasn’t much to see anyway, so they headed straight back.
Upon arriving home, Xu Hengzhou swiftly began preparations.
He had reread the book on the bus, and now felt confident in his plan.
After setting up some simple tools, Xu Hengzhou moved a low stool for Xiang Chen to sit on, facing away from him.
Then, he picked up the bowl he had pretended to drink from earlier and tried placing it over Xiang Chen’s head.
Song Wenbin, out of curiosity, pulled up a stool and sat nearby to watch.
When he saw Xu Hengzhou’s action, he nearly burst out laughing.
He turned his head, suppressing his amusement, and then, catching his eldest nephew’s meaningful glance, he wisely kept quiet.
The bowl, however, was a full size too large, not even touching Xiang Chen’s hair.
Xiang Chen merely felt something briefly cover his head, assuming it was his brother’s hand, and didn’t think much of it.
Xu Hengzhou, meanwhile, had used his fingers to trace a circle around the bowl’s rim on Xiang Chen’s hair, silently committing it to memory.
He then removed the bowl and, guided by the line he had marked, began to cut Xiang Chen’s hair.
His hands were remarkably steady, and his movements were not rushed.
After all, it was his first time, and even with his self-assurance, he feared injuring Xiang Chen.
However, this type of hairstyle didn’t take much time.
Xu Hengzhou quickly finished the cut, then slightly trimmed the outline to make its curve more natural.
He then put down the scissors and stood before Xiang Chen, examining his work with a touch of pride.
He had thought this hairstyle would suit his little dumpling when he first saw it, and indeed, a cute, round face perfectly complemented blunt bangs, making him utterly adorable.
Xiang Chen was still immersed in the fantasy of a cool new haircut.
Seeing his brother stop, he eagerly asked, “Is it done? Can I move now?”
Xu Hengzhou nodded with a smile, indicating he had finished.
Xiang Chen cheered, jumped up, and ran to the mirror, standing on his tiptoes to admire his new hairstyle.
Then, the smile on his face slowly froze.
‘Who was this little round-faced boy with a bowl cut?’
You’ve got to see this next! Not Me, The Fans will keep you on the edge of your seat. Start reading today!
Read : Not Me, The Fans
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