average american beauty

When Caroline awoke from the mattress, it took a while to remember where she was.

There was no clock in the room, and the sky outside was gray, so I couldn't tell the time.On the contrary, there was still hot water in the hot water pipes in the bathroom. Caroline put half a bathtub in the hot water to relax her stiff neck and back. She slept all night wearing a coat yesterday, and she was lucky that she didn't catch a cold.

Speaking of which, this should be the first time Caroline has slept in since she came here.After all, Minnie and Hanson were early risers, and Caroline lived in the front hall, so she had no chance to stay in bed even on Sunday.

In the afternoon, Caroline went to buy some daily necessities. Counting the rent paid this month, she didn’t have much cash left, but when she went back to Minnie’s to pick up her manuscript, she secretly gave her five yuan. banknotes,

"Even if Hansheng is reliable in the future, you must have some spare money in your own hands," Caroline said in her sister's ear when she said goodbye.

When Caroline returned to the apartment, Isabella was adjusting the window screen in the living room.

"I want to find the right brightness. You know, under different light, our eyes see completely different things." Isabella turned her head and explained to Caroline.

"The sun doesn't seem to be good outside? It's getting dark too."

"That's right, the last time I painted this painting was on a cloudy evening." Isabella pointed to a semi-finished work on the easel next to her, which was a street scene looking out from the window of the living room. "I feel that the weather is about the same today, so I found this painting."

After speaking, Isabella started to continue the unfinished painting. Caroline looked at it quietly for a while, and then returned to her room.

She sat down at the small desk and looked at all kinds of passers-by outside the window.

A day goes by, and the world doesn't seem to change much.

But the voice in Caroline's heart quietly changed. If I want to live a good life, I also need more bargaining chips, she heard her heart say.

The next day, Caroline was woken up by the mechanical alarm clock she just bought, and the tinkling sound of the hammer almost dragged her out of bed.

The hot water supply time starts around ten o'clock in the morning and evening, two hours each.Caroline could only turn on the faucet directly. The cold tap water seemed to bring the coolness to the bones, but it quickly dispelled her remaining drowsiness.

The atmosphere at Max Stores today is a bit unusual.

Caroline was wondering if anyone was worried about Laura, so she first hinted to Vivian that Laura was fine, but maybe Charlotte had already said something, and Vivian gave her a clear look, Everyone else was silent about it.

But that wasn't the main reason Caroline was worried.

Normally speaking, early December near Christmas and New Year should be the busiest time for shopping malls, and Max Department Store has always been the most visited shopping mall on Debone Street.But the number of customers who came to shop today was not only less than last week, but even less than usual.

Ms. Green went between the women's clothing area and the office many times, and passed the hat counter a few times, but she still kept her usual calm smile on her face. When she met acquainted customers, she nodded or exchanged greetings as usual.

"I guess it's because of the Partridge's department store across the street." Vivian was always the most informed about these news. "They have a new general manager, and they held a special sales event as soon as they took office. It is said that they will be open until eight o'clock in the evening today, and they have invited many famous customers in Chicago to support the venue."

"Do you know what background this manager has?" Caroline pursed her lips and asked.

"I don't know about that." Vivienne tidied up the glove boxes in a row, so as to make herself appear busy.

Caroline found a chance to go to the door to have a look. Partridge’s department store was indeed full of traffic. The window curtain that Caroline had been covering when she came in the morning was opened to reveal a new layout design, and she could still see It is decorated with clusters of flowers that are rare in winter.

A well-dressed middle-aged man is standing in front of the golden gate on the first floor of the opposite shopping mall, welcoming the customers who come and go, whether it is a lady who is exquisitely dressed and behaves elegantly, or an ordinary employee who has heard about the discount news of the shopping mall. , he greeted everyone with a smile.

This must be the new manager, Caroline thought, seeing the booming business on the other side, she couldn't help thinking of going to find out.

After hearing Caroline's thoughts, Vivienne also said that she wanted to go and have a look. The two of them cleaned up the counter before getting off work, changed their clothes, and walked directly to the opposite shopping mall.

"You little girls just pass by like this? Don't drive you out," Mrs. Anderson joked when she saw the two girls walking across from her after get off work.

"No, everyone who walks into the mall is a customer," Caroline blinked. Ms. Green often said this sentence in front of the salesperson.

The new manager of Partridge Department Store is very conscientious. He has been at the door all afternoon and has not gone back to rest until now.

When Caroline approached and saw the manager's face clearly, she immediately looked at Vivienne.

They had met the manager, or rather, Mr. Wood.He had been to Meisi Department Store about a month ago, more than once.

At that time, he said that he came to the hat counter to choose products for his wife. He looked very carefully and asked a lot of questions about Meisi.

Caroline saw that he was dressed and talked very well, so she answered patiently and tried her best when recommending products. He even bought more than one lady's hat from Caroline...

"Ah, it's Caroline and Vivienne." Manager Wood greeted the two girls as if they were old friends. "Welcome to Partridge's Department Store. Today there are many special prices. I hope you are here." Pick what you want and have a good time.”

Caroline pretended to reply calmly, but she thought in her heart that she really had the face and courage to be a manager.

Partridge's Department Store usually closes half an hour earlier than Macy's, so Caroline only came here once when she was just getting familiar with the environment on Deeborn Street.

In my impression, although this mall targets high-end customers like Meisi, it provides full-service services like old department stores, and the grades of products are based on the upper-class society.Unlike Meisi, each counter has some products, even middle-class customers can grit their teeth and consume.

After the change, Partridge's department store adopts the same counter layout as Meisi, and the salesmen are responsible for each.The merchandise range also appears to have expanded.

This event is to select some products with a wide audience at each counter for substantial discounts, the purpose is simple and clear, and attract more new customers.

"What's the use of them doing this? Are they copying our mall?" Vivienne said a little angrily.

"They advertised in the paper," Caroline took one of the dozen free newspapers on the counter, and on the front page was Partridge's discount today:

"The most amazing discount in Chicago, the most customer-oriented mall in Chicago".

"I remember that there were reporters outside just now, and they probably invited them. The headline tomorrow will probably be Partridge's Department Store." Caroline handed the newspaper to Vivienne who leaned over to read it together.

"I want to say that Mr. Wood is amazing, but I think it's a bit shameless for him to do this." Vivienne read the event preview and threw the newspaper back.

"Who isn't?" Caroline echoed softly.

The two girls walked around on the first floor of the mall, and they had to admit that the competitors did a good job in this event.Caroline and Vivian saw more than one familiar client in such a short while.

This is not going to work, Caroline told herself, and I have to think about it too.