Lin Yu knew that many sales clerks had this attitude in this day and age, but she still frowned.

The reason is simple: people who work in the food industry not only don't cover their hair, but they also grab their hair with their hands like that.

It's very unhygienic.

Doesn't the department store management care?

At this moment, the salesperson took out a bundle of packaged vermicelli from the glass cabinet.

"What else do you want?"

Lin Yu picked up the bundle of vermicelli and felt something was off, but she suppressed her doubts for the time being.

Do you have canned fruit?

The sales clerk calmly replied, "They're all sold out."

Lin Yu had no choice but to ask, "Where's the mushroom packet?"

"Yes, here you go." She handed over a package.

Lin Yu left with two items in her hand, her steps hurried, wanting to go back and verify her conjecture.

There were many stalls outside the department store, and she walked back the way she came.

She hadn't walked far when she felt someone pat her on the shoulder: "Girl."

Lin Yu turned her head and saw a middle-aged woman with a scarf covering her head and face.

"Auntie, what's wrong?"

She thought the person probably needed help.

The old lady said, "I just saw you at the department store, looking to buy canned food?"

Lin Yu's heart skipped a beat, and she said with a troubled expression:

"Yes, a relative of mine was hospitalized and I wanted to buy some canned food to take him to the doctor, but unfortunately their business is so good that they've sold out. I can only get these two, which is a bit meager."

As she spoke, she held up the rice noodles and mushroom packets she had bought.

The old woman pulled her along: "Young lady, I know a place where they sell canned food, do you want some?"

Lin Yu excitedly grabbed her hand: "Really? Where is it? Auntie, please take me there quickly."

She followed the old woman, winding her way through the alley.

Lin Yu was very familiar with this route, just like when he went to the free market in Haicheng before.

They arrived at a courtyard, and the old woman knocked on the door: "Big Blackie, it's me."

With a creak, the heavy door opened, revealing a scruffy-bearded man.

"Granny Yang, did you bring this?"

The old woman said, "Yes, this girl wants to buy canned food."

Lin Yu smiled at the man: "Brother, I need to buy some canned food to visit the sick. The old lady said you have some."

Big Blackie opened the door and said, "Come in."

Lin Yu and Granny Yang followed them inside.

It's a completely different world inside.

It was an ordinary little courtyard with a few shelves inside, just like a supermarket in later times.

Lin Yu's eyes widened involuntarily.

Seeing her reaction, Daheizi sneered, "Never seen anything like this before, have you? Help yourself to whatever you want, the canned food is right here."

He led Lin Yu to the middle shelf, where canned goods were neatly arranged, including not only canned lychees and nectarines from Qingshan Food Factory, but also canned yellow peaches from Hubei Province.

As Lin Yu looked around, she said, "I'll buy from Qingshan Food Factory; theirs tastes good."

The old woman agreed, "Theirs are indeed good."

She glanced at what Lin Yu was holding but said nothing.

Lin Yu didn't notice her gaze, reached out and grabbed two cans of food from the shelf, then went to pay.

"How much?"

Big Blackie glanced at it and said, "Seven yuan."

Lin Yu was somewhat surprised: "One bottle costs three yuan and fifty cents!"

"What, you think it's too expensive?"

Big Blackie's face immediately turned ugly.

"No, no, young lady, this price is normal. Aren't you going to visit someone in the hospital? This is just right for you."

Granny Yang was afraid that the business would fall through and that she would offend Da Heizi, so she quickly tried to smooth things over.

“But,” Lin Yu said, her expression unconvinced.

Granny Yang pulled her aside and said, "Girl, I dare say you can't buy canned food in the provincial capital except here. If you really need it, you should buy it, even if it's a little more expensive."

Lin Yu had no choice but to "reluctantly" take out seven yuan and hand it over to Da Heizi.

The other party still looked unhappy after receiving the money: "Old woman Yang, don't bring me this kind of whiny customer next time."

Not daring to offend him, Granny Yang said, "Oh dear, you are so generous. It's normal for a young girl to be reluctant to spend money."

Big Blackie waved his hand: "Alright, alright, go on, don't get in my way."

The door slammed shut.

The two of them were kicked out by Da Heizi.

Granny Yang pulled Lin Yu, turning left and right, until they returned to the main road.

Grandma Yang should get a commission for each successful sale, so she had a big smile on her face.

Seeing Lin Yu's unhappy expression, I knew she was upset about the money.

After all, it costs a dollar more per bottle than in a department store.

She whispered to Lin Yu, "Don't be resentful. A young girl like you, sometimes suffering is a blessing. They have connections; they have goods that even department stores don't have. What can you do about it?"

Lin Yu pursed her lips and said, "Do department stores sell out so quickly?"

Granny Yang laughed at her for being naive: "The department store is out of stock for 31 days out of 30 days a month. You won't be able to buy anything no matter which day you come."

Seeing her confident demeanor, Lin Yu knew that she must have some inside information.

"You mean, the department stores are colluding with them?"

"Oh dear, you can't say that! Are you out of your mind?"

Those people were not to be trifled with, and Granny Yang dared not offend them.

Seeing that Lin Yu looked a little unhappy after her mouth was covered, Granny Yang could only advise, "Don't be angry. We are just ordinary people, there's nothing we can do."

As she spoke, she glanced at the things Lin Yu was holding, gritted her teeth, and said, "And these vermicelli and mushroom buns, you bought them at the department store, right?"

Lin Yu nodded blankly: "Yes."

Seeing her looking dazed, Granny Yang reminded her, "I can tell at a glance, didn't you forget to tell the salesperson you wanted Green Mountain?"

"Huh? Do I have to say more?" Lin Yu scratched his head.

Granny Yang laughed and said, "Silly girl, next time you buy this, just say you want the Qingshan brand, and they'll give you the real thing."

Lin Yu held up the object in her hand and said angrily, "Is this fake?"

Seeing that she was red-faced with anger, Granny Yang felt that the girl was having a really bad day, so she told her the truth:

"It's not that they're fake. These weren't made by Qingshan Commune. They were learned by others. We bought them before, but we didn't think they tasted as good as those from Qingshan Brigade."

However, if you don't mention it, the salesperson will usually give you this instead of Qingshan.

Many people didn't realize something was wrong until they ate it.

Lin Yu looked at it and said, "The packaging is fine."

Grandma Yang laughed at her, "Can't you even learn that packaging?"

Lin Yu was stunned, looking somewhat incredulous.

Granny Yang thought the girl was adorably naive and dismissed her, saying, "I'm just giving you a heads-up. Be careful next time. You're just a young girl; you still lack life experience."

Granny Yang ignored her; she needed to find the next customer.

Lin Yu stood there for a while, then shook her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Granny Yang pull another person into the alley.

She turned and left.

Throughout the journey, Lin Yu kept recalling this series of events, and she felt that the whole thing was a bit absurd.

In broad daylight, in the provincial capital, a major city, such a thing could not have happened.

And the people in their factory didn't even know!