Chapter 66 Chapter 66 [VIP]

They carried baskets and boxes, or pushed wooden carts, traveling through the streets and villages at night. Their baskets were filled with a wide variety of items, including electrical appliances, books, daily necessities, stationery...

They are one of the people that children look forward to the most in their boring lives. Their parents can't stand their noise and always give them some fried popcorn or malt sugar when the peddler comes.

When taking a break, the peddlers would often tell the villagers about the situation outside or their own experiences.

Gradually, the villagers grew accustomed to their presence, with the elderly and children in particular often waiting eagerly at the village entrance for the peddlers. In just one year, the elderly in the village had aged rapidly, their backs bent, and their faces etched with an indelible look of worry and panic.

Many Xiaguo-style parents spend their entire lives serving their children, like an old ox, only knowing how to give and rarely thinking of asking for anything in return. This lack of emotional education also makes many children take their parents' efforts for granted.

This also leads to the fear and anxiety that often lingers in the hearts of the elderly when they can no longer work. They often say that raising children is a way to provide for their old age, but when the day comes and they have to accept the reality of their own uselessness, they quickly wither away.

Many elderly people passed away in Sheshui Village this year. Some of them did not die because their families could not make ends meet, but because they could not get over the hurdle in their hearts and did not want to be a burden to their children.

Peddlers not only sell things, but also recycle things. The elderly can often exchange some vegetables they grow themselves or handmade woven products for some small items from the peddlers. These small items can add some food to the family, make the children happy, and relieve some of the pressure in life.

Realizing that they are still useful, these elderly people have the motivation to live.

An elderly man who was sitting at the entrance of the village chatting with his children rushed over when he saw the peddler pushing a wheelbarrow creaking towards him.

"Don't be impatient, old man, don't put it off. I've brought you everything I promised."

The peddler was a young and strong man with a friendly smile and a good attitude. Under his persuasion, the anxious old people slowed down their pace.

"Look everyone, these are the freshest and liveliest chicks I picked early this morning. They've been following me around for half the night, so they're a little listless, but take them home, take good care of them, give them some water, and they'll be fine."

The peddler opened the cage and carefully teased the chickens in the cage a few times under the scorching gazes of the crowd. An experienced old man saw that the chickens in the cage were not very energetic because they had been trapped in the cage for a long time, but they were breathing without opening their mouths, and their eyes were clean, lively and bright, so he knew that what the peddler said was indeed true.

My heart warmed up and I asked at the top of my voice, "How do I change it?"

If you raise a hen, it will lay eggs when it grows up, and you can have meat at home.

"Half a pound of rice."

"The price of half a pound of rice is a bit high. These chicks are probably only a month old. We don't know if they can be raised." Many elderly people hesitated.

The young man explained with a smile, "The chickens we raise aren't born naturally. We have to feed them every day, so the cost is there. When your chickens grow up, lay eggs, or hatch chicks, we will buy them back."

"It sounds really good." An old lady and old man muttered.

"Wait for me, I'm going to get some food from home. I can only exchange five at a time. Can you give me less rice?"

"No, sir. Our organization has already set the price. If I charge less, I have to make up for it myself."

"Hey! ...Young man, don't be so stubborn. Be more flexible."

"No." The young man firmly blocked the old man's outstretched hand.

"Okay! Okay! It's not easy for you either. I want the hens, don't give me the roosters!" the old man said cautiously. Hens lay eggs and add nutrition to the family, but roosters just eat rice, so it's impossible to raise them now.

"Don't worry, uncle and auntie, I have hens here."

Zhang Yan, who had just returned from work, looked at the chickens in the cage and recalled the long-missed taste of chicken. She couldn't help but stop and smacked her lips as she said to He Jiahe beside her, "Let's raise a few too!"

Years of constant upheaval left Zhang Yan feeling insecure. Although both worked on the construction site and earned a considerable amount of points daily, Zhang Yan saved most of the points she redeemed.

Canned meat was very expensive at the points supermarket, so the two of them only ate one during their working hours. The bland soup every day was a real pain for Zhang Yan, who loved to eat.

"Sure. I raised chickens when I was a child, so I'll do it," said He Jiahe.

"Well, I helped my grandma raise it in elementary school. Let's raise it together. Then I will definitely fry ten eggs to eat." Zhang Yan became angry when she thought about the last time when one egg made three bowls of soup.

The two men exchanged five chicks and discussed building a fence around the open space behind the house.

…

The peddler patiently communicated with the villagers and exchanged goods. When there were fewer people, he pushed his cart inside.

The solar headlamp on his head only emitted a faint light, barely enough to illuminate a small area of ​​road in front of the car. It was obvious that the battery was insufficient.

The peddler quickened his pace, slowing down only when he reached a house surrounded by high walls and heavily guarded. He heard the lively barking of a dog from the courtyard. Envy crossed his eyes; in this weather, anyone who could still keep a dog and keep it fat and strong was a truly wealthy family.

But he quickly put away all the expressions in his eyes and knocked on the door lock.

After waiting for a minute or two, the door was opened. Looking at the figure inside, the young man couldn't help but smile warmly. This was his big client.

"Brother Bai. This is what you want. Please check it out."

"This is the latest product from the laboratory of a researcher that our boss contacted after much effort. The quality is impeccable, but of course the price..."

Bai He checked the several sets of protective clothing that the peddler had brought over. The fabric was thick but flexible and cool. Bai He took out a utility knife and cut it up, leaving no trace. It was also equipped with a full set of respirators and other equipment... It would also provide protection if a viral infection or toxic gas pollution occurred again.

"Yeah! It's really good."

The peddler smiled sincerely, but he was actually confused. Protective clothing was a hot commodity during the pandemic; otherwise, the lab wouldn't have invested so much money in research. But then the country developed a vaccine, and the protective clothing became obsolete. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to get their hands on this cutting-edge technology.

Because of the huge initial investment, even if there is no market now, the laboratory still sells for a lot of money. The peddler really doesn't understand why Bai He spent so much food to buy a useless thing.

Strange man, strange man. The peddler recalled his several interactions with Bai He. But to be honest, Bai He was a straightforward and honest man, never procrastinating or bargaining. Moreover, he came from a wealthy family and was his favorite customer, so the peddler treated him with great hospitality.

"Everything is there, check it out."

Bai He pointed to two large woven bags in the corner, filled to the brim with rice. The peddler expertly stirred the rice grains, reaching deep into the bag to pull out a handful for inspection. There was no sand or pebbles, and each grain was intact, clean, and transparent. He then picked up a few grains, tossed them into his mouth, and chewed them, his face lit with delight. This batch of rice was of high quality and well-preserved, without a trace of foreign flavor.

He earned his hard-earned money by roaming the streets every night, but the real profits came from a very few individuals. Although many people were currently hungry and facing the risk of starvation, many in the city still lived a luxurious life. The wealth they accumulated before the disaster allowed them to continue to pursue a high quality of life.

Such high-quality rice is enough for their organization to gain a lot of benefits from those extravagant senior officials, and he can also get a considerable commission from it.

"Brother Bai, our organization is also collecting the other things you want. I'll bring them to you next time you come."

"good!"

Thinking of the benefits he was about to get, the peddler left with a light step.

Passersby on the road saw his piled-up cart and had some bad thoughts, but no one dared to act.

When this organization first appeared, there were many daring people who tried to rob goods, but those who attacked these peddlers often did not end up well.

No matter how covert their robbery was, the gang would find clues and exact vengeance. Gradually, everyone realized that the gang had a powerful network of connections behind them.

As the day gradually brightened, Su Xing also walked out of the health station exhausted. Several workers who were hit by steel bars came today. One of them was seriously injured with internal injuries. He rescued him for a whole night. The patient was just taken to the military hospital for treatment by car.

There is an elderly man in the clinic who is not in good condition. Because he has been eating little and poorly for many years, he now has serious health problems and doesn’t have much time left.

The old woman was brought here by a neighbor, still holding a piece of paper in her mouth. She had five children, but none of them were willing to care for her. She lived alone in her old house. Deeply insecure, she ate very little each day, saving everything she could. When they arrived at the clinic, the starving woman, now a skeleton, flattered them by offering them cookies and candies she had been saving for so long that she couldn't bear to eat them. When the doctor refused, she felt helpless and panicked, like a child who had made a mistake, tears nearly welling in her cloudy eyes.

The neighbor nearby advised: She will be worried if you don't accept it.

Sure enough, the old lady felt much more at ease when she saw the doctor accept the food. After hearing a doctor say that the food was delicious, her stiff body relaxed a lot and her dry mouth curved upwards.

The elderly woman was unusually cooperative during the examination. Her constant trembling indicated she was terrified of the cold instruments touching her body, but she seemed even more afraid of causing trouble. If the doctor showed any sign of disbelief, she would become frightened, clinging tightly to her cane. She also apologized repeatedly to the doctors throughout the examination.

The old man's cautious and humble behavior along the way made Su Xing feel very uncomfortable.

Su Xing also grew up with his grandparents and studied with teachers and seniors when he was older. He has always been surrounded by the elderly, so he has a great empathy for them.

In particular, according to the elderly woman's neighbors, she was a very hardworking and simple person. When she was young, she did her best to raise her children to adulthood. However, when she was old, her children had their own families and felt that their old and weak mother was a burden and were unwilling to raise and take care of her.

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