The coarse grain steamed buns in the canteen have a simple, rustic aroma of wheat.

Zhang Cheng bought three and then turned around and went back to the storage room on the second floor.

Zhang Da's head was still asleep, snoring softly, like a contented bear.

Zhang Cheng found it somewhat amusing; this guy really had a big heart, able to sleep so soundly anywhere.

"Get up, the sun's already high in the sky!"

When he got playful, he stuffed a still-warm steamed bun into Zhang Datou's mouth.

Then, she suddenly yanked the blanket off!

As the cold air rushed in, Zhang Da jolted awake and sat up abruptly.

With his mouth stuffed with steamed buns, he stared wide-eyed and made "woo-woo-woo" sounds, like a squirrel whose food had been stolen.

He frantically pulled the steamed bun out of his mouth, his eyes instantly lighting up: "Ergouzi! Where did you get the money to buy steamed buns?"

"These are meal tickets from the nurse." Zhang Cheng tossed him another steamed bun. "Eat quickly, then we'll go to the supply and marketing cooperative. We have important business to attend to."

Zhang Da Tou immediately began wolfing down his food, his cheeks bulging out, and mumbled indistinctly, "Er Gouzi, you'd better hold back... That little nurse looks pretty, but city girls aren't like us. Don't get confused and forget about your younger siblings at home..."

"Shut up!" Zhang Cheng slapped him on the arm impatiently. "What nonsense are you thinking about all day long! Hurry up and get dressed and get out of here!"

"Oh, oh, oh!" Zhang Da Nao didn't dare to say another word. He swallowed the steamed bun in a few bites, quickly put on the old cotton-padded jacket and shoes with patches upon patches, and consciously picked up the sack on the ground.

The two quickly went downstairs.

The person behind the duty desk had changed; it was a female nurse in her thirties, who was writing something with her head down. Liu Yihan was nowhere to be seen.

Zhang Cheng didn't pay much attention. He and Zhang Da Nao put on windproof face shields and plunged into the wind and snow outside.

The heavy snow was still falling, and there were hardly any pedestrians on the streets. Only the biting wind whistled and howled, whipping up the snowflakes.

The supply and marketing cooperative was completely different from the deserted outside; inside it was bustling with activity and filled with warmth.

A dozen glass counters lined up in a row, displaying a dazzling array of goods: candy, biscuits, fabrics, soap, thermos flasks... and brand-new enamel bowls and chopsticks were also displayed on the shelves behind.

Looking at the lively scene, Zhang Da Nao glanced down at his own shabby clothes and involuntarily shrank back, following behind Zhang Cheng with a sense of inferiority, like a timid tagalong.

Zhang Cheng paid no attention to the stares from those around him. He moved calmly with the flow of people, his sharp eyes scanning the goods and price tags in the counter.

White sugar costs 20 cents a pound, and can be purchased with sugar coupons.

Cooking oil costs 1.32 yuan per jin (500g), and you need an oil coupon.

Assorted candies cost 1.6 yuan per pound, and their colorful appearance is quite appealing.

Fruit candies, costing only one cent each, are a favorite among children.

Fan brand soap costs five cents a bar, with a simple soapberry scent.

Lager is 50 cents, stout is 50 cents, they come in glass bottles, they look so appealing.

Pegasus cigarettes cost 35 cents, Daqianmen cigarettes cost 42 cents, and the bright red Huazi cigarettes cost a sky-high price of 6.4 yuan, and you need cigarette coupons to buy them!

Plain noodles cost 50 cents a pound.

A box of matches costs two cents.

White rice costs 40 cents a pound.

Looking at these familiar yet unfamiliar prices, Zhang Cheng sighed inwardly.

That's really cheap.

In that era, although the wages of urban workers were not high, these things were not expensive as long as you had coupons.

What we lacked was never money, but those tiny ration coupons.

Without tickets, if you want to buy these in-demand items, you can only go to the black market and get ripped off. Not only will the price be several times higher, but if someone from a public institution gets caught, they could lose their job.

"Young man, what would you like to buy?" a saleswoman in a blue uniform with neat short hair asked with a smile, her attitude very enthusiastic.

"Hello, Director Zhao asked me to come." Zhang Cheng said, taking out the note written by Director Zhao from his pocket and handing it over.

The saleswoman's smile faltered slightly, then she showed a hint of surprise, quickly took the slip of paper, and examined it carefully.

"Oh! You were introduced by Director Zhao!" She looked up, glanced at Zhang Cheng, and her attitude became noticeably more polite. "Brother, did you bring the Solomon's Seal?"

“I brought it, I brought it!” Zhang Cheng immediately turned around and gestured for Zhang Da Nao to put the sack down.

With a "thump," the heavy sack was placed on the counter, and the glass countertop seemed to shake.

The saleswoman's lips twitched, and a hint of worry flashed in her eyes, as if she was afraid the counter would collapse under the weight.

"Oh dear, brother, this is quite a lot," she said quickly. "How about this, could you do me a favor and help me carry this bag of Polygonatum to the office inside to weigh it?"

“Okay!” Zhang Cheng replied readily.

The saleswoman called over another colleague to help watch the counter, while she led Zhang Cheng and Zhang Da Nao through the crowd and toward the inner room of the supply and marketing cooperative.

With Director Zhao's note as their pass, they had a smooth journey and no one dared to be negligent.

Inside the office, the saleswoman deftly found a scale, weighed the item, recorded the weight, then signed a receipt and stamped it with the supply and marketing cooperative's red seal.

"Alright, buddy, just go to the finance office next door to settle your bill." She handed the receipt to Zhang Cheng.

"Thank you, sister!" Zhang Cheng said repeatedly.

He told Zhang Da Nao to wait at the finance office door, while he gently knocked on the door himself.

"Please come in!" a slightly hoarse male voice called out.

Zhang Cheng pushed open the door and entered.

He deliberately left Zhang Da Nao outside, not wanting him to know the exact price at which Huang Jing was sold.

It's not that I'm stingy with a hundred or so yuan, but I'm afraid that if the amount is too large, it will cause unnecessary trouble and envy when it gets back to the village.

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