Regarding her wedding night, Zhao Huanhuan was too embarrassed to recount every detail of what happened between her and Lin Yuan the previous night.

However, she shared some of her feelings with Lin Xia, which gave Lin Xia a more realistic perspective on the anticipated yet apprehensive matter of marriage.

"By the way, sis, do you know if there's a black market in our Yuancheng?" Zhao Huanhuan asked Lin Xia in a low voice.

Lin Xia nodded, "I know there are, but I don't recommend you go. It's said that there's a gang of gang leaders in Black Street who are fearless and fight like their lives depend on it. As long as you can survive, nobody wants to go to Black Street or get involved with them."

"What do you need? Why are you asking about the black market?" Lin Xia looked at her warily. "Huanhuan, although it exists in our Yuan City, it is a completely different world from the world we live in. It's a black and white world, and they generally don't interfere with each other."

"Unless one party breaks the rules, the people of Yuancheng know not to go to the Black Market, and the people from there will not come to the world where the people live to cause trouble. This is also why the higher-ups turn a blind eye to the existence of the Black Market."

Zhao Huanhuan's interest was piqued by Lin Xia's words. "Sister, what exactly does this black market do?"

Lin Xia gave her a suspicious look. "You don't even know what the black market is, yet you're talking to me about it?"

Zhao Huanhuan chuckled, "I've only heard classmates mention this word occasionally before. I've been curious about it for the past few years, but I haven't dared to ask my parents. Since you're here today, I just wanted to ask out of curiosity."

"Then why don't you ask your Lin Yuan?" Lin Xia still doubted her.

Zhao Huanhuan shook her head, "I definitely can't ask Lin Yuan. He's an extremely upright person, full of righteousness. If I ask him such a question, would he feel at ease leaving?"

"Even so, he was still extremely worried when he left, telling me not to rush into things and to remember to protect myself. Do you think I dared to ask him what the black market was all about?" Zhao Huanhuan said helplessly, looking at Lin Xia.

Looking at her helpless expression and the hint of resentment in her eyes, Lin Xia suddenly covered her mouth with the blanket and burst into laughter.

Zhao Huanhuan coughed lightly, pulled off her blanket, grabbed her arm and pleaded, "Good sister, just tell me, I'm just curious. I swear, I really won't go. I just want to understand. Now that I'm married, I'm an adult, and I think I should learn more about this world."

Lin Xia laughed for a while after being amused by her nonsense, then whispered, "The black market is actually a place where people who are struggling financially can freely buy and sell things. It is said that there is an old street in the northeast of our original city. It is said that there was a war in the 1930s and 40s, and that tunnel warfare was fought on that street. There are tunnels underground."

"They said that if the police come to crack down on organized crime, those tunnels could help people in the black market hide and escape. Also, because that street is now controlled by that organized crime group, the police have raided it several times but haven't caught anyone actually buying and selling there," Lin Xia said in a low voice.

"Oh, how did you know all this, cousin?" Zhao Huanhuan asked curiously.

“Because my boyfriend told me that his family used to be poor. When he was in school, he didn’t have enough to eat. He sold two old items from his family on the black market to help his family get through the most difficult year,” Lin Xia said in a low voice.

Zhao Huanhuan understood.

In those days, there were no individual businesses or private enterprises. If someone bought or sold privately, and was discovered or reported, they would be arrested and imprisoned. There was a crime called speculation and profiteering, which refers to private buying and selling involving monetary transactions.

She learned about these things later when she was in school, but there was very little written description of the black market, and it was difficult to find more information about it.

She roughly knew that it was a place where some poor people and those who had been labeled as villains risked their lives to trade in order to survive and get some food so that their children and elderly wouldn't starve.

After all, stores that normally sell grain, oil, and noodles are state-owned, requiring receipts, certificates, or other documents. People without these documents or certificates either go hungry or have to find other ways to survive, which is how the black market has come to exist.

Of course, all sorts of shady practices seem to exist in such places, including robbery, selling counterfeit goods, and forced buying and selling. In short, in this red era, the black market was indeed a dark side of existence.

Hearing Lin Xia's explanation, she was certain; it seemed that was indeed the case.

At the same time, Zhao Huanhuan also gained a clearer understanding of the black and white of this world.

She used to be a successful career woman living in the sunshine. In fact, there is a stark contrast between black and white in every world. She was just lucky to live in the white world, without ever trying to understand where the black was or what it looked like.

"So that's how it is. Are things a little better for your future brother-in-law's family now? I heard from my second uncle that he's also a full-time employee at your factory?" Zhao Huanhuan asked.

"Yes, it's much better now. His name is Lan Haiyang. I'll take him shopping with you on Sunday and introduce you to him," Lin Xia asked Zhao Huanhuan.

“Sure, as long as my future brother-in-law dares to meet our family, then let him meet us. It’s also a good opportunity for me to help you see if he’s worth marrying. I’m pretty good at judging men,” Zhao Huanhuan said with a low laugh.

Lin Xia was amused by her words again. This girl was quite the braggart. However, thinking about the man Huanhuan had chosen, Lin Yuan, he was indeed a good man.

"Okay, I'll ask him tomorrow!" Lin Xia smiled and agreed.

After that, the two of them didn't talk much and gradually fell asleep.

...

After Lin Yuan got off the train at Xiling, he saw his unit's military vehicles parked on the side of the road as soon as he exited the station.

He paused, then strode over.

Nobody here?

He walked around the car, but no one got out.

"Who's here!" Lin Yuan walked to the driver's side door and knocked on the window. It was so dark that she couldn't see if anyone was inside.

"Boss, you really came back today!" Suddenly, two surprised voices came from behind him.

Lin Yuan turned around and saw two soldiers from his class, Yang Yuan and Feng Wei.

"You two drove here to pick me up?" Lin Yuan asked in surprise.

"Yes, the instructor arranged it. He said you should be back tonight. Hurry up and get in the car, we're going back. We were just in the crowd at the exit, how come we didn't see you come out?" The two men scratched their heads awkwardly and quickly invited their leader to get in the car.

This was also the first time they had ever driven a military jeep to pick someone up on their own, and to be honest, they were quite excited.

"I told you, don't call us 'boss' outside. If people hear us, they'll think we're a criminal organization," Lin Yuan said, rubbing his temples with a headache.

Don't be fooled by his shy and sunny demeanor in front of Zhao Huanhuan; in front of the greenhorns in his class, he's an absolute tyrant.