She wandered around the market for quite a while before coming out.

At the city gate, Chen Yongnian had been waiting for quite a while. He held a small bag of salt and several packets of vegetable seeds in his hand, his brows slightly furrowed.

Upon seeing Wan Qiqi, he immediately went over, took her basket and pot, and said with distress, "Wife, the price of salt has gone up, and I only managed to buy this much for 20 coins."

Wan Qiqi looked at the small packet of salt in his hand, not even enough for three days, and couldn't help but sigh in her heart, what a terrible fool!

Despite the constant famines, prices are still so high; it's practically driving people to their deaths!

The villagers who had come to town to buy things quickly gathered at the door. Everyone looked unwell, and some of the women even had swollen eyes.

They frowned when they saw the pot on Chen Yongnian's back.

Now that even basic necessities like food and clothing are a problem, the Chen couple actually went to buy a new pot. How extravagant!

Ignoring the villagers' stares, Wan Qiqi took out two coins from her pocket and handed them to Sun Qian.

Sun Qian only accepted one coin and said with a smile, "You helped me return Aunt Dazhuang's money today, and I haven't had a chance to give it to you yet. I'll only charge you one coin on the way back."

At this moment, the villagers also returned together. Wan Qiqi noticed that Zhao Ermao had returned alone and did not see his daughter.

"Old Sun, let's go!" Zhao Ermao got into the car, looking somewhat flustered.

Sun Qian glanced at it, understood what had happened, sighed softly, and immediately drove off.

Just then, a girl ran out from the crowd, heading in the direction they had gone, crying, "Father, Father... why didn't you take me back!"

Wan Qiqi looked up when she heard the voice and saw it was Er Ya!

Several men dressed in identical outfits were behind her. They quickly grabbed her and dragged her back.

Wan Qiqi subconsciously stood up, wanting to lend a hand, but was immediately pulled back by someone.

"Mind your own business!"

Wan Qiqi looked at the villagers sitting on the oxcart, then at Zhao Ermao with his head down, and questioned, "Why did you abandon your daughter?"

Zhao Ermao choked up and said in a hoarse voice, "I have no choice. My family is starving. If we don't do this, everyone will starve. At least... this rich man's family won't let her go hungry."

"Isn't there any other way?" Wan Qiqi looked at the city gate gradually receding into the distance, her mood low.

"If I had a way, would I sell my daughter?" Zhao Ermao suddenly looked at Wan Qiqi, his eyes bloodshot.

After a while, he laughed at himself again, "Ha, what can I tell you? You wouldn't understand anyway..."

Wan Qiqi couldn't understand what level of desperation would make parents sell their own flesh and blood.

It was at this moment that she suddenly realized this was no longer the society governed by the rule of law where she had grown up!

In this era, not only was human trafficking possible, but there was also a profession called "human broker," who specialized in this kind of business.

Wan Qiqi realized the cruelty of the world for the first time, and also learned about the consequences of famine for the first time.