Chapter 10 The Hen and the Rabbit A military green car drove up from a distance...
Zhao Shuyi was unaware of the specific circumstances of the two people, but she suspected they weren't in a good position.
Anyone who is doing well at work always has a few rivals they don't get along with.
Neither Gao's parents nor Xu's mother were low-key people at their workplaces, so there were definitely many people waiting to see them make a scene.
Zhao Shuyi felt that her actions last night should have helped the original owner vent her anger.
The main thing now is to live your life well.
After the train started moving, she lay down on her berth and entered the space using her mind.
The experience of riding the old green trains these days is really terrible, even for sleeper berths that many people may never have seen in their entire lives.
From the moment you get on the bus, you can smell a stench that's a mixture of all sorts of strange odors. Just when you're starting to get used to it, there's a huge clanging and banging sound in your ears, making it hard not to get annoyed.
However, this anxiety dissipated considerably when he saw green shoots sprouting in the paddy fields.
Zhao Shuyi could hardly believe it; only a few hours had passed.
At first, she thought that if that didn't work, she would sprinkle some spiritual spring water on the seeds, since the effects of spiritual spring water should be very strong.
As a result, it's not necessary at all. At this rate, wouldn't a bumper harvest be achieved very quickly?
Zhao Shuyi couldn't help but start overthinking again.
Is she going to become a grain dealer in the future?
Otherwise, how could we possibly finish all this food?
I don't know if anything else can be grown besides grains.
It's just as interesting as some online farms from later generations.
I'm so happy!
Days on the train are undoubtedly boring.
Fortunately, there is space.
The space also contains all the books Zhao Shuyi had brought from her home.
Zhao Shuyi had asked her father beforehand, and he said that she could use any of the books if they were useful.
If you leave it at home, it might get bitten by bugs at any time.
Moreover, in principle, the house should have been taken back after the Zhao family was transferred, so it's unclear how they arranged it.
Zhao Shuyi looked at the books in her space, and before she knew it, it was afternoon.
Only one berth remained in the carriage.
Zhao Shuyi was feeling dizzy from the clattering of the train when suddenly a somewhat weathered woman walked in with a child.
Her eyes lit up when she saw there was still a seat available, and then her eyes darted left and right before landing on Zhao Shuyi.
Zhao Shuyi didn't want to talk to anyone, so she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.
She knew that train sleeper berths were hard to come by these days; those who could afford them wouldn't be stingy with a lower berth, and those who couldn't wouldn't have the nerve to ask for someone else's spot.
Therefore, she will not easily give up her position.
Even though she had clearly closed her eyes and was about to fall asleep, the woman with the child still came to wake her up.
"Little girl?"
Her voice was slightly lowered, making her sound like a rather delicate woman.
Zhao Shuyi ignored her, so she called out again.
Somewhat helplessly, Zhao Shuyi opened her eyes, and Zhu Yi jumped down from the upper bunk.
She didn't say anything, just stood in front of Zhao Shuyi staring at the grandmother and grandson.
The middle-aged woman gently patted the child on the shoulder, and the child said, "Sister, there are two of us, my grandma and I, and we'd like to stay in the lower bunk. Can we switch lower bunks with you?"
He tilted his head and blinked as he looked at Zhao Shuyi, clearly noticing that she was already awake.
"No, kids, everyone needs their own ticket. Did you buy your tickets?"
The child said with certainty, "I bought it, but I couldn't get a lower bunk. If my grandma and I sleep on the upper bunk, we'll fall off."
Zhao Shuyi sat up and saw that both the old man and the young man's faces showed joy.
"I'll go ask the flight attendant for you. I just heard there were lower berths available, how come you didn't get them? That's strange."
As she spoke, she stood up. The two men wanted to take her place, but Zhu Yi was standing upright in front of them, so neither of them dared to be presumptuous.
"No need, no need, how could we trouble the flight attendant?"
The woman was quite flexible and had clearly come up with a reason. Clutching her clothes, she lowered her head and said, "Actually, it's not that we couldn't buy one, it's just that we're a bit short on money, but the two of us really can't stay in the upper bunk."
Zhao Shuyi almost rolled her eyes.
"I can't stay here either, I'll sleepwalk and fall down."
After saying that, he didn't bother with anyone else. He exchanged a glance with Zhu Yi and then lay back down.
The old man and the young man were somewhat indignant, but when they met Zhu Yi's fierce, wolf-like gaze, they dared not say anything more.
The two stood there for a while, but neither was willing to lend a hand.
Zhao Shuyi guessed that the two of them probably didn't have tickets, otherwise why would they only arrive at the carriage halfway through the train journey?
I thought they would leave after not getting any advantage, but who knew they would run back to the other side a while later.
Zhao Shuyi: "..."
Do you think people are deaf? Do you assume they didn't hear what they said?
However, it seems that the guy in the lower bunk was indeed asleep just now.
"Young man, wake up, young man..."
I called out to the other person a few times but there was no response; they seemed to be truly asleep.
"Young man..."
The woman continued to shout, but Zhu Yi couldn't stand it anymore. She took two steps to stand by the bed and said, "Don't disturb people's sleep."
Just then, the man seemed to finally wake up.
He rolled over, then reached out and tugged at Zhu Yi's sleeve. "Are you ready to eat?"
The situation was strangely bizarre.
Zhao Shuyi looked at the man's dazed appearance, then at Zhu Yi, whose face had darkened.
She flipped her wrist, grabbed the other person's hand, and twisted it.
"ah--"
The man was now fully awake. He looked up with his clear, foolish eyes in terror at the people standing in front of him.
"W-what's wrong?"
He looked around and asked, "Do you want to sleep in my spot? I'll switch with you."
These words were spoken to Zhu Yi.
He said he was about to get up, but Zhu Yi slapped him back down.
"Go to sleep!"
The man glanced at her timidly, not daring to resist at all, and obediently lay back down.
The grandmother and grandson were clearly frightened by what had just happened, and the woman patted her grandson.
"Why bother with sleeper berths? Our hard seats are just as good. Let's get going!"
The two slunk away.
Sure enough, might makes right.
Zhao Shuyi couldn't help but give Zhu Yi a thumbs up.
She returned a slightly friendly smile.
Zhao Shuyi was taken aback upon seeing this.
This was the first time she had seen Zhu Yixiao.
But that's not the point. What she realized was that she had seen the other person's smile before.
"Comrade Zhu Yi, are you from Beijing?"
Zhu Yi probably didn't expect Zhao Shuyi to suddenly ask a personal question, but she only paused for a moment before nodding, "Yes."
"You live over on Heping Street?"
Zhu Yi looked surprised. "How did you know?"
Zhao Shuyi just asked the question casually.
She suddenly realized that she probably shouldn't have mentioned it, since the girl she saw on the bus last time was definitely not Zhu Yi, but what that girl did didn't seem like something that could be publicized.
But since the conversation had already reached this point, she had no choice but to continue.
"I think I've seen you over there before."
Zhu Yi frowned and thought for a moment, as if she had thought of something, and said, "It might be my sister."
Zhao Shuyi knew she had said too much, so she nodded and said nothing more.
At the next stop, someone also arrived at the empty bed opposite; it was a woman in her thirties.
The woman didn't talk to the strangers; she simply packed her things and climbed up to the top bunk.
That's what a normal person is like.
It felt like a blink of an eye, yet also like a long time had passed, and then it got dark.
Although Zhao Shuyi still found the smell on the train unpleasant, she had gotten used to it and lay on the bed, feeling drowsy.
Suddenly, she heard shouts outside, which startled her so much that she "sat up in fright from her deathbed!"
Zhu Yi was faster than her and had already jumped down from the upper bunk.
Those agile people are truly enviable.
"Don't move," she said. "I'll go out and take a look."
She only went out for a short while and came back quickly.
"It was a thief, and he's been caught."
After saying that, she glanced at Zhao Shuyi and explained, "It's the old man and the young girl who came this afternoon."
Everyone looked at each other, surprisingly not surprised.
The sleeper berths are almost completely isolated from the outside world, so as long as the people in the same berth don't cause any trouble, there won't be any accidents.
Apart from that eccentric grandmother and grandson who had been in their carriage, the journey was smooth sailing. Occasionally, they could hear noises outside, such as things being dropped or people fighting over seats, making it quite lively.
The train arrived smoothly at Shanghai Railway Station at noon the next day.
Shanghai at that time did not yet have the towering buildings that would become the city it is today; it still looked rather drab.
After getting off the train, Zheng Jingcheng came forward to help Zhao Shuyi with her suitcase.
Because their mission made it inconvenient to bring Zhao Shuyi along, the group had to separate from her.
"Comrade Zhao Shuyi, you must be careful when you are alone. You must be back before dark."
Zhao Shuyi nodded, "Okay."
"If anything happens, go to the police station. If we can't find you, we'll go there to look for you."
"I see."
Zheng Jingcheng spoke at length, but all his words were words of concern. Zhao Shuyi listened patiently with her eyes lowered, occasionally offering a few words of agreement.
They finally arrived at the guesthouse where they were to stay, which was actually a guesthouse at the train station.
The guesthouse is quite large, with many rooms, all of which are on the second floor.
Zheng Jingcheng helped move the things to the doorway.
"Keep your valuables with you." He said, glancing at Zhao Shuyi again, "You'd better wear simple clothes when you go out."
Seeing Zhao Shuyi looking down at her clothes, he hurriedly explained.
"I didn't mean to say that what you're wearing is inappropriate." His face flushed slightly, as if afraid that Zhao Shuyi would misunderstand.
"I know." Zhao Shuyi completely understood what he meant. "I will be careful for safety."
"Okay, be careful, I'll be going now."
Zhao Shuyi nodded gratefully to the other person before closing the door.
She can genuinely feel Zheng Jingcheng's concern; so far, he seems to be a good person.
However, Zhao Shuyi should learn from the original owner's lesson: some people may seem nice on the surface, but who knows what they are really like in private.
Don't assume malice towards people, but you must still remain vigilant.
Although Zheng Jingcheng and his group didn't say what the mission was, they were clearly in a hurry. They left shortly after putting down their things and even came back to tell Zhao Shuyi.
Shortly after they left, Zhao Shuyi also came out.
She needs to scout out the location.
The Zhao family's old house is located on University Road.
With universities closed and students wearing red armbands everywhere, Zhao Shuyi disguised herself before going out.
She found her oldest and most worn-out clothes and patched them up with two more, and she also put on makeup to make herself look ugly and dark.
Wearing the most common double low braids of this era, it's not a complete "makeover," but at least it's not as eye-catching as before.
Having grown up here, she was quite familiar with alleyways and lanes, and she quickly found the kindergarten.
It was a three-story Western-style building with more than ten rooms and a large courtyard. The gate was locked, but the sounds of children could be heard from inside from time to time.
Zhao Shuyi estimated the location of those things.
Unfortunately, her space cannot retrieve objects remotely; she has to touch something to put it into her space.
She has to find a way to get in.
Openly and honestly is definitely not an option.
I'll have to come back tonight.
Following the route she had come from, Zhao Shuyi walked it again to confirm the route and the surrounding environment.
She went into a state-run restaurant near the train station.
State-run restaurants in the city center have more food available, and you can still get a meal there.
There were too many people, so Zhao Shuyi didn't buy much; she only bought two steamed buns before returning to the guesthouse.
She still has the food she bought in Beijing the day before yesterday in her online space. It can be kept fresh. She also has her own grains and vegetables, pots, pans, firewood, and everything else. She can cook by herself, so she doesn't want to compete with others for it.
But since she's already moved to a different location, perhaps she can go and do some more shopping.
These days, you need a ticket to buy things everywhere.
But besides the black market, there is another place where you can buy things without tickets: the countryside.
Zhao Shuyi decided to wander around and see if her space could support any creatures.
Without hesitation, Zhao Shuyi went out after eating and resting for a while.
She first went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some sponge cakes and fruit candies before heading to the edge of the city.
The city of Shanghai at that time was not as large as it is in later years; it would take half an hour to walk to the village.
It was the time to go to the fields, and there were still quite a few people working outside. But with so many people around, Zhao Shuyi certainly couldn't ask around. She could only keep her head down and walk forward, pretending to be looking for someone.
When someone greeted her, she simply said she was just passing by.
When she saw an old banyan tree and two aunties sitting under it, her eyes lit up.
As she approached, both of them looked at her with some wariness.
"Auntie, I'd like to ask if anyone around here raises chickens? My sister is pregnant and I'd like to exchange some for eggs."
Upon hearing that they were going to exchange items, the two became even more vigilant.
One of the plump women glanced at her and asked, "What are you going to offer in exchange?"
Zhao Shuyi put down the basket and opened it to show them what was inside.
Besides the sponge cake and fruit candies she bought, she also brought brown sugar from Beijing.
She grabbed a few fruit candies for each of them and asked, "Do you need these? If it's not enough, I can add some money, or we can exchange a little less. Bring more next time to exchange."
The two exchanged a glance. "How many do you want?"
Zhao Shuyi pretended to be very surprised, "Can we exchange them? We can exchange as many as we can. My sister is too thin, and the whole family wants to help her get some nutrition. It's a pity we can't exchange them for hens."
"The hens are probably kept by each family to lay eggs, right?" Zhao Shuyi said dejectedly.
The plump auntie was clearly good at handling things. She grabbed Zhao Shuyi's hand and said, "You're a girl who loves her older sister. Come to my house and see if you really want it. I can exchange it for you, but you might have to add some extra things."
Now it was Zhao Shuyi's turn to be wary. She asked, "How much more? I only have eight yuan."
Upon hearing that it was eight yuan, their eyes lit up.
These days, chickens and eggs are both valuable commodities, but prices are low; four yuan is enough to buy a chicken.
"My sister said, if you could buy two chickens for eight yuan at the market, and add some chicken cake for four yuan, would your aunt be willing to trade?"
"Change!"
Seeing that the two had reached an agreement, the somewhat thin auntie became restless. "Young lady, look at your sister, she's pregnant. One chicken isn't enough. She'll have to kill another one when she's in confinement. Since we're already here, why not exchange it for another one?"
"Is it okay if I add two of these sponge cakes to eight dollars? You can share them."
The plump aunt rolled her eyes and glanced at the brown sugar.
"I'll give you some more eggs and some brown sugar in return."
The skinny auntie said, "I want one too! I want one too!"
Zhao Shuyi was somewhat amused and exasperated. She looked at the mountain behind the village and asked, "Are there any rabbits? I'll give you extra brown sugar."
Brown sugar was a rare commodity these days, and Zhao Shuyi had stockpiled quite a lot of it.
"Yes!" the plump auntie answered immediately.
Before Zhao Shuyi could even feel happy, the skinny aunt asked suspiciously, "Where did you get this rabbit?"
"Mind your own business, go catch a chicken!"
Without a word, the plump auntie grabbed Zhao Shuyi and left, her attentive attitude a stark contrast to her previous wariness.
Zhao Shuyi remained obedient and let her lead her, and soon she was led to a tidy courtyard.
The plump aunt had two hens, and she took out the thinner one.
Zhao Shuyi wasn't unhappy; if it were her, she would definitely keep the best for herself.
The other party was quick and efficient, and tied up the chicken feet in no time.
Then she took a long bench and placed it in front of the courtyard wall. She climbed up and jumped over into the yard of the neighboring house.
Zhao Shuyi was dumbfounded.
Zhao Shuyi hadn't even reacted when she saw the other person bring the rabbit back.
"Auntie, this isn't a good idea."
"Don't worry, the stool is still there. I'll compensate her. Her wife is pregnant and needs brown sugar. I'll share some with her later."
Zhao Shuyi expressed her doubts.
But now that everything is here, she's in a bit of a bind.
What if they force you to buy or sell...?
Zhao Shuyi paused for a moment, deciding to come back when she had time. If the aunt didn't give her anything then, she could just give her some herself.
"You idiot, why are you breaking into people's houses and taking things?" The skinny aunt also came over carrying a chicken. "I said, where did you get this rabbit from?"
"They wanted brown sugar, so I got this for them. Anyway, they can't eat rabbits."
The thin aunt glared at her, but didn't say anything more. She quickly put away the hen and eggs for Zhao Shuyi.
Zhao Shuyi could tell they weren't exactly friendly people, so she planned to take the things and leave.
Although she has her own space and isn't afraid, she's worried that if something happens to the village, she won't be able to handle so many people dealing with her.
You shouldn't carry too much stuff with you, at least.
After the transaction was completed, Zhao Shuyi carried her basket and left. The plump aunt saw her to the door and said, "Girl, come back if you need anything else."
Zhao Shuyi waved and returned the way she came.
Before leaving, I glanced back at the house next door.
A few minutes later, she circled around again, reaching the other side of the house. She took two yuan and slipped it under the door before quickly and quietly leaving.
She thought about it and realized she might not be able to come back again, so she hoped they could get the money.
Zhao Shuyi carried a basket on her back and walked out of the village. In fact, she had already transferred the contents of the basket into her spatial dimension, leaving only a few eggs.
Zhao Shuyi believed that even if someone discovered the chicken had disappeared from her place, no one would suspect the existence of the spatial dimension, since she wouldn't have any further contact with these people anyway.
Thinking of this, Zhao Shuyi felt much more at ease.
She walked quickly and soon reached the vicinity of the group of people working.
Strangers like her are bound to attract attention.
Zhao Shuyi originally intended to walk over quickly, but she saw a heavily pregnant woman on the roadside who was frowning and seemed to be in some pain.
Zhao Shuyi paused, then asked, "Comrade, are you alright? Do you need any help?"
Upon seeing her, the other person paused for a moment, then quickly shook their head; these people were quite xenophobic.
"Comrade, I'm looking for someone but I can't find them. Can I have a drink of water?"
She hesitated for a moment, but still handed the kettle to Zhao Shuyi.
Zhao Shuyi had just seen her drink it and didn't think there was anything wrong with the water, but she didn't drink much either. She just replaced the water in the kettle with spiritual spring water from her space.
She noticed that the woman's complexion was really not good, and she was afraid that there might be something wrong with the baby's condition.
"Comrade, you don't look well. Why don't you have a drink? Do you keep rabbits at home?"
The other person's pupils contracted, clearly taken aback. She probably realized her reaction was too much and, somewhat annoyed, asked, "How did you know?"
Seeing that she was heavily pregnant, Zhao Shuyi wanted to try her luck, and to her surprise, it actually worked.
Worried that someone might come, she quickly explained what had just happened, "Is four yuan plus a piece of brown sugar enough?"
If the other party makes exorbitant demands or refuses to exchange, she will have no choice but to return the rabbit to her.
Fortunately, the other party did not disappoint her and was pleasantly surprised; two rabbits were not worth that much.
However, no one doubted that she had left two yuan at their door; it just goes to show how honest and simple people are these days.
This relieved Zhao Shuyi, as it was a matter that had been resolved, and her spiritual spring water hadn't been wasted in vain.
She quickly took out some money and brown sugar and handed them to the other person, saying, "Drink more water, I hope you have a healthy baby. I'm leaving now."
The woman nodded, looked at Zhao Shuyi's back, touched her stomach, and subconsciously took two sips of water.
She inexplicably felt that the water tasted sweeter; was that why she had made money?
Lost in thought, she ended up drinking all the water in the kettle by herself.
A moment later, a dark-skinned man rushed over anxiously. "I heard that a stranger spoke to you earlier. Are you alright?"
The woman shook her head, looked around, and showed the money and brown sugar that Zhao Shuyi had given her. "Look what this is."
The man was startled. "That person gave it to you? Why would she give you money?"
The woman explained what had just happened, "She took those two rabbits with her. You should go back and get the money quickly."
"Okay, I'll go right away." That's two dollars; what if someone picks it up?
"This plump auntie is really too informal," the man muttered, but wasn't too angry. The plump auntie had inadvertently helped them.
The two rabbits were caught by the man when he went up the mountain to chop firewood. Hearing that pregnant women shouldn't eat rabbits, they didn't dare to eat them and had to keep them. They didn't have time to sell them on the black market, and they were worried about it.
Moreover, you can't get this price on the black market.
The man walked a few steps, then turned back and asked with some concern, "Is your stomach any better? Maybe we should go to the clinic to get it checked out."
"No need, I feel much better."
As the two were talking, a military green car drove up from a distance and headed into the city, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The man helped the woman cover her mouth and nose, but both of their eyes were fixed on the direction the car had disappeared in.
Although they live close to the city, they don't often have the opportunity to go into the city, so seeing cars is still a rare sight for them.
"I've been seeing cars coming this way a lot these past few days. What are they doing here?"
"The captain said that something belonging to enemy agents was discovered on the mountain, and no one is allowed to go up the mountain recently."
"Hurry, hurry back and get the money."
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