Chapter 120: Making a Name for Themselves in the Black Market, the Little Cub Discovers the Path to Wealth
The news that Jiang Anchao bought a large color TV caused quite a stir at the military dependents' compound.
Even Wen Qingqian received the news and made a special trip to the Jiang family to gossip to Deng Qiu about Han Yubin's unpleasant expression at the alley entrance.
"You have no idea, his face is quite something. He scrimped and saved for half a year, barely scraping together his salary to buy a black and white TV, and you guys just waved your hand and upgraded it. Now they can't catch up even if they try to flatter you."
As Deng Qiu pulled noodles, he chuckled, "He thinks that by having Sui Sui dress up to look like Zhi Zhi and get close to us, we're all idiots who can't see through him? It's just that everyone's mindful of the neighborly relationship and doesn't want to expose him. Now that he's saying such nasty things, don't blame us for dealing with him in a way that makes him look bad."
To put it bluntly, the reason I didn't want to directly break off relations before was because I was too lazy to bother with someone like Han Yubin.
But he's like a toad—he doesn't harm people, but he's disgusting.
Let's just tear down this facade and see who ends up looking the most embarrassed.
In short, it couldn't possibly be their own home.
After today, Han Yubin's purchase of the TV will only become a topic of conversation in comparison, a complete joke, for him to have bought a TV and then flaunt it so much.
Wen Qingqian nodded in agreement, "One word: deserved! My husband said that Han Yubin is too scheming. Luckily, he's a military doctor. If he were a colleague, he would be a real headache. But he did serve in the military properly before and has always wanted to transfer from a civilian position to a military position. I was wondering why he was trying so hard to get close to Zhizhi. It turns out he's jealous of the relationship between our two families and wants to get involved and share in the benefits."
Deng Qiu stared blankly at the boiling noodles in the pot, and sighed helplessly.
"Children are the most innocent in adult matters. Looking at the chilblains on Sui Sui's hands, I imagine that at home, it's not like Han Yubin said, that he dotes on his daughter. Both children have suffered because of parents like these."
"I'm telling you, stop worrying about them." Wen Qingqian put her hand on her shoulder, her tone cheerful. "How much do you and Anchao earn combined? Prices have been rising so much lately. What will you eat and drink after buying a color TV? Are you really planning to tighten your belt just for this petty squabble?"
Wen Qingqian also received a military salary, so she naturally knew that even with the allowances and salary combined, it would take a long time to diligently save up enough to buy a television.
Deng Qiu and Lao Jiang waved their hands, hoping that they wouldn't really squander all the money they had, otherwise they would be in trouble if they had no money to eat.
"Don't worry, we still have some food left."
Deng Qiu patted her hand and teased, "I won't let your goddaughter go hungry, huh?"
“I’m sorry I was trying to be nice, but I have to give you some advice: you should use that money to stock up on supplies as soon as possible.” Wen Qingqian lowered her voice and whispered, “Do you think Han Yubin is targeting your family the only one he’s targeting? It’s because your family eats the best food and your children wear the best clothes. Prices are skyrocketing these days, and even Lao Yuan and I are carefully budgeting our money. Look at your family! We’ve never run out of meat, eggs, or milk. Everyone’s secretly counting your wages. You absolutely can’t be without any emergency funds.”
Wen Qingqian's reminder was exactly what Deng Qiu was thinking.
Outsiders may not know, but she is very familiar with the family situation.
During this period, almost everything the family ate and drank was made from fruits and vegetables from the space. Later, Zhizhi took her into the space and saw that it was filled with several warehouses full of stock.
Although the exact principle behind this space is unclear, perhaps the flow of time is indeed different from that of the outside world.
This place has achieved a level of mechanized and automated planting that is currently unheard of in China. Leafy green vegetables can be harvested in large quantities in just three days, while seasonal crops such as potatoes and sweet potatoes can be harvested in a week.
She was deeply shocked at the time, and only after talking with her daughter did she realize that the pocket money Zhizhi had came from her and her father.
The rest she did was exchange her grain coupons and meat coupons for money.
It must be admitted that this clever little girl came up with an excellent idea. She even told herself that her sister told her that food coupons should not be hoarded and should be sold off as soon as possible.
At the time, I still had some doubts. After all, food coupons and living coupons were hard currencies that were more valuable than money. Why sell them so quickly?
But as Deng Qiu overheard the leaders chatting in the school, she understood.
The pace of reform and opening up will not stop, and the tide of the times will surge forward.
In the near future, the era of planned economy will enter a new stage, and the rationed amount of money per person will completely lose all its effectiveness and value.
Therefore, she now fully agrees with Zhizhi's approach and has also gained inspiration from it, finding new ways to make money.
Seeing that the noodles in the pot were cooked, Deng Qiu turned off the fire.
"Qingqian, don't worry, I really won't let your goddaughter go hungry."
She turned around with a smile and asked Wen Qingqian, "It's cold today, so I made some nourishing mutton soup noodles. How many bowls would you like?"
Wen Qingqian was filled with curiosity and worry, but after smelling the rich, milky-white aroma of the mutton soup, all her words turned into the rumbling of her stomach.
She slowly extended a finger, swallowed demurely, and said, "Then... let's start with a billion bowls!"
*
5 a.m. the next day
Holding her mother's hand, Zhizhi curiously looked at the uncles and aunts who lined both streets along the bridge.
"Mom, why are we fighting here?"
Deng Qiu found an open space, parked her bicycle, spread a sheet on the ground, and began arranging the vegetables that Zhi Zhi had brought from her space.
She spoke very patiently: "Mom promised to make money with Zhizhi, but we can't earn much by selling our food coupons, so we're setting up a vegetable stall here today!"
"ah?"
Zhizhi was stunned. She raised her hand to touch her little white bunny ears and looked at her mother in disbelief.
Oh my god!
No wonder she thought this street looked like a bustling little market, with all sorts of goods displayed in front of many people.
So it turns out Mom didn't come here to buy anything, but to sell something!
The little cub looked around nervously, swallowed hard, and whispered, "Mommy... we won't be taken away, will we?"
It is now the end of 1979, and prices everywhere are skyrocketing.
However, the government has not yet fully encouraged individuals to start their own small businesses. What if they get caught? Will they be convicted?
Zhizhi is scared, Zhizhi is timid.
Although the little cub seemed terrified, her big, bright black eyes were already sparkling with excitement. She rubbed her hands together, eager to get started.
Deng Qiu rubbed her little head and said in a low voice, "This is the black market, no one will care. We're just having a trial run today. Let's see how much these vegetables and fruits can sell for, and then we'll expand and strengthen it later."
"Yay!"
Little Zhizhi excitedly raised her hand and helped her mother carry the shopping basket. The two of them placed sweet potatoes, potatoes, and peanuts on one side. Spinach, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, and baby bok choy were placed on the other side, while in the middle were neatly arranged apples, hawthorns, large, somewhat ugly oranges, and small, sweet oranges that looked like little lanterns.
The little toddler stretched out his tiny hands, cupped them into a megaphone shape, and shouted loudly, "Come and see! Come and buy! Fresh vegetables, sweet fruits! Uncles and aunties, come and take a look! You won't regret it!"
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