"Don't be so polite. I feel an instant connection with you today. I just want to borrow your bicycle. If you don't want to, you can take your things back."
If you borrow something and then return it, you can meet again when you return it, right? That old lady is really clever.
"Thank you very much, Auntie."
The village was indeed far from the town, and walking there would be time-consuming and tiring. Since the aunt was so hospitable, she didn't stand on ceremony.
"Third brother, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and bring the bicycle out."
Xie Xiuying looked at Gu Changfeng with disappointment and frustration.
It's just sitting here like a piece of wood; it might as well take root and sprout.
You're so clueless. If I weren't worried about you becoming an old bachelor, I wouldn't bother with this at all.
Xie Xiuying grew angrier the more she thought about it, so she simply kicked Gu Changfeng in the butt.
Gu Changfeng: What did I do to deserve this?
"Pfft."
Ruan Qiushui couldn't help but laugh out loud.
It's really funny that a big man like Gu Changfeng is acting all bewildered and innocent.
Gu Changfeng pushed the bicycle to the door, and Ruan Qiushui tentatively stepped onto it.
Because of her leg length, she could barely manage to ride this men's old bicycle, though it wasn't very comfortable.
"Auntie, I'll return the car in a bit, don't worry."
After Ruan Qiushui finished speaking, she rode her bicycle towards the town.
"You blockhead, you're like a eunuch worrying more than the emperor."
Seeing that the third brother was standing motionless at the door, Xie Xiuying kicked him in the buttocks again.
Their mouths are glued shut, they don't even bother to ask.
If the little girl doesn't know the way, the third son can ride his bike to take her there. Wouldn't that help them bond?
Gu Changfeng, stunned by his future daughter-in-law's back view: Who is the eunuch?
"Mom, did Dad upset you this morning?"
Or is my mom going through menopause?
He kicked him twice already, was it really necessary? Doesn't he have any pride?
"Tell me clearly, what exactly is going on between you and this young girl?"
Xie Xiuying sat on the stool, ready to listen to the story.
"What happened? Well, I saved her twice, and she came to thank me."
I don't even know what the young educated youth means to me yet, so it wouldn't be good to say too much.
That's it? Nothing else?
Xie Xiuying refused to give up.
"What else would Mother like to hear? I'll see if I can make something up."
He'd like to, but he hasn't had the chance yet.
"Stop being so nonchalant. I'm asking you, what do you mean by this girl? Do you want to marry her?"
Xie Xiuying felt a lump in her throat; this brat was deliberately trying to drive her crazy.
"Mom, please don't ask. Do you think those educated youth from the city would even look at a country bumpkin like me?"
Before I've won her over, I shouldn't tell my mother. Otherwise, her enthusiasm might scare me away.
"Why can't you find it appealing?"
Xie Xiuying felt uneasy and dared not make any promises.
…
After riding for almost half an hour, Ruan Qiushui finally arrived in town. She parked her bicycle and went into a deserted alley.
In just two seconds, he changed his clothes, put on a basket, and came out.
Just then, a woman carrying a basket on her back and an empty cloth bag came out of the butcher shop with a disappointed look on her face.
"Big sister, do you know how to get to the steel mill dormitory? My mother asked me to deliver grain to a relative."
Ruan Qiushui tightened the floral cloth covering her head and asked in a low voice.
"Young lady, what are you selling in that basket on your back?"
The older sister, with an expression that said "I know," pulled Ruan Qiushui aside and asked in a low voice.
"Big sister, are you sure you've misunderstood?"
Ruan Qiushui looked wary, wondering if she had run into plainclothes officers.
"Don't be afraid, little sister. I'm a textile factory worker, not a heartless swindler. I often go to the black market. You get the goods, I pay, and then we become strangers. I understand."
The older sister patted her chest and assured her.
"Hey lady, what would you like to order? I have meat, grains, eggs, and oil. Let's talk in the alley."
Ruan Qiushui led her eldest sister back to the deserted alley.
"Wow, you're amazing, girl! Tell me, what are the prices?"
She was worried that she had important guests coming to her house that evening and didn't have any meat or vegetables to serve them, so this solved her immediate problem.
"No tickets required. Meat is one yuan per jin, rice and flour are three mao per jin, eggs are one mao each, and rapeseed oil is one yuan per jin."
This price is only slightly higher than the market price.
"I need ten catties of pork, twenty eggs, ten catties each of rice and wheat flour, and five catties of oil, is that alright?"
That's a really good price.
Speaking of pork, let alone the high price on the black market, it costs 70 cents a pound even at a butcher shop, and you need meat coupons.
This girl is really honest; she got a great deal. She would be doing herself a disservice if she didn't buy more.
"Okay, that'll be 23 in total, but you'll have to put it in your cloth bag."
Using the cloth covering the basket, Ruan Qiushui took the goods out of her spatial storage.
She has quite a lot of cloth in her space, but if she takes out those good cloths to store grain, wouldn't people think she's a fool?
"Here you go, young lady, please count."
The older woman readily paid.
"Hey, young lady. Since you have so many connections, could you get me something rare?"
Her husband is looking for a promotion, so he needs to give him some nice gifts.
"Yes, we can get tea, good cigarettes, fruit, and even ginseng."
You can have anything you want.
"Really? Can I have a ginseng? It doesn't matter if it's not very old."
The eldest sister gritted her teeth, determined not to act until she saw a clear benefit. In order for her husband to get promoted and make money, she had no choice but to tighten her belt.
How much money are you willing to pay?
Ruan Qiushui asked tentatively.
"five hundred."
This is the limit of what her family can afford.
"Would you trade me a 100-year-old ginseng? I have one with me."
Ruan Qiushui offered a reasonable price.
“It’s definitely worth the price, but you have to tell me where the black market is.”
Randomly selecting a lucky person on the street to sell goods is too risky; it's better to go to the black market and make a big profit.
"Okay, okay, little sister, I'll go back and get the money right away. Wait for me, you must wait for me."
The eldest sister moved with lightning speed, slinging her basket over her shoulder and heading off.
Ruan Qiushui had no choice but to wait where she was. It was almost noon, and she was hungry, so she quickly took out a box of food to eat.
A boxed lunch with a mix of meat and vegetables, paired with a cup of soy milk, is just right.
"This braised pork is so fragrant and tender."
Ruan Qiushui ate five pieces of meat before she was satisfied with her craving.
The meat buns I ate for two meals weren't as oily as the braised pork.
After Ruan Qiushui finished eating her boxed lunch, the eldest sister appeared at the alley entrance, panting.
"Big sister, I've prepared everything."
Ruan Qiushui simply wrapped the ginseng in red silk.
"Hey girl, here's your money, please count it."
"As for the location of the black market you asked about, it's inside the old local temple. There's a homeless man there; just tell him the crabapple blossoms are in bloom, and he'll let you in."
After the eldest sister finished speaking, she quickly took the ginseng and examined it closely.
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