Lin Qian walked out of the alley and continued towards the scrap yard. She took out two pieces of candy from the things she bought at the supply and marketing cooperative and arrived at the entrance of the scrap yard.
Lin Qian smiled and said to the gatekeeper, "Hello, sir! I came here to see if there are any old newspapers that can be used to wallpaper the walls, and also to see if there are any other usable items. Here, have a taste of these two candies."
The gatekeeper took the candy with a smile on his face, but in his heart he was thinking, "This young lady is probably trying to find something good. I've searched this place so many times, what good stuff could she possibly have?" Nevertheless, he said politely, "Oh, young lady, you're quite capable! Go in, be careful, don't bump into anything."
After thanking her, Lin Qian entered the scrap yard. Upon entering, she saw mountains of various scrap items: broken furniture, rusty ironware, tattered books, and more, all arranged haphazardly. A musty, stale smell permeated the air.
Lin Qian said to 003 in her mind: "003, quickly scan this junkyard for me and see if there are any treasures left."
003 said somewhat helplessly, "Alright, alright, host, I'll start scanning now. Please wait a moment."
After a while, 003 excitedly shouted, "Host, I've found a treasure!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Qian was overjoyed and eagerly followed 003's instructions. She struggled to move the debris on top and finally saw the hidden box below. With trembling hands, she opened the box, revealing a set of ruby jewelry and an imperial jade pendant, their light dazzling.
Among those hidden boxes was a set of ruby jewelry, including a necklace, a pair of earrings, and an imperial emerald pendant! Each gemstone on the ruby necklace was round and full, like a small, burning fireball, radiating a captivating light. The necklace chain was crafted from exquisite white gold, perfectly complementing the rubies.
The rubies on those earrings were equally dazzling, and they were also surrounded by tiny diamonds that sparkled like stars.
Looking again at that imperial green jade pendant, its color was rich and deep, so green it seemed to drip with water. The carving was extremely fine, the patterns on it lifelike; it was clearly a superior piece.
Lin Qian's voice trembled with excitement: "003, we're rich!"
003 was so excited he almost jumped up: "Wow! Such beautiful jewelry, and that imperial jade pendant, how much is it worth! Host, we are so lucky! Now I can eat lots and lots of delicious food!"
Lin Qian smiled and said, "Don't rush, put these things into the system inventory first."
003 hurriedly replied, "Okay, I'll collect them right away!" After saying that, the treasures were put into the system's inventory.
Lin Qian was in a particularly good mood after finding the bargains. She continued searching in the scrap yard and unexpectedly found a set of "Algebra" from the "Self-Study Series of Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry." Unfortunately, the set was incomplete; one book was missing. Lin Qian thought to herself that she would definitely come back to the scrap yard next time she was in town, hoping to complete the set. Afterward, she found a pile of old newspapers before heading to the gatekeeper to pay, completely satisfied.
Upon arriving at the guardhouse, Lin Qian smiled and said to the old guard, "Sir, I found some books and newspapers. Could you help me calculate the cost?"
The gatekeeper looked at what Lin Qian had brought and said, "Newspapers are two cents a pound. I estimate this pile of newspapers weighs about ten pounds, so that's twenty cents. As for these books, they look pretty new, so I'll give them to you for fifty cents."
Lin Qian nodded and took out seven cents from her pocket, handing it to the gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper took the money, looking Lin Qian up and down with a hint of curiosity in his eyes, as if he wanted to know what special things Lin Qian had taken from the scrap yard. Lin Qian remained calm, showing no unusual expression.
After paying, Lin Qian left the scrap yard. The gatekeeper watched her departing figure, his doubts growing stronger. After she left, he couldn't suppress his curiosity and went inside to examine the scrap yard more closely. He saw the scrap still piled up haphazardly, and after searching the areas Lin Qian had looked through, he found nothing unusual. The gatekeeper shook his head and muttered to himself, "Maybe I'm overthinking it. That girl probably just got lucky and found a few decent books." With that, he returned to the guardhouse.
Lin Qian found an empty alley, put all the things she had picked up from the junkyard into her system inventory, and then headed straight for the state-run restaurant in town.
The state-run restaurant had a fairly imposing facade, with a sign reading "State-Run Restaurant" hanging above the entrance. Inside, the decor reflected the style of that era. The walls were whitewashed and adorned with propaganda posters and slogans. The cement floor was fairly clean.
Inside the restaurant, the counter is right at the entrance. Behind the counter, on the wall, hangs a small blackboard with today's menu: Braised pork, 1.5 yuan a serving (requires one meat coupon); Stir-fried greens, 3 mao a serving; Tomato and egg soup, 5 mao a serving; Rice, 2 mao a bowl (requires one liang of grain coupon).
Lin Qian walked to the counter and said to the waiter, "One order of braised pork, one order of stir-fried vegetables, one bowl of rice, and two more orders of braised pork to go." As she spoke, she handed the waiter the corresponding meat coupons, grain coupons, and money.
The waiter took the ticket and money, checked them carefully, and then turned to the small window inside and said loudly, "One serving of braised pork, one serving of stir-fried vegetables, one bowl of rice, plus two servings of braised pork to go!"
After paying, Lin Qian took the receipt and, following the waiter's instructions, went to the side to get some cutlery before finding an empty seat to sit down.
By this time, the restaurant was already quite full of customers, chatting and waiting for their food. The sounds of their conversations mingled together, filling the entire restaurant with a lively atmosphere.
Soon, the food was ready. Looking at the delicious-looking and fragrant dish before her, Lin Qian couldn't wait to pick up her chopsticks and put a piece of braised pork in her mouth. The braised pork melted in her mouth, rich but not greasy, and its intense aroma instantly filled her mouth. Lin Qian couldn't help but exclaim, "The chef at this state-run restaurant is absolutely amazing! This braised pork is so delicious! I'll definitely come here often!"
Even 003 in Lin Qian's mind was drooling over the aroma. He kept swallowing and excitedly said, "Host, this smells so good! I can't wait any longer!"
Lin Qian smiled and said, "Don't worry, I've already packed one for you. You can enjoy it to your heart's content when we get back." After saying that, she picked up a piece of braised pork and savored its deliciousness.
Next, Lin Qian turned her gaze to the bowl of rice. Each grain was plump and fragrant, emitting a delicate aroma. She scooped a spoonful and put it in her mouth, savoring its sweetness. The sweet flavor spread in her mouth, harmonizing with the rich aroma of the braised pork, creating a wonderful taste experience. Lin Qian couldn't help but exclaim, "The pork of this era is truly different; the flavor is purer and richer than in later generations. And this rice, it too has a unique fragrance that leaves a lingering aftertaste."
Lin Qian enjoyed the meal with satisfaction. She knew that in this special era, such delicious food was a rare treat.
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