As the New Year draws near, Qin Huai can feel more and more that the price of food in the county is getting more and more expensive. Even the sweet potatoes that were originally 5 cents per pound have soared to 15 cents.
The price of pork is also exaggerated. Whether it is at a regular price or at a negotiated price, it has more than doubled. It doesn’t matter whether the price increases or not because it is simply not available.
As for wheat and rice, these two fine grains have long been out of stock. Qin Huai actually wanted to buy them a long time ago but couldn't. The price is more expensive than pork, and can be sold for more than 2 yuan per pound. Although it is so expensive, as soon as they appear, they will be rushed to buy.
In years of famine, grain is the hardest currency. Qin Huai once saw someone exchange a gold ring for two sesame cakes.
Farmers are reluctant to celebrate the New Year at the end of the year, because every New Year is a life-or-death moment. Families without food are likely to starve to death during the New Year.
The rich celebrate the New Year, while the poor go through a difficult time.
Fortunately, Qin Huai realized that the situation might become more and more serious after he had money in his hands. He stockpiled more than 300 kilograms of corn and soybean flour and more than 300 kilograms of sweet potatoes, which were enough food for their family of four to survive the winter. However, he felt very uncomfortable when he thought of the miserable situation in the whole county.
Now that he has enough to eat, he has the responsibility to think more. This may be the meaning of God sending him here.
He would go to the flea market every morning to try to find a solution, but due to his low social status, he was powerless to do anything about the famine that broke out in the county.
Except for state-owned restaurants, there are no more bun sellers on the street, and the streets are deserted.
As the New Year approaches, the county's population control is becoming increasingly strict. Farmers are not allowed to escape famine and beg for food. Anyone they see will be arrested. Qin Huai doesn't know why the higher-ups do this. If people can be allowed to move around, perhaps the situation will be better.
But the current situation is that all these people are pressed to death in one place.
What’s scary is that even state-owned restaurants have new regulations, and you can’t eat in the restaurant without food coupons.
He stood at the door of the restaurant, drooling. The aroma of dumplings and shredded pork noodles could reach his nose even from hundreds of meters away.
Unfortunately, having money is useless. He didn't pay enough attention to the food coupons before and didn't think about exchanging some. Now he is at a loss.
There was a quarrel at the door of a restaurant. When Qin Huai went over to take a look, he saw that it was two strangers arguing with the people inside the restaurant. After listening for a while, he realized that the two people came to the restaurant to eat, but when they went to pay, they couldn't find their wallets and said that their money was stolen.
The waitress was a middle-aged woman. She said tartly, "Look at you, you look so poor. You paid for the meal and it was stolen. You were just trying to dine for free from the beginning. Don't even think about leaving today without paying. You two have shifty eyes. You're obviously not good people."
In fact, both of them have good looks. The older one has the face of a positive character in a serious drama.
The young man said: "What nonsense are you talking about? We are..."
The older one didn't let him speak: "I'm sorry, it's our fault. I'll leave him here and I'll find someone to help me pay."
"Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You're an old idiot, you can't run away anymore, so you want to run away first, and then he can run away when he has a chance, right? You two shameless liars, you can't leave until you pay today."
The older man said angrily, "How can you be like this, comrade? Everyone has problems out there."
The young man said: "Leader, I'm sorry..."
Qin Huai's heart moved. Maybe this person is really the leader. No matter whether there are fish or not, there is no other way but to cast a few nets.
The waiter sneered, "You're still a leader? That's hilarious! They deserve to go to labor camp. There are two liars here. Come and catch them! Don't let them get away."
The hotel manager came out with a stern face and refused to listen to the man's explanation.
For a moment, there was a huge chaos.
"How much money did they spend on food? I paid for him." Qin Huai's voice instantly suppressed everyone.
"you?"
Not only the people in the restaurant, but even the two outsiders looked at Qin Huai in surprise.
Apart from his rather lively eyes, the young man was dressed like the poorest farmer in the area and didn't look rich at all.
"Three dollars for one pound of food coupons. Don't talk big and embarrass yourself if you can't pay." The waiter wanted to say something else, but after a pause, he still said the price.
Qin Huai knew that he didn't look rich, and didn't want to listen to his gossip, so he immediately took out some money and said, "I don't have any food coupons, can I use money as a substitute?"
The hotel manager nodded and said, "Okay."
A pound of food coupons cost fifty cents, and Qin Huai gave three and a half yuan.
The waiter took the money, looked at the two strangers and said, "You're lucky." He then looked at Qin Huai and said disdainfully, "You're so poor and yet you're still pretending to be generous. I think you're a fool. Be a good person and don't starve yourself to death."
Qin Huai said, "You have such a cheap mouth. I'll give you the money. If you keep talking nonsense, I'll knock your mouth crooked."
The hotel manager said, "Everyone, please take a step back. You guys can leave too."
Qin Huai snorted and walked out. He had calculated that if he had helped him, this man would not remain indifferent if he had any conscience.
Sure enough, two strangers followed him out. The older one stopped Qin Huai and said, "Comrade, thank you for your help."
Qin Huai said, "You're welcome. I just can't stand them bullying others."
"Comrade, where is your home? I'll send the money to you later."
"You are from other places, and it's not easy to go out. Forget about the money, just go back early." Retreat to advance.
"How can that be? You helped me, I must thank you." The older stranger felt a little sorry.
The younger one said, "Leader, the people from Wanbei County should be waiting for us. He also said that we don't need to pay it back. Let's go."
The older man glared at him and said, "Don't talk nonsense."
When he looked at Qin Huai, he smiled again and said, "Comrade, let's put this together. We are from other places and are unfamiliar with Wanbei County. We want to walk around and take a look. Can you take me for a walk?"
Qin Huai thought to himself that it was indeed a leader who came to visit and investigate. Hope rose in his heart, but he deliberately said coldly: "What's there to see? It's better in the city. In the countryside, you can walk three miles and see four people dead on the road. You don't want to see it."
"You're talking nonsense..." the young man began to scold. Qin Huai looked up and rolled his eyes at him. "You still don't believe me? If you don't believe me, I'll show you."
The older man said, "Young comrade, he's being blunt. Don't get angry with him. Could you please show me around first?"
Although Qin Huai didn't know where he came from, they kept asking about people's livelihood issues, holding on to the hope that if he was really a leader, he would not remain indifferent to the miserable situation of the entire county, so they decided to take him with them.
For matters concerning the life and death of farmers in the entire county, we can only rely on the conscience of certain people. It is impossible for a common man like him to save the people of the entire county.
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