The two chatted along the way, and time flew by.
Xu Xiangyang inquired about the long-distance live-streaming sales business, and Qian Wenqing didn't hide anything, telling him everything.
When they were halfway there, Xu Xiangyang switched places with Qian Wenqing and let him drive.
This is why Qian Wenqing was so happy when he heard that he and Xu Xiangyang were going out in a car.
Because they made him drive!
When I go out with Chen Jiancai and his group, it's so difficult to drive; they don't even let me touch the steering wheel.
"Brother Xu, I'll treat you to a meal when we get to the city. Our allowances aren't enough to buy us anything fancy." He gripped the steering wheel happily and drove steadily.
Xu Xiangyang smiled at what he said and replied, "Okay, just deduct it from the subsidy later. We're here to make money, not to enjoy ourselves."
This job was originally done with the help of others. Although I taught them how to drive, I still owed them a favor.
I should have been the one to treat everyone to dinner from the beginning, but I never had the chance.
Qian Wenqing smiled but didn't say anything. The two of them said they would each get what they needed, but such opportunities were rare.
Moreover, Xu Xiangyang did his best to teach him to drive, and he's much better than before.
While chatting, the two arrived at a town. Because they had limited subsidies, they just ate a bowl of noodles.
It's another day's journey ahead, and we might not arrive in the mountain town until midnight.
Xu Xiangyang and Qian Wenqing took turns driving, and they finally arrived at their destination at 10 p.m.
There was no one on the road at this point, so Qian Wenqing took him to the state-run hotel first. The person on duty in the room looked unhappy.
Anyone who is sound asleep and is woken up will definitely be unhappy.
But the two of them couldn't very well sleep in the car, could they? It's so cold outside, and how would they work the next day if they slept there all night?
They booked a room, and the two of them shared one room with two single beds.
Xu Xiangyang slept fully clothed; he was quite tired from traveling all day.
Qian Wenqing wasn't a very particular person; both of them were easygoing and fell asleep quickly when they were tired.
The next morning, the two of them woke up at seven o'clock.
Someone knocked on the door, and Xu Xiangyang went out with them.
"Brother Zhong, you're here so early. Have you eaten yet?" Qian Wenqing greeted the man in his thirties in front of him.
Xu Xiangyang watched them talk and knew which department this person belonged to.
The grain bureau also has a purchasing department, which is responsible for things like buying things on business trips.
Brother Zhong laughed and said, "Not yet, that's why I invited you guys to go get something to eat together."
The three of them went to the state-run restaurant next to the hotel and had breakfast.
It wasn't a big meal; it was just porridge, steamed buns, and mixed vegetables.
Since everyone is paid for their outings with subsidies, they don't have the habit of spending money extravagantly.
After dinner, Brother Zhong led them to load the car, and then he went back first.
The shoppers didn't go back with their driver, since there were only two seats in the car, and it would be too crowded with another person.
In a good mood, Qian Wenqing said to Xu Xiangyang, "Brother Xu, shall we split up and buy things, or go together?"
Xu Xiangyang didn't intend to go with him, so he said, "Let's split up. Aren't you going to see a lot of places? I'll just look around casually, and I'm not sure if I'll buy anything."
The main reason for this trip was to take a look. Their department stores don't have everything, but this place is a very big city, so they have a lot of things.
Qian Wenqing nodded in agreement, since he needed to help buy a lot of things, and having Xu Xiangyang come along was just running errands.
After the two parted ways, Xu Xiangyang did not rush to the department store.
He wanted to check out the black market here; he was sure it was bigger than black markets elsewhere.
You have to be discerning when it comes to finding out about this kind of thing. Xu Xiangyang found a hoodlum, lit him a cigarette, and told him everything.
There are two black markets in the mountain town: one is only open on weekends and holidays, and the other is open every day.
Having found out the route, he went straight to the black market.
Today is not a rest day, so there weren't a huge number of people in the black market, but there were still quite a few.
The supply is tight in this city, just like in other cities, but they have more good stuff here.
We have plenty of whole grains, and refined grains are also fine.
Because there are so many things here, people have a higher demand for quality products.
Xu Xiangyang remembered the few pairs of leather shoes he had prepared, and then found a place to change his clothes.
Although it's unlikely that anyone here will recognize me, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Leather shoes are something that usually requires a ticket, no matter where you are.
When Xu Xiangyang took out the leather shoes, a group of people gathered around.
Even if you didn't plan to buy it, you still have to come and take a look.
He had already inquired about the price before coming; a pair cost twenty yuan if tickets were required.
The men's shoes cost two yuan more, and he didn't know why.
Because tickets were hard to buy, Xu Xiangyang set the price of women's shoes at 23 yuan and men's shoes at 25 yuan, both 3 yuan more expensive.
These three yuan can't buy a shoe voucher, and everyone was tempted to buy one when they heard the price.
Moreover, each size is sold out in pairs, so if you wait too long, they'll be gone.
Despite this, no one wanted to buy it; those twenty-odd yuan were almost a month's salary for one person.
This means that if they buy these shoes, they might be starving for the rest of the month.
But just because most people can't afford it doesn't mean that nobody can afford it.
A woman in her thirties, carrying a basket, pointed to men's leather shoes and asked, "Comrade, do you have size 44?"
It looks like it wasn't bought for myself, but probably for my family.
Xu Xiangyang nodded. "Just one pair."
The woman tentatively asked, "May I pick it up and look at it?"
This item isn't cheap, so it's worth asking about it.
Xu Xiangyang nodded, indicating that she should look for herself. He felt comfortable with this person's actions, unlike others who would touch and look at the item even if they weren't going to buy it.
It's not that he doesn't allow you to touch the things he sells, but some of these people are restless and always try to sabotage the items before haggling over the price.
People like that are really annoying. If you can't afford it, just say you can't afford it. If you want to bargain, just say you're bargaining. What's the point of that?
The woman glanced at the shoes and seemed quite satisfied. "Okay, I'll take these."
After saying that, she took out her money, paid for it, put the shoes in her basket, and left.
Seeing that someone had bought it, others who had been hesitant before started to make their own purchases.
After all, there are only a few pairs of shoes, and each pair comes in a size; if you're too late, they'll be gone.
In less than half an hour, all six pairs of shoes Xu Xiangyang had sold.
Another hundred yuan or so came in!
He didn't rush to leave; instead, he went to a nearby shop and bought a large piece of flawed cloth.
Because it is dark blue, the coloring is uneven in some places, and you can't see it unless you look closely.
This time he didn't sell anything and turned to leave the black market.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
