Today's market is more crowded than the last time we came here, and it's bustling, which makes Rumei and Liu Ercui, who have never been there before, very excited.

The people selling flowers and plants were inside, and they walked in slowly from the outside.

"Oh, there are also people selling chickens and ducks." Liu Ercui stood in front of a stall, staring at the lively chickens in cages.

Seeing this, the stall owner hurriedly called out, "Comrade, would you like one?"

Liu Ercui asked about the price, and then compared it with the price at the cooperative. If she didn't give the meat coupons, the price of chicken was more than twice as much as at the cooperative. If she gave the meat coupons, it was still a little more expensive than at the cooperative.

Qin Hanshu thought Liu Ercui wanted to buy a chicken, and planned to come over to help her bargain with the stall owner, but was pulled aside by Liu Ercui.

"Girl, who owns this market? Will the Revolutionary Committee come and destroy it?"

Qin Hanshu quickly understood what Liu Ercui meant, "Sister-in-law, you want to..."

Liu Ercui looked at Qin Hanshu and nodded.

She has two hens on her balcony for laying eggs and six pigeons, three of which are female and also lay eggs.

The hens are used for laying eggs, so she can’t bear to sell them for the time being. But the pigeons can be sold. She saw pigeons being sold in the market.

Moreover, Liu Ercui also did some calculations. The pigeons can be sold as baby pigeons, which can be sold after raising them for one or two months.

There are also eggs at home. At worst, she can eat less and sell the saved ones.

This way, I can earn some money almost every month. Although it's not much, it can help support my family.

Qin Hanshu looked around and whispered:

"Sister-in-law Er Cui, I advise you to give up this idea. This is a black market. Although it has existed for so long, there must be connections behind it, but you can't do this with your identity."

"We've been in the market for a while. Count how many familiar faces you've seen. If someone sees you selling things in the market, Captain Zhang will definitely be implicated, and he might even have to go back home."

"It's so serious!" Liu Ercui was shocked.

Liu Ercui certainly knew that selling things privately was not allowed, but in her hometown the law was not strictly enforced, and villagers would often take things they produced at home or found in the mountains and rivers to sell at the market.

She thought that since so many families came to the market to buy things, it shouldn't be a big deal if she sold a few pigeons and eggs...

Qin Hanshu seemed to see through her thoughts and said, "Strictly speaking, buying and selling on the black market is cutting off the capitalist tail, but if something really goes wrong, the nature of selling and buying is completely different."

"You are not the only one who raises chickens and pigeons in the family compound, but no one wants to exchange them for money. There must be a reason for this."

Liu Ercui shuddered and came back to her senses. "Sister, I was confused for a moment. Fortunately, you reminded me."

In fact, Liu Ercui had never thought of exchanging the eggs laid by her chickens for money before. In the final analysis, it was because her living expenses were reduced by half, and she was anxious for a moment.

Liu Ercui already regarded Qin Hanshu as a good sister. Thinking of this, she felt like pouring out her grievances and briefly told her about the situation at home.

Finally, he sighed, "It's my fault. If I had a job like you, my life wouldn't be so hard."

Qin Hanshu frowned. What kind of social event would cost a quarter of his monthly salary?

Zhou Weiguang earns more than 80 yuan a month. Zhang Lei has the same rank as Zhou Weiguang and has longer military service than Zhou Weiguang. His salary, allowances and subsidies should be a few yuan more than Zhou Weiguang's.

Liu Ercui's life was so tight. The living expenses for a family of four were only more than 20 yuan, which was enough to make ends meet.

Qin Hanshu saw that Liu Ercui trusted her man very much, so as not to be suspected of provoking her.

She just said, "Sister-in-law, if there are difficulties at home, you should also complain to Captain Zhang. It is his responsibility to support the family. Don't be embarrassed. Even if you can bear the grievances, you still have a child in your belly. You can't let the little girl suffer before she is born."

Liu Ercui kept saying that she hoped to be pregnant with a girl.

When she mentioned her belly, her originally hesitant expression became firm, and she nodded and said, "We have to fight for the child..."

In fact, she was not a fool. How could she not realize that Zhang Lei suddenly asked for twenty yuan? There was something wrong.

In Liu Ercui's hometown, men usually earn money and women manage it. Women who manage money don't spend it on themselves, but allocate it to every household chore.

Liu Ercui's mother said that it was a bad sign for a man to save money for himself. Saving some change was fine, and sometimes buying cigarettes and alcohol for himself was understandable. But saving a large sum was not right.

This money may not be spent on other women, but it definitely represents that the man’s concern for his wife and family is no longer enough.

This is how Liu Ercui felt about Zhang Lei.

She knew that Zhang Lei had always disliked her, but she was also sure that Zhang Lei regarded her as his wife for the rest of his life.

Recently, she felt that besides disdain, there seemed to be something else in the man...

***

Rumei was having fun in the market, looking at this stall and that stall. After a long time, she realized that Qin Hanshu and Liu Ercui had not caught up with her.

And at a glance, the two people could not be seen at all.

Rumei stood there and waited for a while, but no one came, so she decided to go back and look for him.

She was wearing a dark green sweater today, with a round neckline showing the collar of her white shirt underneath. The sweater had no pockets, and her trouser pockets were too small, so she carried a military green messenger bag.

She bought two goldfish on the way. In order to hold the fish tank with both hands, she threw her bag behind her butt.

She had no sense of crisis at all and didn't know that carrying a backpack like this in a crowded place would attract thieves.

Huo Zhenduo and his two brothers were leaning against a tree, smoking, looking lazy, and their half-closed eyes were watching Ru Mei who was jumping around in the market like a rabbit.

The two brothers next to him were the same, discussing the matter as if they were watching a good show.

Brother A: "That idiot-like woman was targeted by two pickpockets."

Brother B: "No, it's three."

Brother A took a closer look and said, "There really are three of them. Amazing."

Brother B: "When she bought the fish, she took out a bunch of cash and stuffed it into her bag. She even carried the bag so casually. Who else could she steal from?"

Brother A: "Now we just have to wait for the three pickpockets to decide the winner."

Brother B chuckled and said, "But this lesbian is really pretty, as white as if she had been painted with putty! Do you think I should go up and save this beauty? She might even marry me!"

Brother A also smiled obscenely, "Then you give it a try. If you succeed, don't forget me, brother. Ask my sister-in-law to introduce me to a partner."

"Brother Huo..." Brother B turned his head and was about to say something to Huo Zhenduo, but he saw Huo Zhenduo throwing away his cigarette butt and striding in one direction.

Huo Zhenduo walked behind Ru Mei and grabbed her hand that was reaching for her backpack.

The thief thought he was being sneaky, but he was caught and tried to break free and run away.

But the clenched hands were like iron clamps and could not be freed at all.

The thief's heart sank, knowing that the person he met was no ordinary person.

"Do you know whose place this is?" Huo Zhenduo said coldly.

The thief was stunned, and then he looked at Huo Zhenduo's facial features, and his heart sank even more. "I'm sorry, Brother Huo, I won't do it again."

In fact, the thief will not cause any loss to the market. It is everyone's responsibility to keep their property safe, and the market has no obligation to do so.

And, in a sense, the black market and thieves belong to the same world.

When seeing a thief stealing something, people like Huo Zhenduo stand up to uphold justice. It is no exaggeration to say that they are kind-hearted.

The thief thought he was unlucky and begged for mercy. Huo Zhenduo just told the thief not to appear in his place again.

Ru Mei had already turned around when she heard the voices behind her. She found out that she had been thieved and it was Huo Zhenduo who saved her property.

Rumei was so moved that she didn't know what to say.

"Huo Zhenduo, what a coincidence that you helped me again."

"I owe you another favor."

"How can I thank you??"

Huo Zhenduo's expression was originally normal, but it cracked after hearing the last part.

He frowned and warned, "No banners allowed!"