Chapter 109 Evil Will Be Punished
While Fu Lian was asleep, she turned around and entered the spiritual spring space.
The scene before my eyes changed instantly.
The smell of damp earth wafted over me.
Since getting her marriage certificate with Fu Lian and moving to the military compound with him, she hasn't had much free time.
They are busy dealing with neighborhood matters all day long.
I can only come in and tidy up my things when I have a spare moment.
The medicinal herb field shimmered with a faint, ethereal glow in the dim light.
She squatted by the edge of the medicinal herb field, gently parting the leaves with her fingertips to carefully harvest the ripe ginseng and lingzhi.
These medicinal herbs grow incredibly fast, taking only seven days to harvest. After absorbing the spiritual spring's energy, their medicinal effects far surpass those of the outside world.
She carefully arranged the medicinal herbs neatly on the exchange counter.
Silently thinking about what I want.
A thick cotton quilt, two bottles of vitamin tablets, and a set of children's thermal underwear.
The spiritual spring space trembled slightly, and the surface of the platform rippled gently.
A faint light flashed by.
In that instant, the medicinal herb that had just been picked vanished into thin air.
A thick stack of cloth coupons and industrial vouchers was neatly placed where the medicinal herbs had been.
There were even three packs of sanitary napkins in perfect condition, with the words "Peony Brand" printed on the cardboard boxes.
These things are rare commodities these days, practically hard currency.
Most women are still worried about their periods.
They could only make do with rough toilet paper or faded old rags, and dared not even dream of using factory-made hygiene products.
"Very good!"
Qiao Wanyin's eyes lit up instantly.
Almost instinctively, she reached out and quickly stuffed the tickets and sanitary napkins into her pocket.
Tomorrow is market day in the county town.
With people coming and going, this is the busiest time for black market transactions.
She had already planned to use the crowd as cover to secretly exchange these tickets for more practical daily necessities.
For example, kerosene, matches, or a pound of salted meat could be used to improve the family's meals.
the next day.
As soon as it was dawn, Qiao Wanyin got up.
She deliberately changed into her oldest blue cotton shirt, the cuffs of which were worn white and there were several patches on the hem.
She then took out a faded gray headscarf and carefully wrapped it around her head, covering most of her face.
Finally, she picked up a small bamboo basket covered with an old cloth.
She quietly left the house and walked along the path behind the village towards the county town.
The alley at the west end of the county town is dark and narrow, with low earthen walls on both sides.
The walls were peeling and several faded old slogans still hung on them.
The old locust tree stood alone at the entrance of the alley.
The bark is cracked and the branches are twisted.
Under the tree, a man wearing a tattered cotton-padded coat was squatting on the ground, holding a cheap cigarette in his hand.
Amidst the swirling smoke, they spoke in hushed tones, their eyes constantly scanning the passersby.
As Qiao Wanyin approached, a man immediately stood up.
He was in his thirties, with a dark complexion and prominent cheekbones.
He looked her up and down, scrutinizing her.
What are you selling?
As he asked the question, he subtly took two steps closer, blocking the view of the alley behind him.
Qiao Wanyin stopped in her tracks, her heart beating slightly faster.
But she forced herself to calm down.
She slowly lifted the coarse cloth, revealing a small bundle of ginseng roots carefully wrapped in red cloth.
“The best wild ginseng, all of which I picked myself from the mountains,” she said softly. “What can I trade it for?”
The man's pupils contracted slightly, as if he had seen a treasure.
He crouched down, carefully picked up a ginseng root, and gently sniffed it.
He quickly glanced left and right to make sure no one was paying attention before lowering his voice and saying, "This quality... is unusual."
He stood up and winked at Qiao Wanyin.
"Come with me."
After saying that, he turned and walked into the depths of the alley.
Qiao Wanyin hesitated for a moment, then followed after him with the basket in her arms.
After many twists and turns, the two finally entered a dilapidated mud house.
The house had no windows, only a crooked wooden door.
The man pulled a small notebook from his pocket and quickly jotted down two notes.
Then he pulled out several tickets from another cloth bag.
“Two thermos flask coupons, five catties of meat coupons, and three feet of cloth coupons,” he said in a low voice. “No more than that, these things are too conspicuous.”
Qiao Wanyin stared at the tickets, her heart pounding.
Although it was less than she had expected, it was still a considerable gain.
She didn't argue much, nodded, and quickly put the tickets into her inner pocket.
As he was leaving, the vendor suddenly pulled a small paper packet from under the table.
"Hey girl, remember to call me if you find any good stuff in the future."
He lowered his voice, and his eyes showed a hint of kindness.
"This box of face cream is for you. It's made in Shanghai and is very precious! Women who use it will have smooth skin. People in the city are fighting over it."
Qiao Wanyin looked down and saw that the paper package contained a small tin box of face cream.
The box is printed with a delicate rose pattern and has a faint fragrance.
A warmth touched her heart, and she nodded gently, "Thank you."
On her way back, she walked along the ridges between the fields.
The sun shines on me, warm and cozy.
As she walked, she pondered the uses of the tickets.
The cloth ration coupons were just enough to make a new dress for Fu Li'an.
His cotton-padded coat was patched three times, and it still couldn't keep out the wind in winter.
"Sister Wanyin!"
Suddenly, a clear shout came from behind.
Qiao Wanyin froze, her back instantly tensing.
Almost instinctively, he quickly hid the bamboo basket behind his back.
She turned around abruptly, her eyes wary, her heart pounding.
Upon closer inspection, she saw Qiu Zishu, wearing a faded floral dress, with two braids, running towards her with a smile on her face.
She finally breathed a sigh of relief, relaxed her shoulders, and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.
"Zishu, what are you doing here?"
Qiu Zishu skipped over, her black braids swinging behind her head.
"My mom and I went out to buy groceries, and I sneaked over here to buy some candy. It was just for a little while, and I have to pretend nothing happened afterwards!"
She squinted curiously and leaned her head closer.
"Sis, what good stuff did you buy? Your basket is bulging, could you be hiding some treasure?"
"It's nothing, just some needles and thread."
Qiao Wanyin felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze and quickly hid the basket behind her back.
"Go home quickly, or your mom will worry if she can't find you."
Qiu Zishu waved his hand with a grin, a piece of malt candy he had just bought in his mouth, and his voice was sweet as he spoke.
"Oh, don't worry, my mom's busy picking cabbages, she won't find out for a while. Besides, even if she comes looking for me, I can make up an excuse."
She suddenly remembered something, her eyes lit up, and she lowered her voice to whisper in Qiao Wanyin's ear.
"By the way, I heard Fu Ya was transferred to the logistics pig farm. She went from being an office clerk to shoveling pig manure every day. She deserves it! She used to gossip behind my back, saying that my mom was taking advantage of the government. Let's see if she's still so arrogant now!"
Qiao Wanyin simply smiled after hearing this.
After waving goodbye to Qiu Zishu, she picked up her basket and turned to walk home.
The early winter wind, carrying a chill, brushed against my cheek.
Most of the leaves on the plane trees lining the street have fallen.
But as she walked, a strange feeling inexplicably arose in her heart.
She paused, then slowly turned around to look.
The streets were sparsely populated, with only a few women carrying shopping baskets hurrying by.
Children were chasing and playing in the distance; everything seemed so ordinary.
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