I took two pairs of each type of shoe—liberation shoes, rubber shoes, and leather shoes—that were the right size, as spares.
Next is the quilt area.
The salesperson enthusiastically recommended a 10-pound thick cotton quilt, saying that you absolutely need this when you go to Northeast China.
Ruan Tang readily agreed and asked for an extra eight-pound quilt, plus a thick cotton mattress.
As for Mayor Bai's brand-new silk quilts, he needed to buy some new cloth to make quilt covers before taking them out to use. Thinking of this, he went and bought a lot of cloth.
Next up was the daily necessities counter, which was her main target for raiding.
She buys high-end soaps, face creams, and clam oil by the box or dozen.
Toothpaste, toothbrushes, towels, washbasins, enamel mugs, and lidded lunch boxes—I picked out the sturdiest and prettiest designs and prepared several of each.
The saleswoman saw that she was a young girl who bought things without batting an eye, and assumed that she was the pampered child of some cadre who was buying things with ration coupons, so she didn't ask any more questions.
Ruan Tang split up several times, each time carrying a pile of things, pretending to go home, turning into a quiet alley to put everything into her spatial storage, and then returning to continue her raid.
In the tool section, she picked out a kitchen knife with the best steel, a sturdy hammer, and a multi-functional folding knife.
Flashlights and batteries, kerosene lamps and matches were stockpiled by the box and by the barrel.
After browsing through the entire department store, she had used up most of the coupons she had taken from Mayor Bai's house.
She thought for a moment, then turned around and went to a foreign exchange shop that catered to returning overseas Chinese and foreign friends.
The things here broadened her horizons even further.
She easily exchanged a few small yellow croakers for a thick stack of foreign exchange certificates, and then headed straight for the lingerie and women's products section.
Hygiene products were really inconvenient in those days, but luckily there were imported sanitary napkins here. She didn't hesitate and bought up all the stock on the shelves.
She bought milk powder, condensed milk, malted milk powder, and various canned meats and fruits, buying everything she saw. The manager of the foreign exchange store even came out personally, smiling and asking her if she needed anything else.
Finally, she also took several cartons of high-end cigarettes and two bottles of fine wine.
These things are valuable currency in the countryside and can be very useful in critical moments.
When she emerged from the alley, satisfied, she saw the puppet grandmother who had come looking for her.
"Miss."
The puppet granny came through the power of the contract. Seeing that her young mistress was alright, she handed over a bulging storage bag containing money she had just withdrawn from the Beijing Bank.
Ruan Tang didn't take the money but said, "Take the money first, then go to the black market and buy me some things."
"See if you have any cotton, fabric, or yarn."
"Also, buy more pork, beef, chicken, duck, fish, and fruit. Find someone to exchange some national receipts. You can decide what to do."
In the countryside, it's freezing cold, and it's hard to find any meat, let alone fresh fruit.
Ruan Tang didn't want to neglect her own palate.
The puppet grandmother's emotionless eyes flickered, and she responded in a deep voice.
"Yes, Miss."
"After you've finished your business, come find me at the largest state-run restaurant in Dongcheng."
After giving a new storage bag to the puppet granny, Ruan Tang left the alley and headed towards the restaurant.
...
Dongcheng Hotel's reputation is well-deserved.
The three-story Chinese-style building has an impressive facade, and several black cars that clearly do not belong to ordinary organizations are parked in front of it.
The moment Ruan Tang stepped inside, an overwhelming aroma of meat wafted into her nostrils, whetting her appetite once more. (This chapter has been read. Please click to continue reading the next chapter!)
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