Chapter 104 Supply Reduction

We’ll tell you tomorrow how much we spent exactly. Actually, it doesn’t matter if we can’t buy any, as we still have plenty of salted meat at home.

Today was Gu Cheng's day to collect commercial grain. When he got off work in the afternoon, he brought back some grain.

Four pounds of rice, eight pounds of flour, twenty pounds of cornmeal, and two pounds of millet.

And then it was gone.

Liu Yinyin exclaimed: "I lost two kilograms compared to last month..."

Before, Gu Cheng could receive 36 kilograms of grain every month, including 12 kilograms of fine grains and 24 kilograms of coarse grains.

Today's food totals only 34 kilograms, which is 2 kilograms less of coarse grains.

Gu Cheng hugged Gu Yanyan and explained, "Many places are already suffering from famine. Now, the commercial grains of the workers in the county have been reduced by two kilograms. We have to transport grain out for disaster relief. When the situation improves in the future, the grain supply will return to normal."

Some large canteens in the countryside have run out of food. If the government doesn't provide relief food, the villagers will have to wait for death.

Liu Yinyin let out an "oh". She knew that in the next few years, the food supply for the workers in the city would become less and less.

The next morning, the rain had not stopped, but it was not as heavy as before and it continued to rain continuously.

It was almost noon, but Aunt Zhou still hadn't come. No one knew what was going on.

Liu Yinyin never thought that Aunt Zhou would cheat her, and she didn't have much money. If she was really cheated, she would just consider it as spending money to buy a lesson.

At about twelve o'clock, Aunt Zhou came hurriedly holding an umbrella.

"Well, you must be impatient. There were too many supplies delivered to the supply and marketing cooperative today, so I queued in several extra lines." After waiting in line at the supply and marketing cooperative for a whole morning, Aunt Zhou was exhausted.

But her face was filled with joy that was hard to conceal.

She went early today and brought enough money, so she bought a lot of things.

Aunt Zhou carried a big basket with her today, and the basket was full!

If the things in the supply and marketing cooperative had not been sold out by now, she would have come back even later.

Aunt Zhou rummaged around in the basket and found a large piece of fat meat and gave it to Liu Yinyin: "This is yours. I specially picked out two pieces of good meat. This is the best one for you."

She was the first one in line to buy pork today, otherwise she would not be able to buy good meat later and could only pick up some scraps.

Liu Yinyin: “…”

The good meat that Auntie Zhou was talking about was a piece of pork fat!

Nowadays, pork belly fat can be used to make oil, and it is indeed recognized as first-class good meat in the eyes of the world.

Liu Yinyin said awkwardly: "Auntie, how about I switch with you?"

There was no shortage of oil at home, what she wanted was pork, or to be more precise, she preferred lean meat.

Aunt Zhou was stunned: "...You don't even want such good meat?"

This piece of pork fat weighs two kilograms!

If it weren't for the fact that Liu Yinyin had passed the message to her yesterday, Aunt Zhou would have been reluctant to give up such a big piece of fat meat.

As a result...she actually doesn't want it?

"Auntie, there are only two adults in my family, so we don't need so much fat. You have a bigger family, so I'll give this piece of fat to you," said Liu Yinyin.

Aunt Zhou was very moved. Listen, this girl is so sensible and considerate!

You just don't want such a big piece of fat meat.

Aunt Zhou's family had many people and was indeed in need of food and clothing, so she didn't bother to be polite to Liu Yinyin and took out another piece of meat from the basket and gave it to her.

This piece of meat also weighs two kilograms. Aunt Zhou's family has many workers and many meat coupons. The supply and marketing cooperative finally has meat, so she used up the family's monthly quota of pork.

Liu Yinyin's mouth twitched: "...Thank you, Auntie."

This piece of meat also has more fat, 70% fat and 30% lean meat, but it's okay.

"You're welcome." Aunt Zhou waved her hands and said, "Yinyin, I'm going to go home first. The family hasn't cooked yet."

The price of pork at the supply and marketing cooperative didn't increase much, it was still 96 cents per pound. Aunt Zhou returned the remaining money to Liu Yinyin, picked up the backpack and wanted to leave.

"Auntie, please wait a moment." Liu Yinyin took six eggs from the kitchen and gave them to her. "I brought them from the countryside. Take them back and eat them."

Aunt Zhou sighed and said enviously, "...the countryside is still better."

People in the country can raise chickens and grow vegetables, unlike in the city where even eating scallions costs money.

Eggs are also rationed. A person is allowed half a pound of eggs per month, and children are allowed even less.

Aunt Zhou suddenly remembered something and was in no hurry to go back. She glanced at Liu Yinyin and asked tentatively, "Yinyin, are your parents also in the countryside?"

Liu Yinyin nodded: "Yes."

Aunt Zhou rubbed her hands and sighed, "Alas, city people have rations for everything, unlike in the countryside where they have land to grow vegetables and places to raise chickens."

Otherwise, you can go to the mountains to dig wild vegetables to eat.

It's not certain about the county town, although... there are food and daily necessities for sale on the black market, but the things there are expensive, and Aunt Zhou is timid and doesn't dare to buy things there.

Liu Yinyin seemed to have guessed something and asked, "Auntie, do you want to..."

Aunt Zhou said with burning eyes: "Here's what I'm thinking. If you have extra vegetables or eggs at home, I can trade them with you."

As for food, she didn't dare ask for it. There was no need to ask. This year was a bad year and the villagers had suffered a disaster. Where would they have extra food to sell?

Liu Yinyin was surprised for a moment, and then said: "Auntie, there have been hail and heavy rain recently, and the vegetables in the fields... Actually, most of them are destroyed. However, my husband will go back to the countryside in the next two days and should bring some vegetables over.

We'll see when the time comes. If there are too many vegetables, I'll give them to you. As for the eggs, Auntie, you can have as many as you want."

The Liu family didn’t know, but Liu Yinyin’s family really had no shortage of eggs, so it was not impossible to sell some out.

Aunt Zhou's eyes lit up and she said in surprise, "That's great. I'll take as many eggs as you have. Don't worry, I won't let you suffer a loss."

You don't need egg tickets to buy eggs in the countryside, but the price is definitely more expensive than at the supply and marketing cooperatives. Aunt Zhou is smart enough not to take advantage of Liu Yinyin.

As for eggs, of course we take as many as we can. Who doesn’t have some to share with relatives and friends? If we can’t finish them at home, we can share them with relatives and friends.

No matter how much, I will never give up!

Aunt Zhou was so happy when she thought that her family would no longer have to worry about saving eggs!

Thinking about this, Aunt Zhou grabbed another handful of vegetables from the basket and gave them to Liu Yinyin. She smiled and said, "Come to me if you have any problems in the future. Don't be shy."

Liu Yinyin is a very generous girl, and she is happy to make friends with her.

After saying this, Aunt Zhou picked up her umbrella and left.

Liu Yinyin carried the meat into the kitchen, along with some vegetables given by Aunt Zhou, a handful of spinach and a handful of lettuce.

Liu Yinyin moved her mind and smuggled a pound of lean meat, a handful of celery and a pound of carrots from the system.