Chapter 45 045 A Trip to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative
The Su family had completely divided its assets. At this time, Qin Aiguo and Qin Feng were unaware of the immense benefits that the decisive actions of Old Master Su and Su Zhiyuan would bring to Qin Xiaoxiao in the future.
More than twenty days have passed since Qin Xiaoxiao went to the countryside, and she has not seen Su Lu since, nor does she know his name.
At the end of the month, Qin Xiaoxiao asked for a day off to go to the county post office to pick up the subsidy given to her by the mine. Qin Aiguo approved the leave without saying a word and even asked Qin Feng to accompany her.
Qin Xiaoxiao quickly stopped her.
She wanted to mail some things to Li Changqing, but how could she take things out of her spatial storage with Qin Feng by herself?
Qin Xiaoxiao managed to persuade him after much persuasion, and then hurried off to the county alone.
Upon arriving in the county, he went directly to the post office. First, he mailed a letter to Li Changqing to let him know he was safe. Then, he packed up the things he had prepared for Li Changqing from his spatial storage and mailed them. He also took out all the eighteen yuan subsidy he had received and finally bought ten stamps at the post office.
She didn't know much about stamps, but she knew that stamps from this era would be worth something in the future. She wouldn't buy too many, but buying ten or eight and keeping them would be fine.
Once in the county town, Qin Xiaoxiao couldn't miss visiting Qin Hai and Sun Zhirou. She first went to the supply and marketing cooperative, but after wandering around the two-story building twice without seeing them, she asked the counter staff and learned that Sun Zhirou usually stayed in the warehouse.
Qin Xiaoxiao took a handful of fruit candies and asked someone to call for her, then she wandered around the supply and marketing cooperative.
The first floor sells fabrics, thermos flasks, tea mugs, washbasins, face cream, and other similar items, while more expensive items like bicycles and watches are sold on the second floor.
After asking about the prices, Qin Xiaoxiao found that they were not much different from those back home. However, large items such as bicycles, watches, and sewing machines were not available. They were basically sold out as soon as they arrived, and you had to pre-order if you wanted to buy them.
A moment later, Sun Zhirou arrived in a flurry of activity. Upon seeing that it was Qin Xiaoxiao looking for her, she immediately greeted her with a smile.
"Xiaoxiao, what brings you to the county town today?"
Qin Xiaoxiao obediently put her hands behind her back and replied with a smile, "I came to get the money and also to mail a letter to Grandpa Li to let him know I'm safe. Grandpa Li took good care of me after my parents passed away. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have been able to get so much compensation."
Sun Zhirou nodded and patted Qin Xiaoxiao's hair. "You did the right thing. We should find ways to repay those who are good to us. We can't let them down."
"That way, your second aunt will take you to the storeroom to pick out a few things and mail them to him; it'll be a small token of your appreciation."
Qin Xiaoxiao shook her head, "No need, I've already mailed it. I brought a lot of things with me when I went home, so taking a few items will be enough."
Then Qin Xiaoxiao counted on her fingers what she had mailed to Li Changqing.
"Two cans of malted milk powder, a bag of milk powder, a pound of White Rabbit candy, a pound of brown sugar, and two pounds of dates. It's not a lot, but it's not a small amount either."
These things would be worthless in later generations, but they are all valuable items in the present day, and the gifts they bring are not insignificant.
Sun Zhirou listened and nodded, "That's good. These things are almost ready. After the autumn harvest, have your brother take you to the mountains to pick some mountain produce and then mail it to him. It would be best to do the same in the future, write a few letters every year, and keep in touch so that outsiders won't say we're ungrateful."
Qin Xiaoxiao had already mailed all the items, but Sun Zhirou still took her to the warehouse.
"Go and see if there's anything you're missing, and take it from there. Next month's quota just came in, it should be enough for you."
Qin Xiaoxiao thought for a moment and nodded.
She didn't lack anything, but she still wanted to buy some fabric to make clothes for her family. After all, her family had been so good to her, and she wanted to be good to them in return.
The Qin family has a large number of members, and each person would need a considerable amount of cloth. She has the money to buy cloth, but she doesn't have enough cloth coupons, so she can only buy some flawed cloth.
Fortunately, the flawed fabric can be cut properly without affecting wearability. As long as the flaws are avoided, the finished clothes are no worse than those sold in stores.
Following Sun Zhirou into the warehouse, Qin Xiaoxiao was astonished to see the mountains of goods piled up inside.
The warehouse, spanning over a thousand square meters, was piled high with defective goods, reaching almost to the ceiling. The cabinets couldn't hold them all, so many were simply stacked on the floor in the middle of the warehouse, making it look chaotic and impossible to walk through.
After Qin Xiaoxiao followed Sun Zhirou into the warehouse, she immediately forgot about the fact that she had everything she needed at home and began her Taobao shopping spree.
Take two enamel basins with chipped paint.
Take a pack of candles that have been heated, bent, and then shaped again.
A green military satchel with a broken strap—we can mend it and still use it; we'll make two.
Even without matchboxes, you can take more loose matchsticks; you can still strike a match on a brick wall.
A torn burlap sack—this is the most practical; it has many uses. Take ten of them.
A chipped iron pot can be repaired and is still usable; take one.
Take as many notebooks and pencils as you can after they've dried from the rain and broken in two; you can share them with the other educated youth at the settlement later.
...
Qin Xiaoxiao wanted to take everything she saw, as if these things didn't cost money. She stuffed all the things she liked into her sack. Finally, she went to the flawed fabric section and picked out five bolts of khaki fabric, two blue and three gray.
Carrying a large pile of things, he walked up to Sun Zhirou, lowered his head shyly, and said awkwardly, "Second Aunt, there are quite a few things to choose from. I don't know if it's enough?"
Sun Zhirou waved her hand dismissively, "Take it."
Qin Xiaoxiao immediately looked up, a cheerful smile spreading across her face, "Hey!"
After paying, Qin Xiaoxiao unceremoniously carried her things out of the supply and marketing cooperative. Sun Zhirou was worried that she wouldn't be able to carry them back, so she wanted Qin Hai to take her home.
"No need, I'm feeling much better lately, and it's not far from here to the oxcart, I can manage."
Seeing that Qin Xiaoxiao insisted, Sun Zhirou did not force Qin Hai to see her off and watched her leave the supply and marketing cooperative.
Qin Xiaoxiao, carrying her troubles, went to the state-run restaurant again, found Qin Hai, and immediately asked to buy thirty meat buns and ten vegetarian buns.
Qin Hai was shocked. "You bought so much? Can you finish it all? Didn't you say you wouldn't eat meat during mourning?"
As Qin Hai spoke, he looked down at the two huge burlap sacks that Qin Xiaoxiao had placed on the ground.
"What are all these? Did you buy them from your second aunt?"
Qin Xiaoxiao laughed and said, "I can't eat meat, but I can't let my grandparents eat it! The meat buns are for my grandparents. I'm a vegetarian, and I even brought the portions for tomorrow morning and noon."
As for these, they were defective items I got from my second aunt; they didn't cost much.
Qin Hai, his belly protruding, nodded. "Alright, Uncle Er will take you and the sack back together with the steamed buns in a bit."
Qin Xiaoxiao's lips twitched.
You mean well, but why does what you're saying sound so awkward?
It sounds like I'm a commodity too.
Qin Hai quickly got thirty meat buns for Qin Xiaoxiao and packed ten vegetarian buns, putting the buns into the cloth bag Qin Xiaoxiao had prepared. Then he pushed his bicycle and prepared to take Qin Xiaoxiao home.
Qin Xiaoxiao quickly stopped him, "Second Uncle, you should go to work. I can manage on my own."
After saying that, Qin Xiaoxiao picked up two sacks and a bag of steamed buns and ran away, as if she were being chased by a dog.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
