The elderly, weak, and women in the felt tent area eagerly awaited their arrival.
When the children saw the 200 jin of sweet potatoes and potatoes they had exchanged for, along with a small basket of green vegetables, they rushed forward shouting and trying to grab them, but the old man stopped them.
The old man's name was Tenzin. They didn't originally live here. After the apocalypse, the order was chaotic, and looting and vandalism happened almost every day. Many of their cattle and sheep were stolen. With no other choice, they moved here and barely managed to keep a small number of their cattle and sheep by relying on the strange winds and ice crevices as barriers.
Natural disasters struck one after another, nothing could grow, food became increasingly scarce, and cattle and sheep were eaten one by one. If this continued, even the few remaining ones would not survive.
Just when they were at their wits' end, Zuo Ling's family moved in.
Although there was no contact between the two sides, Old Danzeng had taken a close look at all the commotion on Zuo Ling's side.
The mountains on the other side are becoming greener day by day, and old Danzeng is envious.
They were primarily nomadic and not skilled at farming, while the Han people were naturally adept at it. They didn't think much of Zuo Ling's ability to grow vegetables and grains.
I regret misjudging him. I should have at least tried to get along well with Zuo Ling.
“Old Danzeng, they’re so greedy. They exchanged so many good things for only 200 jin of sweet potatoes and potatoes and a small basket of vegetables. Isn’t that bullying?”
The one speaking was Wangza, a Tibetan man with a gun.
Wangza was so angry that his eyes turned red. He was quite tall, and tears were almost welling up in his eyes. The other Tibetans also looked furious.
Old Danzeng was equally upset. His family heirloom, a treasure that could have sold for 10 million, was now worth less than 200 kilograms of sweet potatoes!
After a long silence, Old Tenzin said:
“We’ve been hiding here, but we’ve never lost contact with the outside world. Wangzha, you often go down the mountain, so you know best what’s going on outside.”
He picked up a potato and said, "Have you ever seen a potato like this outside?"
Old Danzin held up a potato and walked around in front of everyone.
Everyone looked down; they had all forgotten when they last saw potatoes.
Old Danzeng picked up the vegetable basket and circled around again, asking, "Did you see any green vegetables outside?"
I've never even seen green before, and you call that vegetables? There are no vegetables at all!
Old Tenzin chuckled twice, "So, is there a problem with them selling at a high price?"
Wangza muttered, "Then...they're too heartless, they're too much of a rip-off."
Old Tenzin stared at him:
"You've traveled up and down the mountain so many times, busy every day trying to find food, but have you found anyone else who can grow crops?"
Wangza looked resentful, but said nothing more.
"Alright, they have things we don't. Even if you're not happy about it, just keep it to yourself. Things are just inanimate objects, not nearly as important as human lives."
After everyone had mostly dispersed, Old Tenzin called out to Wangza.
“Wangzha, take 10 jin of potatoes to Deji. If you want them, ask him to exchange them for 5 jin of gold. If you don’t want them, bring them back.”
Wangza's eyes widened. "Ten pounds of potatoes, and you want five pounds of gold? Old Danzeng, are you out of your mind?!"
Old Danzeng waved his hand, "Deji's family is very wealthy and has even less food than we do here. They have so much gold in their house that it's almost overflowing. They definitely need it. Go ahead."
Wangza's blood was boiling. He was going to earn Deji's gold, and then, then, then... they would have gold and could exchange it for more food on the other side of the mountain.
With a straightened chest, he said, "Old Danzeng, I have plenty of strength. How about I take 20 jin of potatoes with me? Don't worry, I can carry them."
Old Tenzin glared at him, "It's so chaotic outside, if you bring too many, can you protect them? Call Lhamo and Tseten to go together."
Wangza scratched his head. Deji's encampment was far away, and it would take four or five days to travel there and back. It would be a waste not to bring more supplies on the trip.
Old Danzin said solemnly:
"Food is precious, and we can't afford any more losses. We'd rather make a few more trips than lose even a single grain."
"I understand." Wangza walked away dejectedly.
A week later, Old Tenzin came again.
Zuo Ling was surprised, thinking that Old Danzeng wouldn't come again. In anyone's eyes, she was too heartless in the last transaction.
Equally surprised were the people who had come with Old Tenzin. Unlike when they left last time, they were not angry; some even pointed at her vegetable garden and chatted and laughed.
"Young lady, this is 10 jin of gold. I would like to exchange it for 200 jin of sweet potatoes."
Old Danzeng clearly remembered that Zuo Ling said someone exchanged 10 jin of gold for 20 jin of compressed biscuits, and Zuo Ling put 20 jin of compressed biscuits on the same level as 200 jin of sweet potatoes.
He could trade 10 jin of gold for 200 jin of sweet potatoes without any problem, but he was worried that Zuo Ling would change her mind and raise the price at the last minute, so he was very uneasy.
Old Tenzin brought small gold coins, which were pitted and uneven, and covered with some black stains.
Zuo Ling remained silent for a long time. She genuinely didn't want to make any exchanges; the more she exchanged, the greater the risk of exposure. She just wanted to live a quiet life.
After pondering for a while, she decided against it. Everyone else had starved to death, and only her family was still alive; it didn't really matter.
If you're afraid of everything, then stop doing anything. Just deal with whatever comes your way, no need to be afraid of anything!
No matter how cold-blooded and ruthless she is, the softness deep in her heart cannot be eradicated.
Upon receiving the sweet potatoes and potatoes, Old Danzeng hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped. Last time, he had also been given a basket of green vegetables, and he had brought his own vegetable basket with him.
Zuo Ling immediately understood. He had blackened his heart and asked Old Danzeng for so much gold just to find a reason for his actions.
When Xiao Hao was sent to pick vegetables, some Tibetans made a request to him, asking for... certain vegetables.
Xiao Hao glared at him and said, "What are you picking and choosing? Take whatever you're given. If you keep talking nonsense, I won't give you a single vegetable."
He was quite tall, but he was intimidated by a little doll, which made him so angry that his face turned red and his neck bulged.
Zuo Ling watched coldly without stopping them. She wasn't a good seller; did they think she was good-tempered? They couldn't be spoiled too much.
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