Chapter 309 The Orphanage's Lies: The Handsome Flower Boy 9
Dean Lu quickly waved his hand and refused.
"Oh, Ms. Shen, there's no rush. You really don't need to. Let's settle things with Xiao Nian first."
Shen Ci's tone was gentle but firm.
"Yes, the most important thing is that the children are fed. I know what I'm doing, so don't worry."
If she doesn't earn some gold coins, how can she take Lu Jinnian to live a good life sooner?
After finishing her sentence, Shen Ci gave Lu Jinnian a reassuring look, gave him a few instructions, and then turned and left the orphanage, giving him time to say goodbye to the past and have a good talk with the director and his friends.
Good child, cherish this last time together. You won't be able to live such a poor life again!
Walking on the streets of Beijing in 1979, Shen Ci's mind raced.
Go directly to the state-run grain store? No way.
Buying grain there not only required money, but also grain coupons, and there were ration limits. Individuals could not buy large quantities of grain at once, as being too conspicuous would attract attention.
Although she had money and tickets, she didn't have any connections or channels, so she simply couldn't buy that many.
Therefore, the only channel is the black market.
At this time, although the policy direction had begun to loosen and some regions had seen pilot programs for farmers' markets, large-scale free trade of grain was still not permitted.
The black market, or more euphemistically known as the adjustment market, remains the primary way for most people to obtain unplanned supplies. Although it is risky, it is still a viable option.
If we could buy it through legitimate channels, who would come here? Since everyone's already here, who cares about those other things?
She had over five hundred dollars in cash on her, which was a huge sum of money in those days.
An ordinary worker's monthly salary is only thirty or forty yuan. Five hundred yuan is equivalent to more than a year's income for a worker. However, on the black market, the price of grain is far higher than the official price.
Roughly estimated, refined rice and wheat flour might cost five or six cents or even more per pound on the black market, while coarse grains like cornmeal and dried sweet potatoes would cost two or three cents per pound.
As Shen Ci walked along the road, she wondered what she should send to the orphanage.
When donating to welfare homes, we can't just buy cheap coarse grains; we need to mix in refined grains so that the children can have a few good meals.
Whole grains are for survival, while refined grains are for improving life. Under the premise of ensuring survival, we should also improve our life.
The initial plan is to buy 1,000 jin of grain.
Five hundred catties of rice or wheat flour and five hundred catties of cornmeal or mixed grains would cost about four to five hundred yuan, which would be just enough to make full use of the cash on hand.
So, where do you find sellers?
Buying grain piecemeal from scattered black market stalls is time-consuming, laborious, and easy to expose. It's best to find a grain dealer with connections who can provide large quantities of goods.
When in doubt, consult the system.
Relying on her understanding of Beijing in this era transmitted by the system, Shen Ci did not go to those small-scale street corners, but instead headed towards some large-scale, semi-public commodity exchange points in the suburbs.
She was well-dressed and had an elegant demeanor, making her appear to be a government official with purchasing needs or someone with connections—which in itself served as a cover.
While pretending to take a casual stroll, he keenly observed his surroundings, and of course, he also had to have the system scan him.
“Say something, stop playing dead. Where can a stranger like me buy food these days?”
"Scan quickly!"
Finally, on a secluded street corner, she saw a few men chatting idly. The place was relatively remote.
The system's prompt refers to the person in front of you.
She lowered her voice and pretended to be passing by.
"Comrade, may I ask if you know Zhang Erhu? I'm a relative of his cousin. His cousin asked me to pass on a message."
Shen Ci recited the secret code given by the system. They wouldn't do business with strangers casually; the risk of being discovered was too great, and the consequences would be too severe.
The other person eyed her warily. She was a stranger, someone she had never seen before, but her clothes were quite nice, and she looked like a wealthy person.
"I am Zhang Erhu. What message did my cousin ask you to deliver?"
Shen Ci revealed the secret code on the street.
"She just gave birth to a baby boy last month and asked me to tell you when you're going to visit her?"
There are two kinds of secret codes here. Zhang Erhu is a person who specializes in doing large-scale business in the black market. If the secret code is that a boy has been born, it means that he has come to buy goods.
If someone says that my cousin gave birth to a girl, it means that the other party is there to sell goods.
These codes are completely incomprehensible without an introduction from an acquaintance or prior contact.
Zhang Erhu was relieved. "Come in and have some water. Take some eggs back for my sister to help her recover. I'll go see my little niece later."
As soon as you enter the courtyard.
"How much do you want? What quality?" Zhang Erhu's expression turned serious; he didn't sell in small quantities here.
"One thousand catties."
Half refined grains, half coarse grains, money and goods settled, the sooner the better.
Shen Ci answered succinctly.
Zhang Erhu pondered for a moment. This was quite a large quantity, and the customer was a complete stranger.
“This price is quite significant; we need to increase it a bit.” He quoted a price slightly higher than Shen Ci’s estimate.
Shen Ci didn't press the matter further. She knew that when negotiating large-volume deals on the black market, it was necessary to haggle appropriately, but not too much, lest it appear insincere or that she didn't know what she was doing.
The main point is that she can accept the extra price the other party asked for. Now that she's spent the money, won't she get ten times the amount back in the future?
It's okay, I'm not short of money.
"Yes, but the quality must be guaranteed. There can be no stale or moldy grain."
They delivered it to the welfare home in the west of the city after dark, and I paid in cash at the gate.
She directly stated that the delivery address was an orphanage, which could reduce the other party's suspicion to some extent. After all, if someone was there to cause trouble, they wouldn't deliver goods to an orphanage.
No matter what, so many people still live in that place; it's not safe for thieves to steal from them.
Upon hearing that the child was being sent to an orphanage, Zhang Erhu paused for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, before nodding.
"Okay! I'll be there promptly at 10 PM."
He gave a specific time, which clearly indicates that he has his own transportation methods. This person is used to doing large-scale business and knows the ropes well.
After reaching an agreement, Shen Ci quickly left and went to a secluded spot where she immediately communicated with the system.
"System, use Ticketing Pass to exchange for the corresponding national grain coupons and other possible coupons. Next time I need to buy something, just exchange the coupons for me at the exchange rate, as long as there is a balance in the account."
Although black market transactions mostly involve money rather than receipts, it's always good to have some on hand, as you should still spend your money at legitimate places most of the time.
"Ticketing system has been activated. Based on the host's needs, the corresponding amount of nationally valid grain coupons, cloth coupons, etc. have been redeemed, and the required amount has been deducted from the initial funds."
Automatic redemption next time.
At 10 p.m., a mule cart covered with a tarpaulin slowly drove up, driven by Zhang Erhu in disguise.
After confirming that Shen Ci was present, he directed the other two people to begin unloading the cargo.
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