Since Uncle Lin had already asked, Xiao Xiao stopped being coy.
"Uncle Lin, it's like this."
There is relatively little land on our mountain suitable for growing grain.
After those who paid their grain tax last year and this year, there wasn't much left.
When it was distributed to each household, there was only a tiny amount.
There's not much food left at home.
I just want you to help me buy some.
We can't eat sweet potatoes and potatoes all year round, can we?
Uncle Lin laughed immediately: "I thought it was something serious, but you're making it all so mysterious."
It startled me.
Sure, how many do you plan to buy?
Xiao Xiao blinked her eyes: "Uncle Lin, I don't have any tickets, I'm counting on you to buy them for me."
Uncle Lin nodded: "Don't worry, we're uncle and nephew, there's no way we'd ask you for tickets."
"I'm planning to buy this much, is that alright with you?"
Xiao Xiao stretched out her finger and shook it.
Uncle Lin saw her hold up one finger: "100 jin, okay, no problem."
Uncle Lin has some; you can take it back with you in a bit.
Uncle Lin was very generous and didn't care about the 100 jin at all.
"It's not 100 jin, it's this much."
Xiao Xiao shook her finger again.
Uncle Lin blinked: "1000 jin, no problem, no problem."
"No, Uncle Lin, it's 10,000 jin."
Xiao Xiao couldn't help but remind him.
"What, 10,000 jin?"
Uncle Lin asked in surprise, "Why are you buying so many?"
This food will spoil if we don't finish it.
Xiao Xiao shook her head: "Uncle Lin, don't worry, it won't break."
"Just take it out and air it in the sun later."
Uncle Lin still disagreed: "That's old grain."
Xiao Xiao nodded: "That's true, but old grain is better than no grain at all."
Uncle Lin, a seasoned expert, sensed something unusual.
What do you mean by that?
Xiao Xiao glanced outside and said in a low voice.
"Uncle Lin, the reason I came down the mountain is to talk to you about this matter."
Lately, I keep having dreams about my deceased grandfather.
He appeared to me in a dream and said: There will be a major food crisis in the next few years.
They want me to store more food, at least enough for my family to eat.
Otherwise, you'll go hungry, the kind of hunger that could kill you.
I didn't take it seriously at first.
But I dream about my grandfather every now and then, and he scolds me for not listening to him.
He said he wouldn't hurt me.
So I thought I should stock up on more food.
Whether or not this happened, the food won't spoil.
If what he said is true, our whole family will go hungry.
I also wanted to tell you to stockpile more food.
Uncle Lin sat to the side, gently tapping the table with one hand.
He rested his chin on his other hand, lost in thought.
Xiao Xiao didn't interrupt him.
After a long while, Uncle Lin finally looked up:
"Xiaoxiao, Uncle Lin thanks you for believing in me."
Whether this is true or not, we should be prepared.
Your grandfather couldn't possibly remind you repeatedly.
Therefore, we must be cautious.
You need 10,000 catties of grain, Uncle will get it for you.
No problem.
You've probably guessed what Uncle does.
Therefore, the price of this grain is probably higher than outside.
Uncle won't make money off you, but he has to recoup the initial investment.
Xiao Xiao nodded: "Uncle, don't worry, Xiao Xiao understands."
Besides the initial investment, you should also accept a fee for your hard work; that way, I'll feel much more at ease.
Uncle Lin waved his hand: "Let's not talk about that for now."
Is 10,000 jin enough for you to eat?
I know that stones have a large appetite.
Xiao Xiao rolled her eyes and said, "Uncle Lin, my family needs 10,000 jin."
Fan Tiesheng also wants 10,000 jin.
If Uncle can get more, I'll ask for another 10,000 jin.
We need a total of 30,000 jin (15,000 kg). Do you think that's feasible?
Uncle Lin thought for a moment, then walked back and forth on the ground twice.
"It's not possible to get so many at once."
Okay, you can take 20,000 jin back today.
"The remaining 10,000 jin, come again in a few days, I'll prepare it for you."
Xiao Xiao had no objection: "Then I'll trouble Uncle Lin."
Approximately how many days will it take?
Uncle Lin's mouth moved slightly, as if he was calculating something.
"Come back in half a month, half a month later."
Do you want all this grain for rice or...?
"Let's get a little of everything."
A brief reply.
Uncle Lin nodded, then asked, "Your grandfather didn't say what the reason was?"
Xiao Xiao's smiling face immediately fell when she heard Uncle Lin's question.
It can't be described as a drought.
However, in order to give Uncle Lin a heads-up, I pretended to analyze it for him.
"The only possible reasons for food shortages are natural disasters and man-made calamities."
There are only a few types of natural disasters: drought, floods, and insect plagues.
Why don't you make more preparations, Uncle Lin?
The insect infestation won't affect you much, and neither will the flooding.
"Given this drought, Uncle, we should still try to store as much water as possible."
Uncle Lin nodded, then pointed to the little one again:
"You're a smart girl."
When do you plan to ask for food?
"Here's what I'm thinking: we can't buy so much grain in a big way."
When we came down the mountain, we told the villagers we were there to sell rabbits.
I plan to go up the mountain in the middle of the night.
Most of the villagers were asleep at that time.
This way, it won't attract much attention.
I didn't dare tell everyone, for fear of causing panic.
Uncle Lin nodded: "Yes, yes, we absolutely must not tell anyone."
Otherwise, they'll be arrested.
Xiao Xiao nodded again: "That's what I think too."
"Why don't you wait here while I get the things ready, and then you can go and pick them up?"
Let's go up the mountain after dark; it'll be almost midnight by the time we get back.
Xiao Xiao certainly had no objections.
It's settled then. Uncle Lin will go out to prepare as well.
Short story: They also came out under the guise of selling rabbits.
Well, we still have to sell some rabbits, just to make a show of it.
So I went out too.
His family only brought out about ten rabbits in total.
Yuan Min's family also has about ten.
So the two families went to the purchasing station and asked if they would buy rabbits.
The purchasing station will definitely take it.
They collect everything, even wild vegetables.
But the price is relatively low, so I pretended to be helpless and said:
"It's fine if it's a lower price. We don't have much money at home, and the kids are still young and making a lot of noise at home."
I plan to sell the rabbit and buy some things to take back home.
The people at the purchasing station also felt sorry for them.
These days there are many children, some obedient and some disobedient.
So it's also very difficult for these parents.
After a brief moment of playing the victim, the people at the purchasing station actually agreed to speak well of them.
They went to the supply and marketing cooperative next door and asked the people there to exchange some of their items.
No ticket required.
Xiao Xiao thanked them profusely.
She didn't ask for anything else, just a bag of White Rabbit milk candy and a bottle of malted milk powder.
Fan Tiesheng also asked for these, as well as some brown sugar.
His two kids love sweets the most.
The group wandered around for a while, but since they didn't have any receipts...
After much pleading and persuasion, I finally managed to buy a dozen or so steamed buns made from two different types of dough.
I managed to fill my stomach, albeit barely.
It was only around two or three o'clock in the afternoon.
They went to Uncle Lin's house again.
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