Zhu Fanfan explained, "I don't need you to monitor the Jing family every day, nor do I need you to report anything. Your information network is quite good. If anything happens to the Jing family, just let me know. I'm only here for twenty days. I can pay you two yuan a day, and we'll settle accounts every ten days, with advance payment."
To be honest, Yuan Datou was very tempted. After all, he was just a lowly clerk earning only 33 yuan a month, and Zhu Fanfan was offering more than his monthly salary.
"Fanfan, it's not that I don't agree, it's just that my grandson is already working and earning money, so my family isn't short of money. It's just that there's a food shortage everywhere right now, and you can't buy it even if you have money. My family is short of food."
Zhu Fanfan understood: "Then I'll trade you grain, but I won't offer such a high price. I'll hire you to keep an eye on the Jing family's movements every day, and I'll give you two catties of coarse grain or one catty of fine grain every day. I'll pay you for ten days first. What do you think?"
Yuan Datou had some calculations in his mind. At present, rice in Shanghai was only two cents a pound, and wheat flour was only one cent eighteen. If he wanted grain, it was indeed not as good as two yuan a day. Normally, two yuan could buy ten pounds of fine grain. According to this conversion, he would need ten pounds of grain a day.
However, food is in short supply now, and the government's monthly grain supply has also begun to decrease. Even if they have money, they may not be able to buy it on the black market. Food is also in short supply on the black market now, and the price of coarse grain has risen to 80 cents per pound, but no coupons are required. Fine grain has reached 1.2 yuan per pound, also without coupons. Even so, the supply cannot meet the demand, and it sells out as soon as someone sells it. They cannot buy it even if they have money.
Moreover, although his family had many workers, they were all adults who ate even more, so the limited food rations were simply not enough, and all the money they had each month was spent on buying food.
The grain station had no surplus grain at all; each person received only a small amount, barely enough to keep them from starving, let alone being able to eat their fill.
They always went to the black market to buy food, and the food alone cost half of the family's wages. Although they earned a lot, they didn't save any money.
Seeing that Yuan Datou hesitated, Zhu Fanfan added, "I can give you three catties of coarse grains or one and a half catties of fine grains every day, and settle accounts every ten days, with advance payment."
Anyway, she has plenty of grain. As long as she harvests thousands of catties of grain in one night, this little bit is nothing.
Yuan Datou was tempted and wanted to raise the price, as he was really short of grain. However, Zhu Fanfan spoke first: "If you don't agree, then forget it. I'm not that interested in the Jing family anymore. I'll be leaving now."
Yuan Datou grew anxious and stopped Zhu Fanfan: "Why is this child so anxious? Didn't we agree on this? This old man may not have many other things to do, but he's an expert at gathering information. There's nothing I can't find out if I don't want to. It's just a matter of paying a little attention to the Jing family. What's the big deal?"
Zhu Fanfan was no longer in a hurry: "I was interested in the Jing family before because Sister Xu told me that the Jing family was rather strange. I was curious about how strange it was. Since Grandpa Yuan is in a difficult position, I don't necessarily have to know. Anyway, I will only stay for more than 20 days before going home. I can learn a lot of interesting things at home."
Yuan Datou hurriedly advised, "You've only been here a few days. If you're curious, you must find the answer. Otherwise, you'll keep thinking about it when you get home, and it might become a worry for you. Grandpa Yuan can't let you have a worry for you. Leave this to Grandpa Yuan."
Zhu Fanfan then asked, "That's fine then. Do you want whole grains or refined grains?"
The one who's in a hurry now is Yuan Datou. She could take the opportunity to lower the price, but there's no need. If she doesn't offer enough bait, it's uncertain whether he can bring out his full potential. She can tell that Yuan Datou is a seasoned veteran in the workplace. If she doesn't offer enough material, he'll cut corners on the answer.
Yuan Datou immediately replied, "I need fine grains. Let's confirm this again. As long as something happens to the Jing family, just let me know. Everyone will know. I don't need to make any special inquiries."
The Jing family is really strange. Their house is quite far away from his, and frequent visits would arouse suspicion, but it's okay to go there occasionally, as long as it doesn't involve him, everything is fine.
Zhu Fanfan nodded: "That's good, but you can't be too out of touch with the news. Tell me as soon as anything happens."
Yuan Datou was relieved: "Speaking of which, there really is something. Today, the Jing family's daughters came back from outside and showed their faces to the neighbors. But only two of them came back. Judging from their appearance, one is fifteen and the other is seventeen. They are fair-skinned and tender, and they can be seen as having grown up without any worries about food and clothing. There are three other children, about five to seven years old, who were not brought back. It seems that they are going to be sent away. As for where they will be sent, I don't know."
Zhu Fanfan sensed something was amiss: "Where are those three girls now?"
Yuan Datou replied, "Now you need a letter of introduction to go out. They don't have one. They've been put up in a tenement, but it's one of those rented rooms where one family has one room. The rent is cheap, but the space is damp. The Jing family rented the room secretly."
Zhu Fanfan looked at the room behind her and felt that it was also small and damp.
Seeing Zhu Fanfan's confusion, Yuan Datou explained, "Don't underestimate this small courtyard I rented. It's actually quite good. At least we each have our own room. Although it's partitioned, sunlight shines in, and the rooms aren't damp. Those big, cramped courtyards, where a perfectly good room is divided into four or five small rooms, can't fit anything but a bed. They have all sorts of things in the rooms. That's what you call truly dirty and chaotic."
Zhu Fanfan's maternal grandfather is Fu Minghao, and her paternal grandfather is also a high-ranking official. She looks so delicate and pampered that even her own family looks down on her. She must have never seen a poor environment before. She really doesn't know the hardships of life. No wonder she wanted to know about the Jing family. I don't know how her family spoils her. She is so ignorant of the ways of the world.
Zhu Fanfan showed no curiosity about the surroundings: "Have you seen the two girls who came back?"
Yuan Datou was smug: "There's nothing in Shanghai that can escape my eyes. I went there specifically to take a look, and you know what I found?"
Zhu Fanfan asked cooperatively, "What did you find?"
Yuan Datou was satisfied with Zhu Fanfan's cooperation: "Their personalities are exactly the same as the women of the Jing family. No one would say they aren't their biological children. They are all incredibly docile, just like the women of ancient times who obeyed their fathers at home and their husbands after marriage, and respected men. Who am I? I can still tell that those two girls are martial arts practitioners, but they don't have your righteousness."
Moreover, their appearance was too docile, and their eyes were full of coquettishness, which was very incongruous and gave people a very uncomfortable feeling, but others were blind and kept praising them.
Hearing Yuan Datou mention the aura of a martial arts expert again, Zhu Fanfan was genuinely curious: "How exactly did you discern the aura of a martial arts expert?"
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