Chapter 9: A Big Sweep at the Black Market

Early the next morning, when Jiang Yuman woke up, Fu Jingchen was already out of bed.

Thinking about the things he needed to handle before heading to the countryside, she didn’t ask many questions as she went downstairs, had breakfast, and then left.

At this time, local authorities were cracking down on speculation and hoarding; those wearing red arm sleeves were often seen patrolling the streets.

If caught, they would face public humiliation, so the black market opened early.

Knowing she was heading to the black market today, Jiang Yuman had intentionally packed a scarf and hat into her space.

Once she stepped outside, she sought out a small alley to don her scarf and hat, leaving only her eyes visible.

Then, she put on a gray coat and carried a basket covered with cloth and when she walked out again, she looked like a completely different person.

The basket held nothing; it was primarily a ruse so that when she later retrieved money from her space, she could pretend it came from the basket, reducing any suspicion.

Holding the basket, Jiang Yuman headed straight for the black market.

Contrasting with the bustling streets, although many people were present, they all seemed to be in disguise, and few, like Jiang Yuman, only had their eyes exposed.

As luck would have it, upon entering, she spotted a woman selling eggs by the roadside.

Eggs were versatile; they could be boiled, fried, or steamed.

They could also be used in meat dishes, meatballs, and had many uses.

According to the woman, these were free-range eggs laid by her home-raised hens that were fed grains.

Seeing that there were two large baskets filled with eggs, Jiang Yuman immediately decided to buy them all.

In this era, eggs were a precious commodity, and the woman was initially surprised by the amount Jiang Yuman wanted to buy. However, noticing her pregnancy, she didn’t question it further.

For a pregnant woman to want eggs was normal; it’s not like rural women ate eggs every day; they typically only managed to have one every couple of days!

Two baskets of eggs weighed a hefty 60 jin!

Jiang Yuman made up an excuse, saying her husband would come soon, and asked the woman to move the eggs to a nearby alley.

Then, she reached into her basket, pretending to take out money but actually retrieving it from her space to pay the woman.

Once the woman left, she quickly moved all the eggs into her space.

Things stored in this space wouldn’t spoil.

She had already tested this with hot water the night before; whatever she placed inside was as fresh as it had been when taken out in the morning.

In the space, time was at a standstill.

Of course, two baskets of eggs wouldn’t satisfy a family for two years in the countryside, but for now, this was enough. She could always buy more later if needed.

Exiting the alley, Jiang Yuman continued to roam the black market, hoping to buy some meat.

Fortune smiled upon her as she turned and saw a young man coming out of an alley carrying half a side of pork.

People in the black market often focused on meat and fine grains. The moment he appeared, everyone fixated on him, peering eagerly with their visible eyes.

Jiang Yuman quickly approached him and whispered, “How much per jin? I’ll take all of it.”

The young man was taken aback, “You want it all?” There was disbelief in his voice.

“Yes, this isn’t even enough for me.”

Hearing this, others who had been following to inquire quickly dispersed.

If she was buying the whole thing, there would be no portion left for them.

At the same time, they couldn’t help but marvel secretly; what a big spender! It was unbelievable anyone would still find such a quantity inadequate.

The young man replied, “Sister, this pork is normally one yuan a jin. If you’re taking it all, I can give it to you for ninety-five cents.”

Jiang Yuman nodded. The original owner had worked at the supply and marketing agency, so she knew that this price was indeed higher than at the agency itself.

However, the meat there wasn’t easily purchased; if you didn’t queue early, the quality would be poor.

Compared to the fresh half side of pork in front of her, it was a different story altogether.

Seeing how readily Jiang Yuman agreed, the young man leaned in rather confidentially and said, “Sister, I still have another half side of pork at home. Do you want that too?”

This pork was from pigs they had secretly raised, and he had put considerable effort into bringing it to the black market for sale.

He had only brought half at first, fearing any trouble if he carried too much.

Hearing Jiang Yuman say she wanted more, his interest piqued. “Yes,” Jiang Yuman said, her eyes lighting up.

She continued, “You bring that meat to the alley, and I’ll have my husband come to pick it up, and I want the other half side of pork as well.”

Initially, she thought this would be a casual comment, but unexpectedly, a pleasant surprise arose.

“Alright,” the young man responded, shouldering the meat as he headed into the alley. After weighing it and receiving payment, he hurried off.

Once the coast was clear, Jiang Yuman once again used the same trick to store the meat in her space.

After a while, the young man returned with the other half side of pork. Just like before, it was a smooth exchange of money for goods.

Seeing the pork was gone, the young man didn’t suspect anything unusual, thinking Jiang Yuman’s husband had just come by earlier.

He was pleased with how well this had gone; after all, he had encountered such a good customer.

Once he left, the pork was tucked away in the space again.

Jiang Yuman continued to browse, then bought flour and rice.

As long as someone was selling, she bought it all.

For her family’s two-year supply in the countryside, purchasing everything in one day was crucial. A single item wouldn’t address her pressing needs.

She wasn’t worried about others noticing her; in this environment, people were simple-hearted; everyone felt guilty about buying things here, having no time to harm others.

Moreover, since all her items were in her space, she had nothing to fear.

After exploring, her empty space had grown significantly filled with items.

Rice and flour, meat, and the eggs she bought earlier, plus the brown sugar and rock sugar.

Especially brown sugar, which was essential not only for women during their menstrual cycles but also for when she’d be resting after childbirth.

When it came to herself, Jiang Yuman had no hesitation.

It was a pity that brown sugar was in short supply; she scoured the entire black market but could only find five jin.

However, what was unavailable in this market might be found in another.

The provincial capital was vast, and there were more than just one black market.

During the next phase of her shopping, Jiang Yuman switched her hat and continued to make large purchases of eggs, rice, and flour in two other black markets.

Whenever she encountered pork or brown sugar, she seized every opportunity.

She even came across someone selling beef, which must have been from a cow that had died in an accident; these days, cows were rare and rarely slaughtered.

Beef was another of her favorite foods, so she bought ten jin.

Although she was lazy, thanks to her love for food, her culinary skills were passable.

With these purchases, although her family wouldn’t be working in the countryside, she could ensure three meals a day for everyone.

Considering all this, Jiang Yuman continued her shopping spree, and by mid-morning, her space was about one-third full.

Just these food items alone had cost her nearly seventy yuan.

As for clothing and other necessities, Jiang Yuman set her sights on a mercantile market.

Because she had the tickets provided by her in-laws, she took out industrial tickets and first ordered a large iron pot.

Since there were no large iron pots in the countryside, dishes cooked in smaller ones just wouldn’t taste right!

Aluminum lunch boxes, Red Star cups, insulated water bottles, pots, and chopsticks were all essentials.

Now was autumn, and right as the fall harvest began, gloves and facial/body care products were also necessary.

The family couldn’t carry too much; autumn would quickly turn to winter, so yarn for knitting sweaters also had to be bought.

She needed to stock up on sturdy burlap and comfortable cotton fabric as well…

Additionally, she needed sewing supplies like needles and buttons…

As for cotton, Jiang Yuman wasn’t worried. After all, there would be places to shop in the area where they’d be living, so she could buy it later.

For these items, she had no concern explaining their origins to her family.

While everyone else was going to work, it would be easy to say she was just out buying things, leaving no room for scrutiny.

Once she finished buying daily necessities, the eighteen hundred she brought back from her family was already used up completely.

Her storage was finally beginning to take up a larger portion of the space.

Jiang Yuman felt like a little hamster hoarding supplies for winter. Looking at the abundance of items in her space, she finally let out a sigh of relief.

With these supplies, she wouldn’t have to worry once they were in the countryside.