Chapter 61: Ideals Are Abundant, Reality Is Stark

When she arrived at the place to buy the sewing machine, she asked about the additional fee of 150 yuan besides the coupon, which indeed made one’s heart ache. However, since she came to buy the sewing machine, she didn’t dwell on it too much.

She called the salesperson to issue the coupon, handed over the money and coupon, and after paying, Luo Qiao asked their mover to help deliver the goods to the back alley.

The mover heard that someone would come to pick it up later and couldn’t help but ask, “Why not wait at the entrance of the department store?”

Luo Qiao smiled and said, “The entrance is too conspicuous, and I don’t know when my family will arrive. I don’t want to be stared at like a monkey, so we arranged to meet here.”

The mover pondered for a moment and agreed. After all, this sewing machine was a big item, and it was inevitable that everyone coming in and out would take a look. “This girl has a thin face, so it’s normal for her to feel embarrassed.”

After delivering the goods to the designated place, he didn’t say much more, and just left with envy.

Luo Qiao stood there guarding the goods. After waiting for two rounds of people to pass by without any sign of others coming, she finally stowed away the items and quickly left the place.

There was another important matter—to find a place to sell fish. She found a spot and changed back into her original clothes because her current attire was too good-looking. As she wandered around the streets, she was afraid of attracting unwanted attention.

Anyway, the clothes she wore today only had two patches, making her inconspicuous in the crowd. Carrying a basket on her back, Luo Qiao wandered the streets and alleys. By noon, she hadn’t found a suitable place for cooperation.

Perhaps she had oversimplified things. She visited two state-owned hotels; they did need fish daily, but they already had fixed delivery personnel, and deliveries had to be made to their doorsteps.

The larger markets were still state-owned units, where they did accept deliveries, but one needed proper credentials and proof of the origins and ownership of the goods.

Luo Qiao stood in a corner, watching the bustling street. In her heart, she recalled a saying from the future, “Ideals Are Abundant, Reality Is Stark”

Feeling a bit hungry, Luo Qiao found a place and used her backpack to take out a pancake from her the space. In her hand, she also had a pickled radish strip, putting together a hasty meal.

After drinking some water from the bamboo tube, she realized she wouldn’t catch the noon bus, so she decided to take the afternoon one back.

After asking several passersby, she finally found the scrap collection station. It was somewhat remote, but compared to the commune’s station, it was much larger. Luo Qiao told the gatekeeper she was looking for some high school textbooks.

The gatekeeper, who had a daughter around Luo Qiao’s age attending school, perhaps out of sympathy, gave her a few pointers. Luo Qiao thanked her with a smile before heading inside.

She went to the section with books first, which were piled high. After searching for a while, she managed to find the books she wanted and some exercise books. She picked out the better ones and put them into her storage bag.

Then, she thought of checking other warehouses to see if there was anything she liked. In one of the innermost warehouses, there was a collection of old furniture, mostly with missing arms and legs.

Luo Qiao was about to leave when she noticed two Grand Master chairs leaning against the wall, clearly ancient artifacts. Beside them was a small table, likely part of the set. It is made from the same type of wood.

For some reason, Luo Qiao suddenly felt an urge to take these antique-looking pieces with her. Except for one chair with a broken leg, the rest seemed intact and in good condition.

Thinking she could repair it and use it, or perhaps keep it as a collectible, she didn’t expect to find the broken leg conveniently placed beside an old cabinet nearby. It gave her a feeling of unexpectedly gaining something lost. She thought she could find a skilled craftsman later to repair it, and it would probably be hard to notice once fixed.