Chapter 13: First Trip to the Black Market

After returning, Tang Xiaoxiao ironed the mat and hung it outside to air dry.

She had just finished showering and entered her room when He Xiaoqian followed her in, looking unhappy.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, wiping her hair.

He Xiaoqian took the towel from her hand and helped her wipe her hair, saying, “That Cao Hui is so annoying. He’s been hanging around outside our window.”

“Be careful. Don’t be alone with him.” Tang Xiaoxiao glanced at the window. Although the windows weren’t very transparent at this time, if someone was determined to look inside, they could still see vaguely.

She patted He Xiaoqian’s hand, signaling her to stop.

She walked to the wardrobe and took out two pieces of curtain fabric from the wardrobe space, giving one to He Xiaoqian.

“My mom brought these for me. You can hang them up later.”

“These curtains are so pretty. How much are they? I’ll give you the money.” The curtain fabric was patterned, the kind of color they liked at their age.

“Why are you always calculating money? I didn’t even give you money for the candied haw today.”

“But I ate your meatballs today. Come on, tell me how much.” He Xiaoqian pushed her. “I won’t take them if they’re free.”

“Three yuan.” She said a random price.

“Are you kidding me? It’s so cheap? You need cloth tickets too.”

“This is made from leftover fabric from the supply and marketing cooperative. It doesn’t need tickets. My mom has a friend who works there.” She said with a smile.

“I’ll go get the money first and then help you dry your hair.” He Xiaoqian had a bad memory and was afraid she would forget later.

When she came back, she handed the money to Tang Xiaoxiao and started helping her dry her hair.

“By the way, what time will you get up tomorrow? I’ll make you egg pancakes. I bought eggs and flour today.”

“I get up early. You can eat it yourself. I won’t eat it. I want to go to the city and see if there’s any fish.” Hunan Province was near the lake area, so it shouldn’t be difficult to buy fish. She also wanted to see if there was a black market like Song Jingzhi mentioned.

“Okay, I’ll make it for you another day.”

“By the way, I told the village head today that I’ll only gather pigweed. I won’t go to the fields unless it’s during the busy farming season.”

“I don’t want to go to the fields either.” He Xiaoqian’s face fell when she mentioned it. “Xiaoxiao, why is it that if a family has two children, one of them has to go to the countryside? Like us, we have a brother who’s in the army, so we’re only destined to go to the countryside.”

He Xiaoqian’s situation was similar to Tang Xiaoxiao’s. They both came from dual-income families, and their families were well-off. But because they had two children, and their brother was in the army, they were the ones who had to go to the countryside.

“Sigh.” Tang Xiaoxiao sighed. She had a legitimate reason. He Xiaoqian didn’t. She couldn’t go to the village head and ask for special treatment. People would say she was a privileged person, a landlord’s style.

“Just do as much as you can. Earn as many work points as you can each day.”

“That’s right. If I had to rely on myself to earn work points to support myself, I think I would starve to death.” Thinking about it this way, He Xiaoqian felt a little better.

In her previous life, Tang Xiaoxiao had also worked in the fields and earned work points. Those who weren’t used to farm work really couldn’t even afford porridge with the work points they earned in a day.

The next day, Tang Xiaoxiao got up early and rode her bicycle out. She had two buns from her space for breakfast.

It was a good thing that she had also set up a bun stall when she opened her supermarket in the past. This way, she could occasionally sneak in a little laziness.

She was out so early today because she wanted to find the black market.

She didn’t dare to sell a lot at once, so she decided to sell a little each time and save some money.

This way, after the reform and opening up, she wouldn’t have to ask her parents for money to start a business like she did in her previous life.

With the self-defense skills she learned in her previous life, as long as she wasn’t targeted by big shots, escaping wouldn’t be a problem. Besides, she had her space. If all else failed, she could hide in her space.

According to what she had heard from others in her previous life, black markets were usually located near train stations or hospitals.

She planned to try her luck near the hospital. After all, things sold near hospitals were usually more expensive.

She found an empty corner, went into her space to change clothes and put on a disguise. When she came out, she looked like an ordinary rural woman.

She walked around the hospital area and finally saw an alleyway where people were constantly coming and going. She covered her carrying basket with a cloth and followed them in.

“Buying or selling?” A young man stopped her at the entrance of the alleyway.

“Selling.”

“Two jiao.”

She handed the young man two jiao, and he took the money and waved her in.

[Here, I’d like to mention that if you find the prices different from other novels you’ve read, please forgive me. We’re reading for the plot, right? After all, I’m not from that era, so I don’t know the exact prices.]

Entering the alleyway, she saw many people selling goods from their carrying baskets on the ground.

Tang Xiaoxiao also placed her carrying basket on the ground. Using the basket as cover, she put two chickens inside.

As soon as she put the chickens in, a middle-aged man passed by her and heard the chickens crowing. He looked at her.

“Are you selling chickens?”

“Yes, do you want one?” She nodded. “I raised them secretly on the mountain.” In those days, even if you raised chickens in the countryside, you had a quota.

“How much is one?”

“Five yuan.”

“Give me one.”

Tang Xiaoxiao quickly tied the chicken’s legs and handed it to him. The middle-aged man gave her five yuan.

The middle-aged man had just left when another woman came and bought the other chicken.

She put the carrying basket back on her back and walked a little further into the alleyway. She put two cans of milk powder and twenty eggs in the basket and opened a corner of the cloth covering it.

Soon, the milk powder was sold for eight yuan a can, and the eggs for twelve cents each. Things sold in the black market didn’t require tickets.

She had earned twenty-eight yuan and forty cents. After deducting the two jiao at the entrance, she had twenty-eight yuan and two jiao. Tang Xiaoxiao was very satisfied. After all, the items in her space could be replenished. This was a no-cost business for her.

Afraid of attracting attention, she didn’t dare to sell more. She left the black market.

After returning to her original appearance in her space, she found a place selling fish. She had seafood in her space, but she was mainly afraid that Song Jingzhi would ask where she bought it and she wouldn’t be able to answer.

After confirming that there was fish for sale, she rode her bicycle back to the village. She only put two black fish in the carrying basket when she reached the village entrance.

She planned to keep one of the black fish, so she rode her bicycle directly to the Song family.

When she arrived at the Song family, she saw Song Jingzhi sitting in a wheelchair, basking in the sun in the yard.

“…” Didn’t he know he couldn’t walk, so he got a wheelchair?

Song Jingzhi had actually seen her riding her bicycle over. Because she had to ride, she wasn’t wearing a skirt today.

She was wearing a white shirt and black pants, like a high school girl, fresh and beautiful.

“When did you get this?” She parked her bicycle and asked him.

“My father made it this morning.”

“It’s good. It’s better to come out and get some sun than to stay in the house all day.” She found a basin, filled it with well water, and put one of the fish in it. She planned to kill the bigger one.

“You know how to kill fish?” Song Jingzhi looked at her. She looked so delicate. He didn’t think she would dare.

“Or you can do it?” She looked at him. What did he mean? Did he think she was incapable?

“Do you think I can do anything in my current state?”

“…” Forget it. Good girls don’t fight with boys. Don’t bully the disabled.