Chapter 17: A Major Shopping Trip

Shen Zhuo pushed the cart, following Ye Xin as they made their way toward the eastern side of the town. His eyes darted nervously around, worried someone might see them and guess what they were up to. Despite his unease, he couldn’t help but glance at Ye Xin ahead, wondering how she remained so calm.

How could she be so unflustered? And how was she so sure they’d find what they were looking for?

Shen Zhuo had never investigated the location of the black market, so he had no idea where to go. As for Ye Xin… she didn’t exactly know either, but she had a feeling. Coming from a future world, she’d occasionally seen videos hinting that in troubled times like these, where there were policies from above, there were also countermeasures below. Clever people always found ways to make things work.

So, even in this era, whether in a big city or a small town, black markets existed—though they varied in scale and were usually hidden away. If you were observant and knew what to look for, you could find them. In fact, some black markets were even tolerated by the authorities as long as things didn’t get out of hand. After all, sometimes people in power needed to get their hands on something good, and a black market made that easier.

Hongze Town wasn’t big, and finding the black market wasn’t particularly hard. Ye Xin, determined to find it, led Shen Zhuo through the streets, observing everything around them. They walked past the supply store, the meat market, and the clinic, before turning into a narrow alleyway.

This part of town was quiet—no shops, no passersby, just residential houses.

Shen Zhuo glanced around, frowning. He lowered his voice and asked Ye Xin, “Are we sure we’re heading the right way? There’s no one around here.”

Ye Xin wasn’t completely sure herself, but she remained calm and answered, “It’s a good thing there’s no one here. You don’t want to be in a crowded place when you’re looking for something like this.” As she spoke, she suddenly shushed him, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

Footsteps approached from behind. Shen Zhuo quickly straightened up, lowering his head as he pushed the cart, not saying another word.

Two rough-looking men, carrying bamboo baskets and dressed in sun-darkened clothes, turned the corner of the alley. They paused, clearly not expecting anyone to be here, but after sizing up Ye Xin and Shen Zhuo—who looked like country folk—they relaxed a bit and continued walking. Ye Xin and Shen Zhuo slowed their pace, deliberately letting them pass.

As they did, one of the men, a little older, glanced back at them and said with a grin, “You guys lost or something? There’s nothing to see around here.”

Ye Xin, catching the man’s cautious look, smiled and responded, “No, sir. We’re headed to the same place you are.”

At that, the two men relaxed, their suspicion gone, and they kept walking ahead without further questioning.

Ye Xin’s heart raced with excitement. She shot a glance back at Shen Zhuo, and without a word, they both silently followed.

Not far ahead, the alley split. They turned left and stopped in front of the third house. The older man knocked on the door, and both Shen Zhuo and Ye Xin stood behind, waiting quietly.

Before long, the door creaked open, revealing a burly man in his thirties, his large frame leaning out as he eyed the visitors cautiously. After a quick glance behind him, he spoke in a low voice, “Come in, quickly.”

The two older men stepped inside, and Ye Xin and Shen Zhuo, pushing the cart, followed them in without any resistance.

The inside was a spacious courtyard, with three rooms up front and smaller rooms on either side. From all directions, they could hear hushed voices—clearly, the place was busy, but everyone was being careful to keep their voices down.

The burly man who had let them in closed the door behind them and turned to face them. “What do you need?” he asked.

The older man answered, “We’re here to sell goods, just like before.”

The burly man nodded, motioning to the main house. The two older men, carrying their bamboo baskets, headed toward it.

Ye Xin noticed the baskets were heavy and tightly covered, which made her suspect they were full of valuable goods. She just wasn’t sure what.

The burly man turned his attention to Shen Zhuo and Ye Xin, giving them a confused look. “And what about you two?” he asked. “I thought you were brought here by those two, but you don’t look like their usual customers.”

“We’re here to buy some meat,” Ye Xin said, her voice clear and straightforward.

The man raised an eyebrow. “Meat?” He was clearly surprised by their request, but he didn’t press further.

The burly man pointed toward the left side of the courtyard, saying, “Over there, in the left room. Just leave the cart outside. I’ll keep an eye on it—it won’t go missing.”

Shen Zhuo hesitated, fidgeting with his hands. He was used to keeping his bike close when he rode out, never letting it out of his sight—especially not in an unfamiliar place like this.

Ye Xin observed the man and said to Shen Zhuo, “Just leave it. These people run a business; they wouldn’t want to ruin their reputation.”

The burly man caught Ye Xin’s gaze and cracked a wide smile. “This little girl’s got guts! She’s right, though—don’t worry, kid. Since you’re here, just relax. Your bike won’t go anywhere.”

Shen Zhuo had no choice but to leave the bike by the wall at the entrance, then took the basket from Ye Xin’s back as they both headed toward the left room.

The room was like a small warehouse, with a long table stacked with various types of dried and smoked meats—chickens, ducks, fish, rabbits, and of course, chunks of pork. The meat had all been preserved through drying or smoking, since fresh meat wouldn’t last in this weather. Along with the meat were eggs—chicken, duck, and quail—along with preserved vegetables, oil, and sugar.

Shen Zhuo was stunned. He hadn’t expected to find such a wide range of goods in such a secluded place.

Ye Xin was thrilled—this was definitely the black market! Everything she could possibly want was here. The fragrant mix of spices and meat in the air made her mouth water.

As they looked around, they noticed that the man behind the counter wasn’t the same as the one outside, though he was still a burly figure. This one was a bit younger, though they looked like brothers. He had just sent the previous customer off and turned to greet them.

“What can I get for you?” he asked.

Ye Xin wasted no time and pointed directly at a piece of cured meat. “How much for this?”

“95 cents per pound,” the man replied.

Shen Zhuo’s heart sank. At the meat market, fresh meat only cost 75 cents a pound, and here, cured meat was 95 cents. Though cured meat was pricier due to the drying process, he knew his money would only be enough for about a pound—or maybe even less.

As he was calculating, Ye Xin’s voice broke through. “If we buy more, can we get a better price?”

Shen Zhuo understood—she wasn’t going to settle for just one pound.

It seemed she was about to spend more of her own money.

The man raised an eyebrow and asked, “How many pounds do you want?”

Ye Xin began picking out pieces of meat from the basket, signaling him to weigh them. “This piece, and this one. How much do they weigh together?”

The man weighed them and said, “Three and a half pounds. Do you want them all?”

Ye Xin nodded. “Give me a discount, and I’ll take them.”

He quickly calculated and said, “I can take off twelve and a half cents—so, three dollars and twenty cents for the lot.”

Ye Xin smiled. “Can you take off a bit more? Let’s just make it three flat.”

The man shook his head. “That’s too much of a discount. At that price, it’d be 85 cents a pound. I won’t be able to sell it at that rate.”

Ye Xin didn’t back down. “I’m buying other things too. I’m doing good business with you, aren’t I?”

The man sighed. “Alright, what else do you want? We’ll figure out the price once you’re done picking.”

Ye Xin smiled and began her shopping spree. “I’ll take fifteen eggs. Those duck eggs look nice—give me a few of those too. And is this vegetable oil? Weigh me a few pounds of that, please.”

Shen Zhuo stood by in silence, stunned.

It felt like she was buying everything in sight. Her money seemed to be flowing like water, and no matter how much she had, it wouldn’t be enough. Yet, he could tell this was how she operated. It wasn’t like her to just buy a pound of meat and walk away—she wanted to get the best out of everything.

He could only stand there, carrying the basket, not knowing what to say.

He had to admit, he was also surprised by her bargaining skills. Ye Xin had been buying and cooking since she was young, practicing with the market stall owners, haggling for the best prices. Later, after graduation, she rented a place nearby to save money and eat healthier—cooking her own meals instead of buying from supermarkets.

Ye Xin, skilled at haggling from years of market shopping, had a knack for getting the best deals. She expertly selected two pieces of cured meat, fifteen eggs, ten duck eggs, five pounds of rapeseed oil, and a smoked chicken.

With the meat and eggs sorted, she still had a mind for dairy—though unfortunately, there was none available.

The total, after some quick math, came to just over eight yuan. She felt the discount wasn’t enough—this was too easy, and she suspected she’d been shortchanged. Seeing her hesitation, the vendor, noticing she didn’t have a proper container for the oil, gave her a glass jar for free—an extra perk.

But Ye Xin wasn’t done yet. “Do you have any grains for sale?” she asked, her eyes glinting.

The man grinned. “Of course. What kind of grain do you want, and how much?”

“Give me ten pounds of rice,” Ye Xin replied.

At that moment, with no other customers around, he gestured for her to follow him to the main room. Inside, they found a man smoking a dry pipe, looking much like the others but older. After confirming their purpose, he led them to the right side of the building.

There, Ye Xin was greeted with another treasure trove: bags of wheat, rice, corn, and various beans—green, red, yellow. It was clear that this room was dedicated to grains. Ye Xin quickly settled on the rice and ordered ten pounds.

As they were leaving, Ye Xin noticed something to the left in the main room—a pile of fuzzy hides. They looked like rabbit pelts, sparking her suspicion that this might be where those two men, who had come earlier, were selling wild goods they had collected—perhaps things like these were being processed and resold.

With the rice added, her bill reached nearly ten yuan. Thanks to her relentless bargaining, the vendor gave her a discount of fifty cents.

Once everything was packed into the basket, she asked for some straw to cushion the fragile eggs, ensuring the load was tightly packed and secure.

Shen Zhuo, silent, could only carry the basket. He didn’t have much to contribute financially but at least could help with the physical labor.

After paying, Ye Xin looked over at the right room and asked, “What’s over there?”

Having already spent a significant amount, she was clearly considered a big customer now. The vendor smiled and replied, “That’s for supplies—city-made items. Would you like to take a look?”

“Sure,” Ye Xin said with interest.

Inside, she found an array of goods—cloth, clothing, soap, thermos bottles, even a single watch in a box. The man greeting them was younger than the others, probably around twenty. He smiled broadly and asked, “Looking for something?”

Ye Xin smiled and shook her head. “Not today. I’ve spent all my money. Maybe next time.”

The man didn’t seem disappointed, and politely saw them out.

As they were leaving, Ye Xin casually asked, “You guys all look alike. You must be brothers?”

The man grinned. “Yep, we’re a family business. I’m Chen San, the one at the door is my second brother, the one in the main room is the eldest, and to the right is the fourth. We run this place together. Feel free to come by again when you need something—just be careful when you visit.”

Ye Xin nodded. “Thanks, Brother Chen. We’ll definitely be back when we need more.”

As they walked away, she thought about how well the Chen brothers worked together—strong, united, and clearly built for this kind of business. It wasn’t easy to run such a “grey-market” operation, but the family bond made it possible. It was also why she had felt safe leaving her bicycle outside earlier.

Instead of exiting through the front, they took a small back door, where the largest of the guards, Brother Chen Er, even helped them push the bike through, sending them off with a smile.

After that, they wandered through the streets, finally making their way back. When Ye Xin spotted the post office, she remembered the letter she had sent weeks ago and decided to check if it had arrived. Unfortunately, there was no sign of it, so they headed home.