At dawn, Qiao Jiuru quietly got up.

Dabao and Xiaobao were sleeping soundly, their faces much better than before.

She gently moved Xiaobao, who had slept with her all night, to the bed next door, where Su Huaiyuan and Dabao were sleeping.

“Jiuru…”

“I’m going to buy breakfast. You watch Dabao and Xiaobao.”

Before she could put Xiaobao beside Su Huaiyuan, he was instantly awake.

Just as he wanted to ask what was going on, his wife interrupted him.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of them. I’m not going anywhere.”

Su Huaiyuan knew his wife was worried about the two grandchildren, so he quickly nodded obediently and said this on his own.

Qiao Jiuru nodded, covered the two children with blankets, then quietly stepped out.

She really was going to buy breakfast, but at this hour, she had more than just that in mind.

After leaving the hospital gate, she walked ahead for a few dozen meters before turning into an alley.

From one alley to another, twisting and turning for about ten minutes, she finally entered a quiet alley where many people were either squatting or standing around.

In front of many people on the ground were pieces of cloth, baskets, or crates.

That’s right — this was a black market spot near the hospital, and Qiao Jiuru had been here once before.

“How much for the eggs?!”

She quietly asked a person with a basket full of eggs—there were about fifty eggs in it.

“Six cents each, no ticket.”

The other party wore a head covering leaving only their eyes exposed, dressed similarly to Qiao Jiuru when she entered the alley.

However, Qiao Jiuru’s clothes were brighter and better, while the other person wore plain, patched gray clothes.

“Five and a half cents each, I’ll take them all.”

“I don’t have a basket. Sell me a basket too, I’ll pay you an extra dime.”

Qiao Jiuru didn’t want to haggle or waste time over small change; she had many things to buy.

Seeing her decisiveness, the seller immediately agreed without a word.

Sure enough, the basket held fifty eggs. Qiao Jiuru paid 2.85 yuan, picked up the basket, and turned to leave.

“How much for the millet?!”

This black market near the hospital really had many good things. Seeing someone selling millet, Qiao Jiuru didn’t hesitate to ask the price.

“Nine mao per jin, plus two liang of ration tickets.”

The millet seller had been watching Qiao Jiuru buying eggs the whole time.

“Nine mao is already expensive, and you want ration tickets?! Eight mao, no tickets, I’ll take it all.”

Although she seldom came to the black market, Qiao Jiuru had heard from female colleagues and family members about the going rates: rice was seven mao per jin here; millet was nourishing but not much more expensive than rice.

“Sis, if you take it all, eight mao five it is. I guess you must have a sick person or children at home; otherwise, you wouldn’t buy both eggs and millet.”

“Fine, how much do you have?”

“Six jin.”

“That’s 5.1 yuan.”

When she left, Qiao Jiuru carried a cloth bag and several lunch boxes from the night before. She poured the millet into the cloth bag.

Finally, she bought five jin of flour and quickly left the black market.

She didn’t buy more because it would attract attention, especially since it was a sudden decision without enough preparation.

Otherwise, she would have bought at least ten jin of flour and rice.

She also saw someone selling chickens but didn’t dare buy any.

Just after leaving the black market area, with no one coming or going around her, she immediately put the basket of eggs, six jin of millet, and five jin of flour into the kitchen of her Mo Zhuo space.

Last night at the hospital, she had already tested multiple times with lunch boxes and water bottles.

Their Qiao family’s Mo Zhuo space allowed people or their consciousness to enter and be operated by mind, which was convenient and safe.

When Qiao Jiuru reached the state-run restaurant near the hospital, those going to work were just waking up.

“Hello, comrade, I want ten meat buns, ten steamed buns, a bowl of wontons, and a bowl of shredded pork noodles.”

“A meat bun is one mao each, steamed bun five fen, wontons one mao five per bowl, shredded pork noodles one mao five per bowl, plus two liang of ration tickets.”

Qiao Jiuru immediately counted out the money and tickets to the waiter, then took out a lunch box and waited nearby.

The state-run restaurant served large portions at low prices but required ration tickets.

Many people could afford the money but didn’t have tickets.

Qiao Jiuru had counted the family’s money and tickets: besides the five thousand yuan she withdrew from the bank yesterday, there was another thirty thousand yuan in cash secretly given by the Su and Qiao families, not counting the ration tickets from her eldest son Su Ze and daughter-in-law Zhou Wanwan.

As for tickets, she and Su Huaiyuan together had about eight jin of grain tickets, as well as small amounts of soap, sugar, snacks, and oil tickets.

Also, seven industrial tickets.

So, she wasn’t short of money but lacked tickets.

However, if you have money, tickets are easy to get; she planned to buy them on the black market.

Soon, the meat buns and steamed buns were packed in paper bags; the wontons and noodles were put in lunch boxes. Qiao Jiuru then returned to the hospital.

“I’m back.”

After his wife left, Su Huaiyuan hadn’t dared to sleep. He was alert to outside sounds and kept peeking out the window.

He only guessed his wife might be going to the black market after she left.

“All went well, nothing to worry about.”

Qiao Jiuru had just pushed open the ward door when she saw her worried husband.

She quickly closed the door and lowered her voice to comfort him.

Then she took out the wontons and shredded pork noodles, and from the paper bags took one meat bun and one steamed bun each, eating in front of him while putting the rest away in the space.

Su Huaiyuan was used to watching bags of food disappear into thin air in front of him.

He obediently ate the steamed bun and noodles, leaving the wontons and meat bun for his wife.

After breakfast, washing the lunch boxes, Dabao and Xiaobao yawned adorably and slowly opened their eyes.

Seeing their familiar grandparents, the two children didn’t cry or fuss but smiled widely.

“Grandpa, grandma.”

“Gya, nya.”

They called out in baby talk, reaching out their small hands for hugs, incredibly well-behaved.

How could Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan resist the adorable attack from the two little babies?!

They felt a heart-melting tenderness.

“Old Su, go buy five more meat buns and five steamed buns, one portion of wontons, and one portion of shredded pork noodles.”

After changing Dabao and Xiaobao’s diapers, Su Huaiyuan was ordered by his wife to go buy breakfast again.

Su Huaiyuan understood her intentions instantly, accepted the money and tickets without a word, grabbed the lunch boxes, and set off.

Qiao Jiuru washed the children’s faces and gave them warm water to drink, waiting for Su Huaiyuan to come back with breakfast.

After about twenty minutes, Su Huaiyuan returned, followed by their eldest son Su Ze and daughter-in-law Zhou Wanwan.