Chapter 184: A Lucky Find

The crops in the space had already been harvested once, and the mother and daughter had replanted another crop. However, the soybeans still hadn’t had the chance to be processed into oil in the city. Wang Qian felt a sense of urgency as she looked at the seedlings that had already sprouted in the space. She wanted to process the oil quickly so that the family could have oil to use, and with more oil, they would naturally need less food. She also wanted to take the opportunity to sell more grain and earn some extra money for the family.

The next day, she discussed going to the city with Zhang Lan. The fields in the production team had all been planted, and Zhang Lan wasn’t too busy, so Wang Qian’s proposal suited her. It wouldn’t hurt to make some extra money in the city.

Zhang Lan took a day off and informed Hao Lianchun. She brought some vegetables from the family’s garden, which could serve as a cover.

This time, Wang Qian had planted about half an acre of soybeans in the space. According to Zhang Lan’s estimate, they could yield over 300 kilograms. After getting off the bus, the mother and daughter went straight to the grain and oil processing shop. They had seen an oil press machine there before, so they didn’t need to make another trip. They also ground some cornmeal this time. Their production team hadn’t bought a grinder yet, so they had to go to another commune every time they needed to grind flour, which was quite troublesome. This time, they decided to do it all at once.

In the grain and oil processing shop, Zhang Lan helped with the grinding, while Wang Qian used the large jar she had brought to collect the oil. The soybean meal was expelled from the machine like spring rolls, and the oil flowed into the jar with a gurgling sound.

The freshly pressed soybean oil didn’t have the same fragrance as when used for cooking, and it still had a bit of a beany taste. However, seeing the clear and bright oil, Wang Qian felt very happy. With the oil, they wouldn’t have to worry about whether to use two drops or one drop in the future.

The large jar couldn’t hold all the oil, so Wang Qian used a small jar to collect the remaining oil. Surprisingly, they ended up with around sixty kilograms of oil. Zhang Lan’s excitement was beyond words.

Leaving the processing point, Zhang Lan’s spirits were visibly high, and her excitement was palpable.

“Qian Qian, our family is doing well now. We have grain and oil to eat, as well as poultry and pigs. Our lives are getting better and better,” Zhang Lan exclaimed.

This time, Zhang Lan finally experienced the feeling of prosperity at home, and it was simply beautiful. Their family was now closer to being considered wealthy.

Wang Qian didn’t think much of it. Having these things didn’t mean their family was wealthy. True wealth lay with the tycoons of the future. Their family had only just solved the problem of having enough to eat. Understanding this, she calmly contrasted with Zhang Lan.

The abundant produce from the space was not limited to any season, and the surplus in the household began to grow. This time, Zhang Lan also wanted to sell some grain to save a little money. The children were growing up day by day, and there were more and more expenses.

As Zhang Lan indulged in her beautiful dreams, Wang Qian began to worry. She wondered how she could explain the source of the soybean oil when she took it out.

“Mom, have you thought about the excuse for the soybean oil we brought back this time?”

Zhang Lan was pulled back from her daydream by her daughter. “Right, we could say we found a voucher for oil and bought it ourselves. Let’s not bring out too much, just a small portion, so as not to attract attention,” Zhang Lan suggested. She had planned to use a white wine bottle to store a small amount of oil. It would be difficult to come up with an excuse if they brought out too much.

“By the way, Qian Qian, we should send some to your maternal grandmother’s  family. Your younger uncle’s departure means a loss of income for the family. Your maternal grandmother’s family is also struggling, and we can’t rely on your older uncle,” Zhang Lan said.

Wang Qian didn’t have a good impression of Zhang Wei’s family. She felt that they were more trouble than they were worth. Their existence was nothing short of a failure.

“Mom, we should give more to our maternal family. There are only the two elderly people left at home, and we need to take care of them,” Wang Qian replied.

As they walked, the mother and daughter quietly discussed their plans. When they arrived near the Zuo family’s small courtyard, they noticed that the atmosphere in the city was not as tense as before, and there were more elderly people out enjoying the sun.

Zhang Lan and her daughter first tidied up the Zuo family’s small courtyard before heading to the area where the elderly people gathered. When the locals saw the young girl selling goods, they naturally gathered around to see what they had brought this time.

Live fish and fresh vegetables were the most popular items. It was still a time of scarcity, and the stored winter vegetables had been mostly consumed. Most households were now eating pickled vegetables, and after a while, everyone wanted a change. Eating pickled vegetables for an extended period left a salty taste in their mouths.

“Hey, what good stuff did you bring today, young lady?” an elderly lady who had previously bought grain asked.

Wang Qian smiled and said to the elderly lady, “Grandma, look at these fresh vegetables. They were harvested early from our farm. We’ll stick to the same price as last time, just a little higher than in the summer. I don’t want to charge more. We also have fish. If any of your families are short of grain, I have some extra. You can buy some according to your needs.”

The topic of grain piqued everyone’s interest. Those who had eaten the grain sold by the Wang family found it to be of a different and superior quality compared to what they had bought from the grain station. It had a faint, pleasant fragrance, and everyone praised its delicious taste.

“Old sisters, let’s go home and get the money bag. Young lady, wait here for a moment. We’ll be right back. We’ll buy everything you have,” the elderly lady said, worried that the mother and daughter might disappear. She then hurried back home, leaving Wang Qian concerned about the possibility of the elderly lady tripping.

After selling their goods, Zhang Lan and her daughter happily returned to their small courtyard to prepare lunch. Unexpectedly, the couple from the Zuo family, who had not been seen for a while, arrived. They pushed the door open and were surprised to find it slightly ajar. Worried, they peeked inside and were relieved to see Wang Qian and her mother sitting in the courtyard. They walked in with joy.

“How did you two come here?” Peng Ziyun asked, pleasantly surprised.

Wang Qian’s eyes lit up at the sight of the handsome couple. Zhang Lan quickly got up to welcome them.

“Brother and sister-in-law, Qian Qian and I came to sell some vegetables and earn some pocket money. Why did you come today? The three kids at home have been asking about you,” Zhang Lan said.

Peng Ziyun and his wife also missed the three children, but they had been busy lately and hadn’t been able to find the time to visit.

“Sister, we’ve been busy with the construction project lately, and the road to the mountain has been difficult to navigate. We just haven’t had the time to come over. Are the kids doing well?”

The mothers’ concern for their children was something Zhang Lan could understand, and they discussed the children’s well-being while preparing the meal.

In the courtyard, Wang Qian sat with Zuo Xiangcheng, updating the handsome uncle on the situation of her grandparents.

“By the way, Uncle Zuo, are you here for business today? If not, why don’t you have lunch here before leaving?” Wang Qian asked.

Zuo Xiangcheng nodded. “We came for business, but it didn’t work out. I came to see the place where your grandmother and grandfather used to live and to mail the letters written by my comrades. By the way, Qian Qian, do you know where the post office is? I heard it’s nearby.”

Zuo Xiangcheng took out a thick stack of letters from his bag to show her. Wang Qian was familiar with the nearby post office, as she often roamed around the area.

“Uncle, give me the letters. I know where it is. It’s not far from our house, and I can get there in no time. You can wait for me to come back,” Wang Qian said.

Impressed by the girl’s capabilities, Zuo Xiangcheng didn’t object to her offer to go. He took out a letter and a stamp from the envelope and said, “Qian Qian, this stamp is quite old, and I’m not sure if the post office will accept it. I don’t even know where our old logistics chief found this old stamp. Take a look. If it’s usable, you can mail the letter. If not, I’ll give you money to buy a new stamp.”

Seeing the stamp in Zuo Xiangcheng’s hand, Wang Qian’s eyes widened. It was a Blue Army stamp, which would be worth a lot in the future.

Carefully taking the precious stamp, which was in good condition despite not being used for many years, she said, “Uncle Zuo, I’m quite fond of stamp collecting. I’ll keep this stamp and buy a new one to use. Is that okay?”

Zuo Xiangcheng didn’t take the inconspicuous stamp seriously and waved his hand, saying, “No problem, it’s nothing. If you like, I’ll help you collect some stamps in the future. I’ll cover the cost of buying stamps. You’re just a child. Where would you get the money?”

Wang Qian, with a smile, pulled out the money she had earned from selling vegetables and said, “Uncle, look, I do have money. This is the money we made from selling vegetables this morning. Don’t worry, I still have eight cents. I’m off now.”

She grabbed the stamp and the stack of letters and ran out of the gate. Today, she had hit the jackpot. At present, the stamp was worthless and no one paid attention to it. However, in the future, it would be a valuable asset. She guessed that the old logistics chief had kept it for sentimental reasons, but since it was no longer needed, he had taken it out.

Wang Qian went to the post office, bought a new stamp, affixed it to the letters, and gleefully returned after dropping them in the mailbox.

Zuo Xiangcheng hadn’t been sitting in the courtyard for long when he saw the young girl push the door open and enter. “Uncle, I’ve mailed all the letters, and I used a new stamp. By the way, if you come across any good stamps in the future, please collect them for me,” she said.

She wasn’t sure if collecting stamps was still popular, but it was better to start now than later. There wouldn’t be many opportunities to find stamps in their rural area, but the military would have a large volume of mail, so they should come across some good ones.

Zuo Xiangcheng readily agreed to Wang Qian’s request. “Sure, I’ll collect them for you and mail them to you when I have enough.”

As the two women chatted inside, Peng Ziyun heard about the incident where his three sons had teamed up to teach Wang Zhenguo a lesson. He couldn’t help but smile happily. “Sister, I hope nothing serious happened in the end. These three rascals are really something. We adults might not have thought of this. They did well, especially my son.”