The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 27: Girl's Heart

Qian Jin came to the Jiu Tiao Lane black market in the dark early in the morning and encountered those familiar toilets and stoves again.

All toilet openings and stove smoke vents are fully aligned with the street.

Each of them is selfless and only benefits others.

Jiu Tiao Lane is one of the most chaotic areas in Haibin City.

Qian Jin had inquired and found out that a black market had spontaneously formed here long before liberation.

At that time, there were often crowds of people, and gold yuan coupons were weighed by the pound.

After liberation, supplies were scarce and the black market here continued to be used.

The morning mist had already risen before dawn.

The night is hazy and foggy.

Qian Jin did not rush into the black market but waited at the entrance of an alley.

There are people doing business outside.

Temporary stalls made of tarpaulin are lined up along the wall, and farmers with patched clothes and torn cloth shoes are carefully taking care of the vegetables they have just brought from the fields.

The sale of seasonal vegetables does not require vegetable tickets, so there is no need to be afraid even if you encounter security guards, as they basically don't care.

Qian Jin thought about buying some to take back later.

Last night's salad was delicious.

Suddenly, a middle-aged man in a baseball cap walked towards him from the shadows and very friendly took out a pack of Fengshou cigarettes and handed it to him:

"What are you changing for, comrade? Look here."

"Food coupons are more expensive than door curtains, and cloth is more expensive than flyers. There's nothing you can't imagine, and nothing I can't do!"

As he said this, he opened his collar.

Qian Jin took a quick look——

Oh, is this the Eighteen Bags Elder of the Beggars' Sect here?
The middle-aged man's clothes were full of pockets, like the pockets of an old sow, lined up here and there.

Qian Jin now has a better understanding of the current era. He guessed the man's identity based on his attire:

An old hand at reselling tickets.

Qian Jin didn't dare to deal with these people and shook his head grimly.

The old hand still wanted to pester him.

There were hurried footsteps, and Liu Dajia came with the old man with glasses whom he met last time at the black market:
"Go away, this is for me to deliver the goods. What are you doing here? Do you want to intercept my goods?"

The old man snorted twice and went back into the shadows.

The old man with glasses shook hands with Qian Jin and said, "Call me Old Wei. Let me see what you brought."

He opened the cloth bag and looked.

Qian Jin held the bag's mouth and said, "Comrade Laowei, I'll give you the things in exchange, and then we'll have nothing to do with each other anymore!"

The old man with glasses was stunned for a moment, then laughed out loud: "Comrade Old Tail, that's a good name."

"Okay, it seems you've inquired about the rules in advance. This is the best way for us to do it."

Qian Jin said cautiously, "No need to talk too much. I want to exchange bills. Please quote me a price."

The old man with glasses said, "I don't have many bills on hand, so I can't exchange them for the goods you have. These are all hard goods!"

He couldn't help but marvel.

Then, seeing Qian Jin's caution, he consoled him:

"Actually, you don't have to be afraid. With the downfall of that gang, the atmosphere in the city has become much more relaxed."

"Recently, many young people have come here looking for handwritten copies of 'Girl's Heart,' 'The Return,' and 'A Pair of Embroidered Shoes.'"

"In the past, people would come here to exchange for food, drink, and medical supplies. Who would dare to touch these artistic things?"

Qian Jin asked: "What should we do then?"

Old Wei smiled and said, "Let's wait. These are hot commodities, so they won't change quickly. I'll negotiate a good price for you, and then I'll only take 20% - not much, right?

Qian Jin accepted it and waved him away.

Lao Wei asked, "Can you trust me so much?"

Qian Jin put his index finger on his nose and poked his eye socket, then turned sideways and made a Xiang Zuo-style silly pose: "If you doubt someone, don't employ him; if you employ someone, don't doubt him."

Old Wei was puzzled by this look.

The supplies were handed over to others, and the remaining money was used to wander around in the black market.

He had mixed feelings about the place.

On the one hand, I don't want to take risks.

On the other hand, this was indeed a great place for him to exchange supplies before he entered the supply and marketing system.

Even if it enters the supply and marketing system, the existence of the black market is still necessary.

There are some things he needs in large quantities, which are easiest to exchange here, such as various bills.

In addition, many of the things he bought from the mall are also most needed here.

Lao Wei took his goods back to his fixed location.

When toffee, canned food, condiments, buttons, pens, and small accessories were put out, people came flocking in.

Qian Jin looked quietly. A female worker in a blue-spun leather work uniform pulled out a menstrual belt. When she untied it, she found a stack of cloth coupons sewn inside.
"Replace them all with milk candies. My brother has low blood sugar and he always faints when he goes to the countryside to do farm work because he's too tired..."

A man approached, his face hidden by a straw hat. "What's in this little green bottle? Is it wine? Open it and let me smell it. Is it real wine?"

"Okay, I have some food coupons here. Give me two bottles—not enough? I have some eggs for you, too. Stop whining and get down to business!"

A young man also asked, "This pen is so beautiful. I just need a gift. How can I exchange it for something? Oh, I have an industrial ticket here. It's just right for a pen, right?"

The news spread quickly.

Suddenly, some people gathered in the seemingly empty alley and came to Lao Wei to exchange supplies.

Qian Jin whispered to Liu Dajia, "Why are some people carrying bundles? What's in those bulging bags?"

Liu Dajia said, "It's chaff. If the security guards come, we can all throw the chaff up together and run away, leaving the security guards at a loss."

Qian Jin said, "That's a good idea, but why not use lime powder?"

Liu Dajia laughed and said, "I heard that lime powder was actually used, but the Public Security Bureau immediately closed down the place. We can't go too far. Both sides have to come to Taiwan."

The black market is a magical little world.

There's everything for you to change here.

Qian Jin saw all kinds of food from all over the world, bacon from the southwest, wild delicacies from the northeast, dried goods from the southeast, and naan and dried sausages from the northwest.

He also saw medicines, foreign books and even medical certificates issued by hospitals.

Someone saw that he was young and came to sell him a diagnosis:
"A educated youth who's back to visit relatives? Or do you know someone like this? I have an authoritative diagnosis from the People's Hospital. Take it back and show it to the educated youth. They'll definitely let you return to the city!"

Qian Jin asked: "What do you want to change?"

"No need to exchange, sell it for two hundred yuan!" His voice was firm and fearless.

Qian Jin was silent.

Are you crazy about money?

Liu Dajia told him that this thing is still in high demand.

The seller dares to say that this diagnosis is authoritative, which means that the relevant doctors will help to cover up the problem.

The educated youth center will not release someone just by looking at the diagnosis. They will call the hospital to verify the situation.

A medical diagnosis can be forged, but the doctor’s personal confirmation of the condition cannot be forged.

Qian Jin was once again amazed.

At dawn, Lao Wei closed his stall.

He waved to Qian Jin, and the two of them found a corner and started to discuss:
"Sixty cans, fifty pens, five hundred buttons, five hundred candies, and all those little things and condiments. Here, the tickets for the return trip are all here."

"These are over 200 kilograms of national grain coupons, over 500 kilograms of Haibin grain coupons, oil coupons, industrial coupons, cloth coupons, coal coupons, meat coupons..."

"You count them all."

After quickly counting the bills, Qian Jin put on his bag and left.

Lao Wei stopped him, still smiling: "I'll give you a copy of 'Girl's Heart'. Go back and read it. You young people like this the most."

"Remember to return it to me next time you come. This thing is very valuable now and can be sold for ten dollars!"

Qian Jin looked at him doubtfully: "Aren't you afraid that I won't return it to you?"

Old Wei imitated him and acted like Xiang's idiot: "Don't lend to people you doubt, and don't doubt people you lend to."

Qian Jin laughed, stuffed the handwritten diary into his bag and left.

He was quite curious about what the imperial books of this era looked like.

Besides, he hadn't practiced his craft for a while, and this thing was inherited from his ancestors, so he couldn't let it go.

The sky in the east was turning pale, and buses and bicycles began to run on the streets.

Qian Jin took Liu Dajia to buy vegetables outside the black market.

It’s not convenient to buy this thing from the mall now. It has a fresh food platform, but the golden box can’t hold many vegetables.

An old man stuffed a basket with thick layers of bran and wheat husks, inside which were bright red eggs: "No tickets for the eggs..."

Liu Dajia stole a glance and made piston movements on his Adam's apple.

Qian Jin had some money on hand, so he bought some.

At this moment, a three-wheeled motorcycle suddenly came over, and a security guard jumped out of the motorcycle and walked over quickly to scold the people setting up stalls:
"Last month, seven people were arrested here. One was sentenced to five years for trading food coupons. How dare you come here?"

Qian Jin's eyelids were twitching wildly. He tried to stay calm and silently said to himself, "You can't see me, you can't see me."

A member who was selling vegetables took out a piece of paper with a red stamp on it from his pocket. On one side was the "Agriculture Learns from Dazhai Initiative" and on the other side was a letter of introduction issued by the production team, preparing to plead for mercy.

The security guard walked up to him and said, "You still want 15 cents for these beans? Look at how many worm holes there are. 10 cents."

Member: “Huh?”

The security guard took out the money and said: "Weigh two kilograms for me, don't be short of a pound..."

"Hey, there's no rotten egg in the eggs, right? Give me a discount, I bought a lot, and the cafeteria at my workplace asked me to buy them..."

After a circle, the three-wheeled motorcycle left fully loaded.

Qian Jin also left.

In the morning light, the alley behind me begins to bustle with the hustle and bustle of a new day.
He has a good idea of ​​the current situation in the black market.

(End of this chapter)