My blind date paper figure rejected me because I was poor, so my dad angrily burned ten trillion.

"I have an urgent matter and need to rush back. I don't believe in this stuff!"

Zhang Jianguo had no intention of waiting at all.

"Alright, then be careful!"

Old Jin shook his head.

Old Zhang is such a traditionalist.

You don't believe this?

After leaving the residential area.

Once they reached the roadside and got into the car, Wei Xiulan said worriedly, "Dad, should we wait a bit? This sounds so scary!"

"Something seems fishy about this!"

Zhang Jianguo also frowned.

"That's right. You said our son just appeared in a dream, and now there are these kinds of rumors? Could it really be ghosts?"

Wei Xiulan couldn't help but say.

"Whether it's true or not, let's go back first. Our son is suffering down there, and he has no money left!"

Zhang Jianguo said.

"Okay, sure, drive carefully!"

When Wei Xiulan heard that her son was short of money, she couldn't care less about anything else.

Zhang Jianguo nodded.

We drove straight to Zhangjiazhuang in Gaochun Township.

The journey was smooth.

Safe and sound.

but……

There were quite a few people burning paper money by the roadside.

The smoke created a lot of noise, which greatly affected visibility.

The further they drove into the countryside, the stranger the situation seemed to them.

This isn't the Ghost Festival or the Cold Clothes Festival, so why are so many people burning things?

Surely they weren't all appearing in my dreams?

My heart was filled with doubts.

But neither of them dared to delay.

We arrived at Old Liu's incense and candle shop in town at 7:30.

I made a phone call before they opened the door.

Old Liu was still half asleep.

After a long pause, he exclaimed in surprise, "Old Zhang?"

"It's me. Didn't you recognize my voice when I called?"

Zhang Jianguo smiled.

"Hey, I just fell asleep, how could I tell!"

He welcomed them in, led them to the inner room, and only after they were seated did he ask, "You came to see me so early, is there something you need?"

"I want to burn some paper money for my son!"

Zhang Jianguo said.

"Huh? You, who always oppose feudal superstition, are burning paper money? That's rare!"

Old Liu looked surprised.

"There's nothing I can do. That brat appeared to me in a dream, saying he's so poor down there he can't even afford food. I don't believe it, but I just want some peace of mind!"

Zhang Jianguo said.

"Did your son appear to you in a dream?"

Upon hearing this, Old Liu immediately became alert.

Even his expression turned serious.

"Yeah, Lao Liu, what's with that expression?"

Zhang Jianguo was puzzled.

"Old Zhang, we're such good friends, I won't lie to you. My incense and candle shop has been doing incredibly well lately. Lots of people come here to buy things, saying their children have appeared to them in dreams. Usually, business only really picks up during the three Ghost Festivals: Qingming, Zhongyuan, and Hanyi Festival. But these past two days, business has been unusually high. I'm wondering if something's wrong?"

Old Liu himself didn't understand.

But he knew better than anyone what the business situation was like at the incense and candle shop.

This has been really unusual lately.

Upon hearing this, he learned that his son had also received a dream.

I couldn't help but say a few more words.

"Is that so strange?"

Wei Xiulan, who was standing to the side, was also completely astonished.

"That's right, and... the Market Supervision Bureau issued an order yesterday that all future paper money will be centrally distributed, just like cigarettes!"

Old Liu said seriously, "In the past, these kinds of things to burn for the dead were all produced by private factories, and then we would wholesale and sell them. This change to a standardized formula... is very unusual!"

Zhang Jianguo and Wei Xiulan exchanged a glance.

This is more than unusual.

simply……

It's absolutely bizarre.

Unified rationing.

In other words, it is highly likely that the state is in control behind the scenes.

What does it mean that the state has taken control of the country?

What Lao Jin said is very likely true.

In an instant.

The couple shivered simultaneously.

Is this really going to be a night parade of a hundred ghosts?

"Old Liu, this story is giving me goosebumps!"

Zhang Jianguo couldn't help but ask.

Old Liu was also helpless.

"Me too, I've been feeling really strange lately!"

Zhang Jianguo and his wife exchanged a glance.

It seems that Lao Liu doesn't know much either.

He then asked, "How much paper money is left here? I'll sell it all!"

"Let me show you!"

Old Liu went inside and checked.

"A lot of people have been burning paper money these past two days; the total amount is close to one trillion!"

I heard a lot.

But in reality, a stack of paper money with a face value of 100 million only costs two yuan.

A stack contains about a hundred sheets.

One trillion...

That's only a hundred stacks.

It can fit in a breakfast milk carton, with room to spare.

That adds up to about two hundred yuan.

"Isn't that a bit too little?"

Wei Xiulan said.

"That's not a small amount. After today, all the incense and candle shops in this town will have to exchange paper and pens for their equivalent value on a one-to-one basis!"

Old Liu said.

He then complained, "I don't know what those people were thinking. Aren't the denominations on the paper money just randomly written?"

"this……"

The two of them looked at each other strangely.

"This is the last of my stock. I'll give you a 20 yuan discount, so it'll be 180 yuan!"

Old Liu said.

"Okay, Lao Liu's a good friend!"

Zhang Jianguo, be careful.

Then he asked, "Does this shop have anything else? Like paper villas, paper sports cars, paper dolls, or something?"

"It was there yesterday, but look at it today, it's all gone!"

Old Liu pointed to the bare incense and candle shop.

Forget about paper villas.

Even the incense and candles are gone.

"I really don't know why business has suddenly become so good?"

Old Liu was completely baffled.

Zhang Jianguo had already sensed that something was wrong.

But it was only a suspicion.

Let's find out about this first.

I'll go back and confirm it with my son in my dream.

Just ...

I wonder if that brat is still coming?

"Then let's buy this first, Lao Liu. Your cooking skills are excellent. Give me a call when it arrives; I need to cook more for my son!"

Zhang Jianguo said politely.

"Why are you being so polite with me?"

Old Liu gave him a look that said, "You're being too polite."

"Alright, I won't stay any longer. I'll go to his grave and burn the offerings for him!"

After saying that, the couple got up and left.

Watch them leave.

Old Liu closed the shop door.

Then, a man and a woman came out of the innermost warehouse.

"Captain Zhou, this is an old friend of mine from the same village. Is his son down there...?"

Old Liu cautiously tried to find out some information.

"It's just a possibility, but let's register first!"

Zhou Zhengyang said.

"good!"

The woman next to him nodded.

They quickly found their identity information on the tablet.

Then add a note at the end.

"Team Leader Zhou, I guess I'm officially part of the official staff now!"

Old Liu asked politely.

"You're not officially part of the staff yet; the policy from above hasn't been released. You're essentially on the sidelines, but there are some things you shouldn't pry into. The more you know, the less good it will do you!"

Zhou Zhengyang spoke seriously.

"I know, I know, I'll definitely keep it a secret and keep an eye on the people who come to buy things, and report back as soon as possible!"

Old Liu was very polite.

I was quite happy inside.

Who would have thought that opening a candle and incense shop would lead to being recruited?

"Then we'll be leaving now. The paper money has been nationalized and can no longer be issued at will, but everything else remains the same!"

Before leaving, Zhou Zhengyang gave a warning, "Don't mess around. Things aren't like they used to be; it's easy for someone to die!"

"Don't worry, Captain Zhou, I know!"

Old Liu nodded.

After leaving Lao Liu's incense and candle shop.

Lan Xin, who was standing next to her, put away her notebook and asked, "Captain, that couple seemed to have something they didn't say. Could they be... psychics?"

What do you think?

Zhou Zhengyang asked.

"I think the chances are much higher!"

Lan Xin said seriously, "Their goal is very clear. They came in to buy paper effigies to burn for their son. They didn't hesitate at all. It's possible that those things specifically told them to burn paper money when they appeared in their dreams, which is why they're acting this way!"

"That's not necessarily true. Does everyone who comes to buy paper money not actually buy any?"

Zhou Zhengyang said.

Seeing that Lan Xin wanted to refute, she thought of rebutting.

Zhou Zhengyang immediately added, "Just mark them. There are too many people like this. We have a lot of things to do, and we have a meeting at noon. Let's go, let's go to the Taoist temple!"

"good!"

Lan Xin nodded.

……