Back to the 60s: The Struggle Career of a Charmed Wife
Chapter 954 - 0954 Capital Chronicle 2

Chapter 954: Chapter 0954 Capital Chronicle 2

Aside from nodding, Feng Qingxue made no other movement.

Because she understood Lu Jiang’s concern, she obediently followed his lead.

Although the two of them had blackened their faces and their clothes were quite ordinary, patched all over, they looked robust and clearly did not lack food, especially with Lu Jiang carrying a basket on his back.

Thus, as soon as they appeared on the edge of the black market, they were targeted.

A teenager, about ten years old, darted faster than a rabbit and was instantly in front of them. Though he was pleading, there was not a hint of humility in his entire being, "Could you sell me some food? Coarse grain is fine, coarse grain is fine."

He was very tactful, keeping his voice very low.

Lu Jiang saw that the boy was dark and thin, the kind of thin that was skin and bones, and his clothes were very tattered. Lu Jiang couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow, realizing that although the difficult times had passed five or six years ago, and the famine had been alleviated, there were still many people who had neither sufficient food nor clothes.

"What do you have to pay with?" Feng Qingxue’s voice carried a touch of gentle teasing.

The boy’s face instantly flushed red, and he stammered, "Three yuan and twenty-five cents, I only have three yuan and twenty-five cents. I heard that coarse grain on the black market is thirty cents a pound, and I was hoping, hoping I could buy ten pounds of coarse grain to get through these tough times."

Feng Qingxue thought for a moment and then handed him ten Grain Tickets, "Take this three yuan and twenty-five cents to the grain shop to buy, it’s more economical than buying on the black market."

The boy was startled and began to tremble violently, "Grain Tickets..." They were military grain tickets, Flour Tickets, for fine grain.

The price of such tickets on the black market was equivalent to the price of the grain itself.

The current price of coarse grain was thirty cents, and fine grain was seventy to eighty cents a pound, with fluctuations. During bad times, it could sell for a yuan a pound. Seven years ago, just one fine grain ticket could fetch a high price of five or six yuan.

According to the national regulations, ten Flour Tickets could be used to buy thirty or forty pounds of coarse grain at the grain shop, because fine grain was too precious.

"Take it, hurry home, and don’t stay here. Tickets are not money, they’re not food, and you shouldn’t make us out to be black marketeers!" Feng Qingxue said gently. Not taking money was an act of charity; no one could fault them. But if she took the boy’s money, it would be a different story. Tickets and Industrial Coupons could be given away, but trading them was illegal.

"I can’t..."

Feng Qingxue pulled Lu Jiang away, looking back with a smile, "Hurry home, children shouldn’t loiter around here."

The boy ran up to them in two quick steps, blocking their way, "My name is Xing Yushan, and my brother is Xing Minshan. Uncle and auntie, may I know your honored names? My brother, my younger brother, and I will surely repay you. Please be sure to tell me."

"Xing Minshan?" Feng Qingxue blurted out.

"You know my brother?"

"I don’t know you, and I don’t know your brother, but I heard your brother’s name a few years ago," Feng Qingxue said, her face lighting up with a smile. "My son is named Lu Tianmao, his nickname is Xibao."

Xing Yushan suddenly covered his mouth, "Little Xibao, the Little Xibao who gave us steamed buns to eat!"

He was holding the Grain Tickets in one hand and grabbed Feng Qingxue’s hand with the other, shaking it excitedly, tears falling, "I remember, I remember, that winter, if it hadn’t been for Grandfather Lu and Xibao giving us money and grain tickets, as well as feeding us steamed buns, my brothers and I would never have made it through the month on just sweet potato peels and rotten vegetable leaves. You’re all kind-hearted people, great people, the Grandfather Lu and Xibao we met were like that, helping us without expecting anything in return, and auntie, you’re the same."