The Black Market in Sijiu City

“Young man, how much do you plan to charge for these items?” the old lady asked with a smile.

“Ma’am, I’m not trying to make money off you. I bought this malted milk for 50 yuan, and it also required a coupon. This brown sugar was eight mao per jin, and it also required a sugar coupon…” Zhao Dongchuan calculated everything, including the cost of the coupons, and it came to about 90 yuan.

The old lady actually already had a good idea in her mind; she could roughly estimate the price at a glance. She was just confirming with Zhao Dongchuan. The price Zhao Dongchuan quoted was very close to her estimate. Although it was more expensive than at the supply and marketing cooperative, these were readily available. At least it was cheaper than on the black market, so she accepted the price.

“Oh, young man, to be honest, I know this price, and you haven’t overcharged me. It’s just that I don’t have that much money in my pocket!” the old lady said with a helpless expression.

“Ma’am, how about this? You go home and get the money, and I’ll wait for you right here at the hospital entrance… You can come back to find me after you get the money… But I must say in advance, I’ll only wait for you for an hour. After an hour, I’ll have to leave…” Zhao Dongchuan said with a slight smile.

Even a small mosquito has meat; he could earn about twenty yuan from this single transaction.

That was equivalent to a three-year apprentice's monthly salary.

He still had quite a lot of these items in his space, all purchased from different stores.

Just as the old lady was about to turn around, Zhao Dongchuan suddenly remembered something and whispered, “Ma’am, if you have any small gold bars or old artifacts at home, that would work too…”

The old lady looked up at Zhao Dongchuan with a hint of surprise. She thought for a moment, then nodded and said, “Young man, you are a good person. I’ll go back and check now…”

As she spoke, the old lady hurried home.

She needed to hurry and get the money. Thinking of some ancestral items still at home, she quickened her pace even more.

These old artifacts and gold hidden away might be discovered any day, and then she wouldn’t get a single penny and would even get into trouble. This truly was a kind person!

Zhao Dongchuan had simply made a casual move. Anyway, this business didn’t hinder him; he would earn what he could, and he had nothing else to do.

So, he found a secluded corner at the hospital entrance and sat down.

Watching the clouds roll and unroll, quietly listening to the flowers bloom and wither!

…………

Just as he was pondering whether the cloud in the sky looked more like a pair of C's or a pair of D's, the old lady's voice reached his ears.

“Young man, I’m here!”

The old lady was also carrying a bag, and she spoke in a mysterious whisper.

Immediately, the two began their transaction.

The old lady unwrapped her bundle, revealing a wooden box inside.

When she opened the wooden box, there was a gold-inlaid jade bracelet.

Zhao Dongchuan knew at a glance that this item was genuine. In his original world, he had seen this quality in various gold shops. They usually cost over a hundred thousand yuan, with better ones even reaching several hundred thousand, depending on the luster and type of jade.

“Young man, how much do you think this bracelet is worth?”

Uh. This was awkward; he didn’t understand such things~~~~

“Ma’am, to be honest, I don’t understand this item either. I just happen to like these things… How about this, I’ll give you 30 yuan for it?”

The old lady pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, “Alright, let’s do as you say!”

Zhao Dongchuan then received sixty yuan and the bracelet, and he gave the bag of gifts to the old lady. The transaction was complete.

As she was leaving, the old lady quietly asked, “Young man, did you get these things from the black market?”

“No, I bought them at the supply and marketing cooperative!”

The old lady, with an 'I understand' look, whispered, “Hehe, young man, don’t worry, I understand!

Speaking of which, to supplement my daughter-in-law’s nutrition, I’ve also been to the black market quite a bit to scour for things!”

Faced with such a familiar old lady, Zhao Dongchuan was speechless. Wasn't she afraid he would report her?

Then he thought, he himself had just acquired something from her, which was probably why the old lady wasn't afraid.

They were both in the same boat; neither could criticize the other!

However, he didn't know anything about the black market in Beijing. The original owner didn't care about such things, and he himself hadn't spent much time in Beijing. During the days he returned to Beijing for the New Year, he didn't have a chance to ask.

He thought that he could take this opportunity to go to the black market in Beijing to look for things.

Zhao Dongchuan’s heart stirred as he said, “Which black market did you go to? It shouldn't be the same place as mine, right? The Four-Nine City is so big…”

“Hehe! You don’t need to try and trick me. Judging by your accent, you’re an educated youth, aren’t you?” the old lady said, smiling as if she knew something.

“Your accent sounds like a local, but something’s a bit off. I guess you must have been sent to the countryside…”

…………

Zhao Dongchuan was truly impressed at this moment. She could even guess from his accent. He really wanted to ask if the famous “Chaoyang Masses” who later gained national recognition originated from here.

“In our old Four-Nine City, there are only a few black markets… But in these times…” The old lady sighed deeply as she spoke.

Mentioning this made the old lady a bit dispirited, and she took her things and was about to leave.

Zhao Dongchuan managed to persuade her to stay after much effort. The old lady hastily gave him the address and then quickly left.

Subsequently, Zhao Dongchuan also quickly departed, his figure winding through several turns and disappearing into a certain alley.

… … …

Late at night, Zhao Dongchuan, having eaten his fill at the state-run restaurant, arrived at a secluded alley in Chongwenmen, following the address the old lady had given him.

This was originally known as Dongxiaoshi in the Four-Nine City, but due to the strict crackdown during a special period, it had been moved to a hidden alley.

Zhao Dongchuan was dressed in black, with a black scarf covering half his face.

Like in Huangyuan, he hadn't walked far into the alley before someone stopped him.

“Buying or selling?”

“Buying!”

“To buy, pay 5 fen!”

Zhao Dongchuan pulled 5 fen from his pocket, paid the entrance fee, and walked straight in.

The person didn't stop him.

Before long, Zhao Dongchuan saw various stalls lining both sides of the alley. It was too dark to see clearly what was being sold, but each stall had a faint small lamp, and only by getting close could one tell what was on offer.

He was quite curious about the black market in Beijing and how it differed from places like Huangyuan.

As he walked along, he noticed that all sorts of things were being sold here: antiques, gold beads, jewelry, even complete wooden items, gemstones, and, of course, grain and grain coupons were common.

He didn't dare to buy antiques because he wasn't an expert; he just came to broaden his horizons. He wouldn't believe there were no fakes now; the art of making things look old had existed for a very long time.

He wasn't short on grain; he still had a large pile of it in his space.

So, he was like a passerby here, wandering around. However, on the black market, no one cared about anyone's background or what they bought or sold, and there were many people like him.

Walking and walking, Zhao Dongchuan stopped in front of a stall.