Huangyuan Black Market

Zhao Dongchuan clutched the bag containing the chicken, trying to use his mind to transfer it into his space.

Hmm, no reaction!!!

He continued to test, untying the bag, touching the chicken leg with his hand, and trying to collect it!

Hmm, still no reaction!!!

Zhao Dongchuan already had an answer in his heart; it was highly probable that live creatures could not be put in.

Sure enough, later tests with fish and sparrows also failed.

It seemed that whether it was water, land, or air, it just didn't work!!!

Zhao Dongchuan chuckled at his somewhat childish classification.

The biggest difference between a live creature and other things is that one is alive and one is dead, but what is the essential difference?

Is the essence that one has life and one doesn't?

Then how do you distinguish and define what has life and what doesn't?

Zhao Dongchuan fell into a strange philosophical contemplation.

Forget it, whatever, let's eat!!!!

Zhao Dongchuan displayed the excellent tradition of the Chinese nation: if he couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't think about it. Let's eat, for food is the paramount necessity of the people!!!

Originally, he wanted to stew the chicken, fry a fish, and release the sparrows.

But he didn't want to process the chicken and fish himself. It wasn't that he didn't know how to, but that he didn't want to personally butcher them, which would give him a strange sense of guilt! Well, perhaps some people would call him overly sensitive for this, but so be it.

At least for now, he didn't need to do it himself. Zhao Dongchuan planned to take the chicken and fish to Jia Bing, whose wife, Shufen, was an excellent cook!

He also wanted to see if he could gather some information. Jia Bing had lived in Huangyuan City for many years and was more familiar with it than he was.

Perhaps he could find out some useful intelligence.

Thinking of this, Zhao Dongchuan put away the bag, hung the chicken and fish on his bicycle, and rode towards Jia Bing's home.

When he arrived at Jia Bing's yard, the big black dog "Baron" trotted affectionately to Zhao Dongchuan, rubbed against his pant leg, and let out happy whimpers!

Hearing the sound, Jia Bing came out and, seeing it was Zhao Dongchuan, greeted him, "You rascal, it's rare for a busy man like you to have time to visit our home."

Zhao Dongchuan, naturally not annoyed, joked back, "Teacher Jia, I'm just craving sister-in-law's cooking. I even brought a chicken and a fish with me."

Jia Bing's wife, Shufen, also came out, smiling, "Little Zhao, you're welcome to visit anytime, but why bring things? If you want to eat my cooking, just come often!"

Zhao Dongchuan handed the chicken and fish to Jia Bing's wife: "I got my salary today and bought some meat. Sister-in-law, please help me prepare it."

Shufen no longer stood on ceremony, taking them with a smile.

"Alright, you got your salary today, that's worth celebrating. This also counts as you officially settling down in Huangyuan City." She said, then went to the kitchen and started bustling.

After a while of bustling, the food was ready, and the three of them sat on the kang, eating around the table.

Zhao Dongchuan praised his sister-in-law's excellent cooking, which was perfect in color, aroma, and taste, while chatting with Teacher Jia.

"Teacher Jia, let me ask you, do you know where I can get a watch coupon? I want to buy a watch. I've saved up the money, but the problem is there are no coupons right now!"

"You just got your salary and you want to buy a watch? A watch costs almost a hundred yuan!"

"Young people just can't be patient, they like to show off!" Jia Bing said, sounding a bit disappointed.

"I heard there's a place where you can get one, but I haven't been there myself, so just take it as a reference, okay?" After a moment, Jia Bing lowered his head and voice, saying.

"Near the East Gate Bus Station, there's a market where people often exchange coupons they don't need or other goods." Jia Bing emphasized the word 'exchange'.

Afterward, Jia Bing told Zhao Dongchuan the specific location of that place, how to enter, and what to be aware of.

Hearing this, Zhao Dongchuan suddenly realized that there was also a black market in Huangyuan City. He had vaguely felt there should be one, but he hadn't found anyone who knew the ropes.

He hadn't expected Jia Bing to be so clear about it.

Seeing Zhao Dongchuan's unusual expression, Jia Bing's face looked a bit unnatural as he said, "I only found out about it before when Shufen was sick, and I wanted to get her some nourishing food."

Zhao Dongchuan's 'I understand' expression made Jia Bing feel a bit awkward.

Jia Bing chuckled, then changed the subject, no longer talking about that topic, and instead started discussing Zhao Dongchuan's newly conceived novel.

Jia Bing listened to Zhao Dongchuan's story outline and said that the story had great potential and hoped it could be published in the provincial magazine "Yan River."

It was just born at the wrong time; the current atmosphere placed great restrictions on realistic novels. Jia Bing was unsure if it could be published. Zhao Dongchuan's previous love of life was only a short poem, and its theme was to express "love of life." Those who understood would understand, and others couldn't delve into specific issues or make a fuss about it.

Zhao Dongchuan didn't mind; he knew very well that in another two years, policies would change, and that would be when the literary world would burst forth with powerful vitality.

The two chatted animatedly, while Shufen continuously refilled Jia Bing's drink and served him food.

The small room exuded a strong sense of everyday life, making one feel involuntarily immersed.

Zhao Dongchuan bid farewell to the Jia Bing couple and returned to his dormitory, feeling a little tipsy.

Looking at Jia Bing's loving family, a strange emotion welled up in his heart, but he quickly dismissed it. Now was not the time to think about such things; he had a long and arduous journey ahead.

The next day, which happened to be the weekend, Zhao Dongchuan went to Li Huiying's home, bringing some cakes bought from the Department Store, as a benefit from the "boss" to his employee.

It was just that he was too young, and Li Huiying was a simple middle-aged woman; otherwise, if he, a young man, visited a widow's house from time to time, rumors would surely spread.

The neighbors around only thought he was Li Huiying's relative or nephew and didn't treat him any differently.

After telling Li Huiying about the information he got from Jia Bing, Zhao Dongchuan decided to test the waters first and explore the path. If it worked, he would let Li Huiying sell goods in the "black market" in the future. Although she would have to pay an entrance fee, she wouldn't have to live in fear anymore.

Zhao Dongchuan put on his system glasses in an unmanned place, changed his appearance, and rode his bicycle to the "black market" Jia Bing had mentioned.

Along the way, pedestrians, donkey carts, horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, and cars were all mixed together. Although there were no specific traffic regulations at this time, everyone consciously divided the areas.

Zhao Dongchuan occasionally swerved around pedestrians and yielded to passing cars, finally arriving at the market near the bus station that Jia Bing had mentioned. He found a parking spot at a state-owned store for his bicycle, then made his way into a small alley.

After exchanging secret signals with the masked lookout and paying a 5-fen entrance fee, Zhao Dongchuan entered a new world—a network of interconnected alleys.

Unlike Shenzhen, there wasn't an open-air area where people could openly set up stalls.

This was more like a hidden underground battlefield. The sellers were all masked, squatting or standing in corners. Some had a large bag beside them, revealing agricultural and sideline products or chickens, ducks, fish, and meat. Others sold fashionable clothes brought from elsewhere. Those who were more particular would lay out a cloth and display their treasures.

Compared to the market in Shenzhen, this place seemed quieter, with conversations held in hushed tones.

It seemed that the Huangyuan region was not only economically underdeveloped but also more conservative in its ideology and various aspects.