Wang Lingling really hadn’t brought a letter of introduction with her—she didn’t have a legitimate reason for needing one. After all, how could she tell the brigade that she was going to the black market? What’s more, she had been reborn, and because she had seen what the market looked like after it was liberalized in her previous life, she didn’t take the current prohibition on private trading seriously at all.
So, she just braved it and came into the county town without a letter.
But Wang Lingling had overlooked something: just because the market would open up in the future didn’t mean that enforcement was lenient now. A young woman wandering around nervously, carrying cash and a pocketful of items into the black market—she immediately stood out to the old hands around her.
Sure enough, when the whistle blew, all the old-timers scattered like clockwork. Every one of them had prearranged hiding spots. Even the rural folks who had come to sell agricultural goods quickly slung their goods over their shoulders and darted into alleyways to get back on the main road. If stopped and questioned, they’d say they were visiting relatives in town, or delivering something to the hospital for someone from the brigade.
They all dispersed, and a few who were too slow got caught and just cursed their bad luck. As for Wang Lingling, this reckless newbie, she wasn’t even slow but still got caught.
Once they questioned her—well, she had no letter of introduction. And in those days, there were no IDs. Without a way to prove her identity, they could only take her back and lock her up for questioning.
Wang Lingling was falling apart. She kept insisting she was a military wife, had two children, and her husband was a platoon leader named so-and-so.
It would have been better if she hadn’t said anything—once she did, it only made things worse. A female officer seemed to latch onto a weak point and shouted, “You said you’ve had two kids? Who are you trying to fool? You don’t look like you’ve ever given birth. Don’t think I can’t tell! Women who’ve had kids don’t look like you.”
Wang Lingling quickly changed her story, saying she was a stepmother. But the way she kept patching her lies only made them more suspicious. Originally, the anti-speculation unit had considered sending someone to her brigade to check her story, but now they didn’t bother. They figured this woman definitely had something shady going on. Better to lock her up and interrogate her slowly. If she turned out to be a real enemy element, then the unit could take the credit for catching her.
So, Wang Lingling was detained. The anti-speculation unit didn’t allow her to contact anyone outside either, fearing she might alert accomplices.
Wang Lingling’s brain just couldn’t process it. She never imagined the first major challenge she’d face after being reborn would be getting caught by the anti-speculation unit. She went hysterical, but unfortunately, her outburst only reinforced their belief that she was hiding something.
Not only did they lock her up, they also decided to starve her for two meals to crush the “enemy element’s” spirit.
Meanwhile, Xu Shuang and Wang Ying had no idea about Wang Lingling’s misfortune. The two of them, one after the other, headed to the county hospital.
Xu Shuang explained that Nanshao County had only two hospitals: the county hospital and the traditional Chinese medicine hospital. The rest were medical clinics and health centers run by state-owned factories. It was the same everywhere: small ailments were treated at the factory clinics, and serious cases were sent to the two main hospitals.
Of the two, the county hospital had more doctors and mainly used Western medicine—more expensive too. The TCM hospital prescribed both herbal and Western medicine. People with chronic or stubborn illnesses often preferred the TCM hospital, getting herbal remedies to slowly recover at home.
Wang Ying chose to go to the county hospital because back when there had been an accident in their brigade, the injured were all sent there first—and her mother had passed away at the county hospital.
When the two arrived outside the hospital, Wang Ying noticed Xu Shuang moving around like he knew the place well and asked curiously, “Why are you so familiar with this area?”
Xu Shuang replied, “You don’t get it. The black market in the county has a few different spots—some are near old residential areas, others are by the factory zones. But the ones near the hospitals are always moving. Hospitals have plenty of injured people and women giving birth—hard for them to get good food, so sometimes you can get lucky in these parts.”
Wang Ying gave him a surprised look. She’d suspected Xu Shuang had saved money from black market dealings, but hadn’t expected him to come clean with her so readily.
Xu Shuang gestured toward an elderly woman carrying a basket ahead of them. “See someone like her? Carrying a basket but not going in, says she’s waiting for a relative—most of the time, they’re it.”
Sure enough, that old woman kept glancing around nervously until another older lady wearing a floral headscarf came up to her.
“Second sister! You came all this way, and even brought something? Our Xiao Ru just had her baby—you didn’t need to go through the trouble. What did you bring in that basket? You’re being too generous.”
The woman with the basket immediately replied, “Generous what? These are just some eggs from our own hens. Took me a while to save up thirty. It’s just to help the child regain her strength. Nothing much—only, it’s gotten cold, and the hens aren’t laying much.”
The woman in the headscarf peeked into the basket and said, “These eggs are huge. Our Xiao Ru is going to have quite the treat.”
The basket lady said, “Of course! How old is Xiao Ru now again? I remember she’s twenty-five?”
“What are you talking about? She’s twenty-two!”
“Twenty-two? Still a bit young, isn’t she?”
“She’s not! Her father and I both think girls should start having kids by twenty-three or twenty-four.”
“I still think twenty-five is better. And besides, having a baby in this kind of cold weather—what a tough time for her.”
The woman in the flower headscarf gritted her teeth and said, “You’re right, Second Sister! Let’s go, I’ll take you in to see Xiaoru.”
…
Wang Ying was dumbfounded, sighing at how the wisdom of the working people was truly endless.
“…How much did they agree on?”
Xu Shuang, leading Wang Ying into the hospital, said, “Thirty eggs, a total of two yuan and fifty cents.”
Wang Ying clicked her tongue. “That’s quite expensive.”
Normally, eggs wouldn’t even cost ten cents each—five cents in the countryside would be considered fair. But in this case, it averaged out to nearly eight or nine cents per egg.
Xu Shuang explained, “It’s cold now, so prices are naturally a bit higher.”
The two of them entered the hospital, and Xu Shuang approached the registration window at the front and asked, “Comrade, which department handles the collection of medicinal herbs here?”
The young woman at the counter was initially quite impatient, but upon seeing Xu Shuang’s stunning face, she couldn’t help but blush slightly. “Go to the end of the hallway on the left—that department. Look for Dr. Wu…”
Xu Shuang naturally grabbed Wang Ying’s hand and started heading left. Out on the main road, they had to maintain distance, but in a hospital, no one cared about that.
Wang Ying awkwardly tried to shake off the hand—but failed.
Xu Shuang casually said, “You don’t need to bring out all your herbs here. We’ll check prices at the Chinese medicine hospital afterward and compare.”
“…Okay.”
Dr. Wu was a slightly older, balding man—someone who, in Wang Ying’s eyes, looked trustworthy. So she didn’t beat around the bush and simply laid out her herbs.
“Hello, I prepared these herbs myself. I’d like to know how your hospital buys them.”
Dr. Wu, in charge of this area at the county hospital, had a sharp eye. One glance and he could tell the herbs were well-processed.
“Let me see… Wow, this is chicken-blood vine, schisandra, and even dendrobium? You prepared all this yourself?”
Wang Ying nodded. “I’m the barefoot doctor from our brigade.”
Though she hadn’t been officially registered yet, she had the brigade leader’s approval.
Dr. Wu rubbed his hands, impressed. “You’ve got skill. If you’ve got more in the future, send them our way.”
The hospital’s herb supply mainly came from government distribution and direct purchases, but there were always gaps. Plus, some rare herbs were hard to find, so encountering someone who knew what they were doing was a pleasant surprise.
“These two—we’re not in short supply of them. I’ll give you the standard rate: one yuan per jin. As for the dendrobium, that’s more valuable. You’ve processed it well, so I’ll offer you twenty-one yuan per jin. If you get hold of ginseng or snake gall in the future, bring it here. I can even talk to the hospital leaders to get you a special price.”
Wang Ying weighed her options briefly. Although the price wasn’t particularly high, it met her expectations. Considering that the county hospital mostly treated serious cases, it made sense that they had a higher demand for potent herbs.
“Alright.”
With the deal sealed, Dr. Wu packed up the herbs and gave Wang Ying a receipt. “Take this to the finance office up front and collect your payment.”
Altogether, the herbs amounted to 12 yuan and 50 cents.
The moment she received the money, Wang Ying felt a wave of relief wash over her.
She’d been relying solely on Xu Shuang’s money lately, which had made her feel a bit guilty.
Then the two of them headed to the Chinese medicine hospital. The prices there were about the same, though compared to the county hospital, the demand for expensive, life-saving herbs was noticeably lower.
It made sense—if a patient at the Chinese medicine hospital was already in critical condition, they’d likely be transferred to the county hospital to see if they could still be saved.
After visiting both hospitals, Wang Ying’s wallet was noticeably thicker. She had earned 26 yuan and 85 cents.
“Let’s go! To the supply and marketing cooperative!” Wang Ying said with unusual exuberance.
Xu Shuang smiled warmly, then led her to the biggest supply and marketing cooperative in the county.
The main supply and marketing cooperative of Nanshao County was located in a busy district, not far from a school and factory. The road out front was wide and open.
As soon as Wang Ying and Xu Shuang walked in, they were greeted by a cacophony of sounds.
The cooperative only had one floor, but it covered a large area. One section was for large items—like the Forever and Phoenix brand bicycles. Though the counter seemed deserted and the salesperson leaned lazily against the display, it didn’t mean business was slow.
At this time, even if you had the coupons, you might not be able to buy these big-ticket items. Many people had to save up for a long time to afford them. And even if they had both money and coupons, they still had to wait for stock to arrive. That’s why the bicycle section looked empty—they were waiting for the next shipment.
The sewing machine section was similar, with signs saying out of stock. The radio counter had a few items, but one glance at the price told you few could afford them.
Meanwhile, the other side—where fabric, lunchboxes, and thermoses were sold—was a different story altogether. It was loud and bustling, like a different world compared to the quiet counters.
“Give me half a meter! I want that second pattern in the second row!”
“Let me see that hat hanging in the back!”
“Shoes! Any smaller sizes?”
…
The salespeople shouted back answers, and customers swarmed the front in a frenzy.
Wang Ying hesitated—both she and Xu Shuang weren’t the pushy type. What if they got hurt in the crowd?
Xu Shuang, familiar with the routine, counted the coupons his master had given him. “There’s a coupon for a pocket watch. Want to go buy one?”
Wristwatch coupons were extremely rare. Anyone who managed to get one would definitely be able to afford the watch itself, so hardly any coupons circulated.
But pocket watches had fallen out of fashion, so there were still some available.
Wang Ying didn’t mind. Having something to tell the time was great, whether it was a pocket watch or wristwatch didn’t matter.
“Sure, let’s go check it out.”
Wristwatches were expensive, but even pocket watches weren’t cheap. The cheapest one was still fifty yuan.
Xu Shuang let Wang Ying pick, and she was about to choose the fifty-yuan one.
Xu Shuang advised, “Pick a mechanical one. If it breaks, it’ll be hard to fix otherwise.”
Wang Ying thought it over and realized that was true. These days, watch repair was a real skill, and it would be too much trouble if it broke. Even if she wasn’t going to pick the most expensive one, at least she should choose one of decent quality so it wouldn’t break all the time.
The saleswoman silently complained in her head, All of our watches are mechanical!
But she wasn’t foolish either. If the customer was here to buy, she was here to sell—of course, it was better to sell a more expensive one. She quickly picked out a 70-yuan one and praised it nonstop.
Wang Ying looked at the round pocket watch, with several vertical stripes on the cover—it looked quite simple and elegant. “Let’s go with this one then.”
Xu Shuang paid the money and handed over the ration coupon, then gave the pocket watch directly to Wang Ying. “Put it on. Let me see if there’s any issue we didn’t notice.”
Wang Ying obediently hung the pocket watch around her neck. “How does it look?”
Xu Shuang reached out to adjust the position of the chain around her neck. “…Hmm, looks good.”
Wang Ying felt a bit awkward with him suddenly leaning in so close—her face turned a little red and her palms felt warm. “No problems, right?”
Xu Shuang lowered his hand. “No problems.”
Neither of them said anything, and they didn’t bring up what to do next. The air turned awkwardly sweet.
Xu Shuang stepped back a little. “I’ll go ask about the bicycles.”
With that, he turned and went to the bicycle counter next door. Wang Ying didn’t know whether to follow or wait where she was. Her mind kept drifting back to that moment Xu Shuang leaned in close just now.
A saleswoman nearby said enviously, “You two just got married, right? You really look like a perfect match.”
She had seen many couples while working as a saleswoman. These sweet newlyweds—even if they weren’t holding hands—you could tell. The air around them felt like it was sprinkled with sugar.
Wang Ying shyly gave a soft “Mm,” not bothering to explain. Saying they weren’t married would require too much explanation, and they didn’t know each other anyway—no need for all that.
Xu Shuang returned quickly. “The Forever-brand bicycles are getting a shipment the day after tomorrow. I’ve already paid and handed in the coupon. We can come pick it up then.”
Wang Ying: “Oh, that works.”
The two of them awkwardly walked, one behind the other, to the clothing and shoe counter.
But before long, Wang Ying stopped feeling awkward—because Xu Shuang clearly planned to spend every single coupon he had!
Not just women’s leather shoes—he bought two jackets and a huge bundle of fabric. He even had her pick through all the different patterns until she was dizzy.
Xu Shuang was even bargaining with the counter worker, counting industrial-use coupons. “Can I trade three industrial coupons for one hot water bottle coupon?”
This was a little perk that came with working in a supply store. Some types of coupons were numerous and complicated—like industrial ones. There were general coupons, special ones, regional ones, and national ones. Some products required matching coupons. That meant workers often had to trade internally.
Xu Shuang’s coupons came from his mentor and included both specific and general ones. So he needed to swap them to be able to use them.
By the time the two were done shopping, Wang Ying was carrying a bright red hot water bottle that smelled of plastic, a pair of leather-smelling shoes, two blue thick jackets with some raw edges, a big stack of colorful fabrics…
Oh, and the pocket watch hanging from her neck.
Even in the main supply store, few people bought this many things at once.
Xu Shuang did a quick mental tally. “I’ll come buy snacks and seeds later. You think if there’s anything else we’re missing, I’ll bring you back when I come to pick up the bicycle.”
Wang Ying stared blankly. “You spent all your coupons?”
Xu Shuang looked a little regretful. “Not yet. I wanted to get you a lamb fleece hat, but they didn’t have any.”
A lamb fleece hat! Even Wang Ying—who wasn’t the one spending—knew those weren’t cheap!
Those hats only came from the capital, and even there they were hard to get. Each one cost dozens of yuan at least.
“…You should save some. It’s not like we go out much in the winter—no real need for a hat.”
But that reminded Wang Ying of something she’d been planning. “Do you still have any industrial coupons left?”
Xu Shuang nodded. “Four.”
Wang Ying: …Forget it. If it’s not enough, we’ll just trade with the salespeople.
She brought Xu Shuang to a counter and pointed at the flashlight on display. “How much is that?”
The flashlight on the counter was a big one—basically a hunk of iron, with an incandescent bulb inside. It looked heavy and solid.
Saleswoman: “Thirty yuan.”
Flashlights were expensive—those shiny metal bodies, the large round barrel, and the fact that they used big No. 1 batteries. Forget the countryside, even in the city, few families had one.
Wang Ying winced at the price, but still made up her mind to buy it.
It was only after being with Xu Shuang that she realized—he used to live at the state-run inn and rarely returned to the commune. Especially since Grandma Xu was healthy and steady, and everything at home was in order.
But ever since Xu Ming got into trouble, Xu Shuang seemed worried that someone might come knocking at night. Grandma Xu was getting older, and with a son labeled as politically unreliable, Xu Shuang feared someone might come pick a fight. So now he returned to the commune every night and rushed to the inn for work during the day.
It was at least half an hour of mountainous road—not only tough to walk but also pitch dark.
And since he and Wang Ying got engaged, he’d even make morning and evening trips to bring her food.
Wang Ying figured he needed a flashlight—at the very least, it would make the mountain road safer.
“This one then. We have four coupons, can you help us trade the rest?”
The saleswoman took two extra yuan, handed over the flashlight, and kindly said, “This one already has batteries in it. When the light dims, just change the batteries. If it suddenly goes out, that means the bulb’s burnt—then just replace the bulb.”
Wang Ying nodded.
Xu Shuang had been silently following her the whole time. He’d been quick to pull out his wallet earlier, but Wang Ying had pushed his hand away.
