The group of six promptly paid for their purchases, Zhang Liunian's handsome face beaming with a smile. He thought to himself that the rumors were true.
Simply stir-frying the shrimp with salt could garner such good reviews. It seemed like a good place to do business indeed.
"Alright!" Zhang Liunian snapped back to reality, responding with a promise. He nimbly packed their orders and took their money.
After the six left, another group of people approached.
"Boss, how much for this?"
The one asking was a middle-aged man wearing a worn-out red star cap and canvas shoes. His chapped lips couldn't help but swallow nervously.
"Uncle, it's one fen per bowl," Zhang Liunian replied politely.
"One fen a bowl, and not even half a jin per bowl. It's almost the price of our rice. Can't you make it any cheaper?"
"Uncle, how about I give you a bit more?"
The uncle paused, then finally bought a bowl. As he held the shrimp meat, he extended his dusty hand and popped it into his mouth. "Delicious, truly delicious! I'll be back next time."
The uncle's words were undoubtedly another advertisement for Zhang Liunian. With two consecutive customers praising the taste, this thing must be genuinely good.
So, after the uncle left, Zhang Liunian was instantly surrounded.
"Boss, give me one portion."
"Me too."
"I want two portions."
"..."
And so, in less than half an hour, all the crayfish meat Zhang Liunian had brought was sold out.
Finding a spot, he roughly calculated. The 25 jin of crayfish meat sold for 12.5 yuan.
It was about five bowls per jin.
Zhang Liunian was very happy. This was his first pot of gold since his rebirth. Though not much, it was enough to solve his immediate needs.
After collecting the money, Zhang Liunian headed towards the supply and marketing cooperative.
Upon arriving at the cooperative, he remembered that to buy rice and flour at this time, ration coupons were needed, and oil required oil coupons.
"Comrade, I don't have any coupons, can I still buy rice?"
Since he was already there, Zhang Liunian had to ask.
But the sales clerk at the cooperative scoffed, "What are you buying without any coupons? Go to the left outside, that place suits you."
Outside to the left?
Wasn't that the old black market?
That's right, he could go to the black market.
Walking directly out of the cooperative, Zhang Liunian took a closer look at the county town as it was now. It began to align with his memories. More shops had appeared, unlike before the reform and opening up when there were only three: a supply and marketing cooperative, a grain and oil station, and a state-run restaurant.
He scanned his surroundings. He estimated there were about ten more shops now, including general stores, tailor shops, and steamed bun shops…
With a clearer picture of the county town's establishments, Zhang Liunian's thoughts turned, and he continued his steps directly towards the black market.
It was still a black market at this time, but people set up stalls here daily. The Red Guards no longer apprehended people, so everyone grew bolder.
In another two years, this place would become an openly permitted market. Zhang Liunian's previous entrepreneurial ventures had not started here, but in their city.
His business had been good then, but it was too far from Zhangjia Village.
Therefore, he decided to set up shop at the machinery factory first, and consider coming back after the machinery factory was completed.
After a round at the black market, he confirmed that as long as he had money, he could buy anything, though the prices were a bit higher.
The rice sold at the cooperative was originally 0.16 yuan plus ration coupons, but here it was 0.21 yuan per jin.
Zhang Liunian directly bought ten jin, followed by five jin of fine flour, five jin of oil, and various seasonings.
By the time Zhang Liunian walked out of the black market, his woven basket was already full.
Returning home, he saw his wife and daughter waiting for him in the courtyard, and his heart softened immensely.
"Qingqing, Huabao, I'm back. Have you eaten?"
Zhang Liunian stepped forward, picked up his daughter, and turned to look at Jiang Qingqing, who was thin.
"We'll eat together as a family when you get back." Jiang Qingqing reached out and took Zhang Liunian's hand. Their hands intertwined, and they entered the house together.
"It smells so good. Qingqing, your cooking is always the best." As soon as he entered the house, Zhang Liunian saw the crayfish and fish soup on the table.
"If you like it, then eat!"
"Okay."
The family of three sat at the table and finished their dinner.
After the meal, Zhang Liunian took out the items he had bought one by one. Finally, as if performing magic, he produced two large meat buns for them.
"Wow, these are meat buns! Daddy's bad, Huabao is full." Huabao's eyes lit up immediately at the sight of the white, fluffy buns. But thinking of her already full stomach, she hugged her belly and looked at him with a wronged expression.
Zhang Liunian was amused by his daughter's little expression. He placed the buns in her hands, "Hold them in your hands. You can eat them when Huabao isn't full anymore."
Huabao was overjoyed to hear this. Hugging the buns, she ran off happily.
"Huabao, don't run around! Daddy won't be able to find you," Zhang Liunian called out, afraid his daughter would run too far.
"I'm just playing with Xiao Hong in the courtyard." Hearing her father's words, Huabao immediately stopped her impulse to go outside, crouched down, and began playing with the crayfish.
Seeing her being so obedient, Zhang Liunian smiled. He then turned his head and met his wife's astonished gaze.
"Liunian, how much did you sell?" Jiang Qingqing was truly startled to see her husband pull out such a spread of items.
How much money did he earn to be able to buy so many things?
Jiang Qingqing incredulously reached out and rummaged through the items: rice, flour, oil, two large cans, and some MSG, dried chili, and the like.
These things must have cost at least a "big red envelope"!
Did he get a "big red envelope" just like that?
No way! Did those few crayfish earn him ten yuan?
Was money really this easy to make?
Although Jiang Qingqing had heard that the country was allowing individual businesses, she didn't realize the money would be so easy to earn. Earning ten yuan in just one morning was equivalent to her cultivating land for several months.
"I sold 25 jin for 12.5 yuan. This is the 2.5 yuan I have left after buying things. Here you go."
Zhang Liunian took out the money from his pocket and handed it to his wife. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "From now on, all the money I earn will be yours."
Jiang Qingqing's malnourished, melon-seed-like face instantly turned red. She glanced sideways at the tall, handsome man, and a surge of pride suddenly welled up in her heart.
This was the man she had fallen for at first sight. He had not disappointed her; he was indeed the best man in the world.
Jiang Qingqing did not refuse. She took the money, carefully smoothed and folded it, and put it in her pocket.
It was wonderful. This was the first sum of money her husband had entrusted to her, signifying his own efforts towards their little family.
"Liunian, is this business so profitable?"
"It's mainly because people haven't realized it yet, and I got ahead of everyone else.
So, I plan to go again this afternoon, and I'll be selling twice a day from now on."
After speaking, Zhang Liunian turned to peel crayfish, only to see a large basin of already peeled shrimp meat placed in the kitchen.
Jiang Qingqing followed him, smiling sweetly and raising an eyebrow, "I want to work hard to earn money with you too."
Hearing this, Zhang Liunian turned and hugged his wife. It was wonderful to have her by his side.